So… Chapter 24: Surprise

When Lily faded into consciousness the next morning, she knew that she wasn't in her bed and that there was someone with her. She could feel the back of their fingers run up and down her arm. She looked up to see James, his hair its usual mess, but no glasses.

"Good morning." He whispered pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Morning." She replied stretching her toes and legs.

"Are you asleep?" James asked.

"No." She answered closing her eyes again. "Are you still tired?" Lily nodded her head squeezing her eyes shut as she frowned.

"It's still really early." He told her. "Why don't you go to your bed?" Lily groaned. She was pretty comfortable. "Come on." He sat up making it uncomfortable.

She sighed sitting up. Lily looked toward the window where it was still dark outside. The clock sitting on the fireplace claimed it was six in the morning. "Why were you up so early?" Lily asked him.

"I just woke up. I was thinking about waking you up so you could sleep in your bed." He explained. Lily nodded yawning. "Come on." He pulled to her feet.

"But my bed is so far away." Lily complained.

"Then just lie down on the couch and go back to sleep." James suggested. Lily lay down on the couch before he even finished. She pulled one of the pillows under her head then James draped the blanket, that hung over the couch, over Lily. He knelt beside her.

"I'm gonna go home. See you in the morning?"

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah, my mum's probably worried." He explained pushing some hair out of her face.

"Okay." Lily agreed. James kissed her forehead again.

"When should I come by?"

"I'll meet you at the park at noon for lunch?" She suggested.

"See you then." He stood up disappariting right in the middle of her living room.

O-O-o . . . . o-O-o . . . . o-O-o

Lily's mother slept in that morning so didn't have time for breakfast or more than a quick hello, before she was off to work. So while Lily waited for noon to come she wrote back to her friends telling them of James showing up and the scrap book and the smores in her living room. Then she got to Ambre. Lily felt bad for yelling at her and not apologizing.

Dear Ambre,

Thank you for the Christmas card, it was wonderful. I really do appreciate what you did for James and the way you helped him. It was incredibly sweet of both of you. I also wanted to apologize for yelling at you in the common room for telling Remus. I hope you can forgive me, James explained to me that you didn't know we were keeping it secret. So, as you can imagine, I feel pretty bad for treating you the way I did. I hope you had a good Christmas, I know I did thanks partly to you.

~Lily

By the time she was done it was nearly eleven. Lily took a shower then got dressed in jeans and a plain white long sleeved shirt with a t-shirt over it. She dried and brushed her hair by which time an hour had passed. Time to meet James at the park. Lily pulled out her jacket from the coat closet and sneakers from near the door, slipping them on before leaving the house. Locking the door behind her, although she didn't really worry about people breaking into the house. And the ones she was a bit worried about wouldn't have a problem getting past a dead bolt.

Just as she walked out the door James walked up the street. His hair looked windblown as usual, but he didn't look out of place in his muggle clothes. A cold wind rush past making Lily fold into herself to keep warm. James ran up the front steps so he had a little bit of shelter under the porch.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." Lily said.

"It's not a very nice day out." He told her pointing out the obvious. Not only was it windy but snow was falling like it was a mild blizzard.

"So what do you want to do?" Lily asked. James pulled up the collar of his jacket.

"Do you want to come to my house?"

"Sure." Lily agreed.

"Okay." James looked around making sure no one was around. He took Lily's arm before quickly turning on the spot. Lily felt the all too familiar sensation of being sucked through a straw before they landed outside a gated house. Beyond the gate was the Potter house. It wasn't snowing there, but it was still cold. James took Lily's hand leading her into his house.

"So what do you want to do?" He asked once they entered. His house wasn't huge, but it was a lot bigger than what Lily was used to. It might as well have been a mansion. It probably was. His family was rich. James took off his coat throwing them on the floor on top of the shoes he'd already taken off.

"You can just leave your stuff there." He told Lily indicating the pile. Lily slid off her shoes and coat also depositing her mittens and scarf.

"What do you usually do for fun?"

"During the winter? Well, usually Padfoot's here and we just goof off. Make messes, play games." He explained moving through the house.

"Sirius stays here?"

"Oh, yeah. He basically lives here since he ran off. Well here and Hogwarts." Lily hadn't known this. But then she hadn't talked to James until that year. And when they did talk it was usually him asking her out while she found new ways to insult him.

"Sirius ran away?" Lily asked.

"Yep. It was sometime last year. But we took him in like the lost mutt he is." James paused. "How about some lunch?"

"Sounds good." Lily agreed. Seconds later James was pushing open the doors to an open kitchen.

"I wonder where everyone is." James muttered before calling out, "Mum!" What followed was silence. He called again. Nothing. A third time but still just silence. Lily reached out touching his arm.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. But I don't know why she wouldn't be here." He answered.

"Maybe she went to Diagon Alley." Lily offered. James looked at her.

"Maybe. I don't know, maybe I'm just being paranoid." Lily could see something in James she hadn't seen before. Worry?

"What do you think happened?" Lily asked. He shook his head. "James?"

"You-know-who's getting strong. Lily. I've already lost one parent to him, so…"

"You think he came here and…But then there would be the dark mark." He nodded.

"You're right. But you understand my worry right?"

"Of course I do." She assured him.

"Do you want to find her before we do anything else?"

"Yeah." He said. He led her through the house. Lily got to see each room. Each one was clean and homey, a place one could imagine lounging around and with family. She saw the living room with all it's pillows and arm chairs. Trinkets and little heirlooms scattered on every surface, but managing not to look cluttered. Open windows looking out onto the street out front, or the snow covered lake out back.

Eventually they ran across a house elf. His name was Ditty.

"Have you seen my mum?" James asked the elf. He'd been scrubbing a self down with a rag.

"Yes sir. I have."

"Where?" The elf pointed up at the ceiling. And for a heartbeat Lily could see James think the worst.

"In her room." the elf told him. And just like that it was washed away.

"Thank you Ditty. And please don't forget to wash my school robes."

"No sir. I won't." Ditty gave a small nod turning back to the shelf. On the way up the stairs Lily lightly squeezed James' hand. He paused one foot a stair higher than the other.

"She's okay." she said. He smiled.

"I know. And I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"I'm just little overprotective sometimes. I don't think I can imagine loosing my mum too." He went on. He shrugged walking back up the stairs.

"James." Lily called. He turned back to her.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to wait for you in the living room. Okay?" He nodded heading back up the stairs. Lily waited until he reached the top before heading to the living room.

"Ditty?" she asked.

"Yes miss?" He asked turning to her. He was refilling the shelf with its trinkets.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course miss."

"Will you answer me honestly?" She asked.

"If Ditty can." he promised.

"Did You-Know-Who really kill Mr. Potter? James' dad?" She was sure he did, but James really never said, just that he was killed while working as an auror.

"Ditty does not know for sure miss."

"Right. Do you know why James is really so worried about his mother?" Ditty turned to Lily with his big bug eyes looking right at her.

"Yes Ditty knows."

"Can you tell me?" He shook his head his ears hitting his face. Lily wasn't sure what brought this curiosity on, just that James wasn't one to worry about someone unless there was a real reason.

"If I guess could you tell me if I was right?" Ditty nodded. Lily took a deep breath before asking. "Is it because she's marked for death?"

"Young Mr. Potter thinks so." Ditty confirmed.

"You don't have to punish yourself for telling me this do you Ditty?" Lily asked. He shook his head.

"No Miss."

"Okay. Thank you, Ditty." She sat down on the soft couch. How was it possible that James could handle so much worry? Forever worrying about his mother, school, Lily and just life? But then Lily realize that James didn't worry about school and that it was only the people he cared for that he ever really worried about and he didn't stress over it. He lived life to the fullest with the people that meant the most to him. Like the Marauders and his family. And Lily.

Lily felt James' hands cover her eyes from behind the couch. She smiled knowing he was hers. Even when she hadn't wanted him. They always belonged together for each other.

"I want you to meet someone." he whispered in her ear. He slid his hands away from her eyes resting them on the back of the couch. "Lily, this is my mum Laura." he told her. Laura stood beside him. James didn't look like her. She was old, but unlike Lily's Gran, looked nice.

"Hello Lily." Laura said.

"Hello." Lily echoed.

"Would you like something to eat?" she asked.

"We were actually about to eat." James told her. She nodded patting her son's cheek.

"Do you want Ditty to make it?"

"We're alright. Thanks."

"We'll I'm still tired. Maybe we'll go to Diagon Alley later today if you'd like. You could come too Lily." James nodded.

"Sleep well." he said as she went back upstairs. "Come on!" he pulled Lily through the house back to the kitchen. He dropped her hand near the island counter going straight to the pantry.

"What do you want?" James asked proceeding to list off candy and sweets.

"How about something healthy?" Lily asked. James stopped turning to look at her as if she'd just yelled 'there's a giant man flying outside!'.

"Healthy?" he asked.

"Yes. You do believe in nutrition right?" He frowned.

"No. I don't believe in apples a day or eating liver."

"Well you should." Lily told him. "And it's only one apple a day."

"You know. You're kinda cute when you're telling me to eat healthy." James told her ditching the food idea all together. Lily laughed.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah." He went on pulling her into his chest. "All eat your greens,"

"Carrots." she added.

"Oh," he said as if that were the sexiest thing he'd ever heard.

"And celery sticks." Lily went on. "High in...something or other." She had to stop because James was kissing her and she couldn't concentrate, so just kissed him back. Lily thought she heard someone clear their throat. Figuring it was nothing they continued. Then there was a knock.

"James," Lily asked still kissing him.

"Hmm?"

"Did you hear that?"

"It was nothing." he told her moving back to her lips. Several seconds passed before she heard a door slam. But ignored it. When they were suddenly sprayed with water they broke apart.

"Oh good." Sirius said holding the nozle to the sink. "I was getting worried you might suffocate."

"What are you doing here?" James demanded.

"Well hello to you too."

"You know what I mean. I thought you were staying at Hogwarts for the break." James replied.

"Well, see Prongsy," Sirius began jumping up to sit on the counter, "I was. But then I talked to Dumbly-dore and he set it up so I could come here. Isn't that great?"

"Marvelous." James said.

"So have you told her?" Sirius asked. James wrapped his arms over Lily's stomach so they were both looking at Sirius. James shook his head then rested it on her shoulder.

"Not yet."

"Told me what?" Lily asked.

"Nothing baby." James said.

"Gag me." Sirius said. "First Mary is all clingy then I went to the library where Moony's flirting with that Ambre and now you two. What has the world come to?"

"Mary's getting on your nerves?" James asked.

"Yep. I think it's time man." Sirius says.

"Oh come on Padfoot."

"Time for what?" Lily asked.

"To dump her." James explained.

"What? But you two were so happy." Lily said.

"Were being the word. I don't know anymore. I just think it's time."

"You're being stupid." James told him.

"She's asking for commitment." Sirius defended. "Now, I hear you guys were going to eat?"

"How did you hear that?" James asked.

"I didn't hear it. I just figured you were in the kitchen for a reason. Although you were snogging, so maybe I was wrong." Sirius said hopping off the counter. "But then, you do have a bedroom for a reason don't you Prongs?" James hugged Lily tighter, willing himself not to kill Sirius.

"Unless," Sirius was thoughtful for a second, "You've already been up there?"

"That's it!" James said going after Sirius. Sirius just hooted with laughter as they took off into the living room. Lily waiting in the kitchen as there was loud thuds in the living room. They reappeared still running, but for some reason Sirius was chasing James. They sprinted out the back door. Lily, figuring it was going to be a while, jumped up on the counter.

On the other side of the window Lily could see the two boys pelting each other with snowballs. Lily walked over to the door that was still open.

"James!" she yelled. He looked over at her getting an earful of snow. He held up a finger running over to Lily.

"Come inside. You're going to get sick." She warned. He smiled at her.

"Five more minutes?"

"James honestly. You're not five anymore." But James just rolled his eyes.

"I know. Here, grab my jacket. And one for you too."

"James," Lily began. It was cold outside.

"Please." He cut in. Lily sighed going to grab them jackets. When she returned with her jacket and shoes on James and Sirius were sitting in the snow talking. They never ceased to surprise her.

So there you go. Sirius showed up. Surprise! And that thud in the living room was James running into the wall as he got his shoes on. Graceful I know. (Rolling my eyes.)