Under strange circumstances

Chapter 20

Authors note:: Guys, I'm really sorry I've taken so long with these next few chapters, it's just my life has been very busy lately, and I haven't been very good at writing the.... next scene...that is coming up...after this chapter

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Lily

I feel James stand up beside me, pulling me up with him. He moves me to the dining table and sits me down in a chair, then goes to put the kettle on. As the water boils he moves around the kitchen, grabbing two mugs, some tea bags, and making some toast. As he does all of this, I sit at the table, looking between him and my trembling fingers. The tears are flowing down my face silently, and I don't try to stop them; a small sob escapes my mouth, and James looks over at me, biting his lip. 'One minute, Lily.' James pours the hot water into the mugs, adding in the tea bags and coming over to me, with a plate of toast with butter in his other hand. He sets the mugs down, and the plate of toast, and then sits down in the chair next to me. 'I'm all yours now, honey.' I laugh-sob as he pulls me to him and rocks us gently.

James

I kiss the top of her head softly as she begins to cry again, and smile to myself. 'Let it all out now, okay? I'm here for you, gorgeous.'

~

Sirius

It takes me a while, but I do eventually find Remus. He's lying in a patch of wildflowers in the field near the house, looking up at the sky with tear streaks under his eyes. 'Remus.' I sit down next to him and watch as he closes his eyes and swallows, his adam's apple moving up and down quickly. 'Don't try to tell me I haven't done anything wrong, or that she's fine. I saw the bandage on her arm.' I sigh and lie down next to him, on my side, taking one of his hands in my own and kissing his freckles softly. He opens his eyes suddenly, which are glistening with the promise of tears; 'What if I killed her, Sirius?!'

'You didn't.' I continue to press my lips to his hand, which he presently pulls away from me. In a flash he's standing up over me. 'How do you act so casually about this?! About everything?! I'm a werewolf but that doesn't stop you from kissing me? How do you live with the knowledge that your boyfriend is a monster?' I stand up next to him and pull his face down to mine, kissing him with all the passion I can muster. 'You, Remus John Lupin, are not a monster. You are a smart, kind, responsible boy, whom I am deeply in love with. Don't you ever forget that, okay? So you hurt Lily. The point is she survived, and she feels terrible about it. She thinks it's her fault, you think it's yours. You're both wrong. The fault doesn't lie with either of you. Remus-'

'None of that changes the fact that I'm a monster.'

'Remus, you're a human-'

'Do most humans hurt their friends? Do most humans nearly kill the people closest to them?'

'Most humans don't live with your burden, Remus-'

'How do you stay so kind, Sirius? How do you cope with me? I've nearly killed you multiple times and yet you don't worry about it; you continually come back for me. You save my life all the time. Why?!'

I kiss him slowly, running my hands through his thick hair; 'Because I love you, you idiot.'

~

James

With a lot of persuasion, Sirius and I finally get Remus and Lily together and let them talk it out by themselves. It doesn't take long until they're both crying in each other's arms, and then even less time until they're crying in Sirius' and my arms. 'Okay, okay. I think we're all good now, right?' Sirius says after they've finally calmed down. Remus, who is lying face down on the lounge with his head in Sirius' lap mumbles something. 'What? Moons, we can't hear you when you're lying like that, you know.' Remus flips himself so he's now lying face up on the couch, and looks over to me. 'I said, "yes we're all good, except I still wish it didn't happen".' He then frowns at Sirius. 'Keep doing it.' Sirius sighs and goes back to running his fingers through Remus' hair slowly. Lily, who is lying on me in the same position Remus is on Sirius, laughs, and then looks up at me. 'What time is it?' As if on cue, the grandfather clock in the corner of the room suddenly strikes eight. 'Wow, the day really flew away from us, didn't it?' Lily sits up, stretching her good arm above her head, then moves off of the couch we're on. 'Do you reckon we could take off this bandage now? I know the spell Sirius used on me, and I know that it actually heals the wounds completely, so I should be able to use it properly, right?' I nod and pat the space next to me. 'Sit down, then. I'll take it off.' She sits down and I gently start to unwrap the bandage. It doesn't take long. 'Lily,' I say after I've finished. 'You're still wearing my jumper.'

'Oh,' she blushes slightly. 'Sorry, do you want me to take it off? I can go and put one of my jumpers on.' She goes to stand but I grab her hand. 'No, no. I just thought it might be a little uncomfortable, since it's rather large on you.' She smiles and shakes her head at me. 'I appreciate the concern, but it's really quite comfortable. Also very warm, and it smells nice...' She blushes slightly. 'Um, I didn't mean that-' I laugh, cutting her off and pulling her into me, nuzzling my face in her neck and kissing it softly. 'You like my smell?'

'It sounds weird when you put it like that, but yes, your cologne has rather a nice effect on me.' Sirius coughs and Lily, Remus and I look up at him. 'Are we going to have dinner, or?' The three of us roll our eyes in unison, but we all get up anyway.

Lily has an expression on her face that I can't quite read as we stand. 'What's wrong, Lily?' She bites her lip and looks up at me. 'Um, I'm not feeling particularly hungry, if I'm being completely honest here.' I feel my heart start to pick up speed and reach out to take her hand. 'So, um, do you want to.....' My voice falters and I trail off nervously. I don't know if she's necessarily suggesting something, but I know I am. I clear my throat and try again. 'Do you want to, um, well....comeuptomyroomforabit?' It all comes out in a rush and I hold my breath, hoping she'll understand. She clearly, does, because her face breaks into a smile and she tugs me towards the staircase. Remus and Sirius looks at us with confusion for a second, but don't question our sudden departure. 'Play it safely, kiddos.' I glare at Sirius as he and Remus turn their laughter into coughs, and feel Lily pull at my hand again. I turn to her and smile as we ascend the stairs, hand in hand. I bump her shoulder with mine as we reach the second level; 'Why the rush?' She smiles and looks a little embarrassed, turning away from me and tucking a loose hair behind her ear. 'Sorry,' she says as she slows her pace.