Welcome! This is the first installment in a short story about Lily and James, and what could be their very first date. It had to start somewhere.
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling
Lily sighed. She was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, looking out at the window at the sunset. The room was mostly empty, except for a few second years finishing a game of wizard's chess. She couldn't bear to be in her dormitory any longer, while her best friends were spending hours getting ready for THE dance of the year. Lily hadn't cared much about attending the Halloween Dance in her previous two years because she had always assumed that she could just go next year. But now she was in her last year, and dateless.
By her own choice, she made herself admit. James Potter must have asked her to go with him at least once a week since the start of term. She didn't just turn him down for the usual reasons- that he was an arrogant toerag, the giant squid was more attractive, etc. In fact, Lily had to admit that he had gotten better this year. He was being less obnoxious in class and taking his position as Head Boy seriously. In exchange, Lily was being more cordial to him and trying to see past his faults of the previous years.
No, Lily did not repeatedly reject James just for the fun of it. Lily was hoping that a certain Ravenclaw prefect, Amos Diggory, would take her hints and ask her to the dance. She had scheduled rounds with him, sat with him in their shared Care of Magical Creatures class, and smiled at him in the hallway, but to no avail. Three days ago she found out that Amos had asked a quiet 6th year prefect from Hufflepuff to be his date.
By then it was too late. Everyone already had dates. Her best friends Marlene and Alice were going with Sirius Black and Frank Longbottom, respectively. She would have asked Remus to go with her as friends but she found out that he was escorting Erin Finnigan from Ravenclaw. Even Peter had found a date with Joyce Bell, a sixth year Gryffindor. (Lily had too much pride to see if James had found another girl to escort).
So Lily sat alone in the common room, doodling on the charms homework that was not due for another week.
"Evans?" A voice brought her out of her reverie. Lily's head snapped around and she came face to face with none other than James Potter.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you getting ready for the dance?" James asked.
Lily fidgeted with her sleeve. "I could ask you the same question," she countered.
James gave her a wry smile. "Well that is an easy one, Evans. I kept getting rejected by the only girl I wanted to go with."
Lily blushed. "Oh, erm, well. I guess was a bit premature in turning you down then, because, well, I don't have a date now either, James." Lily didn't know who was more shocked that she had called him by his given name, her or James.
James, sparked with hope after being called by his first name, asked her one last time. "Well Lily, would you be so kind to let me escort you to the annual Halloween Ball?" He gave her a mock bow.
Lily couldn't help it, but she laughed at his antics and soon the smooth chuckle of the boy next to her joined in. That is, until realization hit her.
"I would, but I don't have anything to wear," Lily admitted. "Damn, I knew I should have bought that dress at Gladrags last weekend."
James didn't miss a beat. "Gladrags Wizardwear? Why don't we just get it now?"
Lily looked at him. "Because it's in Hogsmeade!"
James gave her a mischievous grin. "Exactly! Let's go!" He grabbed her hand and began to pull her across the common room.
"Let me guess, you have some super secret passageway that leads straight to Hogsmeade?" Lily asked skeptically.
"That's exactly what I have," James winked.
Oh. "Fine, but let me grab my cloak and some money!" Lily sped up the stairs to her dormitory. She burst in to see Marlene in curlers and Alice applying makeup. Without saying a word to either of them, because she knew that they would ask questions, she grabbed her cloak and her purse and whisked back out the door.
She could not believe it. She was actually agreeing to go with James Potter to the dance, like on a date. She must have been really bored. Yes, that was it. She was just bored.
Still, as she skipped down the stairs, she could not help but smile as she thought about sneaking into Hogsmeade with James.
"So, where to?"
James quickly folded up a piece of parchment and stuffed it into his pocket. "Fourth floor. Filch is on the second, making his way to the third floor corridor. We will have to be quick to miss him."
They traveled together, walking quickly through the corridors. Both were quiet, each musing in shock over what they were doing and who they were with. James stopped suddenly in front of a rather large mirror hanging on the wall. He reached to the side of it, grabbed a very small handle, and the mirror swung outward like a door.
Lily's eyes were bulging. "Come on, quickly. Before anyone sees," James ushered her in and swung the mirror closed behind him.
The two Gryffindors were engulfed in complete darkness. James put his hands on what he hoped were Lily's shoulders. "Lily, you have to promise me, one Gryffindor to another, that you won't tell anyone about this passageway," he pressed with urgency.
"Well, seeing as I'm at your mercy in this moment, I promise not to tell a soul."
"Brilliant! Lumos," James's wand lit up the tunnel. It was made entirely of stone and looked like it was one sneeze away from caving in.
"Is this safe?" Lily asked as they began taking cautious steps. She accidently tripped over a loose rock and grabbed James's hand to steady herself. James was awfully glad that she could not see his smile. One thing was for sure, he was not letting go.
"I'm 72% sure that we will be able to get to the other side without being trapped in an avalanche."
"And what about the other 28%?"
"Well let's just say it is a good thing that we are Gryffindors and top of our class,"
"Oh that's comforting," Lily muttered.
James distracted her by telling her the story of how this particular passageway was discovered by the Marauders. It was in their third year, and they were on their very first Hogsmeade trip. Sirius had made a girl from Slytherin angry by sticking lollipops in her hair at Honeydukes. Naturally, she knew it was the Marauders and chased them through the town. Taking refuge behind a furnace in an alley, Peter saw a rather large gate overgrown by weeds behind them. They used magic to open it and slipped inside. Thirty minutes later they were stumbling into the fourth floor corridor at Hogwarts.
Lily shook her head. How could those four boys be so lucky in everything that they did? She wanted to hate them for it but could not help but admiring them. Not that she would tell anyone that.
Sure enough, the tunnel ended at a gate overgrown with weeds. James let go of her hand to push it open and check to make sure no one was around. When he knew it was safe, he pulled himself out and helped Lily.
Lily got out and looked around. The alley was located next to Madam Puddifoot's café. They both cringed, thinking of failed dates in that horrid establishment. They turned the corner and were face to face with Gladrags Wizardwear.
James reached forward and opened the door for her. "After you, my lady."
Lily thanked him, and instantly strode to the back left of the store, where the muggle wear dresses were stored. The dress that she had tried on with her best friends the previous weekend beckoned her. The strapless dress was an olive green, just the shade that would accentuate her red hair, not clash. Her favorite part, however, was the gold stitching that crisscrossed the fabric. Boy, was James in for a treat.
After ringing it up with the elderly seamstress, she looked around for James. Hmm, she thought. He must have left the store.
The door chimed behind her as it slammed shut. She looked around at the empty street and started to feel worried. There was a war going on, after all. How could she have been so stupid? It was nighttime, they were out against the rules, and besides, she was a mudblood and he was a blood traitor.
Lily grew more and more panicked, until she saw a familiar mop of messy hair exiting the liquor store. Oh no, she thought. Nothing good will come of this.
"Hullo, love, sorry. Sirius would've killed me if I came all the way to Hogsmeade and not gotten anything for the after party tonight. It is going to be brilliant," James smiled at her. Sure enough, he had stashed in his bag several bottles of fire whiskey.
Lily glanced at the bag disapprovingly. "James, we are the Head students. I'm not sure if-"
James cut her off. "Relax, we are of age. If I promise not to give any to minors will you allow it Lily-flower."
Lily hated that nickname. "Fine. But only if you promise to never call me that ever again!"
James laughed, "I solemnly swear."
James was disappointed when Lily did not hold his hand like she had on the way down. Granted, she was holding a shopping bag in one hand and a lighted wand in the other. Still, he liked the way her soft hand fit into his calloused one. He liked everything about that night; he only hoped that she did too. Maybe this was his chance. His chance to prove to her that he had grown up, that he was someone worth giving a chance to.
This story will have one or two more installments, so be sure to subscribe to the story! I also plan to write more short stories about the Marauders and Lily and James, as opposed to one long story of their year. Please review, it really makes me want to publish more. Your input is appreciated.
