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I'm so sorry I haven't updated for so long! Sorry! I had this stupid history assignment that took ages, on Australian Aborigines, then we had the American Indians. The the history teacher said our other assignment about our family tree (or something) was going to be due in November.

I also had English. We had to read Treasure Island and write a book review on it for an assessment task (like an exam) AND IT WAS SO BORING! Okay, I'm really sorry for those who like Treasure Island, but I found it heaps boring and it took me three weeks to read a book that was about as thick as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone...and that Harry Potter book takes me...about...a day to read...

Okay, I'm babbling...luckily school's out so I have more time to write fanfiction... two weeks... oh well, still have debating to think about...then reseaarch and write.

Okay, shut up HPOS and let everyone read!

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And the last thing James heard was-

'We won, Potter, we won.'

-before he fainted.

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James opened his eyes, he saw something red. A Bludger! James tried to roll over but couldn't. His arms were too heavy. He blinked once, twice. No, it isn't a Bludger, it's a head. Blink, blink. Whose head is it? Blink, blink. A read-haired head! Blink, blink. Who has red hair? Blink, blink.

'He's awake, he's awake!'

'Finally! Well I knew that he was made of stronger stuff!' Sirius chuckled.

'And each time we come in and visit him you're always crying,' Lily said.

'It's called acting, Evans, acting.'

'Is it? I thought those tears looked real, you sure did sniff a lot and used up so many boxes of tissues-'

'I used onions, Evans.'

'I'm not finished, we asked you if you were acting and you said that you weren't-'

'That's called lying, Evans.'

Lily glared at Sirius. '-and we asked you if you were lying and you said that weren't-' Sirius opened his mouth but- '-and you started yelling at me. "how could you possibly think that I'm lying! My best friend is in a near death situation!"'

'Oh shut up for Merlin's sake!' Remus cried.

'No don't,' said James hastily, 'I want to see who wins.'

'I've already won,' said Lily.

'Yeah…well…' Sirius began slowly.

'Yeah…well…what? Lily said. 'Sirius Black, admit it, admit that you've lost.'

Sirius muttered something and Lily smiled. 'Happy James?'

'Very,' he replied, 'Sirius hates being defeated, don't you bubby?'

Everyone laughed.

'So,' said Remus, wanting to change the subject, 'how are you feeling Prongs?'

'I guess I'm ok…'

'Of course you aren't! Look at what Snape did to you!' Lily flung back James's sheets and blankets. James cowered at how cold the temperature outside his bed was. 'Look at all those scars! How can someone be so…so evil? I mean, what did you ever do to him to deserve this?' Lily paused and thought for a moment then said, 'well…yeah you did do stuff to annoy him…but that doesn't give him the right to use, erm, the Dark Arts on you!'

James felt a twinge of guilt but pushed it aside.

'Well at least James didn't, er, come of even more worse…' Remus said uneasily.

Just then Madam Pomfrey bustled to James's bed. 'Well you look much better than you were a few hours ago Potter! We have been feeding you many different types of potions for you to recover while you were unconscious, also applying lotions and creams to those awful scars.'

'Thanks Poopy,' James said.

Madam Pomfrey scowled at the nickname James and Sirius had fashioned from her first name ever since they had heard Professor McGonagall call her by her first name, Poppy.

'Well, Potter, I'm sure that you have had a lovely time talking to your friends, but now you need rest so, therefore, your friends need to leave you.'

'But-'

'No buts Potter, I'm sorry, Mr Black has been here since that day and only left to go to the bathroom, sorry.'

Madam Promfrey ushered the Marauders, minus James, Lily and Alice and friends out.

Sirius swore once they got out. 'Why can't we stay in there longer? Prongs has had days of rest!'

'Yeah, but he needs time to think about what happened. You can't just go interrogate him and stuff, he needs time alone,' Lily said soothingly, 'you'll be able to visit him soon.'

'How come you always look on the logic side of things…' Sirius muttered.

They made their way up the Marble staircase and settled in the Gryffindor Common Room and finished their potions essay on Veriteserum and other truth potions

Lily, while she was writing, she was thinking about James.

Veriteserum is a clear potion…

I wonder how he's doing…

…which can take a long time to brew…

I sure hope his scars have improved…

…It is a clear liquid…

I wonder what provoked Snape…

…and looks just like water…

Probably James, but he wouldn't use the Dark Arts or anything…

…When boiled, it also just smells like boiling water…

Well, I doubt that he'd use Dark Arts, I wasn't there, I was talking to Alice on the other side of the Hall…

'LILY!'

'Wh-what?'

Alice sighed. 'Have you heard anything I have been saying?'

'No sorry,' she muttered, 'Lost in thought…'

'I think I have realised. Do you want to go up to our dorm and talk about it?'

'Yeah, sure…'

Lily and Alice traced the familiar path up to the girls' dormitories. Lily hadn't walked up those stairs for quite sometime.

Lily and Alice sat on the bed closest to the door.

'So, what's up?'

'Well, I've been trying to figure out why Snape used such a curse!'

'Well we all know that those two hate each other…ever since…well, first year! And to be honest, if James hadn't always cursed him with something every time they passed in a corridor-'

'But James didn't do anything all year!'

'Yeah…but Snape was probably thinking that since James hadn't done anything all year, it was a sign of weakness and so he planned his revenge-'

'Revenge that can kill someone?'

'Well, everyone knows that he knows a lot of Dark Arts curses even before he came to Hogwarts.'

'He should have some sense not to try and do something like that though! Especially since Dumbledore was in the room!'

'Yes, ok, ok, I get the point…you win…' Alice said, defeatedly.

'You know what?'

'What?'

'I bet that he's going to become one of You-Know-Who's followers.'

'What?'

'I have a feeling…He used Dark Arts on James, in front of Dumbledore and so many other teachers…'

'You're saying he's going to become a Death Eater?'

'Yeah, that's what I'm saying…'

Alice just shook her head…

-----

The Marauders looked at the spot where Lily had been sitting and smiled. She now knew James more…grew to like him…

-----

James laid his head back on his pillow.

Lily visited me, he thought. She knows the depth of love…

He turned on his side and smelled the lovely smell of clean sheets.

Yay!

James smiled into his pillow.

She's seen the other side of me…

He rolled back onto his back and grinned at the ceiling.

Yay!

He pulled his sheets up to his chin, just like how his parents used to tuck him in when he was younger.

She knows that behind the cheekiness, there lies more…

James lifted his arms up until it was perpendicular to the floor.

Yay!

And he flopped them down on top of his sheets.

Yay!

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'So, hows life at school during classes?' James said smugly when the Marauders gathered together and Lily and her friends also came down.

'Ok I suppose…wish I could skive off classes like you…'

James said in a bossy tone, 'But how will you learn? You've got to keep up!'

'Bit rich coming from you, James,' laughed Remus.

'Classes are ok I suppose…I mean, you can tell that Slughorn is planning another Slug Club party…keeps dropping hints about how he wants a "welcome back to your normal state James". I'm glad we had the Ball, then we wouldn't have needed to attend a Slug Club Christmas Party.'

'They aren't that bad Lily!' James said.

'Yes they are. Every year he drags me around to meet friends of his saying things about me in potions…how wonderful I am…blah blah blah, it's no big deal.'

'Oh yes it is,' said James teasingly, 'we all know how Lily loves it when old Sluggy praises her. She is, after all, the best potion maker in our year of course.'

'Oh shut up you!' Snapped Lily, blushing.

'Oh,' said Sirius, 'shes blushing. Nice one James!'

'You too Sirius!'

'Oh, on first name terms with are we now Lily?'

'You want me going back to erm, surname terms then Black?'

'Choose what you wish, I don't mind.'

'Well why all the fuss?'

'I just like to see you when you get mad…'

'So anyways, if you can James, try and dissuade Slughorn from the party. I can't stand him!'

'What am I suppose to do? "Hey, Sluggy, I don't really want your party to take place, please cancel it". Is that how it's suppose to be?' James asked.

'I dunno, drop hints around…'

'Well, he's pretty oblivious to them Lily,' said Sirius, 'I mean, if you said "hello Professor, I'm really tired after a long day of Quidditch training and I feel like going up to bed this instant" to him just when he comes 'round the corner and asks you to attend a party this evening, he'd just say something like "why the wet blanket? Come have some fun and relax after training."'

'Well do you like it James?' said Peter.

'It's ok I suppose…nice food!'

'You only think about your stomach,' Lily said, rolling her eyes.

'And you,' James muttered under his breath. 'Without thinking about the food, no I don't particularly like them, so my answer is no.'

'Exactly! Please tell Slughorn to cancel them!' Lily said.

'I'll try.'

'Well there's Madman Pomfrey coming to this bed, we'd better leave,' said Remus. They all got up to leave.

They turned left and literally ran into Professor Slughorn.

'Ow! Sorry professor, didn't see you,' Lily said rubbing her nose.

Professor Slughorn chuckled. 'that's alright Lily, Didn't do any harm I hope?'

'No professor,' Lily said. She removed her hand from her now red nose. You?'

'Well, thanks to my bearbelly, I'm fine.'

'That's good professor. Well, we need to get going,' said Lily sensing something.

'Oh I was just about to ask you if you wanted to join my party as for James as a "welcome back to your normal state James" celebration.'

Lily tried not to show her discontentment about the party. 'I'll think about it Professor.'

'Well we all know how much you like my get togethers! How about you Sirius? Would you also like to attend?'

'Yeah, alright,' Sirius muttered.

Professor Slughorn strode off and turned right into the corridor leading to the Hospital Wing.

'Hope James asks him to not hold it!'

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James was let out of the Hospital Wing a few weeks after.

'Wonderful Potter, excellent recovery.' Madame Pomfrey checked his arms, 'You can't see the scars that clear…very well, you may leave.'

James skipped all the way to Gryffindor Tower, happily, like an insane Hippogriff, attracting stares from everyone around him.

'Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaswoooooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrd? Sang the Fat Lady.

'Christmas tinsel.'

The Fat Lady swung forward and James clambered through the portrait hole.

'Oh hi James! How come you didn't tell us that you were getting let out today?'

'I didn't know that I was getting let out today either.'

'Well, my good friend, come join us. We're playing piggy in the middle with the prefects' badges.'

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Hmm...took me three weeks to write something like this...shameful eh?

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