AN: a new Jily fic because of reasons and a sudden strike of inspiration. I will still be trying to update the other one but this was written so I thought, why not. Anyways, I hope you like it. Kudos to JKR and all that...


It began with some photographs. Three to be precise. And a boyfriend, the wrong one. And air that held the promising tang of autumn leaves.

Really it began with Marlene McKinnon's newfound hobby; photography. She had received a Polaroid camera for her birthday, just a few weeks before term had started. Their last year and she had taken upon herself the momentous task of capturing all of it. Every bloody second of it, Lily had remarked.

The day she chose to take the photographs in question was like any other. Mid-afternoon, just after lessons, on a Wednesday in early September. Around lunch time the Scottish countryside had been drenched in rain. Now the air was crisp and fresh, the scents of earth and clean grass wafted on the last of the summer breeze. Students milled around the ancient castle, the damp stone muffling conversations and adding a slight chill that lingered on finger tips.

Between colonnades, that looked out on to the central courtyard, Lily Evans was attempting to get back to her room, to dump her books and possibly warm up. She was cut short by a small group of male students that came across her path and somehow engaged her in conversation.

The head-girl had always had admirers, not that she noticed. She was always terribly polite to the group of boys that sometimes milled around her, slightly confused as to why they were so interested in her, but friendly nonetheless. On this certain September afternoon she was chatting amicably to two Huffelpuff fifth years, two sixth years a ravenclaw and slitherin respectively and one very brave third year Griffindoor.

Slightly further down the hallway unnoticed, but not for long, were the marauders, Remus and Sirius arguing about the perfect strategy for winning at exploding snap.

"If you don't use at least some of your wiles, Moony, then really what is the point?!"

"That's cheating! If you have to flirt to win you have no skill what so ever..."

"No skill! You insult my honour!"

"As if you have any left!"

"Why you intolerable pri..."

The exclamation was cut short by very bright flash.

"Sorry.." Marlene offered as her camera wired and clicked, churning out a small rectangle of paper. She had been crossing the still damp courtyard and had felt the need to capture the scene.

The argument almost forgotten by the sudden intrusion of blinding light, Sirius moved on to matters more interesting, that is Marlene and her 'marvellous contraption'. Remus, who was no stranger to muggle technology but still enthralled by instant pictures, went over to join his friend in the appreciation of the camera. Peter followed behind, a slight smile on his face as his friends oohed and aaaahed over the shiny new toy. James dawdled with indecision, his head shifting between Lily and his friends.

The fourth marauder had be strangely quiet for the past week, since returning to the castle. Though they didn't mention it, his friends had noticed his removal from conversations and his apparent lack of interest in certain activities. They postulated it could be for any number of reasons, could be his new head-boy status weighed heavily on his mind or, Sirius thought it was more likely, it was the revelation that over the summer Lily Evans had procured herself a boyfriend.

On this uneventful afternoon, it was this subject, one of school-wide intrigue, James had decided he was going to investigate. Not that he cared really, he told himself, he was just looking out for a friend, making sure her boyfriend was a standup bloke and all. All residual feelings for Lily Evans, or so he told himself, were gone.

"Oi, Evans!"

Her head turned to his greeting, James feigned nonchalance and Sirius pressed a seemingly innocuous button on the camera.

Flash!

"Potter?" Her voice was weary but he could hear the smile in it. It two short steps he was in among the Lily Evans fanclub, pointedly ignoring their disgruntled looks.

"Haven't seen you in a while," he tried, she smirked slightly. Good, he thought.

"We were in charms together this morning" she reminded him

"Oh yes, so we were. Good, good." He felt himself floundering, inside his head at least.

He hoped the flush he felt in his chest wasn't as apparent on his face. Her large green eyes bored into him with amusement and something else, he guessed it was probably the stirrings of annoyance.

"Was there something you wanted?" She shifted from one hip to the other, repositioned the books she had been holding for quite some time. She could guess where this conversation was going to go and wasn't sure if she wanted to have it, not just yet.

James ruffled his hair subconsciously, looked out across the courtyard to his friends. Still enthralled by Marlene's machine they were now aiming to get into the most complicated poses possible, it involved much squawking and flailing of limbs and had Marlene in such a fit of giggles she could barley hold the camera steady.

Fuck it, James thought.

"Listen Evans, about this boyfrie..."

"Oi, Prongs you Twat! Get over here!" Sirius, oblivious to the most awkward of situations beckoned to his friend to get into the frame.

James Potter's feet twisted in indecision as Lily Evans breathed a secret sigh of relief. She had successfully avoided the summer boyfriend conversation for over a week, now if only she could keep it up for the next nine months...

James opened and closed his mouth, doing a surprisingly accurate fish impression for a full two seconds before he regained composure, strutted over to his friends and took up position. He tried really hard not to look back at the redhead that looked at him with such harsh eyes. When he did look back he saw only her band of admirers and wondered silently how he had let her slip away.

Again.


Yep, so there it is, I've written the next chapter too and it will be up shortly. Please tell me what you think...