A/N: I'M BAAAAAAAAAAACK! :) If you want to thank someone/something for pulling me out of the pit of writer's block and procrastination, Filipino's a good place to start. If only you knew all the things that pop into your mind while listening to your teacher drone on and on about... Y'know, I'm not really sure what. Huh.

Anyway. It's off hiatus, it's off hiatus! Happy dance! Actually, it's been ready since Saturday night, because thanks to my Internet crashing, I had six hours of writing time with no distractions... and Voila! But, I've only posted this chapter now because FFN told me there was a technical glitch with login and submission and that I should check back in a few minutes... And yet the problem only cleared up fifteen minutes ago.

Therefore, all my FFN readers are a few days behind my readers in Dancing Cheek to Cheek. That's sad.

And now, I will end this horrendously long AN, and give you the next chapter to Why The Wizarding World Was Saved! Happy dance again! :)

P.S. I'm a BetaReader now. ;;)

Lily stared in shock at James. He was soaked from the rain, his raven hair plastered to his head. His school uniform was torn and muddy, and there were scratches on his face and arms. His glasses were missing. What worried Lily most, however, were the tear streaks on his face.

Ignoring the gasps and whispers coming from the other students and the worried sounds coming from the Marauders, she ran up to James.

"What happened? James?"

He blinked, his eyes somewhat focusing on her. "Lily?" He asked, stumbling.

Sirius and Remus stepped forward, wrapping their arms around James and supporting him. Peter, Dumbledore and McGonagall followed, worry etched into their faces.

"Professor, I think we need to bring him the Hospital Wing," Lily said, wringing her hands.

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Ms. Evans, if you would run ahead and tell Madame Pomfrey of the situation? I trust Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Pettigrew can bring him up to the Hospital Wing safely. I will join you there as soon as dinner is over."

Lily hurried out of the doors of the Great Hall, walking briskly to the fourth floor. She burst through the doors of the Hospital Wing, calling for the nurse.

"Miss Evans!" Madame Pomfrey exclaimed, walking out of her office. "What is the meaning of this noise? I have patients who are resting!"

"Sorry, Madame Pomfrey, but – James, he just walked into the Great Hall, and he's messed up –we have no idea what happened to him! Sirius and Remus and Peter are bringing him up right now, Dumbledore asked me to go ahead to tell you – "

Just as the words came out of her mouth, the three Marauders stumbled into the room, James floating ahead of them, mumbling. Lily watched as Sirius set James down on the nearest bed with his wand.

"Oh, my," The nurse immediately walked over to James, examining his wounds and tsking over the state of his robes. "What happened?" She asked, drawing curtains around James' bed.

"We don't know." Remus sank down into a chair. "He was missing the whole day and then he just walked into the Great Hall looking like that."

Sirius growled. "I bet you it was Slytherins."

Peter nodded. "They've always hated James, but now, with the war, and his family being pro-Muggleborn rights…"

Madame Pomfrey shook her head as she removed the curtains. James was in a hospital gown now, still mumbling. "Now, now, don't you lot go around pointing fingers. We don't know if the Slytherins did this."

"Of course they did it!" Sirius exploded, making Lily jump. "If it wasn't for them and their pureblood nonsense, this war wouldn't have even started!"

Lily said nothing, sitting on a chair and wrapping her arms around her legs. Sirius continued ranting about the Slytherins, Remus and Peter attempting to calm him down.

"Mr. Black, I understand you are worried about your friend, but I must ask you to keep your voice down! If you wake up one of my patients, I shall have to ask you to leave!"

That got Sirius quiet, and he contented himself with muttering insults about the Slytherins under his breath. Remus and Peter held a hushed conversation in whispers, debating over whether it really was the Slytherins who had hurt James. Lily just stared at James, who was now asleep, tossing and turning in his bed as Madame Pomfrey tended to his wounds.

After what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore swept into the Hospital Wing.

"Headmaster!" Madame Pomfrey walked over to him and started whispering. Lily strained to hear the nurse, but try as she might, she could only hear a few words. To her left, Sirius, Remus and Peter didn't seem to be doing much better.

Dumbledore sighed. "Thank you, Poppy." He walked over to Lily and the others as they leaned forward eagerly.

"There is no need to worry about Mr. Potter," he said, smiling wanly. "He only has a few scratches and bruises, and although he seems to be coming down with a head cold, Madame Pomfrey has agreed to release him tomorrow."

They all sighed in relief. Dumbledore lowered his voice as he continued, "I have to warn you that Mr. Potter is in a very emotional state. I'm afraid I cannot tell you the reason why without his consent, but no doubt he will tell you himself as soon as he awakens, which will not be until the morning since Madame Pomfrey has given him dreamless sleep potion. In the meantime, I suggest you all go to bed and come back tomorrow. On a stormy night like this, the best thing to do is snuggle up under your blankets."

With that, and a wave to the nurse, the headmaster was gone. Remus, Sirius and Peter immediately began discussing what Dumbledore had meant when he said that James was in an emotional state. Lily remained quiet, although she was wondering about that as well.

"Lily, we're going back to our dormitory," Peter told her after a while, yawning. "James won't be up 'til tomorrow, so it makes no sense for us to stay here. Do you want us to walk you to the Head Dorms?"

She shook her head. "I'll just stay here for a while."

She saw the look that the three Marauders exchanged. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Sirius and Peter walked out of the Hospital Wing slowly, hesitant to leave her alone. Remus lingered for a moment.

"Lily?"

She looked up, acknowledging him.

"Conjure a more comfortable chair before you fall asleep, yeah?"

She smiled faintly and nodded, and then Remus was gone as well.

A/N: dodges tomatoes. Sorry, I'm kind of out of practice. And it's a chapter, so no humor for now. Sighs. I've missed you guys, though! Next chapter's half done, and it's got some funny bits. :) Revieeeeeeew!