The Londoner Marauder☆Jily AU

《ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ #06》

28th January 1976, Beauxbatons, France

"This is pure silk, Miss! Of course your friend would like it!" Madam Kayla Kuskin sounded offended and she started to explain how beautiful the silver silky dress was.

Marlene and Mary exchanged worried glances. "She's very pale," Marlene explained. "Silver won't suit on her."

"True." Madam Kuskin sighed. "Redhead?"

"Yes," Mary answered.

The "Kayla's Fashion Centre" was one of the most famous clothing shops in Beauxbatons. The shopping complex was located well away from the Academy. Students could visit the small village of Siberius, which stood at the feet of the Pyrenees, when it was really necessary for them, such as buying gifts for their friends, school uniforms, dress robes and gowns.

"Here, sweeties, see this." Madam Kuskin laid out a stunning pastel blue dress in front of them. Small white pearls decorated the deep V neckline, it was back-less and would touch the floor.

"Holy Circe!" Mary cried, jumping up and down joyfully. "This is amazing, Madam Kuskin! How much?"

"Just ten galleons sweethearts," Madam Kuskin replied, beaming proudly. Marlene and Mary payed five galleons each, and happily skipped outside the shop, grinning like chesire cats.

"What did you buy?" Remus asked them as he and Frank came out of the Books and Quills.

"An amazing, and expensive dress!" Marlene announced proudly.

"Duh." Frank and Remus rolled their eyes and the former said, "We brought her three dove feather quills and Simillarian along with the last books of the History of the Middle Age series!"

"That's even more expensive!" Mary gawked at them, displeased that the boys had brought a more costly gift for Lily than her and Marlene.

"Of course." Remus and Frank exchanged smug looks, looking awfully satisfied by the situation. They raced up to the train station, and spent the rest of the ride planning out Lily's birthday.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

29th January 1976, Hogwarts, Scotland

"That time--"

"In third year!"

"Those cockroaches--"

"Horrifying!"

"Worse than horrifying!"

"Effie was terrified--"

"Out of her wits!"

The Marauders and co roared with laughter, leaving a very confused Yui Tsuki to blink at them. The students in the Gryffindor common room gave them odd looks, some even chucking quills at them and demanding silence.

"Wha-? I feel left out!" Yui whined, pouting.

Even though Dorcas wouldn't admit it, all she wanted to do was cut off the lower portion of the Ravenclaw girl's face.

"Okay so back in third year," James said with a snigger, "Sirius and Kate here had a bet going on, as to who would go the longest without getting a detention and Kate won."

"Shocker," said Dorcas sarcastically.

"And?" Yui egged him on.

"So Kate can be a really evil when she wants to be," James told them, his shoulders already shaking from laughter. "So she dared Sirius to eat chocolate cockroches, homemade!"

"Holy fuck," Yui swore.

"Then Isadora here--"said girl smirked--"brought dozens of cockroaches and dipped them in chocolate, okay? Then she presented them to Sirius. My mate here took a bite, and then started to whine how weird and crunchy it was. Then Alice here opened the curtains to my room, sunlight came in and--"

"YOU DID NOT!" Yui cried out, clapping a hand over her mouth in horror.

Extra drama, thought Emmeline with a scowl.

"I certainly did!" James guffawed. "Then a second cockroach scuttled up to Sirius's left eye and Padfoot froze. Then all those cockroaches started running around, and it was pandemonium! Sirius is cursing because he can't open his left eye, Alice is climbed on top of my desk, Kate and Isadora are roaring with laughter on my bed, I am hopping about!"

"Then Effie-" Dorcas broke off with another laugh.

"Holy shit, yeah. Then mum came inside and it was difficult to say who was screaming harder, she or Emmeline. And she opened the gate to my room and all those chocolate-y cockroaches ran about, staining all the furniture in the Manor--my mum's a big fan of white, to make matters worse."

All laughed, but Isadora and Kate had matching frowns on their faces as they watched Yui and James, their eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Why the fuck is she all handsy over him?" Isadora muttered to Kate.

"Hell as if I know Dory," snorted Kate, her hand brushing slightly against Isadora's. "She's just using him."

"And he's letting her!" Isadora's frown deepened.

"Because the boy's oblivious as fuck," said Kate. On that, at least, they could agree and boy, agree they did. The way Yui woke up the next morning with her hair disappeared just proved their agreement.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

30th January 1976, Beauxbatons, France

"HAPPY-"

"BIRTHDAY-"

"LILY-"

"FLOWER!"

Lily blinked at the green and white confetti surrounding her, the heaps of presents at her bedside chest of drawers, the fresh bouquets of jasmines and liles around her and her friends, who looked rather ridiculous while wearing white t-shirts with her moving photos on them.

"'Morning." Lily blinked like an owl.

"We bring you so many things, and all you've got to say is 'Morning'?" Marlene rolled her eyes and hugged Lily tightly.

"Oh I guess 'thank you' would not cover it," Lily told them breathlessly, staring at the beautiful bouquets around her.

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Clara Hubert gushed as she approached them. Marlene immediately stiffened while Mary suddenly got very interested in her nails.

"I know, we people are awesome," Frank said smugly.

"Holy shit, JAMES POTTER HAS POSSESSED FRANK!" Remus out cried dramatically in mock-horror.

"Excuse me?" Clara said sharply, her lips forming the words 'James Potter'.

"He means James Porter!" Mary all but shouted. "James Porter is my extremely, er, cocky cousin!"

"Cousin," Clara echoed.

"Cousin!" Marlene nodded enthusiastically.

"Cousin." Clara finally sounded convinced.

As expected, Lily's day was perfect. She spent a long amount of time with Xavier near the lake, got dozens of presents, had an amazing party and got lots of gifts from her muggle friends as well, along with a super-long letter which was surely written by Alice, her handwriting was tiny and smooth, just in contrast with Frank's firm, flowing script.

But the best present? An extremely expensive and beautiful ruby and emerald necklace from James, along with a small note in his beautiful cursive handwriting.

Happy birthday Lily-flower.

A/N: *bursts into tears* I am so horrible! I made James date some other girl and won't let lames happen. I am so horrible! I deserve to rot in Tartarus! T-take care and s-stay safe.

Love,
A sobbing Aurora