That night was fabulous. Both Lily and James grinned like cats stuffed with canaries while their friends (Lily's, mostly) probed for information. Emmeline was particularly apt to do this, mentioning this or that over her mutton chops or wondering about such and such around her creamed corn. Lily was jealous of James because Sirius and the Marauders just waited with secret smiles, knowing that James would probably give up every detail later and then moon over it for days. At one point, Marlene and Emmeline got so sneaky that Lily loudly inquired just how Dorcas' date went, Dorcas who had hardly spoke a word since Lily saw her. Breaking out of a starry-eyed grin, it looked as if this was just what Dorcas had been waiting for. Her praised descriptions of Fabian and life in general carried all of them through dessert. Together the Gryffindors returned to their tower with Lily and James holding hands. Lily was telling Marlene to the side more about the date when Sirius came up behind them.

"I can't believe you took her to that cave Prongs. With bats? And mold?"

"That's all rubbish," said Remus impatiently. "You just don't like it, Padfoot, because you always get lost on the way there."

"And for what Prongs?" asked Sirius, ignoring Remus and James' snickers, "So you could do things you could do in the common room? That's you though. Just had to be different—"

"I didn't mind," interrupted Lily. "Hinkypunk." They entered the portrait hole, Sirus and James still bickering.

"And you lost with your own chess set? I'm ashamed of you. All of that practice—"

"It's really your set, Padfoot, so what are you gassing about?"

"It's hardly my set. My mother just had gave it to me so I could be well-rounded. Not wanting to submit to anything she said, I naturally gave it away as soon as I could while assuming it was hexed. It made a good gift to you in first year, as I remember."

"Yeah. You forgot to buy everyone Christmas gifts," interjected James.

"Your point being?" They chuckled.

"That's why it's not bog-standard," James added with a wink. "Sirius' mum got it engraved with the crest and all. Made it up real evil-like just for her ickle firstborn—" James was interrupted by Sirius' fist.

"I was wondering why my queen had little horns on her," mused Lily with a small grin. Sirius glowered although his temper was not behind it.

"It's like you've met the woman," he muttered.

"Anyone up for Exploding Snap?" asked Peter hopefully.

"Homework," pointed out Remus. "Two rolls in Transfiguration." Dorcas' eyes bulged.

"Due tomorrow?" she squeaked loudly, looking around for some kind of denial. Remus nodded his head ruefully.

"Forgot about our studies in the excitement, did we Dorcas?" laughed Emmeline.

"Thanks a bunch, Emmy. I'll be right back," Dorcas went towards the girls' stairs.

"Get my parchment too!" called Marlene and Lily in unison. They looked at each other and smiled.

"Everyone's a bit preoccupied, eh Moony?" asked Sirius loudly. Remus raised his eyebrow.

"It seems that way."

"Hey, d'you think anyone would notice if we all just copied your parchment and signed out own names on the top?"

"Padfoot…"

…

Patrols that night hit a new peak. Lily not only enjoyed herself but caught a first-year Slytherin trying to sneak into a classroom. They get bolder as they get used to school, she thought as she shooed away the slinking eleven-year-old. She was forced to stop James from gleefully taking away fifty points. Everything was flawless until Lily laid herself down to sleep late that evening and thoughts about the stranger moments of that date began to sneak into her head.

James Potter was never clumsy. He was many other things, but never that. For all that she professed to have ignored him for the past six years, Lily had seen him pull out of a thirty foot dive and put the Quaffle past a Keeper. That scratch was definitely from something he didn't want to tell her about, and probably a clue to where he went every so often—

Wait, she thought suddenly. If I figure this out, we'll be at it all over again. If I try to think it through, I'll be trespassing on our agreement.

Well it wasn't really an agreement, it was more of an argument that we resolved…

But he'd see it as a betrayal. Do I really want to endanger what we have? What I just got today? Whatever happy time I may—no. Lily thought of the Longbottoms, of Joey Jenkins, of all those people who suffered and whose happiness was cut short. I'll leave it alone. I'll let it rest.

Unless something dangerous happens.

Fine. Unless something dangerous happens.

With that, Lily rolled over on her pillow and slept.

…

Lily received her first letter from home on Tuesday. A school's barn owl swooped over Lily's kippers and dropped a neat white envelope addressed in her mother's spiky handwriting. Lily tore open the seal interestedly while James looked over her shoulder.

Dear Lily,

Hello, love! How are you? Doing well? Your father and I can only assumed that because you haven't written home yet.

"Damn," said Lily, guilt creeping up on her. She usually wrote her parents sometime in the first week but this year she had forgotten. Across from her, Sirius swallowed his sausage and said,

"What? Your sister finally been put away?" Lily shot him an amused look. Sirius had been very interested in Lily's description of her older sibling and they had developed a sort of kinship about their family lives.

James snorted impatiently.

"No Padfoot, now stop interrupting. I'm trying to read this over her shoulder." Lily ignored the both of them and looked down at her letter again.

Are your classes going well? You're a bright girl Lily, and good luck with your studies.

'That's all my mum's writing. Mum writes the letters and Dad hardly gets a say in what goes in them. His writing's even worse than hers, so I always need to wait and see if he finally gets a word in edgewise. The more sarcastic bits will probably be his."

"Er…that's interesting," remarked James, wondering about the man whose sense of humor seemed like so much of Lily's.

"My father is an interesting man. Now hush and let me finish."

We have wonderful news, honey, and I don't want you to say one bad word about it. Not to Petunia at least. Your sister and Vernon Dursley are engaged. They've planned a summer wedding for this year, and you should try to nice about it. Your sister means well, but you know how she feels about you. Your father and I are trying to make sure that you have a place in the wedding party. Write if you want more details, dear.

Nothing much has changed at home. We'd just like to make sure you haven't forgotten us. Hopefully you've been overwhelmed by your friends and fun at your last year. I must say, I won't miss this tricky owl post system though. Write soon love, as if I haven't stressed it enough.

Love and Kisses,

Mum and Dad.

Lily groaned. "That's awful." She stowed the letter in her schoolbag and buried her head in her hands.

"What is it, Lily?" asked Marlene.

"Petty's marrying that sod from down the lane." All of the girls snorted while the boys looked interested. Emmeline laughed aloud.

"The fat bloke?"

Lily nodded glumly, reaching for an especially gooey sticky bun to make herself feel better. She had known it was going to happen eventually, but this summer? Ugh. The thought was repulsive that Lily would soon be related to that blustering worm.

Marlene looked extremely apprehensive, even though she still bravely plugged ahead with trying to be nice.

"You mean Vernon, Lily?"

"Yes, Marley. The Prickish Drip from Privet Drive." Even Marlene couldn't continue and broke up into a smile. Ever since Petunia had first brought home Vernon Dursley three years prior, Lily had spend a lot of energy making up vicious and childish names for him.

"What's so bad about him?" asked James while taking a piece of bacon off Lily's plate. Lily frowned.

"He's a nuisance and he thinks too much of himself and he's boring and he's loud and did I mention that he takes up half the table himself?"

"So you wouldn't like me if I was fat?" grinned James wickedly, kissing her on the cheek. Lily scowled.

"He's a turd. I suppose his only redeemable quality is that Petunia seems to fancy him a lot."

"Then it's settled," said Sirius importantly. "You'll have to go to Prongs' for Christmas. You and I can split the pudding." Lily's expression flickered, froze and finally fractured into a slow smile.

"I guess I will." The news suddenly didn't seem so bad, or even really that important. She reached for another sticky bun.

School started with a real bang and now I'm stuffed with homework. I'm trying to keep at this as consistently as I can. Er…that's it.

First of all, this will definitely continue to the end even if it has to crawl along because I am determined to finish it and read it all myself. My story has exceeded a hundred pages on my document, by the way, and now I'm shooting for two hundred. I figured the injury was necessary and will probably come up in the future. I think I'll mention what Remus thinks about it too because he'll feel terrible. Dunno though, and I don't usually read stories where anyone but Remus is hurt either.

(Mirax Myra Terrik)

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ THIS AND REVIEWED