The next morning the teens awoke feeling exhausted and aching. James's cuts had barely faded overnight, and his cheek was swollen. Not realising it the night before, Lily had a sprained ankle, so her foot was in bandages. They both had deep purple rings beneath their eyes and were generally feeling tender. At ten o'clock the doors of the hospital wing flew open suddenly, and Dumbledore strode in, sporting no obvious injuries, bar a slight limp. Lily sat up a little straighter and James shoved his glasses onto his nose. It's time for the questioning to begin. But Lily ventured first. "Sir, what was that thing?" Her brow furrowed a little. "No, Miss Evans, not a Dementor, but something similar. He had come closer than any of his kind to being human; the potion Carrow was giving him would be one of the last, painful stages. I must admire your" He gestured at both of them "bravery in dealing with him, for I do admit I was a little afraid myself." He smiled, but his eyes were not the usual clear blue, they were clouded with worry and for the first time she could remember, Dumbledore looked fretful. Lily chanced a glance at James, and she could tell by his expression he was thinking the same.
"Now please explain exactly what happened." He sat heavily on a narrow chair. "I have your full attention." He leant forward expectantly and they launched into their tale. It was a painfully jerky re-telling, with pauses and times when the teens interrupted each other, or changed what they had said. Finally, after an hour they were finished, and both fell silent, and still a little nervous.
Dumbledore leant back in his chair, studying his long fingers intently, watching as they folded themselves into neat stacks and patterns. The Hospital Wing was silent, all they could her was the quiet inhaling and exhaling of a sleeping third year a few beds down with stinking blisters all over his face.
"He said he was a vessel for that particular man's soul?" He looked at each of them in turn.
"Yes sir." James nodded slowly.
"He didn't say anything else? He wasn't a vessel for... another's soul?"
"No, only this dead man's; I don't know who."
"Are you absolutely certain? He said nothing more?"
"He said he would be held –"
"In the Dark Lord's highest esteem." Lily cut in.
Dumbledore's eyes clouded over even more. He seemed to be processing something, and rose distractedly. "Mr Potter, Ms Evans, you have done superbly. I am extremely proud of you. Your help last night was the difference between winning and losing. I hope you understand that." He grasped their hands in turn, shaking them and turned to leave. Lily stared after him. James shifted uneasily under his covers, feeling nervous after being brushed off by Dumbledore.
"That was intense, he really seemed to-" But Lily leapt up and ran clumsily toward the doors.
"Professor! Sir, I need to ask you something!" She rounded the corner, leaving James in mid sentence."
Lily and James returned to the common room that night, and were greeted by a wall of noise. Everywhere people were cheering and screaming, and one girl even collapsed into a chair at the sight of a battle weary James. They were clapped on the back by many of the younger students.
"We heard all about it!"
"Did you really fight seven dragons in the Great Hall?"
"Have you got any scars?"
"Was it scary?" They were accosted from every side, being bumped to and fro until they were in the centre of the common room, questions ricocheting off the walls and ceiling until it was practically echoing. They were being absolutely mobbed. Once everything had died down a little, the rest of the Marauders bustled forward. Sirius was the first to reach them and grabbed James's right hand in both of his own, bobbing it up and down enthusiastically.
"Jolly good show! Was it awfully scary?" his posh, plummy accent making Peter and Lily crack up. Remus took up the baton next.
"Oh hoo-rah, splendidly good James! And you too, Lily!" He took up Lily's hand, wringing it as he had done with James. Most of the crowd was laughing by now, and Remus pulled Lily by the hand to a circle of puffy, comfortable chairs, where Sasha and Evangeline were already seated. Once Sirius was finished shooing people away, -"The quicker you leave the quicker you get an autograph!"-, he joined them, and the questions began.
Lily and James began falteringly, telling the story for what felt like the millionth time. The others listened intently. The story took a while to recount, and by the time they were done, the common room was quiet and the shadows long. The fire was burning low, glowing warmly. Once they were done there was a long silence.
"Were you scared?" Evangeline was curled up like a cat in an armchair.
"No, actually." Lily's reply surprised even herself. "I knew it was what I had to do. I could let you all be slaughtered in your beds. I was scared In the Room of Requirement though. I thought I was going to go deaf. And you know how much I love the Pumpkin Fallouts." They all cracked shaky half smiles.
"I think we should celebrate." Sirius rose suddenly and darted upstairs, his hair whipping around the stairwell before anyone could even start to protest. Within a minute he was back downstairs, clutching a bottle of Ogden's firewhiskey, and his eyes glittered dangerously.
"Sirius, are you crazy?"
"Probably, but I think we need a treat. I propose a game of truth and dare!" He smiled widely, his hands outstretched. They all groaned loudly.
"I can't be bothered Sirius, I'm tired and I'm going to bed right now." Sasha rose and pushed her way through the group, and past Sirius. He pulled her down onto his lap and curled his arms around her.
"No you're not. You're staying right here where I can see you." He brought one hand up and pushed her fringe away from her face. "Right where I can see you." She rolled her eyes. "I don't want to." She whined, pulling her body away, but more half heartedly than before. Lily raised one eyebrow and looked to Remus. His face was as hard as stone and expressionless. Looking to his hands, she could see they were shoved in his pockets, an curled into balls. His eyes were focused on Sasha.
Sirius snaked his arm back around Sasha's waist. "Now who's up for some alcohol?" He winked and unscrewed the cap from the bottle. He tipped it up and took a gulp and grinned. Suddenly he began coughing violently. His eyes watered profusely and he sneezed once, twice, three times before he had recovered. The others were in fits of laughter. James was rolling around on the floor silently grabbing his stomach as he shook. Evangeline was crying and crying, tears streaming down her face. Finally Peter snorted and set even expressionless Remus off. "Well I'm glad you find this so funny. It's actually quite strong, I'll have you know." He passed the bottle to James. "Fine, let's see how you cope then, Prongs." James swigged, and his eyes watered, but he did not cough. The bottle was passed 'round until everyone was pleasantly tipsy, and only a few dregs remained.
"Ok Lily, you first. Truth or dare?" James grinned at her.
"Truth, definitely." She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly.
"Ok, who was your first kiss?" Evangeline was the first to offer a question. Everyone rolled their eyes. "Waste of a question!" Sirius roared, banging his fist on the table.
"You have to answer it, Lils." She was poked by Sasha.
"Well, Sirius actually…" Lily's cheeks flamed up, right to the roots of her red hair. The group was silent, mouths agape.
"Sirius?!"
"Yeah…" She petered off. "When we played spin the bottle."
"Lily, we've only played spin the bottle once…"
"Mmm…"
"In the fifth year…"
"Mmm…"
"You're first kiss was when you were fifteen?!"
"Mmm…" She looked down.
James got up and whispered in her ear.
"I love you."
He hugged her quickly.
"What did you just say?" Sirius perked up.
"That you were a fuck wit." Lily flashed a smile. Everyone laughed.
"Well what about me then? Do I get a go?" Sirius
Evangeline pointed at him, a little shakily. "Truth or dare?"
Sirius pondered for a moment. "Dare."
"I dare you to…kiss Remus." Lily grinned evilly. The girls cracked up, as did James and Peter. Remus glared at the floor. "Oh come on Lils, not a kissing one." Sirius groaned, but pushed Sasha off his lap to stand up. "It needs to be a proper kiss, on the lips." Peter added. The others nodded. Sirius reached for the bottle and took another swig of the firewhiskey, before passing the bottle to Remus.
"Ok boys, go for it. But just kissing, we don't want to see anymore marauder action." James nudged Lily, who giggled. Remus just glared.
Sirius and Remus circled each other, hesitantly. Finally Sirius leaned in, landing his lips on Remus's.
And it was over.
"Ew ew ew! Boys kissing boys! I don't like it!" Sirius hopped back shaking his head.
"Never again." Remus shook his head too, while wiping his tongue on his sleeve.
"Ugh, that was rough - literally. Remus you need some lip balm." He wiped his lips over and over, while Remus flushed. "I think Remus's lips look soft." Sasha rose and briefly grazed her fingertips over them. "Yes, definitely soft."
Sirius's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Ok Evangeline, your go! Truth or dare?"
"Dare!"
"I dare you to ask Xeno to Hogsmeade." Evangeline raised an eyebrow.
"Xenophlius Lovegood?"
"Yep." Everyone grinned.
"Why me?" Evangeline whined and sighed. "Ok then. I will. I promise."
"Pinky promise?" Sirius shoved finger in her face and waved it about.
"Pinky promise." She affirmed, and they linked fingers.
"I'm tired," Evangeline stood up "so I think I'll head to bed."
"Me too, I'll come as well." Sasha rose too, and Remus followed.
"Goodnight then." Lily called to the three figures. She rose too, and settled herself in next to James. She intertwined their fingers, playing with them, and kissing them. Sirius rolled his eyes.
"I don't really want to be the third wheel, so I'll go too." He grumbled audibly about, "People who are boring arses who never want to have any fun", and once he had retreated upstairs, Lily and James were alone.
"Ok James, truth or dare?" Lily giggled and poked him in the side.
"Truth."
"Who do you fancy more, me or Catherine Beamson?"
"Catherine?" James was genuinely confused and his brow furrowed.
"That slut you went to the ball with."
Woah, harsh words Lil. James raised his eyebrows. "You of course." He smiled.
"But really?" She probed a little more.
"Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't do this."
"What?" She opened her mouth to question but before the words could escape his lips were on hers, and all she could think of was that she was kissing the boy she loved. His arms circled her body, and slowly they rose so his hands were on either side of her face, caressing her pale skin. He drew back.
"You've got an eyelash." He whispered, blowing gently onto her cheek, until it floated up and onto his finger.
"Make a wish." He smiled at her and she shut her eyes tight, her lips moving soundlessly tumbling over the words of her desire.
"Now it's your turn, Lily. Truth or dare?"
"Um, truth."
"Ok, what did you talk to Dumbledore about?"
She blushed. "Um, my dreams."
"Lily, if you want a career talk then you're best to go McGonagall?"
"No, my actual dreams, when I'm asleep. Dipshit, I know what I want to be when I'm all grown up."
"Oh yeah? What about these dreams? If they're about me I bet they're way too x-rated to be shared."
"Fuck off. No, every time I have a dream it's like I predict it."
"I don't get it."
"Well, I dreamed about falling. Do you remember that? After we discussed the ball."
"So? Sometimes I dream about eating cheese then we have pizza for lunch. It's no biggie."
"I know that. But, now, I only dream what will happen in the future. I dreamt about kissing you. And I dream about arguments that'll happen, and I dreamt about that Dementor Death Eater thing, and I don't dream any other time and –" She finished gabbling.
"You dreamt about the Dementor?" James raised his eyebrows, and shifter so he could look Lily straight in the face. "What did Dumbledore say?
"He said that it was interesting, and that if it happens again I should go talk to him."
"Oh, a bit…"
"Dismissive, yeah, he was." She snuggled deeper into the crook of James's arm, and they were quiet.
ILY. Please review, if you can bear to talk to me ever again. xo