[On Hiatus] It Was Meant to Be (A James and Lily Story)

Chapter 33

"Sirius! You're stepping on my foot!"

"Shh... Wormtail, don't yell!"

"All of you, shut up before we're caught!"

James silently chuckled at Remus' hushed warning as the four of them tried to fit under the Invisibility Cloak. As expected, they had grown too much to comfortably be hidden from view under the cloak. As they continued to struggle, Remus unfolded himself from his friends, cursing his luck to be stuck with these ignorant fools.

"Stop this! Wormtail and Padfoot, stay under the cloak. James and I will walk beside you. If we get caught, James can just say that we were patrolling," snapped Remus.

The three boys looked at Remus, awestruck.

"Hmm, I guess Remus is actually useful for once," mocked Sirius.

Remus rolled his eyes and helped adjust the Cloak so it covered Sirius and Peter's feet. They quietly descended the stairs from the Seventh Year boys dormitory, praying that there was no one in the Gryffindor Common Room at this late hour.

However, James should have known that his luck was abysmal.

"James?"

James froze, turning around slowly, trying his best to keep his face neutral. He knew who it was. "Yes, Lily?"

"Shit," came a voice under the cloak. James kicked Sirius in the shin as he focused his attention back on Lily.

"Where are you going? It's late and curfew's in fifteen minutes."

She was frowning at him, ignoring the sheets of parchment strewn in front of her. Her hair was tied up behind her head and she had ditched her uniform for something a bit more comfortable. She was clutching a quill in her hand, resting it on top of the arm of the sofa. She had a crease between her brows and her eyes were narrowed slightly, questioning.

"Er-"

"Actually, Lily, James and I were just going to the library to return one of my textbooks. I thought it would be easier if I had the Head Boy here with me, just in case we didn't get back in time for curfew," Remus explained, nudging James in the side.

James released a short breath and nodded, silently thanking Remus for taking the lead. He didn't know if he would be able to lie so gracefully to Lily.

"Oh, alright then. Be careful."

Lily gave them both a quick nod and turned to face the parchment in front of her. Before they left the Common Room, James turned around and called out to her (he couldn't help it), "Don't stay up too late."

"I won't. Also, tell Peter that I can see his shoes and whatever Disillusionment Charm you cast isn't working."

James stopped at the entrance of the Portrait Hole and gaped at her. She knew. Of course she knew, James told himself, mentally slapping himself in the head. She hadn't looked up, her attention still on her parchment, but James knew that she was smiling. He walked out, meeting up with Remus outside.

James was about to tell Peter to cover his feet when he felt a swift kick in his shin. He howled in pain as he clutched his wounded shin in his hands, hopping around on one foot, earning a Shhh! from Remus.

"Jeez, Padfoot," grumbled James, still rubbing the sore spot on his leg.

"That's so you never kick me again," retorted Sirius from under the Cloak.

After helping Sirius and Peter readjust the Cloak so it covered both of their toes, the four of them made their way down to the castle grounds. Sirius held the Marauders Map under the cloak, silently studying it for Filch. They traversed slowly through the corridors, checking around the corners for the caretaker.