The Patronus Charm- A Lily and James Fanfiction

Chapter Forty-One: The Tale of the Three Brothers

PC 41

James leans against the wall across from me. "We have to get back to Hogwarts."
I sigh. "I know. I wish we could stay until after the break."
"What about our friends?"
"I'm sure Remus could deal with Sirius."
James snorts. "Yeah. Dumbledore tried that before- appointing Remus as Prefect. That went soo well."
I smack the side of his head. "It's not Remus' fault that you guys are prats."
"True." James admits. He grabs my bag and gestures to the grand foyer of Potter Manor.
We head into the foyer. Charlus watches us with a look sad. "You'll be back for the break, correct?"
I nod. "And my parents' funeral."
"The Ministry is working hard to get those Death Eaters arrested."
I shrug. "No offence, Charlus, sir, but if Voldemort was there, the Death Eaters would be part of his inner circle, so not easy to arrest."
"True, Lily."
James looks up. "I forgot my jacket in my room. I'll be right back!" He hurries up the stairs.
"Lily, thank for being here for James. He won't admit it, but this ordeal with his mother has really shaken him. He really loves you. I can see it in his eyes when he speaks about you."
"I love your son very much." I say softly.
"You're good for him."
James returns, thundering down the stairs like a child. "Sorry, Lils. I'm ready to go."
"Thank you for having me." I say politely to Charlus.
"Not a problem. I'll see you both on Friday night, correct?"
"Yes, Father." James nods.
We say our brief goodbyes and walk out into the morning air.
"Ready?" James inquires with a smirk.
"Oh James... You should know by now that I'm always ready." I laugh.
James quirks an eyebrow and shakes his head. "Nope."
..........
"I'll see you at lunch." I say softly to James as I kiss his cheek.
"I don't know why you're taking so many classes." James shakes his head.
I head out into the corridor and hurry towards the Ancient Runes class. Luckily, my timetable managed to fit Ancient Runes this term.
"Lily!" Remus calls from down the corridor. "How did it go?"
I catch up to him. "Honestly? Better than I expected. Petunia and I got along pretty well. Vernon ignored James, but at least they didn't fight."
"That's excellent!" Remus smiles, but the smile slips. "How is James' mum?"
"She's...she's awake, but she's gone, Remus. There's nothing left of her. She remembers some memories, but she's not really there. She didn't remember me. When James said that he loved her, she didn't reply."
Remus' eyes show his pain. "She accepted me when the rest of our world rejected me..." He whispers.
"I know."
"She could have been your mother-in-law one day..."
She could have been... Before I dated James, I couldn't imagine getting married... But being in love puts a different spin on things... But parents will never see me get married...
"I'm sorry... Your parents."
"Remus, it's okay... Let's just get through this class."
Our professor is a short witch with bright orange hair. Professor Gwill. "Good morning, class! Today, we will be translating a common book of magic tales for child. Most of you will have had them read to you at some point as a child." With a flick of her wand, books fly through the air and land on the desks. I gingerly pick the copy on the desk I share with Remus. I slowly translate. "Tales of Beedle the Bard?"
Remus nods. "It's a book full of magical fables. The Wizard and the Hopping Pot. The Fountain of Fair Fortune. Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump.The Tale of the Three Brothers..." Remus pauses." There's one more... What was it called..." Suddenly, his eyes light up. "Oh. The Warlock's Hairy Heart. I've never liked that one."
"Alright, class, your assignment for this week is to translate the story I've assigned to you. You can't use a translated copy. However, for muggle born students. You may ask a friend outside of this class to check it over and assist you in the wording. I will come around and assign you a fable."
She stops at our desk. "Mr. Lupin, you will be translating The Fountain of Fair Fortune." She hands him a spare copy. "Miss Evans, you will be translating The Tale of the Three Brothers. I hope you will find it interesting. Do you have someone in mind to help you?"
"I'll likely ask James or Alice."
"Good."
.........
I walk into the Head dorm and drop my bag on the couch.
James looks up from his essay. "You weren't at lunch. Is everything okay?"
I nod. "Sorry. I was working on my Ancient Runes assignment."
"What is it?"
"Translating the Tale of the Three Brothers." I frown. "It doesn't make a lot of sense... Death speaks?"
James laughs at my confusion. "Lils, it's a fable about death and dying. Three brothers chose gifts from Death, because they outwit him, but he actually outwits two of them. The eldest asks for an invincible wand, but one night someone slit his throat, because the brother was bragging about his wand in a bar. The second brother wants to mock Death, so he asks for the power to bring back the ones he loves. He had hoped to marry a girl, but she died before it could happen. He was given a stone to resurrect people. So he brought her back, but she was cold and distance, because she did not belong to this world. So the brother killed himself to be with her. The last brother was wise and asked for a way to hide from death, so he was given a cloak of invisibility. Death looked for him, but couldn't find him. At an old age, the youngest brother passed on the cloak to his son and met Death like an old friend."
"Wow... That's confusing. Who read the story to you?"
"My parents."
.....................
AN: Hi guys. I just finished an exam within the last two weeks and things have been crazy, so sorry for no update before this. Also, I got writers block...
Anyways, what should James and Lily do for their spring break? I need ideas! So, I will dedicate the next chapter to the person, who comes up with the best idea. So tell me what u think!