The Other War // James Potter & Lily Evans

the annual cokeworth christmas carnival;

Although James was not fully awake or completely conscious yet, he could hear murmuring from behind him. It was mostly incomprehensible muttering, the hum of incoherent chatter. James rolled over on the small sofa in the sitting room that he had been napping on. The four boys slept downstairs in the sitting room that'd been rearranged to make room for a couple of bags for sleeping. Dorcas and Lily shared the room upstairs, Lily's own bedroom and Lily's dear sister, Petunia had been picked up the other night by a fat grumpy man and hadn't returned since. James pulled open an eye. Remus, Peter and Sirius sat in a circle.

"Padfoot," Remus was saying. "It's too dangerous. Too risky. We can't."

"No, we can. We can make it work. It's not that small of a town. I'm certain there is somewhere that we can go for the one night." Sirius rebutted.

"There's probably an abandoned place. Or in the trees in the park. There were heaps of those." Peter suggested helpfully.

"It's too much of a risk," Remus said again. "Sirius, what's the chance that I'll go bonkers and hurt someone. Hurt Lily or Dorcas. Sirius, what if I kill one of them! And I won't even know! I don't have control!" Remus's voice was getting louder as his face got redder. Sirius rushed forwards, placing his hands on the back of Remus's neck.

"Are you bloody kidding me?" Sirius asked in a whisper. "You have us, Mooney. You have us. Drink a glass of water. Wash your face whatever makes you feel better. Just please stop worrying. Quit bathing in self pity and man up. Werewolf up."

"You don't get it," Remus sighed. "It's camping. What if we're nowhere near here? What if I kill you all and no one knows because we're so far away? Peter, you see where I'm coming from, don't you?"

"Look," Peter said "I get it, your concern, I mean. But hey, you have us and when have we ever let you down?"

"What if one of the girls wakes and sees us gone? Then they'll worry. It's not worth the hassle. We are better off not going. It's safer."

Sirius was silent for a second. Then he opened his mouth slowly. "Then we show them. Tell them about your condition." James sat up bolt upright.

"You want to do what?" He asked incredulously.

"Oh, look, it's our little eavesdropper." Peter said.

"Shut up, Wormtail." James said quickly.

"We show them." Sirius repeated. "I mean, maybe show them our animagus forms first. Then the whole werewolf-slash-transforming-into-animals thing won't seem so bad."

"Oh, yeah. I'm all for it." James said sarcastically. "Reveal practically our life secrets to basically the only other three friends we have in one night while camping. Brilliant." James began to clap slowly to emphasise his point.

"I think it's a good idea." Remus said quietly. "Besides," he smiled at James. "If you're going to marry Lily, she's bound to find out about my 'furry little problem' soon enough."

James spluttered. "I'm going to marry Lily?"

Remus laughed. "Probably. You're a match made in heaven."

"You and Evans are king and queen deer and stag." Peter said. James laughed.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Footsteps sounded from behind them and the four heads swivelled around to where Lily and Dorcas were entering the room, already dressed to leave. James saw Lily take one look at him and cringe. His I-just-had-a-nap hair plus his crooked glasses and untucked shirt in its entirety didn't really make him look all that presentable.