The next morning Lily made it downstairs. She had no hangover to speak of, this was most likely due to Mopsy help. However, her face turned red when she saw the disapproving face of Charles Potter sitting at the kitchen table. "Mr. Potter, good morning," she stammered out as her usual breakfast of fruit, toast and tea appeared on the table.
"You can still call me Charles, I was young once." He took a sip of his coffee as he looked over the young witch. "I take it Mopsy was kind enough to give you the hangover potion."
"Could we talk about last night?" Lily asked.
Charles set down the Daily Prophet and looked over Lily. "By all means, James and Sirius won't be up for a bit."
"I am deeply apologetic over the events that transpired last night. You and Mrs. Potter should expect more of me, as I expect more of myself. At school I am a role model for younger students, I have to exemplify behavior and I let my judgement be clouded last night." She took a breath. "Drinking with a boy at two o'clock in the morning isn't something I would normally do. I do not wish to use my situation as an excuse but Sirius told me his story, I told him mine and managed to do so without crying. The next thing I know he's passing me the bottle and telling me that it numbs the pain." Lily looked down at her lap. "I understand if you want me to leave. If you want to send me to one of those places for problem teenagers."
Charles laughed, it was a chuckle at first, but then grew heartier. "It was one incident, we've gotten your school reports and you've been here for a week and a half, there is no reason not to trust you." He reached over to pat her hand. "Drinking is not the answer, though. Never listen to Sirius for advice, come to me or Agatha. However, I do know that it was in the heat of the moment." He sighed. "The thing is we have to hope you learn from your mistake. There's not really anyway to punish you, other than tell James he's in charge when we leave." Charles winced at that. "We, though, will never send you to Holmstrom Academy."
It was Lily's turn to wince. "Agatha told you about that?"
"Yes, even showed me the file. It must have been torture for you to play along."
"It was," she admitted with a laugh and started in on her breakfast. Charles stayed with her, informing her that due to Sirius' condition one of them was supposed to stay home, and Charles could work from the house. Lily wasn't quite sure what he did, just that he had been an auror, but now held an important ministry position.
Charles was discussing books with her when his son came down the stairs with Sirius trailing behind. "Not so fast, back to bed," he ordered.
"Can't you lie to Aggie?" Sirius moaned. "I'm not a child or an invalid, I don't need breakfast in bed."
"Fine, but I'm not lying to my wife," Charles informed him, but smiled at the boy he thought of as a second son. Agatha and him had alway wanted more children, two more at the very least. He loved it when James was younger, while he was mischievous, his offenses were less greater than what they were now. However, they were blessed to even have James and celebrated that small fact. Agatha, though, took a position at the ministry so she could work with children and when she met Sirius Black for the first time she was immediately drawn to him. The boy was clever, brave and full of humor. He was hard not to like, even if he could get himself into a bit of trouble.
"When can Remus and Peter come over?" James asked.
"Ask your mother. I'm not too open with the idea given the circumstances, but if she can convince me they can come over any time." Charles looked over his son, then looked at Lily. "I always liked Remus, accept he doesn't bring mead with him."
Lily, who was drinking her tea, spat it out in shock. At this point her cheeks turned as red as her hair and she stared down at her empty plate.
"I forgot to ask, are you feeling better? Last night you seemed out of it," James said. They was a tinge of teasing in his voice, but his words seemed to be genuine concern.
"Look at her, Evans is a lightweight." Sirius gestured to the witch sitting next to him and even went so far as to lift her arm examining her thin wrist and narrow waist.
"James, I do admit the mead had a bit of an...effect on me, if you will, but there was nothing wrong." Lily shrugged and reached across the table where the teapot stood and poured herself another cup.
"Do you remember what you said to me?"
"Sod off?" she questioned curiously, then turned to his father. "Sorry for my language, as you can imagine James brings out the worst of me."
At that Charles Potter laughed and nodded. James at the other hand picked at his food. Charles and Sirius tried to fill in the awkward gaps between the confused Lily and the saddened James, but it didn't work.
"I think I'll owl Remus and Peter, see when they're free to come." James got up from his seat, putting a napkin over his unfinished breakfast.
"James, you need to finish-" Charles started, but his son had already disappeared upstairs.
"Evans, maybe you should go see what's wrong." Sirius leaned closer to her and waggled an eyebrow. "Can't have our Jamsie upset, can we?"
Lily just shook her head and looked back down at her teacup, trying to not to laugh at how ridiculous he was. Charles finally left to work in the study and Sirius still pressured her to going upstairs. "I am going to work on my summer assignments," she huffed. "If Potter won't tell me what's wrong I'm not going to try to coax it out of him."
With a huff she disappeared upstairs. Lily dug through her school books and clothes to find the roll of parchment with assignments. She regretted signing up for this many NEWT level classes, but she wasn't quite sure what area to pursue just yet. Being a Healer was appealing, but teaching was something that she really could see herself doing. Then again, if she got a student like James or Sirius...she pushed that thought out of her head and set to work on the assignment.
The clock chimed eleven when Lily looked up from her school books and parchment. She heard footsteps in the hallway and then a knock on her door. She didn't reply, knowing if it was one of James' parents they would call out. "Can't ignore me forever, Evans," Sirius called.
"Come in," she answered with a sigh, turning around. Sirius swaggered in, and sat very carefully down on her bed, wincing. "What's the matter with you?"
"Well, James and I thought flying around the property would be fun…" Sirius took in a breath. "Still not one hundred percent...It's rather embarrassing, you have to promise not to breathe a word to anyone." He waggled his finger for effect. "I fell off my broom. Dad was furious and patched me up, told me to go to my room and not move a muscle." He sighed. "James is doing chores for his punishment, probably de-gnoming the garden or cleaning the fireplace."
"Why are you in here?"
"Oh, it happened a while ago and I got bored, James hasn't came back yet." Sirius carefully laid down on her bed.
"Do you want me to get you something? You seem to be in quite a bit of pain."
"Mum and dad still aren't happy over the mead, gave me a good talking to." He laughed. "Told me I have to live by certain rules if this was my home."
"You call James' parents mum and dad? I thought you called them Aggie and Charlie?"
"When I'm drunk that's what I call them," Sirius informed her. "James' parents have been my second set since first year. I've been practically living here since my third year." Sirius situated his arms under his head. "When I went home I hadn't even seen my parents since the summer." A sad look crossed his face, Lily could have sworn tears were beginning to gather. "Enough about that." He sat up, wrapping an arm around his ribs. "I thought the two of us could start a club." Sirius face split into a grin. "We could have a catchy name like 'Disowned Witches and Wizards'...Not very catchy…" he frowned. "We could get more members, James and Remus can't join, they're loved." He rolled his eyes. "Or it could be the Adopted Potter Children club, what do you think?"
"I think you're ridiculous," Lily said. "And you're probably still exhausted from last night, let's get you to bed."
"I'm in a bed," he mumbled.
"Come along." Her voice was soft and coaxing, as if she were talking to a child. Kneeling down she put his arm over her shoulder. "Let's get you back to your room, Agatha showed me where all the rooms are."
"Evans, you don't need to do this. First off, I am completely capable of walking by myself and secondly, I just so happen to enjoy this and third James will kill me."
Lily didn't listen just walked awkwardly out of her room and down the hallway with Sirius draped over her shoulder. She was in front of his room when James appeared, covered in a layer of soot. "Pain potion dad just whipped up," he explained holding the vial out.
"Couldn't he give me something that was a little less work?" Sirius asked.
James shook his head with a smile on his face.
"Oh!" Sirius exclaimed, both parties looked at him quite curiously. "This doesn't involve you, James. It's a private matter between Evans and I."
"Is that so?" James asked, trying not to look jealous.
"Yes, yes, we're starting a club," he informed him. "You can't join, sorry mate. Anyways, we could call it the Persecuted Peoples. Your sister hates you because of having magic, my family hates me because I'm not a prejudiced prat and we could invite Remus this way!" he exclaimed. "He has a furry little problem," he explained.
"I don't mean to judge, but Remus' badly behaved rabbit is not the same-"
"Right," James said walking over and slipping underneath Sirius' arm from the other side. "Lily I have it from here. When Sirius fell off the broom he hit his head, he probably isn't making much sense right now."
Reluctantly she left the two alone and headed back to her room to tidy up a bit. She had enough studying for today and wanted something to eat. As she left her room she saw Charles exiting Sirius' room with James in tow. "Hello, Mr. Potter."
"I told you, Charles," he told her with a smile. "Can I trust you to keep an eye on the boys? Obviously I can't leave two fifteen year olds alone without them getting into some type of mischief."
"Dad, I wasn't even downstairs last night," James reminded.
"Hush, James," he said and then turned Lily. "I was called in to work. I locked up the brooms and the booze, so they won't get any ideas."
"Dad, Evans doesn't need-"
"I said hush." He rubbed his temples and then looked at Lily with softened eyes. "Just make sure Sirius at least takes it easy. I owled Agatha and she's in a tizzy, she wants Sirius to stay in bed for the day, but that won't happen unless we chain him down." Charles sighed. "Remus usually helps in situations like this and I think you're a bit like him." The man gave her that Potter smirk and left further instructions before hurrying off.