Everything to Me

51.

Allison looked towards the girls' dormitory staircase as James fell down for the 6th time.

"You know they turn into a slide for a reason, right?" She asked.

James groaned and made his way towards Allison, running a hand through his hair, making it even messier.

"I haven't seen her since yesterday, Alli. She is avoiding Lily and Sirius seems angry at her. I don't know what to do. I need to see her."

She smiled sadly at him. "You've talked to Lily lately?"

"Yeah." He muttered.

He then noticed Allison's glum expression. "Hey," He said moving closer to her. "Lily and me... we are friends. I am done trying to make a move and it's you I want to go out with, okay? You have nothing to worry about."

She closed the distance between them and kissed him softly. He smiled into the kiss and kissed her back.

"Now let's figure out a way to get you up there."

"Are you sure?" James asked nervously, his fingers drumming on his broomstick.

"You're a chaser, aren't you? You must know decent bit of flying," Allison laughed. "And even if you fall and the staircase changes, it must be the 100th time now. Doesn't matter."

"Oh, I'll show you how well I can fly!" He exclaimed.

She laughed softly and went up the stairs. Reaching Juli's dorm, she gently knocked.

"Juli? Are you in there? It's Alli." She said.

The door was opened by Marlene who had a grim expression on her face. She moved aside and Juli's bed came into view.

She was lying face down and was buried under two blankets. Her bedside had boxes of chocolate frogs and bars.

"She hasn't come out except for going to the bathroom." Dorcas said worriedly from the other side of the room.

"Can I have a moment with her? Need to talk." Allison asked.

Dorcas came to the door and the girls looked at each other in apprehension.

"James will do the talking." She whispered.

They nodded and giving Alli a small smile, left the room.

She moved to the side and counted on her fingers. Within 4 seconds, James came zooming in on his broom, almost knocking into the wall.

He gave a grateful look to Allison and she blew him a kiss. She soon left the dorm to let the two talk.

James climbed off of his broom and sat down on her bed.

Feeling her bed dip, Juli groaned into the pillow. "Go away. I have nothing to say. Life is filled with misery and happiness is a myth."

"Wow, Miss Drama Queen. No wonder you are Sirius' girlfriend." He chuckled softly. "I think it's time you tell me what happened, don't you?"

Hearing her brother's voice, she removed the blanket and sat up. It seemed that it took every ounce of her energy to do so and her eyelids were swollen. Whether it was from lack of sleep or crying, James didn't know.

"I don't think so." She sighed deeply. "It is something between me and the boys and now Lily, too."

James raised his eyebrows at her. "I know it has something to do with what happened after I left yesterday and Allison and our date. So just tell me, Jules."

She shook her head stubbornly. But before she knew it, her eyes were glistening with tears.

Knowing better than talking to her, he simply sat there, giving her time.

"I indirectly said that I don't want to be friends with Lily," She started. "I shouted at Remus, I have been avoiding Peter even though he sent me chocolate bars, Sirius seems mad at me because of what I said to Lils and -" She sniffled. It seemed to James that this was the hardest part for her. "Regulus is distancing himself from me."

"Remus will understand, Jules. All he needs is a bit of chocolate and an explanation, I am sure and Pete, well, he'll need a bit of convincing but once you raid the kitchens together, he will be alright." He chortled and Juli smiled a bit.

"Regulus will tell you soon, you need not worry. And Padfoot," James continued, "Well, he is just trying to protect Lily like I would do for you."

Juli nodded and moving towards James, put her head on his shoulders.

"I am afraid I don't know about Lily but she seems just as distraught as you and she misses her best friend."

At Lily's mention, she didn't say anything.

"Now will you tell me what happened?"

He was met by silence yet again and decided to drop the subject.

"Jamie?" Juli said. "Did you seriously fly in on a zoom?" Before she knew it, she was clutching her stomach and laughing with her brother.

James grabbed a chocolate bar from her bed side and began to unwrap it but before he could, Juli hit his hand.

"That's for Remus, Peter and me, you dimwit. Stay away." She said sternly, but her smile told gave her away.

"Jeez, okay. Don't pull a Moony on me when it comes to chocolates." He said, putting down the chocolate and raising his hands in surrender.

She put her head on his shoulder again and they sat in silence while she opened a chocolate bar and shared it with him.

"Jamie?"

"Yeah?" He said, munching in the chocolate.

"I said something after you left and I meant it."

"And what was that?" He asked, oblivious to her tone of graveness.

"If Lily really thinks what she did was right, then I don't want to be friends."