Lily took a deep breath. An owl was flying towards her bedroom window.
She had been sitting at window since six o'clock that morning and now, after five hours of restless shifting and numb knees, an owl - probably one with her Hogwarts letter - was coming her way.
This was it, the moment she had been waiting for since she had been old enough to realize what Hogwarts was. She felt a curious mixture of excitement, nervousness and dread. She hoped James would be with her at Hogwarts.
She wanted to be a Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw, anything else would probably disappoint her.
James insisted he would be a Gryffindor like his parents and Sirius hoped he would be in Gryffindor too. Remus wanted to be Gryffindor or Ravenclaw just like Lily. They got on very well recently, now that they had gotten over their 'boys/girls-have-cooties-phase'. They were very alike and spent hours together poring over books in James' huge study.
She untied the letter from the owl's leg, gave it a treat and a tentative stroke before turning her undivided attention on the letter before her. The Hogwarts crest adorned the front cover, Lily's name and address written in vibrant red ink.
With trembling fingers Lily broke the seal and pulled out the neatly folded letter, ready to burst into tears if it said she wasn't allowed to go. With a loud yell of delight, Lily realized she had in fact got a place at Hogwarts and swiftly unlocked her door to go and let everyone know. She had locked it when her father came to insist she go down for breakfast instead of waiting by the window all day. He simply laughed at her behaviour and allowed her to stay there.
"Mum!" she said flinging her arms around the woman by the stove. "I got it! I got my letter! Oh please can we go to James' to let him know?" Ellen beamed, "Oh Lily, we're so proud of you!"
Petunia snorted at the table, "Yeah, Lily. We're so proud to have a freak like you in the family." Lily ignored her. The small flare of pain she usually felt when her sister was so rude to her failed to penetrate her excitement.
Ellen threw Petunia a glare but facing Lily again, her face became sly. "James came over this morning. That's why you were supposed to come down at breakfast! He's in the garden helping your father with his roses. Go on, they'll be so excited when they hear your news!"
-oOo-
James was more than excited.
He picked her up and swung her around, taking advantage of his newly acquired height to do so. Then, for the very first time, he kissed her hard on the lips not caring that her father was less than a metre away. "Oh Lily! It's brilliant!"
Lily grinned, not really that bothered by his excitement. "I know! I couldn't believe it, I thought they would just tell me I wasn't going or something."
She hung her head at the foolish idea but couldn't help the smile plastered across her face. James cuffed her across the back of the head, "Oh you're such an idiot," he said fondly, taking her hand and dragging her down to the tree house he had gotten his mother to put up there for them.
They sat up camp and had an owl fly to Sirius to inform him that one of them had at least gotten her letter.
James was smiling at her, hugging her tightly and murmuring in her ear, "I'm so proud of you, happy birthday!"
Lily pushed her hands through the front of his jacket and around the back, hugging him where he was the warmest. James chuckled, "You're so weird."
Lily ignored him and snuggled closer. James had always been the pillar of strength for them and she hoped to pay him back someday.
It wasn't until Sirius arrived that they moved. They had stood together like that for over an hour until Sirius' heavy stomping was heard on the stairs up to the tree house.
James released her and kissed her lightly on the lips, staring into her eyes for a long moment before seating himself at their little table and pulling out some squashed buns from his rucksack underneath it.
"Sirius! Get your fat bum up here! We're waiting for you so we can have buns!" Sirius popped up with an easy smile, "Cake is the only reason I'm here but I suppose buns will have to do."
He grinned then and shuffled over to hug Lily to show her he was only joking. "Got you something, Lils."
James slapped him, "You idiot! You can't give it to her now, wait until later!" Sirius grinned, "Oops! Come on Jamesie, dish us up some buns."
James passed out the buns and they ate, chattering about Hogwarts, each fantasizing what they would do and the fun they would have.
-oOo-
It was fifty-six days later, on the twenty-seventh of March that James received his Hogwarts letter. Lily had spent the night with him, both of them so excited they barely slept a wink but half six the next morning found them both asleep, snoring softly their hands entwined, faces relaxed and innocent.
James had been feeling rather awkward around Lily since the day he had spontaneously kissed her. He still acted as if he didn't but the kiss had awakened feelings inside him that he shouldn't feel towards his best mate. Feelings he shouldn't have until he was older.
He knew he loved her already. They were best mates and he would trust her with his life. But he still had this silly crush on her, making him unsure if he liked her or loved her romantically.
Lily too had been acting odd around him. She blushed at their usual hugs but didn't object, she had stopped giving him lectures, preferring to joke around with him. Not that she had given him many lectures, she only did when she was worried about him - which happened surprisingly often.
There was an insistent tapping on the window, one that startled both of them out of their shallow sleep. "James," Lily hissed as she spotted the owl. James twisted in his sleep and his hand caught Lily's once more as he looked towards the window. "Oh Lily.." Lily smiled widely at him and ran over to the window dragging a suddenly nervous James behind her.
James lifted Lily on to the sill and scrambled up after, opening the latch on the huge window so he could take the parchment from the tawny owl. His hands trembled, eyes latched on the thing deciding his entire life. Lily snorted, "Oh Jay, you're such a drama queen!"
James scowled and looked up at Lily, his frown melting from his face as he looked into those warm green eyes. "Thanks," he murmured, neck colouring as he looked down at the letter. Lily understood what he meant. He had been working himself into a frenzy about opening it and her teasing words had woken him up from the idiocy.
James took a deep breath, broke the seal and took Lily's hand in his as he pulled the letter out. He squeezed her hand harshly until the silent clenching of her hand under his reminded him not to hurt her. With the letter unfolded in front of him, James scanned the first line and grabbed Lily, dragging her into a hug.
Lily hugged him back, not feeling her usual awkwardness with the joy of the moment. "Congratulations Jay, you're a real wizard now." Her tone was snide, hinting that he hadn't been before. James understood and grabbed her waist, pulling the two of them off the windowsill and onto the floor. They both laughed and wrestled each other jokingly before Mrs Potter made her entrance at the noise of their scuffle.
"Children! Break this fight up at once!"
James stood, holding out a hand to help Lily to her feet. They both grinned at James' mother, still holding hands behind their backs. "Mrs Potter," Lily began in earnest. James knew to let Lily handle it when they got into trouble. She cut a far more innocent figure. "We were only play-fighting! I told James that I was stronger than him and he didn't believe me so I challenged him to a Muggle duel."
Arlene sighed, unable to give out when those green eyes looked at her so innocently. "Well no more then, okay?" Lily nodded, still smiling sweetly. James nodded, "Of course not Mum. I'm mature, I just got my Hogwarts letter!"
Arlene dropped the goblet she was carrying, "Oh James! Gordon! GORDON! JAMES GOT HIS LETTER!"
Gordon came staggering from James's parents' room, sleep mussed and tired. "His letter? But it's only seven in the morning, Arlene! It couldn't possibly have arrived already!" James giggled and Lily frowned at her friend, dropping her hand and fetching a chair for Mr Potter to sit down. "I bet Professor Dumbledore knew James would be very impatient and sent it early," Lily said patting Mr Potter's arm and guiding him into the seat. "If James had to wait until later we would have been driven out of our minds with his impatience."
Gordon nodded distractedly, "Of course my dear, I dare say you're right." James beamed proudly, "Lily's always right!"
Arlene smiled at her son's obvious affection for the girl and clapped her hands, "Right then, breakfast. You guys will need some sustenance before Sirius, Marlene and Peter get here. Your father has organized a couple of Quidditch games for later."
James nodded enthusiastically and grabbed Lily's hand again, pulling her downstairs with him for food. "Mrs Potter," Lily said stopping and digging her feet in so James couldn't drag her any further. "Mrs Potter, how come Remus isn't coming over?" Arlene and Gordon exchanged an uneasy glance and Arlene grimaced, "You know Remus isn't very well Lily. He couldn't make it today."
Lily, uncharacteristically, stomped her foot and demanded that Arlene told her what happened. "Mrs Potter! Remus is our bestest friend. You have to tell us what's wrong with him! Maybe we could help!" Arlene shook her head, she hadn't the heart to correct Lily's grammar. "Now Lily, you know we aren't allowed tell you."
Lily huffed and glared at Arlene, furious that she was forbidden any attempt at helping their friend. "I will find out what's wrong with him! I will!" With that she dragged a surprised James after her, bursting into tears as soon as they got into the kitchen. "Oh James," she choked out before throwing herself into his arms and allowing him to comfort her.
James spared a single moment to reflect on the amount of times people had said the words Oh James that day. Then he took Lily into his arms, sinking into the floor with her on his crossed legs. "Don't worry Lil," he whispered comfortingly into her ear, "We'll find out, and we'll do our very best to help him. He's Remus, he's always helped us, it's time to return the favour."
A/N: Haven't updated this in quite a while.
Do you guys like it so far? Let me know and tell me if you think Remus should tell them about his furry little problem. It's something I've been debating over ;)
Tús maith leath na h-oibre!
~ShazzaBlack...x