Chapter Twelve

Dawn in the Owl Tower

'Dear Mum, Dad and Petunia, wrote Lily.

How are you? Everything is just peachy at Hogwarts.

Peachy?

Gen and Andie are perfectly fine. I'm keeping up with my studying for N.E.W.Ts. There is a new student from Beauxbatons, Genevieve Thierry. She's interesting….

Congratulations, Petunia! I read about your wonderful news. I am happy for and Vernon. I can't believe you'll be known as Petunia Dursley instead of Petunia Evans.

It's almost too horrible to bear.

I'm sure you'll look beautiful on your wedding day.

I wouldn't know since I wasn't invited.

Best of luck! I miss you all.

Mum and Dad, I've struck up a friendship with the Potters' son. I remember you were so angry when I "accidentally" made James's hair explode one Christmas. But all that is behind us now.

Hopefully.

Once again, give my love to everyone.

Yours to love,

Lily. E'

Lily emitted a low moan, rolling up the parchment and sealing it up with her wand. She glanced into the common room fireplace, hissing and spiting flames. She could not destroy her fifth attempt into the hungry fire. It would have to do, Lily thought, glancing at the pathetic letter on her parchment.

It was 5.50 a.m. and Lily couldn't sleep, so she had decided to burden herself with the laborious task of writing home. Normally, she didn't mind; her mum and dad were so eager to hear about her adventures at Hogwarts. But Petunia's wedding and a lack of an invitation put a sour taste in Lily's mouth.

Lily yawned hugely. She should really finish it off and post the damn thing, before she was tempted to crumple it up like the others. Sniffling, Lily trudged up the spindly staircase to collect her green terry robe.

As she made her way through the labyrinth of corridors Hogwarts contained, she couldn't help thinking about last night with James. Let the wind whisper our music! Lily chortled to herself, trying desperately to ignore the hot flush creeping up her cheeks. What was I thinking? James must've just humoured her, laughing inwardly as she suggested fanciful, desperately lame implications. Nevertheless, last night had been transforming. After that dance, James and Lily wandered inside Hogwarts on the request of one of the professors chaperoning the ball. Surrounded by both their friends and their dates, they emptied the plates and drained their goblets in silence. Soon after, the ball came to an end and the attendants slowly began to filter out of their great hall. Lily waved to few her acquaintances, Emmeline Vance and Hestia Jones as they passed looking decidedly glum.

Lily's and James's goodbyes hadn't been spectacular, in fact, they were awkward at best. James had given her a quick, brotherly peck, which Lily suspected was supposed to land on her forehead, but fell on the top of her hair, instead. Then, quickly, without warning, James was whisked away by a panicked looking Sirius and squeaky Peter Pettigrew.

Lily had noticed Gen was standing, with a desolate expression on her face, staring in bewilderment at the Marauders retreating backs.

"Hi, Gen," said Lily, joining her friend at the bottom of the marble staircase. Gen barely seemed to acknowledge Lily's presence. "Something is wrong with Remus," she said suddenly, her brown eyes unusually alert.

Lily draped an arm around Gen. "He just felt sick-Gen. It was probably that treacle tart-I knew there was something wrong with it."

Gen seemed to wince at Lily's response, her gaze travelling to the floor. "You don't understand, Lily," she said in a quiet voice. They stood in silence, watching the floor with great reverence, Lily almost didn't see Andie traipsing toward the stairs, with her arm looped with Gilbert's.

"Gilbert and I are off," Andie growled, looking particularly bad tempered, her hair potion fading and her hair growing frizzier by the minute.

"And I suppose I ought to mention it to Sirius?" Lily questioned dryly.

"Wonder where that stupid bloke's got off to…" muttered Andie, "probably chasing that trampy Veela!"

With that, Andie gave poor Gilbert a mighty tug, causing him to lurch forward. She stomped her up the stairs, Sirius still on her mind, no doubt.

The night seemed to blacken and a few minutes later Lily hit the pillow with a soft thud, letting thoughts of James, Andie, Gen and Genevieve consume her. Of course, she'd awoken only a few hours later from some nightmare she rather didn't want to remember. And here she was…

Lily took a deep breath and pushed the doors to the Owlery open. A cool draft from the glassesless windows of the Owlery welcomed her, as well as they ruffling of hundred owls' feathers and the crunch of straw and animal bone beneath her feet.

"Here, Hue!" Lily cooed, summoning her owl, handsome, self-important tawny. Hue swooped down and steeled on a nearby perch, eyeing Lily imperiously. Lily hastily attached the letter to Hue's clawed feet.

"Off you go," she whispered, as Hue spread out his magnificent wings and departed through one of the windows. Lily watched him soar against the pale pinkish-grey skies and then disappear among the clouds of cotton and buildings of grey.

The letter was gone.

"Gone," she echoed, "well, Petunia can appreciate her own spiteful ways," Lily muttered.

"So, talking to yourself is one of your oddities, eh? Evans?" Lily gave such a start, her heart lurched and her hair whipped around as she turned to face…

"James!" she gasped, noticing a tired James bundled in a thick red blanket in the furthest corner of the Owlery. "What are you doing here?" she then questioned, her face flushing the shade of James's blanket.

For god's sake-she was in her rattiest robe!

For reason James looked guilty. "Not only you can send letters, Lily," James retorted in an almost accusatory tone.

Lily sighed, finally, getting over her shock. She inspected James carefully-he was still wearing his dress robes and his hair was tousled and messier than usual-plus he seemed exhausted. She approached him and plunked down beside him.

"Were where you last night?" she asked shrewdly.

"None of your bees wax, Evans," James replied acidly.

"Is Remus alright?"

James gave a start, his eyes widening and his face suddenly paler that in it was before.

"Yes…" he said slowly, seizing up Lily suspiciously.

"Alright," Lily continued casually, "Sirius? Peter?"

"Fine. Fine." James responded impatiently.

"What's wrong then?" She was being unbelievably nosy, but she just knew something was up that James was refusing share with her.

"Nothing-I came here because I didn't want to get wandering the corridors at night."

"Since when does James Potter care?" Lily laughed sardonically as James gazed at her with a purposefully pathetic look playing across his features.

"Actually," he began sorrowfully, "I thought of you. I knew you would never forgive me if I cost Gryffindor any more points…"

Lily snorted at this point. "What a load of bat droppings, James," she exclaimed, "since when do you care about what I think?"

There was pause, in which James stared at her with those big hazel eyes.

"Since last night."

And Lily nearly believed him, until a moment later when she came back to her senses and realised James was just play acting. So, he could get her to forget about what he really did last night.

She punched him lightly on the arm. "Alright, I won't question anymore but Gen is awful worried about Remus, that's all," Lily finally said. James nodded, his face relaxing.

"Look, the sun is up," James suddenly pointed out. Lily followed the contour of his arm to see the sky had erupted into a kaleidoscope of warm colours. Brilliant hues of yellow, orange and mauve greeted her eyes. "It's beautiful," she breathed, "I've never seen it like this."

I should think not, added Lily inwardly, very much aware she was so close to James that their thighs were practically touching.

Still, it was beautiful-the way the sun woke up each day.

Beside her, James emitted a huge yawn. "The only bad thing-now the day begins…."

Lily happened to agree dearly.

"You must be stiff, sleeping her all night," she observed as James stretched further.

"Why are you up so early, anyway?" James questioned, eager not to let the conversation stray near his mysterious whereabouts last night.

"Petunia," Lily answered with a heavy sigh. "Letters must be sent-I have to acknowledge her union to the bothersome man at least."

"You know him?" asked James in surprise.

"Oh, yes, our prim and proper neighbours to the right. Oddly, though Petunia was never very taken in with Vernon," Lily mused, reminiscing upon her childhood days.

"Things change," James reported gravely, though his mouth twitched.

Lily laughed. "So, I notice."

James leaned forward. "You know I never got to say goodnight properly, last night…"

Lily managed to turn her retort into a choked little cough. "Mmm," she murmured, unable to look James in the eye as he spoke.

"But you are well aware of that, yes?"

"Oh, yes.…" mumbled Lily, who for some insane reason couldn't stop smiling.

"And you know we're talking basically about nothing, right?" whispered James softly, his breath tickling her ear.

"Not nothing-last night-" Lily protested.

"And you look like a bit of an idiot-right-with that smile of yours-"

Lily gasped and in part annoyance and amusement, she grabbed a clumpful of straw and hay from the ground and hurled at James.

James blinked several times in apparent shock, her unruly black hair only slightly visible through all that hay. Lily couldn't help the giggle that escaped her mouth.

"OI!" exclaimed James, laughing himself. "You'll pay for that, you will, Lily!" He rose, shaking the spare bits of straw from his head, like a dog out of water,

"Lily shrieked, ducking as James aimed a handful of straw at her.

"Well, you'll have to catch me first!" Lily declared, quickly rushing out the Owlery door.

"You come back here, Lily Evans!" howled James.

And Lily did, perhaps the most childish thing so far-she stuck out her tongue at him.