Priori Incantatem [HARRY POTTER FANFICTION]

Chapter 38: Felicity, Funnels, and Furtiveness

Chapter 38: Felicity, Funnels, and Furtiveness

James woke up with a smile at an unnaturally early hour the next morning and glanced over at Lily, who appeared to still be asleep. Propping himself on his elbow, James took the opportunity to look at Lily uninterrupted.

While he'd been of the opinion since the age of eleven that Lily was the most beautiful woman in the world, James couldn't ever remember seeing her look better than she did at that moment, with her hair tangled on his pillow and a slight smile on her face as she slept. As though she was aware of his scrutiny, Lily's eyelids fluttered and then opened. Seeing James grinning down at her, she smiled sleepily back at him, and, with blatant disregard for such practical considerations as morning breath, James leaned down and kissed Lily, who seemed to have no objections to being kissed.

Finally taking notice of the time, Lily began collecting her clothes from the rumpled heap on the floor, grimacing at their condition, and put on as many articles of clothing as she could find before venturing further afield in search of the rest of her apparel, studiously avoiding James' knowing grin all the while.

"I should go," Lily said unnecessarily, sincerely hoping that Petunia wouldn't notice her return. James slipped into some clothes as well, conscious now of the fact that his parents, Wendell, or Sirius could catch them at any moment.

"Yeah," James agreed reluctantly, a mental image of Sirius Apparating into the room with a camera bringing him back to reality. "Wish you could stay, though," he added wistfully and wrapped his arms round Lily, unwilling to let her go.

"Me too," Lily replied. She looked as though she was glowing to James, who was fairly certain that his own grin must be rather fatuous at the moment.

"At least you're coming back for tea," James pointed out, trying to be optimistic. "Maybe I can lock Mum and Dad and Sirius in a cupboard."

"Only if you steal their wands and seal the door," Lily played along. James, admiring Lily's natural talent for troublemaking, leaned in to kiss Lily again, convinced he had found the perfect woman. As a result, it was another ten minutes before a dishevelled and reluctant Lily Evans finally Disapparated from James Potter's bedroom. 

James, too happy to contemplate more sleep and already counting the hours till he would see Lily again, tiptoed down to the kitchen in search of food and was surprised to find Sirius already there, nursing a cup of coffee.

"Morning," James greeted Sirius cautiously, not sure how much he knew.

"Morning," Sirius replied, stifling a yawn. He didn't even look up from his coffee. Somewhat reassured but still uncertain, James moved away in search of food, rummaging through the cabinets himself rather than wake Wendell up.

Sirius finally looked up as James moved toward him, carrying breakfast for them both. Sirius' eyes first narrowed on his best friend, then widened in shock as James set the food on the table.

"D'you want toast?" James asked.

"You slept with Lily!" Sirius blurted. James visibly blanched.

"How do you know?" he demanded, not bothering to deny it.

"It's the only thing I can think of that would make you look that bloody happy," Sirius replied, studying his friend. "Unless you've been doing Cheering Charms near a mirror again." James breathed a profound sigh of relief.

"I'm not so desperate for a shag that I have to watch other people," Sirius scowled, correctly interpreting James' sigh. "Who do you think I am, Peter?"

"Oh, come off it," James scoffed. "If you'd known what was going on, don't tell me you wouldn't have Apparated in with a camera for future blackmail material."