Firefly Secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, nor do I plan to in the future. Mrs. J.K. Rowling so humbly owns her own creations, and to that I give well-deserved ado.

Chapter Two: What is Lost

-Can't Be Found-

---

Lily was staring at the ceiling…

(So bored…so bored…so bored…)

It was Sunday morning, six o'clock…

(So bored…so bored…so bored…)

She sat up in bed, already fully dressed in hip hugging jeans and a tight, green turtleneck. The water running in her bathroom startled her; surely James couldn't be awake already? The Heads shared a bathroom, but it was made to accommodate males and females, much like the Prefects bathroom. It had a huge bubble bath tub with 40 different nozzles that each emitted a different scent. The room was exactly symmetrical, with even a color division running through the middle of the room. James's side was white and black tiled with all carpets to match, and Lily's side was yellow, with little clumps of blue bubbles painted onto it. Lily groaned…she really had to go…

Knock, knock, knock.

"Who is it?" James yelled smiling, as he was cozily relaxing in his (soon to be 2 hour) bubble bath.

"As IF you don't know who else it would be, Potter!" Lily practically screamed, she REALLY, REALLY had to go.

"But, Lily-kins, can't you see that I'm using the bathroom right now?"

"Potter! It's nearly eight o'clock already! And, I really have to use the loo…"

"Eight o'clock! I have a date with Sirius!" James exclaimed and Lily could hear the water draining from the tub…

(I do NOT need to hear running water right now…)

Lily was doing all but running around with her legs crossed as James jumped through her door, gave her a hug, and ran through the other door into the common room. Lily HATED that their rooms were connected…

"POTTY!" Lily was ecstatic.

---

Lily walked into the Great Hall slowly, she didn't really need to look for anyone to sit with, it wasn't like she had anyone anyway. She usually just sat next to Remus because he was quite sensible, and a great guy. James and Sirius usually sat on the opposite side of Remus, and Peter across from Remus, next to James.

(A/N: CHART TIME!)

Peter - James

Lily- Remus- Sirius

Lily sat down with a 'plop' and muttered a 'Good morning, all.'

"GOOD MORNING!" Sirius was elated, and was all but bouncing up and down in his seat. "It's such a GREAT morning, isn't it James? Isn't it? I heard James was in Lily's bedroom this morning, oh how ROMANTIC!"

"You wanna say that a little louder next time, Padfoot? I don't think the Slytherins heard you in the dungeons…" James was burying his face behind an upside down transfiguration book.

"So, that's how you're so good at transfiguration, Prongs? I knew that woman wasn't teaching it right…" Remus was buttering up his toast, and Lily was reaching for corned beef.

"What he needs to do is get on his Potions, Slughorn told me…"

"Slughorn, hm? I already have to compete with every other boy in this school, Lily, don't tell me I have to compete with a button-bursting teacher as well!" James nearly slammed his book into his eggs.

"Well, at least Slughorn knows what a compliment is, more than I can say for you."

And with that, Lily walked away, out of the Great Hall, and to where no one else would find her.

"Prongs! You are not a woman person, are you?" Sirius laughed, and tugged on the wrist of a randomly passing witch, and pulled her into a twirl that sent her sitting in his lap. All the while, he conjured a rose between his teeth, and put his face inches from hers even before he opened his eyes. "A rose, for a wonderful…AAAAHHHH!"

"BLACK! THAT'S TEN POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Minerva McGonagall screamed as she straightened out and continued her (rather shaky) walk to the staff table.

---

Children were laughing…soft, melodic, carefree…

"If I catch a firefly, you have to tell me one of your deepest secrets!" a young boy's voice rang through the crisp air. A young girl was following him, her feet numbing through the snow.

"James! You'll never catch a firefly! It's winter!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"James, where are we going?" Lily was chasing James through the yard at his family's mansion. They ran inside, barely kicking their shoes off, and ran upstairs. Lily was getting tired of chasing, and her cheeks were flushed. Suddenly, he turned a corner and disappeared. By the time Lily caught up, she was in a deserted hallway that was painted white, with black and white tiles, and small black picture frames lining the walls. She walked slowly through the hallway, numerous white doors on either side of her. She was looking at the little moving pictures…mostly from when James was just a kid. But, she saw one that made her stop. It was her and James at school, sitting by the fireplace. Occasionally, a hand would move in front of the frame (Sirius never could take a picture), or one of the children would throw a pillow across the room. Something else in the hall caught her eye, one door was not fully closed.

"Hmmm…" Lily walked into the dark room, and she felt instantly warm with summer grass grazing her feet and a lush forest around her. She heard a rustle in a nearby bush…she took her wand out shakily… (Not like I know anything to keep me safe, anyway)…a hand was reaching out from the darkness…waiting…

"GOTCHA!"
"JAMES HAROLD POTTER!" Lily was gasping and clutching at her heart, eyes wide, breath heavy.

"HAHAHA! You silly little, Lily…" James plucked a lily from a nearby bush and put it in her hair. They both sat down in the soft grass. "I have something for you…"and there, in his cupped hands, was a firefly. Lily contorted her face in mock anger.

"You cheated."

"DID NOT!"

"I didn't know you had a whole forest in your house."

"It's not in my house. We have a PORTAL to a forest in our house. Very different."

"Mmhmm…well, alright then. A promise is a promise." Lily cupped her hands around James's ear and leaned toward him to whisper her deepest secret…

---

"Will you go out with me, Lily?"

"No, Potter."

"Please?"

"No, Potter."

"Just one?"

"No, Potter."

"You know, you're gonna miss me when we leave here, Lily."

"No, Potter."

"You know you will."

"No, Potter."

"Oh, COME."

"I KNOW you aren't about to say 'ON', because that would mean that you are annoying me because you are using your little annoying catch phrase that gets you everything, and I do not want to be annoyed, at least not by YOU!"

"So, if I disguised myself as Amos Diggory, could I annoy you?"

Lily waved her hands in frustration.

"Why are you even here!" Lily was sitting in the kitchens, eating a proper and quiet breakfast with a book propped in front of her.

"To dote on you, my Lily-flower."

"Annoying is not doting, and I am not your Lily-flower." (Not anymore.) She said with a wag of her finger, and she returned to her breakfast. James pleased a house-elf by getting some soup. "You already ate, Potter! How dare you go about annoying that poor creature?"

"Unlike SOMEONE, I have the decency to at least grant annoying beings what they want."

"At least you've come to terms with what you are, then."

"Why do you hate me, Lily?" Lily was taken aback by this statement. It was level, it was cognitive, it was pure.

"I don't hate you. I just don't like you very much."

"Well, I like you very much."

"You of all people should know that relationships can't be one-sided."

"But, Lils."

"Don't call me that."

"But, LILS, that was so long ago! You still hang out with the Marauders because we are your friends."

"Sitting with you in the Great Hall shouldn't be considered 'hanging out'."

"That isn't the point, Lily."

"Then what IS the point?"

"The point is, that I think you should give me another chance. At least, we should call a truce, being Head Boy and Girl and all…"

"But, it was SO funny when I charmed your belly-button to sprout onions. I don't think I want to give up the laughs."

"Not as funny as when I turned you into a tortoise."

"Oh, yes, the MASTER at truces, here at last…" Lily was vehemently rolling her eyes, and finishing up her breakfast quickly.

"But, Lily, it will never happen again, I promise."

"Potter, your promises never were the most reliable."

"But, Lily…" he took her hands and looked into her eyes.

"I promise…to you…"