Chapter 4

Disclaimer: there are worse things i could do then write a harry potter book or two, make JKR sound all trashy and no good there are worse things i could doooooooooo!

"James?" Lily said, with a note of confusion in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't speak, but merely smiled at her. James looked slightly different - older. Not much older though, just a year or two. A few grey hairs among the mass of raven ones, and wrinkles starting to appear at the corners of his eyes. The wrinkles looked premature on his otherwise young face.

"James? What are we doing here?"

She looked around; they were in an empty room. Chairs and desks had been pushed against the stone walls. She guessed they must be in a classroom at Hogwarts. "But how did we get here?"

It was then, Lily let out a gasp of surprise. Behind her stood a mass of people - her mother, father, grandmother and grandfather, Harry, Doreen and other people Lily didn't even know.

They were all silent.

Deathly silent.

And unnaturally pale.

At that moment, James took hold of her hand. She turned back to him. "What's-" He nodded to something in front of him and she stopped.

It was a boy of no more than ten or eleven. He stood facing the crowd of people, a look of shock, sadness and joy on his face, all at the same time. He reached out a hand towards Lily, but stopped centimetres from touching her, as though some invisible force was holding him back.

The boy had dark hair, messy and wild.He wore glasses as well. It was then Lily realised she was looking at a younger version of James.

The boy was the same build and height as James was when he was that age, his face looked the same as well. His eyes were bright green and beneath his fringe he had what looked like a cut - trust James! He was always getting into troub--Green eyes! The boy had green eyes! James' eyes were brown. She looked more closely at this phantom boy. His eyes we just like hers…..

Then the boy spoke, or rather mimed as no sound came out of his mouth. He mouthed each word "Mum? Dad?"

James nodded in return. A tear leaked out of the corner of the boy's eye and a sadness Lily had never seen before took over him. Then - CRASH!

Lily woke with a start. Sweat dripped off her body and her bedclothes had fallen off her bed completely, where she had been tossing and turning in her sleep. She blinked in the semi darkness of her bedroom, before remembering what had awoken her.

She grabbed up her wand from her bedside table and jumped out of bed.

For a second, she though it was James that had awoken her. But, of course, he hadn't. She could hear Sirius' deep snores from the next room so it wasn't Sirius either. Who had it been then?

Lily crept out of her bedroom, trying to make as little noise a possible. The intruder- whoever it was- was in the dining room.

She snuck forwards, no longer afraid; she could see the figure. He had his back to her. "Ok," Lily told herself, "On three." She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "One...Two…Three!" She shouted the last word out, and at the same time, shot a stunning spell at the figure.

He tried to duck out of the path of the red sparks, but there was no avail. The person fell backwards and landed with a thump on the floor.

Lily hurried over to him quickly, then, as she saw who it was, she knew she had made a terrible mistake.

"Here," said Lily, handing over a steaming mug of Hot Chocolate. "I feel terrible now. Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yes fine. It's my fault. Sorry," said the high pitched voice of Peter Pettigrew. His eyes were watering in pain as he massaged his arm which he had hit on the coffee table on the way down.

"God, trust you Wormtail. Flooing! Any other wizard who have used the front door," grinned Sirius Black, who was lazing on the couch opposite his friend.

"Any other wizard" said Lily, sitting down next to Sirius, "Would have waited until daylight."

"Yes. Sorry, Mum was being-"

"You're still living with your mum, then?" Sirius asked, a note of smugness in his voice.

"I see your still living with your best friend," chimed Lily.

"Nope, I'm actually living with my best friend's wife. Now that'll be something to tell the fella's in the Hogs head!"

"Where is James, then?"

"Well-"

"Sirius, don't you dare talk about him in MY house."

"I'll tell you later," he whispered to Peter, then said to Lily, "God, you look a right state."

"Well I could say the same to you. I don't think those boxers are fit enough to polish with, let alone sleep in."

Standing, Lily walked over to the mirror. Sirius was right; she did look a mess. She looked paler than usual, had dark bags under her eyes, showing she hadn't slept properly, and her hair was all frizzy and looked like a nest perched onto of her head. Also, the affects of the concealment charm she had started to put on her stomach were fading. Although it didn't show, she told herself she would need to be more careful in future.

"So James invited you for New years?" Sirius asked Peter.

"Yeah."

"And Moony?"

"I guess so."

"Hmmm… wonder why he didn't tell me."

"I'm his wife and he doesn't tell me anything either," Lily said, returning to the couch and plopping down on it.

"I'm going back to bed," yawned Sirius.

"It's nearly seven now, you might as well stay up."

"Wake me up in five hours time," he continued, ignoring Lily before disappearing

"Um…Lily?"

" I suppose James said you could sleep here?"

Peter nodded.

"I'm going to be having words with him…You can have the sofa," she added as an after thought.

As Lily walked away, Peter heard her muttering. "What does James and his bitches think this is? Gang bang? A brothel? Porno movie set? No, wait, that was there dormintory at Hogwarts "

"Moony!"

"Hello Sirius," Remus Lupin smiled, looking up from the book he was reading.

"When did you get here?"

"A couple of hours ago. I suppose Peter went to Godric's Hollow did he?"

"Yeah."

"I had the brains to owl a letter of confirmation before I arrived out-of-the-blue on Lily's doorstep."

"She wouldn't have minded if you did, she's always had a soft spot for you anyway. Wormtail floo-ed over in the middle of the night."

"Peter." Remus nodded in acknowledgment as his friend entered.

"Remus," Peter answered rather stiffly.

"Mr Pettigrew, so glad you arrived. I had nearly given up hope," James appeared in the kitchen of Mr and Mrs Potters house, a smile plastered across his face. He then pulled Peter into what was unmistakably a bear hug.

"Alright Wormtail?"

"Yup," he answered breathlessly, as his rubbed his ribs.

"Sorry about the change of plan. I did mean to owl you."

"Don't worry. Everything's ok now. Hahaha"

"Lily wasn't very happy though." Sirius scowled.

"When is she?"
"I was wondering why you were here not a home."

"Just like a school reunion," said James suddenly, changing the subject. "The Marauders

are back! All we need to is old Snapey-poo."

"Not much chance of that. Haven't see hide nor hair of him since we left school."

"Maybe the vampire hunters have stuck a stake through his heart at last."

"Sirius, you're always so melodramatic."

"Melodrowhat?"

"See you haven't changed Moony," grinned James. "And Sirius, stop annoying my guests - that's my job."

"So, are we going drinking or what?"

"God Sirius, is that all you ever think about - getting pissed ?"

"Yeah , well that and getting laid." Remus rolled his eyes at that comment.

"There's not much chance of that."

"Hey!"

At long last, Lily was alone, and she was taking complete advantage of this rare opportunity. Sirius had told her that 'The Marauders' were going drinking and were going to welcome in the new year in style. She sighed, content as she lay back in the warm soapy bubbles of her bath. The smell of lavender wafted through the room. So what that it was New Years Eve? So what that she was spending it alone? She yawned. So what that James had left her. So what that….that…. So what… Her eyelids fluttered shut over her emerald orbs and she slept like a baby.

Lily awoke sometime later to the sound of knocking on the door. She stepped out of the now cold water of the bath, wrapped herself up in her dressing gown and approached the door, forgetting her wand in her haste. Opening the door she found herself face to face with the last person she had expected to meet.

"Lily," said a familiar Scottish accent, one that she hadn't heard since school. "Lily, can I come in? I've left home. I've left home for you."

Authors note: Once again i would like to thank everyone who has reveiewed this story so far ! Please keep 'em coming because they make me happy. Big shout out to my Beta Cath procrastinator-starting2moro ! um... HOPE EVERYONE HAS AHARRY EASTER! the next chapter will be up soon. lots of love

Kerrie x-x-x-x-x