Chapter 7
Sleepover
Lily faltered at the end of the corridor, not sure which way to go, and James instantly took over, murmuring, "This way," and prodding her to the left. His hand dwarfed hers, strong and warm, and Lily's heart skipped as his thumb caressed a gentle path over her knuckles. She could hardly believe what had just happened—what she'd just done.
Clearly, the simultaneous sex god and lost puppy effect had completely addled her senses, if she was past the point of just going for his mouth and was instead stripping off her shirt and grinding on him until he came.
Her breath caught in her chest. She'd made James Potter come. James Potter. Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain and star Chaser, the school's popular prankster and sought-after date, had just unraveled underneath her. In her mind, she could still hear that soft moan, feel that rush of wet heat—
"Evans?"
"Hmm?" She hoped it was dark enough that he couldn't notice the flush filling her face.
James chuckled softly. "I asked if you're ready to face the gauntlet?"
With a jolt, Lily realized they had stopped at a set of double doors. "Oh. Um—"
He squeezed her hand. "Me either."
And before she had any time to react to that, he pushed open one of the doors, leading her by the hand into a spacious sitting room with several long sofas and squishy armchairs, candles floating in the air and their friends sprawled around, some lounging on furniture, others on the floor amidst cushions and blankets, all of them laughing and passing drinks around.
"Lily!" Mary screeched from where she was laying in a pile with Sirius and Peter, like the three of them had just fallen over.
Sirius let out a long, teasing, "Ooooh!" and Lily knew he'd spotted her and James's clasped hands.
Dorcas caught her eye and winked from where she sat under Kingsley's arm on one sofa, and Remus chucked a pillow at them, forcing James to drop Lily's hand to catch it. Skin aflame, she dodged around a side-table and sat next to Remus on the floor, who knocked into her shoulder gently and murmured, "Nice sweatshirt, Lil."
"Oh, shut it."
James had grabbed a couple bottles of mead from the bar cart in the corner, and he handed one down to Lily before sitting on her other side. Across the way, Mary grinned widely, waggling her eyebrows, and Lily stared down her friend, hoping the stop it right now message she was thinking in her brain was being communicated through that glare.
Remus pulled her attention from Mary, saying, "We were just thinking about games we could play, since we're stuck inside."
Sirius leaned back on his palms. "Truth or dare is getting boring."
Peter mimicked Sirius's stance. "So's Never Have I Ever."
Remus gave Lily a pointed look. "And kissing games are off the table, with Pete and I being the seventh wheels here."
Lily hugged her knees into her chest, considering. "We could play Mafia."
Everyone went silent, and then Sirius said, "Er—what's that?"
Lily smiled and turned to James. "Do you have a deck of cards?"
He blinked—"Uh, yeah"—and got up to root around in the drawers of a side table.
"Okay, so we all sit in a circle…"
James found the cards while Lily explained the rules, and soon they were all arranged in a circular heap of cushions and blankets on the floor, the candles were put out, and a strike of lightening briefly illuminated the excited faces looking at her as the rain hammered the window.
Lily smiled as she lit her wand, holding it beneath her chin to illuminate her face where she sat cross-legged at the head of the circle. Purposefully lowering her voice, Lily started, "It was a dark and stormy night"—Sirius snorted, and Lily turned her eyes on him—"when the towns people of Hogsmeade fell asleep after a long night of partying, not knowing there was a traitor from the Mafia in their midst." She paused ominously, then instructed, "This is where you close your eyes, people—and no peeking!"
They all closed their eyes, some dropping heads, others putting hands over their faces.
"Mafia, awake."
James opened his eyes, meeting Lily's with a smile.
She worked to contain her grin as she asked, "Who would you like to kill?"
He pointed at Sirius, and Lily rolled her eyes.
"Go to sleep, Mafia."
James closed his eyes dutifully.
"Doctor, awake."
Remus cracked open an eye and raised his hand in a wave.
"Who would you like to save?"
He arched a brow and pointed at himself.
Lily nodded her approval. "Go to sleep, Doctor. Detective, awake."
Dorcas opened her eyes and lifted her head tentatively.
"Who would you like to investigate?"
Her friend tapped her finger against her chin, surveying the circle, and then pointed at Sirius. Lily shook her head and instructed Dorcas back asleep before announcing that it was dawn. A smile quirked at her mouth as she observed the shifting looks amongst their friends.
"Tragedy struck the town last night," she said in a serious voice. "Sirius Black…"
"Bullshit!" Sirius yelled.
"Smart move," Remus commented. "I mean, who wouldn't want to kill you?"
Sirius launched a pillow at Remus's head.
"Sirius Black," Lily continued, "was smothered in his own hair gel—"
"Oi!"
"—and found by the maid, who stole the rest of his supply before reporting his body—"
James was beaming at her.
"Towns people, who do you accuse?"
Kingsley pointed at Mary. "You were sick of him paying more attention to his hair than you."
"Hey, now—" Sirius started, but Lily swiftly silenced him with a charm.
"You're dead, Sirius, you can't talk—"
He looked at her like she'd spoken Mermish.
Lily rolled her eyes. "This is a Muggle game, ghosts don't exist the same way, and they definitely don't talk."
Sirius crossed his arms in a huff and scooted back to lean against a sofa.
"Nah," Dorcas contributed, "Mare wouldn't, she likes that hair too much."
Mary glared at Dorcas, her cheeks slightly darkened, but then she deflected, "I think it's Peter."
He jumped at the sound of his name and squeaked, "What?"
"You're the least suspicious."
Kingsley scratched his chin. "You know, okay, I'd second that."
"Prongs, you're awfully quiet," Remus commented.
James just smiled as he tapped his forehead. "Observing, Moony."
Lily narrated, "Okay, we have a second to nominate Peter for prosecution, so let's put it to the vote. All in favor of putting Peter to death?"
Peter blanched. "To death? I don't even get to go to Azkaban?"
Lily shrugged. "It's high stakes, Peter, sorry. You can make a case for yourself though."
"Well, I'm innocent," he spluttered. "I just am!"
Mary was frowning at him. "Yeah, not convincing."
Lily asked, "All in favor of killing off Peter?"
Dorcas, Mary, and Kingsley raised their hands. Lily looked to the boys. "There has to be four votes for a majority."
Remus chuckled. "Peter gets a vote in his own death, huh?"
Lily shrugged. "We're a democracy, so yeah, I suppose he does."
"Well, I don't think it's Peter," Remus announced.
"Me either," chimed James. He pointed two fingers at Mary and Dorcas. "I think it's one of them, they teamed up too fast."
"So you both vote no?"
The boys nodded, keeping their hands resolutely down, and Lily sighed. "Okay, then. Peter is acquitted of the charge of murder, and so ends the day. Asleep, everybody—oh, Sirius, you can keep your eyes open. Whoever's dead gets to watch, just not talk."
He threw his hands wide in an exasperated eye roll, but nonetheless sat up straighter as he watched Lily wait for everyone else to securely close their eyes.
"Mafia, awake."
James opened his eyes and grinned at Sirius, who immediately pushed up on his knees, pointing and gesticulating wildly at James, his mouth forming the words, I knew it! I bloody knew it!
"Who would you like to kill?"
James instantly pointed at Remus, the only one who'd voiced suspicion over him. Lily nodded and instructed him back asleep.
"Doctor, awake."
Remus opened his eyes and also grinned at Sirius, who observed him curiously.
"Who would you like to save?"
Remus pointed again at himself before shutting his eyes.
"Detective, awake."
Dorcas lifted her head and winked at Sirius.
"Who would you like to investigate?"
She pointed at Mary. Lily shook her head, and Dorcas shut her eyes again.
"Alright, everyone, another dawn has arrived." Lily waited until she had everyone's full attention, then said, "Last night…an attempt at murder was made, but! The doctor pulled off a miraculous save, and no towns people were killed."
James's brows narrowed at Remus suspiciously, while Remus's face widened in surprise.
"Towns people, who would you like to accuse?"
"James," Remus said instantly.
"What, why?"
"Because I suspected you last round."
James rolled his eyes and pointed to Mary. "I still think it's Mary, trying to frame someone else because she really killed Sirius."
"It's not Mary," Dorcas defended.
"How would you know?"
"Because I'm the Detective, and I know it's not her."
James whipped his head back to Lily. "Can she do that?"
Lily nodded. "Yeah, anyone can. It can be risky, though. But it's up to the towns people whether they believe you really are who you say you are."
James clamped his mouth shut, frowning at this new information, but Lily caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and scolded, "Oi!"
Remus and Sirius both looked at her like two deer caught in wand light.
"You're dead, Sirius, you can't help!"
He just shrugged innocently.
Mary announced, "Well, I second Remus. James, you're on trial."
He gaped at her and then looked imploringly at Lily, who could only shrug and bite her tongue so she wouldn't laugh. "I'm afraid that's how it works. Plead your case, go on."
James took a deep breath, straightening his spine as he orated, "It's obviously not me. I would never kill Sirius, he's my best friend"—Lily hoped no one else saw the face Sirius made at that—"and Remus only suspects me because I was quiet? Please. I'm a Quidditch Captain, which means I'm a strategist, and if you keep me alive, I can help you figure out the real Mafia, because I'm pretty sure I already know who that is, and I did it from observing and strategizing."
Remus was scowling, and Lily could see the war on his face over whether he wanted to reveal himself.
But then Peter said, "It's not Prongs. My vote's no."
"Knew I could count on you, Worm."
Kingsley likewise shook his head. "My vote's also no."
Lily looked to her girlfriends. "Ladies? It only takes one of you."
Mary's eyes widened. "It does?"
Lily nodded. "Yeah. Simple majority needs four. Remus is a yes, James is obviously a no. One more no, and he's acquitted."
Mary frowned at James across the circle. "He accused me, so my vote's yes. Kill him off."
James gaped incredulously, but recovered quickly, turning to Dorcas. "Dory, you know it's not me. Who are you going to believe right now: Kingsley, who wants me alive, or Mary, who's just holding a dumb grudge?"
Dorcas looked between Mary and Kingsley, chewing her lip. Then, "Sorry, Mare, but Potter has a point. There's just no evidence it's him"—Remus threw his hands—"so my vote's no."
Lily smiled. "James is acquitted. Asleep, everyone."
The next round, James killed Mary, Remus again saved himself, Dorcas investigated Kingsley, and Sirius stuffed his fist in his mouth to keep himself from laughing at it all.
"Awake, good towns people of Hogsmeade," Lily called out. "Sadly, tragedy struck again last night, and"—she paused for dramatic effect—"Mary was blown up with a Dr. Filibuster's Firework—"
"No!"
But Lily cut off Mary's protest with a silencing charm, laughing as her friend clawed at her throat and tried to speak. "You're dead now, Mare, sorry."
She crossed her arms over her chest with a huff, and both of them swiveled their attention to Remus, who was pointing vehemently at James. "It's you," he screeched. "You're killing off your accusers!"
"No," James corrected, "one accuser died—that's called framing."
"No," Remus countered, "you tried to kill me, which I know because I'm the doctor and I save myself, so the only way no one died last round is because you tried to kill me after I accused you."
James bit his cheek but then quickly retorted, "You say you're the doctor, but you could be lying because you're the Mafia, and you're trying to frame me to get me out of the game!"
Remus rolled his eyes and muttered, "Can't fucking believe this."
Lily interjected, "Towns people, who would you like to accuse?"
"James," Remus said instantly.
"Any seconds?"
Kingsley shook his head. "We just acquitted him last round. I'm with James, I think it's Remus."
Remus scowled at James.
"Okay, any second for Remus?"
They all just looked at each other. Then Peter said quietly, "I think it's Kingsley."
"On what grounds?" Kingsley demanded, suddenly defensive.
Peter shrugged. "You haven't been accused yet?"
Dorcas shook her head. "It's not Kingsley, I know because I'm the Detective."
Everyone's mouth fell open at this revelation.
"So…" Peter started slowly. "It's not you or Kingsley, and it's not me, so it has to be either…Remus or James?"
Remus jabbed his thumb toward James. "I'm the doctor, remember?"
James, for his part, appeared unruffled. "If you all believe that Remus and Dorcas are who they say they are. One of them could totally be lying and the real Doctor or Detective just hasn't called them out because don't want to get killed off in retaliation."
Peter and Kingsley seemed to chew on this, but Dorcas snapped, "I'm not lying!"
Lily refocused the group. "Do we have a second for James or Remus? Or any new nominations?" When no one said anything, all of them eyeing each other warily, Lily put them to bed.
"Mafia, awake."
James looked up and grinned at Mary, who leapt to her feet, waving a pillow in the air as her mouth formed the words, You bastard! You fucking git! He fought to control his grin, then looked over to Sirius, palm up like he was asking for his friend's opinion. Lily rolled her eyes but watched curiously, practically seeing the wheels turning in James's mind. He couldn't kill Remus and he knew it, he needed Kingsley and Peter to outvote Remus to keep him alive, and he also couldn't risk Dorcas figuring it out and joining Remus to kill him off. James pointed toward Dorcas but looked at Sirius, his face a question, and Sirius surveyed the circle before nodding his agreement, apparently over his grudge and now invested in James winning. James met Lily's eyes with a shit-eating grin, still pointing at Dorcas, and Lily nodded.
"Go to sleep, Mafia."
Remus saved himself again, and then when Dorcas was awake, she pointed at James. Lily's face broke into a smile and she nodded, giving her friend the thumb's up. Dorcas shook her head and mouthed, He's so dead.
"Alright, towns people," Lily called. "A new day has dawned, and more tragedy has hit our good village. Last night, one of our own was poisoned with Honeydukes chocolate"—everyone gasped, looking to Remus, but Lily turned to her friend—"Dorcas Meadowes is with us no longer."
Dorcas's jaw dropped, her gaze instantly falling to James, but Lily hit her with a silencing charm before she could say anything.
"Towns people, who would you like to accuse?"
"James," Remus said at the same moment James said, "Remus."
"I suppose," Lily mused, "since there's only four of you, we just need a simple majority to put anyone to death"—she swiveled to look between Kingsley and Peter—"so it really is up to you two."
Peter shook his head. "I still think it's Kingsley."
"It's not me—"
"You've flown under the radar, no one's suspected it's you—"
James's eyes narrowed at his teammate. "You know, Pete, you have a point there…"
Remus threw out his hands. "No, no. Dorcas already said it's not Kingsley, and I'm the only one here with concrete evidence that it's you—"
"Uh, no, not concrete evidence, rather circumstantial, actually—"
"It's a logical deduction—"
"You didn't see me—"
"Of course I did, I saved myself from you trying to kill me—"
"So you say—"
Everyone else's heads had pinged back and forth as they all followed this exchange, and then a sudden clap of thunder rattled the windows and made them all jump.
James recovered first. "It's Remus," he said strongly. "He's been trying to frame me from the beginning. Shack, we know it's not you. Pete—" He broke off, his eyes narrowed. "Maybe you were wrongfully acquitted the first time…"
"No!" Peter yelped. "It's not me! You're right, it's Remus! He's framing you!"
Remus pinched his nose and muttered, "Who needs a backbone, anyway?"
"Yeah, Reme," Kingsley said slowly. "I think I'm with these two on this one. Sorry, man."
Lily arched a brow at Remus. "Care to plead your case, Reme?"
"No, but since I'm the doctor, can't I save myself?"
Lily considered this a moment. "No, that's only when the Mafia tries to kill you, not when you've been put to death by the towns people."
He rolled his eyes—"Bullshit"—and Lily silenced him.
The next round, James killed Kingsley, and though Lily asked the routine questions of Doctor and Detective, but as there was no one to answer, it went quickly.
"Good morning, towns people," she announced, and the three remaining boys opened their eyes. "Today is a sad, sad day, because Kingsley Shacklebolt's broom was bewitched to throw him off, and he plummeted to his death."
Kingsley's mouth dropped in shock, and he looked frantically between Peter and James. "Which one of you—"
Lily silenced him right as James looked at Peter and winked. "Checkmate."
Peter gaped. "You!"
"Him," Lily confirmed. "And that's game, James wins."
He pumped his fists in the air as she lifted everyone's silencing charms to a thunderous explosion of trash talk, Remus bemoaning, "I fucking told you all multiple times," while Mary just yelled at James that she was right and Peter babbled about still not believing it—and then, everyone still high on the adrenaline of the game, they all scrambled to resume their seats and reshuffle the cards to play again, James forced into being narrator as the prior round's winner.
By their third game of Mafia, the energy in the room finally began to deflate as the hours crept forward and more yawns circulated, and once Mary fell asleep while side-lined as a ghost, those remaining decided to call it, and everyone shuffled around, gathering more cushions and blankets from a spare closet and cozying up in claimed spots for some shut-eye.
Lily's heart picked up its speed, her eyes suddenly wide awake despite being droopy only moments before, as she settled into a sofa and realized with a jolt that she hadn't thought this far; she'd assumed her and Mary would Apparate back to Mary's house, but Mary was currently snuggled up against Sirius in a little fort on the floor, and it was still storming outside, and they had always been told not to Apparate while it was lightning…
James pointed his wand toward the drapes, pulling them closed and plunging the sitting room into pitch darkness. Lily heard the soft clatter of his wand being set on a side table, followed by what she assumed was his glasses, and then felt the cushion sink as he sat on the edge of her sofa.
She reached out a hand, found his back in the dark. "Hey," she whispered.
"Hey," he whispered back. "You comfy?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
"James?"
"Yeah?"
Her heart beat like a wild drum in her chest. "Stay with me?"
Lily could hear the grin on his voice as he whispered, "'Course. C'mere."
She scooted closer to the back of the sofa, making room for him, and by now her eyes had adjusted enough to the dark to see the outline of his body slowly turn and lean back onto the sofa next to her. They shuffled together, James pulling a fluffy blanket up over their heads as she nestled under his arm and their legs tangled. Lily wrapped an arm around his middle, rolling slightly onto her side and tilting her head up toward his, and James must have been craving her as badly as she'd been craving him, because his lips found hers in the dark without preamble, soft and sweet with mead.
They broke their kiss quietly, and Lily whispered, "They'll hear."
James licked his lips. "I, um. Might've cast Muffliato over the sofa. Just, you know, in case."
Lily smirked. "Just in case, huh?"
His hand found her cheek, pushed her hair behind her ear. "I might've been hoping this would happen."
She slipped her hand under his sweatshirt, finding the soft skin of his side. "Me too."
James kissed her slowly after that, mouth sliding over hers, tongue lazy as it swept along her lip, and Lily reached higher up his back, rippling muscles burning into her palm. Adrenaline pumped steadily into her bloodstream, bringing into sharp focus every intake of his breath, every trace of his fingertips on her skin, every slight press of his hips. Eventually, her hand slid up, finding the faintest of stubble along his jaw, while his hand slid down, finding the skin of her waist underneath her sweatshirt, and they stayed here for awhile, thumbs stroking soft sweeps, lips stroking slow patterns, mouths trading breathy sighs.
But eventually sleep tugged at her again, and Lily pulled back to whisper, "We should probably get some sleep."
"Yeah," he agreed softly. "C'mere."
And he shifted onto his back, holding her and stroking lazy loops with his fingertips around her scalp, along her arm, as Lily nuzzled into his chest and let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.
