Disclaimer: As always, I do not own any of the Harry Potter or Harry Potter related copyrights.

"Lissy!" screamed Jessica Fairfax, more commonly known to her friends and family as Jess or Jessie, as she opened the front door of her big brother's London townhouse before her best friend could even ring the doorbell.

Lily had been saying something or other to James as she had reached for the doorbell, but whatever it was immediately flew right out of her head the moment she saw her dearest friend for the first time in over two months. Lily ran to her friend and enveloped her in a huge hug.

"Jess! I didn't know you were coming!" squealed Lily in unfeigned delight.

"It was a surprise for you silly! I didn't want to ruin the surprise!" Jess shrieked back with equal enthusiasm.

Just when Lily thought she was happy enough to burst, she found herself looking at several other very familiar faces.

"DANNY! TONY! MARY! I can't believe you are all here! This is amazing!" enthused Lily as she hugged each one in turn. "Benjy, how could you not tell me everyone was coming up?!" she asked with happiness saturating her voice as she hugged the man in question, who had stayed to the back of the welcoming party.

During the hug-fest, James just kind of stayed towards the shadows of the, figuratively speaking, stage; letting Lily get the limelight. As she advanced into the hallway to dish out more affectionate hugs, James just quietly slipped in behind her and closed the door gently.

After the initial shock wore off, Lily again became aware that she had brought a guest with her whom she was currently neglecting. "Um guys, this is my friend James Potter," said Lily as she grabbed one of James' arms and brought him to the forefront. "And James, meet Jess Fairfax and Mary Arnolds, my best friends in the whole world, Danny Arnolds and Tony Romero, also good friends of mine since forever and of course Benjy Fairfax!"

As she said their names, each person shook James' hand and looked into his eyes curiously. All of them had been on the receiving end of Lily's rants against the one called Potter, more than once over the years. To their credit though, each of Lily's friends mumbled a pleasant greeting to James, no matter how much they doubted his relationship with Lily.

"Why don't we all go and sit down," offered Benjy softly.

The group nodded their heads and began to migrate in the same direction without verbally deciding where to go. James just stuck to the back and was following the group when Benjy, who let everyone go in front of him, as was his nature, fell in step with him.

"I don't trust you," said Benjy without looking at James.

James curiously looked over at the man next to him. Bengy looked to be about thirty, though there were many creases in his forehead that made him look older, and burdened.

"What?" James finally said.

"I don't trust you with Lissy," Benjy's voice was very low and soft and kind of rough, like he didn't use it often, but it still seemed very intimidating and cold to James.

"You've only known me for three minutes, how can you already not trust me?"

Benjy stopped outside of the room where the everyone else was sitting and chatting happily and finally looked James in the eye. "I may have not known you for long, but Lissy has and the occasions where she has talked well about you have been few and far between. What are you hoping to achieve here Potter?"

"Nothing," said James as he put his hands up as if to show his intentions were honest.

"We're not done here," said Bengy as he glided by James and into the room, taking the unoccupied seat next to Lily.

It took all of James' willpower to suppress the eye roll that was threatening to escape due to Bengy's act as the overprotective older brother(in-law). Above everything else, it just struck James as odd that anyone felt the need to look after Lily; she had always seemed so fiercely independent to him.

"And how is Richard?" asked Mary with a giggle at the end.

James would have totally missed this question in favor of staying in the realm of his own thoughts had not Richard's name been mentioned.

Lily hesitated a moment, but then said evenly, "We broke up."

The girls gasped, the guys looked mildly surprised and only slightly interested.

"No way!" said Jess in disbelief.

"You guys were so close this summer!" stated Mary.

"And you even mentioned in your last letter that he had visited you at school…" said Jess as her brother looked at her and raised an eyebrow as if daring her to finish verbalizing how she knew Richard and Lily had a healthy relationship when he visited her.

"He just wasn't the right guy," said Lily with a glare towards her best friend.

Jess sighed, "Come on Mare, we have to pump this one for information! I can just smell the juicy background story!"

Lily allowed herself to be led out of the room by her two friends who flanked her sides to prevent escape. As she walked by James she mouthed 'I'm sorry.' James was puzzled for only a moment.

"So… James is it?" asked Danny as all three guys turned towards James.

"Umm, yeah," replied James as his hand went up instinctually to his hair.

"What's your grand plan here?" asked Tony skeptically.

"There is no plan," said James slowly and uncertainly.

"You might as well just tell us," said Danny. "We'll figure it out eventually anyways."

"There is no plan, I swear!"

"Why else would you be here if there wasn't a plan?" asked Benjy in his quiet way.

"Because Lily asked me too and we're friends. Besides our Headmaster said we could only skip the London tour if we stayed together."

"Why not just break the rules and do what you want? I've heard that that's the only thing you're good at," said Tony scathingly.

"Ummm…"

"How did you even get to be Head Boy in the first place? Was that part of the plot too?" asked Tony.

"Look guys, there is no plot. I was appointed Head Boy and I've been doing my best to limit the rule-breaking this year to a bare minimum so that I don't let everybody down. Lily and I called a truce because Dumbledore said we had to stick together on this trip, so we decided we might as well not be trying to kill each other. That's it. We're kind of sort of… friendly acquaintances now, but there is no plot!" said James emotionally.

"Sure…" said Danny totally unconvinced.

"What's with the third degree anyways?" asked James.

"We just don't want Lissy to get hurt," explained Benjy. "She has enough on her plate without having to worry about a relationship at school on top of everything."

"Yeah," Danny chimed in. "School is supposed to be her one asylum from her crazy step-mom; that's why it's such leverage over her."

"What Danny is trying to say is that she has enough forced dates at home and doesn't need more guys in her life at school."

"We're not dating!" said James loudly, not quite understanding what these guys weren't getting.

"We know you like her," said Tony with a broad grin.

"I used to like her; we're just friends now," said James, frustration evident in his tone.

"So James, you play Quidditch?" asked Benjy suddenly.

James' head was reeling until he heard the distinct sounds of the girls coming back into the room.

"This conversation never happened," hissed Tony.

"Answer the question," ordered Danny under his breath.

"Yeah," said James nervously. "I've been on the team since my second year."

"And what position do you play?" asked Tony, all traces of scorn gone from his features.

"I'm a chaser," said James.

"Oh and… welcome back girls. Did you get your scoop?" asked Danny.

"No," said Jess curtly her lips curved in a pout.

Mary whined, "Lissy is being as tight lipped as ever! Make her talk!"

Lily looked triumphant as she looked over her shoulder and winked at James. This wink did not go unnoticed by any of James' inquisitors; James shifted nervously.

Benjy just looked over at Lily and raised an eyebrow; she shrugged in return.

"You're doing it again!" yelled Jess.

"Doing what?" asked Lily in an overly innocent sounding tone.

"That thing where you talk to Benjy without even talking," said Mary, who was highly aggravated by now; she wanted her gossip!

"So?" asked Lily, goading both girls into being even more annoyed.

"It's so annoying!" groaned Jess.

"You're getting us off topic," said Mary as she shook a finger at Lily. "Don't think I didn't notice."

Lily just laughed at how aggravated both girls had become.

"Please Lissy! Just tell them! For all our sake's!" said Tony as he tried to block out the whining of Mary and Jess.

"It's none of their business," protested Lily.

"Please Lissy," begged Danny. "Remember that time I covered for you when you colored all over Vi's term paper?"

"Danny! I was four!" said Lily laughing.

"Yeah, but you still owe me!" said Danny.

"Come on Liss, it can't be that hard. We all know you just love to infuriate Jess and Mary," said Tony. "Spare the rest of us."

"Fine," sighed Lily, who was clearly defeated. "Richard is actually quite evil. He joined an organization recently which targets muggle-born witches and wizards."

"What do you mean by 'targets'," asked Benjy suddenly. Lily had explained to him about the growing prejudice, so he was very afraid for her.

Lily just looked over to James for help. He responded to her plea by saying, "They kill muggle-borns and often muggles and anyone who stands in their way. Recently there has been an increase in the attacks on certain families; usually the families of muggle-borns."

Tony glared at James for bringing up such a concern. He and the other guys were worried about Lily enough as it was; they didn't need to add worry for her life to the usual list.

To break the tense atmosphere, Jess said cheerily, "Lissy, I went through my closet the other day and I found a skirt that I bought a while ago that I thought I would someday fit into, but it's still too long. It's too short to fit Mary, but I think it will probably fit you. I brought it along, so why don't you go try it on and you can keep it if you like it."

"Sure," said Lily. "Where is it?"

"It's up on the bed in our room," supplied Mary. "There's a top there too that might fit you. I outgrew it in my last growth spurt."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, rub it in why don't you," grumbled Jess, who obviously was not pleased that she was shorter than the other two girls.

"I love being in the middle of you two," said Lily with a smile as she skipped off to try on her new outfit.

"So Potter," said Mary with a hugely fake smile. "What are you doing with my dear friend Lissy?"

James internally groaned. Not this again! It was even worse that horror stories he had heard from older guys about meeting their girlfriends' parents; also, he didn't even get the pleasure of dating Lily, and she kept leaving him alone with them.

"Nothing," said James, as he forced himself to remain calm. "We're just friends. Our Headmaster required that we stick together today in London, and I didn't have any plans, so I agreed to come here with Lily."

"It's not as if she'd get lost or anything," said Mary snidely. "We all basically grew up here, especially when Daisy…"

Jess cut Mary off by elbowing her in the ribs. Apparently that was a family secret Jess did not think James should be privy to; he made a mental note to ask Lily about it later.

"Is Richard really evil?" asked Jess to cover up her action.

"I don't know firsthand," admitted James. "I haven't ever really met him. I only know as much as Lily has told me, which is pretty much what she's told you."

"I think you're hiding something," said Mary suspiciously.

"I'm not hiding anything," said James.

Luckily Lily flounced back into the room at that moment. James couldn't think of a time when he had appreciated seeing her more.

"What do you think?" asked Lily as she twirled around. James had never seen her so free and happy.

"It looks marvelous!" said Mary as she and Jess clapped and catcalled. The short skirt definitely did show off Lily's long legs… especially the long red scars that ran down the back of her calves…

"What the hell happened to you?!" asked Danny in alarm as he caught sight of the scars.

Lily stared at him strangely. "What do you mean?"

Danny stood up and turned Lily around so that Tony and Benjy could see the scars as well.

"Oh hell! Lissy, what happened to your legs?" asked Tony.

James winced. He knew what those particular scars were from and he knew that this was not going to be an easy explanation.

"Uhhh… I was in Care of Magical Creatures class when…" started Lily.

Mary interrupted to say, "You don't take that class. You think it's pointless because you'll never use that information unless you turn into a wandering hobo who lives in enchanted woods or gets a job taking care of magical animals."

Lily paled as her lie was figured out. "I was in herbology…" she started weakly.

"And you got attacked by a vicious plant?" asked Jess skeptically.

"Well, there are certain species of…" began James, trying to help Lily get out of her sticky situation.

"Shut up Potter! This doesn't concern you!" yelled Jess, her eyes blazing.

"Tell us the truth Lillian Marissa Evans," said Benjy gravely. Like his younger sister, the anger was evident in his eyes as well.

Lily slumped when she stood. "I was walking around the grounds a couple of weeks ago, during a full moon and I was attacked by a werewolf. It was all my fault really. If I had just paid more attention, I would have known better than to go outside during a full moon."

"Werewolves are real?" gasped Jess as Danny said, "There are werewolves at your school?" and Tony said, "What kind of school is your Headmaster running?! You can't keep dangerous things like that near a school!"

Tony's comment really aggravated James. After that it didn't matter that it was Lily's family, James was going to defend his friend.

"Professor Dumbledore doesn't keep him anywhere, and he's a person named Remus Lupin, not an unnamed thing!" stated James angrily.

"He's also a good friend of mine," said Lily quietly.

"And he's a hazard!" said Tony, ignoring James' and Lily's comments. "Just look at what happened to you!"

"That was a freak accident!" said Lily loudly. "He's been at school for seven years now and this is the first time anything ever happened! And besides, all I have left are scars; I'm fine."

"How did you escape with just scars?" asked Danny.

"I had the help of a few friends," said Lily.

"Did they know they were risking their lives to help you?" asked Benjy, who had a strong suspicion he knew who one of Lily's helpful 'friends' was.

"Yes," said Lily. "They both knew what they were getting into and did it anyways. I wouldn't have survived without them."

"I think we should thank them then, for your safety and well-being," said Benjy evenly as he made eye contact with James. "Don't you agree James?"

"Uhh, yeah I guess," he said uncomfortably. "I bet they were just doing what they needed to. No big deal or anything…"

"Indeed," said Benjy as his gaze lingered on James for a minute more and then his attention shifted to his sister-in-law. "Can't magic erase those scars?"

"Eventually," said Lily quietly. "But they were rather deep and it took a while for the muscle to knit itself back together. The scars should disappear within another week though."

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Danny. "Do you want to sit down or something? Do your legs hurt?"

"I'm fine," said Lily with a smile, clearly enjoying the attention.

"Are you sure?" asked Danny, his brow still creased in worry.

"Positive," said Lily, with a slight laugh.

"I still don't like the idea of a werewolf living at Hogwarts," said Tony angrily. "I think I'm going to write a letter to your Headmaster. This cannot go on!"

"Anthony Michael Romero! You will do nothing of the sort!" said Lily loudly as she approached said the twenty-something year old man.

"Lillian Marissa Evans! Look I can do it too!" mocked Tony loudly. "And yes I am going to write a letter! This is an outrage! I think I need to address this with the school's board of directors! I want this thing expelled!"

"You're being completely unreasonable!" shouted Lily. "How dare you say such things about the man whose baby I'm carrying!"

There had never been such a silence since the beginning of the world, and its highly unlikely that there will ever be such a silence again.