Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

**The Party**

Chapter 1: The wall of Boredom

"Lily, I'm bored!" Whined Alice King from the other side of my room, where she just so happened to be spinning in circles on my desk chair.

It is the hottest day recorded in England since 1950. My best friend Alice and I just came up from standing in front of the freezer with the door open; our fruitless attempt to stay cool.

"Well, what did you want to do?" I drop the book in my hands and look at her. I'm upside down on my bed with another empty water bottle perched teasingly on the floor in front of my face.

"How about we go swimming?" She rolls the chair over to me.

"Sure, we ca-"

"What if we invite a few friends?!" Alice exclaims. "it could be like a little pool party!"

"I am humored at the light use of the term 'little'." I comment.

"Oh come on Lil, it would be so much fun! School just got out last week and no one will have plans yet!"

I sigh. "Alice, you know my parents aren't home, it took every ounce of persuasiveness I had to get them to let me have you over. As soon as they find out I'm planning a party without their permission, they'll come straight home. I wouldn't want to ruin their anniversary trip, they haven't go-" I stop short; she was shaking her head in pity.

"Lily, Lily, Lily. Dear, sweet, naïve Lily."

I sit up straight and face her.

"Whoa, no need to three Lily me! I'm simply concerned for my well-being; you know full well that I would be skinned alive."

"What your parents don't know won't hurt them." She taps her chin knowingly. "Just a couple girls. We could have the party tomorrow… after lunch or something. Your mum and dad aren't coming home 'til Monday and we can easily have everything cleaned up by then." She insists, adding her puppy-dog face as a cherry atop the ice cream. I sit quietly, pondering for a moment. Then, eyeing the girl's playfully sad face, I narrow my eyes.

"Yeah… right. A couple girls my ass. If we're going to get skinned alive, might as well make it worth it." I have no idea what I am getting myself into but hey! I'm a seventh year now. I am well aware that this could all possibly go down at an ninety degree angle at two hundred miles per hour, however, I'm sixteen and responsible. Enough.

"That, my friend is positive spirit!" Alice jumps up, linking her arm in mine. "C'mon, let's make a list of what we need, who to invite things we can do..."

I let her babble on and not let my mind wander to the worse- case scenario…My parents or Petunia will not find out. At all. I should maybe get some cleaning supplies just in case… and a few garbage bags. Maybe some barf bags- wait no, no alcohol. Unless we invite-

"THE MARAUDERS!" Alice shouted; her hands flying above her head and an accomplished look on her face. I plop my elbow on the desk and drop my head in my hand.

"What about them?" I grumble moodily. Alice gives me a look.

"We can invite them, duh. Or if you'd prefer just James Potter, then I guess we can make arrangements…"

I reply with an intelligent sound strangled between a gag and a hiss.

"Lily, I know you fancy him. I mean every girl goes through the Marauder stage at some point in her life." She says

I lift an eyebrow. "Every girl?"

"Every single one, well I shouldn't say that. Remember that Hufflepuff had been in a relationship with Amos Diggory for, like, three months and then she found out Remus Lupin wasn't going to Hogsmead with anyone so, she err…"

For Remus's sake, I shudder "Right." Then throw in casually as I write a few more words down on the parchment. "So, which is the blessed Marauder of your dreams?"

Alice grins, dimples and all. "That train already hit, I was twelve and found myself caught under the charming impression of Sirius Black."

I frown. "Still, I don't ever think I will fall for one of those pig headed gits."

"Don't keep that attitude Lil, that's when they'll jump out from behind you and Cupid will stab you in the back with one of those damned arrows of his." She warns.

"I suppose Remus isn't that bad, at least he's tolerable and has proper ambitions." I shrug. Alice sighs in what sounds like defeat.

So by about four o'clock, we have all the invitations mailed and most of my spare babysitting money worth of party supplies.

I fall down on my bed, a mischievous grin creeping across my face. Alice lies beside me after dropping her share of shopping bags on the floor. I can't believe I am doing something my parents would kill me for. I let out a girlish squeal.

"What?" She grins.

Before I get any time to respond, we hear a sharp tap at the window. Three owls are perched on the sill so I rush over and slide it open, eager to see if they're responses to the party invites. The birds soar in and line up neatly on my desk, each of their right legs stuck out.

Alice and I look at each other momentarily before clumsily detaching the parchment from the owls and letting them fly out the window. I glance down at the wax-sealed envelope addressed to and in a sort of lazily neat scrawl. Tearing open the letter and reading the short reply, I find a tiny smile etched on my lips.

"This one is from Remus Lupin, so we can check his name off- what so funny?" She asks suspiciously snatching the letter from my fingers and clearing her throat.

"_My Dearest Lily-Flower,_

_I'll admit I was a bit in shock after hearing you were throwing a party and had to double-check whom it was from. You can definitely count us in; we can't wait. _

_Truly yours,_

_James Potter_

_P.S Pete can't come; he's on vacation with his parents all summer."_

Alice raises her thin eyebrows and purses her lips understandingly. 

"Don't. Even. Go there." I say flatly.

"Go where?" My best friend asks innocently.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Party **

**Chapter 2: What harm could a Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich Possibly Do?**

"Lily?"

"Mmm?"

"Where is that fizzy sweet juice?"

I briefly glance at my best friend before remembering she is a pure-blood witch and to stop questioning her sanity.

"It's in the fridge. Bottom shelf I think."

Alice looks blankly at me and blinks. "Fridge?" I sigh and point to the refrigerator. "Oh! You mean the cold cupboard."

I bite my lip. "Right."

She smiles happily and pours the ginger ale into the punch bowl.

We are getting ready for the big party which is in an hour and a half. We spent most of last night getting positive responses and now everyone except Peter Pettigrew, according to James Potter, is coming. We already cut the grass and cleaned the pool and everything, so as of now, I am putting the chips in bowls and the finger sandwiches on plates. Alice is erm… making the punch.

"Okay, Lily! I think I'm done! It tastes normal." She chirped excitedly, jumping over and drumming my arm.

"I guess we should get dressed then?" I grin anxiously.

We run upstairs to my bedroom. Alice had her swimsuit picked out in thirty seconds. I on the other hand had started thinking about that sweet little note Potter had sent last night. It's amazing how he still comes across as arrogant even in that lazy script of his. The way his eyes light up when that lopsided grin takes over his lips and then he'll run his fingers carelessly through his hair. Arrogantly of course.

I remember the first time I saw that grin. He was with his parents on platform 9 ¾ and for the first time he actually looked as nervous as I was. He was with Sirius and they were about to get on the train before he turned saw me. James had on expensive jeans and a dark purple sweater, zipped half way and revealing a black baggy shirt underneath. He stopped and grinned, offering to take my trunk up to my compartment. He also let me go first-

My thoughts are cut off by Alice's blatant voice.

"You're smiling again." she holds up a black piece of string with flashy silver buckles and the odd strip of fabric.

I wrinkle my nose at the swim suit. "Not really my type."

"Then what is your type Lily?" She sighs. I shrug. "Thinking about our tall, black haired, brown eyed, be-spectacled Quiditch captain, huh?"

I shake my head to get the image of James on his broom out of my head. The way the wind blew his hair dreamily, the sun reflecting of it making it look blue. That cute little crease he gets between his eyebrows when he concentrates. How he yells out the different plays… How his voice cracked that one time-

"Hey Lily, what time is it?" Alice asks.

"NO I DO NOT FANCY JAMES POTTER FOR YOUR LOUSY INFORMATION AND EVEN IF I DID IT WOULD BE ABSOLUTLY NONE OF YOUR BEESWAX!"

"Lily; if I'm not mistaken, the symptoms you are displaying: spacing out randomly, smiling stupidly, giving pathetic answers to simple questions and denying your feelings when asked the time, I'd say you fancy James Potter." She concludes clicking her tongue.

I'm about to deny, then I actually process what she said. "You asked the time?" I check my watch. "Ten to Three. And I did not _deny_ my feelings. My head was just bursting with the thoughts I err… mentioned briefly, that it came leaking out my mouth. James is an arrogant toe rag, an obnoxious bully and a thief. How could you insult my integrity by putting that freakish abnormality in my flawlessly perfect reputation?" I sniff.

Alice blinks. "You called him James."

"Here, how about this one?" I pull out a safe looking earthy green bikini with big gold buckles from my drawer.

"Don't change the topic." She barks.

"Alice people are going to be here in ten minutes and we still have to get the music plugged in." I whine.

"Fine. I'll do the music and you get dressed, the food is already out there. And Lily," She spins me around, seriously placing both hands on my shoulders. "Don't be a pansy. Take a chance and see what happens, you may even be pleasantly surprised at the outcome." And with that, she left the room, closing the door with a soft bump. I'm left in complete silence.

Sirius Black just spiked the punch. He turned that boyish grin towards me. "There's nothing you can do about it now! Just think of all the excitement this will cast upon our unsuspecting subjects."

"Black, they are not subjects, they are our classmates! And the last thing alcohol will be the result of, is excitement, you git!" I rant outraged.

He widens his mischievous grey eyes, scandalized. "Evans! Why use such… insufferable language? Parties like these, might I add, are ones to either make or break a reputation. I'd imagine you would prefer a grand ol'rep for yourself and I, being the kind thoughtful bloke that I am, was merrily attempting to assist you." He sighs dramatically, causing me to roll my eyes, and makes his way past me, only to grab another bottle of fire whiskey to dump into the bowl. He looks over his shoulder into my eyes. "Frankly, Evans, I'm thoroughly shocked that you were truly naïve enough to believe there would be no funny business going on at your party whilst having The Marauders as guests." And with that he struts of into a crowd of giggling witches.

I growl because he is indeed correct. I still refuse to be labeled as naïve. I eye his black, abnormally perfect, shiny and wavy hair. I look over both shoulders and then pluck a peanut butter and jam sandwich from a nearby platter, carefully peel it apart and casually walk up behind him, a slice in both hands.

"Hey, Evans!" Exclaims a voice from behind me, giving away my position. I curse under my breath and squish the sticky bread on either side of Black's head and smear them in his hair.

After the whole crowd gasped, it went so quiet you could hear a nargle fart.

I brush my hands off, feeling a great wave of accomplishment.

"You probably shouldn't have done that." James breathed from a few feet behind me. I bite my lip to keep from laughing as Black slowly rotates around to face me, a blank expression masking his features. For a moment, he just stands there as the slice of bread on the top of his head slides down his face and onto the ground in the result of a trail of jam on his cheek and a splat as it hits the pool deck.

Behind me, Potter snorts. "Oh, Paddy! That'll be a pain to get out of your hair. My aunt got jam in her hair once. Only once though, she had to cut it all off after." He added none too sympathetically.

Sirius's eye twitched and his nostrils flare and his lower jaw juts out. Before I know it, I find myself in a fireman's hold on his shoulder and moving towards the pool. Only then do I notice he is wearing a leopard print speedo. For the love of Godric, curse the tawbie who invented that horrid, none-supportive contraption.

"Bon appitit, Evans!" He wiggled. I am officially scarred for life. So I plant my knuckle on his outer thigh right smack in between the muscles. He let out a howl in pain and doubled over at the pools edge, causing both of us to submerge into the not so warm water.

As soon as I burst through the surface I look franticly search for Black, waiting for the blow. When it doesn't come, look up at James who is thankfully wearing shorts and crouched before the water's edge. "Alright, Lily?"

As soon as I look into his light brown eyes, however much I want to, I can't look away. That was the first time he called me by my first name and not using a corny pick-up line.

"Where's Sirius?" He scans the pool, I follow his lead and at the same time we spot his unmoving body at the bottom of the deep end. Instinctively, I dive towards him, the water muting all sound allowing me to hear my pulse quickening. I reach for his hand and pull him to the surface, over to James who rolls him on the deck. I get out and kneel beside his still form.

"Padfoot? Sirius! Paddy?!" James shakes his best friend's shoulders, his voice rising in hysteria. Sirius's eyelids scrunch and his cheeks puff out, resembling a blowfish magnificently and a perfect stream of water shoots forcefully into James's unsuspecting face. He bolts upright, wiping water of his glasses.

"…bloody disgusting…" he mutters under his breath. Sirius turns on his side, facing me and hacks out more water on my leg.

"That's bloody disgusting…" I hiss, still feeling concerned for him.

"P-Pro-ongs-sie…" he coughs, groping weakly at James's face and blindly removing his circular glasses and placing them on his own face. Upside down, might I add.

"Paddy? What do you need?" He asks desperately.

Sirius takes a few more shallow breaths and wheezes out a cough, once again spraying James with phlegm. Only this time, the poor guy didn't have his glasses to protect his eyes.

"...m-mmmust-tard-d…"

"Moony? Fetch the mustard, will you?" He calls to Remus while rubbing his fists in his eyes.

"M'not a dog you know." He mutters, striding over to retrieve the yellow bottle and tossing it over.

"No, of course not. How could I be so terribly mistaken?" he replies, the corner of his mouth twitching and he hands the bottle to Sirius who is still sporting James's glasses.

"O-open it-t." he slurs. James looks a little confused as he flicks open the cap and wearily handing it over. Sirius took the bottle and held it close to his chest.

And with no warning, whatsoever, he opens his eyes as wide as possible and takes a loud deep breath. "LILY!" he wailed, causing me to jump in surprise. "C-come." His eyes close again. I lean forward. He shakes his head. "Close-r…" When my nose is an inch away from his face, I feel a cold, clingy sensation on the back of my head. And I smell mustard.

I hear James clap his hand over his mouth.

My eyes closed, I heave a great sigh and smack his face. The stupid asshole git is smiling.

"Um… Padfoot? I was only joking, y'know, 'bout the jam thing. She did have to cut her hair off… but it was because of some muggle contraption called… Slum? Hum? Glump? No! Gum! It's Called gum!" James says a bit sheepishly.

Sirius scrunches his face up. "Why on earth would you name something `_gum`_? It rhymes with-" He grins stupidly.

"_Bum!_" They say simultaneously. I roll my eyes and sit up. James laughs and offers his hand to me. Without a thought I take it and am thoroughly surprised to feel a tingling sensation erupt up my arm; goose bumps.

"Thanks." I mutter and shove my arms behind my back after noticing his eyes were trailing over them. He lifts an eyebrow.

"No problem. Nice swim suit, by the way"

I rush off behind him, hoping that the heat in my face is strictly from the sun.

"Lily! Are you okay? Here, let me get that out of your hair…" Alice rambles, her shoulder length hair swept back in a pony tail. She hands me a big cup and a towel. I wrap it around my waist and out of pure thirst, chug the cold liquid.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Party**

**Chapter 3: The Harm**

"-and then, he helped me up. Oh Merlin, his _hand_! It was so strong and rough and manly!"

"That's nice Lily. You already told me this several times in the past hour, remember?" My best friend asks, annoyed. She doesn't believe me. How can Alice not support me in this time of pure need and helplessness? I draw my chest up high and look her in the face.

"Alice King, I thought you were my friend! How could you-_hic_-betray me like that? You have to believe me! I'm serious- mah ha! I'm _Lily_, not _Sirius_!"

"You're more sloshed then I realized, maybe I should take this…" she reaches for my drink. I snatch it back.

"No! It's mine!" I dump the rest of the contence into my mouth. "See there's-_hic_\- no more." I reason, holding the plastic cup out.

"Okay…? Don't get any more or you will do something so stupid that you will regret in the morning, it's seven thirty and I'm not sure when you want people to head out. But I'm going to go and make out with Frank Longbottom over there, see you later." She turns to leave me alone.

"Can I come?"

Alice gasps and points. "Look! There's James Potter!" I whirl around to where she is pointing and stumble.

"Whoa!" I am about to fall when strong, rough, manly hands catch me.

"Carefulll ther-Evans. Don' wanna fell over."

"Hiya Jamesie." I reach up and lace my fingers in his hair. "Y'know, I've always-_hic_\- wondered what it would be like to comb your hair. It's so soft and th-_hic_. And I haven't ever mentioned to you that your eyes are a perfect shade of toasted marshmallow gold." I giggle. "Wow! I never said anything like that about you to anyone but my diary before!"

James smiles. "Awe, thanks Lilsy! I always liked that 'bout you. You can see th' beau'fulness in every'ne, well, 'cept me so _now_ it's every'ne!"

We burst out laughing and snorting, earning a few looks from people passing by but I don't care. I am with the love of my life.

"Hey Lils-its gettin' dark out here. Err, maybe we should head _hic _inside." He suggests in a gentlemanly fashion. I look at the sky, it is getting dark and the sun is almost hidden by the horizon.

"You are so right, love. Come on, before it rains." I say solemnly.

"We wouldn' wanna get wet."

I giggle. "Carry me!"

So, he puts an arm under my knees and across my back and lifts me, only to stumble after a few steps and fall right on top of me.

"Whoa!" I land on my back with his face right smack in the middle of my chest.

"JAMES!" I exclaim.

"Yeah?" Comes his muffled reply. Clumsily, I shove his head off and he rolls it on my stomach, smiling like some sort of child who found out Christmas was coming three months early.

"Sorry Lilsy. I fell.

I sigh "If we are going to get married, James, you'll have to respect me." He gets off me and leans closer, cupping my face in his hand.

"Of course me little Lilsy flow'r. The _hic _last thing I wan' is for you to feel disre'pected 'cause of me." And with that, he leans forward even more and just as our lips brush, we here the loud, penetrating voice of Remus Lupin.

"Hey! Prongsers! Whose wand is bigger? Padfoot _believes_ it to be his but it is so painfully obvious that mine is the larger sort."

James gets up and walks to his friends. He is so loyal to them. I follow.

"Guess what Sirius!" He turns to face me, eyebrows raised. "James and I are getting married!"

His face is unreadable to me. "I am officially the only being at this party not wasted to the last brain cell."

"Not fair, Paddy!" Remus says loudly. "It takes a lot to get you under."

"Do not fret Moony-kins; I have all intentions of getting drunk out of my mind, much similar to these two dimwits over here."

James smiles and looks at me. "That's us Lilsy! We were the dimwits!"

Sirius barks out a laugh. "No, Prongs, you _are_ the dimwits."

James looks offended. "Moony's wand is way bigger." He sniffs.

"But, look at all these cool carvings on Sirius's." I protest.

"Yes, thank-you Evans-"

"Hey! She's a Potter now. Merlins-be'rd. Get it right." James slurs proudly.

"Right. Well, you two kids have fun while it lasts because in the morning, I am sooooo telling your mum that you eloped and didn't invite her. And remember, no Lily and Prongs junior's until after the honeymoon." Sirius claps James on the back and walks away.

"...Honeymoon…" James mumbles.

"Let's get another drink, James." I pull his hand to the bowl.

And that, my friends, is the last thing to register in my mind for the rest of the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**THE Party**

**Chapter 4: The Result**

The sun is so bright. It is making the inside of my eyelids glow red. I squeeze them tightly shut. My head is pounding. It feels as though there are thick, hot, cast iron spikes being violently forced through my skull at every angle humanly possible and it's about to explode at any second.

I take a deep breath to try and clear my head and it smells and tastes as though some kind of rodent had crawled in my mouth and died last year and is now starting the process of decay.

I hear a deep moan that stabs painfully into my headache like a bolt of lightning. I open my eyes a millimeter and see that there is a person beside me. No, more like under me. It is definitely a guy; his bare chest is slightly tanned and hard with muscle. I wiggle my fingers and rest them in front of my face, bringing another masculine hand with it. There is an ancient silver ring on his finger. I open my eyes a little to decipher the tiny script on it.

P… Either a lower case A or O… T, T- Oh, please great Godric, _no. _I shut my eyes in hopes to wake up from this nightmare, only to have him groan again. I reluctantly tilt my head up and seeing the messy black hair, strong elegant features and freckles sprinkled across his nose from the previous day spent in the sun, I scream in terror and bolt to a sitting position.

That's when I come to the realization that I am stark naked.

I yank the covers up to my chin only to reveal James's, er… James. Instinctively, I dive across him to replace the blanket. He moans my name envelopes me in his rather muscular arms, turning on to his side and pressing his face into to side of my neck.

So, there I lie. Stark naked. With a blasted headache. Crushed up against a sleeping James Potter. Who also happens to be buck-naked. With his hand on my arse. I stare at the ceiling and pull the covers up to my mouth.

Against my will of course, I caught a whiff of him. Much to my misfortune, it was very nice. Like broom stick polish and a slight hint of axe.

He nuzzles my neck and hugs me closer, pulling my leg over his waist and stopping abruptly. I can almost hear his eyes open. "Lily?" He groans his voice thick with sleep and he reaches up to rub his eyes, jabbing me in the cheast… I hiss. James jerks his hands back in surrender, slapping me in the jaw as he does so.

"Sorry! Are you okay?" He looks at me with a worried, apologetic expression.

"No! I am bloody well _not_ okay! How could you just- We aren't even- Uhhgg! You are an _idiot_!" I accent the last word with a hard back hand. "Sorry! Are you _okay?" _I ask in a falsely sweet voice.

He clenches his jaw. "You know, if I were another guy, that would've probably hurt a lot more, but don't worry, I'm used to it. Not to mention another guy most likely wouldn't let you walk out of this situation with dignity. You really aren't in the position to insult me Lily."

"Is that a _threat?_" I sneer.

He raises an eyebrow "No. It was a stern warning." And he sits up, as if he forgot he was indecent.

He threw the blankets of himself so hard that they flew behind me. At a lightning speed, I snatch them back and he takes a corner and sinks back under.

"Bloody Hell, it's chilly out there!" He exclaims.

I blink.

After a long, painfully trying and awkward moment of complete, utter silence, he asks tentatively, "Hey, Lily?"

"Yes, James?" I reply through gritted teeth.

"When are your parents getting home?"

My eyes widen and my jaw falls open. "P-parents?"

"Ah. I see. So… D'you, have any idea where our, erm, clothes?" He attempts at making it sound casual.

"Merlin, I don't even know what we did last night, let alone where our clothes are!"

He looks at me. "Right, err, here this is just a hunch but…" He hesitantly reaches under my pillow and pulls out Sirius's leopard print speedo.

We look at each other.

"Nah I don't wanna know." James says weakly.

I look at him expectantly. "Well? Put it on."

"I'm not wearing that thing! It's sticky and smells like strawberries!" He says incredulously. "You put it on."

I glare at him.

"F-f-fine. I can't believe, after all we've been through you're making me do this… I don't even know what's been in there!" He pretends to sob. It does nothing to faze me. Seeing this, he huffs. "You are impossible." And he puts the swim wear on under the comforter, looking about to vomit. "Why s'it have to be sticky?" he whimpers.

James rises out of the bed, his usually arrogant face flushed with embarrassment.

I try for his sake not to look, but considering James Potter is on the top of the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and probably Slytherin girls _Best Body _list, I catch myself staring at all places hard to see under the baggy Hogwarts robes.

He clears his throat. "Umm, I found my shorts. D'you need me to get yours or did you just want me to head down stairs and start cleaning?" his eyes have a knowing look in them. It's my turn to flush.

"Would you mind cleaning?" I ask uncharacteristically shy.

He grins "I offered, didn't I? No peeking." He gestures changing out of the speedo. I hurriedly pull the blankets over my eyes, removing them after a couple seconds I pull the blanket down only to have James whip the speedo in my face.

"Oi! I said no peeking!"

I shriek. "Ew, ew, ew! My mouth was open!"

He laughs freely, sporting crimson and gold Gryffindor swim trunks. "Sorry, Lils. I told you not to peek."

I scowl and he winks, running a hand through his raven hair.

Five minutes later, I am dressed and sprinting frantically down the stairs. Immediately, I look around expecting a big ugly mess. All I see is James standing at the foot of the stairs. He has a bunch of sponges, mops and brooms all magically at work and one of my mum's pink rubber cleaning gloves magically suspended in the air holding Sirius's speedo at an arm's length.

"Now we just need to get the yard. You want front or back?" He asks. I stare incredulously around the room.

"Wow, James! You didn't have to do all of it, you could've waited for me!" I step down from the stairs and face him.

"However much your praise flatters me, I didn't. This is just the kitchen." He flashes the cutest grin that I have to smile back and refrain from cooing and dunking him in my tea.

I lead him to the living room and pull out my wand, only to find Alice lying on top of a guy I recognize as Frank Longbottom. Frozen, I look at James. His gold eyes are glittering with mischief.

"No, James. They are asleep." I whisper.

"Why, yes Lily. They are asleep." With that, he silently flicks his wand and the pillows on either end of the couch float up and hit them both repetitively over the head.

The gesture is so minute that it is utterly hilarious. James laughs as Frank and Alice let out cries of despair.

"Alice, where's your top?" I ask. She glares at me and snatches one of the violently inclined pillows to cover her chest.

"If I remember correctly, I believe it is outside." She pinches the bridge of her nose to relieve her headache, and then her head snaps up. "So, how was the honeymoon?"

James demands an answer so fast I got whiplash. "What honeymoon?"

Alice lifts her delicate eyebrows. "Don't you remember? Lily, I seem to recall that you were rather smitten with the fact that _your Jamsie's hand was so rough and strong and manly._"

James snickers. He actually has the nerve to _laugh_. I punch his gut. None too delicately. He throws his hands up in surrender.

"What?!" He forces out through giggling fits. "I'm sorry! It's just that-" I punch him. "No, I didn't mean to-" I punch him again. "You can't really believe that-" I slug him yet again. He grabs my arms and pins them to my sides and I see his abdomen muscles flex.

"That's abuse!" He looks at the smug brunette hugging the pillow. "Alice say no more!"

"Oh, sorry Jamesie. I wouldn't want to upset your _Lilsy."_ She mocks.

I lunge at her. "No, no. Lily, stop, here, sit!" James grabs my shoulders, pulling me back. I tilt my chin up with dignity.

"_Accio pillow." _The pillow comes soaring to my hand.

"LILY!" Alice flushes, and her arms cross over her bare chest. Her eyes flicker to James and Frank. James just clapped his hand over his mouth, then his eyes widen and he moves it to the upper half of his face. Frank however snorts and grabs the blanket on the back of the couch to wrap around Alice.

"So, I see you changed your outfit, Lily. Enlighten me. How _was_ your first time? You know, it being with Potter and all. Can you even imagine not using protection in your drunken state?" she spits nastily. I suck in a shocked breath. I hadn't even thought about protection. By the look on James's face neither had he.

"Lily, I am so sorry." He says.

I am about to explode but Frank cuts me off. "Well, it does take two to tango."

James looks at his classmate. "What the hell's a _tango?_ Like, a sour mango?"

"No Potter, it's a type of muggle dance. If you took Muggle Studies, you would know that." He raises his eyebrows humorously.

"Come on Frank, let's leave these two lovebirds to their privacy." Alice sniffs and glares at me as she passes. Then she touches James's bare shoulder. "Nice job with the hickey by the way." With that, the blanket wrapped tightly around her, she storms out. Once the door closes, James and I go quiet. I touch the side of my neck and feel a rather large tender spot on the right side. The thing that surprises me most, is that I have lost the urge to blame everything on James. Frank's words keep playing in the back of my mind like a broken record.

_It takes two to tango…_

So, without a word, I summon a garbage bag from the kitchen and start dropping bottles and err… the sort into it.

"Aren't you going to start yelling?"

I face James and give him a small honest smile and shake my head. "There really is no proof about what happened last night, right?" I ignore the slight throbbing down below…

He looks doubtful and scratches the back of his neck. "But judging by the position we were in-"

"_What_ position would that be?" Comes a needle sharp voice causing both of us to spin at a one-eighty degree.

"M-Mum! Dad! You're home! I was beginning to worry that you'd lost you way and I erm…"

If looks could kill, James would already have died a very slow painful death and then shriveled up into a pile of ashes.

Dad is purple in the face and looks about to strangle him.


	5. Chapter 5

**THE Party Chapter 5**

**The Wrath**

So, here I sit, on the couch in shame as James tries to come up with some cover story for the both of us.

"-and that's how I ended up mysteriously drawn to these particular coordinates on our suffering global surface. Guess what, sir? I found a plastic cup on your lawn. Just imagine how many polar bears could have died fro-" My father clenches both his fists and glowers at the shirtless teenage boy standing in the middle of his living room floor.

"Sit. Down." He hisses in a venomously low voice. "_Now._" I have never seen him this angry in my life. We have always had one of those _Daddy's little girl_ relationships… apparently things can change.

"And the _penguins_! I can't even-"

James was just thrown on the couch by my father's hand by the scruff of his neck.

"Dad! Really! Come on, he is just as guilty as I am and quite frankly he is my friend and I recall it being my idea to invite him over." I try to look him dead in the eye but fail as the nagging half of my brain mentions that I was being slightly disrespectful.

"Just a mate, eh? Then remind me again what position you were in this morning. And the reason behind that big purple blemish on your neck. I am sure that you can't explain why you were looking at him like- like- _that _just now." His voice brakes a little bit at the end. My mum steps in; she is tall with glossy red hair and porcelain skin.

"James, what is your mother's telephone number? I can call her to come pick you up." She says, her voice ringing with strict politeness.

All eyes are on James. "Felly-t-tone? Err, sorry ma'am. I don't believe there is such a thing." He looks at me.

"James is a pure-blood wizard, mum. They don't use electricity." I explain.

"So I will use Gizmo, then?" I nod at my owl's name. "What is your mother's name, James?"

James looks guiltily up at her. "Valerie Potter." My mother heads upstairs to retrieve my owl.

My father snarls. "My baby girl is supposed to end up with a successful man who's destined to become a doctor or a lawyer. Not some daft brute who doesn't even know what electricity is!"

James looks down at his hands. "Actually, sir, I want to be an Auror." I am at loss for words because my jaw just dropped to the floor. Everyone knew that James Potter is going to be a world famous Quiditch player, not something that actually serves a purpose in society.

"And what is an Auror, might I ask?" Dad grunts stubbornly.

"They are dark wizard catchers. There is a war coming, I don't plan on just sitting round and watching others being murdered at the hands of those narrow-minded idiots."

Dad takes time to process this. "A war… as in, that He Who Must Not Be Named bloke wants to start a war? What for? I thought Dumbledore is protecting everyone."

James laughs darkly. "He plans on more than a war, sir. As far as I know, his ambitions are set on clearing the wizarding world of all those who, in his views, are un-worthy of magical knowledge. He is recruiting more wizards every day. They call themselves Death Eaters and they specialize in dark magic. Not much is more dangerous. That is where Aurors come in. They hunt them down, arrest them, usually set them to a hearing and as far as I'm concerned, they go to prison."

Dad's eyes are wide and he looks very unsettled. "And who, in his opinion are un-worthy to have magical knowledge?"

James just clenched his jaw and cracked his knuckles. In other words, he despises this topic. "Those who… have non-magical parents, also identified as muggle-born. Pure-bloods and half-bloods who befriend muggles or muggle-borns are also referred to as _blood traitors._"

"So, Lily is a target." Dad sums up. But James is already shaking his head.

"I won't let anything happen to her, Mr. Evans." He says it so passionately that I actually believe him. I look at James's face and for the first time, I don't see that immature, arrogant boy. I see a brave, loyal man and I can't help my heart swooping when I look at his determined eyes.

"But, that'd be dangerous for you too. You're too young, you will get yourself killed. Shouldn't you be going into hiding?" Dad asks shakily. 

James looks up and meets my father's green eyes. "I would _never _run from him. I will fight alongside my friends and when I'm killed, sir I can assure you that I will take as many death eaters with me as I can. Voldemort too if possible."

"That's very brave of you. Still doesn't explain why you are here though." He says.

"Dad!" I explode.

He chuckles "It's alright Lily we were just playing!"

James turns to me, pissed off.

"Well, the truth is, sir," James sighs. "I'm really not drawn to this room because of its coordinates. They were not written in blood on a treasure map. I didn't find it in the black lake where a pirate ship had burst into flames spontaneously and it wasn't rolled up in an old wax-sealed bottle…" He looks at my father again. "You see, sir, I have… Admired your daughter. Fancied if you will. For a while now. The other night, I had my two best friends over and we had the ingenious brain wave to accompany her while you, sir, and your wife were absent." He has the perfect expression of guilt and apologies as he sighs. "I guess a few other people had err… over heard and it all just got out of hand. Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, really, I didn't mean any harm by it. Believe me, I had no idea that my best mate, Sirius Black, who is quite the _unusual_ character, had brought a certain substance in the state of liquid that doesn't usually agree with your average person's brain when you've had too much." He gives dad a shifty grin at the end. I open my mouth to protest his attempt to cover for me.

Right when dad is about to reply, a loud pop echoes through the house and an average height woman with sleek black hair and blazing blue eyes appears into the room. My mother comes through the door way.

"Ahh, you must be James's mother. My name is Marie Evans and this is my husband John." She smiles warmly. Mrs. Potter returns the gesture and looks around the room, stopping dead on her son's figure.

"Very nice home you have. Quite clean if I do say so myself."

"Believe me Mrs. Potter, this room is lots cleaner than all the others." I try and take her attention away from the some-what cowering James.

"Ah. You must be the famous Lily Flower." She gives me a warm smile. "Yes, I have heard lots about you. I must congratulate you on the O you received on the end of the year final exam. Jameson got a note from professor McGonagall to stop doodling on his page. She said if he was so concerned about a certain _L.E_, than he should either ask her out or move on."

"Mum, that is _extremely_ un-called for! I told you not to call me that!" A crimson-faced James whimpers desperately.

"I will call you whatever I want Jamie, I am your mother after all. Plus, if you wish to marry this young lady, you should probably tell her the truth about your feelings." She says sweetly, causing her son's face to flush even more. I like Mrs. Potter.

James bolts up and strides to the door attempting to take his mother with him. "Come on, we are leaving. It was nice meeting you Mr. Evans."

"Oh, no Jamesie, I like these folks. Let's stay a while."

I smile apologetically at him.

"Of course, Valerie. Please make yourself at home, would you like something to drink?" My mother offers.

"No, no, mum. We should probably head out, remember we left the… err, cat! We left the cat outside." James protests, causing his mother to smile sweetly.

"Oh, you mean the one you named Lily? I'll have a glass of water, if you don't mind."

"NO!" His blush extends to his neck and he looks at me. "I swear we don't have a cat! We do _not_ have a cat. I was just trying to- she can't- Lily! She's gonna bring out the _pictures_! Please do something!" He whimpers, falling to my side with his head on my shoulder trying to shield his face.

My dad laughs. "I'll admit; this is better than what I had planned."

"Oh, right! That had completely slipped my mind!" She laughs angelically and pulls out her wand. "Everyone get comfortable, I have _lots._" James flinches as if she had hexed him. I grin and sit back. My parents join us on the couch as Mrs. Potter flicks her wand at the television set and it slides to the left, causing my father to wince.

So there we all sit on the couch with a blank white wall staring us in the face.

"Err, Mrs. Potter? D'you need a table or-" my father is cut off by the wall suddenly erupting with a projection of a photo of baby James.

"Look hunny, that is your first time eating strawberries and whipped cream!" She smiles. "He thought the whipped cream felt like the best thing in the world."

In the picture, you can see someone placing a plate in front of a chubby little baby with a mop of thick black hair and a smile so big you couldn't see his eyes. The cherub face was complete with dimples. Baby James stuck his finger in the fluffy white dessert and after he pulled it out, he plopped his whole face on the plate.

I burst out laughing. "Awww! James you were so _cute!_"

James pulls back from my shoulder looking deeply offended. "_Were? _ What D'you- I still am cute!"

"Oh and this is him in the bath tub!"

James sucks in a strangled gasp and curls into the fetal position. I laugh harder and teasingly pet his head which happens to be on my lap.

"Oh, goodness, the bubbles popped! See he still has that dimple on his left cheek, you know." She recalls fondely

He starts hyperventilating.

"And this one here is after first year when Sirius came to visit and they had their own little slumber party and they were gossiping like old women in Diagon Alley." She pauses. "Where is Sirius, anyway?"

We all stop and look at each other.

"Sirius is here." Groans a tired voice followed by pounding footsteps. Low and behold, Sirius Black comes stumbling into the room completely naked with a fire engine red mop bucket clutched in his hands to cover his crotch. For a moment, we all just stare at him, and then James applauds.

"Congratulations mate. You showed me up for embarrassing entrances."

"Sirius, where on earth are your clothes?" Mrs. Potter questions not appearing entirely surprised.

He looks at James. James shrugs looking relieved that the attention is now off him. Sirius looks round the room at large. James stands up and summons the pink glove holding the speedo. It comes zooming in from the kitchen and catches Sirius's eye. He widens his eyes and points at it. "That's _mine_." He says like a three year old who just caught another kid playing with his toy. Did I mention in his haste to claim the floating object, the bucket clattered to the floor and started rolling continuously in circles at his feet.

"Merlin…. Merlin's beard…" he mutters to himself while chasing it with his arse stuck up in the air. When he finally snatches it, his… he isn't… His back is facing us. Everyone in the room turns away and or covers their eyes. "Merlin's pants!" He gets out.

"Yes more like lack thereof." James remarks. "Here" and he flings the speedo into the bucket.


	6. Chapter 6

**THE Party**

**Chapter 6: Shut Up, Padfoot! **

"Remus Lupin! Get your lazy arse out of that tree this instant!" I explode.

If you are wondering what I am talking about, after we finished watching James's baby pictures, all three of us were sent outside to clean the back yard. _That's it?_ You may ask. Our punishment is the stern command of _no magic_ and my mother and father and Mrs. Potter all sitting on the porch laughing at us and telling us spots that we missed while sipping iced tea.

About half an hour ago, we found a bunch of girls all asleep at the base of a tree. James and Sirius recognized them as the MFC. I asked what the ruddy hell it was and I was corrected with, apparently the most obvious answer in the world, _The Marauder fan club!_ So naturally, we go to wake them up and find Remus Lupin in the higher branches of an oak tree directly above them. He is demanding he sleep the rest of his morning up there and refuses to come down for he just flung his empty beer bottle down on an unsuspecting Sirius.

"Oi! Watch it!" he yells.

A good sized rock comes shooting down and would have hit Sirius if James hadn't kicked him in the back of the knees to make him fall.

"Where did you get a rock when you're at the top of a bloody tree?" I ask. For the first time, he replies.

"Clearly Lily, you're not as popular as we, considering you're fan club only consists of two occupants. Prongs and Snivellus." He remarks quite rudely.

I pick up the rock and chuck it towards the sound of his voice.

"Ah! James! I think you dislocated my shoulder! And that's saying a lot since it hit my spine!"

"Then answer her question!" James yells while eyeing me up and down. I roll my eyes.

"Ammo." Remus states blatantly.

I blink "Why the hell d'you need-"

"Why don't you ask Flatsy Patsy over there?"

"Flatsy… What?" I look at Sirius who is smiling shamelessly and even James who, in spite of himself has a smirk on his face. Then I look at Patsy Narada who was passed out under the tree and was going out with Vince Patil. Let's just say she has an A cup.

"You boys are so immature." But, considering Patsy is in my dorm and does nothing but talk about the Marauders, I can't help but grin a little.

"Moony, get out of the tree." Sirius commands in the most stern voice I have ever heard come out of his mouth.

"Why don't you come up here and make me?" He says sweetly.

"You insolent little-"

"Sirius!" James yells causing him to flinch.

"Watch the hang over Prongs!" He yells back at his best friend.

"You guys move all these pathetic excuses for the female race." I huff and head to the base of the tree.

"Why? Where are you going?" Remus calls.

"I am going to throw another rock at you, short straw."

"That was you!? But I thought- James, he- wha- Short Straw!? Right. Cuz you all agreed that _Sirius's_ wand was longer than mine."

"You underestimate me. Fool." I sniff and I pull myself up into the tree.

Half a minute later, I am standing comfortably on the branch under Remus's.

"Lily? Where are you? You're not seriously going to throw a rock at me right?" He says self-consciously looking behind him in search for me. I use this to my advantage by swiftly knotting his shoe laces together. Smirking to myself, I quietly move to his side.

"Hi!" I chirp. Apparently he didn't see me because he just let out the most intelligent sound I have ever heard and fell out of the tree.

Thankfully, it wasn't that far from the ground.

Unfortunately, his shoe laces were still tied. I hop to the ground with grace, having done it since I was four, and strut over to the unfortunate being who has his face stuck in an ant hill. Sirius just fell to his knees at my feet, clutching his bare stomach in laughter.

"Merlin! Lily! For the sake of Merlin's saggy left-"

"Jameson I will not tolerate language of that sort." I say with authority. He glares at me.

"If you call me that again, I swear-"

"Jameson!" I gasp, scandalized. "Don't swear! I just made myself perfectly clear to you that I do n-"

"Would you two give it a rest?! I just fell out of a damn bloody shitting tree and all the two of you can do is bicker like an old fart married couple!" Remus exclaims heatedly.

Then he attempts to stand up. "Arrgh! What in the ruddy trenches of-" he falls flat on his face again.

I smile smugly. "Oh, dear Remey-poo. Are you okay?"

James snorts and then bursts out plain guffawing. "Lily, you just made my day!"

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?" I smirk knowingly at him. He blushes.

"Ladies and gents, this is Lily Evans _after_ sleeping with a Marauder!"

All three of us look at Sirius as the proud grin slowly slips of his face into a mask of realization. "Alright, _muhmayn!_" He squeezes mine and James's necks in his arms. "Yeah, baby, _yeah_!"

"You smell." I wrinkle my nose.

"Can I be the Godfather?!" He puts a hand on our faces.

"The Godfather of _what?_" James shoves his glasses up his nose.

"Your _bayyybbyy!"_ Sirius coos stupidly. I cringe and shake my head.

"WHAT _BABY_?!" Comes the ear-bleeding yell from my father. I hear his footsteps growing near and James freezes as if he thinks dad won't see him if he stays still.

"Should I run?" he looks nervously at me.

I nod my head once. "Like a bat out of Hell." He takes off up the tree right when my father arrives.

"You" He points at me. "What baby are you talking about?!"

I hesitate before replying. "Erm… Remus's baby."

My father flushes. "_What!" _He turns and rushes Remus against the tree trunk.

"No! Sir, it's not like that! I was in the tree last night, all night, alone!" He defends himself and holds up his hand. "I solemnly swear that I am telling the truth, Mr. Evans."

I glance quickly at Sirius who is having a very animated, silent conversation with James in the tree. He is mouthing words and pointing while trying to act out his thoughts.

My dad turns around just in time to see Sirius sticking his middle finger up at a tree. He then sees my father looking and tries to cover it by scratching his head. I roll my eyes.

"Where is that Potter boy?" Dad asks him.

"Dad, why do you feel the need to blame James?" I stall.

Sirius cuts in with a very concerned expression on his face. "Mr. Evans" he strides over to me and puts an arm around my shoulders. "Lily and I have something to tell you." He looks at me to continue. I really don't want to tell my father that I was knocked up by Hogwarts' most wanted. "Sir, Lily and I… she is…" he heaves a sigh. "Prongs really did do it. I'm just trying to support them because there is absolutely _nothing_ they can do about it now." He shrugs.

"Oi! Wh- but-but, you said…" James incredulously jumps down from the tree. "I thought you said you would handle it!"

"I did handle it. I told him the truth. You my friend are a disgrace to the name of Gryffindor, you coward. I usually tell all the fathers the truth, Prongsie. It's not as if they can do anything about it."

My father throws his hands up. "Alright, whoever is responsible for this said un-born baby" He points to me. "Step forward if you know what's good for you." I can't help but feel annoyed at him for blowing this way out of proportion. He'll probably put a restraining order on whoever he thinks it is.

James looks so guilty as his eyes meet mine and I see a real apology in them. I want to deny him and tell him that it wasn't his fault, but he steps fore ward.

My father crosses his arms. "Penguin boy, eh?"

"Mr. Evans, I didn't mean for anything like this to happen. We don't know for sure if Lily and I… If she's err y'know. But if she is, and it's my fault, I promise that nothing on this earth could make me leave her side. I truly am really sorry." He looks at me. I can't take it anymore. I stalk to James's side, firmly snatching his hand in mine and I look at my father.

"Dad, you are making such a huge deal out of this! You keep blaming James and you act like I had nothing to do with it. I am not a child anymore and I refuse to be treated like one!" I rage.

"If you wish to be treated like an adult, start acting like one. No adult I know would throw a party without supervision and get so drunk that she would allow herself to get knocked up by an irresponsible, un-employed, lying coward that isn't worthy of her." He steps closer to me.

"I'm not a coward." James says firmly, squeezing my hand.

"What did you say?"

"I am _not_ a coward." He says louder.

"Oh, so you're an irresponsible, unemployed, lying kid that is unworthy of my daughter?" Dad spits. I look at James. He has that look on his face again. The one that makes my heart swoop.

"Of course I am irresponsible and unemployed; I am a lying kid for merlin's sake! And I am well aware that I'm unworthy of Lily, I have been for years! She told me so in a variety of words and actions that I don't care to admit. I honestly don't know what you want me to do, like you said, we were drunk out of our minds."

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Sirius wipes away an imaginary tear.

"Shut _up_, Padfoot! Can you not see that you are not any part of that conversation?" Remus hisses.

"You are being way to over protective, dad. Even if I'm not an adult, I am a teenager and I need some space!" I exclaim.

"I thought you were dating that Snape boy from down the road?" Dad sneers, completely ignoring my earlier declaration.

"Git! He's a git, I don't like him he's a git." James claims.

"He is a rather large git." Remus adds thoughtfully.

"The greasy slime ball." Sirius mutters under his breath.

"That boy happens to be very polite and intelligent, unlike you lot!" My father points at James.

"I got ten Os on my OWLs in fifth year!" James defends.

"As did I!" Sirius declares.

"I got eleven." Remus sniffs.

"What?!" I squeal. "I only took nine tests and got nine Os. I thought you guys were stupid."

Sirius wrinkles his nose. "Stupid? We prefer the term _cranially challenged_ if you don't mind."

James shakes his head "We aren't _stupid_, if only you knew all the things we've accomplished-"

"That would probably be an under-statement." Remus finishes with a confident nod of his head.

"What are you, criminals?" Dad stares at them.

"Not yet." Sirius says stupidly earning him two death glares from James and Remus.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dad says frantically.

Sirius grins. "Well, you see, sir, at school, we are quite famously labeled as _The Marauders." _James is attempting to silently inform his best friend that he is failing to help the situation but he just rambles on. "I mean, if you actually get to know us, you will take a rather strong liking to us. As of this morning, everyone we have happened to come across seems to… Well, let's just say we grow on you, in one way or another." James looks about to tackle the beaming idiot beside him. Sirius laughs. "Sorry, Mr. Evans, I guess it was rather humorous that I said _not yet_ for my entire family being in close proximities with Lord Voldemort. It really wouldn't knock me off my track if they invited him over for dinner last week." My dad is pale and looks a little unsure of Sirius at the moment. "Never fret sir, I had enough sense to run away last week. I didn't feel as though they particularly understood me."

"Yes. Along with every other teenager in the universe." My father replies a bit hysterically.

"Don't worry though. I live with good ol'Prongsie and his folks now." He grasps James shoulder and shakes him roughly. James grumbles under his breath. To be honest, I can't help but smirk at how well he turned the subject around and made it about his unfortunate family issues. 


	7. Chapter 7

**THE Party**

**Chapter 7: Confessions and Conclusions**

I just owled Alice's red bikini top to her. We finished cleaning the yard a few minutes ago and we sent all the girls back to their houses.

"Iced Tea?"

"Err, yes please, Mr. Evans." James wipes a bead of sweat from his forehead. I stop myself from protesting in case my father decides to poison it.

"Would you like one too, Lilian, or d'you prefer to share one with _him._" He jerks his chin in James's direction. I grit my teeth.

"Oh, yes please. Don't even bother with an extra straw."

"Coodies, gross." James mutters quietly under his breath. I smirk. Apparently dad doesn't find it as funny.

"Did you say something, Jameson?"

James drops both hands his hands to his sides. "Mum! Look at what you've started! First Lily, now _this?_ I am _flabbergasted_! Out_raged_! I cannot _even _believe that you made my life _joke!_"

Mrs. Potter smiles at her son. "Did I ever tell you that you are the biggest drama queen I have ever met?"

Several seconds of silence separate these statements.

"Drama _QUEEN?" _He asks desperately. "My life is _lying joke_! How could you do this to me mum? I can't even show my _face_ anymore. I'm moving to Canada and living under somebody's _stairs_!" His voice rises in hysteria and cracks at the end. I burst out laughing and find the urge to duplicate his distress.

"Well _that_ explains a lot!"

Mrs. Potter looks at me. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"You don't even want to know Mrs. Potter." I snicker.

"Paddy, you know I'm among the male species, you _know_ that. Right?" He sobs onto a blatant looking Sirius's shoulder.

"Well, that's a mental image I really didn't need." He crinkles his forehead.

"And what exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?" Remus worriedly inquires. Sirius just turns to look at him.

"Whatever you think it means, Short Straw."

Remus looks helplessly at me. I shrug.

"Sooooo…" He starts awkwardly. He lets out a short laugh. "Ha."

"Yep." I grimace.

"Howdynoyernahpruhant?" He says loudly. I blink.

"Cheese?" I guess.

"James?" he sighs in exasperation. James looks up from Sirius's shoulder and stares at his friend for a couple seconds.

"Well… We don't, I guess we just play it by ear." He shrugs. Sirius looks at his two best friends with complete joy.

"So I _am_ godfather?"

"What on earth are you talking about?" I almost yell at them.

They mumble incoherently.

Mrs. Potter gently pats my shoulder. "Remus asked how you knew you weren't pregnant, sweetie."

The woman's kind gesture awakens an uncomfortable anxious feeling throughout my gut as the full blow of our situation hits me. What if I _am _pregnant? I would actually be supporting a little child. I'm not even done school and my father would obviously set the kid up for adoption or something. _My_ kid. He couldn't do that. I would have to quit school to raise a child all on my own. That wouldn't be fair for a helpless little baby. Subconsciously, I feel my hand rest on my stomach.

Mrs. Potter brushes my hair over my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Lily. James has done this to plenty of girls and even while intoxicated, he always manages protection. If you want, we could go to St. Mungo's to be sure."

Her statement does absolutely nothing to help me. In fact it makes me feel worse. I'm just one of _those_ girls on _that _night. I always knew that James Potter only liked me because I showed no interest in him. I can't believe that I completely dropped my dignity in one night. He will just go about acting like nothing ever happened and go off to another girl at another party while letting me slip away from his thoughts. I knew he was like that. I've known it for a while. I still fell for it. I was drunk out of my mind, but those feelings must have been there somewhere.

That's why there are tears in my eyes. I blink them away to smile at the woman in front of me. I mutter something about going to the bathroom and run up to my room, not able to shake the feeling of self-hatred and abandonment.

As soon as the door closes, I drop to my knees. I don't cry, but my breathing quickens and I shut my eyes. I can't believe that I let James Potter get to me. Not just last night but when I was sober. Today, all it took was for him to _look_ at me differently. That really says a lot. Someone could just walk up to me, smile and say something to make me laugh and I would be in love with them. Stupid. I hate James Potter. I hate myself for being pathetic and weak. I'm not mature enough to be a mother. I can't raise a child on my own.

I take a deep shuttering breath to try and calm myself as I shakily get to my feet. I sit on my bed and put my face in my hands, allowing a few tears to escape.

"Lily?" A tentative voice calls from the door. I bet you can guess who it is. I rapidly wipe the wetness from my cheeks and turn around to face him.

"Potter" I sneer. "There's this thing called knocking, you know."

He looks at me. "Oh, so it's _Potter _again then, huh?"

"There a problem?" I bite the inside of my cheek to bring out more anger. I hate sadness and crying. It does absolutely nothing for your gain.

"Well, apparently yes, there is a problem. Feel like sharing?" He raises his eyebrows.

No, I don't feel like sharing my problems to you, you thick headed arrogant, self-centered git. "Ugh! You're pissing me off! Why are you here?!"

"How am I pissing you off, Lily?" He says evenly.

I glare at him. "You just are. You are an arrogant toe rag. You never think of anyone but yourself. You don't take anything seriously and I hate you." I almost scream in frustration. James clenches his jaw.

"You can't tell me I don't think of anyone but myself, I don't recall you taking the heat for _your_ party, at least I actually stayed to help _you_ clean _your_ mess-"

"It's not like you had that much of a choice considering we had to owl your mother." I spit back at him, clenching my fists.

"I have my apperation license!" He exclaims.

I cross my arms to fight back the urge to punch him. "You still _have_ always and _will_ always be an arrogant self-centered prick. I don't know _what_ girls see in you. Never will you change and for all I care, you can grow old shagging a different girl every night and walking away, leaving them heart broken and abandoned!"

He processes this with an unreadable expression on his face and doesn't say anything for an eternity.

"What?!" I yell as my patience evaporates. "You know what? I don't even care. Was there a reason you barged into my sleeping quarters unattended?"

James looks up at me displaying a perfect poker face. "I came up here to ask if you were _okay_. I did not wish to upset you in any way, shape, or form. Obviously you have _some_ kind of problem right now and if it's about what happened last night, then you already know that I am truly sorry. It hasn't really been a joy ride for me either. At least my mother likes you." His face slips into a cool mask that is foreign to his features. I grit my teeth but none the less, my anger boils over and, having no patience, it comes out.

"James, that's not the point! I might have to drop school in order to care for this _child!" _I gesture to my midsection incredulously. "This probably doesn't even faze you since you do it all the time and fail to see it as anything but a joke so just- just get out of my life!" And much to my dismay, a tear escapes down my cheek. Next thing I know, I am in his arms, crying into chest.

"Shh… Lils don't worry. You don't need to cry, it'll all be okay." He murmurs into my hair.

"How can you say it'll all be ok-kay when I'm going to have to quit school and get a job- I can't get a job without an education! I guess I could… shovel hippogriff shit and sell it on the streets in Knockturn Alley… Or I could-" I cut off hysterically

"Lily, you're talking nonsense. You don't actually believe that I would abandon you, do you?" I can hear the smile in his voice.

"Huh? B-but you're mum s-said th-" He puts his hand on my mouth.

"Say no more. My mother under estimates me. I haven't ever err… _not_ used protection. I have done a few one night stands… but I promise, the witches involved knew perfectly well that it wouldn't last." He pushes me back to look in my face. "Lily, if you were to be baring a child, it would be half my responsibility and I would not let you go through that alone." He wipes my cheek with his thumb and adds a small grin. "We're in this _together_ right? Partners?" I give him a small smile at the corny statement.

"Right." I pause for a moment. "Would you really drop school for me?" I ask sweetly. James looks at me as if I had grown another head.

"Course not, you kidding? It's for the baby!" He grins. "If there is one."

"If there is one." I repeat.

"Is there an echo in here or something?"

"Echo?" I ask. He laughs, I do too. He tilts his head.

"What?"

"You have a beautiful smile." He says it so simply that it throws me off guard.

"Huh?" I say unattractively.

"And your eyes light up with it. It makes everything else smile with you."

"Err… Thanks." I smile. "Did I ever tell you that you still have that dimple on your left cheek?" I do something I thought suiting for this particular moment. I stood on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek. The one on his face, don't worry.

The smile fades quickly from his face. A sparkle comes into his eye. "That's _it?_" He turns his head the other way. I grin and lean in to peck the other side when he snaps his face to the side. My side in particular. The next thing I know, James is kissing me. It's gentle and sweet. I can't help but smile into his lips and kiss him back.

I feel like I'm floating, like there are butterflies fluttering in my body. I'm sure that if you looked at us, you couldn't tell whose hands were whose but I don't care, I could do this forever. After a few seconds, or… hours, maybe even weeks, a voice penetrates the silence, causing me to jump away from James.

"Coodies, _gross! _Merlin, no one wants to see that. Get a room!"

"Shut up, Moony! Can't you see they're _busy_? And they _do_ have a room, you're just in it."

"What is it with you guys and coodies?" I sigh longingly and look at Sirius and Remus who are standing at the door.

"Coodies give one diseases." Remus informs me.

"I don't even know what to say to that. You're supposed to be the one with all the intellect." Sirius clears his throat. "I mean…err brain cells, the smart one. Ha ha. Y'know."

I look at him. "That's the biggest word I have ever heard you use."

"Lily, can I have more diseases?" James slurs looking some-what dazed.

"Oh, great Godric! Give it a rest, please, my eye is starting to shrivel!" Remus exclaims, clapping his hand over his face.

"That's supposed plural." Sirius points out.

"Ope, no. No, no. These two spit swapping children cost me my other whence we walked in."

I look at the black haired boy in front of me. He lifts an eyebrow. "Then maybe you should leave."

Sirius sniffles. "Prongsie, you make me so proud."

"EWW! What in the ruddy hell is _that?!_" Remus points mortified under my bed. Sirius crouches down to pick it up. James makes a noise about to protest as his best friend sniffs the… it.

"Looks like a deformed balloon." He stretches it and lifts it to his mouth. In a split second, James bounds over and snatches the other end, attempting to pull it from his best friend's grasp.

"Ahch! NO. Padfoot, release! Let go! Bad boy, c'mon… Release!" He flicks Sirius's nose and he lets go making James stumble back.

"Why? I found it." Sirius whines.

"Actually" Remus cuts in. "I do believe that it was I who did the finding. You just did the retrieving, like a dog."

James sighs. "You always were terrible at puns. Anyway" He shakes his head. "This, my friends, is a… The protection. There is no baby!"

I can't help smiling at him and sighing in relief.

"What?" Sirius says looking heartbroken "You mean I'm n-not the godfather?" His eyes flash mischievously as he looks at James. "You can fix that, right?"

I walk up to him, smile warmly and give him the hardest backhand he has yet to receive.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I started to date James Potter. 


End file.

Harry Potter, Humor