Disclaimer: All the characters, unfortunately, belong to J.K.
Chapter 1: Close To You
Lily Evans closed up the jewelry store she was helping a friend manage. Pushing her dark red
locks from her pale, pretty face, she started pulling out the trays of sparkly ornaments. Stars
were all the rage in the wizarding world nowadays, so most of the displayed bracelets,
necklaces, earrings, and rings had star designs or pendants. Lily smiled sadly as she admired
the glittering diamonds. Stars. The first time she fell in love with James had been during a
night covered in stars. She felt tears well up in her eyes, and she had to put down the tray.
Somebody then knocked. "Remus, Sirius, hi!" Lily exclaimed delightedly as she pulled open
the door. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black stepped inside. "How's it going, Lily?" Remus asked
as he removed his cloak. "Oh, fine. Pretty hectic. We were nearly sold out. How about you?
Any luck in the employment department?" Remus rolled his eyes. "No. Must've been that
werewolf showing off in my resume." They laughed. "You, Sirius?" Lily turned to the black-
haired boy. Sirius widened his eyes. "Moi? Work? And here I thought you knew me quite
well, Lil." "Well, you're living on your own now, you know. Your trust fund isn't going to
last forever." Sirius shrugged. "I'll coast through. Besides, I could always come to you." He
wiggled his eyebrows. Lily stuck her tongue out at him. "Not in this lifetime." "Oh, Sirius
and I want to take you out to dinner. Can you make it?" Lily indicated the trays. "I still have
to put these away." "No problem." Remus and Sirius rolled up their sleeves and grabbed a
tray each. "You know, if you ever need an extra hand here, I'm very available," Remus said
as he carefully slid the tray into a specially fortified cabinet. Lily smiled. "I'll hold you to
that." Sirius cleared his throat. "So, how are you holding up?" he asked softly. "About, you
know, James." Lily felt her throat tighten. James Potter, her boyfriend and the love of her
life, had gone missing nearly six months ago. It had been a few days after their graduation
from Hogwarts, while touring with her in Italy. "I'm dealing with it," she replied thickly.
Remus and Sirius simultaneously reached over and patted her on the back. "I know it's been
hard for you," Remus said sympathetically. "But I can tell you right now that we will never
give up on him, and we will find him one day." "It'll never be OK that he's gone, but I
promise, it will get better," Sirius added. Lily swiped at the tears that had managed to fall.
"Thanks, both of you. With you here, I feel closer to James already." They silently
acknowledged her thanks. Then Remus broke the melancholy mood. "OK, the trays are
done. Ready, Lily? I'm starved, and Sirius is paying!" He slapped Sirius's back, a broad grin
on his face. Lily smiled and, linking arms with them, headed off to dinner.
Chapter 1: Close To You
Lily Evans closed up the jewelry store she was helping a friend manage. Pushing her dark red
locks from her pale, pretty face, she started pulling out the trays of sparkly ornaments. Stars
were all the rage in the wizarding world nowadays, so most of the displayed bracelets,
necklaces, earrings, and rings had star designs or pendants. Lily smiled sadly as she admired
the glittering diamonds. Stars. The first time she fell in love with James had been during a
night covered in stars. She felt tears well up in her eyes, and she had to put down the tray.
Somebody then knocked. "Remus, Sirius, hi!" Lily exclaimed delightedly as she pulled open
the door. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black stepped inside. "How's it going, Lily?" Remus asked
as he removed his cloak. "Oh, fine. Pretty hectic. We were nearly sold out. How about you?
Any luck in the employment department?" Remus rolled his eyes. "No. Must've been that
werewolf showing off in my resume." They laughed. "You, Sirius?" Lily turned to the black-
haired boy. Sirius widened his eyes. "Moi? Work? And here I thought you knew me quite
well, Lil." "Well, you're living on your own now, you know. Your trust fund isn't going to
last forever." Sirius shrugged. "I'll coast through. Besides, I could always come to you." He
wiggled his eyebrows. Lily stuck her tongue out at him. "Not in this lifetime." "Oh, Sirius
and I want to take you out to dinner. Can you make it?" Lily indicated the trays. "I still have
to put these away." "No problem." Remus and Sirius rolled up their sleeves and grabbed a
tray each. "You know, if you ever need an extra hand here, I'm very available," Remus said
as he carefully slid the tray into a specially fortified cabinet. Lily smiled. "I'll hold you to
that." Sirius cleared his throat. "So, how are you holding up?" he asked softly. "About, you
know, James." Lily felt her throat tighten. James Potter, her boyfriend and the love of her
life, had gone missing nearly six months ago. It had been a few days after their graduation
from Hogwarts, while touring with her in Italy. "I'm dealing with it," she replied thickly.
Remus and Sirius simultaneously reached over and patted her on the back. "I know it's been
hard for you," Remus said sympathetically. "But I can tell you right now that we will never
give up on him, and we will find him one day." "It'll never be OK that he's gone, but I
promise, it will get better," Sirius added. Lily swiped at the tears that had managed to fall.
"Thanks, both of you. With you here, I feel closer to James already." They silently
acknowledged her thanks. Then Remus broke the melancholy mood. "OK, the trays are
done. Ready, Lily? I'm starved, and Sirius is paying!" He slapped Sirius's back, a broad grin
on his face. Lily smiled and, linking arms with them, headed off to dinner.