When James, Lily and the gang were still in Hogwarts, back in the olden days before Jily was canon, there was a year that all of them stayed at Hogwarts over break.
Lily decided to remain at the castle because Petunia was in a particularly foul mood, as foretold by the mountain of letters she had sent Lily, all of which insulting her and telling her not to return home. Part of Lily wanted to go home anyway, just to anger her further, but her parents already had enough grief to deal with, living with Petunia. So she just decided that it would be best to remain there for her 6th year at Hogwarts.
James decided to stay at Hogwarts because he couldn't bare to go home to a house without his mother. He couldn't go home and see the pain in his father's eyes, the raw agony that came from losing the one of the two people he loved the most. His father loved him, and he knew that. But James also knew that he looked like his mother. So much like his mother, and he thought his father didn't need that for two weeks.
Sirius, Remus and Peter all planned to go to the Potters' over break. But in light of everything that had happened, they decided James needed them.
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Lily Evans sat alone on Christmas Eve. She laid on the bed in her empty dormitory, her dorm mates all at home for the holiday season.
She didn't know what to think of that last letter. She never thought Tuney was capable of such malice, but not everyone is who they seem to be.
The words on the thin muggle parchment echoed in her head.
"You don't belong with our family."
"You worthless freak."
"If you ever come back I swear, I will call proper authorities to arrest you so I never have to see your disgusting person ever again."
"You are not, and never shall be, part of my family, and I'm ashamed to say that I once called you 'sister.'"
A small tear ran down her cheek and onto the gold pillow beneath her head. She never thought that Petunia would go this far.
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The Marauders say in the empty common room, three out of the mischievous four deep in conversation. The distracted, wildly raven haired boy was obviously thinking about something other than pranking. More like someone in fact.
It wasn't long before one of the trio noticed.
"Oy! Jamsie-Poo! Why aren't you helping us plan this?! This is going to be brilliant!" cried a distressed Sirius.
"I'm not really in the mood." Grumbled James.
Remus rolled his light green eyes. "She's in her dorm."
James feigned innocence. "Who is?"
Peter rolled his small, watery blue eyes, mimicking Remus's actions.
"Please, Prongs, spare your energy. We all know you're thinking about where Evans is and what she's doing."
James huffed in frustration and turned to Remus.
"Why did she stay back this year?"
Remus winced, and cautiously replied, "I'm not sure if she wants it broadcast to the world." His tone said that something had happened and Lily wasn't in the greatest mood.
James shrugged, not wanting to make Remus an enemy of hers.
Peter scrunched his eyebrows together in thought.
He finally spoke, timidly, but spoke nonetheless.
"What if we invited her down here? To, you know, hang out with us? All of her friends and roommates went home, she's all alone up there. She might want some company." He said shyly.
Sirius sat up a little, for he knew what went on at home for Lily. He was there with James when she was sobbing so violently she couldn't speak so she just handed them a letter.
How anyone could be so cruel to someone as nice as Evans, he would never know.
They had become sort of friends since then. Him and Lily. They talked a lot. Not romantically, but with a comrades sort of attitude.
He and Remus were both close enough with her to know that she didn't hate James. She wouldn't admit it, but she thought she was a danger to everyone. She thought anyone she loved would either be killed, or in turn hate her.
James looked at Sirius, and they shared a knowing look.
"That sounds like a great idea Wormy. I'll go fetch her."
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James Potter was not graceful. Despite being an amazing Quidditch player, he was very clumsy. And trying to maneuver up the girls staircase was not easy for any guy, let alone him.
After what seemed like ages, he was finally at the top. He opened a door that opened into a hallway, a staircase at the end. He climbed the stairs until he got to the sixth level, and he searched for Lily's door
At long last, he found the door with a simple, plain bronze plate that had Prewitt, McKinnon, Evans, Vance and Meadows engraved on it. He knocked gently, and softly called out to who he presumed was on the other side of the door.
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Lily Evans almost thought she was hallucinating when she heard a small knock at the large door in the center of the room. But when a familiar voice quietly called her name, she knew it was no dream.
"Yes, James?" She called out, trying to wipe off the drying tears.
"Can I come in?"
"Yeah, sure. Door's open."
The doorknob turned slowly, and a lanky figure stepped through.
He looked different to her now, than he did before they became close.
He was slightly taller, the arrogance lessened on his stance, but he still had the wild Raven locks and beautiful calidescope hazel eyes.
He awkwardly cleared his throat, scuffing his shoes and trying to gather his thoughts.
"Hey, Lils. Um, the guys and I were wondering if- well, if you wanted to, I don't know, join us in the common room? I mean we aren't doing anything big, we're just hanging around and stuff but it's Christmas Eve so that makes it improved hanging around, I guess." He paused. "So yeah, do you want to?"
Lily thought for a moment watching him purse his lips and look at his feet, which were rocking back and forth on his heels.
What the heck? She wasn't going to have fun sitting around and moping about Tuney. If she went down there, at least she would have fun.
"Why not?" She shrugged and grabbed a spare blanket from her be and wrapped it around her shoulders, prepared to face the cold corridors of the castle in December.
James entire face was lit up in a beam. "Brilliant." He finally said, slightly dazed as if he couldn't comprehend that she was actually going to come.
"Completely brilliant." He said, smile not going down by a notch.
