ALWAYS

PLOTS AND REVENGE

The night of the Yule Ball James and Lily drifted into a peaceful slumber after hours of talking and laughing. James could feel Lily close to him. She stirred in her sleep, James pulled her close, attempting to push her back into sleep, but he felt her shiver. He assumed that it was his imagination but couldn't shake the feeling off. "Lumos" he whispered as he picked up his watch on the bedside table to realise it was three thirty. He looked at Lily, who was sleeping, yet shivering, pulling the covers close to her, her brow wrinkling as she let out occasional groans. James frowned as he looked over Lily, concerned and worried. He put the back of his hand against her forehead, she was burning. 

James immediately felt his heart race. He rushed to washroom, summoning a bowl from the kitchen and filled it with cold water. He grabbed a clean napkin and dipped in water, wiped her face and hands with it, and repeated. He did this for an hour, after which Lily opened her eyes. Her emerald eyes met his hazel eyes, reflecting nothing but worry. She held out her arms, beckoning for him to come closer. He did. He needed to know that she was getting better. James climbed in beside her, pulling her close, her head resting on his chest, his one arm wrapped around her waist and the other rubbing her back slowly. After a few minutes he could feel Lily warming up once again. He got up and gently pushed a sleeping Lily aside and dipped the napkin in cold water, wiped her face and repeated again. 

At nine in the morning Lily got up again. It was a Monday, but school was cancelled for everyone to ensure that the students catch up with their sleep. James helped her come down to the couch and made breakfast. They ate in silence. Lily looked at James, he looked tired. She knew that he didn't get enough sleep between head duties, Quidditch practice, studies and the Yule Ball that he helped plan for the past month, and now, because of her he didn't get to sleep in. They finished eating and James took her plate from her and walked back up, joining her on the couch. "You were fine yesterday night, weren't you? What happened" he asked. "I don't know. Everything was fine. -" she said. "But I did feel a bit dizzy after I drank the butterbeer, I think it was- yeah, when Bellatrix was talking to me. But I thought that I was too tired and drank too much." she added after a few minutes. "Where did you get that anyway? I went to get one for you, but by the time I got you one you already had one". Lily shrugged her shoulders. Was it Bellatrix? Could she have done something to her drink? Thoughts rushed to James's mind, before he pulled a piece of mirror from his pocket and called out to Sirius. It was another of the Marauders inventions, where if one needed the other they could just call and you could see them through the mirror. "Yeah" came Sirius's voice and then his face. "I need you to find out if the Slytherins tried to do something to Lily yesterday". Sirius nodded, "Will tell you in an hour" and he left the mirror. 

James looked at Lily to explain what had just happened, but Lily was fast asleep on the couch, her legs dangling down the couch. James moved aside a strand of red hair from her face, gave her a kiss on the forehead and pulled her legs up, placing them on his lap. He began massaging her legs gently.

"Oy, Prongs". Sirius's voice rang through James ears. He had fallen asleep, with Lily's legs on his lap. "Yeah" he said immediately snapping back to attention. "Turns out Bellatrix dropped a few drops of potion into Lily Flower's butterbeer yesterday, which she drank. Apparently she is supposed to be burning up with fever now?" he said. James looked at Lily and nodded. "She is. I'm worried sick mate. You reckon you could get me an antidote for that potion. I don't want to leave Lily alone". "Already on it". 

"Ughh... My head" said Lily as she pulled herself up. James looked at her confused, "What about it?" , "It's paining". She started rubbing her forehead, when James pulled her closer, resting her head on his lap and he started rubbing her forehead. Lily let out a sigh of relief. She was feeling better, but then a stinging pain filled her stomach. It was as though she was being punched a thousand times. She let out a cry of pain. "Lils, what's wrong?". "My stomach" she said clutching it. Within minutes the pain became so unbearable that tears sprang from her eyes. "Ow, it hurts.". James didn't know what to do except for rubbing her stomach with his warm hands. "James" she said clutching his hand with pain. She sobbed unable to bear the excruciating pain. James couldn't bear to see his girl in such anguish and tears emerged from his eyes. "Babe, I love you. Just wait, bear with me, Sirius is almost coming" he said, trying to sound as non-panicky as he could and whispered into the mirror, "Padfoot. PADFOOT!".