Authors Note: This will start out like a Lily and James Potter love story, but will become increasingly focused around a series of other characters called the Lovejoy family. To start with we are beginning where Lily and James have just started their 7th year 1978... and James is meeting Lily's family for the first time.

'Remember,' Lily said clasping his hand tightly 'no magic, please James, for me,'

'I'm not daft Lily, I have been around muggles before,'

'There not muggles James, precisely my point, they are just my family,' Lily sighed

The music was loud, teenage boys and girls were stretched out on sofas and most of the grownups were in the kitchen or out in the garden huddling around the barbecue in the summer house. Rain was still spitting and spattering when James and Lily had arrived but had not put off Harry and his friends who were dancing to music in the garden and drinking. Mr and Mrs Evans were taking care of refreshments at the barbecue, Petunia and Vernon Lilys sister and her sisters' boyfriend were standing in a corner of the kitchen not really talking to anyone.

'Hello Tuny,'Lily said half smiling at her sister who meekly replied a small hello, her boyfriend Vernon nodded, his bristling bear twitching into an attempted smile.

'I'm going to find dad,' Lily mouthed to James leaving him standing in the kitchen with Petunia and Vernon.

'So, you're the boyfriend are you?' Vernon surmised, eyeing James' up and down. 'Lily hasn't said what it is you do,'

James thought fast, attempting not to look like he was thinking too hard and long

'in between projects,'

Vernon smiled, half scowled.

'Unemployed are you?'

'Like I said,' James repeated himself 'in between projects,'

'I work at Grunnings,' Vernon said venturing the clearly unwanted information to James 'it's a good firm, strong prospects. Petunia deserves the best,'

James looked at Lily's sister, she was tall thin and James could feel an air of arrogance about her, she had pale coloured brown hair in ringlets and glasses too big for her face.

'Of course,' James responded automatically 'our girls deserve the best,'

'Yes they do,' Vernon said stiffly pulling Petunia closer to him. 'Lily too,'

James paused frowning he said

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Lily, she deserves the best,' Vernon repeated. James saw Petunia tighten her grip on Vernons' arm.

'Good job she has it then, isn't it,' James replied coolly.

'Aherm,' Veron coughed, 'we'll see,'

'We will, won't we?' James said 'excuse me I see Lily needs me,' James said making excuses as he saw Lily wave him into the garden.

'Don't ever do that to me again,'

'What you weren't fascinated by my sister and her uninteresting boyfriend?' Lily said grabbing a glass of lemonade from the refreshment table. The summer house was almost as wide as the Evans' house and could fit in fifty or more people.

'If you want me to get arrested for using magic outside of Hogwarts on a muggle be my guest,' James said crossly 'how an earth you and your sister are even related I will never know,'

'I do wonder myself sometimes,' Lily said looking through the kitchen window at Petunia and Vernon.