The Marauders: Year Four

Wear a Helmet

Wear a Helmet

Sirius and Remus didn't show back up until the next day. They came in the hospital wing after breakfast with Peter, toting along a niffler they'd stolen from Professor Kettleburn's room. It was Sirius's idea, and he'd tied his Gryffindor scarf 'round the niffler's waist and cinched it up good so the little black furry creature couldn't get away. James laughed as it rummaged about in the blankets, searching for gold in the folds of cloth. They named him Paul and they had a ruddy good time playing with Paul - Bilius had a galleon that they rolled across the ward and watched him run after - until Madam Pomfrey caught them at it and summoned Professor Kettleburn to collect his magical creature. Peter snuck some little cakes up from the kitchens for Lily after lunch. Madam Pomfrey had a fit when Ali Prewitt, Marlene McKinnon and Emmaline Vance arrived to visit, too, the ward becoming a bit of a party zone, but looked the other way for a time when she heard they were all wishing Lily Evans a happy birthday. Eventually, though, Pomfrey herded the extras out, saying it was time to rest, and Sirius waved from the door as they ducked out of the ward.

James waited until everyone had settled down after the eventful mid-afternoon - Bilius had left the castle, headed back to the Burrow with Arthur, and Frank was busy whispering quietly to Ali, who had been the only non-patient allowed to stay, in his corner of the room.

"Oi. Evans," James said, and he waved the little package he had for her, wrapped all pretty in a polka-dotted paper, then tossed it to her. He grinned when she caught it, "Nice one, Evans. See, you really do belong playing chaser again."

Lily laughed and shook her head, "I'm afraid I'm retired," she replied, and she looked the box over. It was petite and perfectly square. She looked up at him, "You really didn't have to do this, Potter."

James shrugged, "It isn't a big deal... I only agonized over what to get you for months." He said it jokingly.

Lily laughed and she pulled open the paper, letting it fall on her lap. Inside was a small blue box and she opened the box to find a petite gold chain and at the bottom was a funny charm hanging from the front of it. She held it up, the chain wove between her fingers as she studied the necklace with wide eyes. It was a relatively plain necklace, but there was something hypnotically lovely about it that made her smile as it spun from her fist.

"It's a stag antler," he said.

Lily nodded, staring at the sparkle of the gold hanging from her fist, tears in her eyes.

James watched her eyes following it as it moved in the air, biting his lip and leaning a bit forward. "Do you like it, Evans?"

"I love it," she whispered.

James smiled, "I'm glad."

"Thank you," she said, her voice thick.

"You're welcome," he replied, watching as she reached back to try to fasten it. When she struggled with the clip, he slid out of bed and went over and reached up to help her. He held the chain as she swept her hair to one side and then carefully reached 'round her and brought the two ends together at the nape of her neck. Heat radiated off her there and he stared at the spot where her hair tapered off into skin as some great lump of emotion rose up in him. Even after he'd closed the clasp on the chain, he couldn't seem to bring himself to lower his hands, wanting to stay as close to her as he could for as long as possible... He fought this great desire to press his mouth to her skin there. He imagined it would taste like a particularly strong vanilla if he did, and he held his breath to keep himself from testing the theory.

She dropped her hair after a moment and he stepped away, backing up to his own bed and climbing back in, his breath a bit short, mind a bit numb. He glanced over toward Ali and Frank, who were both staring at him and Lily - Ali's jaw dropped with a wide, excited expression on her face and Frank raised one eyebrow with a sort of encouraging grin playing about his mouth. Ali had the decency to pretend she hadn't been staring, at least. James turned back to Lily, who was running her fingers over the gold antlers at her throat.