May 4, 1978

Red light flashed, a face loomed in the dark, cold enveloped everything. Lily's throat constricted she couldn't breathe, she couldn't, she couldn't bre-

Lily gasped, and sat straight up. She took a few shaky breaths, before warm comforting arms were on her shoulder.

"Lily, it's alright, it's alright, he's not here."

Lily was shaking and clutching her ribs.

"Hey Lilyflower, I thought you were cured?"

"Sirius, not now."

"It's fine, I am physically."

"Then why're you clutching your ribs like they hurt?"

"Sirius-"

"It's alright. I'm just… remembering the pain I guess."

Sirius sank onto James' bed. "What happened, you ran off James herded us into Three Broomsticks an then took off, what happened?"

James looked at Lily, "Vol- You-know-who-"

"James, just say it, you know Dumbledore says-

"Dumbledore says "fear of name increase fear of the thing" yes I know." James said leaning back. "But I don't want to say it."

"Whatever. He was there and he was torturing a student, so I threw a shield charm and… "

"He tortured you." Sirius said quietly.

Lily stared at her hands twisting in her lap. She nodded and wiped her eyes.

"Cruciatus?"

Again Lily nodded.

"Oh."

Lily stared at him, "What, you know what that's like?"

"Oh yeah, mother was always a fan of punishment. I don't really remember all that I did wrong, but I'm sure she would."

Lily's mouth hung open. "You mean that your mother used the cruciatus curse on you?"

"Yes, but as punishment." Sirius looked confusedly between James and Lily. "Why you staring at me like that?"

"Mate, that's not right, Cruciatus is illegal, for a start, and punishing like that-"

Lily reached over and gave Sirius a hug. It was sort of an impulse, and she half regretted it when she could smell wet dog all over him, but at that moment she felt that Sirius could use a hug. She knew only too well what the cruciatus curse felt like, but from his own mother, it was too awful to think.

"Alright Lilyflower, I'm alright."

Lily leaned back onto James' pillow.

"Hey let's play exploding snaps, eh?" Sirius said jumping up from the bed.

"Sounds good, mate." James stood up and followed Sirius to the middle of the room. "Oi Remus, Pete, we're playing exploding snaps!" James called.

Peter emerged groggily from his drapes, "It's the middle of the night!"

"Got a problem, Pete?" Sirius said, gruffly not turning around from where he was sitting on the ground.

"No, no problem." Peter scuttled over and sat himself next to James.

"Moony!" Sirius called, as James began setting up. "Moo- Merlin's beard that wolf can sleep-"

"Oi! Shut it!" James said, glancing at Frank's draped poster bed.

"Oh like he doesn't know?" Sirius said. "I'm getting him."

Sirius stood and crossed to Remus' bed. Upon reaching it he flung open the drapes in dramatic fashion.

"Ah!" Remus yelled as Sirius jumped on him.

"Come on Moony, we're playing snaps!"

"Ger'off me!" Remus' muffled yell came from under Sirius's foot.

"Alright, just come over." Sirius and Remus detangled themselves and walked over to the other two.

"Lils, you want to play?" James asked.

"Yeah alright." Lily walked over and sat herself next to James on the floor.

It was a good game and Lily almost one, but Remus came out ahead.

A/N: Sorry it's short y'all, didn't have much time to write recently. Happy Thanksgiving(late) to the Americans!