A/N: This story sort of snowballed. This story practically wrote itself at first. I had no idea where it was going but don't worry, now I do. Now on to the stuff you should know before reading this story. This is not really canon. The characters are not exactly how they are in the book Lily is starting to acknowledge her growing feelings for James. Sirius has been friends with James since they were toddlers. Um…that's about it.
Disclaimer: Quite obviously, I do not own Harry Potter. However I do own, Char, Ellie, and the basically unimportant people.
Chapter 1: All At Once
Lily shivered in the cold England weather. The air was brisk and frigid, the sky miserably gray and the sun in hiding.
Lily pulled her coat tighter around her and continued on to Honeydukes. This was the first time she had come to Hogsmeade by herself.
Usually she went with her friends but it was different this time. Helena and her best friend Arabella were sick with the magical flu, which was spreading like wildfire through the school. Annie had gone home due to a family emergency the week before and Lucy had detention.
Lily had decided to go anyway, figuring this would be the best time to get Christmas presents for her friends. It was hard to believe the Christmas break began next week.
Lily was still debating whether or not to go home for the holidays. On one hand she missed her parents and wanted to see them but on the other hand there were some serious downsides.
Her horrible sister Petunia would be there with her unbearably boring boyfriend Vernon. Besides, she knew she would have a lot of homework and this was her last year at Hogwarts.
Finally she reached the wonderfully warm and bustling candy shop. Several Hogwarts students were there but not as many as usual.
Lily accidentally bumped into a smaller girl which caused her to drop her things. She recognized the younger girl with curly black hair and bright blue eyes. Her name was Elizabeth and while she was very sweet, her cousin was none other than James Potter.
"Sorry Ellie." Lily apologized.
"It's okay." The fifth year assured her.
Ellie's sister, Charlotte, materialized next to them. Char was a Ravenclaw in the same year as Lily and James. She looked nothing at all like her younger sister. Char had long light brown hair and hazel green eyes.
Lily had met Char even before she met James. Char had befriended Lily on their first train ride to Hogwarts. Lily had been alone and nervous while Char had been very excited. When Ellie came to Hogwarts, they'd become friends as well.
"Hi Char." Lily said with a smile. She genuinely liked Char and Ellie; they were both the complete opposite of their arrogant cousin.
"Hi Lily, long time no see." Char said teasingly.
It was true. They saw each other at meals sometimes and Ancient Runes once a week but Ravenclaws and Gryffindors had almost no classes together.
"Do you want to shop with us?" Ellie offered.
"Sure. None of my friends could come." Lily accepted.
"Would you believe that I have my room all to myself?" Char asked.
"What?" Lily laughed.
"See, I had the flu and all my roommates got sick too but I got better first so I'm all alone."
They started to walk around picking gifts for people, laughing and joking.
"I should get Jamie some Caramel Flies." Ellie said thoughtfully.
Lily and Char burst out laughing but Ellie was serious.
"Really though, they look pretty normal! Last year he gave me Butterscotch Grasshoppers and didn't tell me what they were until after I ate them." Ellie told them.
Char agreed and Ellie picked up a jar.
"Speaking of Jamie, are you giving my dear cousin anything?" Char asked sweetly.
Lily looked at Char as if she had grown another head and said "Not a chance."
"You aren't softening to the Potter charm now that you're sharing a dorm?" Ellie teased.
"Nope. Guess I'm immune." Lily replied loftily, refusing to admit her resolve was starting to weaken.
James was a good Head Boy and over the summer he had really changed. He was less goofy but still knew how to have a good time and as much as Lily hated to admit it, James was very handsome and charming.
"Well, you must be the only one." Char laughed.
Lily rolled her eyes and made a noise of disbelief.
"Watch and learn." Ellie said.
Ellie looked over at a boy Lily vaguely knew, Maximilliano Piazza.
Ellie fluttered her long lashed, bright blue eyes and Max grinned. She smiled entrancingly back at him before blowing a kiss which caused Max to walk straight into a shelf. Flustered, Max scrambled up, his cheeks flushed, much to Ellie's amusement.
"What are you, veela?" Lily teased, an easy grin on her face.
Char put on a similar display with Randall Callahan except he tripped, knocking over a display of Slithering Snakes. There was immediate chaos as girls squealed as the gummy candies moved around.
Giggling, the three girls left money for their candy and fled.
"See. It's just the way we are." Char said simply, when they stopped laughing because of the freezing air.
"Oh shut up and let's go get a butterbeer." Lily grumbled.
The three friends made their way to the Three Broomsticks, battling the frigid gusts of wind and the crowd of teenagers.
By the time they entered the shop Lily's face was as red as her hair. Ellie looked like she stepped out a movie, with a rosy glow and a smile on her face. Char was extremely pale.
Garrett Hawthorne walked (scampered Lily couldn't help thinking) over to them. Garrett was Lily's biggest fan and therefore James's enemy. It wasn't like she even liked Garrett. He was a year below them and very scrawny. He was pretty annoying actually and showed up randomly.
"Hi Lily!" Garrett said, his voice higher than usual.
"Hi Garrett." Lily replied nicely but hurrying away.
Lily guided her friends to a booth where they couldn't see Garrett and more importantly, he couldn't see them.
The girls had just ordered butterbeers when James slid into their booth. As usual, he was with Sirius. Just for a moment, Lily allowed herself to see them they way the rest of the girls did.
James was tall and skinny with a handsome face. His angular face held hazel eyes, flecked with golds and greens, framed by glasses. As usual, his black hair was in complete disarray, which looked good on him and he knew it. He grinned at her and for a reason beyond her, she blushed.
Sirius was ruggedly handsome, with a broad build and strong features. His long, shaggy, dark hair partially covered his startling gray eyes and he smiled dazzlingly at them.
"Well if it isn't Ms. Charlotte Elvira Rose Potter." James teased.
"And Ms. Elizabeth Ophelia Potter." Sirius said charmingly.
"And we can't forget the lovely Ms. Lily Andrea Evans." James flirted.
Lily permitted a small smile and a "Hello James."
The group began to talk and to her surprise, Lily was having a great time. Sirius and James had them in stitches over how they had tricked Peeves into saying something rude to the Bloody Baron.
"So that's why I haven't seen Peeves?" Char asked, laughing.
"Charlie, all I know is the Baron didn't look pleased." James told her, a mischievous grin on his handsome face.
"Did you notice that Gryffindor is up in points this morning?" Ellie asked, conspiratorially.
They made various affirmative noises and Ellie leaned forward.
"This morning, Allie got aw-"
"Who's Allie?" Lily interrupted.
"My kitty. Blame Siri here for the matching names." Ellie said, rolling her eyes at him.
Sirius mock glared at her and pretended to be insulted as he said "My name is Sirius not Siri. I thought we agreed to stop with the nicknames."
"Oh please. The other day, you called me ickle Charfire in front of everybody." Char told him, glaring daggers at Sirius.
"Aww, ickle Charfire upset?" Sirius asked in a babyish voice.
"Anyway, Allie ran away and into one of the empty classrooms. What should I see but Professor Englestone and Jessa Welsh, snogging." Ellie told them with a smirk, cutting off Sirius and Char's argument.
Sirius looked a little green as the rest of them looked shell shocked.
The professor was not at all attractive. His hair was massively curly and he let it grow long but instead of falling, his hair stayed straight up, almost like an afro. The bushy beard that completely covered his mouth made his voice sound muffled and to say he didn't smell like roses would be an understatement. He wore heavy bifocals that seemed to magnify his eyes and wore the strangest robes any of them had ever seen.
"No way! Jessa and Professor Englestone?" Char gasped, barely able to form the words.
"Yup. Professor added fifty points to Gryffindor and begged me not to tell."
"What's wrong with you Siri?" Ellie asked.
"Jessa and I…." Sirius started before stopping.
"No!" James said, his eyes widening with glee and amusement flooding his face.
"What?" Ellie demanded.
"Sirius here has been going out with a mystery girl. I'm guessing he's looking like that because Jessa's the girl." James explained through his laughter.
"Eww Siri!" Ellie exclaimed.
"Since Jessa's been snogging both Englehorn and Sirius-" Char began.
"Can we not talk about this anymore." Sirius interrupted.
"Aww, ickle Siri's upset?" Char smirked, mocking him for teasing her earlier.
James, Ellie, and Lily exchanged amused glances before changing the subject.
"Those two are so gonna get together." Ellie muttered.
James looked alarmed for a moment before joining Lily in laughter.
"What's so funny?" Sirius and Char asked in unison.
"So….what are you guys doing for Christmas?" Lily asked through her giggles.
"Me and Ellie are staying this year. Mother and Daddy are taking Natalie going to Romania to visit relatives." Char shared, looking confused but willing to let it go.
"I always stay. Can't stand my parents. Damned bastards." Sirius said cheerfully.
"I refuse to go to Grandmother's house. That lady is so senile, it's crazy. She thinks I'm her brother who she hated by the way. She's always yelling at me for something like stealing her best quill." James said with a shudder.
"Oh please. Grandmother thinks I'm her cousin she saw drown. Whenever she sees me she screams and starts hysterically yelling get her out of the water!" Ellie demonstrated dramatically to their amusement.
"You do look like her though." Char said thoughtfully.
"What?" Ellie exclaimed.
That led to an argument between the Potters about just how crazy Grandmother was.
"At least she knows who you're family. She still thinks I'm some stranger!" Char argued.
"I look nothing like Great-Uncle Charles though." James told his cousins.
"And I look nothing like her dead cousin." Ellie exclaimed.
"Did you not hear me?" Char said exasperated.
"What about you Evans?" Sirius asked over the family argument.
"I'm staying too." Lily said, making up her mind on the spot.
This would be a memorable Christmas for sure with the Potters and Sirius. Just a year before this would have been a nightmare for her but now it might just be her best Christmas yet.
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That evening Lily really wished Char was a Gryffindor. Lily sat at the Gryffindor table half-heartedly listening to Lucy whine about detention.
Her attention kept wandering around the table, barely paying attention to Lucy.
As usual, Garrett was seated near her and as usual she ignored him. Ellie was sitting near the end of the table with a few of her friends. Ellie looked up at her and subtly nodded toward Jessa. Both of them burst into silent laughter.
James, Sirius, and Remus were sitting close by too. Peter wasn't with them for once and she vaguely wondered why he wasn't with them. James and Sirius were having a mini food fight which brought a smile to her face. She quickly wiped the grin off her face when she noticed Remus looking at her with a slight smirk.
"And then he made me scrub ceiling without magic!" Lucy continued as Lily tuned back into the conversation.
Lily probably wouldn't be friends with Luce if it weren't for her other friends. Lucy was an instigator and she ran her mouth too much. While on occasion she could be funny and loyal, most of the time Lily preferred other company.
"So what did you do today?" Lucy asked, almost purely out of duty.
"I went to Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks." Lily said.
"By yourself?" Lucy asked scornfully, her eyebrows raised.
"No, with Charlotte and Elizabeth Potter." Lily told her, mentally swearing to cross Lucy off her Christmas list.
"That's your strategy to get James?" Lucy asked, her voice rising in volume.
Nearby, Hannah Whistlehorn and Kadira Javenson giggled and started whispering furiously.
"Just because I'm friends with Char and Ellie does not mean I like James." Lily hissed, her face flushing red.
"Oh." Lucy said simply before going back to her food.
Lily could have throttled Lucy. Lucy didn't even have the decency to try to correct them, she just went on stuffing her mouth.
Lily got up and stormed out of the hall before she did something to Lucy. Lily wandered the floor, trying to calm herself down but it wasn't working.
Hannah and Kadira were the gossip queens of Gryffindor. By the end of the night everyone would think she wanted James, including James! She had to patrol with James that night and even then, they shared the Head's dorm. Talk about bad timing for Lucy to be Lucy.
Lily decided to go to her dorm. Honeydukes chocolate made everything seem better.
Lily stopped in front of a painting of a woman, Lady Anne. Lady Anne was pale with dark hair and dark eyes.
"Password?" Lady Anne asked in her throaty voice.
"Davenport." Lily replied dutifully.
Lady Anne's portrait swung open and Lily ducked by habit. Lady Anne liked to catch people off guard. Sometimes, more often than not, Lady Anne would swing open fast and knock down Lily or James. It was better to duck just in case.
Lily climbed through the hole quickly and the portrait closed, just missing Lily's hand. Lily scowled, silently wondering what she had done to deserve this.
Lily turned left, ignoring the cozy room with the warm fireplace, and opened the door to her room.
Lily opened the bag from Honeydukes and saw the presents she had gotten her parents. She suddenly realized she hadn't even thought about writing her parents to let them know she was staying.
She took out the bag of Milk Chocolate Delights and put one in her mouth. The chocolate drop melted in her mouth and Lily smiled with pleasure. 'Nothing like magic chocolate to make you feel better' Lily thought to herself.
She sat at her desk and wrote a letter to her parents, eating the chocolate treats all the while. Just as she was finishing up she heard a startled yell. Lily rushed out her door and saw James cradling his left hand.
"Lady Anne?" Lily asked sympathetically.
"Yeah. She swung shut on my hand." James winced.
"Let me see." Lily told him, walking over to James.
"I'm fine really." James assured her, trying to smile but grimaced instead.
"Let me see." Lily insisted.
James reluctantly held out his hand and Lily took it.
"Your hand is on fire!" Lily exclaimed.
His hand was red and throbbing but more alarming, his fingers were in an awkward position. Lily expertly but gently checked James to see exactly what was wrong with his hand. Her mother was a nurse and she had taught Lily the basics.
"Your thumb and index finger are broken. The others are just dislocated." Lily informed him.
James glared at the back of the portrait.
"I ducked but she got me anyway. When did she start this?" James asked, a painful scowl on his face.
"Just recently." Lily told him.
"Guess I'll go up to the Hospital Wing then." James said.
"And catch the flu?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows at him.
James simply shrugged and conjured a sling for his injured hand.
"Here." Lily said, exasperated.
Lily got her wand from her pocket and pointed it at his hurt hand.
"Vigoratus vulnero." Lily carefully pronounced.
James felt a tingly feeling start at the tip of his fingers and spread throughout his whole body.
"Bloody hell." James murmured as he examined his newly healed fingers.
Lily looked surprised too as she reached up and touched his cheek.
James jumped, startled by her touch. Lily blushed red and snatched her fingers away. Lily tried to stop herself from blushing, cursing the fact she turned red at everything.
"The cut on your cheek disappeared." Lily explained.
"What was that you just did?" James asked.
"A healing spell I found in the library. I guess it really does heal everything." Lily replied.
James went quiet and an awkward silence filled the room. James was so tall compared to Lily, she had to look up at him to see his face. Lily looked up to say something when their eyes met.
Lily became fixated on James's eyes. His entrancing hazel eyes. James seemed to be in the same state. Suddenly Lily realized they were leaning toward each other.
Lily jerked back and she was certain she had never turned so red in her whole life.
"I better go post this letter." Lily stammered, rushing out the portrait hole, leaving James alone.
All she could think as she went was 'What the bloody hell did I just do?'
A/N: This is basically two separate chapters but I was too lazy to make it two documents and upload them separately. Anyway, I'll try to update soon and please REVIEW! Thank you!