Chapter Twenty-One

The next morning, I woke to the sight of two Marauders zooming into our dormitory on their brooms. Sirius soared in upside down, grinning at me before preforming a rather impressive flip and dipping down. James came next, and I covered my head as he swerved past at breakneck speed, but he did a loop-the-loop and stopped, hovering above my bed.

"Potter, that wasn't a nice way to wake me up. I'd rather someone not try and behead me with a broomstick early in the morning, thanks," I said crossly, abandoning my fetal position.

He snorted. "What, did you think I was going to crash or something? Please."

"What are you two doing here anyway? It's barely five o'clock!"

He looked pointedly at the sun high in the sky then at my clock. I sighed. "Fine, it's ten-thirty. But what are you doing here?"

"Must you always be so harsh and abrupt?" Sirius sighed too. "Will it kill you to be nice for once?"

I glared at him. He smiled back. My eyebrows jumped up. "Sirius. Why are you in Marlene's bed?"

"Yeah, Marlene!" he said loudly. "Why'd you violate my personal space?"

I left the two of them to their own business and turned to James. "Unless you tell me now, I will blast you into the middle of next week. That's a promise."

"Would it kill you to be nice for once?" he wondered.

"Say that to my wand."

"To wish you a slightly belated birthday," James told me. "Moony, send 'em up!"

I heard a grunt, and someone—Remus, presumably—muttering a Hovering Charm. Then, four wrapped parcels flew up in the fashion of the boys, softly bobbing up and down before me.

"What's this?" I asked curiously. "Merlin forbid, it can't be for me, can it? Right, Dorcas?"

"Shut up, Lily," Dorcas mumbled. "Quidditch practice later…lemme sleep."

"Quidditch practice is canceled," James announced cheerfully, "so up you get, Dorky!"

'Dorky' was up in a flash. "What did you just say?" she asked dangerously, wand pointed at James' heart.

"You're worse than Lily," he muttered. "All right, Dorcas, Sarah canceled the practice today."

"What? Why? Not that I mind," she added hastily, "but you know Sarah…"

"Yeah," James agreed. "But apparently it's too cold out today, even for her."

"Or maybe it's because of Andrew Davis," Dorcas said slyly. "I heard that they've been getting pretty hot and heavy with each other."

"'Hot and heavy'?" I quoted her. "Who are you and what have you done to Dorcas?"

"But it's true," she whispered conspiratorially. "Everyone knows it."

"We can gossip later. Lily, you should probably open your presents," James said, nodding to the packages, which were thumping me not-so-gently on the head.

"What a temper they've got." I unwrapped the first one. "Hey, Sirius, thanks for the—Sirius?"

"Hmm?" he asked, not looking up. I shuddered and averted my eyes.

"Thanks anyway. Tell me when you're both done." I tucked the beautiful eagle-feather quill into my pencil case and turned to the next one. It was from Remus, The Extra-Extreme Guide to Advanced Potion-Making. I flipped through it, marveling at all the odd things wizards have come up with. "Thanks, Remus!" I called downstairs. "Why're you and Peter not up here?"

"We don't know how to fly," was his answer. Oh. Fair enough.

"You might not want to open Peter's indoors," James whispered to me. "Bring it when we go to Hogsmeade."

"Whoever said I was coming to Hogsmeade?" I gingerly set the parcel down, half expecting it to start smoldering any second.

"I just did. Oh, come on, Lils. Don't tell me you're going to stay inside and do homework on a day like this!"

"Exams are coming up," I reminded him. "I need to study."

"Exams are in May," he said. "You're coming to Hogsmeade."

I was coming to Hogsmeade.

After Sirius and James went to get ready, I decided to see what type of weather we had that would make Sarah Wood cancel practice. The view didn't disappoint.

"That is quite a bit of snow," I said, squinting against the sun. "Do you think that maybe Sarah just doesn't want to catch her snowy white death?"

"Nah," Dorcas said lazily. "She's definitely with Davis."

"And do you think that you could maybe get off your lazy bum and get up?"

"Nah. You go on to Hogsmeade, I'll stay here and sleep."

"You're so not sleeping, Meadowes," Sirius' voiced said. "Think of the possibilities, with all the snow…"

"Exactly," Dorcas growled. "I still haven't forgotten the last time you two pushed me into a snowdrift after practice."

"It's tough love," James added to my look of horror. "We all love each other, really."

"Speak for yourself," Dorcas retorted.

"But you're still coming with us," I told her.

"But I wanna sleep!"

"Too bloody bad. You're not leaving me alone with those two maniacs."

"You'll have Marlene," she quipped. I glanced over my shoulder at Sirius and Marlene and looked at her, eyes pleading. She sighed. "All right, all right. I'm coming."

"I'm not," Alice yawned. "Frank's helping me with my Charms today."

"Helping you with your charms, eh? Have fun!" Marlene called jauntily. "Are you coming, Mary?"

"Or do you choose Remus?"

I wasn't the only one who noticed her blush. "Aw, give her a break," James said. "Remus did say that he's rather be inside with his girl than out with us hooligans in the snow…"

"That's settled, then! I expect a wedding invitation any day now," Dorcas told Mary cheerfully. "But I'd really hate to intrude on your little double date…"

"What did you just say?" I gasped. "Are you insane?"

"That's not too bad of an idea," James said thoughtfully.

I threw a book at him. "Dorcas, this is exactly why I need you."

"Fine," she laughed. "But you have to admit, your love-hate relationship is adorable at times."

"You're just asking for a hex to your arse."

"Ooh, touchy! Okay, I'll shut up now."

I gasped as we stepped out onto the grounds. What I saw from the window did not do the scene justice at all. A thick blanket of snow covered every surface, reflecting the sun. Everything was white, and not white at the same time. Little specks of light danced across the paleness, and my eyes hurt by just looking at the dazzling brightness. Even on the thinnest of branches and tiniest of twigs piled a sizeable layer, gently swaying and swaying and pouring powdery snow onto whoever was unfortunate enough to be standing underneath it. Small, delicate flakes still drifted through the cold, sharp air, and oh, it was just so perfect.

"SNOW FIGHT!" Sirius yelled, ruining my moment. Suddenly, snowballs were flying through the air and blinding sheets rained down from the trees. The tranquil serenity only a moment before was broken. I stood still, staring wistfully into the distance, wishing, willing the calm and the quiet to come back. Until a solid chunk of ice hit me right in the back, and almost drove me face-first into a tree. I whipped around, ducked, and furiously began forming my own missiles.

We battled for an hour straight. Alliances were forged and broken. Sometimes it was teamwork, most times it was every-witch-for-her-own. An hour of complete and utter chaos, and laughter, and fun. Finally, drooping and exhausted, we one by one dropped onto the soft snow, until the silence returned once more. Only, this time it wasn't the peaceful silence of before. This time, the silence was alive. Our ferocious bouts had awakened small animals and birds from their slumber, and they scurried, unseen, in the white undergrowth. Our own labored breathing created small tendrils of gas in the air, twisting and winding into nothing. The sky was clear and thin wisps of clouds lined the horizon, and the beauty of it all almost succeeded in distracting me from the fact that my arms and legs and face were frozen stiff. Almost.

"I can't move," I mumbled through numb lips.

"Yes you can." Without warning someone grabbed my arms and heaved me up.

"POTTER!" I screamed. "DO NOT DO THAT!"

He grinned at me cheekily. "And you said you couldn't move."

"I just found out I can." Numbness forgotten, I shoved him into a deep snowdrift and smirked down at him. "That was from Dorcas," I told him.

"Thanks, Lils. I'd love you even more if you could cause him just a bit more physical harm…"

"Why not," I said conversationally. "Or would you like to do the honors?"

"I can't move," she reminded me, wearing smirk of her own.

"Fine then." I drew back my foot a good distance and prepared to let it go.

"Why do you do this to me?" James moaned. "Have mercy, O Mighty Queen Lily!"

I paused. "Since you called me Queen…I guess I can let this one slide."

"No!" Marlene cried dramatically. "We're losing her to the other side!"

"Lily! How could you!"

"Oh, be quiet," I extended a hand to help James up. "Next time you decide to dislocate my arm, though…"

Hastily, he changed the subject before I could issue any death threats. "Did you bring Peter's present?" he asked.

I patted my pocket. "Yeah, got it here. Where is he, anyway?"

"Too chicken for the cold. Probably mad now that he's missing out on the fun," he winked.

"Just get up. Or I'm leaving you here."

"Oh, you wouldn't do that." He pulled himself up.

"Wouldn't I?"

"Stop flirting with Evans, mate!" Sirius called. "Let's go."

"I should probably open this now, right?" I asked, pulling out the small—yet apparently deadly—parcel.

"Yeah, good idea. Here, pull on that drawstring—"

I pulled. A multitude of bright fireworks popped out, spelling out the sentence, Happy Birthday, Lily! Colorful confetti fell from the equally colorful cloud, but the letters stayed there, smoldering slightly, just as I imagined it to.

"Slightly belated," he said, "but still, it's not every day that you turn fifteen."

"It's not from Peter at all, is it?"

"No," he confessed. "Just pretend it's from the two of us."

I smiled. "I like it. But," I said as we followed the others, "don't you think sometimes you spend a little too much time on me? Just a little?"

And of course, he actually looked surprised, as if the notion had never crossed his mind before. Of course. Bloody typical James Potter. "No. Why?"

How the hell do I put this into words? "Never mind," I decided. This was not an issue I wanted to pursue right now. He thought otherwise.

"Wait, what do you mean? Tell me," he demanded. "Hey, Lily? Tell me."

I took a deep breath. "Well—it's just—you put so much work and effort and thought into everything you do for me, and sometimes it's barely necessary. Yeah, it's sweet, and I guess every other girl would faint over things like this—but—"

"But you'd rather me be studying or writing essays or reading," he finished for me with a grin.

"No! Well, yes, but—okay, let's put it this way: for my birthday next year or whatever, just—just make a card or something, you don't have to go all out with the surprise party and fancy fireworks and all that. A card will do. Really," I insisted.

"But what if I want to?" he returned.

"Too bad! I want a card and nothing else. Got it?"

"You're weird," he said. "But all right. I'll get you a card next year."

"Good," I smiled. "Let's go now."

The warmth of the Three Broomsticks was a stark contrast to the brittle cold outside. Almost immediately, Madam Rosmerta abandoned a flagon of oak mead on the bar and hurried towards James and Sirius. Dorcas and I exchanged an eye roll, but Marlene glared daggers at the woman.

"So, Sirius," I said loudly. "Valentine's Day is coming up. Who's going to be your valentine?"

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Evans, you all right? Didn't catch a cold or anything out there, right?"

"No, no," I assured him," I'm fine. Now answer my question."

"As subtle and eloquent as ever," he remarked.

"Answer my question."

"What was the question again?" he smirked at me, while pulling Marlene closer. I noticed a sour look on Rosmerta's face and smiled secretly to myself. The smile vanished—secretly, of course—as she sidled up to James, almost doling herself out on him.

"Five butterbeers, please," Dorcas told her politely. "And make it fast, if you don't mind."

That did the trick. With an ugly expression, she turned on her sparkly turquoise heels and stomped away and returned a few moments later, slamming the bottles onto the table.

"Someone's in a bad mood today," I commented under my breath. Unfortunately, it wasn't soft enough, and I made a new enemy in the barmaid of The Three Broomsticks.

We spent round half an hour in the bar, discussing homework, making up new nicknames for the professors—"Minnie is a classic," Sirius persevered. "We're not changing that"—and general things about our lives. Then the Quidditch talk started. I scooted away from James and next to Marlene, leaving the other three to their intense debate of who'll win the league this year.

"Thanks, back there," she said quietly. "I know this is really…insecure of me, but…"

"It's all right," I told her. "The way she was doing it—makes me want to punch her in the face myself."

"Did you really mean what you said to Sirius about Valentine's Day?" she asked.

"No, it was more like a desperate try to get him to start acting decent."

"Hey, Evans!" Sirius crowed, tipping back on his chair. "Chudley Cannons or Tutshill Tornadoes?"

"Manchester United," I retorted. "Come on, Black, you know I'm not a Quidditch person."

"Answer the question!"

"Fine. If I had to choose…the Tornadoes, I suppose. Chudley Cannon's colors are terrible."

"HA! You owe me, James! Pay up."

"They are unbelievable," Marlene muttered.

"Oh, by the way, since Valentine's Day is coming up—" he shot me a smirk. "—let's call each other by first names instead. It's going to be uncomfortable for both of us when you and James are married and I'm still calling you Evans."

"Watch what you're saying, Bla—Sirius." Merlin, did that sound weird. I had grown so accustomed to calling him Black—'Sirius' is just so foreign and strange…

"Okay, Lily. I've never called you Lily before," he said in wonder. "Wow, this was a good idea. Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily—"

"Shut up," I said wearily.

"—Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily Lily—"

"Sirius."

"Okay. I was just waiting for you to say my name, you know," he told me.

"Stop annoying her, Sirius. You know that's not going to end well." Dorcas yawned. "We should probably head back."

"Yeah, let's go," I said, picking up my coat. "And next time you say my name, Sirius, choke on it."

"Will do!"

AN: As you can see, I'm running behind schedule on the dates here. But that's all right, because I don't want this story to line up exactly with real life. Yeah, making up excuses for one's own laziness is always a good idea…

~Gella