Lily's Confession

A/N: Hello people! Long time, no see :D Sorry about that, it's the holidays and some pretty exciting (maybe not for you people, but for me definitely) stuff happened.

A/N: Oh, and I hate writers block. Originally I was going to end at the first seperater thing, but I thought that it needed a bit more. :/ Sorry for the Eli-less chapter :D

A/N: The reasoning for the random 'Lily's Confession' at the top there is that Lily kinda confesses something to James. And because I didn't really want to change the pattern I've got going with the chapter names being 'Chapter 1' 'Chapter 2', you know? And, before you get all excited, the confession's not that.

Just read on!

It turned out that Sirius had to go to St Mungoes for trauma treatment. Apparently some nightmares actually scarred you for life in the Wizarding World.

James sat in the waiting room, worriedly. He tried to block out the images of his little sister in the exact same position as Sirius. She never made it out of St Mungoes.

He tried not to think about what would happen if the bed sheets were pulled over Sirius' head.

Of course Sirius' family doesn't care. thought James with sudden anger. The Blacks hadn't visited Sirius once, and it had already been five days.

James turned away from the door.

"Oh! Geez," he gasped, his hand flying to his heart.

Lily was leaning against the door frame, watching James. He didn't hear her.

Upon closer inspection, Lily looked like she didn't have many peaceful nights.

"Uh... I guess I'll be going, then," started James, standing up and reaching for his coat. Lily shook her head.

"There's no need to do that, I came by to talk to you."

"Me?"

"Yes. Sit down, James."

He complied.

Lily sat down in the chair beside him. For a while she didn't speak.

"I know your secret."

James' eyes widened and he started spluttering.

"Wh-what sec-ret?" he asked nervously.

"The secret behind 'Padfoot', 'Prongs', 'Wormtail' and 'Moony'."

He gulped.

Lily inhaled deeply, then flashed him a smile.

"I would've done the same, you know."

James was shocked. He was preparing himself for a full-blown argument.

"Really?"

Lily nodded.

"I understand your logic. I understand the circumstances. I understand the risks you took to help Remus. The Marauders aren't just a group of bad, playful prankers. Your bond of friendship is more than skin deep. It lies in your heart and soul - " she chuckled, " - I was so awful to you. I thought that you had no compassion, you had no soul. To me, you were just some arrogant, rich Pureblood who didn't care for schooling, or your future. To me, all you were here to do was to be a nuisance - another Peeves.

"Since getting to know all of you, I suppose that my judgement has weakened. I've let you in, and I have learned something very powerful and valuable. I understand your relationship with Remus and Sirius. But there's one thing I don't understand. Why is Peter the odd one out? I mean, he's not the brightest of them all, and you three certainly are. Even his name doesn't fit. You all have an 's'. He doesn't. Just what is he to you? Do you pity him? Or is he an undiscovered gem - the success of all successes?

"I know that Sirius ran away from home - " here, she looked at James with a small smile, "And I know that you took him in. Without question. It is also something I would've done, if it was KayCee or Bridget. I know that you're grandparents were brutally murdered at the hands of Volde-twerp - " James clenched his hands and Lily placed her gentle ones on his and smoothed them out, " - I know most of your secrets. Since getting to know you, I've changed.

"I've changed for the better I suppose. And I thank you, all of the Marauders, for opening my eyes and mind. I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

Lily gave James a warm smile. He sat there silently for a moment.

"I have a question for you."

"Go on."

"Do you know about KayCee and I being betrothed?"

Lily had completely forgotten about it. The air from her lungs escaped her and she felt dizzy for a minute.

"Y-yes, yes I do. I completely forgot all about it."

James bit his lip.

"I have another question."

"All right."

"What do you think I should do? I mean, what do I do about my relationship with Eli? I'm betrothed, but I have strong feelings for Eli. I-I think I'm falling in love with her."

James looked away from Lily and at his feet. It came out as a mumbling rush of words.

"I think there's something I need to tell you, James."

"What? Will it help me?"

"I'm not so sure. But... KayCee's pregnant."

"WHAT?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" warned Lily.

"She's - she's what?"

"Pregnant. Didn't you know?"

"Obviously not."

"Point taken. So... what do you think will happen? I mean, is there some way to break the enchantment of betrothals? I think that KayCee and Sean Argent want to marry. I mean, that's understandable, considering the circumstances. And, maybe, you might wan-want to marry Eli."

Lily said that all in a rush. For some reason, she felt as though it pained her to say it.

James racked his brains, evidently not noticing the blush creeping into Lily's cheeks.

"I've got it!" he yelled, knocking his chair over in delight.

"Uh... Shut it, will you?" groaned Sirius, rubbing his eyes.

"SIRIUS!"

James and Lily rushed over to each side of Sirius' hospital bed.

"How are you doing, mate?" asked James worriedly.

"All right. I've been better," Sirius grimaced, propping himself up on his elbows.

Lily silently slipped out the door while James and Sirius chatted quietly.

It was a week later and Sirius was back at school.

If he got dizzy or had an excuriciating headache, his friends would take him out of class and drag him up to the Hospital Wing, even if he insisted a million times that he was fine.

While it was irritating at times, Sirius was extremely grateful for his friends' concern.

"Guys! Seriously! I'm alright! I can go to the Hospital Wing on my own!" he half-yelled as his friends were arguing whether or not they should bring a pram, a bonnet and a baby bottle and stuff Sirius in the pram and bonnet and wheel him around the place. James was arguing that it was easier for them to move Sirius to the Hospital Wing, especially when he dug his heels in. Remus was arguing that it would be difficult A) to get his wand, B) to stuff him in a pram, C) to shove a bonnet on his head and that they should just give up on that idea. Peter was arguing about who was going to take pictures. Lily was arguing about how Sirius would be getting more of a headache with all this arguing and KayCee was arguing about missing class (well, taking a chunk out of her time with Sean Argent). Bridget was arguing how Sirus was not alright because he didn't even try to make a pun after his exasperated sentence.

Sirius threw his arms up in the air and walked off into the direction of the Hospital Wing.

I'm fine! Really! Look, I know my sense of direction and everything!

Sirius looked around before opening a broom cupboard and pulling a broom down, as if it was a lever.

Which, in actual fact, it was.

It was an old secret of the more frequent visitors and patients to the Hospital Wing. The lever pulled several cords and up the person went to Hospital Wing. It was amazing how it still worked after so many years of its existence.

Sirius enjoyed the ride up to the Hospital Wing. It gave him time to think.

After the floor stopped moving upwards, Sirius stepped out of the broom cupboard and entered the door to his left. Or was it right?

Whichever direction it was, it certainly wasn't the direction of the Hospital Wing.

He blinked as he took in his dark surroundings.

There were diagrams, muggle posters, books of all types, a large cauldron with potion ingredients in the cabinet behind it and several broken quills littering a wooden table. Pieces of parchment were crumpled and in a wastepaper basket.

Slowly, Sirius took out the Marauder's Map.

He uttered the words and was starting to get impatient as the ink spread from his wand tip.

"C'mon!" he hissed. Sirius was the only one in the Marauders opposed to the delay of the Map's inking. While watching the lines magically appear all over the parchment was wonderful at first, it was a killjoy when Filch or someone undesireable was right behind them.

He spotted his name next in a broom cupboard. But, thought Sirius, this is too big to be a broom cupboard. Sirius made his way to another door.

I wonder what's here... he was about to open it when something caught his attention.

The names Severus Snape, Gilderoy Lockhart, Lucius Malfoy and Gabriel Zabini were approaching the room Sirius was in. Fast.

Without thinking, Sirius opened the door and quickly jumped into the room behind it. He listened through the thin wooden door.

"We need to re-plan this all!"

"But we're already halfway through!"

"Not with the way the mudbloods affections are spinning!"

"But she's dating me!"

"That doesn't mean that she likes you. For all you know, she's going to break up with you tomorrow or after lunch!"

There was silence.

"Look, we're still going to carry on with your part of the plan, but you need to work quicker - harder for her to fall."

"Then we'll capture her."

"And take her to the Dark Lord. If she doesn't agree to coming with us, we'll gas her."

"What's that?"

"It-it's a muggle technique. You put some heavy perfume or something on a cloth and put it over her mouth and nose. After a while, she'll fall asleep."

"Are you absolutely sure that the Dark Lord wants her to join the Death Eaters?"

"Positive. He said that she was valuble. Someone that's needed on our side."

"When are we going to take her there?"

"New Years Eve."

Sirius had heard enough. He turned around, looking for a way to escape. Another door? Just my luck! Eagerly, he turned the handle and ended up in the same corridor that his friends were in. This time, however, they were searching for something frantically.

I'll have to search that 'Broom Cupboard' further... he thought before stuffing his wand and the Map in his robes.

"Looking for me?"

They all looked up, startled.

"C'mon, let's go!" Sirius said, disappearing around the corner. He heard footsteps behind him. Obviously they were following him.

When he turned another corner, he was met with Snape. Snape's lip curled, a small smile on his face.

"OBLIVIATE!"

Sirius sat up, breathing heavily.

"Where am I?" he mumbled.

"The Hospital Wing. We found you passed out in the corridor," said a worried voice. It sounded like James.

"There was a lot of blood," said another, on the other side of him. It sounded like Lily.

"I think you fell and knocked yourself out. Your head must've been delicate from that nightmare you had a while back."

"...What was I doing before?"

"You ran away from us when we were arguing about putting you in a pram, bonnet and giving you a baby bottle and rolling you around the school."

"Yeah, I remember that. I remember going into the cupboard that takes you up to the Hospital Wing. I think I went into a door but after that..." Sirius shook his head. He was suddenly aware of the shooting pain at the back of his skull and that bandages wrapping his head.

"How long - "

"About ten hours."

He nodded, silently frustrated. How did I end up in that corridor?