Chapter 35

Still April 1st, 1977

James Potter ashed his cigarette as he watched Lily Evans shimmy up her jeans. After she buttoned the top, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked up at him. She flushed slightly and asked, "What?"

James shook his head and simply let out smoke.

"I don't like it when you stare at me, James Potter."

"I beg to differ, Lily Evans," he corrected. He put it out on his tray and said, "You enjoy it immensely."

Lily thought about this for a moment as slipped on a white t-shirt. She sat beside him and placed a hand on his chest. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips – tender and slow – before pulling back and revealing, "I've warmed up to it a bit, I'spose."

He smirked, "Come here, impossible girl." He pulled her in for a long kiss, wrapping his arms around her even tighter this time. The kiss was long and desperate, especially now that she had somehow managed to straddle him. Although James just came only several minutes ago, he was fairly sure that he could manage another hard-on for her.

"James, stop," Lily giggled as he began reaching for the hem of her shirt.

"Why?" He asked into their kiss, refusing to let her go.

"I just put this on," she countered, pulling away.

"Oh, yes, Evans," he said, peppering her neck with wet kisses. "Dressing is so hard."

"With you around, it is, Potter."

Lily pushed him back onto the bed this time and gave him one long kiss. "I need to pack," she said simply.

"Evans running off schedule?" James asked, aghast. He clutched his forehead. "A catastrophe! Call the Prophet!"

"Oh, sod off, you twit," she said, hitting him on the shoulder. She slid off of him and reached for her socks. "Also, supper is about going to start soon, and if I'm getting blasted tonight, I need to have a full meal."

"Oh, the Kitchen Party?" James double-checked.

"Yeah, you going?"

"Naturally, Marauders always attend social gatherings."

"Then come down and eat with Marlene and me."

"What?"

Lily stood up straight and looked at him as if he were daft. "Don't you need dinner?" She asked simply.

James blinked. Of course, the idiot needed dinner because of human biology and the fact that he hasn't eaten since noon. Also, Sirius stole the last of his Chocolate Frogs. It was just a surprise that Lily Evans wanted to go places with him. It shouldn't be considering the fact that he just ate her, but it still was.

"James?" Lily asked again.

"Yeah, Yeah," James nodded as he threw the sheets off his body. "I'm coming, I'll meet you downstairs."

"Okay," Lily smiled. She gave him another kiss on the cheek before skittering out of the room and back to the girls' dorm.

James couldn't help but smile as he dressed himself for proper dinner attire. He had a good life now that he had Lily in it. Well, truthfully, his life was going to shit. Sirius' alcoholism was hitting new highs, or lows, and Remus' lunar cycle may or may not be the death of him. But, James decided to look on the bright side.

James decided to give Sirius until after spring break to intervene with his habits, because let's be real. Sirius had to spend the better half of the vacation packing up and clearing out Alphard's flat in Manchester. James knew that when Sirius wouldn't be packing or cleaning, he'd be drinking his emotions away with a bottle in hand and a girl in another.

And the bloke needed it.

Remus, on the other hand, was a whole other situation. James had no idea how to help his furry friend with the full moon coming up in a few days. Remus never convulsed or had seizure-like symptoms before – this was new and terrifying. When Remus seized in bed last night, it was so quiet that James only woke up when Peter shouted for help. James even did more research in the library on lycanthropy, but nothing ever mentioned anything like this. Not even Madam Pomfrey could explain, or she wouldn't.

Once James got dressed, he found Lily, Marlene, and Peter waiting in the library, sitting on the couch.

"Peter," Marlene groaned, rubbing her hands over her face, "that's not what it's called. Saxophone, not Sexaphone!"

Peter made a face. "I'm pretty sure Sirius said Sexaphone," he insisted. "Sirius said it's for couples in long-distance relationships, and it's how they shag."

"When did Sirius tell you?" Lily asked skeptically, trying not to make the bloke feel bad.

"The other day when we were listening to Benny Goodman," he said rationally.

"Yeah, well, Sirius was probably drunker than Homgsmeade's town drunk," Marlene snapped. "So, you can't listen to him. And honestly, who are you going to trust more when it comes to musical instruments? Me or him?"

Peter thought about this and shrugged, "I guess you now."

"Thank you," Marlene nodded shortly. She looked up to her amused cousin and said, "Thank you for joining us. Shall we be off?"

The three others followed Marlene out of the common room and through the halls. A bunch of students were headed towards the Great Hall for supper – rumor had it that roast beef was the main course.

As they made way, Lily noticed Camilla Henley walking with her friends. Truthfully, Lily always felt a bit rattled seeing Henley now – everything would suddenly feel tense. But, clearly, Camilla did not since she had her tan hand tucked into Dirk Cresswell's.

"Whoa…" Lily breathed, trying not to make a scene. She looked to James curiously, who noticed the same thing.

James chuckled. "I think they're rather sweet actually. He's had a thing for her since the beginning, if you ask me."

Lily raised a brow. "You talked to him about it?"

"Her."

Lily laughed, "James Potter, the match-maker."

"It's my side job," he shrugged.

Before they entered the Great Hall, the four friends were stopped by the elder McKinnon. "Oy, Marlene. James," he called out, coming from the behind the staircase.

"I said we aren't allowed to speak in public," Marlene hissed. "Especially outside of class."

Max ignored his sister's obscene demands. "Have you lot seen Dorcas per chance?"

"Looking for a pre-workshop snog?" Peter chuckled, a bit too loudly.

The three friends stared at him for his boldness, while Max simply just stared at his small student. He opened his mouth, but shook his head before addressing the three other students. "Dorcas hasn't shown up to our session today. Was she in your classes earlier today?"

"Yeah," Lily nodded. "She was in DADA with us, but I haven't seen her since then."

"After class, I think she went to the Hospital Wing to check on Remus," James said. "Or at least, I think so. She seemed worried about him."

"Ah, yes," Max said knowingly. "That would make sense. She worries about him a lot. And the rest of you, naturally."

Lily decided to keep quiet about how quickly her Apparation professor added that last bit.

"Including you too?" Marlene asked, wiggling her brow.

In response, Max flicked her sister's forehead and said dutifully, "If you see her, let her know that we should schedule a meeting over break."

Peter nodded, "We will."

"Thanks," Max said, before scurrying off.

Once Max was out of sight and hearing range, Lily asked, "You think your brother still has a thing for Dorcas, Marls?"

Marlene shook her head. "No, not really. If anything, his ego is probably bruised because Dorcas fancies Remus instead of fancying him. Especially since she's snogged him, and not Remus."

"Huh." Lily let out.

"Wait, you think Dorcas actually fancies Remus?" Peter asked aloud as they sat in front of their plates at their respective house table. A succulent-looking plate of roast beef appeared on each plate along with silverware and a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Peter, you can't be this blind," sighed Marlene, shaking her head like a disappointed mother.

"No, wait, he's right," James countered as he took a large bite of beef. "You think Dorcas actually fancies him? Has she said anything?"

"No, but does she need to say anything?" Lily asked. "I mean, did you see the way she ran after him in class?"

James punched Peter in the arm. "See? I told him, but he doesn't bloody well listen to me. I knew those two should shag."

"It's well overdue," agreed Marlene.

The four Gryffindors turned back to glance over the Slytherin table. Dorcas wasn't there, but that wasn't such a surprise. Dorcas normally ate meals with them at the Red-and-Gold table or didn't eat dinner at all. So, they all turned back to their food. No one of them seemed to notice that the Green-and-Silver table seemed to mainly consist of students fifteen and below.

"Is everything prepared, Severus?" Mariah Avery asked impatiently. "We don't have time to waste – it's already 5:30."

Severus Snape would've rolled his eyes if he were not concocting a very important potion. He carefully brushed his delicate moonstone shavings into his bubbling caludron of bluish-gray liquid. "It'll be done in a few minutes, Avery. I know patience is hard, but it'd be duly appreciated."

Parkison peered over Severus' shoulder and sniffed, "It smells kind of rotten, like old food. Is it supposed to smell like that?"

Truthfully, Severus was not so sure of what his potion ought to smell like. He was tinkering with complicated magic. "I reckon it's not supposed to be pleasant. We're messing with a lot of biology here."

Severus added a few more ingredients before the liquid turned completely white, with a light consistency. It reminded him of warm milk. He gently poured it into a vile before presenting it to Parkinson. "Just two drops, Parkinson," Severus warned. "I mean it."

Evan Rosier looked at the concoction dubiously. "What happens if you do, say, five?"

"You will actually be committing a suicide mission," Severus said dully as he stood up from his station.

"Anything for the Dark Lord," Parkinson smiled, swishing the liquid around before placing it in his pocket.

Severus deadpanned, "May I take my leave now? I've done my part."

"You sure you don't want to join?" Alexander Mulciber asked as he swung his bag over his shoulder. "It'll be a night to remember."

Severus gathered his ingredients into his cauldron and said, "No, I do not." He turned his back on his friends and began heading towards the Slytherin kitchen.

"I assure you that Dark Lord will know of your part in this, Sev," smiled Parkinson. "You may finally help him complete his true reign."

Severus said nothing but simply kept moving forward.

By ten o'clock, the halls of Hogwarts were silent. Most of the younger students were already in their rooms, discussing plans for the Easter Break. The ghosts were busy sleeping or playing poker in the Transfiguration classroom like they always did on Friday nights. (Currently, the Bloody Baron was winning.) The Professors were either asleep or having their own late night cup of tea. It was peaceful.

Except there was an incessant clucking noise on the first floor by the Hospital Wing.

Sirius Black was sober, but very annoyed by this fact. He decided to curb himself from reaching into his pocket for his small firewhiskey by clicking his tongue at the roof of his mouth, like a bored child.

He made his way to the Hospital Wing in an attempt to steal Remus Lupin from his bed chamber and demand his appearance at this stupid stoner Hufflepuff party. He would demand that he not seize so he could finally work up the bloody courage to shag Dorcas Meadowes.

Maybe even in a broom cupboard like they had a few months ago. That was besides the point.

"What is that- Mr. Black!" Madam Pomfrey reprimanded. She was in her night dress with a robe wrapped around herself. She had a spectacles on and glared at the seventeen year old boy approaching her. "Mr. Black, it is far past curfew! What're you doing out this late? Are you looking for detention?"

"No, no, never that," Sirius said quickly. No matter how debatable that answer was, Sirius quickly got himself out of that pickle by saying, "I only wanted to check on Remus."

Madam Pomfrey raised a brow. "At 10? You had the whole day, Mr. Black."

"Remus gets lonely at night." And nightmares. And ocassional sleep paralysis.

Madam Pomfrey held the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'm going to tell you this because I know that Mr. Lupin is a dear friend of yours. Am I right?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"But, you have to listen to everything I say, understand?"

"Understand."

"And I don't want you conducting any mischief with this information, Sirius Black, or forget about Dumbledore favorism and I will manage you myself, clear?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. He challenged the Healer with a single nod. "Crystal, Professor."

A/N - Hope everyone has enjoyed! There will be one chapter left of this fic, and I'm still contemplating on the sequel for a seventh year storyline. Heads up, it would be much shorter than this one (I never expected it to be 35 fucking chapters)! But, I do have some ideas that I'd like to explore. Again, let me know if you're interested in the comments or with a favorite! All is appreciated.

Rose