The Next Great Adventure (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Seven

It didn’t take long for them to get over their initial awkwardness as they walked along the winding path which headed towards Hogsmeade and they were grinning at each other before they went very far. “So where do you want to go first?” James asked.

“Wherever, I don't really mind,” Lily replied with a shrug and a smile. “I don’t need anything special really.”

“Well we can just sit in The Three Broomsticks then,” he said, “have a drink and chat. There’s nothing that I need to do but if you have somewhere you need to be then we can go.”

“No honestly The Three Broomsticks sounds wonderful,” she grinned. “I'm really not fussed. That’s really all that I do when I come with Cassie, Alice and Mary so… I’ll live.”

“Well that’s good I suppose... I was worried you’d make me fulfil my promise to make Madam Puddifoot’s fun!”

Lily grimaced and said, “Oh trust me no, I really don’t want to go there!”

Smiling, James agreed enthusiastically and they headed directly towards the welcoming pub; unlike The Hog’s Head The Three Broomsticks was filled with warm candlelight and cheerful chattering; not many people had gone straight there, preferring instead to spend most of their money on sweets and stocking up on Zonko’s products, but the few people who were there were more than making up for it, with raucous laughter and joyful cries bursting through the air like fireworks. The lack of students milling around made it very easy for the two of them to grab a table in a corner and, once Lily was seated, James wandered over to where Madam Rosmerta was polishing glasses at the bar. There was no crowd for him to part but, as she turned to him and beamed, their friendliness gave off the impression that he would always be served before anyone else, no matter how many people were waiting.

“James Potter,” she greeted as she put the glass down and flung the cloth onto the counter, “I wondered whether I’d be seeing you today.”

“Ah Rosmerta you missed us you darling!” he exclaimed. “I knew you would!”

She shook her head in mute amusement and said, “So who’s your pretty friend? What have you done with the other troublemakers?”

“Sirius is with Cassie and Remus and Peter are... doing their own thing.” Rosmerta smiled at this and replied, “So Sirius finally got her back. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone look so wretched as he did. He was miserable! Frankly it was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen!” James laughed as he agreed with her and ordered two Butterbeers. “Your friend bears an uncanny resemblance to Lily Evans,” she observed as she poured them and James rolled his eyes.

“You’re as observant as ever Rosmerta,” he sighed. “How on earth do you manage to remember who everyone is?”

“Oh it’s not everyone,” she said dismissively, “but eventually you begin to put faces to names. Of course Horace is always talking about her, and between his glowing praise and your constant whining – don’t even pretend that you didn’t spend the last few years moaning about her to your friends because I’ve heard it a number of times,” she chuckled, “one gets curious and begins to pay attention. She’s in here a fair amount with her friends anyway. Still, I’m happy for you Potter,” she said as she handed him the two glasses. “I don’t know how you did it but I hope it’s worth it.”

“Thanks,” he replied as he sauntered between the tables and back over to Lily. Once he had sat down they fell into silence for a few minutes and James looked over at where Lily sat across from him, cupping her warm Butterbeer in her hands and watching the spirals of steam emanate from it; her nose and cheeks had turned pink from the cold outside and her hair was ruffled – while he had been buying their drinks she had yanked her hat off her head and various tufts were escaping from behind her ears. As he observed her she looked glanced up and caught his eye and, after a moment of embarrassed silence, began to giggle. It was infectious and soon James was laughing too, even though he wasn’t sure why. “I’m sorry,” she finally spluttered. “I’m not sure why I’m laughing… I don’t know, I guess I was so nervous about this.”