Chapter One-
She sat surrounded by the loves of her life as she heard the bell over the door ring signifying a customer's entrance.
"If you need anything, I'm on the last row."
Figuring that the customer would need to find their book first, she did not notice the woman until she was nearly on top of her. She spoke and caused Lily to jump.
"May I speak to your manager?"
Lily looked up concerned.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I just need to speak with your manager."
"I'm the manager."
"Good, then you can help me. Where is the owner?"
"I'm the owner."
The woman looked down her nose at Lily.
"You are Lily Evans?"
"Yes, who's inquiring?"
The woman stood a little taller as she introduced herself.
"I am Nastassia Kilham."
Lily recognized that name from the newspapers. An image of a man from Lily's past flashed in her mind. Lily closed her eyes and sighed.
"Ah, the future Mrs. James Potter."
Stacy smiled briefly before returned to her austere countenance.
"You've read the papers."
Lily stood up. Stacy towered over her by about five inches, but Lily was clearly the intimidator of the two.
"The most famous quidditch player in the last thirty years getting married is bound to be on the populous' minds. In dealing with the public, I hear things."
"Then you know that we're getting married in two weeks."
"Yeah, at his parents' palace in Birminghamshire right?"
"Correct again."
Lily looked at the woman waiting for her to say something. Stacy just stood there observing Lily. Obviously, Stacy found something wrong with Lily.
"Is there something you wanted?"
"Yes, I need to speak with you. Is there somewhere we can go that's more private?"
Lily looked at the clock. Only half an hour until closing.
"I guess I can close early if this is imperative."
"If it weren't, I wouldn't be here."
Lily closed up for the night and went back to Stacy. She led her into the lounge where there was food, drinks, two sofas and a chair. Lily got some pizza and a muggle coke. Stacy sat down on one of the sofas and Lily got comfortable in the chair.
"What do you want?"
"I want the truth."
"The earth is round. It revolves around the sun. The grass is green. The sky is blue. If you throw something up, it is going to come down. You have to be more specific. I know a lot of truths Stacy."
Stacy looked annoyed.
"I want the truth about what happened between you and my fiancé."
"If James didn't tell you, I'm not going to."
"He told me that it was your decision."
Lily took another bite of her pizza and opened her coke. She took a few swallows before she looked back at Stacy.
"What happened between James and me is our business. It is in the past and that's where it is going to stay."
"It's not in the past when it prevents me from knowing the man I am about to marry."
Lily knew that this was not something that she could get married to him without knowing. She always knew that this day would come.
"Fine, I'll tell you the truth you seek, but I'll not do it alone. Everyone who was involved in it must be present. We agreed."
Stacy shook her head and nodded.
"I'll give your response to Jai and will contact you very soon."
Lily lifted her coke up in the air in a toast-like manner.
"Looking forward to it."
The television in Lily's apartment was turned to a game show from the States called Jeopardy. She finished with her meal and sat it down on top of the table in front of the couch. She sat down, put the napkin in her lap, picked up her utensils, and answered the question.
"What is the String Theory?"
She was correct. Halfway through her chicken parmesan, she felt someone trying to apparate into her apartment. No one from the wizarding world ever visited her. She remembered what Stacy said earlier.
'She did say very soon, but my deity!'
Lily let down the safeguard around her apartment, but channeled it so that he could only apparate right in front of her. With an almost inaudible pop, the face of her lost love appeared in front of her. Five years made a big difference. Five years of rigorous Quidditch training made a BIG difference. He couldn't speak for a moment and then finally said the only thing he could think about.
"You are even more beautiful than I remember."
"James, don't start."
"It's good to see you."
He walked closer to her. She smiled up at him from a foot below his 6'3" stature. She hadn't been this close to him since that day five years ago when they decided their futures. He stopped arms length away. She closed the gap and wrapped her arms around his torso. She felt him sigh deeply in contentment as he held her for the first time in half a decade that felt more like half a century. Not moving from their embrace, they conversed.
"Where are we meeting?" –L
"Hogwarts...where it all started." –J
Silence for a moment before James pushed Lily away just enough to look into her no longer vibrant green eyes.
"We don't have to tell Stacy. It's your decision."
Lily searched his eyes.
"James, you can't marry her with her not knowing this."
"It won't change anything. She'll still marry me. It won't affect her as long as she knows that she will be my wife."
Lily scoffed and turned back to the couch. She sat down in front of her food and motioned for James to dig in if he wanted. Of course he did. James Potter never turned down food...especially from his favorite chef.
"We weren't supposed to be this good at reverting to our former selves. Me, alone and happy with my books, and you, surrounded by people and still completely alone."
"We always were good at acting."
James and Lily ate together and talked for about twenty minutes.
"I read that you're getting inducted into the Quidditch Hall of Fame next week. Are you excited?"
"More excited than I've been about anything in a while."
"James...Jamie, you're getting married. That's something..."
"Lily...don't. We both know the truth, so don't play with me."
They finished eating in silence. When all the food was gone, James stood up and extended his hand to Lily. She took it, but cleaned up. When she arrived back into the living room, she found James looking at one of the only two pictures she had in her apartment. She walked up next to him and nuzzled her head into his arm. She felt him wipe away a tear from his darkened eyes.
"You can take that to the meeting. It might help."
James stared at the little black photo of the only thing that could have torn them apart. They left en route to Hogwarts to face a past that neither would fully recover from.
A/N: That's the first chapter. Let me know what you think!