A/N: I might just get this done during the week…who knows. Well, got my laptop today (Monday) and it's like hand me down, there's marker on the screen and the keys and gunk on the mouse, how pathetic is that and my pic ID is terrible looking because I am NOT photogenic. Oh, just an FYI, since school started, there'll be a few complaints in here about how it SUCKS, but meh, it's school, what can we do, we need it. I just have four more years of high school left, being a freshy and all. Ahh!

So, now Tuesday has come and gone and my laptop is defective because for some reason it won't get the email I sent to it with like a tone of pictures from this computer so I am like about to kill it. My friend Morgan almost got detention today for forgetting her stupid student ID and for all I know, they're worthless. Stupid school. Oh, and you know a really stupid rule at my new high school. You can't call the cafeteria a cafteria, but the Dining Hall and the library isn't the library, it's some word that we can't even pronounce starting with an A. I had algebra today and I swear I could have killed myself, and History, that was a whole other story. Goodness gracious, this week is getting off to a crappy start!

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The rest of the week went by pretty much with this schedule for Lily. (They had gotten a first class room the next day upon James and Sirius and Remus's request)

Wake up, shower, dress, eat after meeting everybody in the by the pool.

by the pool for a while (like an hour or two) with Tanya while Sirius and Claire take a walk and Remus and James splash them just to see their faces when they freak out because the water's so cold.

Walk around the boat with everyone.

Lunch with everyone

Ballroom parties for the kids and teens (yeah, everyone was there too)

Dinner with…EVERYONE

Random funness with, you guessed it, everyone

Sleep…all alone, no, there was nothing going on in that aspect, I swear.

Of course, Lily, with her fair skin was burned to an excess the first day, but, convinced that it would fade to tan, she kept doing it for the first week until James told her she looked like a lobster and she realized that it was beginning to hurt when he hugged her. Claire laughed a lot about that one. Tanya, of course, just tanned until she looked completely Spanish and if she had an accent, they could make her look like she came from Spain.

So, Sirius and Claire grew closer every single day after that, and nothing would ever wrench them apart. Sirius still hadn't told James about the Lily and him conspiracy of the Slytherins, and he wasn't sure if he would, but at the same time, he knew he had to. Lily and James weren't safe at the moment. He decided to wait until they were about to go to sleep to tell him.

"Prongs," he began nervously.

"Huh?" asked James, picking up the map and stowing it in his suitcase.

"The poison that is killing Claire…it…it wasn't meant for her," he said, his voice shaky.

"Padfoot, what are you talking about?" asked James, seeming to be worried about his friend due to the sadness and fear in his voice.

"The poison was meant for Lily or you. The Slytherins put it in one of the drinks when we weren't looking, the catch was that they didn't know which drink and just put it in one of them."

"WHAT?" roared James, his friendly disposition completely gone in an instant.

"You heard me, Prongs, I was just as mad when that stupid map told me."

"You mean this whole time, Claire's been suffering because someone made a mistake, wanting to do me or Lily in?"

"Yeah," said Padfoot slowly, taking in every word like a bullet to his heart.

"We have to kill your cousins, sorry, but it must be done, Padfoot," said James solemnly. This was one of the few times that James wasn't joking, that he meant every word that escaped his mouth except for sorry. "Not to mention Snivelly and the Lestrange brat and the Malfoy kid."

"I know, believe me, I know," said Sirius. "But, let's just enjoy the vacation we have, it'll be easier that way so we can relax and get our strength up and then terrorize them."

"Good idea, Pads," admitted James. "I'm tired, so I' be getting to sleep, night."

"Night," said Sirius with a yawn, going to his bed. That night, neither Sirius nor James slept well, constantly thinking about how Claire was suffering when she wasn't even the target. Surely the Slytherins had known Claire was poisoned and Lily and James weren't, so why didn't they say something? Obviously they would have the best alibi in the world by not even coming forward to admit to the crime and there was no way of tracing it back to them, they were too smart to let it be traced. Still, it seemed unlikely that they would go to such lengths for some reason.

"Morning," said Lily brightly, kissing James on the cheek before grabbing his hand and they went with Claire, Sirius, Remus and Tanya to the dining hall for breakfast.

"Why are you so happy?" asked James, not being able to fake a good mood after what he had found out the night before. That, and there were only two days left until the cruise was over and then they would be going back to their own homes for Christmas and New Year's and then back to school. The worst part about it was that they wouldn't see each other for a week. That's the longest they'd been apart the entire school term so far.

"It's Christmas in only a few days…of course, we'll be apart for celebrating, but I can't wait for you to see what I got for you!" she replied enthusiastically. "Well, at least, I thought we'd be spending it apart until I got this letter from my mother." She handed it to James and he had to have read it over about three times before actually believing it.

Lils,

If this owl gets to you, it'll be a miracle, it was a terrible thing for me to try, after al. This poor bird has to carry a letter to you, and, to reward it, when it comes back, I'll be giving it some chocolate. Well, to the point: as I was leaving the port a few days ago when I dropped you off, I met a very sweet lady by the name of Mrs. Potter, James's mother. We had an great thought that we would do something a little spontaneous and fun, and so, you'll be going home with them for the rest of the break and staying at their house. It was perfectly fine with your father and the Potters would be happy to do it. They said they cannot wait to finally meet you after all that James has said about you. I'll miss you and I'll see you at the end of your term, write me during school this term, please, Lils. Tell the girls I say hi and that we'll miss them too. Petunia has different thoughts, but what do you expect from her. Well, I hope you're having fun with the boys…but not too much fun. I'll be posting your gifts to the Potters' house. Love you and miss you.

Mum

P.S. Mrs. Potter and I discussed some possible solutions for James's hair problem, and we think we may have some up with something.

"Lils, this is greater than…oh my gosh Lily, this is going to be the BEST Christmas holiday ever," he said, reading the letter for a fourth time to make sure it wasn't lying.

"I know, everyone gets to come, so no one will be alone, isn't it great?" she asked, now even more perky than before.

"Uh…yeah," he replied sarcastically.

"What's going on?" asked Sirius, walking up behind James with his arm over Claire's shoulders. Lily noticed how different Claire was beginning to look. Her face had become slimmer and the dark circles under her eyes got worse with each passing day. Her hair was beginning to become more wild than normal, still the naturally straight, blonde hair, but somehow more dull than before. The color of her skin was beginning to drain as well. The poison was beginning to show its effects. Lily tried to act as though nothing was wrong, though.

"The girls'll be staying with till the end of break," said James, now completely awake.

"Really?" asked Remus, appearing with his hand in Tanya's.

"Yeah, Lily's mum's just sent the letter," said James, handing the paper to Sirius.

"Your mother really thinks that the owls have something better to do, doesn't she?" Lily nodded with a grin. "Hey, Prongs, did you see this postscript down here?" James took the paper again and read the bottom line.

"Your mother is crazy, nothing is fixing this hair," he said, handing it to Remus and Tanya this time.

"I know," sighed Lily.

"Lils, this is great, we can spend the rest of the winter with them!" shrieked Claire happily.

"Oh, don't you think I know that by now? James, is your mother alright with cats?" asked Lily, looking back at the door to her cabin where Moonstone was still asleep.

"She should be fine with a cat as smart as her, but who knows. She really does like cats though, so don't worry. What's strange is…we don't have any cats," replied James thoughtfully.

"That is a bit odd," replied Lily. "So, we're going back in three days…is there anything we wanted to do before we left?"

"I have a good idea," said Sirius mischievously.

"No," said Lily, without even listening.

"Lils, I am hurt," said Sirius jokingly.

"Oh yeah, sure. Anyone else have an idea so that I don't have to listen to his?" she asked, pointing to Sirius. No one spoke, but that was only because everyone wanted to hear what Sirius had to say. Lily sighed and looked to Sirius.

"Okay, first, we pull a few pranks on Lucius and Narcissa, you know, just for kicks and because they are a bit deserving of some wrath form us right now. Then, we throw the biggest teen party this place has ever seen. Everyone between the ages of thirteen and seventeen are allowed in, okay?"

"I think it's a great idea," said James. He was sold at the beginning though.

"I like it," said Claire.

"Sounds good to me," agreed Remus.

"Sweet," said Tanya happily.

"Fine," conceded Lily, obviously losing the whole majority rules thing.

"Yes!" shouted Sirius. "Alright, ladies and Remus, get to work setting up the party, please. James and I will take care of the Slytherin idiots, okay?"

"Fine with me," said Lily with a grin. She loved setting up parties after the success of the Halloween party under the supervision of her and James. The girls took off back to their room with Remus in tow. Lily saw James and Sirius go the opposite direction, and rolled her eyes for the millionth time since she starting dating James.

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A/N: I hope you guys are really proud of me because I did this even when I had homework and so I finished this chapter in two days and I also did my homework and all that other crap that I hate doing. So, aren't you excited about the partay! I know I am…don't worry, nothing formal so no dress pics anymore, I promise. I love that last line, I think it's so cute (if I do say so myself). You will not believe it…I rained for the first time in like two months today in Texas (where I live) and it was just great. Okay, so read, review add me, you know the whole kitten-caboodle (I think I'm using the right terminology there, but if not, let me know so I don't do something else idiotic). Oh, by the way, you guys rock for all those nice and long reviews for the last chapter, so, thanks a ton!