Disclaimer: Stuff belongs to J.K. Rowling. We all know this.

Title: I Think I Love You

Chapter: The Magic of Words

James Potter was the bane of my existence from first to the beginning of seventh year. He was one of the most popular guys at Hogwarts, and, sadly, but not unexpectedly, one of the biggest jerks too. He rivaled me in grades, both of us constantly silently competing to be the best in all of our classes. We were almost equal in everything, but I'd managed to pull ahead of him in Charms, which I excelled at far more than any other course, while he'd master at Transfiguration. His ego was the size of a Quidditch pitch, and every chance he got he'd ask me out. Why, though, I have no idea. I may be relatively pretty, with an okay figure, long, curly red hair, pale skin and what someone once described as "piercing" emerald eyes, and rather smart, but I think he mostly asked me out for the challenge. I'd never once even thought about giving an answer other than no, though I'd sometimes word it differently, and I wonder how many times he'd take the rejection before he's give up on me. Sometimes I'd sit up at night and wonder what would happen to my life when James Potter stopped trying to become special in my life, and how I'd feel. I'd always tell myself it'd be a wonderful day, but my subconscious was always poking at me, and I dared not even admit in my mind that I'd miss it. I'd miss James Potter, heaven help me.

James Potter with his messy dark hair and big glasses hiding those laughing hazel eyes. James Potter who was so arrogant, but everyone adored him for some reason, as he stood tall and strong, a great Chaser at Quidditch and an outstanding student. I suppose on some level he was a decent person, his loyalty to his friends was amazing, but I still could not stand him.

His best friends were fellow Gryffindors Sirius Black, the womanizer and James' partner in crime, one of the most attractive men in school with his long dark hair and beautiful blue eyes. He was one of those people who never had to study, and yet somehow managed to get top grades. Then came Remus Lupin, who was the resident sweetheart, and for a long time I wondered how such a quiet, nice boy could have fallen in with the other two. Remus was my fellow Prefect, and the closest Marauder to me for six years. He had light hair, which was always a bit too long in front of his eyes, and I used to find it endearing to watch him swing his head back to try to get it out of his face. I'll admit I was enamoured with him for a few years, what with his brains, understanding, thoughtfulness, and dark pretty eyes. The last of the four was Peter Pettigrew. He was slightly shorter than the others, who all ended up around six feet and muscular, with light hair and eyes, not as sharp as the others, but I had always found him pretty funny.

The four were famous at school, the elite, the ones the girls flocked to and the Slytherins hated, mostly because the amusing pranks the group made up were mostly on them. I despised the group as a whole, though. Always picking on Severus Snape, just because.

I had not realized, then, that while James was trying to become someone significant in my life, he already was. I spoke to him a lot, even if it was just to scold him for another childish antic, and I couldn't imagine life would be interesting without those four.

My best friend, Emmaline Vance, agreed with me, of course, though it was obvious she was secretly taken with Sirius, what girl wasn't? She hated his shallowness, though, and they became outward enemies, but flirted horribly through it. She had long, dark brown hair that I loved, and bright blue eyes. She and Sirius sort of matched that way, I suppose. She also had an amazing figure. My other good friend, Madeline Adams, liked them all well enough, but she was above juvenile contempt then, and I wish I had listened to her all the times she berated me for despising James. She was so smart for her age, but then again, she was in Ravenclaw. With long, light brown hair and deep eyes, one would think she was rather plain looking, but if you just stared at her for a moment, she was incredibly pretty.

I think perhaps I'll start my story the summer before my sixth year. This was when things began to change. Voldemort was coming to power, I needed to start thinking about what I wanted to do with my life, and James Potter began to grow up. And so did I.

My name is Lily Evans, and this is my story.

I was lying on my bed, doing basically nothing, when an owl flew through my open window. My window was always kept open. I loved the smell and feel of air. The owl in question ruffled its wings and I took the letter excitedly, giving it an owl treat, and watched it fly away. I delicately broke the Hogwarts seal, and smiled happily to myself; I had done tremendously well on my O.W.L.s. The grades, now, aren't so important, and I won't bore you with each one, but at the time they were, all of them were either O or E. If I received an A I would have been rather put out, and anything below that was completely unacceptable and an impossibility for me. I walked with a spring in my step down the stairs, handing the paper to my parents, beaming, and not even Petunia's usual comment of "freak" let me down.

I was stupid then, I suppose. Not in class, but that grades meant so very much to me, when there were so many more important things I should have seen. But I was sixteen and quite naïve, as is every teenager.

Reaching back for the paper, I ran back upstairs. I threw myself down on my bed and grabbed parchment, one of my better quills, and a bottle of ink.

My dear Emma,

Oh, how I've missed you! It's been quite boring here, and more often than not I find myself just simply lying here and thinking about anything and everything for hours. I suppose on some level that's good, to find have some moments of peace, but I long to back at Hogwarts, back in the action.

I just received my O.W.L.s and I'm so pleased. I have no doubt you did tremendously well also. I'm so looking forward to next term I can hardly wait. We're sixth years now, so close to leaving home, and I don't want to. I want to stay at Hogwarts forever, Em. My childhood is leaving and I know I have to grow up sometime, but I am still in right denial that it has to be anytime soon. I imagine that'll be knocked out of me when we return to school, and I will also have to do my own share of knocking some sense into random idiots who decide to make me angry.

This summer's passing so slowly, I feel like it's stretching on for the soul purpose of watching me painfully live through it. Petunia's been a right horror, as always.

Write me when you get the chance, I'd love to hear from you.

Love,

Lily

I tied this to my owl, Diana's, leg, and watched as she soared through my forever open window.

Perhaps I've given you the wrong impression. I was very fond of my parents, but I didn't have any friends here, as I had not been in contact with any of my childhood friends because of all my years at Hogwarts. And once you've been living somewhere so magical and wonderful, it's impossible to not desire to return.

The days passed on excruciatingly slow, pushing me to the brink of madness. I wanted to be back at home, within the ancient magic walls. I direly wanted to be back among my friends, my enemies, the magic that surrounded everything I did, the constant action of the castle. Something that kept me in reality happily, though, were the letters.

Dearest Lils,

I've missed something awful as well. My summer hasn't been all that eventful, either, if it makes you feel any better. Though I don't suppose it does, as you have that annoying but delightful quality of caring about people, even people you despise.

I've also done rather well on my O.W.L.s, though I'm sure no where as well as you. The only person to do that would be James Potter. And yes, I do dare mention him in a letter to you.

I'm sorry this is short, dear, but as my life is terribly boring without Hogwarts, I haven't much to report. I cannot wait to return. I'll see you there, Lilsy.

Always,

Emma

Emma constantly made random nicknames for me, and at the time I hated it. I love it now, though.

A rather lovely surprise arrived for me in the first week of August, and I could hardly keep the shocked and happy grin from my face. A letter from Remus Lupin.

Dear Lily,

Well, how are you? I expect you did an outstanding job on the O.W.L.s, so congratulations. And yes, I did well too, before you ask.

I've actually just returned from a trip to France with my parents. You'd love it there, it's beautiful. The landmarks and buildings amazed me, especially in Paris, and some I would stand in awe of, thinking of how much you'd appreciate them. It's impossible to describe them in a letter, and even speaking about what I saw would not do it justice, so I'll tell you what. Someday I'll take you, and you can see for yourself, with me.

Let me know how you're doing, as I'm sure you're positively driven out of your mind from wanting to be at school. (I know you.)

Love,

Remus

I cared for Remus very much, and that letter made me ecstatic, knowing he was thinking about me, and in such a beautiful place rather far away. We've liked each other for a year or two, at least, but neither of us have voiced it. Because, sadly, it was an impossibility for me to be with him, as he was so loyal to his friends, and would never, as James was too smitten with me. But Remus and I let it carry on, never speaking of it, both knowing it would have to stop sometime. We liked it so much, though, that we were both clinging to it hard.

Dear Remus,

Yes, thank you, and congratulations to you also.

France sounds amazing, and yes, one day I'd love to go with you and enjoy it. Especially Paris.

I'm fine, thank you. Okay, not really, you're right, I'm dying to get back to school. I'm sorry this letter is rather short, but my summer has been filled with a whole lot of nothingness. I'll see you in a few weeks.

Love,

Lily

I began to think, that summer, since my O.W.L. grades, what I wanted to do with my life beyond Hogwarts. That phrase sounded horrible, beyond Hogwarts. I almost cried thinking about it, but then reminded myself I had two more years. I couldn't bare the thought of leaving my favourite place in the world, my haven, my life. I managed to calm myself with the naïve thought that I had two more years yet, a ton of time.

Again you see how silly I was then. Two years was nothing, and they whipped by, as I think back on them, but they were very eventful, as you'll see.

After considering my passion, my thoughts, and the events of the world thus far, I thought I'd pursue an interest in being an Auror. The rising threat of Voldemort was looming. He wasn't so infamous yet that people has started to refer to him as You-Know-Who, but that was coming. That summer I contemplated a lot of things, and realized defying evil and defending innocence was what I wanted to do. I wanted to make a difference, and I knew I had the power to.

I am an Auror, in case you were wondering, but when I actually become one does not come until much later in my story.

A week after I sent my letter to Remus, I went to Diagon Alley to collect this year's school things that had been requested in the yearly letter. I lazed around the remaining days, triple checked my trunk to make sure I had everything I could possibly need for Hogwarts, and went to sleep August thirty- first, extremely excited.

A/N: Alright, chapter one done. I know it's rather boring, and not so long, but I'm sliding into Hogwarts, just trying to get you into the characters, and introducing Lily's life, so, sorry if the letters bored you. Next chapter will be actual Hogwarts.

Review, and let me know if I should continue this any further.