Lily woke up three days later, though, of course, she didn't know how much time had passed. She was completely disoriented when she looked up and realized she wasn't in the hospital any more. It was dark in the room she was in but she soon recognized it as her own. Her head was pounding and every part of her body was aching. She groaned softly and sat up.

James, hearing her sit up, turned and threw himself at her, crying out in joy.

"Lily!"

"James!" she cried as he threw his arms around her. His weight pushed her back down into the bed. She laughed and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He was crying and laughing at the same time. He'd been so worried since he came home yesterday and found her still out of it. He hadn't left her side. He didn't sleep, he'd barely eaten. He was just so happy to see that she was alright.

"Oh James I was so worried about you!"

"You were worried? I'm the one who woke up not knowing where you were only to be told you were at home unconscious!" Now Lily was crying to as she held onto James.

"I know. It's just- when I saw you lying on the floor like that, I stopped breathing, I was terrified you wouldn't be ok. I…"

"Shhh, it's ok now. I'm right here," he said calmly. He gently wiped the tears off her face and pulled her closer.

When they finally let go of each other James sat back against the pillows and looked at her.

"So what have I missed?"

"Um, a lot of repair work at the hospital. There weren't too many casualties in the way of hospital patients."

"What about others?"

"Well, we lost three Aurors and six healers. Though, thanks to Alastor we managed to capture four death eaters though, and we killed we think five or six of them."

"I'm sorry, James."

"There hasn't been much time to think about it really. I mean, I only just found out yesterday and I've been more worried about you."

"Oh."

"I think Sirius is mad at us both though," he said grinning.

"Why?"

"He feels left out, I think."

"Why? No one's been around to cook for him?"

"I guess so."

"Well, I guess I owe you both a nice dinner, since I've scared you so much. By the way, does anyone know the next time Remus is coming home?"

"Sirius got a note from him yesterday. Said he was staying with a friend for the next few weeks."

"I hope he's staying with an actual friend."

"So do I."

"Ok. Let's get up. I should start cooking."

"Yeah, but make enough for five. My sister is moving in today. She should be here soon." Lily turned back to him from the bathroom door.

"Oh my, is that really today?"

"Yes. Isabelle, the girl she's been staying with, is coming too."

"She's what, thirteen now? And who in their right mind let's their children stay with us? We're not going to be really good parents. We're hardly even here, James."

"I know. But her parents are muggles and they feel it is better for her to spend time in the wizarding world."

"And did you explain to them that in this time there is a large possibility that everyone living here might wind up dead one day?"

"Lily," James said, walking over to her, "don't think like that. Don't you ever think like that."

"James, it's just so dangerous here right now. Not just for muggles and muggle-born children."

"I know." He wrapped his arms around her and let her rest her head on his chest. Finally she pulled herself away from him and went to the bathroom to change. When she came out both Sirius and James were standing in the bedroom talking. They looked up when she came in.

"Hey, Lily. You're a girl!" Sirius announced. James sniggered.

"Thank you for noticing. It's true."

"Well, maybe you can help us men. We can't figure out how the rooming should go, with new people coming. We already agreed we need to expand the other bathroom and give it to them, so I'll be moving into this bathroom with you two." He smiled broadly at her. She rolled her eyes.

"Great," she said slowly. "And I suppose this mean Remus will be using this bathroom when he's around as well?"

"Yup!"

"Alright fine. Let's solve the other problem of rooms." She walked out of the master bedroom with James and Sirius behind her. They walked into Sirius' small room.

"You can't give them my room!"

"Why not?"

"Because I already gave them my bathroom!"

"And is there another, more private place I can put two teenage girls in a house where females are already in the minority?"

"Well, no I guess not."

"No. Exactly. So their staying in you room. Soon as I change the décor." She twirled her wand around and instantly the room became brighter, and possibly larger. Two twin beds with bright bedding replaced the full Sirius had been sleeping on. Sirius' stuff was pulled together and sent into the living room. A small dresser and mirror appeared. "There, that's much better," she said approvingly.

"You destroyed my room!"

"You just announced you'd be using my bathroom!"

"Where am I going to sleep though?"

"I'm getting to that!" They reentered the living room, now housing Sirius's stuff. She moved to the wall next to her bedroom and muttered a spell. Another bedroom instantly appeared in the wall. It was smaller than the last but it would work for one person. "There, now this place is big enough to hold us all. Anyone else though, and I'm afraid it'll be a couch or the floor."

"Lily, my love, you're amazing," James said. He picked her up and twirled her around the living room. Sirius laughed at them as he moved his stuff into the new room. Through the window he saw the girls with Isabelle's parents.

"Much as I don't want to disturb you two lovebirds, your sister is here," he said laughing. James put Lily down but kept a hand around her waist as they went to open the door.

"Malory!" James exclaimed. She ran to them and hugged him tightly. She saw Lily and hugged her as well and then she darted inside to find Sirius. Isabelle hung back with her parents.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Erikson," James said holding out his hand to them. Mr. Erikson shook it politely.

"Won't you three come inside? I was just finishing up dinner. Would you care to join us?" Lily asked kindly.

"Oh, no that's alright. We've got to be heading back out to our house soon if we're to get there at a decent hour."

"I understand. Please, come inside and see where your daughter will be staying this summer." They smiled at her and walked past her into the small flat.

"Hi, I'm Sirius Black," Sirius said to Isabelle's parents as they walked in. They looked around in surprise. They hadn't thought the place looked big enough to have this much space from the outside. Of course, since the flat had been expanded when they moved in and then again today, it was remarkably bigger then it should have been but, as Lily pointed out, a big kitchen was needed, not only because she was feeding James and Sirius, but also because people were over there all the time and often looking for a bite to eat.

James showed Malory and Isabelle their room, which they both loved, and told them Lily had just finished designing it for them.

"Yeah, I swear, she just finished the final touches maybe ten minutes ago," he said grinning at her.

"You forget to tell them I started it about fifteen minutes ago," Lily added.

"I'm only trying to make you sound better my darling."

"Oh stop trying to flatter me."

"Now why would he ever do that?" Sirius asked. "Maybe he's trying not to bluntly say he's hungry. I however, will say it. I'm hungry." Lily laughed.

"Alright, alright, I'm almost done with dinner."

"You've started it?"

"Yes."

"You just woke up!"

"I'm sorry did we catch you at a bad time?" Mrs. Erikson asked.

"Oh, no it's fine. They're just being boys." Mrs. Erikson laughed at that.

"It never stops," she said wisely.

"Oh great," Lily groaned.

"Well, we must be off. Isabelle, have a good summer," Mr. Erikson said. They both bid Isabelle and Malory goodbye and Sirius showed them out before locking and spelling the door. Isabelle looked at him oddly.

"Paranoid?" she asked.

"Malory," James said sharply, "you didn't tell her the way we live?"

"No, I did! Izzy, this is one of those things they do to keep themselves safe. You know, what with everything going on and what not."

"Oh, I see. Sorry. She did tell me that things weren't good at all around here."

"Yes. I'm sorry Remus isn't here to meet you, he'll be around in a couple weeks from what I understand," Lily said.

"Whose that?"

"Another guy that lives here," Malory explained.

"You live here with three guys?" Izzy asked Lily.

"Yes, though I often feel like I'm here by myself. Even when they are around!" James and Sirius both started laughing.

"And right now, you two can help me with dinner."

"I still don't believe you've started it."

"I'm telling you I did." The three of them walked into the kitchen together. Malory and Izzy laughed at Sirius' loud surprise over the fact that dinner was making itself and Lily's sarcastic response explaining to him that this was in fact a magic household.

A minute later they each walked out holding plates with dinner on them. James conjured extra chairs for the table and they all sat down to eat.

After dinner had been cleared from the table Lily announced her exhaustion.

"I think I'm ready for some sleep."

"Really? Because you just slept for three days," Sirius said.

"Seriously?" Malory asked. "I wish I could do that."

"No you don't!" all three of them said quickly. Malory and Izzy looked at each other for a minute.

"This is going to be a strange summer, isn't it?" Malory asked James.

"It's hard for us right now girls, you must understand, we didn't think it was the best idea you come live with us in the first place but your parents wanted it," Lily explained kindly.

"I miss you though James. I never get to see you anymore and you're the only family I have left." James wrapped Malory in his arms.

"I know, I know," he said soothingly into her hair. "It's just really dangerous right now. I don't believe in lying to you so I'm not going to. I was injured pretty badly only a few days ago and Lily nearly went catatonic. Sirius isn't the most reliable person because it's really hard to find him most of the time and Remus's stays here are so random and generally unexpected that we don't always know where he is let alone if he's alive and safe. It's going to be hard for you two to stay here, we all know this, we'll be as understanding as we possibly can but you won't be able to go out that much because we keep that door spell locked. Do you both understand me?" He was looking at both of them seriously. They looked at each other quickly before nodding.

"Is that why it's been so impossible to find you three lately? We were trying get a hold of you guys for days."

"I've been the only conscious one and I was out, sorry to say it," Sirius said.

"There was an attack on a government building only a few blocks down from where the Erikson's live and Izzy's aunt was murdered. That's why the Erikson's were ok with us coming here even after I explained how bad things were for you," Malory said. James, Lily, and Sirius looked at each other quickly.

"You two weren't hurt, were you?"

"No, we're fine. It was just really scary."

"I'm sure. I'm sorry. This war is just horrible," Lily said. "You two just need to understand, take joy in anything you can. It's the only way to survive." The girls both nodded.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with Lily, I need to get some sleep." James and Lily stood up together and bid everyone good night. They disappeared inside the bedroom.

"You made the bedroom smaller!" James said as they walked in there.

"I had to this place has already been stretched to its limits. It's not that much smaller!"

"It's tiny!"

"James! It's like a foot smaller each way!"

"No it's not! It's like twenty feet smaller!"

"I don't think it was ever that big."

"What are we arguing about in here?" Sirius asked.

"She shrunk our room!"

"Oh does that mean mine is bigger?"

"No, that means yours exists. Now what are you doing in here?"

"This is my bathroom, remember?"

"Merlin, why didn't we realized that would mean he'd be wandering in here whenever?" Lily asked James.

"Oh dear, I don't know."

"I think we need to change that tomorrow. I'll try and move the bathroom so that each room can have a door."

"But I like bothering you two!"

"But I don't like it! And it's not like that's the only reason you bother us."

"Good point. Ok, you can move the bathroom tomorrow, but I won't be here for a while. I'll be out early."

"Where to?" James asked.

"I don't know, honestly."

"Send word if you can?"

"Of course, I'll try. Good bye." Lily hugged him and kissed his cheek. James hugged him as well and they both wished him luck.