&quot;Au milieu de l&#x27;hiver

Oof! -rubs head tenderly-

What was that for?

Because you're being a prat. But mostly to get you to leave me alone.

-smirks- Scissors, clearly. I’m not daft.

What, are you going to give me an unexpected hair cut? Make me look stylish, darling!

-whacks him in the head with the handle of the scissors-

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Lils, but that was, technically, a warning, no?

At any rate, I think we’re getting along just swimmingly for once, even if you are a bit on edge. Look at you, so beautiful when you’re all riled up.

#IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A GIF NOT A PICTURE UGH #convo: James2

-glares-

Do you know what these are? Do you know how they can be used against you?

I know that I’m quite proficient at wearing on your last nerve…

So is your skirt. And what a lovely sight that is.

Everyone knows that, it's not exactly a secret.

But something you should know is that I'm quick with a wand and I don't give out warnings. So watch it.

I know enough..

Pants, eh…? Well, that looks like a skirt to me.

You know nothing.

And your humor's wearing a little thing there, Potter.

Nighttime Wanderings // Remily

Remus smiled shyly still recovering from the rather embarrassing way he’d just screamed and leapt in the air in front of Lily. He wasn’t sure when or why but somewhere along the way he’d become extremely self-conscious whenever Lily was around. Perhaps it had happened during these patrols, or as she had taken to calling them “nighttime wanderings”, when it was just the two of them and moonlit corridors seemed innocent and lively instead of menacing and dull. Or maybe it had happened in the daytime, during warm afternoons spent with the other Marauders, lolling under their favorite tree out by the lake while James recounted for the umpteenth time just how perfect Lily Evans was and loudly declared how he’d get her to go on a date with him eventually; the redhead never failed to throw some scathing remark in answer to James and Remus could never help but admire the fire in her eyes and the smug grin on her face as James, dejectedly vowed he would never give up.

It might have happened then, or on any of the hundreds of evenings spent over spellbooks and rolls of parchment with his best friends surrounding him and Lily and her own friends just a table away. He couldn’t now and would never be able to pinpoint it but the simple fact of the matter was it happened. It happened and now whenever she was near he couldn’t help but feel a rising panic and overanalyze everything he’d ever said or done in her presence. Remus wasn’t exactly sure what to make of this but he tried not to think about it too much. She was just Lily and he was just Remus and his best mate was infatuated with her and he just admired her ability to rebuff the advances of James Potter day after day after month after year. Yes that must be it.

Remus smiled softly at the redhead in his company and her uncanny ability to seemingly read his mind. “No I was thinking about my mum and dad actually..” he half lied. His parents and his affliction were always in the background of his thoughts so he felt better about lying to her.

#I'm just passing the ball at this point lol #next time will be longer #para: Remus #Nighttime Wanderings

"Your parents?" she asked as she took an apple out of her bag and took a bite. "Is everything all right?" Lily didn't know much about Remus' home life - he didn't talk about it much and she never pressed the topic. She guessed, from the small tidbits he did reveal over the years, that it was a source of stress for him, though she had no idea why.

She held her apple toward him after taking a second bite. "Want a bite?"

-leans against the wall, laughing but trying not to, and then sliding his hands into his pockets- Hmm.. is that all? And here I thought you enjoyed a challenge. I guess I was wrong about you, Evans... maybe you just aren't smart enough to blow us all out of the water. -smirks smirk-

-pouts- Just goes to show how little you know me.

Besides, it's Transfiguration. I never pretended to be anything other than absolute pants at Transfiguration.

And here I thought you enjoyed Minnie’s class..

#convo: James2 #YOU MADE ME WAIT FOR /DAYS/ BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO GET ON A COMPUTER AND GIVE ME A GIF #WELL WHERE'S THE GIF?#HUH?

-Turns, sees that it's James, assumes the PDS (Potter Defensive Stance, A.K.A. arms crossed and eyes ready to roll at a moment's notice)-

I would enjoy it a lot more if she wasn't trying to drive me to an early death. Six feet on conjuration and how the wandwork differs from vanishment, as well a foot on both the legal and natural restrictions of it? As if Transfiguration wasn't difficult enough without being assigned to write a bloody novel.

#yes this is a silent starter in which Lily is hurling her Transfiguration book across the room #yes it is

Nighttime Wanderings // Remily

When the small badge with a silver P stamped across it in Gryffindor colors had come along with the usual welcome letter and school supplies list from Hogwarts, Remus had been simultaneously terrified and relieved. He had never seen himself as much of an authoritarian figure and he along with James, Sirius and Peter were anything but model students; but he thought that maybe this would be a chance for him to reign the others in even if just a bit.

If anything maybe he could remind them that he had to follow the rules now, more than likely though those conversations would end with Sirius and James taunting him and insisting that since he was a Prefect they could essentially get away with anything now. Remus was nervous when he had told his three best friends about the badge but they surprised him and didn’t judge. They were always surprising him in that department. They had accepted him for who he was and what he was and it seemed that now was no different. Peter hadn’t said much more than the expected congratulations, which was normal for Peter, and James and Sirius had sworn to be on their best behavior from here on out, which was not normal for James and Sirius.

At first Remus had been suspicious but so far the two Marauders most suited for mischief had been surprisingly quiet. Other than the other three mastering a particularly tricky bit of magic in the fifth year in order to accompany Remus on the nights his transformations took place there was very little mischief making going on. It was beginning to grate on Remus’s nerves. He could almost feel it building up. Whatever “it” was though he could not say. He knew instinctively James and Sirius were itching to get back to their old ways but if they were planning something big they had not let him in on their secret. He didn’t know if he should be relieved or offended and was so busy contemplating all this that he didn’t even notice when Lily Evans emerged from the portrait hole so that they could begin their patrols of the corridors for the evening.

Presumably she had tried to get his attention a few times before tapping him on the shoulder which made him, embarrassingly, jump a foot into the air and blush profusely while apologizing. “Lily! I’m so sorry, I was just er…thinking..” he muttered trying to pull himself together so that he didn’t make more of a fool of himself for the remainder of the evening.

#para: Remus #Nighttime Wanderings

When you'd hear prefects talk about patrols, you'd be hard pressed to miss the tinge of distaste lining their words. Patrols were time-consuming, lengthy, and most often uneventful. Whenever it came time for Hogwarts' supposed finest to prowl the halls in search of wrongdoers, you'd see them grumble irately as they bid their studies (or rather, the friends that were distracting them from their studies) farewell and headed out for a night of pointless walking.

Lily Evans, though she's done her fair share of grumbling over everything from Transfiguration essays to forced tea with her sister and her sister's boyfriend, has never minded patrols. This is not because her patrols are more eventful than anyone else's - though she once caught Barnaby Wilkins stuck in a trick step in only his underwear and a Gobstones Club membership tee shirt that clearly belonged to someone much smaller than him, though she never did figure out what led him to be caught in such a state - but rather because of her partner, Remus Lupin.

Before fifth year, Lily never paid much attention to Remus. There was really no reason for it - though being friends with James Potter certainly didn't help push the odds in his favor. He was simply quiet and reserved, and Lily rarely crossed paths with him. From the little interaction they did have, whether in class or in their shared common room, she could see clearly that he was a nice bloke with a very genuine attitude. Because of this, she was very pleased to hear that he had been named prefect alongside her.

However, she hadn't expected their friendship to blossom in the way that it did. After only their first prefect meeting together, she already considered him a friend, and after their first patrol together, she considered him a close one. There was something inexplicable about the way she could discuss absolutely anything with him and feel completely at ease about it, a feeling she could not honestly say she shared with any of her other friends. Perhaps it was his trustworthiness, or his kindness, or his tact, or perhaps it was simply because he was Remus Lupin and she was Lily Evans and that's just who they were together.

And because he was Remus and she was Lily and that's just that, she didn't feel the least bit shy about rapping him on the shoulder and jolting him both out of his thoughts and about a foot into the air.

"Er, thinking?" she repeated back to him with a grin. "What were you 'er thinking' about that had your head so far up in the clouds?" She threw her bag over her shoulder as she moved forward to begin their bi-weekly trek. "You weren't plotting, were you? Because that's entirely unseemly, given your position of power. And I hope you weren't going over today's Defense notes in your head, because that's entirely unseemly given your complete and natural brilliance at the subject. Oh! I've got it," she declared while turning toward him. "It's a girl, isn't it? Go ahead, feel free to wax lyrical about her beauty while I handle the trouble makers. I don't mind."

doomsdaypond-blog-deactivated20

#photos

But…. wait what? How an I playing nice…? I think you’ve gone round the bend, Lils…. since when is a bloke not allowed to be impressed by a woman’s intelligence?

Since you're only doing it to play some twisted mind games with me! Now will you leave me alone for once?

Stop what?

Being...nice. Playing at being nice. Flattering me. Just stop it, all right? It's not going to work.

Well, I mean, well, yeah, I caught that part… But still! I didn’t know you could make your own potions.

So yeah, still pretty impressive.

...stop that.

#prompt #jily #and Peter's not there 'cause by now his slipping away is becoming noticable #but they're all too caught up in their own problems to think much of it #but it's no big deal #that oversight only leads to theIR DEATHS #UGH #and look look look!#Remus knows Lily just as well as James!#except for...you know...biblically and all #guh I love it!#brotp 4 lyfe

prompt: onion gravy

"Something’s bothering Lily."

It was a sunny Monday morning when James announced this - without preamble - to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin while they sat around the Potter’s dining room table.

"How can you tell?" Sirius asked as he dug through an empty box of biscuits, scooping crumbs into his mouth.

"Look in the fridge."

Partly out of curiosity, and partly out of the need to find more food, Sirius obliged. "Okay, and what does this have to do with your darling newlywed? Besides the fact that she’s gone a bit mad about," he peeked inside a container, “onion gravy?"

"Onion gravy?" Remus perked up. "How much is in there?"

"About thirteen bloody jars worth," Sirius supplied.

"Oh, that’s not good," Remus groaned.

"I know," Sirius complained, digging even further, “there’s absolutely nothing to go with it!" Straightening, he cast an inquisitive glance at Remus. "But I’m guessing that’s not what you meant?"

"The only time Lily makes gravy is when she can’t sleep," Remus explained.

"And the only time she can’t sleep is when something’s bothering her," James finished. "But so far she hasn’t shared anything with me."

"Well that’s just unproductive," Sirius grumbled. "She could at least make something substantial…like a good meat pie."

Remus rolled his eyes before turning to James. "When did it start?"

"About a week ago, but I-" He was cut off by the door opening.

Lily walked in, so lost in her head that she walked right by the trio without even noticing they were there. James stood. "Hey, Lil?"

"Hmm?" She turned and noticed them for the first time "Oh, hullo. Have you lot already eaten? I could make something up if you’d like." Still distracted, she made her way to the kitchen.

"You could cook up some sausage," James said, moving towards her. "You know, to go with all the gravy."

Lily’s back stiffened only slightly before she said, “I suppose. That’d be nice." Still not facing James she began pulling pans out of the cupboard.

"Lily," he began softly. She kept searching for a pan. He placed a hand on her back, and when she didn’t shrug it off he went on. "Will you tell me what’s going on, please?"

"There’s nothing going on," she said quietly, aware of their guests’ presence. James didn’t seem to care if they heard,

"You don’t expect me to believe that, do you? I can tell when something’s bothering you, it’s just the two of us in this house, after a-"

"But it isn’t, is it?" Lily said, abandoning her quiet tone and turning to face James, her speech quick and her expression frantic. "It isn’t just the two of us. I mean, it is now, but it won’t be for long, will it? And the second bedroom is still all full of Remus’ stuff that he’s yet to move out and I’ve no idea what we need or how to…how to handle this and…and this is just the worst time and how are we supposed to do this? How?" She ran out of steam, her eyes searching for help from James, but he was too confused to give any. Behind him, Remus was covering his mouth with his hand in shock and Sirius was staring wide-eyed, both of them catching on much before James.

"What are you…of course it’s just us. Who else would use the second bedroom? What do we need to handle?"

"James," Remus began, trying to head him in the right direction, but Lily found the right words this time.

"I’m pregnant."

James stared for a few seconds before attempting to speak. "You’re…"

Lily nodded slowly as he fumbled for the word. "…pregnant, yes," she finished for him.

James parroted her nod, unaware that his head was moving at all. "Yes…pregnant…you’re…right…." He fell into the chair behind him before declaring, “Merlin, I need something strong."

Sirius came to his side, holding a container in his face. "Onion gravy?"

It's suspiciously quiet around the castle this evening....

What?! I am! I’m outnumbered, and I’ll have you know I try to be the voice of reason. I’m sure without me this castle would be demolished at the hands of James and Sirius if I weren’t around.

Oh, don't give me that! And if you didn't participate, I'll bet you're still the lookout. Or better yet, the brains behind the shenanigans. That's what you do, isn't it? You harness their trouble-making energies and focus them into organized pranks! With that act of yours you could be running the criminal underground in the castle and no one would ever know! -laughs-

#convo: Remus2

It's suspiciously quiet around the castle this evening....

I have no idea to what you’re referring. I’m the innocent one remember?