Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is a walking masterpiece, I am the ground she walks on.
JAMES' P.O.V.
"She's ready." I looked up from my bed, dropping the magazine down on my chest. Sirius was grinning broadly in the doorway.
"As in.." I trailed off, not wanting to get my hopes up that much.
"Yes. She told Dumbledore she can see you, that she won't hurt you, and she thinks that you won't hurt her. She's not completely convinced you weren't the one torturing her, but I'd say she's like 97% convinced." he grinned at me some more while the news sank in. Lily wanted to see me?
I bounded up from the couch and grabbed Sirius in a rough hug, letting him go quickly. "This is bloody fantastic! I have to go, right now." I started towards the exit but Sirius caught my arm first.
"Uhm mate, no offense…but you might want to shower first. And maybe, brush your teeth…" he said, not meeting my eye.
"Oh come on. I showered…" I trailed off, oh Merlin. I couldn't even remember. "Right you are. Ok." and I ran towards the direction of the bathroom instead.
As I took a quick shower, brushing my teeth at the same time, reminding me of Lily, I debated what I was going to say to her. How would she react? If she started screaming what would I do? Would she still remember me? Remember us? Of course, this wasn't the best situation, but at least she was willing to see me! And Sirius had told me Petunia was inviting all of us to her wedding in a month. So hopefully by then Lily would trust me completely.
I doubt she would continue living with me, at least at first. She'd probably stay with Emma or somebody. But it would be so wonderful to have someone else sleeping next to me again. To have someone to talk to about anything, at any time. I finally knew why she had slept in the same bed as Sirius when I was in my coma. The absence of another person breathing was terrible. It kept me up most nights.
But she was ready to see me! Finally ready! It was a miracle. I had some idea of what she had gone through, but really, nothing could compare at all to what she had to have thought of me. When I saw the "Lily" that night, who was actually Bellatrix, it had shaken me up. She had been sexy and seductive and yet not at all the sweet and innocent Lily that I loved. But nothing could compare to being tortured by her. I could never see Lily raising her wand against me let alone an Unforgivable coming out of the perfect curve of her mouth. And yet, that's what she had been dealing with for the past months, seeing me raising a wand, shouting out that curse. And she had no idea that it wasn't me. Had thought that I could ever hurt her.
But this was different. She finally realized that I wasn't the terrible person that had tortured her all of those times. She finally consented to see me. I got out of the shower quickly, drying off and grabbed a shirt, smelling it to see if it was clean before throwing it over my head and grabbing boxers and pants. I was out the door before I could even pull up the pants. Sirius was waiting at the kitchen table.
"Are you ready?" he asked, standing up.
"I think so. Any suggestions?" I asked, running a hand through my hair and feeling the drips of water running down my back.
"Just go really slowly. She processes things at the same pace, but she just thinks things through a lot longer, so you need to give her time." He clapped my shoulder. "Good luck Prongs. You'll be fine." he said, before giving me a quick hug and stepping back.
"Thanks mate." I said, before turning the handle of the door and turning, disappearing into the air, imagining only Lily's face.
Emma's P.O.V.
I was staring at the knitting needles, watching them flare back and forth, the scarf knitting itself. The couch was comfortable, the fire at my feet warming the soles of them and making me cozy. But I felt like something was missing. I knew James was going to see Lily today, and I prayed that it would work, and that she could be released. Her friend Jo's funeral was in two days, and I'm sure she wanted to attend. I had just picked up the needles myself, ready to knit and try to relax when Sirius walked through the door.
He had a determined look on his face, his face bunched together, but I noticed that the twinkle was in his eye. I smiled up at him. "Hey, how was your day?" But he ignored me, just coming closer to me before grabbing me into a ferocious kiss, my lips melding into his as he wound his fingers through my hair and pulled me to him, crushing me against him. Just as quickly as he had come, he let go, leaving me breathless.
"What was that for?" I asked him, looking up at him.
"I'm in love with you. I have been for months. And I know you have that whole independent woman thing going on, but I'm telling you to be dependent, on me. I love you. I love you Emma. I've never told anyone that. I didn't even know what love meant a year ago, and now I do. With you. And you love me back. I know you do. Or else this, what we have between us, would have never happened. You would have just rejected me like you use to at school. I love you Emma. And you love me." He took a deep breath, and I sat back, stunned.
Sirius had never done anything like that before. Had never once confessed his feelings to me like that before. I took a deep breath, not meeting his eye. "I-I don't know what to say."
"How about you love me back?" he said with a grin, leaning towards me and kissing me gently.
"Oh Merlin." the realization slowly sunk in. The missing part, it had been Sirius. It always had been, I just hadn't been ready to admit to myself that I let myself fall in love with someone. Be dependent on someone. And yet I was. Sirius had been there, everyday, for me. Helping me. Loving me. And somehow, I had fallen for him. Deeply. Truly. Fallen for someone.
I reached up for him, cradling his face in my hands and kissed him, truly kissing him, giving him everything. I let go, still right next to him, nose to nose, lips barely touching. "I love you Sirius Black." His lips grazed mine as I said the words, giving me chills and then I pressed forward, his lips meeting mine tenderly.
We stood up together and my hands slid under his shirt as we walked, lips still molded together, slowly to the bedroom. I slipped my hands to the bottom of his shirt, pausing briefly to lift it over his head. His hands slipped to the bottom of mine and pulled it over my head, throwing it to the ground and his lips were on mine before I could even think. We finally made it to the bed, And I climbed on to it, laying down on my back, hair spreading across the pillow, seeing him lean over me, so beautiful.
My hands moved to his belt, undoing it quickly, and sliding them down his legs, onto the ground. Then my hands moved up to his chest, exploring his expertly carved stomach. His hands reached down, slowly sliding off my shorts. His tongue delved into my mouth, pressing deeper making me pull him down on top of me, needing to get closer to him. And as the rest of our clothes peeled off, we became one, making love deep into the night, and it was better than anything I'd ever experienced, because I was in sincerely in love with Sirius Black.
James' P.O.V.
I had imagined this moment, so many times. And yet, nothing could ever prepare me for it. The door stared me down. I knew Lily was right on the other side of it, and yet my hand wouldn't move from my side to open it. She was right there. And yet my hand wouldn't move. I suppose I was having a panic attack, but nothing was happening, I could still breath. This was Lily. I had to see her. But the doubt and guilt was just too much. What if she didn't love me? Decided she loved Sirius because he had helped her heal and would never torture her? I took a deep breath and slid to the floor, cupping my head in my hands. This was Lily. A million picture of her fled into my mind. Her soft, pale skin. The red curls that flowed expertly down her back. Her perfect, full lips, touching mine.
And then I stood, knowing what I had to do. My hand automatically went to the handle and pushed it open without thought. And then there she was. Sitting on her bed, reading a book, and she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
Remus' P.O.V.
"And you're sure this will work?" I asked, holding the small bottle doubtfully.
"Yes," Frank said, smiling widely at me. "It's been tested with more than forty subjects, all with positive results. They turn yes, but without pain, and don't lose their mind to the animal instincts. You're mind will still be yours, you'll just be a wolf."
"Frank, how can I ever repay you?" I asked, overwhelmed completely.
"Remus, you're my friend. You don't need to repay me for anything." he said gently. Just send me an owl the morning after so I can know that it worked! I'm so excited."
"Well you'll have to wait a week first but yeah of course. I, I don't know what to say. This is incredible." I cupped the potion in my hand, I could make out the tiny label that said WOLFSBANE on it.
"Maybe in our next life you'll think about letting me into your gang." he said with a laugh.
"What? Oh, the Marauders?" I grimaced. "Did that hurt your feelings? I'm sorry Frank." It had never occurred to me that Frank would be in the Marauders. He had been a year ahead of us in school and didn't really fit in with the whole prank thing. He mostly kept to himself.
"Now now. I was just kidding. Besides, I struggled enough with getting into the Auror's department without having a million detentions on my record." Frank said with a shrug.
"Well I'm glad you're not seriously offended." I said. I checked my watch briefly. "I have to go. I told Sirius' cousin that I'd watch her kid since I had nothing to do today."
"Ok, go home. I just hope it works." he said grinning still.
"Me too Frank. Thank you so much." I apparated quickly, still shocked by the news that I might be able to transform into a wolf without feeling any pain. It seemed impossible. If it worked, I was going to track down this Wolfsbane man and thank him again and again.
I got home quickly and fixed up a quick dinner for two, knowing that the little girl would be here soon. While I was setting the table, there was a knock on the door and I walked over to it and opened it to see a girl around the age of eight standing there. She hand bright blue hair that stuck out in spikes and a long, hooked nose. Above her shoulder was a woman with long, curly brown hair and big twinkling eyes.
"Hi, I'm Sirius' cousin, Andromeda. This is my daughter, Nymphadora." she said, reaching out a hand and I shook it lightly. "I'm sorry just to drop her off like this, but I really am in a rush, I hope you don't mind."
"Oh, not at all. I was just getting dinner ready anyway." I said and smiled at the girl who stuck her tongue out at me.
"Dora, be polite." She said with a warning tone. "Ok, well I'm off. I'll see you in a little while." And she walked out of the door.
"Nymphadora huh? That's a mouthful." I said with a grin, walking back to the kitchen table.
"It's Tonks actually." she said in a high pitched clear voice.
"Isn't that your last name?" I asked.
"Yes, what's it to you?" She said, before sitting down at the table and helping herself to the steak and kidney pie I had made.
"Just making conversation. How old are you?"
"Eight. My mom had me when she was sixteen." she said, eating the food in front of her.
"Oh, well that's nice." I said, before eating my piece also.
"Oh, well that's nice." She mimicked me. "Want to see something cool?" She asked with an evil little grin on her face.
"Uhm…sure?" I said hesitantly.
"I need a picture. A girl preferably. Doesn't matter what she looks like." she said, pushing back her seat, the noise of scraping chair making me flinch.
"Ok?" I said, and grabbed the quickest picture I could. Me, Emma, Lily, James, and Sirius. "Take your pick."
"Ooh, the red head for sure, that's always the hardest." she said, and closed her eyes, concentrating very hard.
"Hardest for wha-" but I trailed off. Her short hair was curling, growing down her back changing into the same tone of red as Lily's. Her nose was shortening, becoming straight and angular. Her eyes curved, becoming almond shaped and becoming a deep green. Her ears became smaller, pointier.
"Oh my-" I said incoherently. I backed away slightly. It was like I was staring at Lily. "How-ho"
"How did I do it?" the high pitched eight year old voice came out of Lily's face, chilling me slightly. I nodded and she giggled. "I'm a metamorphmagus. Basically, I can change my appearance at will. So, how do I look?" she asked with a smile.
"Uhm, I'm still kind of freaking out." she giggled again. "What do you actually look like?"
"This." she said, and she transformed slowly again, her long red locks going to her shoulders now, a straight brown. Her eyes changed to a pretty deep brown like her mothers and her nose widened slightly at the bottom.
"How do I know that's what you really look like?" I asked.
"You don't." she said and giggled once more, her features changing again to resemble Emma. "Bet you you'll pass out when you see the pig."
"You're on."
Lily's P.O.V.
I heard the door open and looked up from my book and when I saw the figure there, I struggled not to scream. It did no good to scream though, they had told me that millions of times in that prison. The torture would still come anyway. My body backed into the bed as far as I could, into the blankets and pillows. My torturer was here, ready to hit me with a new round of pains and cuts and bruises.
But then I remembered what Sirius and Petunia had told me. How he actually wasn't bad, how he was still the same James that I had dreamed about, so I sat up slowly, bringing my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. I looked up at him, and saw those hazel eyes behind the glasses, staring at me, letting me make the first move.
"I-I don't know what to say." I said, and let out a breath. "You can come closer if you want to."
James took two steps closer and when I didn't shrink away, he took two more, before sitting at the edge of my bed. He was still looking at me, examining every angle of my face.
"Is it true, what they've all told me?" I asked, whispering, somehow unsure of myself, unsure of the truth.
He nodded and cleared his throat. "Yes Lily. It's the truth. All of it. I would never hurt you. I love you." he sighed. "God Lily, I've missed you so much."
His voice was different than the man from the kidnapping. My torturer. His voice had always been screaming, mocking me. Insulting. This voice was smooth, filled only with love and affection. I didn't know what to think. He looked identical to my torturer, and yet, he looked at me with love in his eyes, and my torturer had never done that, ever. He only ever looked at me with hate.
I remembered the lesson in second year, learning about Polyjuice Potion. How it: allows a human drinker to assume the form of another human. How it: made the person completely identical to the original, the voice, features. All that I knew about it, and yet I had never suspected that it had been used to trick me. Once the tortures just continued, I fell straight into their web, just assuming that they were telling me the truth, never once doubting the doppelganger that had tortured me so many times.
I sat up straighter, getting up on my knees before scooting down to sit facing him. He looked at me without saying a word. I reached my hand up to his face and when he didn't protest, I touched my fingers to his cheek, gently brushing his smooth skin, from his temple, down to his jaw line, just tracing it back and forth. He felt real, felt like my James. I touched his eyelids that closed under my touch, then his nose, then down to his lips, where I gently traced them. They opened under my fingertips and his cool breath washed against my face. My hands went upwards, going through his hair, feeling the soft touch of it, so smooth against my hands.
"You have no idea how good that feels." he said quietly, his voice low. His eyes met mine and my breath caught. He was just so beautiful. "I've missed you Lily. So much." Tears began falling down his face, and I touched them, my fingers becoming wet with them.
"I'm sorry." I said gently, looking up at him, my own tears beginning to fall now also.
"What in the world are you sorry for? You have nothing to apologize for. If anything, it was my fault. I should have looked after you more, should have took better care of you. This is all my fa-" but he was cut off abruptly when I slowly put my arms around him, putting my head to his chest. It was a short hug, but it was enough to get my heart racing. It was his smell. All James. A lovely smell that I didn't realize how much I had missed.
"I love you James. I always have. I think that a part of me always knew that it couldn't be real. That you loved me too much to do those things."
"Lily, I love you too." he took my hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing it. He was still crying, tears of joy now, and they were falling freely.
"We're going to have to go slow. I don't even know if I should live with you. I might wake up and think you're going to torture me the next second." he flinched at that. "I do love you though. I realize now that it was just a trick. A horrible, disastrous trick but I know that it's over. I love you, and that's that." I took a deep breath and held his other hand.
"Jo's funeral is in two days, I might stay with Dean until the funeral. I'm sure he's distraught, and I think he deserves a friend." I said.
"That's fine, whatever you need." he said, still staring at me with wonder.
"You know what I really need? Some ice cream. I'm sick of this hospital food." I said with a grimace. His face broke into a smile, a smile so big that it brightened up the whole mood.
"Ice cream it is." he said, and stood up offering his hand. And as I stood too, taking it, I realized this was where I was meant to be. With James, my hand fitting perfectly with his.
A/N: I'M SO SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG. YOU CAN HIT ME MENTALLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE. School just ended, today actually, and I decided to celebrate by writing since I'm a loner with no friends. Just kidding, I actually do have friends, but its still mid afternoon so we have no plans yet. Thank you for all you lovely reviewers.
Jade2nightwing: are you talking about Vernon loving Petunia? Because I'm going to have a tidbit with them in the next chapter if that's what you mean.
IAMSOAP: I almost put soup instead of soap haha. Well thanks, I really like the complex character of Petunia, and she's probably going to be featured more.
Loslote: Thank you! And thanks for reviewing
Lynnnnyl: ta da
Gaap237: thanks, I appreciate that. Sirius is my favorite character, and I love making him have a "relationship" with Lily, even though it'll never be anything more than friends.
Loice: Thanks, I really appreciate your review
WickedlyWest: Thank you, but I don't know what OOC means. Please explain!
TimeTraveler15: thank you so much, I love getting such positive reviews. You keep me going.
Looney3: OH MY GOSH I LOVE THOSE BOOKS SO MUCH. I never even thought of that connection but you're right, it's just like that. Is that a bad thing?