---
–Welcome home, James.†James smiled as his mom came over and gave him a hug. –I missed you during the school year.â€
–I missed you too, Mom.†James looked the living room. –What’s for dinner? Sirius wants to come over if it’s something good.â€
–Always got food on the mind, don’t you. Well, I was thinking we would have a good meal. Start with some chicken noodle soup, then have some rice and beans, rolls, and chicken, and then have marble cheesecake for dessert. Will Sirius be coming?â€
–Yep. And so will Remus. Thanks!†James rushed off to his room.
---
Lily set her suitcase on her bed. Slowly, she breathed in her favorite smell- the smell of home. There was nothing like being home, even if it meant she had to put up with Petunia. After all, she would finally get to sleep in her bed.
–Lily, would you like spaghetti or pasta salad for dinner?â€
–Both sound lovely, Mum.â€
–All right then. Pasta salad it is.†Lily smiled. It was good to be home.
---
James lay on his bed. The lights were out in the house. Sirius had left first. Then Remus and James had started talking. James began playing the conversation over in his head.
*
–James, you still love Lily, right?â€
–Yeah. So? She’ll never like me. Ever.â€
–Well, I have a plan.â€
–I’m rather fond of plans. Does it involve love potions? A love spell? Forcing her to go on a date with me?â€
–No, Prongs. It’s something that we’ve actually tried before. Act like you are over Lily.â€
–Moony, you know that won’t work. I’ve tried before. She just hates me more.â€
–It’ll work this time. You have to really act like you are over her. Like, so much over her that you got yourself a girlfriend.†James looked at Remus in disbelief.
–We’ve tried that before too.â€
–Yeah, but last time you had a girlfriend for two weeks. What if you had a girlfriend for, say, six months? Do you think that would work on her?â€
–Wait. So you mean I have to find a girl, pretend to be in love with her for six months, and then dump her and go out with Lily? Six months? I don’t know if I can do this.â€
–Just try, Prongs. Just try.â€
*
That last sentence rolled over in his mind, again and again. He had to at least try. Then, maybe, he could get a date with Lily. James fell asleep, slowly, thinking about how he would finally get Lily to love him back.
---
–Petunia, give it back!†Lily ran out of her room and into her sister’s. –It’s not yours!â€
–No! You shouldn’t have it. You have no right scratching away in the middle of the night, so it’s mine now.†Petunia turned her back on her sister defiantly.
"Mum!" Lily shouted as she turned towards the stairs. "Petunia took my ink and my favorite quill!"
"Lily, just use a pen for once."
"But Mum-" Lily paused. There was no point in arguing. She knew she would get her things back as soon as Mary's letter arrived.
---
That night, Lily lay in her bed thinking about Petunia. Oh, how her sister annoyed her! At least she's not as bad as James. And I won't have to put up with that idiot for the whole summer, she thought.
---
School had been out for two weeks. Lily was sick of Petunia. James was sick of not seeing Lily. Severus was sick of being ignored. Sirius was sick of not having people to prank. Everyone was bored, and ready for a change. And that's when the changes began.
---
Lily opened her window to let in Mary's owl.
Dear Lily,
I got permission for you to come. Bring your stuff, because you are spending the test of summer here. My parents are going to come over to apparate you here tomorrow morning. See you!
Mary
"Mum, Mary invited me over for the rest of the summer. Can I go?" Lily called down the stairs.
"Sure thing, darling. We'll miss you. Will you write?" Of course Mum said yes, she knows how Petunia aggravates me.
"Of course, Mum." Lily ran back up to her room, hardly able to contain her excitement.
---
"Mum, Remus wants to come spend the rest of the summer here. He'll go home for the full moons." Like that needs explaining.
"Sounds fine. When is he arriving?"
"Tomorrow morning." The earlier, the better.
"Okay, James." James hurried upstairs to send his owl to Remus. They could spend the entire summer together. James would finally have a chance with Lily.
---
Mary looked at Remus's letter. They had been writing back and forth since school had gotten out. They were determined to get Lily and James together. She read it over again, then took out her quill to write a response.
Remus-
Sounds good. Lily is coming down to Godric's Hollow to stay with me. She'll be here the rest of the summer. I'm going to work on her. You work on James. Don't let James find out that she's coming. Lily will know that James is here.
Mary
Mary reread the letter, then folded and sealed it. She wrote his name on the front. As she did, she pictured his eyes, lighting up as they always did when he got a brilliant idea, his handwriting messy as he hurried to reply, his- Focus. This is about Lily and James, not you and Remus. Besides, he thinks of you as a study partner, and will never in a million years like you.
Awry by Liet Dumbledore, Kaitlyn Snape
Chapter Notes: Mary and Remus sitting in a tree..... being mischievous.
Chapter Endnotes: Let us know what you think, and any predictions for the next chapter. :)