ENCHANTED ⇒ jegulus

EIGHTEEN

James gawkes as Lily enters through the floo and thanks every star that reigns above him that Regulus had gone over to Remus anf Sirius'.

"Lily...hey," James feels a deep, all consuming dread take him over, entirely engulfing him, swallowing him whole. Lily knows. That is tjenonly reasonable explanation for her presence in their firmly shared kitchen. "What...what's up?"

"James, hi," Lily starts.

James offers her a cautious smile. "I...I thought we, um, agreed it would be best to give each other some space-"

"I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I am applying for a higher up position at the potions lab." Lily interrupts. She anxiously twirls a piece of red hair around her finger. James simply watches her.

"All right." James nods. "You love potions. You're great in the lab. You'll be brilliant," He adds.

Lily peers at him, frowning. "It would just be mornings starting out. Maybe some late night shifts,"

James frowns in return, matching Lily's dull expression, confused. "Okay?" He says quietly, unsure of what sort of an answer to supply her with, what sort of an answer may satisfy her.

"But next year, it could see me gone weekends, afternoons. I...I'll be very busy,"

"So, it's a trial position?" James asks.

"Of course! I'll be a head assistant," Lily pouts. "You don't care?"

"Care? You were always amazing at potions, Lil. I'm...I'm glad for you. Don't you want me to be happy for you?"

"But...I...I won't be home. I'll be spending day and night working at the lab. I'll never see you." Lily raises an eyebrow.

"I thought you said you wanted to work as an assistant?" James frowns deeper.

"I do!" Lily insists.

James runs his hands over his face, wondering what they are even talking about anymore. He sighs. "Then I don't understand why you seem angry. I'm happy for you, I really am,"

"I thought you'd care, James! I thought you wanted..." Lily's expression seems torn between confusion and tears, and James finds himself throwing his hands up in the air.

"I want you to be happy! Why is that such a surprise?" James asks.

Lily shakes her head. "What's a surprise is that you don't seem to care that I won't be around-"

"That is not it, Lily, and you know it!" James scowls slightly. "You're...you're never here anyways, are you? You moved out-"

"You brought a war criminal into our home!" Lily seethes. "I moved out because you're quite literally harboring a criminal!"

James cries out, offended in some way. "He's not a war criminal! He's...Regulus is just troubled. If you had taken the time to get to know him the way that I have, you would know that he isn't somebody you should be afraid of-"

"I am not afraid of him!"

"Good!" James grits. "He's...Lily, he isn't so bad. Just...please, for me? Make this all work? Please? We're...we're having a baby, Lil,"

Lily sighs. "Get to know him the way that you have? I'm sorry that I haven't been playing build-a-family with you both. Lock me up in Azkaban, why don't you?" She hisses. "I'll take the cell that Regulus should've been put in-"

"That's enough-"

"Everything is always enough for you, isn't it?" Lily curses. "You wanted space!" She cries out. "Space doesn't mean that you head off to make Regulus Black what you wanted to make me! I couldn't be your housewife so now he is!"