Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters and themes are owned by J. K. Rowling, and Warner Brothers. No profit is being made from the submission of this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: I've started other stories in the past that were not that good, but after several years I now feel like trying again. This story focuses on how I think Lily and James came together, I will try to be as original as I can, and I will try to stick as close canon as I can. Please give this story a fair chance and know that plot suggestions and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated.

The Forces that Make Us Grow

Epilogue

As far as relationships go, theirs was fairly simple, at first. She thought him arrogant, self-centered, lazy, and at times mean, even cruel. He thought her smart, beautiful, loyal, and at times reclusive, and pretentious. These thoughts and assumptions held by the two of them were made by often superficial encounters occurring at perhaps the most unflattering and inopportune moments, during a period in life filled with self-doubt and self-consciousness. As people grow and change, mature and learn, their relationships also grow, change and mature sometimes in very surprising ways. Such was the relationship between Lily Evans and James Potter.

The tumultuous relationship between Lily and James began when they were 11 years old, their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Things at this time were very simple, uncomplicated. There were classes and friends, teachers and detentions. Each new year at Hogwarts brought new and different challenges, difficult and dangerous magic, and new larger complications to relationships caused by the many uncertainties often associated with growing up.

Fifth year at Hogwarts brought James's and Lily's arguments to an entirely new level. It was one argument in particular that stood out that year, the fight by the lake.

Flashback:

"You - wait," Severus Snape panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing. "You - wait...:

"Wait for what?" said Sirius Black coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Snape let of a stream of mixed swearwords and hexes, but his wand being ten feet way nothing happened.

"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him-

"Leave him ALONE!"

James and Sirius looked around. James's free hand jumped to his hair.

It was a girl from a group near the lake edge. She had thick, dark red hair that fell to her shoulders and startlingly green almond-shaped eyes.

"All right Evans?" said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of great dislike. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," said James, appearing to deliberate the point, "it's, more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean..."

Many of the surrounding watchers laughed, Sirius and Wormtail included, but Lupin, intent on his book, didn't, and neither did Lily.

"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," said James quickly. "Go on... Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Behind him, the Impediment Jinx was wearing off of Snape. He was beginning to inch toward his fallen wand, spitting our soapsuds as he crawled.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," said Lily.

"Take the curse off him, then!"

James sighed deeply, then turned to Snape and muttered the countercurse.

"There you go," he said, as Snape struggled to his feet, "you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus-"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Lily blinked. "Fine," she said cooly. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

"Apologize yo Evans!" James roared at Snape, his wand pointed threateningly at him.

"I don't want you to make him apologize," Lily shouted, rounding on James. "You're as bad as he is..."

"What?" yelped "I'd never call you a - you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can- I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the groud with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."

She turned on her heel and hurried away.

"Evans!" James shouted after her, "Hey EVANS!"

But she didn't look back.

End Flashback.

It was this intense argument that set a drastic change in motion that would forever alter the lives of Lily and James as well as the lives of all witches and wizards in the Wizarding World.

NOTE: The flashback is a scene taken almost word-for-word from the American addition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, however some of the scene was left out or changed slightly for clarity. It can be found on pages 646-648 if you would like to read the whole thing, I tried to use just enough to get the main point across.