Remembering

Girls' Night

"I really missed this place," I breathed as I ascended the steps to Hogwarts, hand-in-hand with James.

"So did I," James said.

"LILY EVANS!" I heard someone scream.

"DORCAS MEADOWES!" I yelled back, and suddenly I was knocked backwards as a blue-haired girl hugged me tightly.

"Merlin, Dorcas, it was only two weeks," I said exasperatedly, releasing her. I saw that James had left to talk to his friends. Marlene was busy snogging Sirius, and I wrinkled my nose; Mary was watching them, bored, and Alice was making her way toward me. Emma appeared out of nowhere at my side.

"Ohmygosh, we heard about what happened," Emma said, hugging me.

"I'm so sorry, Lily, I wanted to write, but I didn't know what to say," Alice said.

"It's terrible," Dorcas said. "What happened?"

"You don't have to tell us," Marlene assured me as she finally let go of Sirius and hugged me.

"I'll tell you later," I told them. "Marlene, you and Sirius still going strong?"

"Better than ever since we --"

"Alice, how are you and Frank?" I cut across Marlene as she said something we did not want to hear.

"Merlin, he's so sweet," she said dreamily. "He always brings me presents, and --"

"You shouldn't have asked that question, Lily," Dorcas told me knowingly as Alice rambled.

I sighed. "I know."

"Any of those questions, really."

"I know," I said resignedly.

"How're you and James?" Marlene asked, determined to cut Alice off.

"Great," I said simply.

"I heard you were at his house, you didn't --"

"We didn't!" I said loudly.

The girls laughed.

"You missed a great opportunity," Marlene advised me. "You know, I would kill to have that with Sirius --"

"Speaking of Sirius, he was there with me," I interrupted her. "Also Remus. Peter was someplace else, though."

"Oh, so you spent your break with the Marauders," Emma said, surprised. "How was that?"

"Good. Kind of sad, but good."

"At least you met James' parents," Alice said.

"Oh yeah, I think they liked me."

"Who wouldn't?" James asked, putting an arm around my shoulders. Emma made a little 'aw' sound.

I rolled my eyes at them. "Thanks, James. I'm hungry, let's eat."

"Merlin, I'm starving, I was waiting for you to say that," James said, squeezing my shoulders.

I laughed and the Marauders, the girls, and I walked up the steps together.

***

Oh, you're talking again.

Wipe that smug little smile off your face this instant or I'll do it for you.

***

As we entered the Great Hall, fireworks went off. The hall exploded in light and color. A banner unfurled that read, WELCOME BACK.

Underneath, little cursive words said, Brought to you by Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs: the Marauders.

"Wow," I said, sitting down at our designated spots. "You boys really outdid yourselves." It was a dry statement, however; everyone knew that the Marauders could do better.