A/N: Ha! I almost didn't make with the update today... way too much to do, plus I had to write this chapter! Lol, but I managed to do it, so no worries :) Anyways, I hope you like this chapter. I actually enjoyed it a lot, although nothing really interesting happens (expect that next chapter- it's going to be Christmas, after all. And what's more exciting than Christmas for the Hogwarts student?)

Special thank you to all my reviewers! You guys are great!

Disclaimer: If I was Jo, this would be ten thousand times better.

Lily stared at the eyes. There were three sets of them; two brilliant pairs of browns and one blue. She shivered, her hand searching the wall for a light switch. When the nearest one was found, she flicked it on.

"Wow, instant lumos," one of the eyes seemed to marvel. "I was wondering why it was so dark- thought that Sirius finally took to being his last name. I guess this is how muggles get their light." The boy smiled. Potter. It was Potter; accompanied by Alice and Sirius, who found the dark a wonderful opportunity to snog around the sofa. They hadn't noticed Lily was home yet- or that there was light and everyone could see them, for they continued on and on. Lily made a barfing gesture.

"Why the hell are you here?" came Lily's harsh reply to James. She bit her lip after uttering those cruel, cruel words. She had just forgotten that Potter had just saved her from possible death, and she should probably be nicer… for a little bit, anyways.

"Well, since your accident and the whole suspicious event with your dad, the Ministry decided to get some Aurors to guard the house. My mum is here on duty, who brought me. The Ministry also thought it might be good to have Sirius stay considering the fact that he knows Regulus if Regulus manages to come, and Alice is here because of some silly 'be with your friend gig.'" James laughed, messing up his hair with his wand arm. Lily sighed.

"So basically, you think you can barge in my house and expect hospitality?" she puffed. If James Potter thought he was going to be at her house, he was so wrong.

"No, the Ministry thinks I can," James replied, smiling. "And since they make the laws, I'd assume that yes, indeed I have to stay."

Lily sighed. Potter at her house. With Black. Oh, that'll make my Christmas. Forfeiting the battle of letting James stay, she motioned over to Alice and Sirius.

"I'm home now," Lily said rather loudly, "and I'd appreciate it if you didn't suck face in my house, thanks." The two broke apart.

"Lily!" Alice screeched, embracing Lily in an immense hug. "You're home!" She stepped away from her friend, giving her space as she slunk back into Sirius's arms.

Lily managed a grimace. Alice was completely stupid about Sirius; and they had been dating a little less than a month now. In Sirius's world, that must be like five years to keep a girl.

Lily then walked into her kitchen; bringing everyone back a nice mug of coffee.

"I think only Alice has had this stuff," Lily said, handing everyone a mug. "But I know you're going to love it."

Alice beamed at Lily; obviously loving the fact that she had done something before Black and Potter. She also seemed excited to have coffee again; for her round face lit up as she saw the steaming drink. She lifted the cup to her mouth and took a sip.

"Mmm," the four Hogwarts Gryffindors exclaimed simultaneously, licking their lips.

"You know, Evans, for someone not so keen on welcoming me into your house, you seem to have a knack for pleasing us," Potter said coolly, as he took another sip. Lily sighed. This was not what she had been expecting.

She had expected to come home. To run to her room; to lay on her bed, to sit there and remember Daddy and cry. Perhaps get some poetry done. She was supposed to wait for Mum and Petunia to come home so then they could cry; and then they'd all go to the sofa and remember Daddy some more. She was not supposed to play hostess to her best friend, her obnoxious boyfriend, and James Potter!

As if responding to her thoughts, Lily heard a key being pressed into the door. It jangled and sang; she could tell it was her mum's keys with her many keychains that she and Petunia had given her over the years. The door began to open. Lily looked at it; her emerald eyes burning a whole in between herself and the wood. Oh, Mum! Lily thought. I need you!

The door opened. But it was not her mum.

In came Petunia, dressed in black, pulling what Lily assumed to be Vernon by the hand. She did not look unhappy; nor did she look happy, even with that hideous black dress she was wearing. She saw Lily, and she didn't even smile.

"You're not dead?" Petunia asked her, throwing the keys next to Potter, Sirius, and Alice on the sofa.

"Oh, didn't you know, Petunia? They found a way to make the dead alive again. We can walk around and talk now. Technology is getting great, isn't it?" Lily's bit of sarcasm earned her a few rounds of laughter from her friends. Petunia only smirked; and the fat, beefy man which was no doubtedly Vernon did not seem amused.

And then Lily's mum walked in the door.

No one could have ever imagined someone in such a depressed state. Although only in her mid forties, Mrs. Evans looked sixty or seventy. She hadn't applied any make up, nor did she even brush her abnormally knotted hair. It hadn't looked like she'd washed it in weeks. Lily's mum had on a black dress that covered every area of the body matched with a hat that seemed to cover all of her face.

"Mum?" Lily asked her, weakly. Mrs. Evans looked at her daughter. The once gray and gloomy face brightened up as if all colour had been invited back into the world. She ran to Lily, giving her a hug.

"Lillian!" And it was at that point Mrs. Evans began crying. She had obviously thought that Lily was dead too; and the tragedy of losing two loved ones obviously was terrifying. Yet in the midst of such dark times, Petunia managed to snort. Alice told her quickly to shut up, but Petunia took that as an invitation to say more.

"Oh sure, celebrate that the freak is alive," Petunia mumbled. "No one take any notice of ickle Vernon." She stroked Vernon's multiple chins adoringly, and James jumped off the couch in anger.

"Lily is not a freak!" he yelled. By now, Mrs. Evans and Lily were done hugging, as they began to watch the scene unfold. "She's beautiful! And intelligent, and if you don't respect that you don't deserve to be her sister!"

"Well, maybe I don't want to be!" Petunia snapped back. Mrs. Evans wiped a tear on the sleeve of her shirt, and began to scold Petunia.

"Darling, please try to calm down, I know this isn't the best day but look, Lily's alright! Not even a scratch to her pretty face! Isn't that a miracle?" She cupped Lily's face in her hands, as if she couldn't believe that Lily was actually there. Lily smiled. After a long while in which Petunia decided to not say anything at all, Lily introduced the Hogwarts gang to her mum.

"I suppose that Sirius and James will like to stay in the guest room?" Mrs. Evans asked, more to the two boys than to Lily, "and Alice will take the mattress we'll bring to your room." Everyone nodded; they had explained to Mrs. Evans why they were there and she didn't seem to mind at all. The Aurors on duty (Mrs. Potter and a few others) were stationed meanwhile outside, only coming in to grab a bite to eat or something.

And with that, everyone scampered to their assigned rooms, leaving only Petunia and Vernon behind, who retreated back to their apartment in Surrey.

A/N: So please review! Thanks!