What Happens Next
Disclaimer: J.K Rowling wrote the books not me. I don't own anything. Except the characters I made up.
Author's Notes: Thanks for all my reviews. They are great. I just wanted to mention a bit about this story. Its more romance than anythin so there won't be any Voldemort or things in it. Unless I carry on the story until they were a bit older. Which I might do. It may just shoot ahead to a sequel though. I hope you like it the way it is. There will be lots of twists and turns and I really hope that its okay to read. Let me know about any ideas you have but don't critisize it cause I am really stubborn and will probably just get all moody. lol. Anyways, read on...
Chapter 3
The week went so slowly for the girls they thought that it would never get to Saturday, the day they went home, well James' home that is. They had all owled their parents and told them what they were doing. Their parents were fine except Lily's still insisted she came to Petunia's wedding. She was after all a bridesmaid. Lily agreed as long as she got a choice on what dress she wore.
The marauders had been laid off doing anything particularly irritating in the last week of school, hoping that the girls wouldn't change their minds. They instead acted especially nice and kind to the girls. The girls found this extremely strange and waited for something bad to happen everytime the boys opened a door for them or pulled out a chair. But nothing did, they were just being nice.
When Saturday came they were all packed and ready to go and when they went to grab a carriage down to the trains station the four marauders jumped in with them.
"Hello ladies," Sirius said giving one of his a class award winning smiles.
"Hello," The girls all said simultaneously.
"So, you haven't changed your minds or anything? Still coming over to mine?" James asked trying to show a cool and totally unbothered exterior.
"Of course, why would I have changed my mind?" Lily asked happy with James discomfort. It was nice to see him not acting so cocky.
The carriage stopped and they all jumped out and boarded the train together. They all went into the same compartment and sat down. Lily and James by the window, Cressida by Lily and Sirius across from her, next to James. Remus was next to Sirius with Peter on his other side and Amaryllis sat by Cressida.
The journey started off quiet, Sirius and Remus played a game of exploding snap with Amaryllis watching silently. Lily stared out of the window for ages looking at the scenery they were passing, she was daydreaming and did not notice James looking at her when she did notice she sat up and said.
"What's up?"
"How come you agreed to come stay at my house?" James asked outright,
"I don't know, I guess I thought it would be fun." Lily replied shrugging.
"Okay, I hope we do have fun, my grand parents are pretty easy going." James said.
"What happened to your parents James?" Lily asked not thinking first.
"They died four years ago, they were aurors, good ones, they got killed by Voldemort." James said quietly with his face showing no emotion at all.
"I won't say I'm sorry James, I hated it when people did that to me when my granddad died, I will just say I am so sad for you." Lily said quietly looking his right in the eyes so he knew she meant it.
"Thanks," he mumbled. They're quiet conversation was interrupted though by Sirius squealing loudly and going really red.
"What's up Padfoot?" James asked looking at his blushing friends.
"Nothing," was his tense reply, "I have um… cramp in my foot." Lily went to get her bag for a book inside it and when she leaned down under the table she saw Cressida's foot stroking the inside of Sirius's thigh. Lily had to stop herself laughing out loud. She sat up and looked at Cressida who was laughing silently from behind her magazine. Cressida looked at Lily and winked and Lily grinned at her.
The rooms tension was less after that little episode and apart from Sirius who was in a bit of shock everyone chatted and played games and planned what they were going to do that summer. The main idea's included going swimming in James' pool, which made Lily think that his house must be huge.
Or among other things for them to do they thought they could go to a quiddich match of a team James supported and they could all go for free as James' family had a box at the stadium. Another thing to make Lily think James was loaded, not that this was an issue with Lily as money was immaterial to her as her family were highly rich as well due to her father's highly successful business.
The journey went on and Amaryllis and Remus got talking.
"So do you stay with James every summer?" She asked.
"Yes, since starting about four years ago, because it was easier really." Remus replied.
"Easier for what?" Amaryllis asked.
"Oh… um… because my mother gets sick a lot and if I'm not there I don't get in the way." He said quickly. But Amaryllis thought there was more to it than he said. This was what she meant when she thought there was more to him than he let on. He was always holding back on something.
"My parents are going to Italy for the summer so I would prefer to go to James'. I hate doing all those family get-togethers, acting all perfect. It gets really boring." Amaryllis said trying to start conversation again but got nervous by his silence and babbled a bit. She never got nervous round boys and hated how she felt now.
"Yes I can imagine its hard trying to be something you're not, it must be tiring," Remus said. He looked as though he was talking about something else though when he said it.
The others in the room were all chatting idly. Lily was chatting to Cressida quietly.
"What was that earlier Sid? Trying to give Sirius a heart attack?" Lily said as quiet as she could so the boys didn't hear but they were distracted and playing exploding snap again and Remus was still talking to Amaryllis.
"What? I was bored, I was just having a little fun. Letting him know what the next two months would be like." Cressida said smirking.
"Is that what you want to do? Mess with his head all holiday? I thought you liked him more than that." Lily asked.
"I do but I'm just getting his attention." Cressida said looking slightly put out that Lily wasn't finding it as funny as she was.
"Maybe you could find more subtle ways to get his attention or he'll think you only want him for one thing and a relationship can't last on that alone." Lily said sensibly.
"I guess you're right, I never really thought about it like that." Cressida said seriously.
"Yeah well Sirius is Sirius and if you put the moves on him he'll get the wrong idea. Don't move too fast." Lily said then she noticed the boy's game had finished and changed the subject.
"So Sid I need to go shopping to get a few things, like a bikini and some jeans and stuff, we can go Monday." She looked at the boys and she had their full attention. Sid caught onto her change of topic and carried it on.
"Yeah, we can hit Selfridges and Harrods in London."
"You live near there don't you James?" Lily directed at James.
"Um… I don't know. I don't really go muggle shopping but we can get a car into town," James said smiling.
"Okay great, we'll have day out shopping then." Lily said.
"Sounds like fun," Amaryllis said joining in on the mention of shopping.
"Look we're here already," Remus pointed out as the train slowed in the station.
They hadn't even noticed entering London. Remus sat up and nudged Peter. The entire journey he had spent it lying in the corner sleeping. He was extremely strange but at the same time he fit in with the marauders and they accepted him for what he was. He sat up and rubbed his eyes and looked around.
"Are we here?" Peter squeaked.
"Yeah, everybody grab you're stuff." James said taking charge. The train pulled to a final halt and they all stood up and stretched before grabbing all their luggage and struggling off of the train. Lily had her trunk an owl cage and her handbag so when she got off the train she lost her balance she was about to trip over her feet when James quickly grabbed her and pulled her to a standing position. She smiled at him.
"Thanks, I thought I was going to go flat on my face," She said grinning.
"It's okay, anytime," James said smiling. He was smiling strangely at her, as though he was looking into her soul. She got flustered and got all her stuff together again and began to pull her trunk down the platform to where the others had assembled.
James walked quickly and when he got there he dropped his case and walked around his friends. Behind them were two people of about sixty. Lily thought they looked awfully young to be James' grandparents but it was unmistakable that they were related as James had his grandfather's unruly hair, but instead of raven black Mr Potter's was dark grey. James also had his grandmothers warm eyes, they were ice blue yet still were warm. James walked over to them and grabbed them both and hugged them.
The girls were all shocked at seeing James being so affectionate. He kissed his Gran on the cheek and shook his Granddad's hand after he hugged them. Then turned his attention to his guests.
"Gran, Grandpa, this is Lily, Amaryllis, and Cressida. You know the boys." James pointed each girl out when he said her name. They each smiled and shook the Potter's senior's hands.
"Pleased to meet you," Lily said, "Thank you so much for letting us stay with you."
"Oh didn't James tell you, you're not staying with us. You're staying in the manor house instead of our house. We're just taking you there. James thought it would be better since there's so many of you this year." Mrs Potter senior explained smiling though slightly strained. James smiled and grabbed his stuff.
"Come on lets go." He ushered everyone in the direction of the car park.
Lily noticed the other marauders share a secret look that said there was more going on than Lily knew about. She walked up behind Remus and Sirius.
"What's up?" She asked not wanting the others to notice her talking to them.
"Nothing, nothing. Well… no nothing. Doesn't matter." Sirius stopped talking after Remus gave Sirius a sharp look. Lily left it and followed them all to the car. The car wasn't actually a car, it was cars, plural. There were three cars.
"There are so many of you we got all the cars out today," James' granddad said smiling. Each car was a sleek black Rolls Royce with a driver in the front. "Okay three in each car." He said.
Lily piled her luggage into the spacious boot of the first car. She opened the door and saw Remus and Sirius were in the car and no one else. She was pleased it gave her a chance to see what was going on back there. She got in and closed the door behind her. The car began to wind its wa through the London streets.
"Okay so what was going on back there?" Lily asked them.
"What do you mean?" Remus asked all innocence.
"You know, the secret looks you gave. What's going on?" Lily asked.
"It's none of your business." Remus said sharply.
"Wait a minute Remus," Sirius said, "Maybe she should know, I mean she's here this summer too." Sirius said looking at Remus.
"Fine, but if he finds out he'll go absolutely mad you do realise that," Remus said ignoring Lily was even there.
"Okay Lily we will tell you but don't mention it to the other girls and especially not James," Sirius began. "You know how Mr and Mrs P said that we were staying in the Manor instead of with them," Lily nodded, "well the manor is where James lived with his parents. Before they died," Lily saw Sirius eyes tear up and he shook his head so his hair covered more of his face, "since they got killed,"
"Murdered," Remus said with disgust in his voice.
"Yeah murdered," Sirius continued, "well he wouldn't even go in the house he refused, he hasn't stepped foot in the house since he found them. He actually found his parents after they had been killed. He couldn't even look at the house after that. He said it was too hard. To see everything his parents worked for, like an empty shell. Just him all alone. So him coming here this summer it's a big deal, he hasn't been there in four years. The only reason he's doing it is for you I hope you realise. So feel a little honoured. It's a big deal." Sirius finished looking Lily in the eyes.
She looked away and looked at her hands, which were together in her lap. She felt awful, selfish, coming to James' house. She didn't deserve it. She looked at the window staring at the scenery and all she could see was James' smiling straight at her.
