Lily and James... everyone knew that there was something between them. Something real. And while the rest of us fumble and try our hardest in vain to find - and hold - something that can even come close to touching the passion and tenderness of THEM...they both tried their hardest to ignore, or disband the most obvious fact that stared and teased the rest of us – they were real, and they would love each other completely, absolutely for the rest of their lives. The rest of 'us' were jealous; especially since they wouldn't acknowledge what they had; which was what everyone else was always wishing and hoping for
My basis for this story is the thought that Lily has always been really hard on James, and James has always gone out of his way to be somebodythat those close to him know that he is not. Why? I will share my take on the possible reasons behind it in the following chapters…
Chapter One: Thoughts of Inadequacy and Meetings of Consequence
Strolling across the green grassy lawns with his hands in his pockets, James Potter whistled softy under his breath, a gentle half-smile plastered across his face.
He thanked his Great-Aunt Isabel for inviting him for her invite to visit her in these three months before school started. He was thankful for the respite from his parents, and the time alone to think about the what-ifs. What if I don't get into Hogwarts next year? He came from an extremely magical family – purebloods, and the thought of him not making it into the famed school twisted his guts something terribly.
Most 'magical' children – at least those born of magical families in the wizarding world – had their names up at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the moment they were born; a magical quill recording their names at their births. James' had been taken down, but unlike most 'magical' families children, James, at the age of 10 had yet to show any magical talent.
That's not true and you know it, he tried telling himself. True, there had been some unexplainable happenings around him during his childhood years, but in a magical family such as his they couldhave been explained many times through other reasons. James sighed and thought of his parents reactions to him not making it into the school, or (even worse, James secretly thought) making it into the school and not performing to his family's very high expectations.
Sighing, he was just about to start up a particularly grassy knoll when he was shocked to see a messy tumble of bright red locks and arms and legs tumble over the top and head straight for him. The messy bundle flew straight at him, and he vaguely registered that the screaming individual was laughing with joy when 'it' knocked straight into his knees and sent him sprawling backwards, resulting in a messy jumble of arms and legs and hair and … oh shoot, where were his glasses? Blindly he started scrambling around, barely registering a blurred head tilting to one side and regarding him with wide curious eyes.
Extricating himself with some difficulty, he heard a faint crunch, and flinched inwardly. Reaching towards the sound, he finally extracted the glasses from beneath the 'its' backside and sighed when he felt their frame badly bent. With no other option and feeling very awkward and irritated that his unknown assailant had yet to utter a sound, he placed the bent glasses on his nose and started at the vision starting back at him.
Long, fiery red locks tumbled fantastically around a petite face and framed wide emerald green eyes, sparkling with mirth and mischief. She – and the fact that she was female did not escape his attention – just sat on the grass where she had fallen, head tilted to one side regarding him with a silly smile on her face.
"H- Hello," he managed to stutter. Bloody hell, he thought blushing, stuttering? James Potter? Thank goodness dad isn't here to see you! Gathering himself, he smiled smugly and bent at the waist, holding out a hand. Summoning his years of pure-bred aplomb and pompousness, he grinned snarkily at her and raised one eyebrow, "Are you going to let me help you up then?"
She tilted her head still further to one side and was about to accept the proffered hand and offer of help up when he bent straight and jammed his hand – elegantly of course – back into his pocket. He leaned slightly forward and whispered, "Of course, I'll be needing you to apologize first"
He hadn't even seen lightening strike as fast as her eyes flashed and changed emotion, Wow, was all he had time to think before she had jumped up and tackled him to the ground. For all her slight build and feminine physique, she managed to somehow hold him down, much to his chagrin.
"Oh shame, has a girl beat the mighty snob?" she teased, and he started once again at her voice. Light and musical, it was as pleasant to his ears as her face was to his eyes. He struggled meekly to dislodge her, not really sure himself whether he wanted to or not. She grinned mischievously, her eyes alight with some inner glow that almost took his breath away, and he was still at that age were most girls were 'yuk'.
Finally summoning his strength, he managed to flip their positions around, so that she was below him. Her beautiful eyes widened as she wriggled vainly trying to get out from her predicament. Now was his turn to grin mischievously. Pinning her down, and leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Give it up, you cannot touch a Potter"
Her eyes flashed again and before he knew it he was somehow flipped onto his back – quite painfully. She was (somehow) standing above him, breath heaving in her chest, hair messily framed around that perfect face, hands on hips. She opened her mouth and he was not surprised to hear the flow of words issuing out, "You stupid, ignorant boy! Do you think that the rest of us are below your notice and regal bearing? Grow up and get over yourself!" And with that she turned and stomped off, back up the hill and out of sight. He sighed and lay back, his hands behind his head. Ignoring the pain still echoing from his bruised derriere, he thought over the girl he had just met and realized he didn't even know her name. No matter, he would be here again tomorrow. And then she would get it; no girl insulted …and beat…a Potter, not without getting some retribution.
But all the same, he was glad. She had managed to distract him long enough that he hadn't had a single thought about that school,and about whether or not he was going to be a disappointment to his parents and ostracized by the rest of the magical community. With such heavy thoughts bearing down on this young mans shoulders, he stood up, still with grass clinging to his back, and strolled off home, the smile and whistle gone as his thoughts of inadequacy tumbled through his mind.
Authors Notes
Hi All! I know that this chapter was a little 'long' but it is necessary for the basis of the story. Please read and review! Constructive criticism welcome!
TSB