Author's Note: Hey all. I know I haven't updated in a while, I've had alot going on. Mostly a vacation, and some other depressing crap. I dunno if I'm going to finish by Graduation, but I'm working on it! Slowly but surely! Here's to all who've read, and to those just joining in with the Dreams Stained Scarlet love, welcome to the club. Thanks to everyone for 28k hits on the story!
Kayla: Yeah. I'm feeling the senioritus. I honestly haven't opened up my backpack after school for anything other than getting my sketch book in about 2 months. Scratch that. Make it 5. Just to be safe. I'm so glad you like the story!
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Chapter 38: The Unknown
Halfway to exams, when the Seventh years were fretting about how they were going to get a future if they failed their N.E.W.T.S, a very large bullitian was posted over each common room's board. It read:
To our Seventh Years,
This week you will be meeting with your head of house to discuss options for your future. Your appointment is listed below. Do not miss it.
Sincerly,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy HeadMistress
It didn't take them long to discover that the appointments were scheduled in alphabetical order, which meant that the next day at 11:30 am, Sirus Black was the first Marauder to go into the appointment. But not the first girl. Infact, his girlfriend Audry, was to go not an hour before him. However, it was no dilemma to Sirius what he wanted to do. Ever since Voldemort started to take over, Sirus, James, Remus and Peter all wanted to fight back. And being an Auror, just like James' father was the perfect way to go.
Sunday evening, after a filling dinner, the friends sat in the Head's Common Room, enjoying the cracking fire as they sat in the plush chairs that surrounded it. James sat on the couch, Lily's head in his lap as he stroked her hair. Oddly, Peter was absent from this gathering.
"Where do you think Wormtail is?" Sirius asked as he snaked his arm around Audry's shoulders.
"I think he said something about the Library." Remus replied as he flipped through a few notecards, still studying.
"That can't be. I was just down there not 15 minutes ago." Lily replied from where she lay, her eyes closed and content.
"If you ask me, he's been absent quite alot lately..." James said in his 'matter-of-fact' voice.
"That he has." Sirius replied.
Lily sighed loudly, causing everyone to look at her. She never sighed like that. "What's wrong, Lily flower?" James asked, leaning over her face.
"I don't know exactly what I want to do. My appointment is tomorrow night! How'm I supposed to decide my future when I don't even know if I'll pass my N.E.W.T.S?" She said exasperated.
"Finally! Someone knows what I've been talking about!" Audry leaned foreward, looking at her friend. "I've no idea what I want to do either!"
Madison smiled proudly. "Well I know exactly what I want to do!" She boasted before elaborating with a grin, "I'll be going into Gringotts to work as a cure-breaker! My uncle said he'd put in a good word for me."
"What about you, Heather?" Remus asked, leaning his head back so that he could see the girl who's legs he was leaning against. "What do you want to do?"
"Well... I was thinking... and I'm pretty sure I want to be a healer... You know... help out against You-know-who."
"Oh for Merlin's sake, Heather! Say his name! Vol-De-Mort. VOLDEMORT." Lily said brashly, before adding in a softer tone, "Maybe a healer would be good..."
"Lily, you'd make a wonderful healer!" James said to encourage her. "You're kind, and caring, and you're so smart... I'm sure you'd both get in..."
"Oh! Lily! We could go into training together!" Heather said excitedly as she clasped her hands together, ignoring the fiery redhead's comment about You-know-who.
"Hello? Am I the only one who doesn't know what they want to do?" Audry said loudly, bringing the attention back to her.
"No. The boys don't know what they want to do." Heather said as she leaned foreward to kiss Remus' hair.
"Yeah, actually... you are Audry." Sirius said at the exact same time, causeing Heather to look slightly perturbed.
"What do you mean? Remus, you never said--"
"I never said anything because of a certain problem I have. It's going to make it difficult for me to do much of anything." Remus looked to his friends, knowing that they knew it was true. As much as he wanted to be an auror with them. His 'furry little problem' made it increasingly hard for him to follow his friends like that.
"Well that makes me feel loads better." Audry said, ignoring the situation that was unfolding before her.
"Remus..." Heather's voice was so soft, no one heard her. Except, of course, Remus, who chose to play ignorant and ignore the situation. As much as he liked Heather, maybe, perhaps, even loved her, there was no way she could possibly understand what he was thinking, nor did he feel inclined to share it.
"Audry, why don't you go into the ministry? Something to do with Quidditch..." Lily suggested, trying to be helpful. "Or you could always wait until your appointment, and talk it over with McGonagall... she'd be bound to have some suggestions..."
"Yeah... yeah you're right, Lily. I'll just talk with her..."
Slowly but surely, their friends lef the common room in pairs, suddenly leaving James and Lily very, very alone.
He couldn't help but grin as the door shut behind Sirius and Audry.
"Don't even think about it, James." Lily said, which shocked him, because her eyes were still closed as she lay where she had for the past hour.
"Aww... c'mon Lily... I've been withering away while we study for N.E.W.T.S... Just a little bit can't hurt."
"Oh yes it can. What if we have sex tonight, and I'm so tired tomorrow, that I mess up my appointment, don't study and become a hermit when I fail?!" She said sitting upright, and looking at him over her shoulder.
"Lily, thats like asking a hippogriff to come through the floo." Jame said as he leaned closer to her, letting his breath caress her cheek.
"James..." Lily said in a warning voice, but he could tell.. her resolve was waining.
Slowly, he pressed his mouth against her, trying not to go to fast. He wanted to savor it. Savor her... the taste of her lips against his. The feel of her hands in his hair. He suppressed a dejected moan as she pulled away reluctantly. James smiled knowingly as she stood, leaving him on the couch. "That's not fair, James!" She said softly, before she leaned over him, pressing her lips against his. "And besides... the couch isn't very comfortable." She said in low, sultry tones that meant she wanted him as bad as he wanted her.
James grinned as he stood up, pulling her into a hug just so he could feel the length of their bodies pressed together. He kissed her hair, and then her forehead, her lips, her neck, collarbone, and chest. He felt her leaning against him, using him as her support. He felt himself grow hard as she moaned softly against his ear. "Oh Merlin, Lily... you know what that does to me." He said in his own husky voice, pulling away so he could see her eyes.
And what eyes they were. Her lids were half-closed, making her look tired, but James knew that look. That look was the one he'd been waiting for. Those eyes, combined with that perfect half-smile was the look that told him Lily was dying to have him close to her. Closer than their clothing would allow. He couldn't ever say no to that look, not that he ever wanted to. He pulled her against him before lifting her up. Her legs locked around his hips as he pinned her against the wall, kissing her bruised lips. Lily's hands frantically pulled at his tie, forcing it to losen before she attacked the buttons on his shirt before throwing it the the ground. She broke the kiss quickly, pulling his tie over his head, where it met the same fate as his shirt. "James..." Lily's voice was quick, breathless, as James had already unbuttoned her shirt and had wrapped his mouth around her breast.
In quick, fluid motions, Lily found that James had pushed her skirt up around her waist and removed her underwear so that she was exposed to him as her hands fumbled with his belt. "Faster..." Lily said as she gave up her fumbling motions to let James do it. He always did have more dexterity in pressing... situations. James grinned into her hair as he undid his belt and unbuttoned his pants, letting them fall to the floor before stepping out of them. Her hand found the wasteband of his boxers. "Those too." Lily whispered in between kissing and gently nibbling on his collarbone. He obliged, and soon she was moaning his name into their deserted common room.
Quickly, he found his rhythm. Fast, and hard, Lily's nails clawed into his back as he held her against the wall, her head leaned back as she moaned in ecstacy. She arches herself against him, biting her lower lip as if to silence herself. "Say my name, Lily..." He breathes heavily, as he kisses her exposed throat. "Say it." He wants to hear her.
"James... Oh god... James!"
It's almost enough to send him over the edge. For some reason or other, whenever she says his name, or in this case, screams it breathily, he almost loses control. She's always had that effect on him. Always. "Please... please don't stop..." She says softly, staring green eyes to hazel ones before smashing her mouth against his. She's close. He can tell. James can feel her tightening around him, the way she seems to lose herself, not caring if people can hear her or not, the way she relys on him to keep her from falling. He grins out of satisfaction, knowing that he's the only one who has, or can make her feel like this. In a wave of pleasure, she lets go, he can feel her release, and he loves it. Knowing that he's satisfied her, he goes to work satisfying himself, trailing kisses down her neck until he reaches the pulse point just above her collarbone. Here he sucks gently at the tender flesh, causing her to gasp unexpectedly. He allows one of his hands to abandon it's position of holding Lily up, to knead her breast tenderly.
"James..." She says softly and he groans as he looks up into her eyes. She knows what she knows what she's doing to him. She leans back against the wall, arching herself against him again, giving him the best angle. He reaches a hand up to tangle it in her crimson tresses as he draws her near for a kiss. James can feel himself coming closer. He thrusts himself a little harder, and just a little faster, using up what little strength he has left. Just a few moments later, he leans against her, placing his forehead against her collarbone.
"I'm so in love with you." He whispers as he kisses her bare chest.
"You and me both, Potter." Lily replies softly, using his surname in place of a petname. Not the way she used to say it, screaming at him out of anger, no. It was soft, gentle, and full of affection.
He looked up into her eyes as he withdrew himself, letting her gently to the ground, where she still leaned against him for support. He grinned. When she couldn't even walk straight afterwords, he knew he'd done good. "C'mon, Lily. It's late." He said as he lifted her up bridal-style, cradling her against his bare chest. "Let's at least get a little sleep."
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The next morning, James woke to find Lily curled against him, her head on his extended arm. He smiled to himself, thinking how much he liked waking up next to her. Ever since she had that disturbing nightmare, they slept in eachothers beds. Ever since they started that, Lily hasn't had a single nightmare. "Lily flower..." James whispered in her ear, causing a small smile to work its way onto her gentle features.
"Nnnn... go'way. To early." Lily said as she pulled one of the great, fluffy down pillows over her tangled red head. "Need sleep." She mumbled into the white linens.
"Lily, you can't sleep in... we've got to get to class in, " He looked at the clock. "An hour and a half."
She sat up, letting the sheets slip through her hands to reveal a very nude body. "Ohmygoodness. I'm meeting with Professor McGonagall today about careers!" She said as she looked to James, who was grinning at her. "Wha-Oh." She didn't even bother to be embarassed.
"You've no idea how much I love this. We should wake up together every morning." He said with a wink. "Just like this."
"And you've no idea how much I like that idea. Minus the naked-ness." She said as her cheeks flushed a faint rosey color.
"But what if we wake up like this the morning after a night like last night?" He asked inquizitively, knowing that any mention of their actions caused her to flush crimson and become quite flustered. He thought it was adorable.
"I...oh! James you're so... so--"
"Perfect? Amazing? A wonderful shag?" He laughed.
"HORRIBLE!" Lily cried as she leaned into him, 'beating him' with her fists.
"Ah. Only for you dearest." He said as he wrapped his arms around her. Just then something occured to him. "You feel that?"
"Feel what?" Lily tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. "James?"
"Feel how we fit together? It's like we are peices of the same puzzle. Perfect fit." James said as he let her pull away. "I love you, Lily Evans."
She smiled at her boyfriend. "I love you too, James Potter."
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That evening, Lily departed from the Common Room in a rush. She didn't want to be late for her appointment like Sirius had been. At lunch, he had told them how he'd shown up a minute late because he'd had a run in with Filch, and McGonagall had wanted his head. She knocked on the door tentatively at exactly 7:30. "Come in, Miss Evans."
Lily entered, shutting the door behind her. She walked across the classroom, taking a seat in the chair infront of McGonagall's desk. "Good Evening, Miss Evans."
"Good Evening, Professor."
"I trust you've been studying hard?"
"Oh of course. I don't know how anyone can survive N.E.W.T.S without them. I'm a wreck if I don't study." She said with a small smile. Professor McGonagall, of all people, knew how hard Lily worked to acheive her fantastic grades.
"And you've thought of a career? As of your fifth year, you were still undecided."
"I've been thinking, and I.. I might want to be a Healer... but I wanted to know what your opinion was... and if I had any other options." Lily said tentatively.
"Actually, if your level of work stays the same, and you continue to excell, I'm quite sure you could do anything you put your mind to. Even being an Auror could be within your grasp. You've excelled in all the required fields... Of course, being a healer would suit your personality, if I do say so myself..." She said as she rifled through some papers, which, Lily assumed were her records. "Here. Here are a few pamphlets, and applications. I've included a few Ministry related ones as well as Healer and Auror." She added as she handed Lily a pile of papers. "All applications are due back to me before school ends. I can send them along with my personal reccomendation, and one that you provide."
"Thank you, Professor." Lily said as she took the papers from her Head of House. "I'll probably get mine back with in a week or two. You know me." She said with a chuckle.
"Yes, of course you will. And Lily, " Professor McGonagall said as Lily stood to leave. "I'm sure you'll do just wonderfully in anything you put your mind to. You're a very brilliant young witch."
"Th-Thank you, Professor." Lily said as she blushed a little at the genuine compliment. "I'll see you tomorrow, Professor. Good Night."
"Goodnight, Miss Evans."
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Finally, two days later, James' appointment with Professor McGonagall came. It seemed to take forever for his hour to come. Then, it was there. He was at her office at exactly 1:00 in the afternoon. He knocked, and upon being granted entry, he entered the office. "Hullo, Professor." He said as he walked down the rows of tables to sit in the same chair that was provided for Lily.
"Good Afternoon, Mr. Potter. I expect you've been studying hard?" She said skeptically.
"Actually, Minnie-- Sorry. Force of habit, you know Sirius..." James ammended himself after Professor McGonagall glared at him. "Actually, Professor, I have been studying. Lily's been making me. That and I actually want to pass."
"I see. It's a good think Miss Evans is looking out for your best interests." She said curtly before continuing without addressing the students personal relationships. " I trust you still hold an ambition to be an Auror, like Mr. Black?"
"Never thought of anything else."
"Alright then. It seems that if you keep up your current grades, maybe try a little harder in Potions, you should be able to be accepted into training just fine." She handed him a pamphlet and a few sheets of paper. "Thats an informational pamphlet for you, but I doubt you'll even look at it, considering you're already aware of... the risks involved... " Professor McGonagall said as she skated around James' father's occupation without actually bringing him up. "And those papers, yes those Potter. That is your application. Fill it out and submit it to me as soon as possible, and before the end of term. You've got to find a reccomendation, ofther than mine, for I will most certaintly be writing you a letter of reccomendation."
"Alright. I'll have it to you soon. Thank you for your time, Professor."
"Your quite welcome. Good Day, Mr. Potter."
"See you tomorrow, Professor."
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Annnnd theres the next chapter. Took me a while to write. Sorry about that. But I hope you all enjoy it. And if you could all do me a favor... Did I ever mention the names of other teachers? I cant remember and I REALLY don't feel like looking for the names. So, read, review, and ANSWER ME, DAMMNIT!
Love you all!
Little Black Cat