A/N: Hey Everyone!! It's my first James/Lily fic you guys will love it and this one's for Nimmy and Michael, my Ms pwn a lot and thanks to Sammy Smith my BETA.
Title: Dear Sam
Chapter 1- Quaffle Kid
It was a beautiful Monday morning and the Great Hall was filled with excited chatter from the students. Normally, everyone would be groaning about classes and unfinished homework but on this particular day at Hogwarts, it was different. Everyone couldn't help but talk about one thing: The Phoenix.
The Phoenix is Hogwarts' weekly school magazine. Professor Dumbledore established it and it covers everything about the school. Quidditch games, clubs, and student editorials etc. But of all the articles inside the school magazine, there was one column that's very popular amongst the student body.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so excited for this week's issue! I hope Sam read my letter," Alice sat beside her best friend, Lily Evans.
Lily was reading her Transfiguration book. She put it down and looked at her friend. "You wrote to Sam?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow.
"Of course I did. She or He is the greatest columnist in The Phoenix ever," Alice replied.
Sam is the penname of the advice columnist called 'Dear Sam' in The Phoenix. No one knows his or her name. They aren't even sure if Sam is female or male.
"It's here!!" Alice screamed, pointing at the floating magazines that were landing in front of each student. Everyone abandoned their meals and took the magazine enthusiastically. The boys were scanning through the pages hurriedly until they reached the Quidditch page, and the girls directly flipping to Sam's column.
Everyone was busy reading the magazine except for Lily. She grinned at her friend who was busy reading the column and hearing her scream at the end when she found out that 'Sam' answered to her letter.
"Your identity wouldn't have been revealed if only you didn't scream. Now Frank Longbottom knows that you fancy him," Lily said, she stood up and prepared to leave the Great Hall for her first class of the day. "Come on, let's go," Lily insisted while looking at Alice who was still in her seat, blushing furiously.
Third period class was Defence Against the Dark Arts, they were doing research in the Library. As usual, Lily was the first one to finish all of her research work.
"Hey Evans," James Potter sat across from her.
"What do you want, Potter?" She said, giving him a glare.
"I got detention for 2 months," He said.
"And I'm concerned, why?" She replied.
"My detention's going to be with you, working at the Phoenix," He smirked.
"THE WHAT?!" She shouted and received a warning from Madam Pince, "How is that possible? Who would put an idiot like you there?"
"Someone who believes I have potential," He replied, flashing a smile.
"Yeah right. And what are you going to write about? "10 Reasons Why James Potter has a big head"? Or perhaps, "How to win an instant date with big-headed Potter"?" She scoffed.
"Believe me. If I did write that article about how to win an instant date with James Potter I could summarised it in seven words" He moved closer to her, "As long as you're not Lily Evans."
"You and your ego," Lily snapped.
"Meet you later after dinner?" James asked innocently.
"Excuse me?" Her face was a mask of incredulity.
"Well, you know, I work at The Phoenix now and I seriously have no idea where you guys do your nerdy stuff," James answered.
"It's called writing, and I am certainly not going with you. Go there by yourself," She finished and stood up, then proceeded to sit at another table.
Lily finally finished her article on Muggle technology a few minutes later and was glad that Potter didn't bother her anymore. In order to kill time before the period ended, she decided to read The Phoenix. A few turning of pages later, she was on Sam's advice column.
Dear Sam,
My boyfriend and I have been going out for a year now, but every month there's one time where he acts all weird and everything. I asked him what's wrong with him but he tells me he's fine. I was thinking that maybe he's cheating on me. What should I do?
Confused Hufflepuff
Dear Confused Hufflepuff,
Acting all weird every month? Your boyfriend must be hiding something from you. You should make him talk to you about it. It's either he's cheating on you or maybe he has one furry little secret.
Sam
Lily chuckled a bit reading that.
Dear Sam,
I am muggle born and I'm not sure if you've ever heard of the word 'divorce'. Well, my parents owled to me a month ago and told me that they might be getting a divorce anytime soon. I'm really sad about it because I'm the only child and I know one day I'll have to choose between the two of them. Please help me.
Griffin
Dear Griffin,
Luckily, I know what 'divorce' is. Maybe you shouldn't think about it too much. Your parents did say that they might get a divorce and it isn't sure yet if they actually will. Just wait for them to tell you that and make them think about it first.
Sam
The next one read.
Dear Sam,
I've been crushing on Frank Longbottom from Gryffindor and I really like him. I'm not sure if he likes me though, but he's really good to me and everything. I'm not sure if I should tell him or if I should wait, because I really, really want to tell him what I feel. But I'm also scared that people might laugh at me. And what if he's going to reject me?
IloveFrank
Dear IloveFrank,
You should tell him what you feel about him and don't let others bring you down. It is rare for a girl to tell a guy what she feels and if he rejects you well then there is nothing wrong with trying. I will admire your courage if you tell him.
Sam
Lily tried hard not to chuckle at her friend's letter this time. It was a mistake for Alice to write Frank's name but she hoped that her friend will be okay.
"Hey Lily," Lily froze when someone sat next to her. He was smiling at her with his face smudged with ink.
"Hey Michael," Lily peeked at him from the magazine, hiding her blush. Michael Bessvis was a fellow sixth year Hufflepuff student. He was Chaser in the Quidditch team, and also one of the top students in their year. He's the president of the Charms club, and a member of Professor Slughorn's 'Slug Club'. Michael was the complete opposite to James Potter. In other words, Lily had been fancying him for over a year now.
"You don't mind me sitting here and talking to you right?" He asked.
"No, not at all," Lily answered, she could feel herself tingling inside.
"Listen, Lily. I was wondering if…" Michael started but was interrupted when someone called out.
"HEY EVANS!"
Lily looked over to where the sound came from and glared at James again. She was so pissed at him; she could quite literally kill him right then and there.
"What do you want arsehole?" She asked.
"Nothing," James said simply, laughing loudly he left the library with Sirius.
"Sorry Michael, what were you going to tell me?" Lily asked. Michael opened his mouth to speak when -
"Everyone please line up, it's time for us to go," the Professor called.
"Sorry, I'll talk to you again," Michael stood up and followed the line. Lily stared at Michael's back before realising it was time to leave.
"James Potter I will kill you," she muttered under her breath, already thinking of her revenge.
---
After dinner, James waited for Lily outside of the Great Hall.
"Here's the instructions to the room, I have to do something else so I'll meet you there Potter," Lily handed him a small piece of parchment.
"I'll be counting the minutes until you get there, my love," James winked at her.
"Shut up and go," Lily said, turning her back and walking up the stairs.
Lily walked faster than usual and made sure no one was following her. When the coast was finally clear, she secretly went to the Owlery. She approached one owl and took a pile of letters from it. She grabbed them, hid her hands under her robes and left the Owlery.
After ten minutes of walking, she arrived in the staff room of The Phoenix which was in the second floor. She put the piles of envelopes on her desk and started to read each of them. Thirty letters later, she was only left with one. She yawned while opening it.
Dear Sam,
I've got this problem. You see, I really like Lily Evans (Please don't publish her name. I just want you to know who she is.) But I can't have a decent conversation with her. Every time I try to talk to her, an idiot will always interrupt us. I'd love to ask her out but I just don't have the nerves to do so. It's like she's too perfect for me and I'm nothing compared to her. I've never felt so gutless before and this is the first time.
Quaffle Kid
Lily's green eyes grew wider as she read it all over again. Someone under the alias of 'Quaffle Kid' likes her. Who could he be? There are a lot of Hogwarts boys out there and it could just be anyone of them. She read the letter for the fourth time again when suddenly someone came up in front of her, panting.
"Hey Evans, you said it was on the sixth floor. You didn't tell me it was on the second," James Potter was sweating and his hair was sticking up madly.
Lily paid no attention to him; all she could think about was 'Quaffle Kid'.