White Stag
James led Lily upstairs to the dorm he shared with Sirius, Remus, and Peter. She had expected the whole room to be messy, but three-quarters of it was quite neat. However, the other quarter looked somewhat as if a tornado had gone through it. She supposed that was Sirius's part of the room.
James sat down on what was apparently his bed. Lily sat down beside him, feeling strange being with him now that she knew he was the stag. He sighed heavily.
"So... um..." said James, looking as uncomfortable as she felt and staring down at his feet.
"Why didn't you tell me you were the stag?" she asked, surprising herself.
He looked up. "It's illegal, Lily. I thought you would've known that."
"It's not illegal if you're regi- you're not registered!"
He shook his head. "Do you really think the Ministry would register a 16-year-old Animagus?" he asked her.
"No," she admitted. "But I wouldn't have told. I thought you would've known that."
James shrugged. "What makes you think I can really trust anybody with this?"
"Sirius and Remus know," she said, somewhat hurt.
"And Peter," he added. "But they're my best friends, Lily, and you... well, you hated me last year, and you probably hate me again now."
She paused, trying to sort out her jumbled feelings. "I don't hate you, but... I wish you had told me. I told you so much without knowing it was you, and now you... now you probably think I'm just a silly little girl."
"Never!" said James, so quickly and honestly it startled Lily. "I mean... oh Merlin. Lily... I would have listened to you... I'll listen to you now, if you want to talk about something." He was looking back at his feet again. "It doesn't have to be the stag you tell your problems to," he whispered.
There was just one thing bothering Lily. "Why did the stag stop coming?" she asked him quietly.
He looked back up. "Who knows?" he said, in almost the same tone he had used that morning in the Forest, a slight smile on his face.
She raised her eyebrows at him. "You, maybe," she replied seriously.
His smile vanished. "He was too tired to come. He would've come tomorrow, after hegot some moresleep."
Lily thought about that for a moment. "Why was he so tired?" she asked finally.
"I can't tell you. I'm sorry," he said, and he really looked it. "But he'll come tomorrow, if you want him to."
"You could come," she suggested tentitavely. "I know you know the way."
He smiled tiredly. "I'll be there."
Yay. James and Lily get a happy moment there. Funny thing is, I read Hogwartsgirl52's review of chapter 4 just a second ago, and she said she hoped Lily would be nice to James. And she was. :smile: Who wants to guess why the stag was tired? And will Lily find out about the other Animagi? Before you ask, yes, I'm gonna go write chapter 6 right now. Woot.