Lily and James walked hand in hand back to the castle, both oblivious to the fact that they still soaking wet. They walked in silence to Gryffindor common room, for the mere presence of one another was enough to keep the couple content.
As James gave the password to the Fat Lady and the portrait swung open, he bowed courteously and gestured towards the hole allowing Lily passage. Laughing she climbed in a very lady like manner through the portrait hole.
Lisa, Kiara, Remus and Sirius looked over to the portrait hole at the sound of Lily's laughter. They were astonished to see a glowing smile on the drenched form of the girl they had seen crying only an hour before. And even more amazed to see another smiling face upon a bedraggled boy who followed Lily into the common room.
The fact that they were holding hands didn't even enter into the other's minds. Just the sight of the two together was happily heart stopping. The couple approached the group not noticing the startled faces upon their friends.
"Lily? Can we have a quick word with you over here please?" Kiara asked keeping her voice low.
"Hum," Lily replied dreamily starting to follow them but still holding James' hand.
"Lily," he said and Lily turned around only to have her lips meet his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and continued. Neither of them seemed to care that everyone in the common room was watching them, not that they could tell with their eyes closed as the kiss went on and on and the couple acted oblivious to the immense silence that filled the room.
"Hem hem," coughed Sirius.
They carried on kissing as though they were ignoring Sirius but something told everyone they were so deep into each other they just hadn't heard him.
"Hem hem," he coughed louder.
They finally broke apart reluctantly though to the surprise of everyone else in the room Lily and James did not seem to care that everyone's eyes were on them. They were positively glowing, radiating with love and happiness.
"Lily!" Kiara pressed.
Lily stood still, staring at James intently who was gazing adoringly at her. Lisa clicked her fingers in front of Lily's face; this seemed to bring her out of day dream.
"Yes," she answered.
Kiara and Lisa led her a little way away from the boys before continuing their conversation.
"Lily, what happened to you? You go out crying and you come back like…this!" Kiara exclaimed.
"And you're soaked," Lisa added waving her wand at Lily who immediately became dry.
"Thanks," Lily said to Lisa. "Well, James followed me all the way outside and then…" she became distant, "…he said he loved me."
"That's great Lily," Kiara said. "But what happened to the plan where you broke up with him in order to stop him getting hurt? Not that I'm not pleased you didn't follow through with it."
"I can't explain. Something is just telling me this is the right thing to do, I always feel so much better when he's around. And when he said he loved me I knew I had to trust my heart. And you know, when I woke up the thing he had said which I couldn't remember was I love you."
For some reason Lisa gasped at this point and when Lily and Kiara looked at her she had a look of dawning realisation on her pretty face.
"What?" Lily asked.
Lisa smiled before replying, "I think I just figured something out but I'm not going to tell you until I can be absolutely sure."
Lily frowned but didn't argue. It seemed Lisa had more to say though, only this time she wasn't as enthusiastic, "But Lily, you know what this means?"
Lily nodded her head sadly, "I've got to tell him. Will you both be there when I do? You know, for moral support?"
They nodded their heads.
Meanwhile James had just finished telling the other marauders what had happened after being dried by Remus.
"…and then we just sat and watched the sunset together," James finished with a sigh.
"This is so good James. I don't know why she wanted to break up with you. It's obvious neither of you can stand to be apart," Remus told him.
For some reason James then looked at the floor sheepishly. "Moony, listen I don't want to keep any secrets from Lily. So I was wondering if I could have your permission to tell her about your," he paused and glanced around the room, ""furry little problem" and the fact that we're Animagi." He looked at Remus with a hopeful look.
Remus stood still wearing a frown until a moment later when he broke into a smile and said, "You know what? I think it's time all the girls knew about our secret. We should tell them together."
A second later they saw Lily, Lisa and Kiara walking towards them. Each of the boys greeted their girlfriends with, "I have to tell you something."
In reply to James, Lily said, "I need to tell you something too." And then addressing the whole group, "Can we go somewhere private and talk?"
"Sure," replied James. Then to Sirius he said, "Is anyone in our dormitory?"
"No, Wormtail is at the library I think."
"Okay, then we'll all go and talk up there," James said decisively.
Once there, they sat on their own beds with their girlfriends beside them. Remus spoke first, "Can we go first?"
The girls nodded their heads. Remus turned to Lisa. "I love you."
Lisa looked pleasantly shocked for a minute before stroking the side of Remus' face and, with a smile, saying, "I love you too."
There was silence and then Remus started talking quickly as if getting what he wanted to say out faster would be easier. "I would do anything to protect you so you can dump me after you find this out if you want to. But I want you to know I'm still the exact same person I was before I told you this and I don't want to break up with you." He then took a deep swallow, "I'm – "
He was then interrupted by Lisa who placed a finger on his lips to silence him and said, "Are you about to tell me you're a werewolf?"
Remus' eyes widened in shock. "How did you know?"
"Honey, I think I deserve a little credit. I've had my suspicions ever since I started dating you. You disappear every month and I know you give excuses but just before that you start to look ill and…well you do have some grey hairs." Remus raised a hand to his head conscientiously. "Don't worry," Lisa continued. "I think it's sexy. Makes you look very cute."
Remus smiled, "So are you okay with my being a werewolf?"
"Why wouldn't I be, like you said, you're exactly the same person I fell in love with." She smiled and then leaned gently forward and kissed him.
As they broke apart Remus said, "There's more, but not about me. James?"
"You mind if I take it Padfoot?" James asked.
"Go ahead," Sirius replied.
He turned to face Lily who was looking expectantly at him, "You're about to find out the reason for our nicknames. Well when I, Sirius and Peter found out about Remus when we were younger, we saw the after effects of what he went through and we wanted to help. So we spent years working on something in secret. We became animagi,"
The girls gasped. "But that takes years and you'd have to register and everything," Lily said.
"Well, it did take us years but… we didn't register so we're actually illegal Animagi. My name's Prongs because I become a stag. Sirius is Padfoot because he becomes a dog and Peter is Wormtail because he becomes a rat," James finished.
"I'm sorry but I don't really understand why you became animagi," Lisa said confused.
This time Sirius answered, "Well, when Moony's alone he hurts himself and attacks anything he can even if it's not alive. But werewolves don't have the same reaction to animals as they do to humans so when were with him as animals we calm him down. So now he doesn't hurt himself as much." He then turned to Kiara with a questioning look on his face.
She looked him over and said disbelievingly, "You become a dog?"
Sirius laughed before seeing her smile and hugging her. James then turned to Lily, "So?"
"So what?" she replied. "This doesn't change anything but I am glad you told us. It's good to know you're not keeping anything from us anymore. Which is why I feel that it's more important than ever to tell you what I've been keeping from you. I suppose you all deserve to know," she said looking round at the group.
She took James hand in her own, who looked at her expectantly, and then continued, "You know how I've been ill this year. Well," she took a deep breath here. "I've been told that what I have is fatal." James jaw dropped and he looked really worried but he stayed silent sensing there was more to know. "That is, it's fatal if I can't find the cure. Apparently it's not really a disease but it could kill me which I don't really understand. But the reason the healers haven't been able to cure me is because I have to find the cure myself." By this point she was starting to break down. "Only I have absolutely no idea where to start. All I know is that my time is running out," she finished desperately tears started to fall from her eyes.
James pulled Lily towards him and gave her a comforting hug whilst saying, "Lily, you are not going to die. I won't let that happen." Then a look of realisation came across his face. "Is that why you tried to break up with me? Because you were afraid I would get hurt?"
She nodded her head solemnly but James began to look confused, "But then why did you change your mind?"
"Well, I can't explain it but after you said you loved me I felt as though I would never be the same if I wasn't with you. Something inside my heart told me we should stay together."
James smiled. "I'm so glad. I don't know what I'd have done without you."
Just then they were interrupted by an owl flying in the open window and dropping a small note in between James and Lily. Lily picked it up first and read aloud:
Dear Lily and James
Please come to my office immediately there is a matter I wish to discuss with you both.
Professor Dumbledore.
A/N I am sooooooo sorry about the wait! I didn't mean for it to be this long in between chapters I've just been so busy and tired lately. This isn't my best writing and it seems kind of rushed I know. They finally found out each other's secrets! Can you guess what Lisa realised? Do you know what the cure is? One more chapter left! I shall try and post quicker next time. To answer HAM005's question, No i have never been in love, i'm only 15 give me a chance lol! I loved your review though, and of course everyone elses.
Thanx to all my reviewers I love hearing what you have to say, so please R & R for this chapter too plz!