Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs certainly feel quite accomplished after completing what they dub as the Marauder's Map. A map designed to show every classroom, hall, corridor, and even secret passageway of the Hogwarts Castle but also ca...
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James was sure that he was going to pass out from his erratic breathing that morning as he prepared to go to Hogsmeade. Normally, the trip to the wizarding village was nothing fancy, he and the boys had been there so many times that they could probably walk it blindfolded. However, this particular trip was different because while James was heading to Hogsmeade, the rest of the Marauders were lingering behind at the castle.
Sirius was in the Hospital Wing, looking after Elspeth while Remus was called to prefect duty for the day in the castle, and Peter couldn't be bothered to leave his bed. He wouldn't have been bothered so much if it wasn't for the fact that Lily was currently waiting for him downstairs in the Common Room, while he paced in the boys' dorm. The palms of his hands were sweating profusely, he felt flushed in the face, and everything that had ever made the appearance of "confident James" had vanished.
He cursed Elspeth's name several times because while he finally had the chance to attend Hogwarts with the girl of his dreams, he was completely unprepared. There really hadn't been any instances over the years where he was alone in Lily's company and while he had spoken a mighty high game in the past, he wasn't living up to it at the time. How dare Elspeth and Sirius throw him into the predicament so nonchalantly.
"Would you stop pacing around?!" Peter suddenly lifted his head from his pillow. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"
Before James could respond, Peter had already buried himself further beneath his duvet, disappearing completely from view. With a roll of his eyes, followed by a deep breath, James figured it was time for him to venture downstairs and get the trip over with. As much as he wanted to spend time with Lily, as desperate as he had been over the years, he couldn't ignore the tossing of his stomach that damn near made him nauseous.
And to think, he had been so bold to believe he could swear off Lily Evans for another girl within the castle. He had tried but as soon as an opportunity presented itself where it looked like he had the slightest chance, he was right there, ready to take it.
"There you are," Lily greeted him from where she had been waiting on one of the armchairs, " I was beginning to think that you forgot and decided to sleep in. I was about to give you another five minutes before I headed out by myself."
"Oh-oh," James stammered, feeling his face grow hot under her gaze, " I was...I was just...are you ready to go?"
Lily shot a questioning look in his direction before nodding her head and standing up. The two of them made their way to the portrait hole where they passed through the Fat Lady. James swore he heard the paintings gossiping around the two of them as they walked down the stairs and through the corridors to the front entrance.
All the while, he followed Lily quietly, unsure of what to say because any other time they spoke to one another, they were usually bickering or shouting at one another. To have nothing to fight about felt so odd and left both of them completely silent. James had waited for so long to just walk alongside Lily without her telling him to get lost or stick his head in a burning cauldron. Now that he finally had that time, he was completely lost.
