Out of the Castle, into the War: A Marauder Fanfiction

Chap. Two

Lily was awoken by a loud yell.

"Moony, quit hitting me!" Sirius called out.

"Then shut up!" Lily heard Remus yell back. He sounded half-asleep and kinda grumpy. Just like Lily at the moment.

"No!" Sirius screamed back, loudly.

"Really, Padfoot!" Lily was sitting criss-cross on the cot, watching the shadows the rising sun cast across her tent. James had clamped a hand over Sirius' mouth and they were rolling around on the ground. "You're-gonna-wake-her!"

James howled and was sitting on his knees now, holding his arm up. "Prongs, she'll be just fine if she wakes up before tomorrow." Sirius snorted, the last word muffled by something in his mouth.

James. That was something she had been thinking about lately. He did care about her, he was trying to be nice. And he had definitely been better and less of a prat this year. He was growing up. And his eyes were pretty dreamy. Whoa there, Lily. This is Potter. You don't actually...? A little voice in her head asked. No, no, I couldn't. She answered. But she did. She was falling for James Potter.

She stood up and stretched, realizing James and Sirius were rolling around on the ground again, right outside her tent. She popped her head out.

"Thank Merlin!" Remus yelled from across the site, buttering some toast. "Another intelligent human being! Lily have I ever told you that I'm glad you exist?"

She laughed and stepped over the two, thankful to be in jeans and not a skirt. "I don't quite think so." She smirked, picking up some toast and sitting by Remus.

"Well, Lily, I'm glad you exist." He said, resting his elbows wearily on his knees, still smiling.

She just laughed, eating a piece of toast for herself. "Thank you, Remus. How sweet." She said in between bites.

"I'm glad you exist, Evans!" James said, momentarily distracted and sitting on Sirius' stomach.

He yelled as Sirius rolled over and pinned the other boy down, cackling wildly, "Beg for mercy, Potter!"

"And this is what I have to put up with." Remus joked, gesturing to the two. Peter walked out of the tent and right around them. Remus just held up a piece of toast for him and he grabbed it as he walked past, watching Sirius and James roll around. Lily rolled her eyes, laughing. Remus finished his breakfast and stood up. "Hey! We need to get to Hogsmeade, it should be safe now."

"Why couldn't we have just gone last night?" Peter asked, eating the last bite of his toast.

"Because, Wormy, the Death Eaters would have went there looking for us. Now, they think we're safe and sound in Hogwarts. And if they don't, they couldn't hang around too long anyway." James explained, pinning Sirius down. He looked down and smirked a little at the boy underneath him. "Surrender?"

"Might us well, before Moony hexes us." Sirius replied as James stood and held his hand out to his friend.

"We'll call it a tie." The latter winked, pulling the other to his feet. They all set out to do apparently pre-set jobs. Remus cleaned up the area, making sure no one would be able to tell they were here. Sirius took down the tents, while James gathered everything up. Peter cleaned the mess from the food and gave James the pots and bowls and utensils and things. Lily sat, wiping bread crumbs off her face and asking all for boys if they wanted any assistance, but was assured each time she needn't trouble herself. She cleaned up the fire mess to keep herself busy. Just as she finished, James held out his arm, and Remus held out the other. Lily took a deep breath and prepared herself to move forward into nothingness, as they began to move she squeezed hard on both boys' forearms.

"You okay there, Evans?" James asked as they landed safely in Hogsmeade. She just nodded and tried not to be sick. He laid a gentle and hesitant hand on hers, she hadn't released him yet. "You sure?" She let go of his arm, but allowed her hand to linger for a second. She took her hand back and began to follow Peter and Sirius, mumbling an apology to Remus for the red hand mark on his arm. James and Lily walked up the hill, blushing, grinning just barely, and sneaking little glances at each other.

They updated Dumbledore and trudged to the common room, chatting as they turned down the hall.

"Okay, so, James is Prongs, Sirius is Pad-" She stopped mid-syllable, staring at the greasy-haired figure by the painting. Lily just stood, completely frozen.

"Lily!" He said, coming quickly down the hall, almost running. She took a swift step back, in line with Remus and Sirius, James and Peter two steps behind. Severus brushed the boys aside and gave Lily a hug. "You're okay! Where were you? You didn't come back after holiday! Wait, is that blood?!" He asked frantically, leaning back.

Lily examined herself and shrugged, took a step back out of his grasp, nearly colliding with James, and went right past him to the Fat Lady. "Beetles." The Fat Lady shook her head, informing her the password had been changed. "Oh, please? It's so late, and we just got back. Please, please?" Lily pleaded, and the Fat Lady studied her.

"Well, just this once, my dear." And she swung forward.

"Oh, Thank you, thank you!" She cried to the woman in the portrait. She turned to the Marauders, "Coming, boys?" And crawled in.

The four followed her, Severus walking behind. Each boy went through, and just as Severus took a step forward to enter, the portrait slammed shut.

Lily was sitting on the third stair to the girl's dormitories. "Good, she didn't let him in."

"Yeah, speaking of that, aren't you two best friends?" Sirius asked, walking toward the steps.

"More or less. He's become more of a jerk than when we were kids. I still haven't forgotten the 'Mudblood' incident. Besides, if he cares all that much, why didn't he check my house? Why not ask my family? Why not come after me, for Merlin's sake?!" Lily exasperated, puffing out an angry breath. Just as Sirius reached the bottom stair, she grinned wide as he fell right on his face, and she slid down beside him.

"I'm going to go have a shower. Goodnight." She smiled, winked, and waved before climbing back up the stairs. Leaving Sirius holding his nose and cursing loudly.