Chapter 10: Friends

"I was running through the woods, away from them. I stumbled upon a camp of Death Eaters earlier that day. I was spying on them when they found me. I couldn't get away. Anyways, they wanted information after they found out who I was. They wanted...they wanted to know about you guys. What you were doing. Where you were working. Who you cared about. I think you're marked," Lily finished her story.

"I'm not surprised," Karen said. "We don't support them, we want us dead. Two purebloods who stand against them, two purebloods who are descended from greatest wizarding families. You have influence. Of course, they're afraid."

"It's not like we asked to be great," Sirius said. "You can't control what you're born into."

"You should have told them," James said looking at Lily.

"What? And give you up?! No!" Lily said.

"Did they use the Cruciatus Curse on you?" he asked.

"Of course, what did you expect?" Lily asked.

"You should have at least lied to them."

"I'm not an expert liar, like you."

"She's got a point there," Sirius said.

"You should get to bed," Remus said. "You need your rest."

"What?! I'm not tired!" Lily protested.

"I don't care, if you're not tired, you need your rest," he replied. "C'mon." He stuck and a hand out and pulled her up.

"I'm not helpless, you know," she said.

"I know," he said. "Now get upstairs."

"Is it ok if I stay?" Lily asked James.

"Yeah," James said nodding.

"You ok, mate?" Sirius asked as he and James sat down on the couch.

"Why wouldn't I be?" James said putting on a fake smile.

"Because your girlfriend who left you to find her Death Eater best friend, just came back and asked if she could stay in your house?" Sirius said.

"She's not my girlfriend," James said. "Not anymore."

"Things are about to get very interesting around here."

Lily sat in her room staring up at the ceiling when she heard her door crack open. She looked up and a tall figure with black hair enter her room.

"What are you doing?" she asked Karen.

"I came to see my best friend, despite Remus' wishes," Karen replied smiling. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "So? Did you find him?"

"No," Lily said sadly. "I looked forever and ever but I couldn't find him."

"Maybe you're not meant to find him," Karen suggested.

"Maybe."

"What about James?"

"What about James?"

"Maybe, you were meant to come back here. Maybe, it was written in the stars."

"You know I don't believe in divination."

"I know, but it's romantic to believe."

"He's changed."

"Snape?"

"James."

"Yeah. He went threw a lot after you left. It seems like he's aged 10 years. I don't understand it, but I think when he saw you that spark...it came back to his eyes. I think he missed you, even if he doesn't want to admit it."

"I hurt him."

"Yeah."

"I didn't mean to."

"I know, but he doesn't."

The next morning Lily walked down the stairs determinedly. She was going to talk to James, if it killed her. She poked her head into the kitchen and saw James with his back to her reading the Daily Prophet. She sighed and stepped in. "Hey," she said biting her lip.

James' back went stiff. "Hi," he said without turning around. Lily slipped around the table and went over to the cabinets. She opened them and pulled down some bread and eggs.

Suddenly she turned around. "I'm sorry," she and James both said at the same time. They laughed.

"You first," James said.

"I'm sorry left saying good-bye. I'm sorry I left in the middle of the night. I wasn't thinking properly. I was thinking about myself and what I could gain. I wasn't thinking about who it would hurt. I thought that if I gave up then I let the darkness win. I realize now, I can't make people change. I can't turn people from the path they've chosen. But most of all, I'm sorry I hurt you."

James nodded. "I'm sorry I disagreed with you. I'm sorry I didn't support you. I should have at least listened instead of being stubborn. I should have stopped and talked to you, not just assume that you knew I was right. I'm saying that I was but that's what I thought."

"So we're good?" she asked.

"Yeah."

Lily walked up the stairs and turned the knob to Karen's door. What she saw shocked her. Her best friend stood in the middle of the room with a lip lock with none other than Sirius Black. "Sorry!" she said and shut the door promptly. She turned and walked down the hurrying to her room.

"Lily!" Karen shouted. She grabbed Lily's arm and stopped her.

"I am so sorry," Lily said. "I didn't know that you were busy or otherwise I would have knocked."

"It's aright, you didn't know," Karen said. "I guess in all the excitement I forgot to tell you... I'm dating Sirius."

"I saw that," she said.

"Did you want to talk about something?"

"I talked to James."

"You did?! How did it go?"

"Well I told I was sorry and he said he was sorry too."

"For?"

"Well I don't think he has anything to be sorry but he said that he should have talked to me about everything instead of just assuming."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"You know, I half expected him to be all smug."

"I told you, he's changed."

"I know and I think, I like it."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Are you getting back together?"

"Karen, James and I are just friends. I think that's all we'll ever be from now on."

"But you don't want that?"

"Honestly, I don't know what I want."

"I think you do."

"Are you coming, or do I have to come and get you?!" Sirius called from Karen's room.

"Excuse me, while I go and put Sirius in his place," Karen said. Lily just laughed.