Eight years had passed since the first time people started hearing You-Know-Who's name. Three and a half years had passed since that day in June when St. Mungo's was attacked. James had just turned twenty five and Lily would be celebrating her twenty fifth birthday in just a few days. Of course, she hardly realized this, seeing as she was so busy with work and war and the Order. So many good wizards and witches had been killed it was hard to think. James had lost his sister in an attack only a year after she stayed with them. She had only just turned fifteen. The attack had a devastating effect on him. He couldn't stop blaming himself for what had happened, though Sirius had gotten him through the worst parts of it and Lily had been there to help him with the rest. They managed to pull through somehow and he was doing much better now a days.

Two days before Lily turned twenty five she came home from work to an empty house, normal and expected so she went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. She was sitting on the couch reading a book when James and Sirius came through the door. Or rather, Sirius half carried half supported James through the door.

"Merlin what the hell is going on?" Lily exclaimed as Sirius dumped James into one of the small chairs.

"He's completely drunk."

"What?"

"Yeah. I found him at the three broomsticks drinking fire whiskey."

"Why?"

"How should I know?"

"Lily! My Love!" James said loudly.

"What?"

"You are the most beautiful creature my eyes have ever beheld! If there wasn't the possibility of you, or me for that matter, dying tomorrow, I'd marry you."

"James Potter, I'm not going to talk to you in this condition. Sirius, put him in bed."

"Yeah, ok. I've been listening to him talking like that since I found him." Sirius dragged James up and pulled him into his bedroom. He came out a minute later and sank down next to Lily. "He passed out."

"Oh for heavens sake! What was he thinking?"

"He was probably trying not to think."

"Yes, I suppose so." They fell into a comfortable silence as Lily went back to her book and Sirius dozed off on the couch. About twenty minutes later Sirius went to bed and left Lily on the couch. Lily finished reading a few more pages in her book and took her empty cup into the kitchen.

She reentered the living room and bent down to pick up her book from the couch.

"Hello Lily." Lily screamed out in alarm and whirled around to see who was behind her.

"REMUS!" she shouted. "You scared me!" She ran to him threw her arms around him. He grabbed her and held her tightly at the same time Sirius came sprinting out of his room, wand drawn.

"What the hell?" he asked when he saw Remus.

"Sorry, I might have scared Lily."

"He snuck up behind me!"

"Great idea," Sirius said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I know, not very smart. Where's James?"

"Unconscious," Sirius said.

"He's drunk," Lily quickly added.

"Oh. Why?"

"We don't know."

"Oh."

"When did you get back?"

"About thirty seconds ago."

"Of course." Lily, Sirius and Remus sank down onto the couch again. Remus hadn't been home in almost two months and they were glad to see him.

"Where have you been?" Lily asked him.

"I've been in Scotland."

"Why?"

"There were some people Dumbledore wanted me to contact, he wanted to know if they would join our side."

"Did they?" Sirius asked.

"No."

"What happened?"

"Well, I got myself into their group and I watched how things were done I thought that I had their leader convinced he should join us. Then, last week, Voldemort came and killed him. The people were scared and lost. They scattered and ran. I had to slip away before he found out I was there. I went to Grimwald Place to hide for a few days, just to be sure I hadn't been followed back to England, and now I'm here," Remus summarized quickly.

"Mate, you gotta be more careful," Sirius said.

"Yes, you really do Remus. It makes us nervous, never knowing where you are," Lily added.

"Yeah I know, but I come home whenever I can. It's not like I'm going to miss my best friend's birthday!" Lily rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, good point, what should we do to celebrate?" Sirius asked.

"I think we should get her as drunk as James is."

"A drunk Lily? I don't know if I want to see that," Sirius said.

"I'm not getting drunk for my birthday," Lily said firmly.

"We could throw her in some water, that's always funny," Sirius said thoughtfully.

"Do you have a death wish?" Lily asked.

"Possibly."

"How about we just go to dinner?" Remus suggested.

"That sounds fabulous," Lily agreed.

"And boring," Sirius added.

"Shut up," Remus and Lily said together. The three of them all began to laugh.

(A/N: I am sooooo sorry this took me so long. I'm having some difficulties writing. There are only two more chapters left and it's taking everything I have to finish them. This chapter is really short but the next two will be quite long. Hope you like!

Loves!)