And that seemed to be the end of it. Dumbledore was evidently a far more able patroller of the hallways than Lily, for the two heard of no further incidences the next morning. Lily thought privately that she would not want to cross a slippered, night-capped, bath-robed Dumbledore holding a candelabrum in one hand and his wand in another.

Seventh year finally, finally fell into what it ought to have been: a year to savor every last bit of Hogwarts and classes and the people in both, without miserable interruptions or shocking surprises. The dissolution of March surprised Lily, just as she was shocked when she woke up and found it to be April. Mentally, Lily sat in bed and went over her day. There was N.E.W.T. preparation in every morning class, and the seventh years were learning a new potion for Slughorn. Then lunch and the rest of the afternoon was a doss, then dinner, and then watching Quidditch practice until she stumbled back to the Gryffindor Tower and did her homework and went to bed. Dumbledore still had not relinquished control of patrols to Lily and James yet, but Lily did not mind. Less work without them, and I see the best part of patrols in every class but Herbology.

Life was extraordinarily busy. N.E.W.T.s bore down upon them and Lily was delighted to fit into the comfortable niche of knowing exactly what to be worried about, for the most part. Of course all of the Marauders studied with Remus and Lily because Sirius and James had taken no class notes whatsoever; and Peter's handwriting left much to be desired. James often joked that Lily had taken enough notes for the both of them. Studying, studying and studying were things that she was familiar with, not some scheme of Regulus Black's.

Lily supposed that something of the Marauders had gotten into her bloodstream because sometimes (especially when she was reviewing her D.A.D.A. spells) Lily felt like maybe she and James should have just handled that situation somehow. It might have simply been the matter of the Daily Prophet's reporting of the latest stream of violence against Muggles (Lily handed over the Prophet to James straightaway each morning, hardly looking herself.). Supposedly, Rabastan Lestrange had fled from his home in Liverpool and vanished into the countryside after three Muggles were flattened by a bus with no driver. Aurors had placed him on the "Danger List" of wizards and witches thought to be in league with Voldemort. At any rate, Lily could not help but feel that even if the Slytherins were not having tea in the Dark Lord's lair, they were definitely up to dark magic in school. And she also felt that should have done a little more than scream.

Otherwise, there were no further black spots on the bustle of school life. The seventh years were rapidly approaching the wizarding tests that would take them to the end of Hogwarts, and just about everyone was generally nicer to each other. Sirius broke up with Greta Catchlove only to be found making eyes at that blonde Florence girl the next day, before being thrown into Flitterbloom bushes outside the greenhouses by Greta (James, Remus, Peter, and Lily roared with laughter as Sirius flailed around in what he thought was Devil's Snare. Professor Sprout said that she was being generous with only one detention slip since both his language and his Herbology were so foul.). Wormtail was seen leaving the library with the normally surly Gladys Gudgeon one evening, and Sirius and James teased him about it so much that he accidentally walked through the Bloody Baron. Even Evan Rosier and his lot had stayed away from the Gryffindors, making this time of the year the best time for making memories and future stories. Although other periods of the year had seemed more fun, this really was Lily's favorite time. The very night before Gryffindor faced off in a match against Ravenclaw for the school's Cup, Dumbledore sent messages to Lily and James telling them that they were welcome to their jobs again.

Patrols were something out of another world now. Unlike certain other couples, Lily and James had not fizzled out with the passing months. Neither had Emmeline and Caradoc, although Remus and Marlene had decided on simple friendship. Lily was surprised at how easily she had shared James' company for the entire year. Nothing about their relationship was boring, stale or tedious. It was unrivalled as the best that Lily had ever had, and (unbeknownst to her) it was the same for James.

James, however, was getting more than a little jumpy. His relationship with Lily was not all about kissing and snogging and the usual things he had experienced before with birds. When he just sat with Lily, or laughed with Lily, or walked, talked, or joked with Lily, then James would think these things and odd ideas would come into his head. James would sit and stare out the window over the Hogwarts grounds much as he had when Lily had ignored him years before. He binned his old notebooks that were filled with scratchings such as "Mrs. Lily Potter" and "Mrs. James Potter" and "Monsieur and Madame Potter." They made him feel a bit queasy nowadays, and it was not like he was losing valuable notes.

On the night of their first return to patrols, Lily and James had been talking about careers. James was still wearing Chaser's gloves just as he was still quivering slightly from the adrenaline acquired in a hair-raising, last-minute Quidditch practice. Even though this was no grudge match, it was the most important game of the year and the last James would ever play at Hogwarts. Certainly no one wanted to lose. The pair was ambling down the ground floor hallway, lazily peering into classrooms and closing them up again. It was a lackadaisical stroll. James had asked Lily to talk about anything but Quidditch.

"You have your career ideas yet?" asked James teasingly. "I'd figured that if anybody, Lily Evans would have herself all mapped out by day seven at Hogwarts."

"Don't be a berk, James," she replied lightly, while squinting into the shadowy staircase. "Honestly, I'm still indecisive in seventh year, let alone where I was on the seventh day."

"What's the problem then? Waiting to see what I'm doing first?" he smirked. Lily fixed him with a look that she gave him very often, a look that Sirius usually interpreted for James' benefit to mean "Sod off, Prongs." James only winked back.

"No, I'm just confused, that's all. I guess you've never considered that, from a Muggle's perspective, I have twice as many job options as you."

"You're serious?" asked James, alarmed. "You'd take a Muggle job?"

"Well, no…" said Lily slowly, pursing her lips. "It's just something I've been tossing around like, but I'd hardly be qualified for any of them anyway…no proper Muggle schooling."

James breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's bloody right, Lily. You're a witch, not a Muggle."

"It's just that I can't imagine talking with Petunia over the dinner table about her day as a secretary and my day as a—a I-don't-know-what. A Fwooper catcher, or something."

"I could imagine telling Petunia where to stick it," said James. "Honestly, Lily, what sounds better? Tending to dragons or…or being an eckeltriton?"

"Electrician, maybe?" she said dryly. "You make it sound so glamorous like that."

"It's true," he said defensively. "A wizarding job beats any Muggle job clean off. You'd be miserable as a Muggle worker."

"And now you remind me of that recruiter from the company that makes Comet brooms, telling us that polishing ash handles was far more interesting than it appeared. I'm surprised you didn't join up on the spot."

"I like to ride brooms, Lily, not make them," said James disdainfully. "Who cares about all that handle carving when all I need to know is if they work on the Quidditch pitch?"

"Is that what you want to do then?" asked Lily softly. "Play Quidditch?"

"Er…I dunno. I suppose I wouldn't feel like it was a real job," admitted James. He made a try at being humble. "I don't know if I'd be good enough, and it might make me guilty to spend all my time flying around while there was real work to—oh, no, Lily, not Quidditch. Why are we talking about Quidditch?"

James groaned and sighed as he continued.

"You'll hex the whole damned match tomorrow if you ask me about that word now—"

"I've already asked," she replied tartly. "And I'm sure it will hardly matter to you come tomorrow. Emmeline may be fretting over playing Caradoc, but I know you've got no mind to let Ravenclaw get even a point ahead—"

"Lily…"

"Fine, fine. I'll stop bringing it up. But aren't you even a bit nervous? Shouldn't you have gone to bed early?"

"I swear to you that I'll be perfectly all right if you'd just stop talking about the match. It's bad luck for me."

"It's rubbish is what it is, but if you insist I'll hold off." Lily changed tracks quickly. "So what are your other plans?"

"Oh, I don't know," said James, relieved to have put off the match. "Padfoot and me were discussing being Curse Breakers, but you've got to travel to weird places for that and I'm not so sure that would go well with Mum. Then maybe there'd be the ordinary jobs, like teaching and apothecary and the Ministry. I wouldn't have the patience, though. I'd want excitement."

"You could join a local club or something, or take really good vacations," suggested Lily. James raised one eyebrow dubiously, making him look extremely attractive.

"Somehow I'm not keen on that idea, enchanting as it might be. Although," he said thoughtfully, "it would depend an awful lot on who I'm working with."

"That's like anything though, that's like life," said Lily. "You've got to have the right people."

James swallowed a little uncomfortably.

"I guess so—" They were in the dungeons by now, near the area they had encountered Slytherin's supposed ghost last time. James stopped suddenly. Voices were coming from inside. A chill closed around Lily's throat. It was happening again.

"The word is that the old codger has given the patrols back to Potter and Evans again," said the first voice. A snort was heard.

"Does that make you afraid, Black? Are you going to run to big brother Sirius and hide under his robes?"

"I'm just saying that maybe we ought to lay off some more, to be sure. It's not like this has anything to do with his work now—"

James slammed the door open, an episode of déjà vu for Lily from so much time before. There was no attempt at secrecy or foolishness this time. Evan Rosier and Regulus Black were facing each other in two chairs, Rosier lounging lazily with his legs stuck out everywhere before he jumped to his feet. Regulus just sat stunned. He did it quickly, but Lily saw Rosier shove something silvery into the bag at his feet as he turned towards the door. The steel in James' voice was not unexpected, but still very much threatening.

"What are you doing here, Rosier?"

Far from bolting, snarling, fighting, or cursing, Rosier simply smiled. A smile that oozed from his face and stretched thinly from cheek to cheek. It was the smile of a lizard that faces a bird, the smile of a dragon looking at lunch, and a smile that did nothing for his handsome features.

"Potter," he said softly. His dark eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared noticeably. Then Rosier turned to Lily. "Evans…" He seemed to lick the word with his lips as it left his mouth. James was already at the end of his temper, and he took two strides forward and punched Rosier in the mouth. Rosier staggered and fell into the chair. Blood coated his hands as he held them to his mouth. When he took them away, he was still smiling through his red teeth.

"Potter, you must have a very limited concept of what scares me."

"What about separating your arm from your body? Or your head from your arse?" said James furiously, making another move towards Rosier. Some element of the paler boy's smile slowed James in his tracks. Lily knew that each individual goosebump rose on her arms. It was the smile of a fanatic with no fear.

"James, wait," she called quietly, pulling out her wand.

"Impressive, but not enough," Rosier said, still quiet and soft-spoken. "Tell you what, come to me tomorrow. Here, at this time. Right after what I'm sure will be a thrilling Quidditch victory for Gryffindor. Bring Black, and bring Lupin, and bring Pettigrew if you'd like." He paused. "Oh, and Evans? Don't you even think of not attending. I want you here too." Rosier was still looking at Lily. Her stomach turned. James' shrill response sliced through the spell of Rosier's eyes.

"Why should we do anything for you, Rosier?"

"Because you have nothing to lose and much to gain," whispered Rosier mysteriously. "You make the rules after dark, Potter, not me. Bringing Filch or Peeves down upon us will hardly bother you, as Head Boy. Come along, Potter, what could I possibly do to you? You must come."

James stood back and took stock of Rosier, every line of his body shaking with barely contained fury. Then, he suddenly turned on his heel and brushed through the door. Lily had no choice but to follow. Just as she passed the doorjamb, James spun and called out,

"Thirty points from Slytherin, and get the hell into your rooms!"

"Naturally," replied Rosier vaguely, gliding the opposite way down the corridor with Regulus Black in tow.

…

The entire school was jittery the next day, and Lily most of all. Not in anticipation of the Quidditch match, but of the night that would follow. She had returned to the dorms to find Emmeline all in a flurry, laying out her clothes for the next day on her trunk and fighting with Dorcas about who last used her hairbrush. Marlene was trying to sleep. Lily knew that Emmeline sometimes fought just to fight, and she was able to slip quietly into bed with a quickly beating heart hammering against her ribs. The tossing and turning that took place could not be described, but Lily was up with the rest of the girls to march down to the Great Hall the next morning.

Emmeline was staring stonily into her porridge, picking up her spoon and dribbling the contents back into her bowl. She and Caradoc did not speak as they both entered the Great Hall with the rest of their teams, amidst much shouting and cheering. There were no clear cut sides to be taken because Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had equal friends among the other houses (though if the Slytherins wore more blue than red, no one mentioned it). James strutted over to the table as cocky as usual, and then proceeded to eat his eggs with small, measured bites. Lily said hello to him and he knocked over his juice. Business as usual. Somehow, in some way that amazed Lily, James had gone right into Quidditch mode that morning and shaken off everything that might distract him from his ultimate goal of victory.

The Ravenclaws followed Caradoc Dearborn onto the field when the match began. The day was sunny and cool, with a pleasant breeze. It was just the right weather to be comfortable in one's school robes. The Gryffindors in the stands were in an uproar, cheering like mad when the scarlet players took the field. Lily saw James' glinting glasses, and Glenda Chittock's neat black cornrows, and Warty Harris' decisive loping gait next to Mallory Twiddle. Joey Jenkins and Benjy Fenwick held their bats and opposed their Gryffindor counterparts. Emmeline gazed steadily at the ground while Caradoc gazed steadily at her, with a peculiar expression on his face. Gilbert Wimple, a lanky Ravenclaw Chaser with slick blond hair and a protuberant nose, elbowed Caradoc as James stepped forward to partake in the captains' handshake. Caradoc grasped his hand. They looked at each other and something was said. At Madame Hooch's whistle, both teams kicked off.

"It's Dorkins with the Quaffle," began Mafalda Hopkirk happily. Ragmar Dorkins was a short, dark boy with a pasty face who had a knack for strategic flying. In the area of stratagem, he was almost as good as James. Lily bit her lip as the Chaser zoomed past Dirk Cresswell.

"Dorkins flies, drops low and—! Damn! I mean, er, the shot is deflected by Gryffindor Keeper Vance. It's Potter with the Quaffle." Mafalda sighed melancholically while a grin spread over each Gryffindor's face. James would be unstoppable in his last game.

"Potter goes to the Ravenclaw hoops but here's a Bludger from Fenwick. Hello, Benjy. Potter manages to dive and he pulls out, going over Wimple's head. He shoots and it…misses! Batted away by Captain Dearborn—but Potter snatches it back! Gets it out of Wimple's hand, practically…and, oh now it's ten-nothing Gryffindor."

James took a quick half-lap around the field to blow a kiss at Lily. She was so pleased that she beamed back at him with such bright eyes that James was distracted. He shook his head to concentrate and Mafalda's commentary reentered his ears.

"Cresswell knocked away by Jenkins' Bludger. He passes to Glenda Chittock who beats Jenkins but Fenwick is coming up fast—"

"Speed, Glenda!" shouted James, whizzing towards the scene of the action. Like bloody hell was he going to lose this match. Benjy pelted a Bludger at Glenda and her body missed it only by a hair. The ball swiped the twigs of her broom and she whirled in a spiral, trying to regain her balance and hold the Quaffle. A second Bludger from Joey Jenkins headed towards her as James swooped in to relieve her of the Quaffle.

"And Potter's got it again! He's heading for the hoops, so c'mon now Benjy—" A Bludger hit James in the kidneys. He was slammed forward onto the handle of his broomstick as his death-grip on the Quaffle tightened. A sudden picture of Evan Rosier entered his head, a picture of Evan Rosier sneering at him in the dungeon. James' heart lurched in fury and he hurled the Quaffle forward. Caradoc reached out and connected with his fingertips, but the strength on the ball pushed just far enough past his outstretched arm.

"Twenty-nothing, Gryffindor."

After three more attempts, Ragmar Dorkins scored. And scored again. James retaliated with another goal. The pattern of the game became apparent: No matter how many times Chittock or Cresswell tried, only James was good enough to put the ball past Caradoc. The Beaters on both sides were too skilled to give the Chasers many shots. Emmeline let only one of perhaps each three in, and the hand behind the Quaffle usually belonged to Ragmar Dorkins. Both Keepers were getting frustrated and James was nearly beside himself with furious energy. This match was going to be his.

The battle raged on until the score was ninety to seventy in Gryffindor's favor. James made another attempt and was blocked by Caradoc, spurring him to score twice more in a row. One hundred and ten points were Gryffindor's. Lily's eyes met James' when he flew away from the golden hoops that second time. The bright green spots were perfectly circular in warning.

James' pulse skyrocketed as he felt that something was wrong. Lily's face had told him so. James wheeled around to find the Ravenclaw Seeker Penrose bearing down on the Snitch, which hovered low to the ground near the Gryffindor goal posts. Otto Bagman was so much closer, if only he would turn around!

"BAGMAN!" roared James, snapping his head sharply towards the Snitch. Otto was in a dive double-quick as he poured on the speed. In James' mind, everything was pale and floating save for the sparkle of gold near the ground and the luster of red in the stands. Bagman and Penrose would get there at the same time. Time stretched like taffy lines as he saw something black shoot past his shoulder.

A Bludger shattered James' haze and Ravenclaw's chances. Mallory Twiddle had nabbed Penrose squared on the arm and Bagman pulled up into the air with blazing triumph. He began whooping.

"We've won!" shouted James while the noise from the stands just about knocked him back. Hooch was blowing her whistle and signaling the end of the match. Otto Bagman was taking his victory lap. "We've won, we've won! We've—"

Warty Harris smashed into him from one side. Cresswell and Chittock, arm-in-arm, soared into him from another. Then Twiddle was there, and then Emmeline, and Bagman. The Gryffindor team landed on the ground with a hoarse roar and James nearly sobbing with joy. Totally alone, wiry Warty Harris lifted James up and carried him to the stands. The crowd surged behind them and lifted up Otto and Twiddle as well for the game-saving play. The whole of the team were brought to Dumbledore like heroes to claim what was James' third Cup. Harris set him down with a grin before they reached Dumbledore. James smelled Lily somewhere nearby, and he pulled to him through the melee to plant a lip-locking kiss on her red mouth. She was so beautiful, just like everything else.

Professor McGonagall beamed and even Professor Flitwick managed a small smile for James. He grinned back recklessly as Dumbledore held the gleaming Cup high in front of him.

Dumbledore paused. Shouting had been replaced by gestures and whispers. James turned back to look at the pitch. Emmeline and Caradoc were standing there, simply facing each other, and Caradoc was on one knee. He was mouthing words that felt so familiar to James that he was surprised that he had never said them before. Emmeline's mouth was open in shock as Caradoc placed a ring on her finger. The noise died away when every face turned to the pitch. Then Emmeline's lips moved. And they did so again. And then a shout that reached the stands was heard by every ear on the field.

"Yes! I've said it already!"

Caradoc grinned and jumped to his feet, lifting Emmeline off the ground and swinging her in a circle. Cheers broke out everywhere and a glistening tear of happiness slid down Lily's cheek as the engaged couple kissed for the first time.

I can only apologize for taking so long with this one, a very small part of which was due to my inability to upload this document to ff. I think this chapter got better as it neared the end. The whole Slytherin crisis will be brought out in the next chapter and I'm already a page into that one. Thanks for everyone who sticks by and reviews!

Incidentally, this brings another point. This story was originally intended to be only a seventh-year LilyJames tale, which is why I'm on chapter 38 and not yet through N.E.W.T.s. Would anyone vote for my making it a story going up to their deaths? If so, should I just continue with Lightning at Hogwarts or make a new story for after Hogwarts? Even if you are a reader who has never reviewed before, please leave one and tell me what you think.

THANK YOU IN GENERAL