⚠️ TW ⚠️ IMPORTANT PLEASE READ: One of the characters talks about how they have self-harmed in the past. I don't want to trigger anyone in any way so please do not read if you get triggered by that stuff. Just remember everyone is beautiful the way they are and that there is always something to love about yourself. My DM's are always open if you need to talk to someone.

Lily sighed as Alice went through what Frank said for about the millionth time. Maybe giving out advice wasn't Lily's thing. Checking the calendar made her frown even more because bloody hell it was only November 15, and she desperately wanted out. Not necessarily home because of Petunia, but Lily was in need of giant stress relief. Marlene told her to try a cigarette, it didn't work.

"I'm just so sad all the time, you know? Like what was wrong with me that made him cheat?" Mary asked the group, taking candy from the carpet.

"Nothing was wrong with you, Mary. He was a prat, that's all." Marlene said soothingly as she rubbed her back.

Everyone always said Alice and Lily were going to be great mothers, but Lily always thought Marlene would be a better fit for the job than she would be. She's rather independent and having a human suck on your tit did not seem ideal.

"You're a heartbreak closer to your true love," Lily said quietly.

Stating these words out loud with a soft smile seemed to be about all she could manage. Truth be told, between having started her period, having a big transfiguration test coming up, and all the boy drama, Lily was close to a mental breakdown.

"Merlin Lils, you always find the right words," Marlene said, turning to her with a frown on her face. "But what do you have to say to me? The girl who is practically in love with Sirius Black, but can't seem to love herself, the girl with scars on her arms-"

Marlene's voice broke as her eyes filled with tears. Alice ran across our dorms to hug her tightly.

"Marlene, have you ever stopped to consider that even though you may not love yourself other people can?" Lily asked patiently before continuing. "Not that this matters, but I don't think Sirius has ever seen the scars on your arms. If anyone bases their decision on whether they love you on the scars you have, then they're not worth it! Marlene, I know that you get tired of people telling you this, but you need to give yourself time. You have made great progress in one year."

Alice and Mary nodded their heads in agreement as Marlene sniffled.

It didn't look like Lily was going to go to bed anytime soon even when sleep was the thing Lily so desperately craved.

...

Marlene and Lily had trudged slowly into the Great Hall the following morning. Mary and Alice had gone to breakfast ten minutes earlier while Marlene tried to find Lily a pain potion. The amount of pain she had had from cramps was indescribable.

Lily now stared at her plate, nauseous, and not hungry. The only reason she wasn't lying in the fetal position was because her friends had expressed how important it would be that she ate something.

"What's up with Evans?"

Lily huffed in response.

"She's just really stressed at the moment," Mary supplied.

James looked over at Lily curiously, but he found that she was determined to stay staring at her plate, stabbing eggs rather dangerously. 

"Yeah well, I have reason to be," Lily replied more snarkily than she needed to.

James raised his eyebrows at the tone of her voice, but knew what he liked to do when he was stressed. So, perhaps, he thought, taking a leap of faith, she'd like to join the marauders on an excursion.

"Lily-flower?" James said cautiously, sharing a look with Remus and Sirius.

"Yes, James?"

"How would you like to go on an one in a lifetime adventure with the infamous marauders?" James asked, and smiled when Lily's face lit up.

"That sounds nice."

...

As Lily climbed the boys' dormitory, she softly sang Piano Man due to getting it stuck in her head earlier. She knocked on the door and waited for one of the Marauders to open it, for what they called Prank Night. Truthfully, Lily had no idea what she was getting herself into, but she needed a break. The girls were finishing up a set of grueling essays and bid her goodnight for the night. Marlene actually said that if she never saw her again, she would personally kill each Marauder.

Remus opened the door while Lily was facing the common room and she unfortunately didn't hear him approach me because she had gotten lost in her head. Before she knew it, Lily was completely drenched with what had to be water. Lily screeched in surprise and fell backward down the stairs slightly before someone caught her around the waist and pulled her into the dormitory. Lily blushed but nodded at James in thanks and turned to a grinning Remus.

"You're going to pay for that one, Lupin."

Sirius laughed from behind her.

"Red, we're just getting started."

...

Two hours later, Lily found herself behind a tapestry with James. They had been chased by Mrs. Norris and Filch, and at the last second, they dove behind the tapestry. Lily cursed herself at how little space was between her and James. She could smell his aftershave as he had an arm around her waist to keep her from falling.

"Those blasted kids," Filch said, startling Lily a little. "If I find one more dung bomb, then I might just punish the first kids I find instead of Peeves."

The five of them had gotten split up trying to lure Peeves into Filch's office. Sirius and Remus took all the rest of the dung bombs they had, so without them, they couldn't complete the prank.

"Merlin, you two were hard to find. I started to think you two were snogging in a broom closet or something," Sirius appeared out of thin air, startling Lily once again. "I still can't believe you're going through with this, Evans."

"It's not like I haven't broken rules before. I just do so occasionally." Lily rolled her eyes in his direction and James laughed quietly. "So what's the plan now?"

"Peeves is still in the same corridor as before, so if we throw dung bombs at both ends of the corridor and trap him in the middle, we might be able to pull this off," Remus suddenly said as he also appeared out of nowhere, while peering out from behind the tapestry. "The coast is clear."

They quickly got out from behind the tapestry, and Lily realised that Peter had somehow joined them at some point too. She knew not to ask any questions, but the three marauders' sudden appearances had made about a thousand questions pop up in her head at once.

"Okay, James and Lily, go to the middle of the corridor and try to converse with Peeves. Distract him any way you can," Remus directed them. "While you do this, Sirius and Peter will be on opposite sides of the corridor throwing dung bombs. I'll blast a jet of air out of my wand, sending Peeves into Filch's office."

"I've been trying to think of a Marauder nickname for Lils here. She does have random things we call her, but she doesn't have a nickname like Padfoot or Prongs," Sirius mused as Lily started to walk down the corridor with James.

Lily rolled her eyes and turned her attention towards James.

"Can I have a piggyback ride?" She asked, smiling as James nodded.

Lily quickly jumped onto James's back after he crouched down to accommodate her height.

"How fucking tall are you? I swear any taller and my head would be grazing up against the ceiling," Lily remarked.

James chuckled.

"I have been graced with the height of a short giraffe," he paused as they walked to the middle of the corridor towards Filch's office. "Unlike you."

Lily scoffed at this.

"Wow, at least I'm over five feet," Lily replied.

"Hardly," he halted suddenly.

"What're you doing out of bed, Potter, with one of your whores at this hour?"

Lily grimaced as she knew exactly who the voice belonged to. She poked her head from behind James's head and abruptly stopped playing with his hair.

"Lily?!? What are you doing with him?" Snape asked indignantly.

"I dunno actually, what are we doing James?" Lily replied, playing dumb.

"Each other," James said, barely getting out an answer before chaos ensued.

Remus popped out of the broom closet just as Peeves came swerving around the corner. He aimed his wand for Peeves, but accidentally sent Peeves and Snape into Filch's office. James started running down the corridor with her on his back. Lily laughed freely with the boys that had been her enemies for far too long.

Lily could never have expected the night would end with her having a hand in trapping her ex-best friend in Filch's office with Peeves. She found she didn't mind the ending though, and it was certainly a great distraction from her stress.

...
Author's Note:
I like to incorporate music into some of my chapters because it plays a big role in my life. I think it also helps remind the readers what decade the story takes place in. The song Piano Man by Billy Joel is one of my favorites. I'm just blubbering now. I hoped you liked the chapter. As I said before if anyone needs to talk about absolutely anything my DMs are always open. Whether it be 2 A.M. or noon please don't hesitate. I am so grateful for all the reads that I have gotten. Thank you!

Lmao anyways thanks for reading
-teddy✌️

**edited July 2021