Author's Note: Hey guys! Robin and I are really sorry for dropping this on you guys so suddenly, but... *deep breath* this is it. This is the LAST CHAPTER of Teach Me How to Fly. It's really sudden, I know, but Robin and I are finished with this story. It has been such a joy having readers and reviewers as lovely as you guys, and we couldn't have asked for a better group of Jily lovers. We loved every minute of writing this, even through the tragic breakups and love triangles and plot twists. We're thinking we MIGHT post a short epilogue that wraps up the Sirius/Alice/Frank love triangle, but this is the last chapter with any Jily love in it. Sorry it's all so soon. Now ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, I present you...the final chapter of Teach Me How to Fly. Thanks for everything, guys.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Generally, I really like after parties. We usually win, thanks to my excellent chasing skills, so every one's happy and excited and dancing. And getting wasted. Being the Marauders, my three close friends and I are always the ones to provide the drinks, thus making it something of a tradition to get fairly drunk during these parties.

Plus, it's not like we're the only ones.

But this time, I sort of hate the after party. In the past, I've always used them as an excuse to go up and try and get Lily to dance with me or snog or something, using my state of drunkness as an excuse for my behavior. Only this time, she's not here. Which oddly enough makes the whole affair a lot less fun. I'm so used to looking over to the corner and seeing her with her slightly-tipsy roommates, laughing about something or playing Exploding Snap or dancing together. But this time there's only three of them, and they look slightly concerned. Now that I think about it, they might not have seen Lily since the Quidditch game...

I groan inside every time I think of that disastrous event. Why? Why did Amanda have to show up then, why did Lily have to leave just at that moment, why did I stop thinking clearly?

I didn't mean to kiss her. Amanda, I mean. There I was, just walking down to the Quidditch pitch, ready to have yet another victory after the match against Hufflepuff. Then Amanda comes out of nowhere and practically begs me to just give her one chance, one kiss, to show me that I'm made for her or some bullshit. And I thought...why not?

A bit contradictory there, I know. But here's what I was thinking: there was no way I was going to get over Lily soon, only I had to. She didn't want me, or maybe she did, I don't know. But here was this girl I already knew who definitely wanted me. One who I hadn't messed up every aspect of my relationship with. I thought maybe she would help me get over my feelings for her. So I did kiss her. But then Lily popped up. And it all went downhill from there.

And now here I am, sitting on the back of one of the sofas in the Gryffindor common room, trying to get rid of this aching in my chest by drinking questionable amounts of Firewhiskey. Unlike the time Sirius and I purposefully got drunk this summer, after which we were too drunk to do anything, the alcohol makes me bolder and makes me want to do more. Only Gryffindors are in the common room, but I'm kind of thankful for that. The last thing I want to do right now is face Amanda right after I ran away from our kiss. Eek.

I dance with too many girls, I down too many shots, and I try to forget my problems just a little too much. All night, I feel like I'm on some sort of cloud nine: even though the Firewhiskey makes my problems a lot less noticeable in the moment, I know I'm going to be feeling them nice and strong come morning.

And Merlin, do I ever.

I open my eyes-gah, why are the lights so bright?-to find that I feel asleep on the couch. At least I had it better than some people. Unconcious party-ers are sleeping on the floor, partially on armchairs, on tables, or on each other. Sirius and Peter look like they had been competing for the armchair near me, since both have half of it and are leaning up against each other. Remus, being the smart one, probably went up to the dorm before he got too drunk to do so.

My headache is a really bad one-as in, really bad, and the bright lights don't help much-and I start to think that maybe drinking so much wasn't a very well thought-out idea.

I hear footsteps on the stairs and turn to see Remus coming down them, freshly showered and looking if anything a little tired. "Morning," he says plainly, surveying the damage brought upon by the after party.

"Mooney, I feel like shit."

"Gee, that's a surprise."

"Shut up, Mooney," I hear coming from Sirius as he starts to stir, Peter still softly snoring beside him. "It's much too early for your sarcasm."

"You know, there might possibly be a simple solution to your current state of being," says Remus (sarcastically). "Maybe if you actually didn't drink so much as you did..." More sarcasm. "Then you wouldn't be this hungover! Shocker, I know." And some more. Sirius glares at him, shooting him an expression that would be almost comical if my head didn't hurt so much.

"I'm going to kill you," he mutters. Remus smirks.

"Not if you can't catch me!" And with that, Remus jogs out of the common room at a leisurely pace, but it still looks like one I would never be able to match given my hangover.

"I should go catch him," Sirius says, slowly standing and stretching his arms. "Besides, if I don't get down to the Great Hall soon, all the crispy bacon would be gone!" And we all know what a tragedy that would be.

"I'm going to take a shower. A really, really cold shower," I reply, rubbing the space in between my eyes were my glasses left a mark.

"Have fun," he says as he very slowly strolls out of the common room, not looking like he means it at all. With the same amount of enthusiasm I respond, "You too." I glance at Peter, who now has the armchair to himself, and decide to leave him be, knowing my own hungover body is more than enough for me to handle right now.

The shower does help a little bit, and I stroll down to the common room-clean and actually dressed-feeling better. Well, better than before at least.

I make my way down to breakfast alone, not in a hurry as I stroll through the empty corridors. Everyone must be done at breakfast or still sleeping, but I'm glad to have those moments to myself. At least for a little while, until a voice calls out to me from behind.

"Potter!" I hear, closely followed by the sound of footsteps jogging to catch up with me. I turn around and am very surprised to see that the footsteps are Lily's. Partially because I didn't think she'd want to talk to me, and partially because I never expected her to go back to using my last name. Even though things ended on a bad note this summer, I thought we were mature enough and close enough to use our first names.

"Um, can I help you, Li-Evans?" I correct myself, figuring that two can play at that game. Whatever that game is.

She takes a deep breath, bites her bottom lip, and glances away, seeming to gaze around at anything but me. She's nervous, I can tell. But why? "Look, I...I just want to apologize for overreacting last night. It was out of place, I was emotional, and I'm sorry if I...uh...oh bugger, I'm such shit at this!" she exclaims, covering her face with her hands and taking a step back from me. I can't help but chuckle.

"Calm down, it's all fine. I didn't handle things last night very well either, and I think we should both just put it behind us." She nods slowly.

"Um, yeah...that's kind of why I came to talk to you, actually. Besides apologizing, I mean."

She still looks nervous and I still don't know why. But then she says, "Well, since we're working together this year, being the two Heads and all, and you know...so we don't go arguing all the time like we did in previous years, or something...well, I was hoping we could be...uh, awkward acquaintances." I raise my eyebrows, my hazel eyes locking with her green.

"Awkward acquaintances?" I repeat. She nods.

"You know, not quite...friends, I'd say, but not enemies either. And not ignoring each other, since we kind of can't do that. With Head duties, and all..." she adds on quickly, once again looking away. I think for a moment. Hey, some interaction with Lily was better than none at all, right?

"On one condition," I finally say, causing her to gaze at me curiously. "We call each other by our first names." She smiles.

"I think that's doable, James."

"Well, alright then, Lily."

"So awkward acquaintances it is, James?"

"Awkward acquaintances indeed, Lily." We shake on it, both of us trying to suppress our mutual grins. "May I accompany you to the Great Hall, good madam?" I hold out my arm for her to take, and she rolls her eyes before placing her hand on the crook of my elbow. Even after all the heartbreak and confusion and anger that our relationship has had over the past few months, I still feel the electricity that I felt this summer when she touches me.

"I'd be delighted, good sir," she jokes back, and together we stroll to the Great Hall for breakfast. Sure, it's awkward, but I love every minute of it. Sure we're off to a shaky start. Sure neither of us knows where we're going with this thing. But as I stroll with Lily through the hallways of Hogwarts, I feel something deep inside. And with that small glimmer of hope I feel, I think to myself, maybe we'll be alright after all.

Author's Note: haha jk this isn't even close to being finished. we've got a loooooooong ways to go. we'd NEVER leave you with such an unsatisfying end between lily and james! we're not THAT mean! sooo yeah expect the next chapter tomorrow. in the mean time, feel free to leave a review about how much you hate us for "ending" it :P BYEEEE GUYS! (we seriously do love you though, we just have a funny way of showing it.)