There was no stopping it. To deny the rumour would be to admit defeat to Helena the Tarty Twat and Lily would rather die than do that. Of course it helped that Sirius thought the thing was entirely hilarious so it assuaged Lily's fears that James would be mad when he found out.
"Oh, if you're going to just be anxious the whole damn time, can you at least go get me some fudge?" Sirius complained.
"Food is where all this started!" Lily cried, quite insistent on the fact that if she hadn't needed to go to the kitchens for food the whole thing with Helena would have been avoided along with a certain rumour.
"Just go for a walk," Sirius insisted.
So Lily stood and said, "If the Tarty Twat comes by …"
"I'll tell her you're taking a pregnancy test and stopping for fudge."
Lily flipped him off before storming out of the Hospital Wing. It wasn't a bad rumour. Not really except for that fact that it wasn't true and she didn't want James to feel weird about it. Also, her friends and James would never let her live it down. Sirius was case point. But mostly she really hoped James didn't feel weird about it because that was the last thing she wanted.
"Lily!" Snape called trying to stop her as she turned into a corridor.
Perfect. Brill. Just what she needed at a time like this. Did he sense when her life was in shambles and decide to make it worse? Nothing she'd ever done or said in the past year and a half had signalled that she wanted him to approach her in the corridor after her idiotic boyfriend fell off a broomstick and there were rumours that she's married to said idiotic boyfriend, who's best mate is doing nothing to help the situation.
"I'm not in the mood, Snape." But he grabbed her arm and stood in front of her.
"Is it true?" he asked her softly. "You married him." She wondered how he managed to sound so betrayed.
Lily should've expected this. Helena Bonham couldn't keep a secret to herself if her life depended on it. The whole school would know within the hour — they probably already did know if it had already reached the Slytherins.
"Does it matter?"
"So you haven't."
"Whether I have or haven't isn't the point-"
"It's the only point!"
"Why?"
"If you married him, we would never have a chance."
"Have a …" she echoed with a bitter laugh, "Chance. Are you out of your fucking mind, Snape? Are you really that clueless about everything that's going on?"
"Potter's turning you - you don't really like him."
"Let me make something abundantly clear. No one is turning me against you, no one except yourself. You chose them. You chose the Death Eaters and Dark Magic and Voldemort."
"Lily-"
"I'm not finished!" she interrupted him. "Whether or not I'm married to James doesn't make a difference to our relationship because it is over. It's done. In the past and it's not because of James. If I really wanted to I could tell James that I want to mend my friendship with you and he wouldn't be happy about it but he'd let me because it is my choice and what's more is he'd try to make nice with you if I asked him to. So don't you dare suggest that I don't really like James because I love him and you know what … even if we weren't already, we'd probably be married in the next five years."
She really needed to learn to shut her god damned mouth and because bad loved worse a voice called down the corridor behind her.
"So it's true you and Potter got hitched, is it?" Avery called from down the corridor. Snape went rigid and Lily rolled her eyes. Oh, the rumour was really snowballing now. Rolling down a bloody mountain.
"Despite your filthy blood, I do see the appeal," Mulciber said, trailing a finger up her arm as he walked around her to flank Snape and a shiver as cold as the icy water in the Great Lake went down her spine. "Though he has ruined any chances of the Potter name making it onto the Sacred Twenty-Eight."
"You did always think she was pretty," Avery agreed, either not noticing or not caring that Snape was becoming more and more rigid with every word passed. "Mudbloods were made to be whores nothing more. No excuse to dirty blood-lines."
"How do you think your blood line started, genius?" Lily shot back at them, trying to step around but Avery blocked her.
"What was that, mudblood?"
"You heard me," Lily said confidently and when she tried to walk past them, Avery stepped in front of her once more. She tried to step around but he kept blocking her path. "Move, please."
"Were you trying to insinuate that I descended from a dirty, little mudblood?" he sneered.
Lily raised an eyebrow. "Well, not just you but all purebloods. I mean it would've happened hundreds and hundreds of years ago but there's no biological difference between people with magic and people without magic so in saying that … the first witch or wizard would have come from muggle parentage which then follows that all your family pride derived from a mudblood."
"I don't think this is something you can understand, but we derive from generations of magic folk."
"And I derive from generations of muggle folk and yet I can still whoop all of your arses in a duel. Please, move."
"What right do you think you have anyways? Marrying a pureblood," Mulciber spit on the floor next to her. "Right, Snape? You're just a dirty little whore and Potter will be done with you soon enough. Maybe then you could be my whore."
Lily looked at Snape as he stared at the floor. She reaffirmed what she knew all along. He was never going to be the friend she needed. He would never stick up for her — not against his mates anyways no matter what they said, even if it had her stomach twisting in knots. He would never deny that he agreed with all the pureblood bullshit. He would never be proud to have her standing beside him, though looking at him now, he didn't look so proud to have Avery and Mulciber flanking him. Lily wondered if he'd still look like that if it weren't her against them and if it was some other muggle-born. What if she had been Mia Scott or Mary MacDonald or Marlene?
Lily shoved her hand into her pocket, her shaky fingers grasping her wand so tightly her nails dug into her palms but the shakiness stopped so that counted for something.
"Let me through," Lily demanded in a firm tone, she didn't know how she stopped her voice from shaking but she was reminding herself that if she stroke, she needed to keep her hand light and fast, not rigid. She slackened her grip, slowed her breathing to slow the shaking and it was hard because she could feel it coming.
Her skin felt too hot and there wasn't enough air in this corridor but if it came here, if she couldn't think right now, she'd end up in a hospital bed next to James'. Snape certainly wouldn't stop them.
"Nah, I don't think we will," Mulciber smirked, slowly drawing his own wand out of his pocket as though if he did the movements slower Lily wouldn't notice. This was why he was failing Defence.
"Have it your way," Lily muttered darkly and a moment later her wand came slashing out of her pocket, her fingers light as she sent all three of them crashing to the floor with a simple freezing charm. "Maybe while you lay there, you can think about how your oh-so-superior blood did nothing to stop you from being hexed by a mudblood," Lily suggested sweetly as she stepped over their bodies and continued down the corridor as though nothing had happened but her hands shook and she was staving off the inevitable because she could definitely feel it now. She was already unwrapping her scarf from around her throat.
As soon as she turned the corner, she could feel her chest constricting and her cheeks flushed bright red. She shed her cloak leaving her in her red t-shirt and muggle jeans but it wasn't enough. She pushed her sleeves as high as they would go and slid her hair off the back of her neck.
Her free hand gnawed at her throat trying to scratch away something that wasn't there, as if to help her breathe. She was freaking out. Everything was a mess. James was unconscious, everyone thought they were married and some people were Death Eaters without the masks. Snape still thought Lily was going to wake up one day and be his friend again like it was miracle land and he still had one miracle left. Not to mention the words out of Mulciber's mouth had cloaked her in the most uneasy feeling she'd ever felt.
She needed to breathe. How had she stopped this last time? She hadn't. Remus had slapped sense into her. Maybe her body just needed a shock into thinking. She sent a stinging jinx at her foot and it worked.
She leaned against the wall and breathed in deeply letting her hand fall from her throat. She waited in that empty corridor until her skin had goose bumps on it and her breathing was back to its normal pace and then she out her cloak back on and went to the Great Hall.
There she stocked up on all of James, hers and Sirius' favourites, including fudge, where several people congratulated her on the marriage, some brave enough to congratulate her on her pregnancy which did nothing to help her post panic attack state. She kept calm though and left the Great Hall with a napkin transfigured into a picnic basket with the food she'd picked out in it.
"Remus! Just the person I was looking for!" Marlene sank into the couch next to Remus. "I have gossip."
"Do tell."
"The engagement ring is Lily's!" Marlene squealed. "Her and James got hitched and I mean I'm kind of mad that we didn't get an invite but at the same time how romantic! All elope-y and such a dream! And the ring is gorgeous — I haven't a clue why she doesn't wear it."
Remus raised a brow. "James would have told us if he's gotten married."
Marlene scoffed. "Pu-lease, James would stick a knife in any of you if Lily asked. They're hitched. I heard from Mary MacDonald who heard from Lola Stevens who heard from Irma Keddle who heard from Hannah Abbott who heard straight from Helena Bonham that Lily told her that her and James were married."
"Are we really trusting second-hand sixth year gossip over our almost seven year strong friendships?"
"You know, Remus, the gossip mill might exaggerate for the drama but there's usually a truth behind it. I'm telling you, they're married. It makes sense — look, usually I'd be skeptical but the ring, Remus, the ring!"
"They're not married," Alice sat pink faced next to Remus, wedging him between the two girls. "But I might be engaged."
Marlene leaned over to look at Alice and the little black box caught her eye in Alice's hand and her eyes almost popped out of her head.
"Might be enga-"
Alice clapped a hand over Remus' mouth, "Shh!" She removed her hand and sighed, "Can you two keep a secret?"
"If it's as juicy as I think it's going to be," Remus crossed his heart in demonstration and Marlene nodded profusely.
"Frank proposed."
"When?" was Marlene's automatic response.
"Valentine's Day," Alice winced.
"Valentine's Day?" Marlene exclaimed quietly in shock. "Holy cow, what'd you say?"
"I told him he was mad and that we were too young and I may have blamed his mother and — I freaked, okay, I freaked!"
"Low blow, Al, blaming the bloke's mother," Remus whistled.
"The whole thing was a low blow he barely had time to shove the box in my hand before I apparated away and then he hasn't owled me and I haven't owled him and it's all a big mess and I'm stuck with this," she held up the ring box.
"You've really kept him hanging for a month?"
"I know," Alice covered her face with her hands, "It's terrible but any time I think of saying yes I just, I can't."
"Do you want to say yes?" Remus asked with consideration.
"I - I don't know!" Alice said frustratedly. "I don't know. I'm seventeen."
"He's not going to wait forever, Al."
Alice paled. "I know but I just … the funny thing is I can imagine my whole life with Frank, I can — I do but I never imagined him proposing at seventeen."
"Does it make a lot of difference?" Remus asked.
"Of course it does!" Marlene spluttered.
"Oh come off it, realistically Al and Frank would be married within the next four to six years tops. What difference does it make if you have that little paper that makes it official four to six years earlier. You'll still be doing all the same things. You were planning to move in with him after Hogwarts. You're still going into the Auror Training program. He'll still be in Auror Training. I'm sure you'd spend the holidays together anyways and any vacations as well. You have the same group of friends. Does it really make much of a difference if you have the paper a little earlier?"
"But with marriage comes expectations," Marlene pointed out, "Not to mention responsibility."
"They'd already be living together what extra responsibilities would they have?" Remus deadpanned.
"Okay, expectations!" Marlene argued.
"Like?"
"Like babies. Settling in a house in the country."
"Not all married couples have kids straight away and I wager married couples with or without kids live in apartments in London."
"Maturity," Marlene continued. "Who's to say one of them won't wake up one day soon and think they've made a big mistake?"
"Yes, see that's the feeling!" Alice pointed at Marlene.
"Do you love Frank?" Remus asked Alice.
"Of course."
"Do you see any foreseeable issues that would cause you to regret your decision to marry him?"
"No, but-"
"No buts," Remus cut off. "Just do. You'll be much happier for it."
Lily walked in and he grinned.
"Hello, my beautiful wife," he greeted more confidently than he felt because honestly he didn't know what to expect. The last time he wound up in a hospital bed she yelled at him and Lily was usually pretty consistent.
"You're awake," she smiled softly and James frowned slightly.
She looked off. Her skin seemed paler than usual and she looked deep in thought. She wasn't yelling at him either and that was perhaps the final clue into the 'something is wrong' alarm bells in his head. "You okay, love?" he asked.
"Fine — better than the three musketeers of Slytherin anyways," Lily mumbled. "How're you feeling?"
"Perfectly fine, Pomfrey says I can leave tonight," he assured her and then, "Three musketeers?" he pressed.
"Muggle thing. I was referring to Snape, Avery and Mulciber."
"Snape?"
"Don't even get me freaking started, James," she shook her head and sat on the edge of his bed. He slipped his hand into hers and squeezed. "He still thinks that after all this time that we are going to break-up and I'll be his friend again. He's bloody mental — a child! He's a child. He thinks that you turned me against him! He's taking absolutely no responsibility for the choices he's made and then blaming you on top of it! You had nothing to do with him wanting to be a Death Eater. You didn't make him call me a mudblood in front of the whole school. You didn't make him hang out with those awful mates of his. He's honestly, he's just a child," she finished her rant with a sigh.
"He's a miserable muppet."
Lily quirked a brow, "How do you know what a muppet is?"
James sighed, "It's a long story that ends with Sirius, Peter and I standing on a stage with muggle sock puppets on our hands in front of a muggle crowd. But you said Avery and Mulciber were there?"
She sighed. "Yeah, after I finished yelling at Snape they showed and went on about," her cheeks flushed, "About things and I petrified all of them and left."
"Impressive. What were they going on about?"
"Oh, the usual — pureblood supremacy crap."
"I hope they didn't give you a hard time about us getting married."
Lily pulled a face and groaned. "Sirius told you?"
"That we're married? No, I remembered that for myself thanks, he just told me that everyone else had found out."
He watched as a million things ran through her mind and shook her head. "We aren't married."
"Sure we are and they say I'm the one who fell off a broom."
"James, knock it off."
"Do you really not remember the ceremony before the Christmas party my parents threw?" James asked but the gig was up as he felt himself smirking and she just rolled her eyes and lied down on him.
"You're a lousy liar."
"Only when I want to be."
"You won the match," she informed him.
"You told the whole school we're married."
"I told one person," Lily defended. "And I'm sorry. Really, I don't even know where it came from."
"You told Helena Bonham. You may as well have told the whole school. And I don't mind, not unless you're actually expecting a proposal."
"I'm not, definitely not. She was just being so annoying and saying that you were going to be done with me soon enough and urgh!" she groaned. "She was acting like we were already over and we're not."
"Not even close," James agreed, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head. "Not ever."
"James?"
"Yes, love?"
"I love you."
A smile tugged at his lips. "I love you, too."
She hugged him tighter and cast her eyes down not wanting to look at him as she said this next part. "No, I'm in love with you, like you're the one I want to get married to and have kids with."
"Is this a proposal because I rather thought that was my job."
She smiled, "No, I just want you to know that you're not allowed to leave me. Ever."
He kissed the top of her head again. "It's a non-issue."
"Not even death," she told him. "If you die before me, I'll be so mad at you."
"Even if we're two hundred and two?"
"Even if we're two hundred and two," she confirmed.
"Done. I'm with you until the end," James assured. "Now that that is sorted … you need to forgive him."
"Who?"
"Snape."
"I don't have to do anything."
"Lily."
"You hate him, hate him with me!"
"I hate him because he's my enemy. If I ever go missing and you have to fill out one of those missing persons forms at the Auror Office, where it says 'Enemies' you write 'Severus Snape'. But you," he sighed because he hated to bring it up, "you were his friend."
"I have forgiven him," she said. "I forgave my friend but I can't forgive what he's becoming. It's unforgivable."
"I've done some pretty unforgivable things and you forgave me."
"Because you grew out of it. You apologised for how you used to act and you changed to prove that you were sorry. Snape — he'd apologise and the next day I would hear him refer to someone like me as a mudblood. He hasn't changed and he won't. He doesn't even see that he is in the wrong and that's unforgivable."
James nodded and Lily hugged him tighter.
"You all right?" he asked her.
She nodded, "I just hate it when you're in hospital."
It wasn't a big thing. Really, it wasn't. One morning, Lily and James had been talking and very discreetly glancing over at the Slytherin table where his brother was sitting. That's what had piqued Sirius' interest and so he asked.
"Has Reg done something?" he inquired, almost afraid of the answer because what if Regulus had done something? Regulus had made it very clear that Sirius wasn't his brother anymore and Sirius had put it out of his mind. Not because he didn't care but because as Regulus fell in deeper and deeper with the likes of the Snapes and Averys of the world, guilt chipped away at him.
"No," Lily said, "Don't worry about it. It's not about Regulus."
"What's it about then?"
James opened his mouth but Lily glared at him.
"It's just Sirius," James argued.
Lily rolled her eyes and sighed, "You're just going to tell him when I'm not here anyways. Go on."
"Mia Scott and Gabriel Lemaire are having secret shag sessions in various places and Lily is quite worried."
"What do you care?"
"We've been through this," Lily said. "Mia and I are friends."
"Okay well if you're such good friends why don't you tell her you don't think she should be dating a slime ball like Lemaire?"
"Because she doesn't know I know."
Sirius grinned. "And how do you know?"
"Valentine's Day patrols," James said. "Spotted them on the map."
"Interesting."
"No, it's not," Lily ranted. "It's downright stupid. He's dangerous. He hangs around with Rosier and Rookwood and I don't care what anyone says Rookwood is," Lily shook her head, "She's downright mean. I reprimanded her just last week because she was picking on a first year who was crying because her uncle had just died. I'm sorry, Sirius, I know her and your brother have a thing but-"
"They do?" Sirius asked, a little pride in his voice because even if it was someone as terrible as Beatrice Rookwood, his brother had gotten himself a girl.
"Boys," Lily shook her head. "Do you pay attention to anything?"
"Not really," Sirius said though he always thought he paid attention enough. After all, he paid enough attention to realise that Adams and McKinnon were a thing before they'd announced it. He realised that James chipper mood in the last months of sixth year were due to his disappearances where he was sure he'd been shagging a girl, he just couldn't figure out who.
Lily rolled her eyes again. "I just don't want her to get hurt."
So it wasn't that big of a deal when Sirius happened to come across Lemaire in a corridor near the dungeons. It also wasn't that big of a deal when Sirius stood directly in front of him and said, "You should leave Mia Scott alone."
"Who's Mia Scott?" Lemaire responded and Sirius gave him props for acting.
"Don't insult my intelligence," Sirius patted his shoulder. "You're going to leave Mia Scott alone."
"You know, you never were good at ordering people around," Lemaire sneered. "You never could get Reg to follow your rules."
"It's just a game for you," Sirius spat, not rising to the bait. "Leave her out of it."
"Why do you care anyways? Last I heard, you made her cry in front of the entire school."
"The brat was trying to break-up a couple. I don't like that kind of bullshit but she's a friend of Lily's and so I'm warning you, end it with her."
"What're you going to do, Black? Hex me?"
Sirius shrugged because honestly, it would be his knee-jerk reaction — one he would be very happy fulfilling this very moment if he thought it would do any good — and perhaps it always would be but no. Hexing Lemaire wouldn't change a damn thing, hell, Mia might even feel sorry for the bastard.
"I bet your friends would love to know about the latest girl in your life," Sirius hinted.
"You wouldn't. They'd target her." Sirius was surprised to hear actual worry in his voice but he could've been crying with worry and Sirius wouldn't budge because everything that had just come out of Gabriel's mouth was the exact reason he should leave her be in the first place.
"Which is why, secret or not, you shouldn't be involved with her! Cut her loose, Lemaire, before she gets hurt."
Sirius walked passed him without another word, considering his job done.
"James' detention is finishing up so I'll make this quick: we've got nine people to pull off the biggest party of the year," Lily laid out the facts at the beginning of dinner. They'd all agreed to come extra early — food hadn't even been served yet — since James was supervising a detention and it was an opportune time to plan without James getting suspicious.
Lily had been stuck on what to do for James' birthday, all she knew was it had to be big. James loved big things. Big breakfasts, big games, big hugs, big trees, big stadiums, big dates, big loves and big parties so it came as a no brainer that Lily, somehow had to throw him the biggest party ever. The biggest Hogwarts had ever seen and she had to do it without the teachers knowing.
It stumped Sirius when Lily refused to give the reins over to him who'd insisted that he'd do a better job having thrown multiple bashes at Hogwarts throughout the years and maybe she was stupid not to. He, by far, had more experience throwing a party within Hogwarts walls, her party in the library being the prime example but Lily was determined. This would be an Evans party and it would blow every single Marauder party into the trash (where they belonged).
"If we pull this off, it'll go down in Hogwarts history," Alice said, jittery.
"No, it won't," Lily said firmly, "Because the teachers aren't going to find out. Marlene how's word getting around?"
"Just fine," Marlene assured.
Lily looked at Peter because Peter heard everything, the benefit of being able to turn into a rat, and he nodded his head. "It's very under the radar but there's definitely a buzz — even with the Slytherins. The disguised pamphlets are genius, Marls." Lily ticked off invitations on her list though worried slightly about the Slytherins knowing.
"I know. I'm brilliant," Marlene grinned.
"How's booze coming along?" Lily asked Sirius.
"Pete, Rem and I are sneaking out to Rosmerta's tomorrow night. We've two crates of firewhiskey, Ogden's Finest — nothing but the best for James — a crate of rose elf wine, a crate of Starling Champagne — like I said, nothing but the best — and two crates of mixed stuff, giggle water, red and white wines, Shiver Me Timbers, Dragon Barrel Brandy, mead."
"What the hell is Shiver Me Timbers?" Marlene asked, slightly alarmed.
"Oh, it's a shot," Sirius grinned, "Sends a literal shiver down your spine."
"What about mixers?" Lily inquired, ticking of alcohol.
"Four crates of soda water, butterbeer, ginger ale, water and those muggle soft drinks you requested." Lily ticked off another box.
"More than enough," Remus nodded his head.
"You lot going to be able to carry all that?" Ella asked, her eyebrow quirked.
"You should never doubt our ways," Peter told her. "We're quite efficient."
"And decorations?" she looked at Adaline, Alice and Ella.
"Should arrive next week, balloons, streamers, party hats, banner and I'm working on a spell to make muggle fairy lights work — we can wrap them around the Quidditch posts. A house elf is hooking me up for food and the cake — Quidditch themed and honestly, they looked so excited, they really love James so I don't know how flash it's going to be."
Lily nodded and ticked decorations off her list, she was perhaps least worried about decorations. The girls had a good eye for that sort of thing and the flashier the better. Everything needed to be big, big, big!
"How's your part coming?" Marlene asked her.
"That's what tonight's for, if I can enlist Sirius into escorting me tonight?"
"My pleasure," he assured.
Peter coughed loudly and Lily looked up to see James heading towards them with what seemed to be stars in his eyes. Lily hastily shoved her list into her bag as the others pretended to chat about homework, James stood behind Lily, massaging her shoulders though it was to keep him from fidgeting.
"You all right?" Remus asked James.
"You're never going to believe it," James said, the stars reaching his voice too.
"What happened?" Lily asked, angling her head up to catch his face, curious at what had her boyfriend looking like the world was a star.
"They — a scout owled me. Jeremy Moulin contacted me."
"Moulin," Sirius furrowed his brow, "Doesn't he scout for Puddlemere?"
James looked ready to burst and Lily's smile was already hurting her face as she turned in her seat to face him, "No way!" she squealed. "You got a trial?"
"I got a trial!" he confirmed, happiness beaming out of his voice as strongly as a flash of a spell.
Lily jumped up, using the seat as a push-up to launch herself into James' arms. He caught her swiftly as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed kisses on his neck. James held her tightly, knowing life couldn't get much better than this.
A trial with his dream team and his dream girl to celebrate with, it was everything he could have hoped for and more.
He had detention. It wasn't the first time, wouldn't be the last but this one would always stick to him like a ghost. Of course, first there was the reason he was in detention in the first place. Gabriel had come in angry, fuming but he wouldn't say why though he was right peeved off about something, torn up about something too and he wasn't stupid, he knew the two were connected he just didn't know how or why.
"Come on," Gabriel insisted, standing up and slipping his shoes on. "Let's go out."
"It's pass curfew."
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Don't be a child."
This time Regulus rolled his eyes but he stood and slipped his own feet into shoes. They were silent as they made their way out of the almost deserted common room — no one questioned them and no one would rat them out, the Slytherins protected each other fiercely. Regulus would never forgot when a sixth year Slytherin had covered his own first year arse. He hadn't even known him but he covered for Regulus saving him from his first ever detention only to delay it until the week before Christmas holidays when Sirius refused to come home for the holidays and Regulus punched him in the face.
"Where're you lot off to?" Peyton asked.
"Now, Pey, don't be getting all prefect-y on us," Gabriel mused.
"I would never though I wouldn't mind stretching my legs."
The two boys shrugged and Peyton ragged Alvena to join them. It was odd, at first, how much Regulus's circle of friends meshed with the seventh year Slytherins but after a few years, it all seemed natural. It was normal to hang out with Severus, Dominique, Evan, Peyton and Alvena. Just like it was normal to hang out with Gabriel, Joshua, Beatrice and Aubra. So it wasn't at all odd when Severus decided to join as well.
So the five of them left the common room together and as they reached the landing that would lead to the basement and Hufflepuff dormitories, they heard voices.
"Come on," Reg said, "Let's continue before we bump into whoever they are." But as he went to step up he recognised one of the voices very well.
"Would you stop stressing, Evans? You pulled it off tonight and you'll pull it off on Saturday."
"But what if I don't?"
The two voices drifted so clearly and Regulus thought maybe he died a little on the inside. He didn't have the energy to deal with his brother right now but he knew the others wouldn't let this opportunity go. Evans and Black. The mudblood screwing a pureblood and the blood traitor Black. To them, they were a present wrapped with a pretty little bow. He could already see the girls excited glances at each other and Gabriel, for fucks sake, was already taking his wand out.
Evans and Sirius rounded the corner and Peyton led the attack.
"Planning the divorce already, mudblood?"
"We were sneaking out to buy her a sexy pair of lingerie, actually. Birthday sex is going to be big," Sirius quipped back and Lily bit back a smile and nudged him.
Severus let out a disgusted sound and Evans eyes went cold. Regulus had heard all about their encounter the other day. Merlin, this was not going to go anywhere good, not that the words good, Slytherin, and Gryffindor could ever be used in the same sentence in a positive matter.
"Something the matter, Snivellus?" Sirius asked.
"Your arrogant Potter stealing my-"
"Stealing your what?" Lily asked coolly. "Are you actually going to admit in front of your oh-so-cool mates that we were mates? Or was I just going to become your mudblood whore one day?"
The girl had guts. Regulus could see why his brother had become friends with her.
"Lily-" Severus started, appalled.
"That's Evans to you, Snape."
"Lil, lets go," Sirius said quietly.
"Not so cocky now, are you?" Gabriel stepped forward.
Sirius quirked an eyebrow. "Don't be an idiot, Lemaire. You'll give yourself away."
"No one tells me what to do."
"Good thing I threatened you instead. Let's go." Sirius grabbed Lily's wrist to try and tow her with him up the stairs but the twins blocked them.
"You think, you can threaten one of us and get away with it?" Peyton asked, pulling her wand out.
"Maybe you want to go ask Lemaire before you go pointing wands at us," Lily suggested.
"No one asked you, niffler."
Sirius stiffened, that look transforming his face. His light eyes went dark, his jaw tightened and Regulus knew that Sirius wasn't going to let it go. None of them would now.
"Gabe, let's go," Regulus muttered.
"Always the first to run," Sirius lashed. "Go on, Reg, why don't you go running straight to mother?"
"What did you call me?" Lily asked, stepping up to Peyton and suddenly, everyone's attention was on them.
"Oh, sorry," Peyton mocked. "I forgot that you're a muggle and don't understand wizarding terms. A niffler, sweetie, is a creature that hunts out gold."
"I know what a niffler is," Lily bit back, "Just like I know what a loathsome, little slut you are! How was Fortescue in the sack? Even I didn't give it up to him though he was always fond of the greenhouses and I do have a little more class than that."
Peyton flushed all the way from the base of her neck to the tip of her roots, her face gnarled in red, hot fury but Evans didn't shrink away like another might've. She stood tall and proud even as Peyton's hand slashed across her cheek in a cracking slap. Lily shoved Peyton away from her and still stood tall, at least until Professor Slughorn stumbled across the lot of them leading to detention on Tuesday night at 7 o'clock.
Now, any student from Gryffindor and Slytherin could tell you that it was never good to put a Slytherin and a Gryffindor in the same room however the teachers of Hogwarts didn't seem to get that memo.
All seven of them sat in a room, stony faced as they waited for their punishments to be handed out by Professor McGonagall who had always been better at disciplining students than Professor Slughorn.
"Blacks and Evans, you're to meet Hagrid in the Entrance Hall where you'll assist him in the Forbidden Forest."
"Which Black?" Regulus asked as Sirius presumptuously stood beside Evans.
"Both."
Regulus' face paled by a shade as Sirius muttered, "Great."
Professor McGonagall watched them sternly until they all shuffled out of the classroom. Regulus huffed when Sirius and Lily lagged behind muttering to each other.
"I don't want to go in the forest," Lily whispered.
"It's not that bad," Sirius assured her.
They joined with Hagrid in the Entrance Hall and he blithered on about the Potions ingredients they'd be searching for in the forest and Lily happily chatted back with him, boring both the Black brothers. Despite the common ground, neither made an attempt to speak to the other.
There was nothing left to say. Regulus knew it and Sirius knew it and to say anything else was just salt in an open wound.
Regulus didn't really know why McGonagall had chosen him out of the other four Slytherins to be in the Gryffindor group, though he suspected it was because she knew he was a little more passive than the others. He would be glad of it years later when he looked back on it. To put either of the Aitken sisters or Lemaire would have been a sure way to cause another brawl which left Snape. But to subject Lily to Snape's company would have been some level of cruelness after she'd explicitly told him she no longer wants to be his friend and anyone paying the slightest bit of attention could see Snape was in love with her. In Regulus' opinion, Snape would never deserve her. He didn't think any of them deserved anyone half way decent and Evans was more than half way decent, no matter what the others insisted, Regulus still had eyes and no matter what his brother insisted, he wasn't an idiot.
They were in the Forbidden Forest for about fifteen minutes and despite Evans having said she didn't want to go in, she looked around at everything with wonder in her eyes and Sirius pointed things out as though he were showing her around London instead of the Forbidden Forest. Regulus wondered how many times Sirius had been in here.
Here, where the trees towered over and were so thick it seemed whole houses could fit in them. It was eerie, Regulus had to admit, all the sounds and the darkness, not being able to see beyond the light at the tip of their wands. It mildly alarmed him when Hagrid suggested that Regulus and Lily separate so they could cover more ground.
Lily, now fully confident in the forest, agreed though Sirius had reservations.
"Why don't me and Lily split and he can stay with you?" Sirius asked Hagrid.
"I'm not going to attack her and leave her for the wolves," Regulus muttered. "I'm not that bad."
He saw it in Sirius' eyes though. He was bad enough. Bad enough that he didn't trust his brother with one of his best mates, maybe especially his best mate's girl.
"I've strict instructions to keep an eye on yeh," Hagrid told Sirius, "She doesn' seem to trust yeh on yer own in the forest."
Sirius scowled but Lily nudged him. "I'll be fine. Pretty sure I can beat your kid brother in a duel if it came down to it, no offence Black."
Considering she petrified three of his friends and walked away without even a detention, no offence was taken.
"It's fine," he said.
"Brill, let's go," Lily ordered.
"Lily, I don't think-"
"I'll be fine." She walked right away from Sirius expecting Regulus to follow her, he didn't though, not right away. The torn, worried look on his brother face stopped him. It was the same look he'd given Regulus before he'd gotten on the Hogwarts Express for the very first time.
Regulus opened his mouth, "I know my word doesn't mean a lot to you, but I'll watch out for her," and then he turned to follow Lily, leaving an astonished look on Sirius' face.
"About time you caught up," Lily mused when he fell into step behind her.
"I hope you know what you're looking for."
"I do," she assured. "You shouldn't mind Sirius' glaring at you. He's just worried and he likes to act all tough and cool," Lily explained as her eyes scanned the forest floor for the shrubs Hagrid had been rambling on about earlier. He supposed she knew what she was doing when she reached under one and pulled out silvery stones the size of marbles. "He's also got it in his head that if anything happens to me, James will set a troll on him."
"I know my brother, thanks," Regulus said coolly, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"You knew him. You don't know who he is now," Lily disagreed. "You could try to argue with me but I know sibling rivalry all too well."
"You have a sibling?" he asked surprised. He hadn't known.
"A sister, muggle," Lily explained. "Snape never talked about her then?" Regulus shook his head. "No, I suppose he wouldn't've. He was always ashamed that I'm muggle-born just like she was always ashamed that I'm a witch," she sighed. "I could never win. My best friend wanted me to be one thing, my sister another but I'm not one or the other, I'm both."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because, Sirius and I, we bonded over our mutual sibling rivalry and he feels guilty though he'll never admit it. It's all in the eyes," she told him, tapping two fingers under her eyes.
"Guilty?" Regulus asked.
"Mmmhmm."
He waited for her to say more and when she didn't, he asked, "About what?"
"You."
"Me?"
"You," Lily agreed. "See, I think if Sirius back then was who he is now, he'd have tried harder to get you out and he feels guilty that he didn't."
"You assume I wanted to get out and leave my family, like he did?"
"I don't presume to know anything about you," Lily said as she bent down to stick her hand under another shrub, pulled out three silvery stones and one black one. Discarding the black one and pocketing the three silvery ones, she continued, "I'm just telling you Sirius' side."
"Sirius's side is he left me, his family for his friends and don't pretend he ever cared about me or anyone else in our family."
"Now, we both know that's not true," Lily said quietly. "You and Sirius we're still on good terms until about fifth year from what I remember."
"You don't know anything about us."
"I know some," Lily considered. "I know it must be hard to see Sirius around school all the time. I would've hated having to deal with my sister every day — I did, still do and I only saw her during the summers."
"Yeah, yeah it's hard," Regulus agreed. Especially when all your friends and family expected you to hate your own brother.
"He finds it hard, too. Whenever you guys get into a fight, he goes off and broods for hours until one of us goes and gets him drunk, usually James. What do you do?"
"I — when we were about eight or nine he had the whole collection of Killian Dragon. It's a book series by Lada Johns — mum forbade her books because she was a muggle-born but Sirius had the whole stash hidden under his bed, all seven books. He used to let me read them and when I liked them so much he got me my very own set for my birthday. When it gets hard, I read a Killian Dragon book."
Lily smiled. "Much better than brooding and getting drunk. Just remember, that hating each other isn't the only option. You're allowed to love your brother and wish him all the best even if you can't be friends. It took me a while to figure it out but even though I don't agree with her choice in husband and we don't talk anymore, I still love her. Always will because she's my sister, no matter what."
Regulus smiled back, thinking she was pretty great though he'd never tell another soul of his conversation with Lily, he was glad Sirius had her as a friend and maybe she was right. Maybe he could still be glad for the life Sirius had even if it wasn't a life he'd want for himself. Maybe it was enough to know that they were both happy.
"Thank you."
Dear Frank,
It's Alice. I'm truly sorry for the way we left things. I completely went mental at you and I should've handled it better. I'm also sorry for waiting a month to owl you. I needed time to think about things because I know I love you, I do, I just had trouble figuring out if I was ready for marriage. You have to know that marriage was never on my list of things to do in the foreseeable future, so I had a lot to consider and I needed space to do that so thank you for leaving me be for a while.
There's going to be a party at Hogwarts on Saturday 25th for James' birthday. Can you please come so we can talk? I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks and sneak you in. 8pm. I really hope you can make it.
Love, Alice
She sealed the letter in an envelope and watched her owl fly off with it, her fingers clutching the ring she'd hung around her neck on a long chain.
She had thought a lot about her conversation with Remus and Marlene and she'd come to a decision and no matter what that decision was, Remus was right: no more thinking, just do.
"Lily, my love!" James called, sitting next to her on the couch she was curled up on in the common room. "I am exhausted."
Lily lifted her book off her lap so he could rest his head on her lap and automatically her fingers started playing with his hair. He'd already showered and his damp locks were soft and fluffy, Lily thought the only time his hair wasn't knotty was those few precious hours after a shower where he actually bothered to run a comb through his messy locks.
"You would be," she agreed. "You've been out for three hours."
"I have to train, only the best-"
"Make it into Puddlemere," Lily smiled, cutting him off. "I know, love." It was why she offered to drag her butt out of bed at five a.m twice a week to train with him in the mornings.
James grinned. "What have you been up to tonight?"
"Oh, just homework." And planning your super secret surprise party.
"Uh-huh, and do I get to know why you had detention with Sirius on Tuesday yet?"
"We told you, we went out to get food and bumped into the Slytherins."
"You don't break curfew for something as trivial as Sirius wanted food."
"I wanted food," Lily corrected.
"You hate eating past seven." It was one of the things that had confused James when he had found out.
"Well, that night I didn't."
"Lousy liar, Evans, but I suppose I can let it go as long as you and Black aren't having a secret rendezvous behind my back," James sighed dramatically and Lily mimed throwing up. "What're you reading?"
He plucked the book out of her hand and smiled. "Killian Dragon! Loved these when I was little."
"And I'm loving it now," she took the book back. "I didn't know wizarding literature could be so entertaining though I suppose it was written by a muggle-born. It does have a bit of a James Bond flare to it."
"James Bond?" James asked, not recognising the name.
"I'll get mum to owl me the books. You'll love them."
"Always down for a muggle novel," James enthused. "You know, I don't think I've kissed you yet."
"Hmm, don't think you have," Lily smiled as James leaned up to kiss her lightly on the lips. "Now that I've gotten my kiss you need to go away. I want to get up to chapter twenty before bed."
"I'm going to pretend like that wasn't an arrow to my heart," James commented and Lily laughed, trying to shove him off her and onto the floor, but he wrapped his arms around her waist, burrowing his face in her stomach.
"Go annoy Sirius."
"More and more arrows, Evans."
"Go sleep, you look tired."
"And a low blow at my appearance. Why you gotta break my heart?"
Lily shook her head with a laugh, "You're truly insufferable."
"You love me," he insisted jumping up from the couch and leaning down to kiss her slowly. "Enjoy the book."
"Don't forget to check the map."
"You can't stalk her forever," James sighed.
"I know, I know and it's not stalking. I just want to know if Lemaire had the decency to break it off with her since Sirius had a word with him."
"I'll check but you know, Lils, you should just come clean to her. Tell her you think it's a bad idea."
Lily knew she should but she didn't know how. Was she supposed to just go up to Mia and be like, hey about your secret beau, ditch him, he's a Death Eater dressed like a douchebag? Lily didn't even know how to explain how she knew about her and Lemaire without blatantly lying and Lily didn't want to lie.
"We'll see," Lily said to pacify James. "Go on to bed, you're going to be up early tomorrow."
"So are you," James pointed out, tomorrow was one of the two days she was dragging her arse out of bed at five a.m, they'd both be getting up early.
"Two more chapters," she promised. "Besides I haven't been flying about on a broom for three hours."
He kissed her cheek, "Good night, Marie."
"G'night, Jems."
"Do I get an invite to your super cool party?" Mia asked, falling into step with Lily.
"Of course, ah, Marls is in charge of inviting, I should've realised," Lily said apologetically. It hadn't even crossed her mind, she'd been so exhausted from sneaking out with Sirius to practice the damn charm that as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was dead to the world. She didn't let that deter her though because when she pulled it off, it would all be worth it.
"No big. So do I get to know where this super exclusive party is?"
"Nice try," Lily smiled, "You'll find out an hour before just like everyone else."
"Urgh, what's the point of us being friends if you aren't going to dish the goods?"
Lily shook her head and then a thought occurred to her. "You're not going home for Easter?" Lily questioned with the tone of surprise in her voice.
"Oh, no. Exams and all."
Lily nodded. She did understand after all in her own seven years of schooling, Lily had only made it home for the Easter holidays in her first two years. She had just assumed because her family was religious she'd return home for the holidays but that was Lily's mistake.
"Let me know if you need any help with Charms or Potions," Lily grinned. "Are you nervous for OWLs?"
Mia shrugged. "I don't think it's settled in yet."
Lily laughed, "Fair enough and in saying that, when it does, try not to stress about it. They're just exams and literally no one cares how many OWLs you get, in fact, people who brag about their OWLs are considered as arrogant bougees."
Mia laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, got to run. If I'm late again to Charms, Flitwick will give me detention."
"I'll catch you later," Lily agreed, and jogged a little to catch up with James and Peter who were analyzing the pros and cons of sticking a Dragon Bomb to Slughorn's chair. "Absolutely not," she informed them. "If you're going to do it to any teacher, I'd say do it to Scrivens since she's always on about constant vigilance and then I wager you a galleon she sits on it."
James and Peter grinned at each other before taking Lily up on her offer.
Lily rocked on and off the balls of her feet, her hands fidgeting with the tips of her hair.
"You need to relax," Marlene swung an arm around Lily's shoulders to held still her. "Everything looks great."
Lily nodded. "Uh huh but what if he hates it?"
"Lily, we literally wrapped a billion fairy lights around the quidditch posts. We have a three tier Quidditch themed cake. We have balloons and music and alcohol. James will love this. Everyone else does."
Lily looked around and sure enough the pitch was slowly filling up with people from all the houses and the pitch was truly stunning. The six Quidditch posts gleamed and glittered casting a soft glow over the entire pitch and balloons charmed to float over their heads drifted daintily.
Plenty of their friends turned up. There was the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team and most teammates from the other three teams, most of the prefects had showed up and then there were others. Like Mia, Mary MacDonald, Nicolea Flawley and Lily thought she saw Frank floating around somewhere though she didn't look too much into how Alice managed to sneak him in. The Gryffindor boys from Nate's dormitory were all there — Victor King, Joey Walker, Jon Haggard and Ben Alton.
Lily had suppressed the urge to punch Helena the Tarty Twat when she walked in with her Hufflepuff posse that included Polly Piggens and Hannah Abbott though Lily couldn't fathom why they thought it a good idea to turn up. Another thing Lily couldn't fathom was why Andrew Fortescue showed up with his mates but she couldn't control everything. People heard 'party' and wanted in, they didn't care who it was for.
"And you think I look all right?" Lily asked, the girls.
She wore a black dress with combat boots and Sirius' leather jacket because she had been cold and forgotten her jacket upstairs when it was too late to go get it.
"You look fine," Alice insisted.
Ella nudged Lily, "It's five to eight."
Lily and the rest started telling everyone to quiet down and to face the entrance. James was scheduled to arrive at eight on the dot. Sirius turned the fairy lights off, Marlene turned the music off. Lily, Sirius, Ella, Adaline and Alice all stood at the front of the crowd ready to greet James.
Lily was bouncing on her feet as she waited.
"Do you think Peter told him?" Lily asked.
"Remus would've made sure he didn't," Sirius assured her.
"We saw him in Hogsmeade earlier," Ella said, "He's as clueless as a bat."
"Bit annoyed at you two though," Adaline mentioned and Lily supposed she deserved that after being M.I.A all day to decorate and set up the charm that kept them hidden from prying eyes perfectly. All those late nights practicing with Sirius had paid off, Lily knew it when they had the whole set up done and glittering and couldn't so much as see the glow of the lights from outside the pitch, it just looked like it always did, empty.
"But he won't be once he sees all this," Alice assured Lily. "Seriously, Lils, this is the best surprise party in history."
Lily nodded, slightly reassured but didn't stop bouncing.
"Everyone shut up!" Sirius yelled and Lily strained her ears to hear if James, Remus and Peter had entered the perimeter yet. After a minute, Lily heard James' voice drifting through the air.
"I really don't see the point of checking the Quidditch pitch for them. We can see it from the common room. There's no one there!"
"It can't hurt," Peter said.
"Yeah," Remus agreed, "We already checked the Great Hall, the library and the common room."
"It would just be such an odd-"
The rest of James sentence was cut off by everyone screaming, "SURPRISE!"
James' mouth dropped open as confetti flew everywhere and the stadium lit up. Marlene blared the chorus of Dancing Queen and everyone was cheering and clapping and laughing.
"What the hell?" James stuttered as Lily ran up to him, her smile so wide because everything, all the worrying, the planning, the late nights, the secrets — god the secrets — was worth it for that look on his face.
"Happy early birthday, Jems!" she exclaimed as she launched herself into his arms, he caught her swiftly as she wrapped her legs around his torso.
"I – what?" he said, still stunned. He looked around at everything — the cake, the fairy lights, the balloons, the people, the stolen turntable — completely gobsmacked.
"It's your party. A surprise obviously."
"But we couldn't see any of this from the outside," James said in awe as he continued looking around.
"Illusion Charm," Lily explained as Sirius came up, throwing an arm around James neck.
"What'd you think, mate? Lily's idea, I was just the mastermind behind everything."
"Everyone helped," Lily corrected. "So do you like it?"
"Marie, this is bloody brilliant!" he said, spinning her around. Laughter flew out of Lily's mouth as she felt all the nerves about the party leave her. "Bloody hell, no wonder you've been sketchy the last few weeks."
"I've not been sketchy!" Lily jumped down, landing delicately on her feet.
"What do you call hushed conversations that stop when I enter the room? And weird secrets with Sirius?" he asked. "I can't believe you did all this," James said completely awed.
"Come on," Lily said, grabbing his hand and led him to the drinks table where Sirius was lining up a round of firewhiskeys for everyone. Nate handed James a cup and said, "Happy birthday, mate."
"Cheers!" James grinned downing the entire thing before holding his cup out to Sirius for a refill.
"To getting royally smashed," Sirius toasted as he poured James' drink.
"Ahem," Lily said holding out her own empty cup.
"Pregnant people aren't supposed to drink," Sirius remarked and Lily groaned as James snickered.
They integrated into the dance floor, the alcohol in their cups sloshing around as they danced to the music Nate and Marlene played and Lily didn't think life could get much better than this.
There'd been an awkward hug when she had met Frank at the Three Broomsticks. She'd wanted to tell him then but Alice had fifteen minutes to get to the Quidditch Pitch on time if she didn't want to die a gruesome death by the hands of Lily. So there was an awkward hug and then she'd led him into the castle through the secret passage.
The whole thing was awkward. Neither of them spoke, neither knew what to say.
As they entered the Quidditch Pitch, Alice turned to Frank, "So how have things been?"
"I — all right. I was glad to get your letter."
"I'm glad you came," Alice smiled softly. "We should-"
"Oi! Al, come help us with these lights will you? Is that Frank? Hey, Frank! Mind helping us with these lights?" Ella called from where she was hovering a few feet above the ground holding a string of lights, "It's bloody harder than it looks and I can't hold them in place, cast the sticking charm and keep the broom steady at the same time."
So they went and helped with the set-up but helping with the set-up didn't really give them alone time so they were waiting for later. It was later now and Alice wove around people trying to find him. So many people had turned up and they all congregated at the middle of the pitch. Alice wished they'd spread out more so she could find him.
A tap on her shoulder had her spinning around and she smiled in relief when it was Frank.
"I was just looking for you."
Frank nodded. "Should we?" he cocked his head to gesture they should go somewhere more private and Alice nodded. They walked until they were under the glittering posts. She didn't want to be interrupted nor did she want anything to become big.
"Al, I just want to say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for pressuring you into making this decision and I don't know what I was thinking because you're right. We are young and we don't have to be married to be together and I don't want to lose you," he rambled. "I just, I think because I love you so much I just, I know I want to be with you forever and usually people who want to be together forever, they get married and I just — I understand if you're not ready and maybe it is too soon but am I crazy for thinking that it isn't? I just-"
Alice stopped his talking with a finger to his lips. "Shh," she said.
"But I just-"
"Frank."
"Yes?" he mumbled.
"Yes," she said. "Yes, I'll marry you even if we're too young. I'll marry you even if we're both crazy. I'll marry you because I want to be with you forever, too."
She let her hand drop as Frank's mouth popped open, "Oh," and then, "Thank Merlin." He pulled her closer to him and pressed his forehead against hers. "Merlin, I missed you."
"I missed you, too. Frank, I love you."
"I love you, too."
Their lips met and Alice wondered why she even had to think about it for a month because now, this moment, everything felt right. She could see everything so clearly it astounded her that it had to take that long for her to see it. She wanted a life with him and it was really as simple and as clear as that.
"Ring? Where's the ring?" Frank mumbled into her lips and Alice fumbled as she pulled it out of her shirt, pulling the chain over her head. Frank grabbed it and slid the ring onto her third finger, the chain hanging off it still. "We'll fix it later," he mumbled as he captured her lips in his again.
This was exactly where he didn't want to be. For bloody sake he just wanted to get his mates a drink but it seemed the universe was laughing at him as Helena freaking Bonham joined him at the drinks table.
"So married, huh?" she asked and James smirked.
"That's what they're saying," he agreed, not all together lying. He wasn't married but it was what everyone's been saying and no one was letting Lily forget it any time soon.
"Never pegged you for the marriage type."
That was odd. James always pegged himself as the marriage type. "Things change."
"So divorce isn't on the horizon then?"
"Helena," he sighed. "You need to stop. What we had was nothing more than a summer fling. We never did anything more than snog and party."
"But we were so, so good at it," she said in a sultry voice, her finger tracing his bicep. James stepped back at the contact.
"That was then, this is now. I love Lily so you really should just move on. I'm not available, off the market."
"What makes her so special?" Helena sniffed. "Everyone thinks she's so great. She's just a girl."
"James!" Lily squealed and James head snapped over to where Sirius had her pitched over his shoulder. James shook his head with an amused grin. Sirius had warned he'd steal Lily if James wasn't prompt with the drinks.
"She is," James agreed, "But she's my girl. Now, if you excuse me," James grabbed the three drinks with both his hands, "I gotta go save her from Sirius."
James walked away quickly, palming off the three drinks to Remus and Peter, before jogging after Sirius who was backing away and now carrying Lily in a bridal carry.
"Catch her," Sirius said.
"Don't you dare!" Lily warned.
"Come on, love, I wouldn't drop you."
"Ready?" Sirius asked and James grinned, holding his arms out.
"No, no, no!" Lily squealed but it was too late, Sirius boosted her out of his arms only to land in James' a few seconds later. James grinned as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"All right, Evans?"
"I hate the pair of you, acting like I'm a bloody quaffle."
"Good thing we're chasers then." James pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
"Hmm," she sighed into his lips, "Put me down, prat."
"Yes, m'am." He let her down gently.
"Were you chatting with Bonham before?" she asked.
James sighed, "She cornered me. I set her straight though."
"You did? What'd you say?"
"I told her I'm off the market and she said that you were just a girl and I said you're my girl."
Lily looped her arms around his neck, standing on her tip toes to press a kiss to his lips again. "I am," she agreed, "And you're my guy, forever and ever and ever."
"All yours," James agreed. "Until the end." James looked around and grabbed Lily's hand, "Come on!"
He led her into one of the stadium towers as Lily laughed and asked him what they were doing.
"Crossing items off the bucket list," he told her and she shook her head as James pushed open the door that led into the rickety stairs that led to the stadium. She tripped over her feet in the dark, laughing but James hauled her up with him until they reached a landing about halfway up.
James leaned against the railing, looping his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him.
"Do I get to know what we're crossing off the bucket list?"
In response, he started kissing her face. Her cheeks, her nose, her jaw line before moving his lips against hers slowly, his hands finding their way under her dress to grab her bum.
"Oh," she said in surprise when he rested his forehead against hers.
"Do you want to?" he whispered.
In response, she started unbuttoning his shirt.
Sirius was in trouble and not the obvious kind. He honestly didn't know how this happened. One minute, he was fine and they were just friends, now he was dancing opposite her and all he could think about was snogging her. Of course, he wouldn't do something as stupid as that. She was his friend and it wasn't like he could snog her and forget about it.
But she was so sexy in her little, leather skirt. Her pale legs were slim and long, her eyes bright as she sung along to the words of Bohemian Rhapsody. Sirius leaned in, and shouted, "I'm getting a drink!"
She nodded and latched into Marlene and Adaline's dance circle as Sirius parted, feeling a tang of regret. Merlin he was an idiot. He just needed to cool down.
"You know, I reckon she'd snog you if you asked," Peter said, bumping Sirius' shoulder.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Where's the other two?"
"Prongs and Lils went off on their own about twenty minutes ago and Remus is playing exploding snap with the blokes."
Sirius sighed. "He's gonna burn his eyebrows off again."
"He can afford it," Peter pointed out. "They grow back all the time even bushier than before. I still reckon she'd snog you if you asked."
Sirius shrugged, pouring himself a cup of firewhiskey. "We're friends. It'll make things weird. What about you, Wormy? Why aren't there any ladies hanging off your arm?" Sirius asked, knowing the best way to get Peter off his back about something was to put the attention on him.
"I hooked up with Daisy Ellery before," Peter admitted, "Now, I'm hiding from her."
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because right after I snogged her, I went to get us drinks and Allison Hopkins came gushing to me about how Daisy always had a crush on me."
"Right," Sirius drawled. "And you don't do relationships."
"Ha ha. It's not the relationship I don't want."
"And what has poor, innocent Daisy Ellery ever done to you?"
"She sets rat traps … around the castle. I almost got caught in one. She hates rats apparently so that'll just never work no matter how fit she is."
"I'm sure there are plenty of other doe-eyed birds who'd be willing to snog you," Sirius clapped Peter's shoulder before thrusting a bottle in Peter's direction. "Drink up."
"What is it?"
"Hell if I know," Sirius raised his own cup in the air and said, "Bottom's up!"
Peter drank whatever was left in the bottle, smacking his lips as he set the bottle down on the table again and shivering. "Damn you, Sirius that was Shiver Me Timbers."
Sirius smirked until Peter's eyes widened. "Slytherins coming through."
Sirius spun and his eyes narrowed when he spotted the Aitken twins, Snape, Mulciber, Avery and Yaxely. They strolled in as though they owned the place and Sirius was livid.
"What the fuck do they think they're doing?"
"Joining the party," Peter suggested as the group headed towards another drink table.
Sirius wasn't happy with that idea at all. No way were some Slytherin no lifes going to come to a party hosted by Lily Evans for James Potter and drink their alcohol and eat their food.
Sirius stormed up to them, Peter jogging to catch up.
"I don't remember sending you an invite," Sirius quipped.
"I don't remember caring," Avery sneered.
"You'd need a heart for that," Sirius agreed.
Avery narrowed his eyes as Mulciber stepped forward. "So where is the hostess and guest of honour? I've come to see if Potter's finished with her yet. She does have the tightest little body, I reckon she's like a bunny in bed."
"You want to watch how you talk about Lily," Peter warned.
"You know, I offered."
"Offered to leave?" came James' voice from behind. "That's a great idea! You should do that." James into line with Sirius.
"You didn't let me finish, Potter," Mulciber said with a smirk. "I offered your little mudblood if she wanted to be my whore when you were done with her. What do you think, Potter? Up for sharing?"
Sirius glanced at James from the corner of his eye and knew to prepare for a fight.
An anger rolled through him so intense that he didn't know how the sheer force of it didn't turn Mulciber and the whole lot of them into ash. In that moment, he could imagine a thousand different ways to wipe that smirk off of Mulciber's ugly face.
Instead, James forced on a polite smile and stepped forward, resting his hand on Mulciber's shoulder, clenching his other one into a fist.
"You know, Mulciber," James plunged his clenched fist into Mulciber's gut feeling satisfaction at the 'ooft' that left his lips as James left him winded, "You always were a dick." James punched him in the nose next, the crunch of a broken nose never sounded more satisfying before Avery pulled his wand out but Sirius was already there and they stood in a stalemate, wands pointed at each other. "What about you, Snape?" James asked whilst Mulciber nursed his broken nose on the floor. "You gonna let your disgrace of a mate talk about her like that?" James kicked Mulciber in the ribs.
"What do I care?" Snape spat and James rolled his eyes.
"Is that Gabriel?" Peyton squinted, "Alvie, isn't that Gabriel over there? Who's he with?"
James froze for a moment as he turned his head. Mia and Lemaire were walking out of the locker room together and that moment it took to turn his head, Mulciber had staggered up and punched James right in the ear, connecting with his cheek bone.
James shook his head, trying to get his bearings back as his ear rung horribly, when another punch landed itself on his jaw. He stumbled back as Sirius surged forward and punched Mulciber in the jaw again.
"Let's go see who his little lady is," James heard Peyton suggest, "While the boys are brawling."
James had a moment to decide. Help his mates or help Mia. They were outnumbered even now that Remus had joined the fray, going one on one with Yaxely. Peter was brawling with Avery now that Sirius had Mulciber.
Sirius looked back and shouted, "Go!" with panic in his eyes and James saw why as Lily sprinted down the field towards Alvena and Peyton who were already making their way towards Mia and Lemaire.
James sprinted towards them and watched as the twins made it to Gabriel and Lemaire at the same time as Lily did.
"Why, if it isn't the niffler," Peyton smirked.
"Why the hell did you show up, Aitken?" Lily snarled.
"We just wanted to see what all the fuss was about," Alvena said innocently. "It's not our fault your boyfriend can't restrain his fists. And what do we have here?" she turned to Gabriel, eyes assessing Mia Scott. "You're one of the ones who were attacked by Brown."
"Yes," Mia agreed.
"So mudblood then. What're you doing with her, Gabe?"
"Nothing. Mia, go back to the party," he told her, probably the only sensible thing he had done all night.
She didn't move though and Lily didn't know why the hell she didn't move. Didn't she know how bad this could get? Didn't she know that they weren't afraid to hurl hexes strong enough to have her in a hospital bed for two days?
"Do stay," Peyton sneered. "We want to know all about this," she said gesturing to the couple.
"Leave her alone," Lily demanded, stepping in front of Mia. "You should get your friends and leave," Lily told the twins.
"I don't think we will. It is a lovely party and we were just getting acquainted with our little friend here."
"For Merlin's sake, Alvena leave before I write to your mother about all the nasty things you get up to in school."
"She's in France, Potter."
"I know, messy things, divorces. Why did your mum decide to leave your no good dad? Oh, that's right! Word is she found out about your dad being in league with Voldemort. I wonder how she'd react if she found out you two were going down that same path. Hell, I reckon she'd pull you out of Hogwarts and take you both to France. I hear Beauxbatons is a great school."
The twins looked at each other, "This isn't over, niffler," Peyton sneered at Lily as they turned to walk away.
"What did you just-"
Lily grabbed his arm, "Leave it. They're going." Lily turned on Lemaire. "What the hell were you thinking!" she shouted at him. "You know, after Sirius spoke to you, I really thought you'd have the decency to end this! Do you know what you've done to her?"
"You knew?" Mia exclaimed, shock written all over her face.
"I didn't think they'd come to this," Lemaire defended. "I didn't think they'd see."
"Clearly you didn't think at all!" Lily accused. "Anyone could have seen you! Do you have any idea what you've just done? They're never going to leave her alone!"
"Lily — Lily, it's fine," Mia started.
"No, Mia, no it isn't!" Lily fired. "Are you ready for them to spit and sneer at you every time you see them in a corridor? Are you ready for them to gang up on you and ask you if you want to be their whore? And do you really think he's going to stick up for you?"
"Lils, calm down-"
"Sirius, don't!" Lily heard Remus shout as Sirius flew in from nowhere and punched Lemaire in the jaw before James pulled him off.
"You should've backed off when I told you to."
Lemaire wiggled his jaw, stepping away from them. "I'm going to go."
"I'll go with you."
"Mia!" Lily protested.
"You're not my mother," Mia spat before walking off with Lemaire.
"Someone needs to get me drunk and fast," Lily said as she watched Mia walk off down the field, hand in hand with Lemaire, her chocolate curls bouncing up and down.
Sirius high-fived Lily, "I'm with you." So the five of them trudged off to drinks table where Marlene, Nate, Ella and Adaline were doing shots of giggle water.
In five minutes, they were all laughing so hard they couldn't remember that they should actually all be in terrible, terrible moods.
Merlin, something was wrong with her. She was holding ice to his busted lip and all she could think about was kissing him. She had to be sick or mental or, or, or fucking insane because for Merlin's sake! It was Sirius. Sirius! She couldn't snog Sirius. She didn't even know how this crept up on her because it quite literally did.
All this time there was nothing, just friendship and then tonight seeing him with his busted lip after he pounded Mulciber after what he said about Lily — Merlin, it was like something explosive went off inside her. All she felt was need, need, need for him, of all the people in Hogwarts — in the world — it was Sirius Black. That was some sort of screwed up.
"Sirius, would you sit still so I can put this bloody ice on your lip?" she snapped, exasperated as he insisted on doing giggle water shots with the others, who were all pissing themselves so hard Ella honestly wondered how any of them were standing. As if to prove her point, Marlene tripped over Adaline's foot landing butt first on the grass and she laughed, hysterically along with everyone else.
"Leave it," he mumbled. "Alcohol will fix it."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't complain like a baby when it hurts like a bitch tomorrow because-" and then his lips were on hers and the others were silent for a moment before cheering them on.
"Fucking finally," Peter exclaimed, clapping loudly and whistling.
"Tonight is such a big night," Marlene muttered to Remus. "I'm like falling and so drink I think there are two of you, maybe there are I mean it's Hogwarts after all or maybe you've just had a secret twin all along but like the brawl with the Slytherins and like Alice getting engaged and now Sirius and Ella? I feel like someone's going to announce their pregnant soon!"
Sirius broke the kiss as a shit-eating grin smirked across his face, "Oh, haven't you heard, Marly?" he said and Ella felt so out of place but Sirius' arm was around her waist keeping her to him and it wasn't like she actually wanted to be anywhere else, which was weird in itself. "Evans' is pregnant. It's a girl."
"Suck a dick, Sirius!" Lily poked her tongue out.
"Are we just all going to ignore the fact that Marls said Alice is engaged?" James asked. "Because I kind of feel like that's an important point."
"Who's she engaged to?" Peter asked.
Everyone looked at Alice and Frank and Frank put his hand up, "That'd be me."
Everyone erupted in cheers and Lily's mouth popped open and, "That's why you were asking me all those weird questions about if James proposed! Oh, Ally, I'm so happy for you!"
"It just sort of happened," Alice shrugged and Frank snorted.
"Oh yeah, I asked and a month later she said yes."
In any case it was a happy night and Sirius kissed her again and it was odd in a good way because her heart went into overdrive when he touched her and she felt happy.
It seemed Lily's terrible, terrible mood returned the next morning when she trudged into the common room at noon, still in her pyjamas, her hair in a tangle of curls and so messy it gave his own hair a run for it's money. Mascara was smudged under her eyes making them appear even more green and she plopped right into James' lap, sitting on top of the paper he was reading and nestled her face into his neck.
"You look stunning," he said, amusement filling his voice.
"I want to punch you in the face."
James squeezed her and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for the amazing party, love."
He thought he felt her lips twitch against his neck. "You're welcome."
"Lils … you're sitting on my newspaper."
"I will punch you if you make me move."
James grinned at his girlfriend who apparently turned into a violent ball of cuteness upon sleep deprivation and he imagined she was feeling a lot of that today. They didn't get to bed until after five because the clean up was epic and the party didn't finish until three in the morning.
James' mind was still blown that no one got caught and that the party didn't get busted. If he hadn't been so wasted he was sure he'd have been looking over his shoulder every five minutes waiting for McGonagall to waltz in and bust them but nope, Lily's spell worked like a charm. Of course, it was hard to take down at five in the morning when she was so obviously drunk, it took five attempts to get the charm down.
The clean-up mightn't've taken so long if any of them were coherent enough to perform spells but that wasn't the case so they all roamed the pitch armed with garbage bags and dumping loose cups and plates and any rubbish from the floor and tables that had been set out. Then there were the lights which they decided to brave with magic because Lily refused to let anyone on a broom — especially James.
The thing that topped the entire night off though, was when they decided to vanish the garbage bags and Peter somehow turned his into a chicken. The little bugger was harder to catch than expected and they all considered leaving it there but the voices of reason (Lily, Marlene, Remus) won out.
"You all right?"
"Threw up twice," she admitted. "Your birthday present is in my pocket."
James felt around her pyjama pants for the little slits that led to a pocket and pulled out a piece of hard paper. It read 'Queen Concert, Wembley Arena, London, May 12, 1978'.
"What's this?"
"We're going to a concert," she mumbled into his neck. "All of us."
"May twelfth? What about school?"
"It's not like you've never snuck out before. Just say thank you."
"Thank you, I love it so much that I want to kiss you but you admitted that you threw up twice so I'm just gonna pat your bum." Which he did but she pouted.
"I brushed my teeth," she said, showing off her pearly whites like a child showing their mum before bedtime.
He laughed, swiping her hair out of her face, "Forgot to brush your hair though."
"I don't need pretty hair for you to kiss me," she said looking up at him and James' heart swelled. He didn't know how much love he'd have for this girl when he'd realised he fancied her, didn't know how it possibly fit inside him but it did so he leant down and kissed her and then pretended to gag.
"I could taste the vomit," he joked and she hit him lightly, sulking.
"I hate you so much."
"Mmmhmm, I hate you too, wife."
"Even more now," she said, nuzzling her face into his neck again. It wasn't her fault he always smelled nice.
"Uh huh," James said in an unconvincing tone.
"I do," she said in an even more unconvincing tone as she pressed a kiss to his throat.