Challenge info: Birthday Fic Exchange
Written for Delusional Musings using James/Lily light a candle, and homework
Warning:In truth I have no idea Roman Catholic rituals. This is something fairly personal and I am *not* trying to offend anyone by anything I write. Least of all the people who believe like the people who helped run my moms prayers.
James Potter observed Lily Evans with a confused look in his eyes. She had been given a gift from her family and a few weeks back a pack of candles with a booklet along with her letter. She had been crying when she thought no one was looking. It seemed to be a strange ritual as she brought out a necklace and bowed her head before murmuring softly. He had requested that he could stay at Hogwarts for his sixth year. He had hoped that he could be alone with Lily but record numbers of students stayed at Hogwarts for safety.
She would go the the library in the morning, dining hall for dinner, then their dorms once night fell. Every evening she would light a candle then read from the book as she held the necklace and rotated it. He saw her move her hand strangely and even sing softly. He tried to approach her but Severus glared at him and moved to approach Lily before Lily saw either him or Severus approach before going the opposite way. He stopped the third time did that but Severus seemed to hover over her. He was unable to approach but he seemed to know what was going on with her.
The other boy smirked in his direction at dinner. James knew Severus was taunting him but the greasy haired bastard wouldn't tell him. Threats of pranks just made Severus look at him as if he was crazy. He admitted that he would prank him otherwise and it wasn't motivation for him to help James. He hated this feeling so when he saw Lily alone he tried to approach her. He heard others approach her and his eyes widened as she was mobbed by her friends. His hand was outstretched and it fell as a few of them glared at him.
Eventually she was alone, without her candles and booklet, and was staring blankly at the empty parchment. Her books lay around her and suddenly James realizes that in all the time he was watching her she never did her homework. He looks at his completed essays, and the notes, and moves to her table. Everyone is sleeping and the only light was from the fire.
"What do you want, Potter?" Lily asked him venomously, "I know you've been watching and trying to approach me."
"I want to know if everything is okay. I know you have a week to do the essays and I thought I'd offer my notes…" James trailed off.
"I don't want to owe you, so if you give me your notes, then I'll look over your essays?" Lily asked.
James nodded frantically, and passed her the notes, before paling and realizing the side comments he made. He had a failed love poem on the transfiguration notes she was reading. Her lips twitched upwards as she looked through the notes and read the scribbles. Lily looked up at him after putting down the notes, "Your notes are pretty good, Potter, not as good as mine but good. I'm surprised the effort you put into them. I'm surprised so many notes are about me- do you really want to know what's been going on?"
"I do, if you don't mind telling me, I've been concerned because you have even been avoiding your friends." James answered.
"My grandma died. I have been praying for her. My family aren't active members of the church but my grandma was. They've been planning her funeral and prayers and my mom and dad asked me to do the same at Hogwarts." Lily looked passed him.
"I… I'm sorry for your loss. Is there anything I can do to help?" James asked.
"Don't tell anyone. I'm only telling you because you'd die if you didn't know," Lily pointed at the many notes and James blushed.
"Thank you for telling me. If you want I can leave you alone and you can look over my essays after your done?" James asked.
"No, Christmas is a time of spreading joy and I don't think I want to be alone right now. Truce until the holidays are done?" Lily asked as she held out her hand.
James nodded unable to speak as Lily looked over his potions essay and put marks on the sides. They sat until it was late and Lily gave James back his papers before heading to bed. He gulped as he read the harsh notes before reading the thank you note at the bottom. He even felt a surge of hope when he read that if he kept it up that she would respond to his letters if he kept it up. He rolled it up and cast a durability charm on it. If he did as he asked, he wanted proof that she was serious.