Chapter 41 A Not So Happy Birthday
Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.
James entered the Common Room on Monday morning to find Lily waiting for him.
"Happy birthday," she said standing on her tip toes to give him a lingering kiss.
James kissed her back enthusiastically.
"Are you two coming to breakfast or would you prefer a Permanent Sticking Charm?" Sirius asked laughing.
Lily broke their kiss, her cheeks flushing, and James glared at Sirius. Sirius grinned cheekily back.
"Let's go to breakfast," James said putting his arm around Lily's shoulder.
Lily, James, and their friends were just settling down to breakfast when the post arrived. Remus moved the orange juice as two owls landed side by side on the table with copies of the Daily Prophet, for Marlene and Remus, clutched in their beaks. Remus got his open first.
"Not another one!" Remus exclaimed opening his paper.
"What now?" James asked looking worried.
"Another attack in Diagon Alley," Remus said holding up the paper for his friends to see.
The dark mark loomed on the front page over a shop. The headline read Five Killed in
Death Eater Attack.
"It says here that the attacks aren't believed to be random this time though," Remus summarized. "The Aurors seem to think that the people they killed were targeted specifically."
"Why?" James asked sounding angry.
"It doesn't say," Remus said continuing to scan the page. "It happened late in the evening after most of the shops were already closed though. So there weren't any witnesses."
"I wish there was something we could do," James said. "I feel useless just sitting here in school."
Sirius gave him an incredulous look.
"What?" James asked.
"Are you daft?" Sirius asked. "You are doing something. Admittedly, you're doing it unintentionally. You're actual motives are completely unrelated but that hardly matters."
James just stared at him.
Sirius rolled his eyes.
"You've lost me, too, Padfoot," Remus chimed in.
"Yeah," Katie and Marlene agreed.
Lily just stared at him like he'd lost his mind.
"Just so we're clear, we're all confused right?" James asked.
The rest of the group nodded.
"How far back has your family been wizards?" Sirius asked.
"Um, forever?" James said questioningly.
He had no idea what Sirius was talking about or where he was going with his line of thought. What did being from a long line of wizards have to do with anything? Whether one's family was magical or not didn't matter. He and Sirius agreed on this point.
"Exactly," Sirius said.
"I think he may have finally lost his mind," Marlene said.
"You're all daft," Sirius said. "Now, Lily."
"Yes?" she said.
"How many wizards or witches are in your family?" Sirius asked.
"Um, one," she said sounding slightly nervous.
"Exactly," Sirius said as if the matter was explained.
James just glared at Sirius. What did Lily being the only one in her family to be magical have anything to do with anything?
"Oh," Remus said. "You're logic is weird but I get what you're saying."
"Well, that makes one of us," James replied.
Sirius sighed and looked at James with a look of exasperation.
"Do you care that Lily is the only person in her family with magic?" Sirius asked.
"What the hell kind of a question is that?" James practically shouted.
Had Sirius completely lost is mind? He knew James didn't care because it didn't matter. Why was he even asking?
"Oh, calm down, Prongs," Sirius said as if James was an irrational toddler.
"Well?" he added looking pointedly at James.
"Of course not!" James exclaimed, although he did manage to keep his volume to a more reasonable level. "It shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter!"
"I have no idea what you're on about," he added in exasperation.
"I just explained it to you," Sirius said. "It's not my fault you're too daft to understand."
"He's not daft," Remus said chuckling. "He just isn't looking at it from your perspective."
"James," Remus said. "You are what the Death Eaters would qualify as a pure blood wizard."
"I am aware of this," James said looking at Remus like he is crazy. "But I don't care…"
"Exactly," Remus said.
James just stared at Remus his confusion evident.
"You are a pure blood wizard. And you are dating a Muggle-Born witch. And you don't care. That is what Sirius is getting at," Remus said. "At least I think it is."
"But I'm not dating Lily because she's a Muggle Born. That's completely irrelevant," James started.
What was wrong with them?
"That's why I said you weren't doing it intentionally," Sirius explained. "But to the Death Eaters it's not irrelevant," he continued. "You a Pure Blood, are dating a Muggle Born. Everyone, with the exception of the future Death Eaters in our midst, looks up to you. You're one of the most popular students here. Don't you see, you are setting an example that is the complete opposite of You-Know-Who," Sirius concluded.
"Oh," James replied giving Sirius a look like he still wasn't convinced.
He glanced at Lily who seemed to be thinking about what Sirius said.
"He's kind of right, you know," she said looking up at James.
"I guess," James said running his hand through his hair. "I never really thought about it. I love you because you're you. I'm not dating you as a political statement," he said with a shrug.
Lily smiled at him, "I love you, too, James."
James grinned. Without warning he leaned over and kissed her deeply.
"James," Lily said after a moment shoving him away. "What are you doing? We are in the Great Hall."
"I was setting an example," he said grinning.
"You are such a prat," Lily exclaimed smacking him in the chest.
James just grinned cheekily back at her.
After lunch Lily and Marlene headed off to the Library do homework. As it was James's birthday Lily was hoping to make a good dent in her work so she and James could spend some time together later that evening. They had managed to arrange it so that they did not have patrol duty and Hufflepuff had booked the Quidditch pitch for the whole evening to prepare for their match against Gryffindor on the coming weekend. Normally, James would have complained about another team monopolizing the pitch but as it meant he had the night of his birthday free he had let it go.
Shortly before the bell rang Marlene and Lily began to clean up in preparation for Charms. They left the Library just as the bell rang and people began to flood the corridor. They headed down the stairs from the fourth floor to the Charms corridor on the third.
Without warning Lily felt something catch her ankle and found herself falling forward down the stairs. She made to reach out with her hands to help break her fall when she suddenly felt her body go ridged, her legs straightening and her arms snapping to her sides. She heard Marlene call out her name. Almost as if in slow motion she watched the floor getting nearer and nearer until, crack!
She slammed into the stone floor face first. She could feel her nose, and what were probably several other bones in her face, breaking. Waves of pain shot through her body and she came to a stop face first at the bottom of the stairs. Somewhere, far off in the distance, she could hear Marlene calling her name. She felt hands touching her back.
"No, don't move her," she heard someone say.
The someone sounded like Remus, but she couldn't be sure. The pain was excruciating. Her face throbbed and she could tell she was on the verge of blacking out. The voices around her, which must be close, sounded so far away.
"You, go and get Madame Pomfrey, quickly," she heard the voice that sounded like Remus say.
"You," the voice spoke again. "I need you to go and find James Potter. He should be coming back from Care of Magical Creatures. Tell him Lily has been hurt."
'No,' Lily wanted to say. James would be upset. He couldn't see her like this. But no one had lifted the spell and she still couldn't move anything but her eyes. And moving her eyes was painful. She could feel the blood trickling down her face, taste it in her mouth. Her vision was becoming blurred. She knew she was only moments from passing out.
"James! James Potter!"
As James and Sirius walked through the doors into the Entrance Hall James heard someone shouting his name. He looked at Sirius with a confused expression but he just shrugged.
"James," a boy James recognized as a fourth year Gryffindor called again pushing his way through a small crowd at the top of the stairs heading towards James and Sirius.
"Hey," James said. "It's David right?"
The boy nodded panting slightly.
"Remus sent me to find you."
"Is Remus alright?" Sirius asked cutting him off.
"He's fine. It's Lily," David answered. "She's been hurt."
"What happened?" James asked unable to hide the panic in his voice.
"I don't know, exactly," David replied. "It looked like someone hit her with 'Petrificus Totalas.'"
"Well, that's not exactly a dangerous jinx," Sirius said.
"It is when you're going down the stairs," the boy said.
"Where is she?" James demanded his panic rising.
"Third floor, the Charms corridor," David replied.
James took off at a run with Sirius on his heels.
"Where are you going?" David called running after them. "The most direct route is back that way".
But James wasn't listening. He ducked behind a tapestry that he knew was concealing a passageway that would take him directly to the third floor. When he exited the passage he turned and quickly headed to the Charms corridor.
Madame Pomfrey was already there when James and Sirius, followed closely by David, arrived. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall were also there. Madame Pomfrey had already placed Lily on a stretcher. James came up behind Flitwick and peeked over his head.
Some of Lily's hair was plastered to her face which was covered in blood. Her nose definitely didn't look right and she was not moving. At first he thought perhaps the jinx was still active but as he looked her over he noticed that her arms and legs appeared relaxed and not stiff as they would have been if the jinx was still active. He glanced at her chest and after a moment of watching was relieved to see that it was rising and falling so at least he knew she was still breathing.
"Prongs," Remus said and James jumped.
He hadn't realized that Remus was there.
"What happened, Moony?" James demanded.
"I don't know," Remus said sounding strained. "I didn't arrive until after."
"She tripped and suddenly her arms and legs just snapped together," Marlene said shakily coming up behind Remus.
"Ms. McKinnon, you saw what happened?" McGonagall asked.
The four seventh years looked up and Marlene nodded.
James glanced over towards Lily again and saw Madame Pomfrey levitating the stretcher and beginning her trek back to the hospital wing. He turned to follow and suddenly felt a restraining hand on his shoulder.
He looked at the hand on his shoulder and followed it up the arm to the face of Professor McGonagall.
"There is nothing you can do right now and Madame Pomfrey won't let you in," she said, though not unkindly.
"I can't just, I have to," James tried to argue.
"Come with me to my office please, you four," she said.
James tried to protest but McGonagall cut him off.
"There is nothing you can do for her right now. Come to my office I want to hear exactly what happened," Professor McGonagall said keeping her hand on his shoulder and steering him in the direction of her office. The other three followed behind them.
James glowered at Professor McGonagall as she led him and his friends down to her office. How could she be so calm James wondered? Hadn't she seen Lily? Her face was covered in blood. He wasn't sure where it had all come from. As Madame Pomfrey had left he was certain he'd seen a gash on the side of her head but could all that blood come from just one cut? How far had she fallen? Marlene and that David bloke said she fell down the stairs but not how far? Was she going to be okay?
James was starting to feel rather nauseous. He wished he hadn't eaten so much at lunch.
"Are you alright, Mr. Potter?" he heard Professor McGonagall ask gently.
Was he alright? How could he be alright? Lily was covered in blood. Her nose was definitely broken. She was unconscious. He was afraid if he opened his mouth he might be sick. He looked at the floor and shook his head.
Professor McGonagall squeezed the shoulder she was still using to steer James to her office.
"When we are finished I will escort you down to the Hospital Wing," she said. "Though you know as well as I do that Madame Pomfrey will not let you in."
James nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He could feel his body beginning to shake.
"She'll be okay, James," Professor McGonagall said reassuringly.
James looked up at Professor McGonagall. It was not like her to address students by their first names.
When they entered her office Professor McGonagall conjured up two extra chairs and said, "Please sit."
Sirius, Remus, and Marlene sat in the chairs in front of her desk. James, on the other hand, chose to pace behind them.
"Now, please tell me what happened," Professor McGonagall said looking at Marlene and Remus.
Marlene told Professor McGonagall who listened intently.
"So, you have no idea who it was?" Professor McGonagall asked when Marlene had finished.
"No, classes had just let out and I didn't hear anyone cast the spell or spells," Marlene said. "I'm not sure if she tripped and someone took advantage or if it was a trip jinx."
"It had to have been an older student," Sirius piped in. "If they were able to cast the spell silently."
"It was noisy in the corridor," Marlene said. "I just might not have been able to hear them."
"If it was someone taking advantage of her tripping it would have to be an older student, too," Remus argued. "To hit her on the fly like that."
"Just getting her in the crowd took some skill," Marlene pointed out.
How could they all sit there so calmly? James' eyes were starting to burn. He could feel the tears threatening, his vision blurring slightly. He really didn't want to start crying in Professor McGonagall's office.
"Thank you," he heard Professor McGonagall saying. "If you will excuse me I would like to speak with Mr. Potter for a moment. Then I shall escort you all to the Hospital Wing."
James stopped his pacing and watched the other three exit the office.
After Sirius closed the door Professor McGonagall stood and walked over to James. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Lily will be just fine," she said comfortingly. "I've seen Madame Pomfrey fix much worse."
James nodded and felt his breathing hitch. He didn't dare try and speak, afraid he would lose what little remaining control he seemed to have. He did not want to cry in front of Professor McGonagall.
"But I want you to promise me that if you find out who did this that you will come to me," she said sternly. "What they have done is unconscionable but seeking revenge would make you no better than them. And you are definitely better than them. Do you understand?"
James nodded still staring at the ground. He doubted the perpetrator or perpetrators would ever be caught anyway.
"If I hear that you have taken it upon yourself to deal with them I will be most disappointed," she added.
James nodded again and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Being given such high praise by Professor McGonagall, even when it was contained within a threat, when he already felt emotionally drained, was pushing him to his limit. He tried to blink back the tears still building in his eyes but felt one or two spill over. He tried to subtly wipe them away by pretending to rub the spot on his nose where his glasses sat.
He followed McGonagall out of her office. Sirius, Remus, and Marlene were waiting for them. James kept his head down as they followed McGonagall to the Hospital Wing.
When they arrived they found Katie and Peter waiting outside the door.
"There you are," Katie said anxiously. "Madame Pomfrey won't let us in and she wouldn't tell us what happened."
Marlene quickly retold the story of what had happened again.
"So you don't know who it was?" Katie asked when Marlene had finished.
"No idea," Marlene replied.
"I am going to go and get an update from Madame Pomfrey," Professor McGonagall said. "Please wait here."
McGonagall conjured six chairs along the wall for them to sit in and then entered the Hospital Wing.
James sat down in the chair nearest the door and leaned back against the wall, closed his eyes, and tried to steady his breathing.
He jumped slightly when he felt an unfamiliar hand grasp his. He looked over and found Marlene sitting next to him. He glanced down at his hand to confirm that it was indeed hers that was holding his.
"She'll be okay, James," Marlene said comfortingly. "Remember the time I took that bludger to the head."
James decided that under the circumstances letting Marlene hold his hand was acceptable and nodded slightly in response to her question before he returned to leaning his head against the wall.
After what felt, to James, like an eternity Professor McGonagall returned.
"How is she?" Katie asked before James could actually collect his thoughts enough to ask.
"Madame Pomfrey says that she will make a full recovery. She has healed all Lily's injuries but she is still unconscious," Professor McGonagall said.
"When will she wake up?" James managed his voice cracking slightly.
"Madame Pomfrey says she cannot be positive," Professor McGonagall said gently. "But I did talk her in to letting you in for a minute, Mr. Potter."
"I can see her?" James asked.
"Only for a minute," Professor McGonagall replied. "Madame Pomfrey was very firm on the time."
James nodded, stood up from his chair, and followed Professor McGonagall into the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey had placed portable curtains around Lily's bed despite the fact that she was currently the only occupant in the hospital dormitory.
"One minute, Mr. Potter," Madame Pomfrey said. "She needs rest."
James nodded, he seemed to be doing that a lot, and cautiously walked over to where Lily was hidden behind the curtains.
If James hadn't known better he would have thought Lily was just asleep. Madame Pomfrey had changed her into a pair of hospital issue pajamas and tucked the blankets under her arms.
James sat down on the side of the bed and carefully reached his hand out to touch her face. There was no sign that any damage had occurred. Her nose looked exactly the same as it always did. James brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen across Lily's face. She looked paler than usual which before now James would have said was impossible. James glanced over his shoulder to make sure Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall hadn't followed him before bending over and gently kissing Lily's forehead.
"Hey, love," he whispered but she remained motionless.
As he sat there looking at her, lying unmoving in the hospital bed, he felt the tears he had been fighting off earlier burn in his eyes once more. Try as he might a few unbidden tears trickled down his face. He sniffed and tried to wipe them away with his sleeve. He was afraid if he gave in that he wouldn't be able to stop. He took a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself.
"Alright, Mr. Potter, time's up," said Madame Pomfrey bustling in.
James opened his mouth to protest but Madame Pomfrey shooed him out of the way as she brought over a tray with several potion bottles.
"You may come back and visit after dinner. She needs care and peace and quiet," Madame Pomfrey said ushering him to the door.
James, having been in the hospital wing on more than one occasion knew better than to try and argue but he couldn't help it.
"But, but," he started.
"Out, you can come back later this evening," she said pushing him out the door.
"After dinner you can all return," Professor McGonagall said as James' and Lily's friends gathered around the door.
James tried to protest that he wasn't hungry but Madame Pomfrey simply closed the door.
James still had one afternoon class remaining but he didn't even entertain the idea of going. Ignoring his friends, he picked up his bag, and headed off down the corridor. He didn't stop until he reached the Heads Common Room.
He threw his bag down on the chair and collapsed on the couch. He sat there staring at the fire. It was his birthday, for Merlin sake. He and Lily were supposed to be in class right now. After dinner they were supposed to spend some time together just the two of them, no friends, no homework, and no Head duties. He'd been looking forward to it for days.
And now, Lily was in the hospital wing, unconscious. James' mind couldn't help but wander back to how she had looked in the hallway covered in blood, her nose broken. The hair stuck to her face had made it impossible to tell if anything else had been broken.
He sniffed and realized that he was crying, the tears that had been threatening since McGonagall's office finally spilling over. Cursing inwardly he took a deep steadying breath. She was going to be okay, Madame Pomfrey said so. James removed his glasses and wiped his eyes with his sleeve but the tears continued to fall silently.
James wasn't really paying attention to the time and he jumped when the bell tolled signaling the end of classes for the day. Feeling more collected James gathered up his things and headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. He wasn't remotely hungry but he knew his friends would be worried about him.
He was both surprised and grateful they hadn't come looking for him. His father had told him there was no shame in crying but he couldn't help feeling a bit stupid anyway. Lily was going to be fine. She might even be awake when they visited after dinner.
He stopped in the Prefects bathroom to wash his face on his way to the Great Hall. He looked at his face in the mirror and was relieved to see that it didn't look like he had been crying.
When he entered the Great Hall he saw Sirius, Remus, and Peter sitting alone at the far end of the Gryffindor table.
"Hey, mate," Sirius said as he sat down. "You alright?"
"Yeah, sort of," James replied.
"You'll be able to see her soon," Remus said. "Madame Pomfrey did say we could go back after dinner."
"Yeah," James said. "I hope she's awake."
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Peter said trying to sound reassuring. "Madame Pomfrey can fix anything."
"You really should eat something, Prongs," Sirius said pushing a plate of steak and kidney pie towards him.
"I'm not really hungry," James said not taking the plate.
"At least have a roll," Sirius said placing one on his plate. "You need to eat something."
"Yes, mum," James said attempting to sound sarcastic but his heart wasn't quite in it.
He did, however, pick up the roll and apply some butter. Sirius was probably right. He should eat something. He took a bite of the buttered roll and started to chew. His stomach churned slightly but he forced himself to swallow the bite. He sighed and tossed the roll back onto his plate.
"Prongs?" Sirius asked sounding concerned.
"I just," James trailed off.
He wasn't sure how to explain what he was feeling to his friends. He had every confidence in Madame Pomfrey's ability to heal Lily. That had been his initial concern but he wasn't so worried about it anymore. But how could someone do that?
"Why?" James finally said.
"Why, what, Prongs?" Remus asked quietly.
"Why," James hesitated. He wanted to explain it right.
"Why would someone do that?" he said finally. "Lily is one of the nicest people ever."
Sirius reached out and put a hand on James's shoulder.
"I just don't understand," James said his frustration evident.
"I mean, I have a pretty good guess as to why they did it," James continued to ramble. "I just don't get how they can justify hurting someone because of what their parents are."
"I don't get it either, mate," Sirius agreed.
"It's just insane," James continued. "Hating people for something they can't control. For something that doesn't even matter. Lily is an extremely gifted witch. She's living proof that Muggle-borns are just as good as pure bloods."
"Maybe that's part of the problem," Peter suggested.
The other three boys looked at him.
"Well, think about it," he said. "They say that Muggle-borns don't even deserve to come to Hogwarts and Lily is in the top of our class, neck and neck with you two," he said indicating James and Sirius.
"I just wish there was something I could do to stop them," James said in frustration. "Something concrete," he added before Sirius could bring up his argument from earlier that morning.
Had it really only been that morning Sirius had been arguing that James dating Lily was a way of standing up against Voldemort and his supporters.
"Mr. Potter."
James jumped in his seat and spun around to see Professor McGonagall smiling at him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said still smiling.
"It's okay, Professor," James said recovering from his surprise.
"I just spoke to Madame Pomfrey," she continued. "Miss Evans is awake."
"Lily's awake," James said. "Is she alright?"
"Madame Pomfrey says she appears fine. She's been asking for you," Professor McGonagall said.
"Madame Pomfrey?" James asked confused.
Professor McGonagall actually chuckled, "No, Miss Evans."
"Oh, right. That would make more sense," James said and he could feel his neck flush slightly. "It's been a long day."
"Yes, it has," Professor McGonagall agreed.
James grinned. Lily was awake and she wanted to see him.
"Can I go?" he asked.
"Would I have come to get you if you couldn't?" she asked in that clipped tone of hers.
"Right," James said.
James was suddenly feeling much better. He grabbed the roll off his plate and another from the basket on the table. He stuffed the remainder of the one he had previously discarded in his mouth.
"Well, at least you are already on your way to the hospital wing if you choke," McGonagall said dryly.
James attempted to grin at her but his mouth was too full. He looked back at his friends and gave them a look that clearly said, 'Are you coming.' The other three boys got up and they all followed Professor McGonagall to the Hospital Wing.
"Madame Pomfrey, I'm feeling much better, really," James heard Lily say as they entered the hospital dormitory.
"My dear you have suffered a concussion, you need to rest," Madame Pomfrey said in a tone that indicated she would not be swayed.
"I just want to talk to him," Lily said in an exasperated voice.
"Mmmm, talk, right," Madame Pomfrey said in a skeptical voice.
James followed McGonagall around the barrier in time to see Lily sitting in bed with her mouth half open and her arms extended towards Madame Pomfrey with a look on her face that clearly said she was both annoyed and at a loss for words.
"What if she promises not to leave the bed?" Sirius asked with a grin.
James turned around and punched him hard in the arm.
"Ow, that hurt!" Sirius exclaimed rubbing his arm.
"Good," James said.
"James," Lily said with a smile.
"Sirius, shut-up," she added without taking her eyes off James.
"Hey, love," James said smiling back.
"Poppy, if they don't behave you have my permission to throw out the lot of them," Professor McGonagall said before turning to leave. "I have to go send an update to Dumbledore."
James went to sit down on the side of Lily's bed.
"Chair, Mr. Potter," Madame Pomfrey commanded.
James sighed but he knew better than to argue. He took Lily's hand and sat down in the chair next to her bed.
"You look better," he said. "How are you feeling?"
"My head still hurts a bit but otherwise fine," Lily said.
"I won't be far if you need anything, Miss Evans," Madame Pomfrey said pointedly before walking away.
"I thought she'd never leave," Lily whispered once Madame Pomfrey was out of sight.
"Honestly, Sirius," she added glaring at him. "For someone who's so smart you are an idiot at times."
"Are you sure you're alright?" James asked again looking at Lily with concern.
Lily let go of his hand and reached over to run her fingers through James's hair, messing it up further.
"I'm fine," she said smiling at him. "Now that you're here."
"My offer of the Permanent Sticking Charm still stands," Sirius said cheekily.
"Maybe we could get Madame Pomfrey to throw him out," Lily suggested. "I could say his presence is causing me undue stress."
James, Remus, and Peter all laughed at this. Lily laughed too but stopped abruptly and rubbed her head.
James glanced in the direction Madame Pomfrey had gone but she was out of sight for the time being. He stood up and placed a gentle kiss on Lily's temple.
Lily shifted so that she was on the edge of the bed and leaned into him. James wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.
"Lily," Marlene's voice called out.
Lily lifted her head from James chest and peered over his arms. She saw Marlene and Katie looking at her nervously.
"How are you?" Katie asked worriedly.
"I'm alright," Lily said. "My head still hurts a bit."
"Concussion?" Marlene asked.
"Yeah, how'd you know," Lily replied.
"Been there," Marlene replied. "That time I took a bludger to the head."
"Oh, yeah," Lily replied leaning her head back against James chest.
James planted a kiss on the top of her head. Lily wrapped her left arm around James's waist pulling him closer.
"Do you remember what happened?" Katie asked.
"No," Lily said. "Everything after we left the library is a blank. But Madame Pomfrey says that's normal. She told me I fell from about half way up the stairs."
"More like somebody tripped you," Marlene growled.
"We never established if someone actually tripped her," Remus pointed out. "Though it certainly looked like it from my angle. And then someone used Petrificus Totalas."
"That's what Madame Pomfrey said," Lily replied. "The part about Petrificus Totalas," she added. "Not the rest."
"You don't remember who was around do you?" James asked.
"No, like I said, everything after we left the Library is a complete blank," Lily said.
James sighed.
"I'm sorry you have to spend your birthday here," Lily added looking up at James.
"Don't worry about it," James said. "At least you're okay."
"Oh, yeah," Marlene said. "I completely forgot it was your birthday."
"It's okay," James said grinning. "You can just get me extra presents to make up for it."
"Don't push your luck, Potter," Marlene said.
"Lily, feel better," Katie said. "We'll let you get some rest. Remus, Sirius, Peter, you three feel want to come do some homework with Marlene and I?" Katie asked.
"Huh?" Sirius said looking at her in confusion.
"Do you want to come do homework with Marlene and I?" Katie said pointedly.
"Sure," Remus said catching on. "Come on, Padfoot, Wormtail."
Remus reached out and grabbed Sirius and Peter by the arms dragging them with him after the girls.
As they left Lily looked up and smiled shyly.
"Have I told you lately that you have fabulous friends?" James asked grinning.
"Shame they couldn't get rid of Pomfrey too," Lily said grinning back.
"Mm, quite," James agreed sitting down on the edge of the bed and leaning over to give Lily a kiss.
"Happy Birthday," Lily said. "Sorry our plans got wrecked."
James placed his hands on Lily's face and placed his forehead against hers closing his eyes.
"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay," James said quietly.
"I'll try not to," Lily agreed.
"Good," James said kissing her gently again.
Lily let out an involuntary yawn despite the early hour.
"I'm sorry," James said. "You must be exhausted."
James started to get up but Lily wrapped her arms around him.
"Stay," she ordered sweetly.
"I don't want to keep you up," he said pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Just until I fall asleep," she said giving him her best puppy dog eyes.
"Alright, as long as I don't get thrown out," he agreed.
James kicked off his shoes and put his feet up on the bed. He lay down on top of the covers. Madame Pomfrey was not someone he wanted to make angry. Lily slid down deeper under the covers and then curled up in the crook of James' arm.
"Happy Birthday," Lily whispered. "Sorry again that we're stuck here."
"There are worse ways to spend my birthday than snuggling with my girlfriend," James said with a grin. "Even if it is in the hospital wing."
"Potter, have I told you today that you are a prat," Lily mumbled into his shoulder.
James laughed and kissed the top of Lily's head.
"Go to sleep, love, you've had a rough day," James said. "I love you."
"Night," Lily mumbled. "Love you, too."
James smiled down at Lily and ran his fingers affectionately through her hair.
He wasn't sure how long he had been lying there when his thoughts were interrupted by Madame Pomfrey.
"Mr. Potter," she hissed. "Just what do you think you are doing?"
"Nothing," he said hastily. "She asked me to stay until she fell asleep is all."
James tried to slide Lily off of his shoulder as gently as he could so as not to wake her. She shifted in her sleep as James placed her head back on the pillow but to his relief she didn't wake up. He flexed his fingers to try and regain the feeling in them.
"Out, out," she hissed. "Ten points from Gryffindor."
"What, come on, Madame Pomfrey, that's so not fair," James whined. "I didn't do anything."
"Do you want me to add detention?" she asked.
"Alright, alright, I'm going, I'm going," James said grabbing his shoes making hastily for the exit.