Chapter 11

A/N: Hello Humans! Well that's that resolution out the window. I'm so sorry, but I had such major writer's block, but I really wanted to see how this story will turn out, so I stuck with it. Aren't you proud? Anyway, summer is almost here so I'll try to update a lot more, but I can make no promises. This chapter is basically filler until I make it to summer break, so please try not to expect anything too great. Hopefully I finish this story before I start high school. Hopefully. So yeah, that's about it. Read and review...

Disclaimer: Still not mine guys.

"Prongs, you have to get inside. You'll catch cold," Sirius called out catching up to James.

"Yeah, alright, Padfoot," James agreed, thanking his lucky stars that it was too dark for anyone to see the tear tracks on his face. "Just give me a minute."

"Alright mate, but if you're not back inside in five minutes, I'm coming out here again," Sirius threatened. There was an edge to his voice. Not enough to sound intimidating, but just enough to show that he meant it. However, James was in no mood to be difficult.

Carefully, he set his glasses on the ground beside him, wiped away his tears on his jacket sleeve, forced a somewhat regular pace onto his breathing, and forced himself to face whoever was inside the living room.

"Hey, is she okay?" James asked Remus once he was back inside. Thank fully, only Sirius and Remus had noticed his brief absence, and they could be trusted not to blab about it.

Remus arched an eyebrow at him, "Don't be stupid, Prongs. The poor girl just lost her whole family two hours ago. No she is not okay." But after seeing the absolutely disheartened expression on his best mate's face Remus softened. "Look, she's gone into shock, she's really upset, and she sprained her wrist sometime in the fight. The adrenaline has worn off now and she's probably in a bit of pain right now. But we've known Lily for nearly seven years, and she's a fighter if there ever was one. Lily's going to be okay."

Remus sounded so sure, so reasonable, so matter of fact, that it would have been difficult not to believe him even if James hadn't been so desperate for reassurance. James managed a small smile at Remus.

He flopped down on the couch next to Remus and picked up the beat up copy of 'Quidditch Through the Ages', and that was when Sirius realized that it was bad. James had that whole book committed to memory, and he only read it when he was upset. Really upset. The last time Sirius had seen James read the book was when his dad had died. He wasn't an idiot, contrary to popular belief. He noticed things. Things about his friends. The people he cared about. The people he would lay down his very life for. He noticed when things were not okay. And right now, they weren't.

"Mate, what's wrong?" He asked. There was no laughter in his pale grey eyes now.

James closed the book he had been listlessly flipping through. He offered his friends a lackluster half-smile. "I'm just tired," he lied. He had many reasons to. Because it was pathetic that he spent almost all of his evening feeling sorry for himself when there was absolutely no point. Because he didn't have any way to tell his friends what was on his mind. Because he wasn't sure they'd understand. Because there were bigger things to worry about.

"And I'm Merlin," Sirius snapped. "What's actually wrong?"

"It's nothing," James insisted. "I'm fine…Merlin."

"You're very funny," Sirius deadpanned.

"Yes. I'm a riot. Now, I'm going to go upstairs and check on Lily." James stiffly got to his feet, slammed his book down on the table, and stormed away, slamming the door behind him.

A/N: So, what do you think? Leave a review, It isn't even hard! Ok thanks bye.

Love

Ice