"Graduation day!" Lily screamed in the morning.

"You sound bedder," Alexa said grouchily.

"I feel better!" Lily replied. "I guess my cold was a lot shorter than yours. Let's go see if the guys feel any better!"

Alexa mumbled something that may have been, "They'd better not," or possibly, "Are they in bed or not?" or it might have even been, "They're pretty hot," but that last one's not very likely.

"Boys!" Lily called, right outside their door. Without waiting for an answer, she opened the door and let herself in.

"Bloody 'ell, woban!" Sirius cried, "We could hab beed chabging!"

"Yeah!" James agreed. "We could all hab beed daked!"

"Yes," Lily replied sarcastically. "Because all four of you would have been in the room naked, together, and that wouldn't have been weird."

James thought about this for a moment, then shrugged, as if to say, "Don't worry, babe, I'm straight." (AN: I'm sorry, but I had to write that)

"Wait," Peter asked slowly. "Are you feeling better as well?"

Lily nodded happily, and Remus, Sirius, James, and Alexa groaned.

"Damb," James muttered. "I neber ged sick!"

Sirius rolled his eyes, and Alexa said, "Yeah, and how's dat workib out for ya?"

*****

"I'm sad to see all our seventh years go," Dumbledore said. Only the Seventh Years were in the Great Hall. All the other students were going home, but they were having a ceremony of sorts, to commemorate their graduation. Another train would come later to take home any students whose parents weren't here.

"But I know they will go out into the world with the same excitement they did when they first came to Hogwarts, as tiny eleven-year-olds, scrambling to keep up."

Alexa looked like she was about to ball like a little baby, Remus was grinning wildly at having been announced top of the class (Fine! He tied with Lily), Sirius was trying to maintain a calm air, but was fairly pleased with himself for making it seven whole years.

"But I do not wish to go on," Dumbledore said, smiling, a twinkle in his eye. "So instead, I will just say, Goodbye, and Good Luck."

There was a loud cheer, and hats were thrown into the air.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter ran up.

"My baby boy!" Mrs. Potter cried, showering James with kisses. "My baby!"

"May, really!" Mr. Potter laughed. "Let the boy breathe! Congratulations, son."

A chubby woman no one recognized was waddling towards them at top speed. "My Petey-Wetey!" the sobbed. "I'm so proud of you!"

Mrs. Pettigrew hugged her son tightly as Peter's face grew increasingly red.

"My parents aren't here, of course," Sirius snorted.

"Me eiber," Alexa agreed. "Hey! Your boice soubs bedder!"

"You're right! Cool."

"Damb!" Remus cried. "He's better, too? I'm gonna be da last one still sick!"

By this time, James had managed to escape his mother.

"Lily!" he cried, grabbing her by the arm. "Cobe on!"

"Where are they going?" Sirius asked, nudging Alexa.

"Huh?" she asked, drowsily. "Oh. Pobably to make oud or someding."

"Or not," Sirius said mischievously, grabbing Alexa's arm and following James and Lily.

"Lily," James said. "I lub you."

"Oh, I love you, too-"

"No, lisden, dis id impordand. I really lub you, and I don wand to led you go. Eber. Lily-"

"James, don't do this, I-"

"Lily, I mean it-"

"James, I mean it, too, don't do this."

"Too lade." James knelt down. "Mawwy me?"

"Get up, you idiot!" Lily laughed, pulling him up by the arm.

"Is thad a no?" James asked, his eyes sad.

"No," Lily said. "That's definitely a yes." And then she poked him in the chest. "But next time, you had better do that properly, not when you're sick. Got it?"

"Nexd dime?" James raised an eyebrow.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Or, whatever." And then she ran inside.

"Come on!" Sirius pulled Alexa after them before their absence was noticed.

When they got back, Mrs. Pettigrew and Mrs. Potter were trying to gather everyone for a picture, and Lily was giggling like mad. James was sneezing, but practically jumping for joy.

"Well, you seem very happy," Mrs. Potter said, smiling at Lily. That woman didn't miss much.

"Well, it's a big day and everything," Lily said, bot sure if she was supposed to say anything. "Graduation and all-"

"We're gedding married!" James announced. "Sorry, I couldn't help it." He looked at Lily. "I couldn't, I really couldn't."

Lily laughed, Peter looked shocked, Remus looked startled, Mr. Potter looked confused, and Mrs. Potter looked petrified.

Slowly, she regained her color. "M-married? Oh my gosh!" And that was it. She was hugging Lily and making wedding plans.

"Sirius?" James asked. "You wand do be by Besd Man?"

"Really?" Sirius asked. "Yeah!"

And that was how the picture was taken. Everyone in various states of happiness and surprise. All the Marauders and the Maraudettes.

The world was good.