Priori Incantatem [HARRY POTTER FANFICTION]

Chapter 14: Time Flies

Chapter 14: Time Flies

In the weeks that followed, the sixth years were kept extremely busy in preparation for their NEWTs the following year and before anyone knew it, Easter holidays had arrived. Time flew when you were bogged down under a mountain of homework every week.

James and Sirius went to the Potters' estate in the countryside for the week. Ordinarily James spent this holiday at his family's home in London but his parents had decided that London was currently too dangerous for the boys. Death Eater activity still abounded and the Ministry still had no way to predict these attacks, leaving everyone vulnerable. The countryside wasn't actually any safer than London but there was less chance of the boys happening to be in the wrong place at the wrong time during a Death Eater attack.

Nevertheless, it was a good holiday. It was great fun for James to have Sirius with him constantly, but, though he didn't admit it to Sirius, James missed seeing Lily every day. To keep from thinking about it too often, James and Sirius played Quidditch almost nonstop, and in between Quidditch sessions Sirius kept James fairly well distracted.

Sirius had arranged for a few assignations with some members of his ever-devoted fan club over the holiday, which gave Sirius plenty of anecdotes to entertain James with and plenty of ammunition for his merciless teasing.

Peter and Remus had visited at the Potters' nearly every day. Things had been more or less patched up between Remus and Sirius; James knew that Remus had been trying to forgive Sirius for some time but had been unable to get past it, truthfully. Remus was well aware of just how close he had come to having his worst fear realized: killing someone in his werewolf state, and all thanks to one of his best friends. He had gone off on his own a good bit over the winter. This time alone had done wonders for Remus' spirits and James privately wondered if there wasn't some girl Sirius could thank for Remus' new attitude.

Of course, things were a bit different; they had all changed from the incident, had all grown up a little, even Peter, who had had the least to do with it of any of them. They were themselves different, so naturally their friendship reflected that. But the dynamic was the same; the four of them were too close not to patch things up, really.

Consequently the Marauders felt more carefree than they had in quite some time during that holiday, playing Quidditch on the pitch in the Potters' garden, laughing over remembered pranks as they planned new ones and continued to eat their way through Sirius' still-large stock of Valentine candy while they caught up on each others' lives. It was amazing to James that he hadn't known that Annabel Abbott of Hufflepuff had asked Remus to go to the last Hogsmeade weekend with her and that Remus hadn't known about James' new broomstick or about his encounter with Lily in the library. And of course Remus and Sirius had all sorts of things to share with each other. It just went to show all of them how far their friendship had deteriorated.

Though it was sad to see the holiday end, James couldn't help but be anxious to see Lily again as he and Sirius entered Platform 9 ¾ to return to Hogwarts for the final part of their sixth year.

*** 

Lily's holiday had consisted in large part of helping to plan for The Wedding of the Century, as Lily had christened it. She had seen enough pink taffeta to last her a lifetime.

It seemed that not only must the eleven bridesmaids be swathed in pink taffeta gowns but the tables must be draped in it, the church must be decorated in it, and the flowers, china, cake, and linens must match it precisely. Even the invitations sported little pink tulle bows. All in preparation for Petunia to swear to love, honour, and cherish that dolt Vernon.

At her parents' insistence, Petunia had been civil to Lily, never overtly mentioning her newest resentment over the postponement of her wedding or any of the longstanding grudges she harboured. Even her usual hints, grumblings, and resentment seemed a bit less than normal. In fact, Petunia had been too complacent and self-satisfied over her own accomplishments to give much thought to anyone else besides Vernon or their all-consuming wedding. It was almost as though Petunia felt she had run some sort of obstacle course and had emerged triumphant, brandishing a large silver cup with a bow on. A cotton candy pink bow if her wedding colours were any indication. Personally Lily didn't see what there was to be smug about in having acquired a pompous, ignorant, narrow-minded, portly fiancé. She certainly wouldn't have given anyone a trophy for winning Vernon. But matrimony was the goal of her sister's existence; Petunia wanted nothing more than a life of comfortable normalcy and she deplored anyone who did not share these aspirations. Lily didn't like her sister but she at least understood her, which was more than could be said for Petunia.