Never knew I needed
AU – Appearances are everything. James Potter is a rich guy with a huge heritage allowing him not to work. But truly he is a damn curious man sticking his nose where he was not supposed to, until he meets Lily Evans, then it all changes, drastically.
Prologue.
Lily Evans was a very, very unlucky girl.
She was not allowed to have a decent home, a happy family and a normal and deserved childhood. Living in the slums of England has proved to be the hardest test of survival for any human being. As long as she remembers her parents would do almost everything, within their grasp and strength, to provide for her and her elder sister a shelter, a safe place and food.
They have died doing that. In fact, her whole family.
There were times when she used to dwell on her past unluckiness, despite of keeping her composure on the outside. Now she is just blocking these things away so she can go on living, surviving.
Still, her memories are bored inside her head, determined to never leave her and randomly lurking in through the barriers she has carefully built and spilling from inside her emerald eyes as tears, conveying only confusion and sadness to her present life.
She is alone. Her revenge did not bring back the ones she dearly loved from the dead. And there is not anything she can do about it.
In the past…
A seven year old auburn girl have not finished her eating yet. She is standing at the backyard of one of the most delicious bakery she has ever laid eyes upon. Her little hands, not so chubby anymore, are moving eagerly at her sides and her green orbs are shinning imagining the proud faces of her parents once they see what she has got.
A bag full of watering mouth breads.
She has not finished her third, when the owner offered her more, asking for her to wait, she instantly agree, ignoring her mother recommendations to not arrive at home past sunset. And when finally, oh so finally, her clumsy fingers grab a hold over the straps bag her legs are already taking her back home, forgetting her mother second teaching, she did not thank the tall and bread smelling man, her mind too much preoccupied with making her parents swim in joy.
Lily does not see the baby cat she has pleaded for her mother, three days ago, to adopt and take away from that dark and cold alley, near her new found and tasty bakery. No, she does not. She is running faster than she usually does. A different feeling, a rare thrill is flowing in her veins, making her blood spread a warm sensation from her heart to her every tiny cell and, even faster she runs.
The same happens as she crosses the street of candies, like her and Petunia had named the address of the house in which regularly children, blessed enough to have expensive birthday parties, dive in chocolate cakes and emerge with hands full of lollipops and balloons. She does not have interest on that, at the present she has a mission to fulfill, a pleasant one.
Her feet do not have time to spare for trying to walk on the railing of an abandoned train station. She must enter the whereabouts of her house, as she cautious watch the movement of cars and people on the street, the last and most challengeable obstacle of all, expecting for a crack in the crowd in order to achieve the window, or what seems remotely as one, of an old, partially destroyed and decrepit grayish house.
She must not be seeing.
According to her mother bad people search for the kind of them, to beat them up and expel them from here. A girl like her is not welcomed, they are treated like disease that should be expunged, are seen as inferior beings that do not deserve to live. That is why she ought to be careful. Nevertheless, considering Lily's precaution a pair of dark turquoise eyes has spotted her, accompanying her every move until she arrived home, where her mother quickly involved her stubborn and tinny daughter with a tight embrace.
- Where were you? Haven't I told you to avoid the streets past sunset?
Lily could hardly breath, though listening to the harsh scold her heart was not a inch closer to be put into fear state - something normally expected giving the current situation - because of the intensity of her mom's hug and being a naïve child were such plausible excuses to not be terrified of such things.
- Look mommy! I've brought us bread! – she is balancing with uncertainty her arms, trying at her best to expose the treasure that is at her possession.
Preventing the older woman to comment, one of their neighbors was at the door, his face contorted with something Lily could not describe or have ever seen it. His stare was blank and his face destitute of color, he was opening his mouth but no word would come out, the whole scene was provoking in her an obnoxious and anxious sentiment. More complicated and beyond her understanding everything became the second her mother let out a loud cry and has ran after the thin and cadaveric man, her disjointed steps piercing through the meager crowd like a dagger piercing through a still beating heart.
As they have reached outside, one of his fingers unsteadily indicates the canal. A small body is floating, lifeless, in the middle and Lily finds something is extremely peculiar about it, yet she can not pin point exactly what it is and it is bothering her, as a bug wandering on her back that she is not able to get rid of it. Then it hits her with a weight of million trucks, a monster claw is crushing her windpipe, infiltrating a viscous liquid in her lungs and drying her mouth leaving traces of a sour taste.
It is Petunia. Dead.
Her mother is screaming, this time ten times stronger, ten times sadder, Lily can not visualize her expression, petrified in her spot, without the ability to move her legs or arms to comfort her parent. Drops of water soak her clothes and cheeks, as someone dives into the water, swimming onto her sister's body, it is her father. Lily failed to see him coming.
Just as she has failed with her sister, despite of not being best friends, Lily would never wish for her death to happen. And within a couple of months, she will fail her parents too, at least, it is what she keeps on telling herself in the present days.
Their deaths are her fault, as it was her lateness in finding the people responsible for that.
In the present…
She is taping one of her feet against the sidewalk ground. Impatience is written all over her face, it does not make her less beautiful, it adds a rose tint to her cheeks turning her figure more adorable, if it is possible. People around her do not care, though. In fact, she is part of them. Her eyelids are squeezed in an almost straight line and finally, Lily Evans opens her mouth showing courage no one near her had the balls to do it. Question a cop.
- What do you mean we can't enter our houses? – her voice is firm, her nose held up high and something in those gorgeous and mysterious emerald orbs takes the police man a step back.
He is not intimidated. Never. Not in a million years, it is just… a torsion, of his ankle, yeah.
On the other hand, the residents of that older and oblivious building from London suburb quieted down, eager to hear anything from their talk and back up the red haired lady promptly.
The officer is silently praying for his colleagues to come back. He has a family to return to and he knows the power of a raging population, people united with one purpose are fearful and powerful. His little kid needs his dad! Should he say that out loud? So they might pity him. He has started at this very day, his hands were shaking, his vision was becoming blurry, oh God. And he thought it would be a piece of cake. Holding the line for a crime scene, it is. How come it has turned out so complicated? Yes, blame it on the ginger girl.
- Are you ignoring me officer? – she is diminishing the space between them, even with the yellow zone intact in order to keep him safe, he does not feel it.
A couple of seconds tick by, the law man can sense the air being pulled out from his very lungs, the amount of oxygen growing thicker, he can not stand this! He is going to die, alone, in the middle of a wrathful crowd!
- Longbottom – impeding him from answering (or dyeing), sergeant of city of London Police, Remus Lupin walks out from the building with firm and large steps – Start the procedures in order to allow the residents rest in their beds still tonight.
- Yes sir!
Thank God no one is going to die.
A murmur of appreciation rises from the residents and as said by Lupin, they are allowed to enter their home.
Lily is content in joining them when something is holding her back, a hand to be precise. Her eyes search for its owner, an odd lad is smiling at herself, impeding her to free the arm, then he speaks, getting weirdly nearer to not be over heard by the ones surrounding the two of them – You are the one they were looking for.
Her brain is frozen, as much as her feet binding her permanently to the ground. What the hell is he talking about? – That's nonsense, I have no idea what you're talking about – and with that said, she is eagerly making her way towards the building, pushing herself through people, a strange power boosting movement in her muscles.
In her mind she can sense his smile growing bigger, somewhat creepy, and matching that messy hair of his which wants to defy gravity. She does not like him.
- So I am right, they were looking for you – he is already beside her, without her noticing, contemplating as she is pushing the lagged elevator button incessantly, trying to make a hole in its place – But why?
He diligently opens the front door, never allowing his eyes to leave her figure, waiting as such gentleman for her to enter the old elevator, an elder woman gladly thanks, leading the poor amount of residents inside the cubicle and start a conversation about how is difficult to encounter younger boys like him, everybody is nodding in approval when Lily is stupefied outside the elevator.
- Do I know you?
- … Mister Potter, pleasure to meet you – he completes the sentence for her, although it was not in need to be completed, his hand already shaking hers enthusiastically as he releases the elevator's door, that freaking smile tying her untamed desire to punch him square in that handsome face.
- Will we use the stairs?
- You don't seem older than me – she is still at the same spot when he is signalizing the stairs.
- I'm just trying to make you feel comfortable around me.
- I don't like you – she bluntly says, ultimately taking the stairs.
- I like you – he simply states, almost innocent, following her steps.
- I don't know you! – she can not believe this guy, is he for real?
Lily is unable to think clearly. She is astonished, had faced a whole lot of messed up situations. But this? Her brain cells are desperately searching for an answer, a form to respond to this abnormal circumstance. And all she gets is absolutely nothing, Lily is so mad at herself.
- Do you have tea? – he is already inside her home, like everything she told him before was nothing, like she have invited him in.
Ah, she will beat him to death.
- Don't look at me with that face, I'm not leaving and threaten me with police stuff when you've already said you're running from them it's useless – his words sounded like she was a little girl who was doing bad things and in need of correction by an adult, it was too much.
- So… where's the tea? – that flashing grin, almost blinding her, combined with the most guiltless pair of chocolate eyes she has ever seen, were unbelievable too solid for her.
It is not right, he is the real object of her anger, she must fix it inside her mind. Where are his manners? He is the one invading others people houses and talking to strangers with great intimacy! Her thoughts are in a chaotic disarray.
After minutes her speaking faculties were back – I could kill you.
- I believe not. You like me – he gently dragged her catatonic body to his side, on the tattered couch – Since you're tired, I'm gonna make us some tea - his voice soft, that kind of voice you use for sick people - Relax or go take a shower – and he was off to the tiny kitchen.
Her remaining rational thought was that she gotta be dreaming.
A/N: As obvious as it is, english is not my native language, so please if you want to correct me, be polite. Although every grammar review will be very welcomed, sometimes things get messy in my head...
This story was supposed to be dark, but when Jamesie appeared, it has turned out impossible. He is such a nice fellow lol. Let me know what you think about this fic.
R&R.