Prologue

The dark haired man stared sadly at the little box of sweeteners that rested at the far side of his table. The only two people in the tired coffee shop were him and a young, teenage barista who was quietly making coffee. He was waiting.

When the small bell that connected to the front door rang, his head snapped up. A woman around his age with painfully familiar features walked through the door. The woman looked around, and her gaze rested on him. She gave him a sad half smile and headed to his small table. She slid onto the opposite side, and stared at him for a while with curious green eyes.

"How have you been, James?" she asked, caution framing her voice, like she was talking directly to a living bomb. He nodded, but didn't say a word. She sighed, and grabbed his hand.

"James." This time her voice was filled with pressure and sadness. He didn't do anything except stare at their hands. It was strange. She had hands like…

"What?" he said, gritting his teeth. He wasn't in the mood for a pity talk with someone he didn't particularly like. She sighed once again, this time exasperated, and pulled her hand away, reaching over to the large purse she had brought in with her. She pulled out a small, leather bound journal with yellow pages. James's eyebrows scrunched together as he studied the peculiar book.

"It was Lily's" the woman said, holding out the book in front of him. At the small word, he felt like his insides collapsed. His heart stopped beating, his mind stopped working. He couldn't feel anything but a burning pain that started where his dead, empty heart sat. A single tear fell down his sad face, and the woman across from him gave him a sympathetic look.

"I don't want it, Petunia," he said, his voice cold. He couldn't look at that book. He couldn't see another part of her. It would break him for good.

"James, she would have wanted you to have it." Petunia's voice was so sharp and intense, the barista at the counter gave them a slightly frightened, sideways glance. Petunia noticed this and coughed, noticing her mistake.

"She also would have wanted you to be happy," Petunia said once again, her voice softer this time. James glanced at the woman sadly, and Petunia gave him a small smile. She slid the book towards him, and he stared at the worn, brown leather.

"How do you know?" he said in a small voice. Petunia thought about his question for a moment then sighed sadly.

"Because it was Lily."

Petunia rose out of her seat, grabbing her purse on the way. She gave a short sigh and started walking to the door. James listened to the sounds of her heels clicking on the floor, then they stopped. His head pulled up, and he was met with Petunias gaze burning into his forehead.

"Don't forget what she told you," Petunia said, and exited the shop. James looked after her for a minute or so, then looked down at the book in front of him. He opened it up to the first page and saw an old picture that brought back so many memories.

A sixteen year old him sat on a thick log next to a girl maybe a year younger than he was at that time. Her red hair was pulled into a thick braid, and her excited green eyes lit up the page. She outshone the boy that was next to her by miles. She was gorgeous.

It was taped onto the page with decaying tape, and had some messily scrawled words underneath the picture. He squinted, trying to read the nearly illegible writing. When he finally figured it out, a single tear slipped down his face. She had written about him.

I never realized what true happiness—what true love was until I met James.

James took in an overload of feelings as he read the simple sentence on the paper. It was astonishing—the huge effect the words had on him. He smiled slightly, then closed the leather bound book. He looked around one last time at Lucky Cauldron's Coffee shop. He wouldn't be coming back here. He had what he needed; something to hold onto Lily with. He was letting the rest go.

He picked up the book and slid out of their booth, heading towards the entrance. He heard the bell ring quietly behind, and he exited into the cold February, completely content. He had her.

So this is just a storyline I thought of when I got bored. Thought, why don't I actually write it down? Go easy on me if it's bad, it's my first fanfiction. Constructive criticism is welcome, but no flames please. I'll post the next chapter when I finish it. Hope y'all enjoy! :)

Grace