Ephemeral | A Lily & James Story

Birthday Wishes

    Things slowly turned back to normal in January. Slowly, Marlene stopped screaming in her sleep. Slowly, James stopped panicking every time he couldn't find me in a crowded room. Slowly, Remus stopped grabbing the person next to him when he heard someone shrieking with laughter. Slowly, Peter stopped flinching every time someone pointed a wand. Slowly, Sirius stopped jumping every time someone touched him. Slowly, I stopped having to sleep in Marlene's bed, scared to be alone.

     When the term started again after the holiday, the six of us were the talk of the school. Everyone wanted to know what he looked like. What it was like to be kidnapped. They wanted to know how scared we were, what spells we used, what it felt like. It was the only time I ever saw Sirius Black and James Potter cringe away from the spotlight. The students were bad enough, but the teachers were worse.

     All of the teachers watch us like we are helpless children waiting to be preyed upon. Any time something unpleasant about Voldemort gets brought up, their eyes shift to us. The day the unforgivable curses were brought up in defense against the dark arts, Professor Tate coincidentally excused us. 

     Worst of all- the six of us together made us all anxious. Something switches in a friendship when you hear the others' screams. All of our friendships had shifted in a negative way, but it also shifted in a positive way. You can't go through something like that and not come out a little closer, no matter how anxious you feel. Even Marlene and Sirius made up after some time.

    On January 30th, my birthday, my day, the day I'm supposed to get whatever I want, I am awoken bright and early to Marlene jumping on my bed screaming, "Lily, wake up! Lily, wake up!"

     I fumble for my wand. I can't find it because I refuse to open my eyes this early, and I know it's early because there is no natural light peering in to make the inside of my eyelids red. "Marlene," I spit through clenched teeth. "If you value your life, you will get off of me. Now."

    I feel my mattress shift as she scrambles off. I finally open my eyes to see her standing over me, waiting. "What, Mar?"

     "Get up!" She orders.

     "No," I roll over pulling my blankets around me. I feel a tug on my blankets, and I'm suddenly on the ground.

     "Shite, Marlene!" That really hurt. My hip is throbbing.

     I feel my stomach swoop as my sheets and myself are cocooned in purple light, lifting me in the air. "MARLENE MCKINNON, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!"

     "Shh, now, Lily, we don't want to wake everybody, do we?" I can't see her face, but I just know she is smirking. I feel my bundle of sheets moving. I can't see where we are going, and I don't like it.

     Suddenly, I drop, but a pair of arms catch me before I can hit the ground for a second time. I thrash in my little bundle of blankets until my head finally emerges. James is holding me bridal style against his chest in the middle of the common room. He seems to be holding back a grin, so I glare at him.

     "Merlin, Marlene, I told you to get her down here, not kidnap her," he says shaking his head.

     "Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do," she replies, crossing her arms with a triumphant smirk.

     "Please, put me down," I say through clenched teeth.

     James smirks and holds me tighter. He leans close to my ear and whispers, "But I like having you this close to me." His whispered words sends a shiver through my body. I fight the urge to kiss him because I'm still annoyed.