Lily was dead asleep, in the middle of the greatest dream ever. Though she did not play Quidditch, nor did she fly often, she was on the Gryffindor team and today was the big game. She wasn't the captain, no that was left to James, but she was killing the other team. She was the keeper, the best one that they had for years. She single handedly prevented the Slytherins from making any points. Lily was just about to get a hug from James in celebration when Mrs. Miner burst into Lily's room.
"Good, you are awake," Mrs. Miner said seeing Lily sitting bolt, upright on her bed in her undergarments. "Get dressed. Mr. Black and Mr. Potter have already returned and they are demanding food."
"I have to take it to them?" Lily asked hesitantly. Mrs. Miner shook her head.
"No, I just need your help," Mrs. Miner said. "Tonight is my night to cover the midnight demands of young Mr. Potter and his best friend."
Lily pulled on a shirt and pair of shorts, despite the way that her muscles complained, and helped Mrs. Miner make thick sliced ham sandwiches. Lily knew James liked a lot of mustard on his, though she couldn't imagine why. Five minutes later, Mrs. Miner was heading up the back stairs with a huge tray of sandwiches, cookies, and butter beer for the two ravenous teenagers who were eagerly awaiting the food's arrival.
"This is not going to be easy," Lily murmured to herself as she put away the fixings. She knew the sooner she just made James aware that she was working there, the better. It was already going to be more awkward than the time that Lily walked in on James making out with some random girl in the fifth year.
Lily was proven right the next morning when she started her rounds. She started on Baby Potter and nanny's room first. Nanny was looking particularly frazzled. Apparently James had decided to go in when he came in and to greet his cousin properly, waking the small boy up. Nanny had the hardest time getting him back to sleep. Lily looked around, to make sure that no one else was around.
"Ms. Joy, do you want me to sit with him while you take a break or something?" Lily offered. Her offer was two fold, let the poor woman get a breather and to procrastinate cleaning James and Sirius' rooms for them.
"No, no, Ms. Evans, thank you though," Ms. Joy said exhaustedly as the three year old ran around in crazy figure eight patterns. "Plus with Mr. Potter and Mr. Black's return, you have your hands more full than I do."
"The offer still stands," Lily offered as she headed out the door. She knocked quietly on James' door, but found the room silent and dark. James was still in bed, asleep. Lily almost gasped as she looked at him. He was stark naked, face down on top of his comforter. Lily averted her eyes quickly, heat rising to her face. She tried to ignore the quiet snores, and she tried to wash the image of James' perfectly formed rear end from her mind as she scooped up all of his dirty clothes off the floor.
"Lily?" James murmured sleepily. Lily froze and looked over at him horrified. Her heart was pounding a million beats per second. Relief washed over her when she realized he was still asleep, a slight darkening of his comforter located near his mouth. Lily nearly laughed, never imagining James as a nocturnal drooler.
Struggling with the now burdensome laundry basket, Lily placed it outside of Sirius' bedroom door. She knocked on the door, but was again greeted with silence. She carefully entered Sirius' bedroom, not certain if she could really stand to see another rear end of a classmate. Sirius was no where to be found in the room, and Lily nearly cheered as she gathered his clothing up off the floor. She had an arm load of his stinky clothes and was heading to the door when Sirius stepped out of the bathroom, towel around his waist loosely. They stared at each other, their mouths hanging open ungracefully.
"I never thought I would ever see the day that Lily Evans would be alone with me in my room," Sirius teased once he regained his composure. By this time, Lily had nearly dropped the entire load of clothes on the floor and was scrambling to pick them up. Lily didn't say anything, mortification on her face.
"So, Lils, does James know? What did he say when you walked into his room this morning? Ol' boy sleeps in the buff, I am sure you saw," Sirius teased as he lazily walked her direction.
"Yeah," Lily grunted as heat flooded her face. She was at a loss for words, and that was never like Lily. Then again she had never been so close to any of the Marauders with less than school uniforms on.
"Yeah?" Sirius said laughing. "What did he say?"
"Mr. Potter is still asleep, Mr. Black," Lily said through clenched teeth. "If there is nothing else, I have plenty of things to do today."
"Right," Sirius said. He smirked and took off his towel, tossing it to her. "You can have this. I am dry enough as you can see."
Lily practically sprinted out of Sirius' room, cheeks flaming in embarrassment. She hadn't seen it coming, and thank her lucky stars that she didn't see it, either. Despite the heavy load of the laundry basket, she practically ran down the tight spiral stairs. Mrs. Miner looked up, her ruddy face mocking.
"Should have told you, love," Mrs. Miner said as Lily began shoveling the clothes into the washer. Lily's face looked horribly sunburned, she was so embarrassed.
"No one told me that I would have to work with exhibitionists," Lily complained as her hands went to her cheeks to feel the very heat that radiated from them.
"With what?" Mrs. Miner said. She shook her head. "Never you mind, love, you get used to them prancing around like a bunch of Nancy boys naked as the day they were born. If it wasn't for all the girls those two go through, I would have sworn them a bit sweet, if you know what I mean."
"I don't, and I don't want to know," Lily said exasperated. She looked at the clock. It was only seven thirty. She still had all day to embarrass herself further for Sirius and James' enjoyment. She shook her head. Tonight was her night for demands, too. She would have so many opportunities.
"The boys are demanding their breakfast," Mrs. Miner said pointing at two of the millions of little gold bells. Lily nodded as Mrs. Miner pushed a heavy tray toward her. "Now, remember. Just because you go to school with Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, you can not call them by their first names."
"That is not going to be a problem," Lily thought. She was so angry and embarrassed, she couldn't think of calling them anything other than Potter and Black. Lily hoisted the heavy tray and carried it up to the next floor, wishing the house had a dumb waiter, trolley, or something. She barely made it to the bed room. Precariously balancing the tray, she knocked on the door.
"Oh, come in!" Sirius called very sing-song-y. Lily rolled her eyes and pushed her way through the door balancing the tray ever so carefully.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, your breakfast," Lily said in clipped tones as she placed the tray on the table and began removing the main cover, like she did for baby Potter and nanny. She refused to look over at James and Sirius who were both watching her. She couldn't see them, but she could feel their eyes on her back as she moved to unload their elegant breakfast onto the table.
Lily braced herself, knowing that she would have to turn around and face them both sooner or later. She turned, face expressionless as she looked at them. James had a smile on his face rivaled only by the smirk plastered on Sirius' face.
"Anything else, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black," Lily asked evenly. She applauded herself silently for not sprinting out of there like a maniac.
"I was just telling Sirius that I was dead asleep and I could have sworn I smelled your perfume, and he then informs me that Mum has apparently hired you to be my servant for summer holiday," James said arrogantly. "If I had known, I would have shown up weeks ago."
"I must have missed telling you," Lily said coyly as she held the tray. She did not crack a smile. James nodded.
"Perhaps," James said. His grin broadened. "You may have forgot to tell me, but Drena certainly did not forget to mention it at the beach house."
"Beach house, how lovely," Lily said sarcastically.
"This morning, did you like what you saw?" James asked smartly. Lily rolled her eyes. "There is more should you ever want to take a real good look."
"If that is all, Mr. Potter," Lily said smirking. She turned and headed out the door.
"Lils, wait," James said chasing after her.
"Mr. Potter, it really is more proper for you to call me Ms. Evans," Lily said quickly as heat threatened to burn her from the inside out.
"Psht. I don't listen to rules," James said defiantly. Lily raised her eyebrow at him. "What I wanted to say was I am sorry I wasn't better dressed this morning. In the excitement of being home, I kind of forgot you were here and that you were more likely than Mrs. Miner to actually run on time."
"Apology accepted," Lily said quickly and she left him standing in the hall. Red faced, Lily sprinted back down the stair case to start folding some of James and Sirius' laundry.
`What an arrogant, self righteous, self centered prat!' Lily thought as she folded and stacked the boys' clothes. She shook her head. She didn't even own this much clothing for all her years at Hogwarts. It was ridiculous.
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