Kooky Cookie,

Thanks for hanging out in the Hospital Wing with me, even when my fellow Marauders ditched me for food, you hung in there. Thanks for that. You kept me from murdering those girls, you know. Even though you probably think I'm a smug bastard for changing, or stripping rather. Of well. You can be Kooky and I'll be Smuggy and voila. That'll be our names.

Well Kooks, I'm off to go eat some chow. Sirius finally got back from the kitchens with some food. Whoops, probably shouldn't have told you that. Oh well. Be a good Head Girl and don't tell Dumbledore, alright?

Loads of love (in the friendliest sense, of course),

James "Smuggy" Potter

Lily laughed as she read the letter. The Common Room was alight with candles and the fire burned cheerfully. Her fellow seventh years were settling down at the various tables, studying and laughing. Mary Macdonald and Marlene McKinnon were sitting beside each other, talking low tones. He was too undecided for her taste.

James, Peter, Sirius, and Remus sat in the prime position, directly center of the room. Every few minutes a roar of laughter was heard from their direction. Lily rolled her eyes at them when it occurred.

"Oye Lily! Come over here!" Sirius called to her.

"We need someone objective to decide for us," James explained as she sat down.

"Decide what?" Lily asked, looking around at them.

"Who the best looking is." Peter supplied. Lily smiled at him and he was pleased.

"Oh that's an easy one." She began. She watched them hanging on her every word, even Remus.

"Well? Who?" Sirius asked impatiently.

She pointed in the direction of a small first year. "Him." As if on cue, the boy turned around and grinned at them. She beckoned him over with a smile. "Marauders, meet Kenneth Magee."

Kenneth looked at them cockily. "Hullo."

The boys exchanged confused looks but greeted him warmly.

"So you're the boy of Lily's dreams?" Sirius asked.

Kenneth nodded. "Duh."

Lily bit back a smile. "He's my little neighbor," she explained. "I used to watch him years ago."

James shook his hand. "If you survived her, you're a worthy fellow."

She rolled her eyes but smiled happily. She had heard that Kenneth hadn't been fitting in at Hogwarts and befriending the Marauders would definitely help his case.

"Alright mates, it's time for yours truly to patrol the corridors." James stood up from his chair. "Shall we, Lily?"

She waved goodbye to the others. Climbing through the portrait hole, she watched James pull out a small piece of parchment.

"Not that again," Lily sighed. "I hate when you use it. I feel like we're spying on everyone."

"Makes life much easier though, doesn't it? We can manage to only catch Slytherins." James examined it closely. "Speaking of which, I see a rather large gathering of them in an otherwise empty classroom. You up for it?"

"Who's there?" Lily asked.

"The Carrows, Sirius's brother, Mulciber, Avery, and… er… Severus Snape." James said the last name slowly. "We don't have to go, Lily."

She straightened her shoulders. "Yes, we do. It's likely to be Death Eater's thing and that's not acceptable. It's our job, James." She took a deep breath. "What room are they in?"

"Classroom 13." James answered.

They walked in silence, silence that broke only when they reached the classroom.

"What are you lot doing in here?" James asked with an unpleasant expression upon his face.

"What's it to you, Potter?" Mulciber drawled.

"Nothing except it's my job to tell you to get lost." James looked at him.

"Too bad, Potter. We're not finished yet." Snape snarled before turning to Lily. "What do you want?"

Lily glared at him. "For you all to get lost. Plan your Death Eater getaways elsewhere."

Mulciber walked over to her, placing one hand upon her shoulder and framing her face with the other. His grip was tight as he gazed at her face. "You'll be among the first to get lost, Mudblood." He said softly, laughing at her as she struggled.

James pushed him aside. "Don't you dare talk to her like that!"

"Don't worry, Potter. We won't forget about you." That was said by Alecto Carrow. She leaned onto his shoulder, whispering in his ear. "Leave her behind, James. We'll make you great."

"Leave me alone," he spat. "All of you get lost. Detention for being out after curfew, one hundred points each from Slytherin for your language and attacking us." James placed his arm around Lily's shoulders. "Get lost."

"You're stupid, Potter, to choose a Mudblood over us. A Mudblood who doesn't even like you." Alecto hissed as she strolled past them.

Avery walked past, leering at her. Lily clung to James, keeping her wand in front of her. They watched as everyone left except for Snape. He walked up to Lily, ignoring James.

"You shouldn't be here, Lily." He said quietly. "It's dangerous to go against them."

"You shouldn't be here either, Severus." Lily replied. "You shouldn't be doing any of this."

Severus looked at her. "It's too late, Lily." He shrugged before walking away.

James tightened his grip around her. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'll be alright," she said softly. "Can we go to the Head's Room?"

James nodded, leading her slowly to their joint sanctuary. It was there that Lily sat down upon the couch beside James, leaning against him. She felt tears fall from her eyes and thought for a moment about how awful she must look. Her thought made her laugh and her tears turned ricocheted into a mixture of laughter and misery. James looked at her for a moment before gently pulling her closer to him.

"It's okay, Lily. It's really okay." He whispered into her hair.

She didn't speak for nearly an hour, letting her feelings out. Finally, all emotion escaped. She looked at him, holding her tightly, and smiled.

"Thank you, James. You're always there when I need you to be." She spoke softly. "You're always there."

James smiled at her. "I'll always be there, Lily."