Trials and Tribulations
Summary: Harry Potter knew he was going to get shocked when he visited his parents graves. He knew that'd he'd see family he never met; like grandparents, uncles, and aunts. But one thing he didn't know was that he was going to meet his sister.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am not making any profit off of this fanfic.

Chapter Five: Fixing Prongs' Stupidity

"Oh shoot," Lily said quietly. She stood in front of her mirror, trying to button her pants. They just weren't buttoning this morning. 'If I hadn't of gotten so fat,' She thought. After a few more failed attempts at buttoning her pants, Lily gave up. She walked towards Alice, who was sitting on her bed.

"My pants don't fit," Lily said.

Elizabeth, who was sitting next to Alice, said, "Look in my trunk. I'm a wee bit bigger than you. See if any of my pants fit."

Lily gave Elizabeth a thankful smile, and then she went to her trunk. After digging around for a few moments, she found a pair of jeans she thought might fit. She stood up straight and smiled. Then she looked at Alice. "What happened to our other room mates?"

"Remember, they don't like us." Alice reminded. "They're probably sitting outside the Marauder's door, waiting for that bone."

Lily laughed, and took off her pants. She slipped on the other ones, and buttoned them easily. "A hah! I beat you today, belly." She patted her stomach and shook her head. "I'm going to be huge."

Alice laughed and stood up. "No you won't. You'll be round."

Lily and Elizabeth laughed. Then they went to breakfast.

xoXoXoXox

James sighed as he walked out of the Gryffindor Common Room. He just hung up the first sign for the Hogsmeade trip that weekend. He couldn't believe that it was October already.

James walked into the Great Hall. It seemed like everyone was in there. Remus beckoned James to him. He was smiling broadly. Sitting across from Remus was Alice and Frank. They were grinning too.

Lily was nowhere in site.

"Prongs!" Remus called happily.

"What Moony?" James sat down beside him.

"I'm in a good mood," Remus smiled, and then began to eat his breakfast. James shook his head, and picked at what was on the table. The he stood up abruptly.

"I'm going to go outside," James said.

"But it's so cold out," Alice said.

James shrugged his shoulders. "I like the cold."

He walked from the Gryffindor table. Halfway through the Great Hall, Sirius came in, grinning from ear to ear. He came up to James and hugged him tightly, and then he walked to the Gryffindor table, screaming, "Moo-nay!"

'They must have been drinking or something.' James thought to himself, shaking his head. He walked outside, and was hit in the face with cold air. He smiled; proud that he remembered his cloak.

He tightened his cloak around him, and walked towards the lake. He sat down on the grass, feeling the dew on his hands. He was sitting beneath a tree. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

James stretched out his legs. His knee cracked, but he didn't mind much. His mind began drifting. He knew he was behind. They hadn't had much quidditch practice, and just the thought of that made James sick to his stomach.

'If only Lily would talk to me!' James thought miserably. He saw her plenty of times during the day. In classes, during meals, just walking around, during Head duties at night.

James cringed. Lily had decided they would split up and do patrols separately.

That made James uncomfortable. He liked to know where Lily was and wasn't. It made him feel like she was safer.

James heard someone coming near the tree. He thought it was Sirius or Remus, so he didn't move or open his eyes. He just sighed.

Lily stood a few feet away from James. She had a freshly peeled orange in her hand. She saw James come outside, as she was leaving the loo. She made a pit stop in the Great Hall to grab the orange, and then she followed James.

She heard him sigh. He sounded so sad.

Lily walked towards him. She sat down beside him, and began peeling apart her orange. "Do you want a piece?" She asked quietly.

James jumped and looked at Lily in surprise. He saw the piece of fruit she was offering him, and took it. He chewed it slowly, savoring the sharp citrus flavor.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Lily leaned her head against the tree.

"I've gained some weight." Lily said quietly. James looked at her quickly. She was smiling softly at him. "I'm wearing Elizabeth's pants right now." She patted her leg, showing James the jeans.

"I guess that happens…" James said. He quickly averted his gaze, looking out into the lake.

Lily frowned. She thought they were making headway in their conversation. It was quiet for a few moments, and Lily thought, 'I might as well leave.' She was about to, when James interrupted her.

"Lily," James said quietly. She looked at him, watching as he slowly drew imaginary shapes on his legs. "I'm sorry…I guess this is all my fault isn't it?"

"What's your fault?" Lily asked. She popped another piece of orange into her mouth. 'At least we're conversing.'

"You gaining weight and…getting morning sickness…I must really annoy you." James glanced at her through the corner of his eye. He quickly resumed looking out at the lake.

"No," Lily said. "It's just as much your fault as it is mine." She paused. "I don't really blame us either. It just happened," Lily said, shrugging her shoulders. She offered another piece of fruit to James. He took it.

James was quiet a moment. He chewed the orange piece slowly again. He was beginning to feel thirsty.

"You must not trust me," James said quietly. He didn't know why all these feelings were surfacing up now. He felt his face begin to burn, as he was blushing.

"If I didn't trust you James, then I wouldn't be in this condition."

James looked down at Lily. Her eyes were filling up with tears, but she was smiling at him broadly. James smiled back at her, and then wrapped his arms around her. He squeezed her tightly, smiling that they were now finally on talking terms.

When they broke apart, Lily's orange was smashed, her hand wet with the juice. She tossed it into the lake, and watched as the giant squid came to the surface to eat it.

Lily laughed, and then leaned her head against the tree. James smiled and did the same. They were quiet for a few moments, and then James asked, "Are you scared?"

Lily thought for a moment. Then she said, "I'm terrified," She paused to look at her hands. "I don't know what kind of mother I'll be…I'm scared that since I'm so young, the birthing process will be difficult. I'm scared of what people will think of me, like my family, and the professor's here…" Lily trailed off.

James put his hand on hers. "You'll be a great mother. Don't let anyone tell you different. I saw you with the first years over the summer. Even though they're a lot older than the baby you're going to have," Lily giggled. "They're like normal kids, and you were great with them." James paused. "I honestly have nothing against you, for being pregnant and all. The Marauders don't, and I'm assuming Alice and Elizabeth don't either. None of the professor's here seems to be giving you a hard time—"

"I know that," Lily interjected. "But I don't think it's settled on everyone, exactly what's going on. This is like the first time in Hogwarts history that a student managed to get knocked up—"

"I wouldn't say that," James said. "It sounds so demeaning…knocked up, that is."

Lily sighed. "Well, I haven't told my parents yet. And barely any students know either."

James was quiet. "I'm going to have to meet your parents, aren't I?"

Lily nodded her head. "I know you were never planning on meeting them."

"I was!" James interjected. "I was just going to wait until we were married."

"I was never going to marry you," Lily said. She looked up at James, trying to hold back her smile. She was biting her bottom lip, trying to keep her smile at bay.

James looked scandalized. "I've been following you around for seven years, and you were never planning on marrying me? Oh dear…I think I might faint." James threw a hand across his forehead, sighing dramatically.

Lily burst out laughing. Tears were coming to her eyes, and she was holding her sides, trying to keep herself together.

James laughed too.

Then he stood up. "I think it's about time we go back inside." He held his hand out for Lily. She grabbed it, and he pulled her up.

Before they dropped hands, James said, "Friends?" Lily shook his hand and smiled.

"Friends."

xoXoXoXox

"Where's Prongs?" Sirius asked, running a hand through his wet hair.

"He's sleeping," Lily replied, turning the page in her Potions book. She was just about finished with her essay. It was due next Tuesday.

"Great," Sirius said excitedly. "Moony, Wormtail, come on. I feel a little marauding is in order right now. Frank," Sirius paused. Frank was sitting beside Peter, helping him with his Transfiguration homework. "You come along too. We need all the help we can get."

"You should be sleeping," Remus said. "I heard your quidditch practice was brutal today."

Sirius shrugged his shoulders, and made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Come on!" He demanded. He watched as Peter closed his book. Remus shook his head, and stood up.

"I swear Padfoot, if this has anything to do with those girls, I'll just go to bed."

Sirius laughed, and pulled the Marauders up the boys dormitory staircase. Frank followed.

"Of course it's not about them. That's later. This one is about Prongs and his stupidity. Hurry! Before he wakes."

Lily watched with curiosity, until they disappeared. Then she looked down at her parchment. All she needed was a closing sentence, and then she'd be finished. Quickly she jotted down the last thing, and then she closed her potions book. She quickly wrote her name at the top of her parchment.

"You going to bed?" Alice asked. Lily nodded her head.

Alice gathered up her books and parchments. Lily did the same, and then the two of them walked up the girls dormitory staircase. Alice opened the door to their dorm, and stepped in. "Jeez!" she exclaimed. The room smelled strongly of perfume and nail enamel.

Lily walked in, and immediately backed away, turning her head from the door. She felt ill just taking a small whiff of the room.

She took a deep breath, and then went into the room. She deposited her things on her bed. Her eyes began watering. She went to Alice, who was opening a window. "What's that smell?" she asked.

Alice pointed to the lavatory. Lily squinted at the door. Violet and Marie were in the bathroom. Shampoo bottles, fingernail enamel, fingernail enamel remover, and perfume bottles were scattered all around the bathroom and in the room.

Elizabeth moved her hangings and peeked out. "I've been looking for spell to take away the smell. I was afraid Lily might get si—"

Lily threw a hand against her mouth. She felt a little light headed. Immediately she left the room, and traveled to the 6th year's dorm. She rapped on the door. She heard giggling going on.

The door opened, and the 6th year looked at Lily. Immediately it got quiet when Lily appeared. They seemed to have some girls from different houses in their room.

"Uhh…I can explain—"

"Can I just use your lavatory?" Lily mumbled through her hands. The 6th nodded her head, and moved out of the way. Lily stumbled to the bathroom, and slammed the door shut.

The people flinched in the room, as they heard the sounds Lily was making. When the door opened, they flocked to her.

"Are you okay? Do you need someone to get Madame Pomfrey?"

These questions were thrown at Lily from left and right. She shook her head. "Just not feeling good today. Thank you for letting me use your lavatory. And don't worry about all this," she waved her hand around. "I didn't see any of it."

She left the room, and traveled slowly to her dormitory. When she reached the door, she could hear yelling going on. She opened the door, and saw Elizabeth in Violet's face.

They were screaming at each other, and Elizabeth's hands were clenched into a tight fist.

When Lily entered the room, they stopped.

Violet went up to Lily, and jabbed her in the chest. "Something's wrong with you Evans, with you and your friends. Why don't you just leave if you don't like the way this room is?"

Lily slapped her hand. "Don't you dare touch me," she growled. "Nothing is wrong with me or my friends, and if you have a problem with it, then why don't you just leave? Because I'm not going anywhere until your stench kills me." Lily pulled out her wand, and pointed it at the window. She flicked her wrist, and almost immediately, the window began sucking the intoxicating air out. Soon the room smelled the same as it had before. She walked to her bed. "And while I'm at it, I'm reporting this to McGonagall. You never put your hands on another student. Especially me." Lily crawled into her bed and slammed the hangings shut, leaving her friends to glare at Violet.

xoXoXoXox

"Sign your name at the bottom," Remus whispered quietly. He was trying to retain his laughter.

"M'kay," James said groggily. He put his signature on the bottom of the parchment. "Moony, 'nything else?" He asked. His eyelids were trying to stay open, and kept blinking his eyes, and leaning forward a bit.

"Nope," Sirius said. "That's it. Thank you Prongs for writing this. We really appreciate it."

"No problem Padfoot. Take care," James rolled over, and pulled the blankets over his eyes. Snores immediately took care of the silence.

Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Frank immediately left the boys dormitory. The erupted into laughter, and went to the Common Room.

"This just can't get any better."

xoXoXoXox

BB/N: Writers block stopped me from updating, along with the fact that a lot has been going on in my life. I've been staying after school every day for the passed month, and when I get home from school, I'm spent.

But now the play is over, and all I have to worry about is passing Honors Biology.

I'll update soon, I promise…Give me two or three days, because I need to finish Chapter 15 before I update…kind of silly, I know.

Love,
Bob Bennit

P.S. I have three new fanfic ideas! One's about Hermione...and you guessed it...PREGNANT! Then one with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, mixed with a little Shakespeare...then one about this little girl...J.K. Rowling made up a character dedicated to a little girl who died...Long story...If I can find the article I'll put it somewhere...

Love,
Bob Bennit