⚠️ tw: slight mention of self-harm ⚠️

...

The sun showed no mercy as the rays beat down on their backs. Not a cloud showed itself in the sky as the two women degnomed the garden. The pesky little things seemed to outrun their patience as it didn't take very long for them to leave the garden for the Weasley kitchen.

The Weasley men had left the house to give Molly and Lily a break from all the chaos that seemed to follow the five children. Arthur had accepted the challenge with open arms as Bill and Charlie knew how to behave—it was just the matter if they wanted to.

The break from the children gave the girls breathing room for the day. It was something Molly hadn't had in years as she was a stay at home mother, something she loved being, but it could get tiring after a while. She planned on just talking, maybe gossiping with Lily and acting like a normal woman would her age.

"So, Charlie tells me you've got a boyfriend?" Molly asked as they sat down inside.

Lily chuckled at the question as she had been awaiting it ever since she had told Charlie about James. It wasn't that she thought that the young boy had a loudmouth, but kids told their parents everything without a filter and Molly had the right to be curious.

"Oh. James, James Potter! He's wonderful," Lily gushed somewhat dreamily.

"I've met him a few times before as I know his mother. That does sound quite wonderful," Molly smiled back at Lily.

"When did you meet Arthur?"

A topic that Molly could talk about nonstop was Arthur. She was so in love that it was unreal. It was the kind of love that you read about in fairytales, stuff you could never imagine for yourself.

"I met Arthur at Hogwarts actually. We started dating in our sixth-year. My brothers absolutely hated him for it," Molly laughed recalling the memory.

"That sounds a bit like my friend Marlene. She has a few brothers—all older—and they've always been overprotective."

"As much as it can be annoying sometimes, it's just how they show love and I wouldn't change a thing."

"I'm sure Marlene wouldn't either."

...

It ha happened so quickly. James had scored almost every five minutes, completely demolishing anyone else's hopes that the Gryffindor team wouldn't get the Quidditch Cup. Annie had intercepted every pass that came her way, while Thomas darted around the pitch nearly body-slamming their opponents.

Craig was quite sad that Hufflepuff had been beaten so badly—just as Regulus had predicted—but he was happy for his friends. Merlin knows they needed all the happiness they could get.

People swarmed the pitch as Alyssa caught the snitch firmly in her hand, solidifying a Gryffindor win. Minnie had to fight her way to James, who just so happened to be in the center of it all, to give him the trophy.

James wasn't completely occupied by the feelings of euphoria since he was distracted by Lily's situation constantly these days. It was difficult to know when he was actually present in the room he occupied or if he was daydreaming. Although, he was overwhelmed by the number of people around them.

He shook an enormous amount of hands and was praised by a high amount of people before he was able to retreat to the locker rooms with Sirius. It was always nice to get out of the sweaty quidditch uniforms after long quidditch matches.

Sirius could sense that James had been feeling down for a while now, which was completely understandable in his eyes. He wasn't sure what he would do without seeing Marlene all the time. So, just when he was about to ask him gently how he really was, James did the talking.

"Pads?" James asked, pulling his shirt over his head.

"What is it mate?"

"Why does love have to be so damn cruel?" He held his head in his hands and looked about ready to start to yank every hair out of his head, one by one.

"Everyone is climbing the same ladder of life, my friend. It just seems that everyone we're friends with is falling off the fucking ladder rather than climbing."

Sirius was just as surprised as James when the rather wise words spilled out of his mouth. It seemed like an Alice thing to say as he didn't constantly speak in metaphors.

"When did you become so philosophical?" James snorted.

"Ay, that's what happens when your best mate becomes the head boy and suddenly has to be all responsible."

"Oi!"

...

Just as it was in the past year, Alice's birthday was a dull event. Frank had just left for his early auror training the year before and now, Lily was nowhere to be seen.

The girls—especially Alice—just wanted to spend the day in the dorms. The Marauders tried to convince them otherwise, but gave up in the end, spending the Saturday by themselves, likely in the kitchens.

"Planning the wedding would've gone much smoother with Lily's input," Alice laughed as Marlene and Mary argued over whether pink or purple flowers would look better.

It was true. Lily had always been the tie-breaking vote for them as Alice was far too non-confrontational to choose between the two girls' opinions. She often just picked a totally different option than the one that was being argued over.

"I can't even imagine how she's been adapting mentally and emotionally alone. I mean, trapped only Merlin knows where without her support system," Marlene spoke sadly.

"She's always been a strong person, but do you remember how badly fifth-year ended for us?" Mary shivered at the memory.

Marlene had been shipped off to St. Mungo's to help with her quickly declining mental health. She had alarmed all the girls as she self-harmed to the point where she didn't have a day without it. The girls reported it to Minnie right before the professor relayed the information to Lily that her father had passed.

Mary and Alice were the only two girls in their dorm—except for Beth—for two weeks until Lily came back to school, just in time for OWLS. Marlene missed the last two months of fifth-year for recuperation.

"She's always been a strong person, but I don't see how anyone could handle this very well."

...

Craig loved professor Slughorn, but he absolutely loathed this stupid potion. He did everything correctly, but he still couldn't smell a single thing. Maybe he lost his sense of smell?

"Professor?"

"Yes, Craig?"

"I can't smell anything and I've added all the ingredients," he explained albeit frustrated.

"My boy! You didn't turn on the fire! You'll have to start all over!" Slughorn chuckled while walking back to his desk.

Craig hated the stupid potion.

...

A new day was born as May had dawned on the world. Yet, almost as surely as the sun rose and set every day, Lily was bored. She was bored and tired of not talking to her friends, so she was rash and decided that she should be able to communicate at least once.

The Marauders sat in their dorm attempting to play bullshit, just like they had on Remus's birthday. It wasn't working very well, but they had nothing better to do as they didn't want to sit through another session of wedding planning.

James's eyes wandered the room before landing on the window. Something cloud-like was flying straight towards the window like a jet of light. As it approached he could make out a silver doe.

"Alright, so I am pretty sure this is against the rules, but our great friend Dumbles taught us this for a reason. Maybe not this reason particularly, but that doesn't really matter all that much. What is it that you guys like to say? Oh! What is life without a little risk?"

Was he dreaming? Was he actually hearing Lily's voice?

"Anyways, being shut up in this damn house is incredibly boring, but at least the family is nice! I assume I'm not really supposed to tell you who they are since it's a secret hideout and all, so that's all I'll tell you on that front for now.

"Remus, make sure James is eating properly, you know how I worry. Sirius, do not stress smoke right now because I will not be the reason you kill your lungs! Peter, please make sure that you all don't stress too much over your NEWTS! I am positive you'll all do handsomely!

"Please don't send a patronus back as I'd get skinned alive by Moody! Love and hugs, Lily"

If you were to travel up to the girls' dormitory and visit the seventh-years specifically, you could've heard a message sent by the same person.

"Hello, girls! To answer your question, no, I am not dead, yet! I have to make this message short and sweet, but I am sure we will see each other soon!

"Alice please keep planning your wedding! I will be there if it's the very last thing I do! Not even Dumbles will keep me from coming to the best day of your life!

"Marlene, keep your head held high! I promise I am doing alright considering everything. There's good company—not as good as yours—but it's still company!

"Mary, sweetie, make sure to take care of the other two and yourself! Do a wine night like how we planned before we left the station!

"Do not send me back a patronus because Moody will make sure I die on the spot! Love you all so very much!"

Before they knew it, the message was over and it was the last of Lily's voice they would hear for a while.

...

Craig adored strawberries. He always had and he always would, but he didn't think that was a big enough reason for the smell to show up in his amortentia. It wasn't even the natural smell of strawberries, it was exaggerated like an artificial scent. He hoped his confusion was worth it for the upcoming NEWTS.

...

Author's Note:

Well, there's the quote finally!

While I was writing this I got super distracted by the sequel because I realised I totally forgot to plan some side plot things.

Lmao anyways thanks for reading
-teddy🧦

emoji courtesy of dobby (it's a spare hermione made him)