A/N: I saw the last part of the Deathly Hallows at midnight last night (I dressed up as Bellatrix)…and it was…beautiful. No words can describe that feeling. It was just an awesome experience. Of course there were some parts taken out and whatnot, but overall it was a fantastic movie. I think it might even be the best one, in my opinion. God, the Snape/Lily part KILLED me. I'm a J/L shipper, but that was simply heart-wrenching. Did you all see it at midnight? What did you think? Okay, I'll stop babbling now, sorry for the long author's note! I thought it was I order though. :)

So I dedicate this to J.K. Rowling for giving us this fantastic world and to everyone's who's ever loved Harry Potter. He will always be with us.

Struggling With Perspective and Wise Words

James really tried to keep it together for Lily. But it was different with Remus. He couldn't stop seeing him with her, kissing her, like he'd imagined for so many years – couldn't help feel the ugly green head raise its head when he thought of Lily dreaming of Remus and not him –

His frustration and anger reaching a boiling point, he lurched forward and tackling him to the ground, James struggling to hit him an any way and Remus struggling to get him off. The rest of them cried out and started to try and pry James off, but of course it was Sirius who succeeded in the end, pulling him up with one hand by the back of the shirt.

"James, what the bloody –"

"Did you know about this?" James exclaimed desperately.

Sirius looked shocked, and then sad recognition lit his eyes, which was enough for James. Sirius let him go and James looked at all of them.

"You all knew?" he chuckled bitterly.

Their pained faces looked back at him with pity he did not want – even Dorcas and Sirius; they'd all known. Then, Peter raised his hand uncertainly.

"I didn't know." He offered.

"Neither did I." Frank added half-heartedly. They would've been quite a comical sight had he not been so angry.

"James, you're blowing it out of proportion –"

James turned on Remus. "Oh, am I?" he exclaimed and went forward to punch him again, but Sirius held him back.

"James. James, listen to me," Sirius said in his 'big brother' voice. "We're going to talk about this later, because right now, there are more important things to worry about. How about Mary in the next room, huh? This little piece of drama is nothing when compared to what she went through. Think about that."

Sirius' wise words sobered James up and when he let him go once again, he just felt drained and didn't want to see any of them except Mary. Luckily, at that moment, Madam Pomfrey came out and said they could come visit her if they wished – she was awake, but barely.

"I wouldn't let you see her at his hour, but I know this lot won't leave until you do, and you've got to get in your own beds! Merlin, two of you have been in my care so far this year." She fretted as they walked in.

"Yeah, some Slytherins have taken a specific liking to us." Sirius said, smiling at her bitterly.

Madam Pomfrey looked troubled at that, but they were at Mary's bed then and she still looked pale and clammy, but she smiled weakly at them.

"Mary!" Alice gasped and rushed to her side, taking her hand in hers.

Lily stepped forward and sat by her as well. "How do you feel?"

Mary chuckled hoarsely. "Like rubbish, honestly."

They all took seats by her bed, and Alice asked, "You do remember what happened, don't you?"

She nodded, rubbing her nose. "Unfortunately."

"We reported them, Mary," Remus assured her, "They should get what they deserve."

James glared at Remus and he could tell he was pointedly avoiding his gaze. Mary looked between them and asked, "Something's happened, hasn't it?"

"Later, Mary," Dorcas said quickly, "For now, you should rest."

Mary still looked troubled, but Madam Pomfrey took that moment to urge them to bed. The group, the tension thick between them, left the hospital, and started toward the Gryffindor common room.

James went the opposite way of the others, just wanting to be alone, but Lily caught up with him and grabbed his arm.

"James, don't be like this." She pleaded. "Just – let's talk about it."

James glared at her. "I want to be alone, Lily."

Lily sighed and turned back to the group, who stood uncertainly at the end of the hall, but then she turned back to him with a determined look on her face.

"Unfortunately, I can be just as stubborn as you, and I'm not leaving." She said in that voice that meant she was getting what she wanted.

Damn it all to hell. He still thought that as extremely adorable.

James made an annoyed and kept walking, but didn't bother arguing. He glanced back at Lily discreetly to see she was waving Remus off, who had been walking towards them. He caught her mouthing, "My turn now, your turn later!"

James sighed. Wonderful, two torturous speeches in one night. Lily caught up with him and he felt her staring at the side of his face intently.

"We're just friends, James. Remus and I." she noted, looking forward again.

"Are you?" he murmured.

"Yeah, James. We were drunk. And we didn't think of how it might hurt you –"

"Lily, you don't need to do this." He sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What? What are you talking about?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself not to be embarrassed by what he was about to admit.

"It's just – Remus! I just feel betrayed because . . . because he's heard so many times! How much I care for you, how much I've always wanted to be with you! And then . . . and then he goes and . . ." he sighed in frustration. "I'm just so tired of it. I'm tired of feeling like I have no chance with you and feeling crushed every time you go out with another boy or reject me or –"

Lily threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, James," she said in a fierce whisper, "You're my friend and I never should've done that. It's not what friends do, even if I wasn't in my right mind."

James was shocked. He put his arms around her as well with his brow furrowed. She sounded so genuine about it, it was startling.

"Lily . . . Lily," he said, and she lifted her head to look at him. He couldn't get over how beautiful she was. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have overreacted like that. I suppose we both sort of screwed up."

She chuckled and pulled away, rubbing her nose. "Me more than you. James, I really am –"

"I know, Lily. Let's just get back to the common room before Filch catches us. Or worse, Mrs. Bloody Norris."

XXX

"Mulciber, you bloody idiot! How could you be so daft, you fool? You disobeyed me!"

The usual group of Slytherins lounged in the common room and watched as Mulciber and Avery got chewed out by Lestrange for the past hour. Snape sighed and rolled his eyes, resting his head in his hand in boredom.

"You both disobeyed me and therefore the Dark Lord!" Lestrange nearly screamed. Mulciber and Avery just stood there like the brainless bums they were. "Don't you remember? I'm the only one who is officially one of his followers! I have the Mark. I report to the Dark Lord. And I won' hesitate in telling him all about this."

Then, he swept upstairs to the boys dormitories and it was finally over. Bellatrix, with her usual sensual slink, slid from the couch and sidled up the stairs, as well, leaving Snape, Wilkes and Rosier with the two idiots.

Snape sighed. "Well I certainly have better things to do than sit around and watch you two look stupid."

With that, he stood and walked out of the common room to the library, where he had been spending most of his time lately. Partly because he took refuge there from his fellow Slytherins and partly because of the werewolf project – but he was so sure Remus Lupin was a werewolf, it was hardly necessary. And he knew Potter and his friends did something with him to keep him safe. He just needed to find out what.

He would have to follow them once the opportunity arose. Hopefully sooner than later. But knowing Lestrange, he'd be keeping a close eye on his little pawns, and unfortunately, that included him.

XXX

James couldn't sleep that night. He was too restless and couldn't stop wondering what the right thing to do was. He squeezed his eyes shut, and it conversation with Remus slithered into his mind again.

"I really just want to go to bed, Remus."

"Please, James, can you just hear me out? And then I'll let you think this all over."

James sighed and turned back to him, locking his jaw. "Go on then."

"You have to believe me, because I mean every word. I do not have romantic feelings for Lily. She is a wonderful friend, and I care for her – but I would never in my right mind do this to you. I'm sorry, it was unlike me to get drunk – and maybe I just react so poorly to it that I just do stupid things. And I'll keep that in mind, but you have to know, it was – nothing. But you if you want a good punch, take a swing, go ahead. But know I have no intention of taking this any further, or anything of the sort. And I am so, so sorry if you feel I betrayed you."

What more could James ask for, really? He even granted him a punch (though he didn't take it), but both of them were being so nice about it, it was hard to sulk. And he knew they were telling the truth, he knew he had no right to even be angry because Lily was not his, and he knew he should just let it go.

It was just hard to actually do it.

XXX

"Lily, I'm going to tell you my theory, and you're going to be so mad at me, but I'm going to tell you anyway."

Though everyone was extremely tired, Alice had been persistent in bringing Lily into the empty common room for a chat. Lily had agreed, although reluctantly, because she knew it was going to have something to do with a certain messy-haired boy, whom she did not want to talk about at the moment.

Lily looked at her warily. "Alright." She said slowly.

She took a deep breath and looked into the flames from where they were sitting on the couch. "Okay, here goes . . . This thing with Remus – I think it's sort of a decoy for caring for James. I think you can't even admit to yourself, much less us, much less to him, that you do not loathe him as you once did. People change, Lily. People aren't as they seem. James is a prime example of both. You've changed him, really. James is a wonderful person, and if you keep pushing him away, soon he's going to relent. And if you keep pushing it with Remus, you might end up with a relationship with empty feelings, not that Remus would do that to James anyway, which it another thing. You don't really think Remus would betray James like that, do you?

"Listen, all I'm saying is I think you've been on boy overload, and you should just take it easy for a few weeks. Just be friends with the. Then figure out what you feel. I suggest getting to know James, because he may seem like a good bloke now, but I have a feeling –" she said, lowering her voice in an excited whisper, a sly glint in her eye. "—when you get to know him, he's even better."

Lily's eyed were wide with astonishment from Alice's speech – she spoke wisdom beyond her years, and it was a fresh breath of air for Lily. Everything was clearer where it was muggy before. She just needed to be friends with them – because friends accept each other for the way they are, good and bad. And if she was friends with James, she'd have to accept both sides of him, the one she'd focused solely on for all those years and the side she was just beginning to see.

Lily took a deep breath and she smiled a small smile, leaning over and giving Alice a hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem, dear," she murmured, chuckling, "No problem."