"It's sad that we will not be returning here again" sighed Alice, and Frank put his arm around her shoulder and pressed it.
"Yeah, I will miss Hogwarts and you lots" Freank said turning to the marauders and Lily, Marls, Mary, Hestia and Dorcas. They were all sitting in the great hall ready to leave to hogsmeade to catch the train.
"We will miss you both too!" said Marls.
"So, you both got accepted in Auror training?" asked James.
"Yes, we both got accepted, I am so happy." grinned Alice. "And they have changed the rules now one can become Auror with two years training."
"Why did they decrease the time frame?" asked Lily.
"Uncle Ben told me that with the war going on they need more Aurors, so they reduced it by one year." replied James.
"Yeah, but they accept us to work extra hard to learn as much as possible in the two years." said Frank.
"Frank, can I tell them? I can't hold it any longer," asked Alice smiling.
"Go on then," Frank grinned going red in ears.
"Guys Frank proposed to me yesterday." shrieked Alice.
"And did you say 'Yes'?" asked Sirius.
"Of course, she said 'Yes', can't you see her face?" smiled Remus.
"So, when's the wedding?" asked Peter excitedly.
"We haven't decided yet, as we will not have much time this summer, so probably next summer," replied Frank. They all congratulated the pair.
The marauders were on their way to carriages, the girls were walking behind them separated by a group of fourth year Gryffindors. The marauders saw four boys standing in front, and stopped. Snape sneered at the marauders.
"You will pay very badly for everything you did Potter, you will regret your entire life for what you did. I have powers you will never have, you think that being rich and teacher's favorite is power, but no it's not. You can only make empty threats, because you are weaker than me, you cant face me until it's 4 vs 1. You will regret that you ever met me." snarled Snape.
Everyone had stopped, the girls tried to tear the crowd to look at what was holding up everyone, everyone was looking at James who smiled " Believe me Snivelus, I regret that I ever met you, but I want you and your friends to move aside as you are holding the line."
"Afraid are we Potter" snickered Mulciber, he was about to say more when McGonagall asked them to hurry up.
"You have no idea about the power of the dark spells we know, Severus here knows more spell than even the seventh years, and his new dark spells will demolish you," warned Avery and they left.
The marauders and the girls got out of their carriages, James moved at front of the carriage and patted the thestral before entering the train, all seven of them decided to sit in the same compartment.
"What was Snape and his gang saying to you lot?" asked Mary
"Snape was threatening James and Avery said about Snape knowing more spell than even seventh years and knowing dark spells that will demolish James." replied Peter before James could stop him.
"Well Avery was right, Snape do knows more spells and dark spells included more than any of seventh years," supplied Remus. James was thinking the same.
"He makes dark and harmful spells" said Lily quietly.
"I dont understand why they are all so obsessed with the dark spells, its like they dont know what effect it can have, I have seen it, and its frightening, it's pure evil, you can feel it." said James and everyone stared at him.
"How have you seen it?" asked Remus.
"I ... I have seen my aunt suffer due to it." said James.
"Was she into dark arts?" asked Peter.
"What? No, she was attacked by it. That was the day I know what dark arts is, and have really hated it since then, I hate those who use it." said James.
"You had an aunt? You never told me." said Sirius.
"Because she died when I was 10, I think Marls might know her." said James looking at Marls.
"Is it about May Parker? I dont remember much but I remember that she used to tell us about muggle fairy tails and stories." said Marls, James smiled slightly.
"Yeah, she used to do that."
"Was she your relative? I haven't heard 'Parker' title before. And what happened?" asked Siriu, and James took a deep breathe and waited for a minute before speaking.
"Aunt May was a friend of my mother and fiance of my Uncle Ben. She was a muggle-born, she was doing auror training, there she met my Uncle Ben and they fell in love. Her parents died few months after she finished her Auror training, so she moved in with us. Uncle Ben and Aunt May were talented aurors, they used to go to all their missions together.
"Aunt May was there when I was born, she used to look after me so that my mom could have a time off, she and uncle Ben they were the coolest person I have ever met. Aunt May was the 'Life of the Party'. She and Uncle Ben both loved the muggle world, many times they used to take me with them. I remember when I was 8, they had taken me to the first movie I have ever watched in a cinema. She used to bring me comic books of 'BATMAN' and 'SPIDER-MAN', my favorite characters." James smiled at the memory while the others sat in silence listening to him.
"Whenever I used to do some mischief, which was usually taught to me by Uncle Ben and mum used to find it was about to scold me, Aunt May used to calm my mum and explain things to me, to not do that again and then she used to scold Uncle Ben, and I used to laugh at that.
"She was my second mum, and a friend, she used to teach me about muggle history and other cool stuffs. It was 1967 when Voldemort and the death eaters started targeting the muggleborns. My Aunt and uncle being in Auror department had helped capture many of the death eaters. In 1969, my aunt and uncle decided to get married. I insited and cried to become the best man at their wedding, my uncle wanted my father or his best friend to become best man, but I being stubborn insisted to be the best man, but my uncle tricked me in denying so I went to my aunt who asked my uncle to make me the best man, so I was made the best man at their wedding." James smiling face now darkened and his skin became pale.
"It was the day of their wedding, I was very excited, about 60 peoples attended the wedding, including Steven Rowle, disguised under polyjuice potion." Sirius, Marls,Remus and Petes's eyes widened. "He was 19, just left hogwarts, Aunt May and Uncle Ben had arrested his father, who was a death eater and murderer a year ago." James paused to take a deep breath.
"I was standing between next to my uncle with my father, when Aunt May came down the aisle with my mother, she smiled and waved at me happily whenshe approached the stage. I was very very happy at that time. The ... then ... " James voice broke, his eyes became watery "Then that Rowle attacked my aunt with a dark spell before they could even take their vows, and my aunt fell to the gound, it wasnt the killing curse but it was dangerous and cruel, the other wizards immediately captured Rowle before he could do anything more, but the damage was done. He laughed calling my aunt that 'M-word', the first time I ever heard that word, he was fucking laughing and calling her that word. While Aunt May's face paled, her nerves turned black as she struggled to breath. I was frozen at the spot as I saw for first time my Uncle Ben crying and looking helpless, not knowing how to save her love. They all took her to St. Mungo's, where the healers continuously treated her for 4 hours, I was there, my mom wanted to take me home but I completely denied it 'saying I will not go home without my Aunt May', mu mum gave in. The healers came out after 4 hours looking sad and exhausted. She said that Aunt May is attacked by a powerful dark curse, and there is no way to save her, she informed that Aunt May's life could be extended by a day only but it will be very painful and Aunt May has requested that she cant bear that much pain, her last request was to see all of us when she left. So, we all went in.
"Their was no more that happiness and glee in her face, there was no more the brightness in her blue eyes, it was all sad and painful. Her skin was pale, her eyes sunken, lips bluish, her nerves has turned black. But you know what when she saw us she smiled despite all the pain, she smiled at us. Uncle Ben was completely broken, he hold her hand and sat beside her. Aunt May talked to him then to mum and dad, then she turned to me and smiled, she ruffled my hair with her weak hands and spoke, her voice broken, each words coming out with difficulty. I could never forgot her words, she said to me, 'James never be sad, promise me that you will be always happy and cheerful, and make others happy, okay, I love you James and I am so grateful to have seen you grow up. Be always happy my son, and love, because love is the powerful thing I have ever seen, be always happy and cheerful. Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.' I couldn't say anything so I just nodded." James sobbed, Lily felt sad for James and Aunt May, she could see the pain in James' eyes, she saw as James gulped.
"I saw as Aunt May looked at Uncle Ben, holding tightly at his hand, she said him to be happy and told him how much she loved him and he did the same, I could see both of them in pain, though my Uncle was uninjured, he was dying inside as they exchanged their last love to each other, my aunt looked at all of us smiled and then closed her eyes forever, the smile still there in that pale face. My uncle broke down completely, that was darkest time of my life seeing my uncle completely broken and my aunt gone." James took another gulp and his brow furrowed.
"My uncle was sad and quiet for an entire month, our house felt empty without Aunt May, with no more her laughing the house went silent, it felt and still feels like there's a void which could never be filled." tears fall down James's face
"I remember the day of her funeral, we were her only family, but as she was an auror many ministry officials also attended it. That's when I heard them talk about things no one has ever told me. I heard one of them say that it was bound to happen as she was an auror and even worse a muggleborn, some people didnt showed sympathy to her and silently called her that 'M-word', the meaning of which I understood after the funeral. I heard them talk about Steven Rowle, he was a slytherin student, very deep in dark arts, they said he was so deep in the dark stuffs that he had gone mad, when they were escorting him to Azkaban he was laughing madly. I heard them talk that he was a follower of you-know-who like his father. I heard them call my uncle and parents stupid for associating with a muggleborn instead of calling those maniacs stupid.
"I learned secretly from my library about what they meant by dark arts, about Voldemort being heir of Salazar Slytherin, about most death eaters being from Slytherin and other stuffs. That was the day I pledged never to touch dark magic and stay away from Slytherin. I learned how spoilt and dreadful the dark arts are and here those Slytherin gits, that Snape think so high of that, it makes me boiling with anger," James spat the last sentence and punched the window hard resulting the glass to break.
"James" said the girls together, Mary quickly took his hand and healed it with her wand while Lily repaired the window and looked at James with concern.
"Sorry" said James. "It's just that the people using and praising dark arts and using that word makes me angry."
"We could see and understand that mate" said Remus.
" I just feel sad for my uncle, he was moments away from marrying the love of his life and then before that he lost her forever." said James. " I can see my uncle still in pain and feeling alone sometimes but otherwise he has recovered greatly, he and Aunt May's words helped me to go through all that tough times. I dont think I could be ever as strong as my uncle."
James stood up opened his trunk and took out a photo, "This is me with Aunt May and Uncle Ben"
Lily looked at the photo she recognized young James and Ben, she saw the woman in the photo. She had blue eyes and dirty blonde hair.
"She was beautiful, both of them look cute together" said Mary and others nodded.
" So, Prongs you get the inspiration to be always happy and laugh from her." said Peter smiling.
"Yeah" replied James smiling.
"Come on then let's play something then." said Sirius.
"What?" asked Marlene.
" Truth or dare?" said Mary
"No," said Peter "Sirius each time tricks me in choosing dare and then gave some odd dare."
"I agree with wormtail." said Remus "Playing truth and dare with Sirius is a bad idea." Sirius hit both Pete and Remus.
"Okay how about Never Have I ever? With more answers so we could know more about each other." asked Marlene, all of them agreed.
"But drinks?" asked Mary.
"I have many bottles of butterbeer, I brought it from Rosemarta yesterday night." grinned Sirius taking out a bottle.
"How?" asked Lily.
"Marauders secret, we will tell you all when we return," said James conjuring 7 goblets with his wand and giving one to each.
"So, the first question?" asked Peter as Sirius poured butter beer into each goblet.
"NHIE had taken fire whiskey(alcoholic drink)" said Mary. Sirius, Marlene, and James took a sip.
"We found a bottle at home, and we were alone so we drank it," said Malrs.
"NHIE had a crush on a professor," said Peter, this time everyone took a sip.
"Third-year DADA professor," said the boys.
"Fourth-year DADA professor," said the girls and everyone broke into laughter.
They continued to play for 20 minutes, with eventually the game turning to truth only.
"Okay, I've got one NHIE snogged someone," said Sirius and everyone took a sip."Good going, ?"
"Sarah on the night of ball" Peter blushed. "Now, NHIE shagged someone." Everyone looked around curiously than Marls and Sirius took a sip, which shocked no one, but everyone was shocked including Marls and Sirius, but not more than Lily.
"Prongs?" asked Sirius.
"What?" asked James.
"You didn't take a sip, did you even hear the question?"asked Marlene,
"Yes, I clearly heard the question and I have not shagged anyone."James replied.
"But you? I mean you are rather famous among cheeks after me," asked Sirius looking at his friend in shock.
"I am not like you, Padfoot. I have control,"said James everyone was looking at him in disbelief. "Does everyone think that I have already shagged someone?" everyone nodded."And more than once too?" everyone nodded again. James got angry "Well than you all are wrong, I haven't shagged anyone yet."
"Why?" asked Sirius who was confused at this.
"Because I just don't want to fool around with someone, like you and I am waiting for right person." James said simply. Lily couldn't help the redness of her cheek and butterflies in her cheek. She wanted James to answer this and felt relaxed and happy by his answer. 'Why am I so interested in his sexual life?' Lily thought. 'You know the answer.' answered a voice inside Lily.
"Anyway moving on NHIE someone else's toothbrush," said James, only Sirius and Remus took a sip. The girls looked them at in shock.
"Well we have the same color toothbrush with a slight difference," answered Remus to the looks.
"Now let's just ask a common question and everyone will answer it honestly," said Sirius, others nodded. "First kiss?"
"Benjy" replied Marls
"Eve" replied Sirius
"Amy Cross," said Remus.
" Sarah," said Peter
"Liam" said Mary.
James and Lily both had gone red and had become interested in other things, Lily on her nails and James in scenery out the window. Everyone waited for their answers.
"Lily tell the answer," said Mary but Lily stole a look at James who too stole a look at Lily and she didn't answer.
"Lily, answer the question," said Marlene raising her voice.
"James," Lily said quietly.
"He will answer after you, first you tell," said Marlene now frustrated.
"James was my first kiss," replied Lily looking down. Everyone's jaw dropped.
"Well give Marls give me my 5 galleons," said Mary happily, Marlene grunted and handed her the money.
Lily looked at her two friends,"You betted that my first kiss was James?"
"No, Marls said your first kiss was Snape and I denied it then we betted on it," replied Mary.
"Ugh, why would you even think that, that's bad," said Lily screwing her face.
"Well I thought since you both were close friends," said Marls.
"I 'always' considered him more like my brother, as I always wanted to have brother, so he was that for me until he got involved in dark arts and used that word," Lily said angrily.
"Okay, but how you and James kissed? When did this happened?" asked Marlene, Lily turned red again.
"End of second year exam, after we got our results," Lily said looking down and remembering the kiss.It was nice but not like that kiss on the night of astronomy revision.
"How?" asked Mary.
"Well we betted that if I get more marks in DADA then James than he would say sorry to Snape for his last prank and if he won he would kiss me, I was overconfident and lost the bet, so he kissed me," Lily said.
"Well you kissed me back as well," replied James. The prat had to say that. Lily turned more red.
"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Sirius.
"Well the rule was that both the conditions of bet will be fulfilled in private and that we will not talk about it to anyone else," James replied.
"So, who was your first kiss?" asked Peter to James, who shot him a look, before turning red.
"Lily" replied James.
" Okay next question, last kiss?" asked Malrs. Lily and James stared at each other a mutual understanding settling between them, Lily mouthed him so that only he could see that.
"Sarah," said Peter.
"Mary" said Remus
"Remus" said Mary.
"Penny," said Sirius.
"Dawid" said Marlene.
"James," said Lily.
"Lily," said James.
"Now, what the hell is going on here?" asked Marls.
"It was an accident, we were caught under a mistletoe when we were walking back to the common room," said James.
"And why didn't you tell me this?" asked Sirius.
"She wouldn't kiss me until I promised her that I will not tell anyone, we kissed for barely 3 seconds," said James, and Lily agreed. This lie convinced everyone, except Marlene who didnt said anything.
Soon the train pulled at platform nine-three-by-four, Lily gave James a look that he understood. While others started moving out Lily faked having trouble getting her trunk down so James stopped to help her while others left.
"You thought that excuse really fast," grinned James.
"Well it happened to Hestia with Jacob, so I used that," Lily smiled. " I am sorry for your aunt, I thought that you just simply hated Slytherins for no reason, sorry for that too."
"It's okay, well I learned that not all Slytherins are bad, like Slughorn, Andromeda, and some more," smiled James, he saw as Lily open her trunk and took out a book and handed James, he read the title 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J.R.R. TOLKEIN'
"Have you read this book?" asked Lily, James shook his head, Lily sighed and smiled, "It's a book about a magical world but not like ours, there are three books, I will give you the next if you like this, it's a very popular book. I hope you like it."
"Thanks, Lily for this I am afraid I don't have anything to give you at this moment." said James.
"It's okay James, I don't want anything in return, you were so happy about that book so I thought of giving you this one," Lily smiled at him then looked out at the crowd outside.
James looked at her, she was sad now, and he knew why, he wanted to say something but couldn't think what to say, "I will miss you," he blurted out.
Lily looked back at him and smiled "I will miss you too."
As they exited the train together, James saw Lily was again sad, he squeezed her shoulder slightly for a short time and said, "You are a brave witch, Lily. All the best."
"Thanks" said Lily looking at his hazel eyes and then said, "Promise you'll write to me."
James grinned at her, "I won't. You know I won't"
Lily's heart sank, then she saw the grin on his face and hit him hard on the shoulder, "Ow" said James but he laughed.
"Promise me."
"Okay, I will write you but I don't know your address and Malrs will not tell me," said James. Lily looked around and found her father and mother who were still looking around for her.
"Come with me," Lily said and moved towards her father who smiled when she saw Lily.
"Dad, Mum" Lily hugged them then turned to her father,"Can I borrow your pen?" Lily took the pen, and then took out a piece of paper from her pocket and wrote down the address and turned to James, and handed it to him."Now you can."
"Who is this Lily?" asked Rose.
"Sorry, he is James Potter, you remember?" said Lily. Rose and Richard both nodded and smiled at James.
"Hello, So you were Lily's partner at the championship? Congratulations dear." said Richard.
"Hello Mr. Evans and Mrs. Evans, and thank you," said James smiling but feeling nervous at the same time.
"Lily wrote a lot about you, that how much you have helped her in the championship as well as classes," Said Rose. Lily turned red.
"Lily also helped me a lot in potions and she contributed as much as I in winning," said James.
Two people arrived behind James, a man exactly like James but old with black eyes and brown hair and a woman with black hair and hazel eyes.
"Hello James" said the woman, Jumes turned and hugged his parents, he looked around for someone else, his mother noticed it and replied " Ben is with Sirius, they are talking to Mckinnons." James nodded. "And is this Lily Evans?"she asked to James who nodded smiling.
"Hello dear James told about you and then we heard about your fighting skills from those who witness it. Congratulations." said Fleamont.
"Thanks Mr. Potter," Lily smiled.
James and Lily's parents talked for a few minutes and then were ready to leave, Lily smiled and waved at James who mirrored the action.
"Well mate you have lot to tell about this. We thought that you both will never talk again but here you both are." said Sirius.
"Yeah, here we are," sighed James as Lily moved out of James' sight. "Come let's go, we have lot of fun to do," said James, he knew that Sirius will not ask the question of Lily again if James distracts Sirius. James thought of visiting Lily with friends or at leas send Marls to Lily so she could help her and that she doesn't feels alone. He hoped that maybe even he could visit her. He hoped so.
As Lily sat in his father's car and started to go to hospital she hoped that Aunt Charlotte will be well and might return home. She also hoped that her sister will be good to her and that her friends will write to her. She hoped so.
Snape has saw all all this exchange between them, he had tried to find Lily in a compartment to get a opportunity with her alone and talk to her and explain to her that it was not his fault and that Potter has provoked him. He was successful in finding her as he saw her friends leaving without her, but when he reached near the compartment he has heard Potter with her, he has heard all their words.
Snape has saw standing beside his mother as Potter squeezed Lily's shoulder, as Lily gave him a note, probably her address, and introduced her parents to him and as his parents, he saw Lily and Potter looking and waving at each other.
But the summer was still there and there will be no Potter or Lily's other friends, Lily will be alone and friendless, and as always her sister will not talk to her. So, Lily will have no choice but to talk to him and forgive him, and then she will realize that she has no one but him. He hoped so.
Regulus saw standing next to his parents at his brother, who was looking at Regulus every now and then, when both of their eyes connected both of them smiled such that only they alone can see that. Regulus felt happy that his brother still loves him.
Sirius felt happy that his brother still loves him. He saw the anger in his mother's eyes as she looked at Sirius but he also saw the sadness and concern hidden and more hidden was love. He saw his father's eyes where there was no anger just sadness, concern and love. If Sirius will be lucky he will be able to meet his brother and father over the summer at Uncle Alphard where just three of them go on uncle Alphard's birthday on 18th August. He hoped so.
IT WILL BE A SUMMER OF HOPES!
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