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Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Dueling Club
Dummy 25 / Cherrywood Wand - Pairing: Lily/James / Word: Method / AU: Squib

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Astrology - Water Task
Write about someone discovering a friend/family member/ loved one's secret. Prompts: Colour: Aquamarine / word: adoption

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Some Things Just Don't Change

Lily met James in primary school, and when they were partnered together to work on a science project dealing with the Scientific Method, they became friends.

Lily liked James. He was funny, and friendly, and he worked hard in school. But it was obvious he was hiding something. She didn't know why he didn't trust her, but she knew he had a deep secret.

When she was nine, Lily noticed something amazing happening to her. She had wanted a cookie, and the aquamarine cookie jar, on the highest shelf in her kitchen, floated down to her. She gasped, awed about what she had done and immediately went to James' house and told him about the miracle. She was surprised by the pained look on his face. "James?"

"You're a witch."

Lily blinked. "Really? I knew something weird was going on, but I'm actually a witch?" She excitedly jumped up and down.

"Wait! You said it like you know! Are you a witch too?"

James looked even more upset. "Girls are witches, and boys are wizards. And no, I'm not a wizard."

Lily didn't get it. "Then how do you..."

"I'm a squib."

Her confusion must have shown.

"A squib is someone born in a magical family, but he or she doesn't have magic themselves."

And she realized that had been his secret this whole time. "Oh, James."

He shook his head. "I got lucky. My family still loves me and didn't disown me. Instead, they adapted and make sure I get the education I need to survive in the non-magical world if I don't want to live on the outskirts of Wizarding society. Many squibs aren't that lucky. They get abandoned in the Muggle—non-magical—world, and if they're lucky, an adoption takes place."

"Still."

."I'm okay. Let's talk about you. Magic is an amazing thing, and you'll go to magical school when you're eleven to learn more about it. You'll love Hogwarts!"

And just like that, James shifted all conversation away from him and to her, but she allowed it. Sooner or later, they'd have a real talk about it.

A few days later, she met Severus Snape in the park. A wizard. She told him about James and when he made a nasty remark about squibs, she vowed she'd never be friends with such a mean boy.

At eleven, she did go to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, James pulled away from her. During her breaks, he avoided her, acting like they weren't even friends.

Lily confronted him about it.

"You're making friends with magical people. Why would you want to be friends with a squib?"

"Because we're friends," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and to her, it was.

And somehow, they managed to keep their friendship. And that simple, childhood friendship turned into romantic love.

When they shared their first kiss at seventeen, James warned, "Our kids might not have magic."

"I don't care," she breathed and kissed him again.

Things weren't perfect. There was still a war going on, and a relationship with James might not be easy, but easy was so overrated.

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(word count: 522)