Okay!! Hi People!!!! I suck at summaries, but this story is about Lily
Evans and.James Potter, who is a new student in Hogwarts. Lily notice
James, as he notice her. Lily deals with feelings she never felt before,
but not only for James but for other persons also, the same is for James,
who quickly becomes very popular.only because he is very handsome,
charming, funny.and strange. Many hormones are in the air.hey they are
fifteen years old!!! But the most important of all is that they get to know
about each other.or at least what they think.oh crap.read this story, it's
much better than my summary. There is a bit of mush in this story, but not
much, this story will be more of a.err.a grown up story.it is a PG-13
story!!!
Oh, I'm also writing another story, it's also about Lily and James. It's called La Nozze di Figaro.!!!!
Oh, all characters belong to J.K Rowling who is soooo adorable, expect for all the characters that you don't recognise! And people don't forget to review.cause that means a lot to me.
VERY IMPORTANT: I just wanted to say that the reason why I want a special number of reviews is because.it's reviews who cheer me up and makes me continue the story. If I write a story and don't get many reviews It makes me think that you didn't like it.and that the story was perhaps a bad story. Then I loose all interest in the story. But when I mean reviews.I'm also expecting flames, though that is very important.how else am I going to know if you didn't like the story for a specific reason. Of reviews I expect both good things and bad things. But I wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviewed...thank you so much.you are the best of the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy!!!!
"Behind The Shell There Is a Flower and a Man"
Chapter 1
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Lily Evans, fifteen years old, passed the opening of the Fat Lady with Melissa Faltingboard, her best friend since her first year at Hogwarts school. She sighed deeply, tired of the travel from Platform 9 ¾ to the huge castle that laid on a green hill in the countryside of Britain, well hidden from all muggles.
It was her fifth year in Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, and indeed a difficult year, at least what Professor McGonagall had told them before they ended forth year. She sighed deeply yet again, as she observed Arthur Weasley give instructions of the rules for the Gryffindor common room and yawned tired full when he, again, began to have a lecture about all kind of punishment that was to be giving by Professor McGonagall if anyone broke the rules. Many of the so called rules were utterly ridiculous, for example not to sneeze three times in a road for respect to the multiply of bacterium, that had complained the last year, and so on.
Arthur Weasley was indeed not a boring seventh year, he was one of the coolest persons in Hogwarts, or let us say popular, but his devotion to follow the rules sank his grades, the grades of GLBIH( Good-looking-boys-in Hogwarts), that Joanna Trattely from Hufflepuff had started the previous year for all girls.
Lily began to yawn again, putting her hand over her mouth, and Melissa soon followed. And so began the chain of yawning. Everyone was tired, Professor Dumbledore had talked longer than usual and the food had been surprisingly good as always, making everyone tired after the feast.
Sitting on one of the arm chairs of one of the sofas, Lily began to look around in the old common room with half closed eyes. Everything looked the same as always, and so did the students, well not all students. Sirius Black for example was surprisingly enough trying to grow a moustache, which definitely looked hilarious, though he only had a small down over his upper lip and constantly touched it with his hand.
Lily tried to suppress a laugh, but became quickly thereafter serious as a thought sneaked inside her brain... Her eyes began to moved from Sirius' pitiful moustache to his large, oily eyes, to his lips and.
Behave Lily!", Lily scowled herself, shaking that disturbing thought away. It was Sirius, Sirius Black! A guy who she well... didn't appreciate that much... though he could be fun sometimes... but that was very rare....well in Lily's point of view... in other's he was extremely handsome, which he probably was as Lily thought about it...
She restrained herself, as her eyes moved from Tricia Lanaa, Tommy Karlsson, Fillippa Ultimatos, to..
What's that, a new face?
In the back of the row a wildly, black hair pointed out as glittering mischievously dark-brown eyes moved calmly but also nervously from face to face, observing everything and everyone. It was a boy, a tall boy and very, very.
"Who is that?"
Melissa asked Lily, whispering in her ear, asking the same thing that Lily had asked herself.
Oh...so she has also noticed him! Thought that it was an optical illusion for a moment..., Lily said to herself, breathing deeply. She shrugged her shoulders, as if not taking the guy as important, but her eyes couldn't move from that peculiar boy in the back of the row.
It couldn't be a first year, though he seemed older, it couldn't definitely be a teacher, but maybe.a transfer student! That's what he is, Lily explained to herself. A darn good looking one too.Behave Lily!, Lily scowled herself again, You're just tired!. But her eyes seemed to drift to that boy in the back of the row, who now also noticed that a certain red- haired girl was observing him, making him feel more nervous than he already was, but also a bit.smug? He himself couldn't help glance at the girl from the corner of his eye.
Arthur breathed in for air, as he intended to continue about rule 104, but was soon caught of surprise by the many mumbles that was heard, from several students, specially female students. His chestnut brown eyes followed theirs to a certain boy, who.
Arthur slapped his head, cursing himself for not remembering. Professor McGonagall was going to kill him!
"Excuse me for ending the rule session (followed by few quiet yes of relief meant), but I have a-"
" an announcement to make?", Professor McGonagall interrupted, making Arthur red as horseradish, matching his fiercely red hair, as she entered the common room hastily, her face crimson red and the brown hair with streaks of grey hair tied up into a strain knot at the back of her head. Her eyes threw Arthur a disapproving look before she turned to the boy with a large and rare smile covering her mid-age face.
"Pupils!", she called, taking the new boy by the neck and bringing him to the centre of the common room, making many wake up from the trance they had been in when Arthur had been talking "We have a new student in the fifth year", she said proudly.
"May I present"
"James Potter", the boy said quickly, as a faint blush covered his face, but instead of shrinking of the blush it seemed, to Lily at least, that he grew even more and became taller, and taller.
Nice voice anyway, Lily thought, as she now observed the boy without feeling embarrassed, though everyone now looked at him. Not to dark, nor to light.
"I have been. taking private lessons before, but decided now to go to a public school when taking my Owls."
Oh, A rich wizard boy, Lily sighed, and observed him even more carefully. He certainly looked like one, specially by the clothes. He had black pants under the ordinary black cloak, which every kid in Hogwarts wore when the school started, but with the exception that his looked more.elegant? Under the cloak he had a crimson red turtleneck pullover, that matched him surprisingly good.
What a strange boy.Lily thought as her eyes drifted all over him.Wouldn't surprise me if every girl in Hogwarts throw themselves over him tomorrow early morning, or why not even today?
James Potter, Lily tasted the name in her lips, it sounded right, but unfortunately not for her lips. This boy seemed so.out of this wizard planet, comparing to her?
"Mr. Potter will then be with us from now on, and I want-"
Sirius Black took a step forward and interrupted Professor McGonagall by saying;" And how come he became a Gryffindor, not that we want you here", he said, turning to James Potter, who was slight taken back".I mean was it the sorting hat or-", he quiet down a bit when Professor McGongall threw him a gaze that clearly meant detention". I'm just being curious Prof."
"Always you Sirius", Lily muttered under her breath, "with the right questions at the right time"
"Well Mr. Black I think that Mr. Potter can answer you that later today, or even tomorrow, in that way you can begin to know each other and even start a lovely friendship"
This made James Potter more uncomfortable as the blush deepened, Sirius Black not close behind as he muttered under his breath a word which was hard for Lily to hear.
" As I was saying.Mr. Potter will be one of us from now on and It would indeed be a nice gesture if we welcome him by clapping our hands", Professor McGonagall said right after, taking James by surprise.
"It's not necessary", he muttered under his breath, and then looked at the Professor and gave her a loop side grin".Professor McGonagall it's really not necessary, I mean just being a Gryffindor is welcoming enough, it is a honour to be part of the Gryffindors and to have you as our leader", he said, smiling, and Lily could swear that a faint blush covered Professor McGonagall's face".but if you insist."
This boy sure knows how to behave around a teacher like Professor McGonagall.is that bad or good?
Filippa started to clap her hands while giggling and sending James Potter warm looks, soon followed by all fourth and fifth years and also sixth and seventh years, specially the females, and soon the hole common room were clapping their hands warmly.
"Now, now everyone go to your respective dormitories, Mr. Weasley-" Professor McGonagall turned to Arthur, who quickly stood by her side"-show the first years their dormitories and also Mr. Potter, would you?"
"Of course, Professor McGonagall", he said, almost shouting, though she had quickly disappeared among the now babbling Gryffindors.
"You heard the Professor", Arthur Weasley bellowed over the many voices, that strangely enough mentioned the same thing, James Potter," Go to your dormitories.First years- gather behind me!", he turned to James Potter who looked a bit confused", Stay here James, okay? I'll be right back."
James just nodded.
"Why did you take private lessons?", Remus Lupin, a brown haired fifteen year old Gryffindor blurted out looking at James suspiciously as he approached him, at the same time as Sirius also did.
"Was it because you're.ahem.I mean, because you have a difficulty to learn.or-" Sirius Black looked at him from head to toe"- because you're just.rich?", Sirius Black asked with out any proper manner.
"Excuse me?", Was all that James could say "But who are you?", he said in the most arrogant voice he could, which definitely showed its effect.
"They are just two imbeciles without knowledge of how to behave around people.I mean one imbecile-not you Remus," Lily snapped interrupting the sweet conversation, "Excuse me", she said shoving Sirius and Remus away from James Potters's view, with him close behind.
"But Lily!", Sirius protested" We were getting to know each other!"
"He's right", a voice said right behind them, it was indeed James Potter, who occasionally had a charming grin plastered on his face.".male friendship always begins with rudeness, didn't belive it until now though"
Lily Evans was slight taken back when she actually noticed that this strange boy was talking to her, and felt herself some how.blush? Which was very rare for her to do.
"..oh", was all she could say, wanting to disappear from the surface of the earth as soon as she said that clever respond. She began to look for something that would make her relax, which she found.looking at Sirius moustache. ".well, then be my pleasure and develop your friendship.", she glanced at Sirius and Remus and then turned to James, who had a funny looking face when looking at the two of them, now more relaxed".doubt that it will be hard though"
And with that she walked away, from the three boys, who were too preoccupied talking to each other and laughing to notice that she was gone.
*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~*
The next morning.
"You look very healthy today, Lily", Sirius commented in the Great Hall as Lily, the next morning, lumped down on the seat in front of him
" Good morning to you too Sirius", Lily yawned, streaking away a few curls from her forehead as a plate with bacon and eggs, tomato juice and porridge appeared in front of her.
"Hi Lily", Remus said between chews, looking tired as always...
"Morning Lily"
Lily jerked her head up, when she heard James Potter who indeed was sitting next to Sirius, pronounce her name. How in the world did he know my name?, she asked herself, as she at the same time fought hard not to grin.Don't be stupid Lily he heard Sirius say your name!
"Morning Remus..James", she said, suddenly afraid of sounding lame. Lame?, What's the matter with me? Since when did I start to care what boys think about me.or was it just this particular boy?.
Don't be stupid Lily!, Lily laughed to herself, not conscious that she did it loud, drawing the gaze of the three boys on her.
"As I said James.Lily.you just have to be careful with her. Cause women like her.well you never know", Sirius said, taking a bite of his toasted bread with butter and jam.
"What lies have you now spread Sirius" Lily said with a dull face" Do not listen to him James"
"I think that she seems harmless to me", James said, taking a sip from his apple juice, gazing at Lily from his seat, with the same loop side grin from yesterday.
"No, no, no.you haven't learned anything James, don't let you be deceived by the view-"
"Thanks Sirius",Lily said with a false smile, that went from ear to ear.
"-it's the contrary. For example in fourth grade when I by "accident"("bullshit!"-Remus coughed) threw a wart spell on her at Potions she made my life at Hogwarts miserable for two weeks. Do you know what she did to me?"
James shook his head, smiling.
"She put the Cuerpocampi spell on me, so that I for two WHOLE weeks had to walk with my hands and write with my feet, until Madam Pompfrey found a cure of course. Talk about embarrassing!"
"Shut up Sirius. You left about half the details. Did you forget that thanks to you slimy Serverous Snape gave me the name Volcano?
Sirius thought for a moment, as he brushed his moustache with his right hand.
"And shave away that awful down, it makes you look more like a goat", snorted Lily, taking a full spoon with now cold porridge.
"I think that it looks sexy, doesn't it Melissa", he said to Melissa when she approached them, as she sat down next to Lily. Her golden hair was tied up in a bun, which was very rare for her to have, and she had a big butterfly as a decoration on top of the bun. Lily leaned towards Melissa and smelled that she had sprayed her, Lily's, perfume that she had bought in Hogsmeade this summer.
Lily looked at Melissa with strange eyes, which Melissa totally ignored or just didn't see.
"I prefer not to respond to that question, thank you" Melissa said, grinning" Hi James!"
James looked a bit surprised ".Hi"
"My name is Melissa", she continued, stretching out her hand ( She has my ring with the red diamond on too ) as James awkwardly took it".so what do you think about Hogwarts?"
".I don't know yet though this is my first day.", he said looking at Melissa from head to toe, with a smile.
What is it with this boy?.
"Oh.silly me.", Melissa giggled uncontrolled.you know if you want I can guide you around this huge castle"
James smiled.
"Thank you, it would have been a pleasure, if now only Professor McGonagall hadn't done that yesterday.
"Oh.", Melissa sighed disappointedly.
"How did you arrive, cause I didn't see you in the train?", Lily asked with furrowed eyebrows, ignoring Melissa's glare.
"Well, my. family drove me to the castle", James answered hastily.
"Drove?", Remus asked curiously.
"Yes.well.my.father. drove me in a so called enchanted.what's it's name now.I think that it's called lar? Anyway, it's a muggle vehicle."
"You mean a car!", Lily giggled. Lar, how ridiculous.
"But why didn't you take the train?", Melissa asked, trying to get into the conversation." I mean would it not have been easier?"
"I had to be here before you arrived. to see the castle and everything."
"What a pity that you didn't take the train", Melissa said again, gazing at James with goggling eyes, sighing very deeply...
James for once noticed, and his face became slight pink, but it was soon gone as sly smile replaced it. But instead of looking back at Melissa he concentrated on his porridge.
Remus and Sirius changed looks, as they with great effort tried to cough the laughter that was threatening to escape, and if they only didn't have toasted bread and respective tomato juice in their mouths they would have definitely done it.
"Melissa, I have to tell you something very important", Lily said quickly, taking Melissa away from the Gryffindor table, as she was about to protest.
"What!?" Melissa jerked up, kind of annoyed.
"Come with me"
Outside the Great Hall, where students constantly walked back and forward, Lily Evans took Melissa to a small corner, where no one even glanced at them.
"Melissa, you are embarrassing yourself, and most of all the poor guy", Lily said looking back at the Great Hall, where Sirius and Remus were laughing uncontrolled and James just smiling, but Lily could see, in spite of the distance, that he also wanted to laugh as much as they did.
"What are you talking about", Melissa said innocently, as she took out a small mirror and a pink lipstick from the small bag she had in her hand.
"Look at yourself, It's so obvious that you fancy him. You practically throw yourself at the guy"
"Of course I know that Lily!", Melissa laughed" It's my goal!"
"What?", Lily said confused, scratching her head.
"Lily you're so naive!", Melissa continued, ignoring Lily's offended face".Look at James Potter", she continued, peering out behind the massive doors into the Great Hall, with Lily behind.".there's no other way to describe him than that he is so.hot and.I mean.no one's like him! He practically shines!"
Lily followed Melissa's gaze to James Potter who was now breading a toast with jam. He did it so carefully and with an utterly perfection. His gaze was calmed and his movements seemed so.planned? His raven black, messy hair pointed out in every direction, making Lily wonder if it was today's fashion, and his dark brown eyes twinkled at the same time as a smile formed his lips, when Sirius put a dust ball in Peter Pettigrew's porridge. Lily also noticed that he had a dimple on his left cheek, making Lily blush for some unexplainable reason.
He seems so shy and gentle.But that thought quickly vanished when she surprisingly saw James do the same thing to Remus's porridge, as a mishevious smile covered his face..or not.this boy sure is peculiar
When Lily's gaze moved to Sirius, she could se the difference so clearly. It's was not that James looked better, though Sirius also.well looked fine..and it wasn't James's better manners to eat either.it was something else, but what it was Lily couldn't explain. She wondered if that was what Melissa meant.
"It's just because his new Mel", Lily said lamely, though she didn't believe it either.
"I don't know perhaps", Melissa shrugged".but one thing is for sure, and that is that if I don't move fast.someone else is going to take him"
In that point, Lily understood that she was right. As she once again looked at James, she saw that almost every girl in the Great Hall was glancing at him and the majority of the girls walked pass his seat five to ten times, back and forward. But not once did James notice that, or maybe he didn't want to. But what Lily could see was a growing smile on his face, making her wonder if he indeed was conscious of the many eyes on him.and if he was enjoying it.
He sure is peculiar, Lily thought, as she saw a seventh year rawenclaw girl, named Clarrinetta with straight brown hair and blue eyes, drop her pencil occasionally by James's seat, which James noticed and being the gentleman he was, he picked it up for her. He smiled at the two year older girl as the girl's cheeks blossomed red, and then turned to his plate.
Lily sighed and turned to Melissa.
"Well.then you go girl.but-", she said holding Melissa's arm".be careful, you never know."
Melissa smiled at Lily and began to walk towards the boys with a sweet smile on her lips, as Lily still stayed behind the huge oak doors, looking, as her friend approached James and surprisingly ran her hand through his hair, as a friendly gesture, which he indeed enjoyed though his smile increased, this time not blushing.
I do not like this, Lily thought, gazing at the boy whose smile made her think about a lot of things.
*~~~*~~*~~~*~~~*
"Take out your books and turn to the page 345", said Professor Binns, the very boring and depressive history teacher said, as he began to babble about the long lost Hermits.
The hour hand seemed to move slower by every minute.tick.tack.tick.tack
Lily yawned, and lumped her chin in both of her hands, as she close her eyes. It was just typical that the first lesson of the term just HAD to be History with Professor Binns. She turned her head to see that Sirius apparently already had fallen asleep, with his forehead on the desk, snoring from time to time.
Remus was drawing on his notebook, but what it was Lily couldn't see though he sat infront of her. Everyone was in sort of a trance, dozing off in the hot classroom, as the sun shone brightly outside, and the birds sang happily. The lake outside looked so tempting, and Lily could practically hear the sea people shriek clearly "Come Lily, Come and swim, feel the refreshing water-"
SMACK!!!!!
With a loud thud Lily's chin hit the desk, as her chair fell backwards, and she herself bounced on the floor, making everyone wake up. Even Professor Binns.
"Miss Evans!", he said, irritated on the young lady for interrupting him in the middle of his sentence." What are you doing?!"
Lily winced of pain, but answered the Professor, as her cheeks blushed pink:" Err.I sort of fell, Professor", she said pathetically.
Some of the Hufflepuffs were giggling along with some Gryffindors. She glanced at one particular person who indeed was not laughing, instead giving her a sympathetic smile, or at least what she thought it was, making her even more embarrassed than she normally would had been. James Potter.
"What? From the chair?!" snorted Binns as he peered through his thick and enormous glasses at the red-haired girl" Next time, keep your.chair in control, Miss Evans", he said sarcastic, making Lily even more embarrassed," Now, back to Gonzo Varja, the 34th forgotten Hermi who indeed."
Once again, the class fell in a trance, but not Lily. Her cheeks still flushed pink, but not because she'd fallen.
*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*
Later that day Lily was sitting alone in the school library, reading a copy of "Hogwarts; A brief History", though it wasn't as interesting as she had thought that it would be. The accident under Professor Binns's class was now forgotten, but that's what Lily only was trying to convince herself, though from time to time she could remember the feeling of.
No Lily, do not go there, she scowled herself, shaking away that ridiculous thought.But why not?!.Because. look around you and tell yourself what you see?
Lily observed her surrounding, plain and grey shelves filled with books, from a distance she could hear some of her friends from Hufflepuff entering the library, a few chairs, a table with a single plant in the middle, she looked at her hands, the golden ring that she had on her index finger. Everything looked so.plain? So.simple, but yet everything a girl would want. She was indeed happy, she had friends, great friends, she had good grades and was a prefect, she had a family with exception of Petunia, and well.everything.wasn't it?
Nothing is magical, everything is yet so full of life.but simple
Lily sighed, rubbing her eyes. What's the matter with me?!
No answers, but even more questions.
. maybe I need something.someone.a friend.a boy.a boyfriend.Now where did that come from!
Sure there were plenty of candidates, but the problem wasn't with them, but with Lily. She sighed, sure it was easy to talk to boys, she had many boy friends, but FRIENDS, only as friends.now to be emotionally involved.was another thing, in Lily's opinion. She could imagine herself make a complete fool of herself if she ever made the attempt to actually flirt with someone. Another sigh, now to flirt was another difficult part. How the heck does a girl flirt?.But do I want to flirt? It seems so ridiculous to giggle when the boy says something or to touch his arm or anything, so that he would get the hint. Ha! And to wink.how the hell do you do that!, she kept thinking, giving it a try, but failed big time. Yet another sigh It's impossible..I'll never make anyone like me.
Aha! There it was, the big problem, Lily realised, sitting straight up and closing the book. But who in this school was properly, properly for her? The number of candidates slowly began to shrink, until zero. There wasn't anyone who wasn't too stuck up, selfish, immature, smelly, out of her reach, arrogant, evil.the list could go on forever.
Cheer up Lily, you start to sound like your aunt Martha.or like Petunia.okay.let's not get that far!
"Lily?", a male voice suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts, coming closer.
Lily jerked her head up from the table. It was indeed James Potter, who was standing in front of her, holding two books and a green bag, with a faint smile covering his young and handsome features.
"Can I sit here?", he asked, a bit nervous but with an amuse voice.
"Sure!", she said, cursing herself for almost screaming the answer." I mean if you want to?"
"Thanks", he put the bag on the table, along with the books, as he sat in front of her.
"So.do you like Hogwarts so far", she asked, streaking away a strand of red hair from her eyes.
"I love it! I never imagined that it would be so great!", he said enthusiastic, making Lily wonder if he was being ironic, at the same time as he took out a bottle of ink and a pencil.".Do you like it?"
Lily was slight taken back, no one had ever asked her that question, with exception from her parents, ".hm.I think I do."
"You think?", James said with a sly smile.
".I mean I do like it.or.I don't know, it 's very difficult to say, cause this is the only school I've been at, I mean wizard school"
"Oh, you're from a muggle family", he said, suddenly sounding very interested" I come from a wizard family, so I don't know so much about muggles"
"You should then take muggle studies", Lily smiled.
"I have been taken them, but the teacher I had didn't know more about muggles than I did! But it's okay, it's not that I even listened to the man when he taught me about other things anyway", he said with a smug smile, stretching out, as Lily looked at him in chock".but that's why I'm pretty glad that I'm self-taught!"
Lily just nodded, still not believing what James Potter just said. "But.if you want to learn about muggles anyway, you can take the classes here, and if you are self-taught as you said you were you'll then catch up with everyone else", she said, sounding ironic, and "why" she didn't know. James Potter was not what she had expected him to be.so far.
"That's what Professor McGonagall also told me", he paused, ignoring the last thing she'd said.
"If you sometimes need help, you just come right to me, I know everything about muggles.not to brag you know", Lily said , opening her book again, trying to be gentle.
"I'll keep that in mind", James said seriously, but then his face cracked into a grin." What're you reading?"
"oh.it's "Hogwarts; a brief history", though it's a bit boring" shrugged Lily." But it has very funny pictures from the teachers and students that once went in this school"
"Let me see", James said as he stood up and walked to Lily to see the book that she held in her hands.
"Ha! Look at him!", he said, leaning forward, pointing at a boy with something that looked like a hat on the top of his head, except that the hat had four edges.
"Must have been the fashion at that time", Lily laughed softly.
He smells good though, a smell of lemon and citrus.Stop it Lily!, she scowled herself.
He leaned in, making Lily aware of the closeness, as she began to feel uncomfortable. Suddenly he stood straight up again, but not in attempt to go away, he was only getting a chair to sit on, next to Lily, so that he could see the book at the same time as she did.
No, he hasn't noticed.it's okay Lily, come on, don't be nervous.he is just a boy.a boy who okay.thinks little much about himself.but anyway a boy who wants to be your friend, nothing strange with that, Lily breathed out and smiled back at James.
So they continued to look from page to page, laughing and joking, forgetting that they actually didn't know each other, at least not until now. Time passed by, seconds after second, minutes, after minutes, and hours after hours, neither one of them noticing that it already was dark outside the castle, that the night already had fallen in.
Dark shadows crept into the now dark library, as students one by one left the library, pass the sleeping librarian, not noticing that in the back of the room there were two laughing fifth years, celebrating their new found friendship. Giving each other glances from time to time, with out neither one of them noticing it.
Lily laughed" That was really, really funny James.Do it again!", she laughed, grinning from ear to ear as James once again imitated a student named Fonly Foncky with the most enormous ears Lily had ever seen.
Both of them laughed harder, but short thereafter Lily turned the page where there only was a single picture, a picture of a girl.
"Look at her!", Lily said, quickly becoming serious, pointing at a smiling beautiful girl with an angelic face and with the brightest blue eyes and red slightly curly long hair that laid perfectly on the girls shoulders, while James lit two candles "She is beautiful, far than beautiful", Lily, breathed out, barely whispering.
James looked at the picture carefully, taking his time as his eyes traced from the girl's features, her eyes, her mouth and strangely enough he then looked at Lily, back and forward.
"She looks like you", he said sincerely, his face not giving a hint of that he was yoking, because he wasn't, the boy was serious." With the exception that you have green eyes"
An awkward moment of silence fell in as James became aware of what he had said and strangely enough he looked away, his self-confidence now gone with the wind, moving away a bit from Lily, and Lily on the other hand was in disbelief, while James's word constantly bounced in her head. No one had ever said something like that to her, referring that she was beautiful. Specially someone like James, or what he appeared to be.
Lily.don't be stupid.this boy is so not being serious.you saw in the Great Hall, this WHOLE day, how he really behaves.or how he really is.or how I think he is.
"I-", they said at the same time, blushing more than they already did and laughing at the same time.
"You first", James said with a monotone voice.
Lily swallowed hard".I.I think it's late", she said standing up, looking down at the floor, feeling James' gaze on her. How she wanted to disappear right now!
When she looked up, James looked away, now also standing up.
"You're strange", Lily blurted out, blushing even more. But this made James finally turn his head and look at her.
"I am?", He laughed" Was it meant like a compliment or an insult?"
"No.It's just that-", Lily raised her head, and met his brown eyes".I don't know, maybe it's just me.or you"
They looked at each other, in silence, deadly silence and Lily could swear that she felt herself float and all her thoughts were vanished making her feel as she was in vacuum, until James finally looked down and backed away, breaking the connection.
" I have to go now actually, you're right... it's late.", he said looking back at Lily, smiling, a rare smile indeed.
"See you Lily.Evans", he said almost running away, as he hastily took his books and bag, passing by the snoring Librarian.
Lily just stood there, not sure, of what had happened.if something had happened. She shrugged, taking the heavy book in her arms, thinking about the girl in the picture, about James , about herself, about everything.
.what a peculiar boy indeed., she thought, while going upwards the staircase to the north tower, guided by the lighted torches.very strange., she snorted, at the same time as a smile formed her lips.this is going to be a very interesting year., not aware of how right she really was.
*~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~* ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~*
Well what'd you think???? Please review.I know that this might come as threat but I want minimum 20 REVIEWS SO THAT I WILL CONTINUE THIS STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So write down now! REVIEWS REVIEWS, REVIEWS, REVIEWS, REVIEWS, REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come one People it realllllllllyyyyyyyyyy means a lot to me!!!!!
Oh, I'm also writing another story, it's also about Lily and James. It's called La Nozze di Figaro.!!!!
Oh, all characters belong to J.K Rowling who is soooo adorable, expect for all the characters that you don't recognise! And people don't forget to review.cause that means a lot to me.
VERY IMPORTANT: I just wanted to say that the reason why I want a special number of reviews is because.it's reviews who cheer me up and makes me continue the story. If I write a story and don't get many reviews It makes me think that you didn't like it.and that the story was perhaps a bad story. Then I loose all interest in the story. But when I mean reviews.I'm also expecting flames, though that is very important.how else am I going to know if you didn't like the story for a specific reason. Of reviews I expect both good things and bad things. But I wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviewed...thank you so much.you are the best of the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy!!!!
"Behind The Shell There Is a Flower and a Man"
Chapter 1
~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*
Lily Evans, fifteen years old, passed the opening of the Fat Lady with Melissa Faltingboard, her best friend since her first year at Hogwarts school. She sighed deeply, tired of the travel from Platform 9 ¾ to the huge castle that laid on a green hill in the countryside of Britain, well hidden from all muggles.
It was her fifth year in Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, and indeed a difficult year, at least what Professor McGonagall had told them before they ended forth year. She sighed deeply yet again, as she observed Arthur Weasley give instructions of the rules for the Gryffindor common room and yawned tired full when he, again, began to have a lecture about all kind of punishment that was to be giving by Professor McGonagall if anyone broke the rules. Many of the so called rules were utterly ridiculous, for example not to sneeze three times in a road for respect to the multiply of bacterium, that had complained the last year, and so on.
Arthur Weasley was indeed not a boring seventh year, he was one of the coolest persons in Hogwarts, or let us say popular, but his devotion to follow the rules sank his grades, the grades of GLBIH( Good-looking-boys-in Hogwarts), that Joanna Trattely from Hufflepuff had started the previous year for all girls.
Lily began to yawn again, putting her hand over her mouth, and Melissa soon followed. And so began the chain of yawning. Everyone was tired, Professor Dumbledore had talked longer than usual and the food had been surprisingly good as always, making everyone tired after the feast.
Sitting on one of the arm chairs of one of the sofas, Lily began to look around in the old common room with half closed eyes. Everything looked the same as always, and so did the students, well not all students. Sirius Black for example was surprisingly enough trying to grow a moustache, which definitely looked hilarious, though he only had a small down over his upper lip and constantly touched it with his hand.
Lily tried to suppress a laugh, but became quickly thereafter serious as a thought sneaked inside her brain... Her eyes began to moved from Sirius' pitiful moustache to his large, oily eyes, to his lips and.
Behave Lily!", Lily scowled herself, shaking that disturbing thought away. It was Sirius, Sirius Black! A guy who she well... didn't appreciate that much... though he could be fun sometimes... but that was very rare....well in Lily's point of view... in other's he was extremely handsome, which he probably was as Lily thought about it...
She restrained herself, as her eyes moved from Tricia Lanaa, Tommy Karlsson, Fillippa Ultimatos, to..
What's that, a new face?
In the back of the row a wildly, black hair pointed out as glittering mischievously dark-brown eyes moved calmly but also nervously from face to face, observing everything and everyone. It was a boy, a tall boy and very, very.
"Who is that?"
Melissa asked Lily, whispering in her ear, asking the same thing that Lily had asked herself.
Oh...so she has also noticed him! Thought that it was an optical illusion for a moment..., Lily said to herself, breathing deeply. She shrugged her shoulders, as if not taking the guy as important, but her eyes couldn't move from that peculiar boy in the back of the row.
It couldn't be a first year, though he seemed older, it couldn't definitely be a teacher, but maybe.a transfer student! That's what he is, Lily explained to herself. A darn good looking one too.Behave Lily!, Lily scowled herself again, You're just tired!. But her eyes seemed to drift to that boy in the back of the row, who now also noticed that a certain red- haired girl was observing him, making him feel more nervous than he already was, but also a bit.smug? He himself couldn't help glance at the girl from the corner of his eye.
Arthur breathed in for air, as he intended to continue about rule 104, but was soon caught of surprise by the many mumbles that was heard, from several students, specially female students. His chestnut brown eyes followed theirs to a certain boy, who.
Arthur slapped his head, cursing himself for not remembering. Professor McGonagall was going to kill him!
"Excuse me for ending the rule session (followed by few quiet yes of relief meant), but I have a-"
" an announcement to make?", Professor McGonagall interrupted, making Arthur red as horseradish, matching his fiercely red hair, as she entered the common room hastily, her face crimson red and the brown hair with streaks of grey hair tied up into a strain knot at the back of her head. Her eyes threw Arthur a disapproving look before she turned to the boy with a large and rare smile covering her mid-age face.
"Pupils!", she called, taking the new boy by the neck and bringing him to the centre of the common room, making many wake up from the trance they had been in when Arthur had been talking "We have a new student in the fifth year", she said proudly.
"May I present"
"James Potter", the boy said quickly, as a faint blush covered his face, but instead of shrinking of the blush it seemed, to Lily at least, that he grew even more and became taller, and taller.
Nice voice anyway, Lily thought, as she now observed the boy without feeling embarrassed, though everyone now looked at him. Not to dark, nor to light.
"I have been. taking private lessons before, but decided now to go to a public school when taking my Owls."
Oh, A rich wizard boy, Lily sighed, and observed him even more carefully. He certainly looked like one, specially by the clothes. He had black pants under the ordinary black cloak, which every kid in Hogwarts wore when the school started, but with the exception that his looked more.elegant? Under the cloak he had a crimson red turtleneck pullover, that matched him surprisingly good.
What a strange boy.Lily thought as her eyes drifted all over him.Wouldn't surprise me if every girl in Hogwarts throw themselves over him tomorrow early morning, or why not even today?
James Potter, Lily tasted the name in her lips, it sounded right, but unfortunately not for her lips. This boy seemed so.out of this wizard planet, comparing to her?
"Mr. Potter will then be with us from now on, and I want-"
Sirius Black took a step forward and interrupted Professor McGonagall by saying;" And how come he became a Gryffindor, not that we want you here", he said, turning to James Potter, who was slight taken back".I mean was it the sorting hat or-", he quiet down a bit when Professor McGongall threw him a gaze that clearly meant detention". I'm just being curious Prof."
"Always you Sirius", Lily muttered under her breath, "with the right questions at the right time"
"Well Mr. Black I think that Mr. Potter can answer you that later today, or even tomorrow, in that way you can begin to know each other and even start a lovely friendship"
This made James Potter more uncomfortable as the blush deepened, Sirius Black not close behind as he muttered under his breath a word which was hard for Lily to hear.
" As I was saying.Mr. Potter will be one of us from now on and It would indeed be a nice gesture if we welcome him by clapping our hands", Professor McGonagall said right after, taking James by surprise.
"It's not necessary", he muttered under his breath, and then looked at the Professor and gave her a loop side grin".Professor McGonagall it's really not necessary, I mean just being a Gryffindor is welcoming enough, it is a honour to be part of the Gryffindors and to have you as our leader", he said, smiling, and Lily could swear that a faint blush covered Professor McGonagall's face".but if you insist."
This boy sure knows how to behave around a teacher like Professor McGonagall.is that bad or good?
Filippa started to clap her hands while giggling and sending James Potter warm looks, soon followed by all fourth and fifth years and also sixth and seventh years, specially the females, and soon the hole common room were clapping their hands warmly.
"Now, now everyone go to your respective dormitories, Mr. Weasley-" Professor McGonagall turned to Arthur, who quickly stood by her side"-show the first years their dormitories and also Mr. Potter, would you?"
"Of course, Professor McGonagall", he said, almost shouting, though she had quickly disappeared among the now babbling Gryffindors.
"You heard the Professor", Arthur Weasley bellowed over the many voices, that strangely enough mentioned the same thing, James Potter," Go to your dormitories.First years- gather behind me!", he turned to James Potter who looked a bit confused", Stay here James, okay? I'll be right back."
James just nodded.
"Why did you take private lessons?", Remus Lupin, a brown haired fifteen year old Gryffindor blurted out looking at James suspiciously as he approached him, at the same time as Sirius also did.
"Was it because you're.ahem.I mean, because you have a difficulty to learn.or-" Sirius Black looked at him from head to toe"- because you're just.rich?", Sirius Black asked with out any proper manner.
"Excuse me?", Was all that James could say "But who are you?", he said in the most arrogant voice he could, which definitely showed its effect.
"They are just two imbeciles without knowledge of how to behave around people.I mean one imbecile-not you Remus," Lily snapped interrupting the sweet conversation, "Excuse me", she said shoving Sirius and Remus away from James Potters's view, with him close behind.
"But Lily!", Sirius protested" We were getting to know each other!"
"He's right", a voice said right behind them, it was indeed James Potter, who occasionally had a charming grin plastered on his face.".male friendship always begins with rudeness, didn't belive it until now though"
Lily Evans was slight taken back when she actually noticed that this strange boy was talking to her, and felt herself some how.blush? Which was very rare for her to do.
"..oh", was all she could say, wanting to disappear from the surface of the earth as soon as she said that clever respond. She began to look for something that would make her relax, which she found.looking at Sirius moustache. ".well, then be my pleasure and develop your friendship.", she glanced at Sirius and Remus and then turned to James, who had a funny looking face when looking at the two of them, now more relaxed".doubt that it will be hard though"
And with that she walked away, from the three boys, who were too preoccupied talking to each other and laughing to notice that she was gone.
*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~*
The next morning.
"You look very healthy today, Lily", Sirius commented in the Great Hall as Lily, the next morning, lumped down on the seat in front of him
" Good morning to you too Sirius", Lily yawned, streaking away a few curls from her forehead as a plate with bacon and eggs, tomato juice and porridge appeared in front of her.
"Hi Lily", Remus said between chews, looking tired as always...
"Morning Lily"
Lily jerked her head up, when she heard James Potter who indeed was sitting next to Sirius, pronounce her name. How in the world did he know my name?, she asked herself, as she at the same time fought hard not to grin.Don't be stupid Lily he heard Sirius say your name!
"Morning Remus..James", she said, suddenly afraid of sounding lame. Lame?, What's the matter with me? Since when did I start to care what boys think about me.or was it just this particular boy?.
Don't be stupid Lily!, Lily laughed to herself, not conscious that she did it loud, drawing the gaze of the three boys on her.
"As I said James.Lily.you just have to be careful with her. Cause women like her.well you never know", Sirius said, taking a bite of his toasted bread with butter and jam.
"What lies have you now spread Sirius" Lily said with a dull face" Do not listen to him James"
"I think that she seems harmless to me", James said, taking a sip from his apple juice, gazing at Lily from his seat, with the same loop side grin from yesterday.
"No, no, no.you haven't learned anything James, don't let you be deceived by the view-"
"Thanks Sirius",Lily said with a false smile, that went from ear to ear.
"-it's the contrary. For example in fourth grade when I by "accident"("bullshit!"-Remus coughed) threw a wart spell on her at Potions she made my life at Hogwarts miserable for two weeks. Do you know what she did to me?"
James shook his head, smiling.
"She put the Cuerpocampi spell on me, so that I for two WHOLE weeks had to walk with my hands and write with my feet, until Madam Pompfrey found a cure of course. Talk about embarrassing!"
"Shut up Sirius. You left about half the details. Did you forget that thanks to you slimy Serverous Snape gave me the name Volcano?
Sirius thought for a moment, as he brushed his moustache with his right hand.
"And shave away that awful down, it makes you look more like a goat", snorted Lily, taking a full spoon with now cold porridge.
"I think that it looks sexy, doesn't it Melissa", he said to Melissa when she approached them, as she sat down next to Lily. Her golden hair was tied up in a bun, which was very rare for her to have, and she had a big butterfly as a decoration on top of the bun. Lily leaned towards Melissa and smelled that she had sprayed her, Lily's, perfume that she had bought in Hogsmeade this summer.
Lily looked at Melissa with strange eyes, which Melissa totally ignored or just didn't see.
"I prefer not to respond to that question, thank you" Melissa said, grinning" Hi James!"
James looked a bit surprised ".Hi"
"My name is Melissa", she continued, stretching out her hand ( She has my ring with the red diamond on too ) as James awkwardly took it".so what do you think about Hogwarts?"
".I don't know yet though this is my first day.", he said looking at Melissa from head to toe, with a smile.
What is it with this boy?.
"Oh.silly me.", Melissa giggled uncontrolled.you know if you want I can guide you around this huge castle"
James smiled.
"Thank you, it would have been a pleasure, if now only Professor McGonagall hadn't done that yesterday.
"Oh.", Melissa sighed disappointedly.
"How did you arrive, cause I didn't see you in the train?", Lily asked with furrowed eyebrows, ignoring Melissa's glare.
"Well, my. family drove me to the castle", James answered hastily.
"Drove?", Remus asked curiously.
"Yes.well.my.father. drove me in a so called enchanted.what's it's name now.I think that it's called lar? Anyway, it's a muggle vehicle."
"You mean a car!", Lily giggled. Lar, how ridiculous.
"But why didn't you take the train?", Melissa asked, trying to get into the conversation." I mean would it not have been easier?"
"I had to be here before you arrived. to see the castle and everything."
"What a pity that you didn't take the train", Melissa said again, gazing at James with goggling eyes, sighing very deeply...
James for once noticed, and his face became slight pink, but it was soon gone as sly smile replaced it. But instead of looking back at Melissa he concentrated on his porridge.
Remus and Sirius changed looks, as they with great effort tried to cough the laughter that was threatening to escape, and if they only didn't have toasted bread and respective tomato juice in their mouths they would have definitely done it.
"Melissa, I have to tell you something very important", Lily said quickly, taking Melissa away from the Gryffindor table, as she was about to protest.
"What!?" Melissa jerked up, kind of annoyed.
"Come with me"
Outside the Great Hall, where students constantly walked back and forward, Lily Evans took Melissa to a small corner, where no one even glanced at them.
"Melissa, you are embarrassing yourself, and most of all the poor guy", Lily said looking back at the Great Hall, where Sirius and Remus were laughing uncontrolled and James just smiling, but Lily could see, in spite of the distance, that he also wanted to laugh as much as they did.
"What are you talking about", Melissa said innocently, as she took out a small mirror and a pink lipstick from the small bag she had in her hand.
"Look at yourself, It's so obvious that you fancy him. You practically throw yourself at the guy"
"Of course I know that Lily!", Melissa laughed" It's my goal!"
"What?", Lily said confused, scratching her head.
"Lily you're so naive!", Melissa continued, ignoring Lily's offended face".Look at James Potter", she continued, peering out behind the massive doors into the Great Hall, with Lily behind.".there's no other way to describe him than that he is so.hot and.I mean.no one's like him! He practically shines!"
Lily followed Melissa's gaze to James Potter who was now breading a toast with jam. He did it so carefully and with an utterly perfection. His gaze was calmed and his movements seemed so.planned? His raven black, messy hair pointed out in every direction, making Lily wonder if it was today's fashion, and his dark brown eyes twinkled at the same time as a smile formed his lips, when Sirius put a dust ball in Peter Pettigrew's porridge. Lily also noticed that he had a dimple on his left cheek, making Lily blush for some unexplainable reason.
He seems so shy and gentle.But that thought quickly vanished when she surprisingly saw James do the same thing to Remus's porridge, as a mishevious smile covered his face..or not.this boy sure is peculiar
When Lily's gaze moved to Sirius, she could se the difference so clearly. It's was not that James looked better, though Sirius also.well looked fine..and it wasn't James's better manners to eat either.it was something else, but what it was Lily couldn't explain. She wondered if that was what Melissa meant.
"It's just because his new Mel", Lily said lamely, though she didn't believe it either.
"I don't know perhaps", Melissa shrugged".but one thing is for sure, and that is that if I don't move fast.someone else is going to take him"
In that point, Lily understood that she was right. As she once again looked at James, she saw that almost every girl in the Great Hall was glancing at him and the majority of the girls walked pass his seat five to ten times, back and forward. But not once did James notice that, or maybe he didn't want to. But what Lily could see was a growing smile on his face, making her wonder if he indeed was conscious of the many eyes on him.and if he was enjoying it.
He sure is peculiar, Lily thought, as she saw a seventh year rawenclaw girl, named Clarrinetta with straight brown hair and blue eyes, drop her pencil occasionally by James's seat, which James noticed and being the gentleman he was, he picked it up for her. He smiled at the two year older girl as the girl's cheeks blossomed red, and then turned to his plate.
Lily sighed and turned to Melissa.
"Well.then you go girl.but-", she said holding Melissa's arm".be careful, you never know."
Melissa smiled at Lily and began to walk towards the boys with a sweet smile on her lips, as Lily still stayed behind the huge oak doors, looking, as her friend approached James and surprisingly ran her hand through his hair, as a friendly gesture, which he indeed enjoyed though his smile increased, this time not blushing.
I do not like this, Lily thought, gazing at the boy whose smile made her think about a lot of things.
*~~~*~~*~~~*~~~*
"Take out your books and turn to the page 345", said Professor Binns, the very boring and depressive history teacher said, as he began to babble about the long lost Hermits.
The hour hand seemed to move slower by every minute.tick.tack.tick.tack
Lily yawned, and lumped her chin in both of her hands, as she close her eyes. It was just typical that the first lesson of the term just HAD to be History with Professor Binns. She turned her head to see that Sirius apparently already had fallen asleep, with his forehead on the desk, snoring from time to time.
Remus was drawing on his notebook, but what it was Lily couldn't see though he sat infront of her. Everyone was in sort of a trance, dozing off in the hot classroom, as the sun shone brightly outside, and the birds sang happily. The lake outside looked so tempting, and Lily could practically hear the sea people shriek clearly "Come Lily, Come and swim, feel the refreshing water-"
SMACK!!!!!
With a loud thud Lily's chin hit the desk, as her chair fell backwards, and she herself bounced on the floor, making everyone wake up. Even Professor Binns.
"Miss Evans!", he said, irritated on the young lady for interrupting him in the middle of his sentence." What are you doing?!"
Lily winced of pain, but answered the Professor, as her cheeks blushed pink:" Err.I sort of fell, Professor", she said pathetically.
Some of the Hufflepuffs were giggling along with some Gryffindors. She glanced at one particular person who indeed was not laughing, instead giving her a sympathetic smile, or at least what she thought it was, making her even more embarrassed than she normally would had been. James Potter.
"What? From the chair?!" snorted Binns as he peered through his thick and enormous glasses at the red-haired girl" Next time, keep your.chair in control, Miss Evans", he said sarcastic, making Lily even more embarrassed," Now, back to Gonzo Varja, the 34th forgotten Hermi who indeed."
Once again, the class fell in a trance, but not Lily. Her cheeks still flushed pink, but not because she'd fallen.
*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*
Later that day Lily was sitting alone in the school library, reading a copy of "Hogwarts; A brief History", though it wasn't as interesting as she had thought that it would be. The accident under Professor Binns's class was now forgotten, but that's what Lily only was trying to convince herself, though from time to time she could remember the feeling of.
No Lily, do not go there, she scowled herself, shaking away that ridiculous thought.But why not?!.Because. look around you and tell yourself what you see?
Lily observed her surrounding, plain and grey shelves filled with books, from a distance she could hear some of her friends from Hufflepuff entering the library, a few chairs, a table with a single plant in the middle, she looked at her hands, the golden ring that she had on her index finger. Everything looked so.plain? So.simple, but yet everything a girl would want. She was indeed happy, she had friends, great friends, she had good grades and was a prefect, she had a family with exception of Petunia, and well.everything.wasn't it?
Nothing is magical, everything is yet so full of life.but simple
Lily sighed, rubbing her eyes. What's the matter with me?!
No answers, but even more questions.
. maybe I need something.someone.a friend.a boy.a boyfriend.Now where did that come from!
Sure there were plenty of candidates, but the problem wasn't with them, but with Lily. She sighed, sure it was easy to talk to boys, she had many boy friends, but FRIENDS, only as friends.now to be emotionally involved.was another thing, in Lily's opinion. She could imagine herself make a complete fool of herself if she ever made the attempt to actually flirt with someone. Another sigh, now to flirt was another difficult part. How the heck does a girl flirt?.But do I want to flirt? It seems so ridiculous to giggle when the boy says something or to touch his arm or anything, so that he would get the hint. Ha! And to wink.how the hell do you do that!, she kept thinking, giving it a try, but failed big time. Yet another sigh It's impossible..I'll never make anyone like me.
Aha! There it was, the big problem, Lily realised, sitting straight up and closing the book. But who in this school was properly, properly for her? The number of candidates slowly began to shrink, until zero. There wasn't anyone who wasn't too stuck up, selfish, immature, smelly, out of her reach, arrogant, evil.the list could go on forever.
Cheer up Lily, you start to sound like your aunt Martha.or like Petunia.okay.let's not get that far!
"Lily?", a male voice suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts, coming closer.
Lily jerked her head up from the table. It was indeed James Potter, who was standing in front of her, holding two books and a green bag, with a faint smile covering his young and handsome features.
"Can I sit here?", he asked, a bit nervous but with an amuse voice.
"Sure!", she said, cursing herself for almost screaming the answer." I mean if you want to?"
"Thanks", he put the bag on the table, along with the books, as he sat in front of her.
"So.do you like Hogwarts so far", she asked, streaking away a strand of red hair from her eyes.
"I love it! I never imagined that it would be so great!", he said enthusiastic, making Lily wonder if he was being ironic, at the same time as he took out a bottle of ink and a pencil.".Do you like it?"
Lily was slight taken back, no one had ever asked her that question, with exception from her parents, ".hm.I think I do."
"You think?", James said with a sly smile.
".I mean I do like it.or.I don't know, it 's very difficult to say, cause this is the only school I've been at, I mean wizard school"
"Oh, you're from a muggle family", he said, suddenly sounding very interested" I come from a wizard family, so I don't know so much about muggles"
"You should then take muggle studies", Lily smiled.
"I have been taken them, but the teacher I had didn't know more about muggles than I did! But it's okay, it's not that I even listened to the man when he taught me about other things anyway", he said with a smug smile, stretching out, as Lily looked at him in chock".but that's why I'm pretty glad that I'm self-taught!"
Lily just nodded, still not believing what James Potter just said. "But.if you want to learn about muggles anyway, you can take the classes here, and if you are self-taught as you said you were you'll then catch up with everyone else", she said, sounding ironic, and "why" she didn't know. James Potter was not what she had expected him to be.so far.
"That's what Professor McGonagall also told me", he paused, ignoring the last thing she'd said.
"If you sometimes need help, you just come right to me, I know everything about muggles.not to brag you know", Lily said , opening her book again, trying to be gentle.
"I'll keep that in mind", James said seriously, but then his face cracked into a grin." What're you reading?"
"oh.it's "Hogwarts; a brief history", though it's a bit boring" shrugged Lily." But it has very funny pictures from the teachers and students that once went in this school"
"Let me see", James said as he stood up and walked to Lily to see the book that she held in her hands.
"Ha! Look at him!", he said, leaning forward, pointing at a boy with something that looked like a hat on the top of his head, except that the hat had four edges.
"Must have been the fashion at that time", Lily laughed softly.
He smells good though, a smell of lemon and citrus.Stop it Lily!, she scowled herself.
He leaned in, making Lily aware of the closeness, as she began to feel uncomfortable. Suddenly he stood straight up again, but not in attempt to go away, he was only getting a chair to sit on, next to Lily, so that he could see the book at the same time as she did.
No, he hasn't noticed.it's okay Lily, come on, don't be nervous.he is just a boy.a boy who okay.thinks little much about himself.but anyway a boy who wants to be your friend, nothing strange with that, Lily breathed out and smiled back at James.
So they continued to look from page to page, laughing and joking, forgetting that they actually didn't know each other, at least not until now. Time passed by, seconds after second, minutes, after minutes, and hours after hours, neither one of them noticing that it already was dark outside the castle, that the night already had fallen in.
Dark shadows crept into the now dark library, as students one by one left the library, pass the sleeping librarian, not noticing that in the back of the room there were two laughing fifth years, celebrating their new found friendship. Giving each other glances from time to time, with out neither one of them noticing it.
Lily laughed" That was really, really funny James.Do it again!", she laughed, grinning from ear to ear as James once again imitated a student named Fonly Foncky with the most enormous ears Lily had ever seen.
Both of them laughed harder, but short thereafter Lily turned the page where there only was a single picture, a picture of a girl.
"Look at her!", Lily said, quickly becoming serious, pointing at a smiling beautiful girl with an angelic face and with the brightest blue eyes and red slightly curly long hair that laid perfectly on the girls shoulders, while James lit two candles "She is beautiful, far than beautiful", Lily, breathed out, barely whispering.
James looked at the picture carefully, taking his time as his eyes traced from the girl's features, her eyes, her mouth and strangely enough he then looked at Lily, back and forward.
"She looks like you", he said sincerely, his face not giving a hint of that he was yoking, because he wasn't, the boy was serious." With the exception that you have green eyes"
An awkward moment of silence fell in as James became aware of what he had said and strangely enough he looked away, his self-confidence now gone with the wind, moving away a bit from Lily, and Lily on the other hand was in disbelief, while James's word constantly bounced in her head. No one had ever said something like that to her, referring that she was beautiful. Specially someone like James, or what he appeared to be.
Lily.don't be stupid.this boy is so not being serious.you saw in the Great Hall, this WHOLE day, how he really behaves.or how he really is.or how I think he is.
"I-", they said at the same time, blushing more than they already did and laughing at the same time.
"You first", James said with a monotone voice.
Lily swallowed hard".I.I think it's late", she said standing up, looking down at the floor, feeling James' gaze on her. How she wanted to disappear right now!
When she looked up, James looked away, now also standing up.
"You're strange", Lily blurted out, blushing even more. But this made James finally turn his head and look at her.
"I am?", He laughed" Was it meant like a compliment or an insult?"
"No.It's just that-", Lily raised her head, and met his brown eyes".I don't know, maybe it's just me.or you"
They looked at each other, in silence, deadly silence and Lily could swear that she felt herself float and all her thoughts were vanished making her feel as she was in vacuum, until James finally looked down and backed away, breaking the connection.
" I have to go now actually, you're right... it's late.", he said looking back at Lily, smiling, a rare smile indeed.
"See you Lily.Evans", he said almost running away, as he hastily took his books and bag, passing by the snoring Librarian.
Lily just stood there, not sure, of what had happened.if something had happened. She shrugged, taking the heavy book in her arms, thinking about the girl in the picture, about James , about herself, about everything.
.what a peculiar boy indeed., she thought, while going upwards the staircase to the north tower, guided by the lighted torches.very strange., she snorted, at the same time as a smile formed her lips.this is going to be a very interesting year., not aware of how right she really was.
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