Cursed Child Years 1-4 | Marauders Era

86 | Ghosts of the Astronomy Tower

Ghosts of the Astronomy Tower

Monday 29nth January, 1974

James was back. Just over two weeks in a private ward at St. Mungo's and he was back to class. No one had been more thrilled than The Marauders and Lily. Elizabeth had pushed down the guilt and the overwhelming numbness to see James. Everything in her had told her to run when he walked into the common room during their free period before lunch. He had immediately ran over to the couch and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"You bloody saved my life," he whispered into her shoulder.

She closed her eyes and squeezed harder because she hadn't. Elizabeth had nearly killed him.

"James!" Lily squealed. He let go of Elizabeth and (much to his and everyone's surprise) she jumped on him wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on for dear life.

"Blimey, Evans, if I'd have known it would only take two weeks for you to call me by my name, I would've done this years ago." He grinned as she shook her head, scolding him.

"I'm glad you're ok. I thought- I thought-"

"Ol' Snivellus can't kill me that easily," his smile faltered slightly when she didn't correct him.

"He nearly did though." She looked down guiltily when Sirius wrapped James in a brotherly hug.

James had a lovely welcome back. Alice, Mary, Marlene, Remus, Peter, Frank, and everyone else who was in the common room hugged him tightly and muttered how wrong it was that Snape hadn't been expelled. Elizabeth had sat quietly on the end of the sofa through the whole thing, legs crossed over the other and feeling the heat of the fire on her side.

She was glad James was back, of course, but it didn't change much. The guilt, the fact it had been her to start the whole thing, the nightmares of James bleeding out in her arms similarly to the way Jake had in her arms over a year ago. The way his hand stopped squeezing hers and everyone thought he died for those two weeks. The way the table in the Great Hall had been even more silent, with none of the Marauders laughing and causing chaos and how there had been no pranks in the entire castle with James gone.

Elizabeth was so thankful James hadn't died, she didn't know if she could handle it if she lost him. Through all the guilt and the anger, she realized that if she lost her brother, that would be the end for her, Elizabeth would give up.

The Marauders threw a house celebration for James' return that night. Drinks were shared, speeches were said and James was a laughing rosy cheeked mess with Lily Evans at his side the whole night. Alice had been smiling, watching the two dance to the muggle music they had blasting with magic, and Elizabeth couldn't help but smile too. Lily and James looked like they were made for each other in that moment, swinging around hand in hand and laughing like nothing else mattered.

"James, sit down, would you? We don't want you bursting open again." Marlene ushered him down to the sofa immediately, after wincing one too many times.

James shook his head, eyes wide as he looked to Lily.

"I'll dance with you again one day, I promise, but I can't if you re-open your wounds now, can I?" She smiled when she saw him reluctantly nod.

Elizabeth shook her head, James cared more about a dance with Lily than his own health.

Marlene was asking James if he was ok. Lily sat beside him intertwining there hands together as they blushed and smiled at each other. Sirius was gagging at the scene beside Elizabeth and Peter.

"Would you shut the fuck up, Pads," Peter whined as Sirius doubled over and pretended to hurl.

"Jealous isn't a good look, Wormy," Sirius sighed and leaned against the wall behind them.