Jily

Chapter 22

Lily's POV

There was a single blissful second when I woke up in the morning. My mind had not caught up with itself yet, and for a single moment, I forgot all of the sorrowful things that lay ahead of me for the day. But then everything flooded back into my mind and I immediately felt like curling back up into my warm, secluded bed and not ever moving again. I knew knew that I had to get up, though. I had to do it for James. I slipped out of my warm, cushy bed and padded into the bathroom. I got ready for the troubling day that awaited me.

I wore a dismal black dress. That is what everybody always wears to a burial, the typical foreboding, tear-inducing dark clothes that symbolize the sadness and hollowness that you inevitably feel when you are mourning for loved ones.

When I made my way to the kitchen to start making breakfast, I found that Remus had already started. The bacon was popping in the pan and it smelled delicious.

"Morning, Remus." I said as he flipped a pancake. He didn't turn around but he knew who it was.

"Morning, Lily." He replied. I leaned against the counter near him and watched him cook.

The two of us and Peter had all learned how to help each other out during this big event in our friends' lives. It was like clockwork how we worked together now. We knew exactly what needed to be done to make everybody's lives easier and we did it without a single word.

I gave Remus a grateful smile as he loaded the last pancake onto a plate and put the last piece of bacon onto another plate.

"I will go get everybody up." I said, walking out of the small kitchen. As I left the room, I ran straight into a nervous Peter. I stopped and looked at him, concerned. "Peter, are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine." He nodded quickly, distractedly and anxiously brushed past me, rushing into the kitchen.

I considered pressing him to find out what was wrong but there were more important things to deal with at the moment, like the three sleeping friends upstairs. You climbed the old, creaking stairs.

The six of us were staying in James' house. It was difficult for him to be in the house where his parents had always resided, but he persevered through the pain that it caused. I had gotten my own room upstairs and so had James. Technically, Marlene had her own room as well but she chose to stay with Sirius. The two of them were inseparable. Remus and Peter had taken up the couches in the living room instead of bedrooms because there was not enough space anywhere else for the two of them.

I opened the first door in the hallway and looked in. Sure enough, Marlene lay in Sirius' bed. The two were cuddled up close together. Marlene's face was buried in his chest. They looked so serene and comfortable that I decided to give them a few more minutes of sleep. I quietly closed the door and walked over to the next door. James' room.

I opened the door a crack and peeked my head into the room. He was curled up innocently on his bed. I slowly walked over to him and stood over him. I stared down at his quiet figure. I did not want to steal him from his safe dreamland. But I had to. I crouched down next to him and gently pulled my fingers through his thick hair. He began to stir from his sleep.

"Hey, James." I whispered "Good morning. It's time to get up." He groaned and moved farther into his pillow. I slowly massaged a spot on his shoulder. "Come on. We have a big day today."

He did not move. I leaned in farther toward his face and then I noticed it. A single, sad tear rolled solemnly down his cheek, it dissolved in a puddle on his pillow. My heart just broke for him. I sat down on the edge of his bed, continuing to rub gentle circles on his shoulder with the palm of my hand, and tried to think of a way to cheer him up, to make him feel less alone, to get him out of bed.

But I could not think of anything. So, all I did was sit there in silence and let him brew. I let his tears fall until he felt he was too dry to cry much longer. That was all that you could do for him at the moment. It was all that he needed.

Eventually, he slowly rose from his bed and slid off onto the floor. He looked at me, a sad, grateful smile that told me how much he appreciated me. "Thank you, Lily. Thank you so much." His voice was hoarse and breathy.

I nodded. There was nothing that I had to say. I left the room so that he could get dressed and ready for the long day ahead of him. Just before I shut the door behind me, I creaked my head in. "Breakfast is ready whenever you are." I gave him a small, sad smile and left before he could say anything else.

Then, J went and woke up Sirius and Marlene. They were a bit easier. I didn't have to comfort them. They had each other. Still, they had me. We all had each other. We all needed each other.