Disclaimer: We all know that I did NOT create these characters; they do belong J.K. Rowling.
James Potter sat alone on the Hogwarts Express, as it steamed northward to take him back to his seventh and finale year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He sat gazing out the window at the beautiful sunshine that was washing over the English country side. His mood was not reflecting the beautiful weather. He was dwelling on the past events of the summer.
The Dark Lord Voldemort had broken into his grandmother's house killing his Uncle and Grandmother. That now made three of James' relatives that had died at Voldmort's hand. His Father died eight years ago. Out of respect for his feelings, James closest friends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew went to go "help some first years learn the ropes".
The door of the compartment slid open and James caught a glimpse of smooth ivory skin and shimmering red hair. He turned to face the young woman. She was wearing muggle clothes. The black pants and a green blouse complimented her lovely figure. James felt his heart stop as he turned to face her. The look on her face said plainly she was not as happy to see him as he was her.
"Potter, we need to talk." She said shortly.
James grinned sheepishly at her as he reached up and ruffled up his black hair. "Lily Evans," He said briskly, "Dose this mean you're speaking to me again?"
"You're not cute, Potter." Lily said hotly.
James winked at her, "Ahh, so then you are speaking to me again, Evans?"
"You do know I am muggle born. Which means I live with muggles, you did know that didn't you?" She said ignoring James' comment.
"I think I remember you saying something like that." James said maliciously.
This did not help Lily's temper. It flared up as she tossed her shinning hair over her shoulder and stared dangerously at James.
"Do you have any idea what it is like to put up with my bloody sister, while she plans for her bloody wedding, with all her bloody muggle friends, while being sent two bloody owls a day?"
James opened his mouth to speak, but Lily was not giving up the floor yet. "Of course you don't. Do you realize that I had to do at least 42 memory charms a week because you keep sending those stupid owls when they were there? Did I not say to you at the end of term last year that if I had to bear the burden of communicating with you over the summer, then you would have to send me muggle post?"
Again James opened his mouth and yet again Lily cut him off. "But you couldn't respect my wishes, because you are James Potter the one and only. And you can send the post in any way you wish, because you are the great James Potter....WHAT IS SO FUNNY?!" Lily shrieked the last part bouncing on the tips of her toes and clenching her fists.
James looked up at her. He thought she was so cute when she was coming out of hysteria. "Lily," he said trying to sound sincere, "I am sorry. Do you forgive me, Darling?" Lilly brushed her hair out of her face. They were locked in a dead gaze. Lily pursed her lips and finely nodded. James realized he was becoming quite warm as Lilly slowly walked over and sat beside him.
"What were they?" Lily asked politely.
James caught himself off guard. "Beg your pardon?" he said blankly.
Lily looked surprised, "The letters Potter, what were they about?"
"You didn't read them?"
"I couldn't. Petunia burnt them."
"Burnt them..."
"Yes, in the fire."
James looked at her skeptically. He did not for one instant believe a word she was saying. "That's odd," He said coolly, "a fire in a muggle house during the summer time, how odd indeed."
"W-well, she knew they were coming."
James studied her for a minute and coolly said, "Oh I see." Then he turned his face back to the window.
Lily sighed and tucked her feet underneath her as she turned her body to face James. He was handsome. He had a strong profile and a charming smile, when he did smile. Why wasn't he smiling now? "He's always wearing that stupid grin." Lily thought to herself. "Why is he so depressed? This isn't like him."
"Potter?" she said cautiously.
"Hmmm?" He did not want to look at her. He had poured his heart into those letters. He had told her everything from how the United States won the Quidditch World Cup, to how his Grandmother and Uncle Harry died.
"Did you mean what you said on the platform at the end of term last year?"
"Of course I did." James said turning to look at her. His eyes automatically found the light pink mark under the corner of her left eye. He loved that scar almost as much as he loved her. Then fishing to change the subject, or to get her out to be alone with his misery, he rounded on her.
"What are you still doing here, Evans? Aren't you done shouting?"
Lily looked indignant. "Shout? What do you mean shout?" Lily shirked. "What would make you think that, Potter?"
"Then what are you going to say to me without shouting?" he asked sarcastically.
Lilly sighed. She handed him a letter with loopy emerald green writing on the front envelope. It had his name on it. James opened the letter while Lily spoke.
"I don't know why he didn't send to you over the summer. But he left a note with my Head Girl material that said I was to give it to you." It said:
Dear Mr. Potter, I am firstly writing to say that I am truly sorry for your loss. I knew your Grandmother Amanda and your Uncle Harry personally. They were a great credit to the wizarding community. They fought boldly. I hope that others may one day follow in there foot steps and attempt the great purpose they fought to achieve. Secondly, Mr. Potter, I am writing to say congratulations. I am proud to say, after some careful consideration, I have decided to appoint you as Head Boy. You are to meet me after the feast, where I will discuss your duties with you privately.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Something hard had formed in James' throat. Did Dumbledore make him Head Boy out of pity?
"I take it you are Head Boy?" Lily asked gently.
James didn't answer he folded the letter and stuffed it into his jeans. Lily was talking but he didn't care to listen to her.
"Is there something wrong, Potter..." James heard her say sincerely.
James turned to face her. His eyes looked dangerous.
Lily felt something stop in her brain. "Evans, did you mean everything you said on the platform at the end of term last year?"
Lily rolled her eyes and moaned exasperatedly. "I most certainly did, James Potter." She hissed at him. It seemed that Lily had fulfilled her niceties for the day, and had no choice but to automatically start shouting again.
"Then do me a favor, love, leave." His tone was serious. The playful light that danced behind his hazel eyes had gone. James had dreamed sense his first year at Hogwarts for a chance like this, to be alone with Lily Evans. He longed for her to talk to him with out shouting, and yet the first time she had, he wished for nothing more than for her to leave.
Lily stood up looking as though James had slapped her. She placed her hands on her shapely hips ready to shout again. But no sooner had she opened her mouth than the door behind them slid open, and in came three young men laughing hysterically.
"Sirius, mate," said a ruggedly good looking boy with brown hair, "She didn't seem too impressed with you."
"I really don't know why she acted like that, Remus." said the tall muscular boy with thick dark shaggy hair, "It was very pretty art work, right Worm-tail?"
A fat boy with shinning blond hair, and a long rat like nose, was holding the wall to keep himself up. He nodded as he wiped a tear out of his watery black eyes.
"OH!" exclaimed Remus with a mock look of understanding, "So that's what you call it when you smear pumpkin-pasties all over her window?"
Sirius laughed heartily, which resembled a dog barking, when he noticed the look of spite on James' face and the look of Shear loathing on Lily's. "Prongsie!" Sirius exclaimed jubilantly, "Should we leave you to your wooing?" The three boys took on another round of laughter.
"No, Pad-Foot!" chuckled Remus. "We need to stay here and protect him from the wrath of Lily." There was a hint of drama in the way he said 'Lily'.
Lily sighed furiously. She turned on her heal and stormed out of the compartment, pushing Sirius slightly as she raged passed.
"Leave it to the red-heads..." Sirius said as the door slammed shut behind them.
"Damned Woman!" James spat as he kicked the seat in front of him.
"So she took it that well?" Sirius said grinning.
James reached up and ruffled his hair. He took off his glasses and leaned back in his seat. "She didn't read one bloody letter," said James in a hopeless tone of voice.
"Prongs, mate, and dose she ever read any of your 'bloody' letters?" Sirius asked.
"You're right." James said putting his head in his hands, "I just thought that after what I said last summer, she might have read at least one."
"Well, James, look at it from her perspective." Sirius said sitting beside his friend. "For the first five years she knew you she thought you were a prat. It was only last year she figured out that you were a civilized prat. So, that's when you go and decided be stupid and tell her how you felt."
"What?" exclaimed Remus? The smile had vanished from his face. "What exactly did you tell her on that platform last summer?"
"Oh, well don't you know, Mooney?" asked Sirius in pretend shock, "Jamie here declared his undying love to the fair Lady Evans on platform 9¾ at the end of term last year."
"What?" said Remus, "James, you told her you loved her? Do you even know Lily at all?" James smiled cunningly at his friends. The mischievous glint that had disappeared from his eyes over the long summer had returned. James felt a warm tingle in his chest as the Marauder in him seemed to come to life by the presents of his fellows.
"Right," Remus said slowly returning the grin to James, "Sorry, mate, I forgot who I was talking to for a moment."
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