Back into the future

Talk, now

And so, a few minutes of convincing, mainly James trying to get Lily and Hermione and board, the four, two sixteen and two thirteen-year-olds, were standing in the corridor, James had the Map in one hand and his wand, with a Lumos casted, in the other.

Lily still wasn't convinced that they should do this, but she was forced out of the portrait door by James and then, as she already stood outside, was too tired to object any further. James' eyes went over the map rapidly, Harry watching the map too from beside him. James was looking for Professor McGonagall and Harry for nothing in particular. Once James had found what he was looking for he started walking without any kind of warning and the other scurried behind him to keep up. As Lily had made it to walking beside James, she grasped the map out of his clutch and studied it with much interest

"Hey, I was looking out for Minnie, give it back." James whispered, he tried to grab it, but Lily turned away and held the map out of his reach.

"Last time you had the map I had to save you from multiple visits to the hospital wing, I'm holding the map, you just keep your wand up for light. And her name id Professor McGonagall." Lily whispered back. Harry and Hermine were walking silently behind the two, both with a smirk tugging at their lips, but neither wanting to show it.

Silently they continued to walk, or rather creep through the corridors, careful to avoid any prefects and teachers doing their usual rounds. That was until Lily suddenly halted, her eyes going wide but she kept them fixed steadily at the map, Harry was pretty sure they would pop out of their sockets if she expanded her eyes with just one more millimeter.

"What, what is it Lily?" James whispered. Hermione looked at her curiously and worriedly. James tried to lower the map so he could see what she was looking at with such astonishment, but she snatched it up to her chest and held it there firmly. Then she looked up at the three in front of her and recovered her eyes by blinking a few times.

"It's nothing, let's go back, I don't think we should be out much longer." She whispered, and she looked back to where they just came from. James looked at her, disappointment visible in his eyes, even in the dark corridor, but he also knew there was no use in arguing with Lily, especially with the risk of getting them al caught.

And thus, with Lily still holding the map, James still casing Lumos, they escorted the two younger teens back to their dorms and James and Lily walked back in silence to the Gryffindor tower, despite James' weary attempts at conversation, that Lily dismissed quickly with short, dismissive retorts. As they reached their own common room James bid Lily goodnight and resorted to the Boys' dormitory's stairs and Lily did the same, going the opposite direction toward the girls' stairs.

The next morning however Lily couldn't help but smile at breakfast and all throughout classes actually. Remus, Sirius and James threw her weird looks at the constant smile plastered on her face, but Lily disregarded them and kept on smiling until after all their classes were over. As they came out of Transfiguration, their last class, Lily grabbed Remus' arm and started dragging him to a deserted corridor. Remus was startled at first, but then walked along, being too tired to wrestle out of Lily's grip.

"You know for such a small and innocent looking person, you are really strong." Remus muttered as they stopped, and Lily let go of his arm. He was rubbing it with his other hand and looking at it painfully. As he looked up however, he sighed and rolled his eyes. Lily was grinning broadly, her teeth showing in all its glory and her eyes twinkling dangerously.

"I guess you saw?" Remus asked as he sighed again. Lily just nodded once for an answer.

"Then, yes." Remus said, his head hung slightly, "Can I go now?" He asked trying to escape the interrogation he knew was going to happen next. Lily shook her head viciously and conjured up two chairs, pushed Remus down in one of them and then summoned two teacups from the kitchens.

"Talk, now!" She demanded, the grin not leaving her face, despite her efforts to keep her face in a stern frown.