Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related materials are the property of JK Rowling and whoever she chooses to sell it to at a profit, and I am very lucky I can write fanfiction without being arrested, God bless America.
Was that good or what?
When Dawn Breaks The Night
Chapter Sixteen-Departures
July 4, 1973
Lily watched the normally composed seventh years in front of her, every last one of them looking ready to crack under stress. Of course, some were taking it better than others. One girl appeared to be sobbing with her forehead on the table, while Lizzy Wilkins, now Frank Longbottom's ex, was biting her fingernails. Peter appeared to be praying while frantically flipping through textbook, absorbing nothing. Remus was also reading, although his lips moved methodically as he read slowly. Sirius and James were hissing at each other, obviously the stress was even gnawing at them.
"I told you that the only way to make the potion turn out right was to spit in it!" Sirius said sharply.
"You don't spit in potions to make them work properly, you dimwit!" James returned with ferocity, obviously highly alarmed with the situation.
"I'm being serious, mine worked didn't it?
"SIRIUS!"
"James!" Lily interjected, hastily placing her hand on his arm to calm him, Sirius sending her a grateful look. "Why don't we-."
"I don't have time. I should be reviewing. Stupid!"
"Are you calling me stupid?"
"No, myself, don't worry." James gave her a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand, but appeared to drift off into his own little world, occasionally asking someone at the table about something or another."
All of this was caused by a little thing the wizarding world liked to call NEWTs, who lived up to their name-Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. The seventh years were becoming unhinged before everyone's very eyes, and to date, two Hufflepuffs, a Slytherin, one Gryffindor, and five Ravenclaws had been put in the hospital wing due to some sort of nervous breakdown. Lily's admiration for James grew as she had watched him coolly prepare for the past three months, going over each subject once a week. He was one of the few who seemed not to be completely losing his mind, but she knew that he inwardly cared the most. To James, the NEWTs were his ticket out of Quidditch, and nothing would stand in his way of perfection.
July 6, 1973
When Lily and Amos entered the common room after classes that day, a room full of seventh years sprawled out on every available piece of furniture and carpeting was the last thing they expected to see. Amos looked and Lily, and she looked at him, and neither knew what exactly to think.
"We're done," Remus answered simply to the general area of Lily's feet since he was holding down a heavy carpet.
"How do you guys think you did?" Lily asked, directing her question to James and his friends, not the whole common room as assumed.
All at once, the official witches and wizards started complaining and groaning about their mistakes, eager to unburden themselves on the two sixth years, while James remained silent with an amused smile. Lily turned to him after the initial noise abated and raised an eyebrow.
"I did well."
"Good for you," she said sincerely. Lily sat down when he moved to make room for her, settling his arm around her shoulders. James talked to her quietly for some time, telling her about the tests and some things that were follow-ups to previous conversations, or even some seemingly random comments. All the while, their friends looked on in amused curiosity, evidently dying to know out what exactly was going on between the two of the.
So were Lily and James.
*~*~*
July 15, 1973
Lily stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express, feeling a James-like melancholy settle over her, making it seem hard to breathe. Things were so terribly uncertain now, and she didn't like the brand of it. She didn't know where she stood with her parents. had been worse than furious when she had left without breaking up with James, and she didn't want to see their reaction when she got home, still in a relationship with him. They would murder her if they found out she had disobeyed them for what they viewed as a normal boy. She didn't know how she fit into his plans, though. How could he play Quidditch, but still have a relationship with her? And what about when she went back to Hogwarts?
"You look sad," James observed, running his thumb over the knuckles of the hand he was holding.
"Just thinking is all."
"About what?"
"Nothing important, I guess." Lily wished for the intervening ruckus of one of his friends or her friends, for that matter. That wouldn't happen though; Remus had suggested the others step out to give them a little privacy for the intermediate leg of their trip, apparently to sum up their affair. "So will you go home and try to work things out with your parents? They did make the first step."
"I can't believe you're suggesting that after what you know about them. You have got to be insane."
"I just think that you might really need them one day, and perhaps you should try to reconcile with them now. Not to be a cloud on a sunny day, but things aren't going to swell with our search for your real father. We don't have anything at all. Not even a clue. Nada. Zilch. Zip."
"I get the point, our well hath run dry," James agreed. He wished that wasn't the case though. He needed to know who he really was, because it was more than evident that he wasn't the run-of-the-mill-Potter. James looked upon the day when he could walk into the house with the knowledge of who his real father was and flaunt it in their faces with many degrees of anticipation. No doubt James's sire would be morally competent, intelligent like James, and would immediately welcome him. Hopefully he would have a family, and James could just slide right into theirs. Then things would be perfect.
"You have your second chance with them now, James, it would be a shame to waste it."
"Until I have further reason to please them, playing Quidditch for one Godforsaken year will have to suffice," he said succinctly, and that was the end of that.
*~*~*
"So, umm, I guess this is it," Lily observed in discomfort. Around them, witches and wizards were hugging and kissing their parents and other family members. Lily's were outside the barrier, Muggles that they were. James's parents were a distance off, but standing none too close to each other. Lily and James were standing there by themselves, not really sure what to say or do. James would begin playing with the Magpies shortly, a team known for their excellence. James hated the idea.
He would be in their summer training program for the next two months, and by that time, regrettably, Lily would be back at Hogwarts, without James.
The tense moment was broken, luckily, when Frank Longbottom jogged past, shouting, "Alice! Alice! Wait up; my parents are dying to see you!"
Lily giggled and James smiled. "We may always wonder how that happened," she said.
"It was all us. The Marauders single-handedly sat them up. Kicking him out of the room in a wild Alice chase was the best thing that could have happened to him."
"James, my parents are waiting, I need to go." Lily easily hugged him, feeling sadness.
"Departures are hell," he murmured.
"For once, I agree. I-I'll see you."
"And I'll see you. I'll visit you first chance I get, how about? Either that or I could just owl you and you could meet me if you don't want your parents to know."
"That would be nice," Lily said, pursing her lips. It would be a miracle to get through this without crying. She cried when people talked about putting their pets to sleep, so of course she would cry at something this personal.
"You know what?"
"What?" she asked, still hugging him.
"I think I might miss you."
Lily laughed in surprise and said, "I think I might miss you too. Good luck with the Magpies."
"That sounds wonderful when you say it like that."
"I'm glad. Goodbye."
"Is not forever."
"Cute."
"I know. Bye, Lily." James kissed her while tucking back a loose strand of hair as was his habit. Lily took one long look before walking out of Platform 9 ¾, and back into the world of Muggles for six weeks; every minute of that time being spend repairing the shaking foundation she had with her family right now. Unlike James, she needed her family, and unlike half the teenage population, she liked them. She enjoyed being at home with her parents and doing things with them. So, when she saw her dark-haired mother and Petunia sitting on a bench waiting for her, it was a huge sigh of relief, a thousand burdens lifted all at once.
"Lily!" Petunia said warmly, wrapping her sister in a hug.
"Hi, guys!"
"Did you have fun?"
The usual catching up had to take place, Lily describing final examinations and the antics of fellow classmates and teachers. She had to tell about Gryffindor winning the House and Quidditch cups.
To her parents, as well as Petunia and the lovingly gruff Vernon, the omission of James from all of her conversations seemed to mean that she had finally broken up with him. In return, they very seldom brought him into the conversation. When they did, Lily had to bite her cheek, they always had to bring up one of his dark comments or expressions, making him appear to be a menace to the world in general.
Lily knew better though. He owled constantly…well, about every four days, but that worked for her. Somehow, he managed to turn what she knew was an awful experience to him, into a series of hilarious events that were play-worthy. James was special to her, and not even her family or Millie or James himself could ruin that.
Or so she thought.
*~*~*
Hmm…another short chapter. It's entirely a case of getting my wires crossed…from my timeline to WDBTN WP, apparently. I didn't realize that it was time for the next part of my fanfic to begin so soon, but here it is. I'm planning on having another chapter of both this one and The Haphazard Ruse out by next Friday. On Saturday, the second of August, we're leaving for our family vacation. In case I don't, or I have another crisis like I did last time that involved an ignorant word processor, we're going to Gettysburg and Hershey, PA; Boston; Niagra Falls; and providing we get Dad's birth certificate rounded up in time, we'll drive through Canada on our way home. I should be back around the 16th of August I think. The bad news is really bad. Volleyball practice begins the 18th, the then school the 22nd! AAAHHHHHHHH! On the bright side though, I turn 16 on the 24th! YAHOO! I can drive anywhere anytime. I think I want a Harry Potter cake. How very delightful.
And as one last note, I'm editing the chapters previous to this in a minor go-along to OotP. Professor Arabella Figg will be Professor Araminta Figg, the Mrs. Squib Figg's sister. In my explanation for the Mrs. Part, children have the knack for calling all older women Mrs., married or not. At least in my experience, that is. Also, references of James's silver eyes will be changed to hazel (much less fun) but they still remain un-bespectacled.
Anyway, have a nice day, everyone! 151 days until Christmas.