The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

Pumpkin Juice

James looked over the cake - it was huge. "I dunno how I'm gonna get it back up to the dormitory, though."

"Oh we is be bringing it to you!! Don't worry! We is be making the plans already for you since Tizzy has been telling us about the party!" Toby said, "We is be bringing up a delicious feast for her Master Remus and his friends!" Toby smiled brightly.

"You lot are absolutely brilliant," James said and he decided that he really, really liked House Elves. His mum was mental for not letting them have one! They were the greatest! He grinned about at them, "Thanks for all your help! Rey will have a spiffing birthday thanks to you lot!"

"We is been doing our best is all!" Toby replied, smiling, though his little ears flapped and turned a shade or two of red.

They loaded James up with pockets full of treats before he left, thanking them again and again for the glimpse at Remus's dragon cake and all the help they were being in getting the food for Remus's party taken care of. He shoved a treacle tart into his mouth and ran happily down the corridor and back up into the entrance hall, still chewing the thick sugary interior of the tart that made his teeth stick together.

James was about to head into the Great Hall when he spotted Lily Evans and Severus Snape sneaking away up the stairs together and he glanced at the warm light pooling on the cobblestones from within before turning his back to it and sneaking along after Lily and Severus. He paused at the top of the stairs to reach into his bag and shake out the invisibility cloak. He rushed along as quietly as possible, tugging the cloak 'round his shoulders as he went. He didn't know why he was following after them, it was sure to end in a good deal of snogging, and he didn't really fancy watching that, but something was compelling him to go along after them.

They snuck to the library, which was still closed until after breakfast, and Snape unlocked the door with the alohamora and led Lily in through the shelves of books. They settled themselves in between some shelves toward the back of the room and Severus turned and caught her up in his arms. "We really should've had breakfast before sneaking off, Sev," Lily said. Her voice was admonishing and not at all the goopy mess it had been for the last month or two since she'd been seeing Severus Snape. James inched closer, interested. Had Snape done something to offend her and distract her from her recent obsession with him?

"I just missed you is all, Lil," his whispered and he tried to kiss her, but she pushed him off her. He frowned. "Are you cross with me?"

"No... just... I dunno, Sev. Sometimes it feels so odd when we kiss," Lily said, "Like I'm kissing my brother or something."

"You haven't got a brother," Severus answered.

Lily looked up at him, "Sev."

He stared at her a long moment, then sighed and reached into his bag and held out a bottle of pumpkin juice. Lily stared at it. "What's that?"

"Pumpkin juice," Severus answered smoothly, "Loads of vitamins and the lot if you're not eating."

Lily stared at him for several long moments.

"I'm just trying to take care of you!" Severus said, "I care about you! You're my girlfriend, Lily and I love you."

Under the invisibility cloak, James snuck closer than he had been, feeling quite suspicious. He was remembering the night of the Valentine's day tea, when he'd seen Snape pour something into Lily's tea. Whatever Annalee McKinnon had so naively said, James was still worried about what Snape may be up to and he felt as wary of this bottle of pumpkin juice as he had of the tea that night.

Lily reached for the juice and took it out of his hand, uncorking the bottle top, and took a long pull from the mouth of the bottle. "There!" she said, "Are you happy? Now can we please just have a serious discussion here about this? Sev, you know I care for you as a friend, but I -- I..." Lily's words paused and she blinked a few moments in silence, her face unreadable. Then she closed her eyes, her face screwing up funny in a grimace, and finally she looked solidly into Severus Snape's eyes. Her green eyes had lost their fire, but her eyebrows had gone soft and her voice had smoothed over to that silky, gooey tone she'd been using lately. "Oh Severus," she murmured, "I'm just so very, very lucky that you consider me to be more than a friend!" She sighed dreamily and shoved the stopper into the bottle again, putting it down on the shelf behind her, and rushing up to Severus, wrapping her arms around his neck.