The glare of the morning sun was fading fast. What once was a brilliant white of fresh day had become a washed out yellow that lay in weak rays upon a polished hardwood bedroom floor. The room itself was tidy, if somewhat plain, and graced by a breeze that flowed through the open window. The white lace curtains twirled softly, brushing the face of a soon to be 7th year Gryffindor as she leaned over her nightstand to collect the last stack of books to be placed in her school trunk. She turned and set them gently atop her school robes before closing, latching, and locking the lid.
"You're mother and sister are waiting in the car, love. Go ahead and go down. I'll carry your trunk. We really should be off." The girl's father said from the doorway. He pushed his glasses up on his nose before grasping the handles of her trunk and heaving it up and out of the room. She followed, pushing her slender arms through a dark gray sweater.
The family of four set off for King's Cross Station moments later.
"It is hard to believe this is your last year at Hogwarts! Your father and I can still recall the day you received your letter. From that first year until now has been a time of such pride, my dear."
A cascade of richly colored hair moved over the girl's shoulder. A warm smile found a warm place in her expression as she replied with gratitude towards her parents unending level of love and support. It was the other girl, the more pale and less stunning of the two that kept her large eyes focused out the window. They tightened with scorn at the remark. Her hands writhed in her lap as they pulled up to the station and she let out a huff of distain as they all made way towards the Platform she had labeled as the circus tent door.
Every year, twice a year, she had to accompany her parents to the Platform. And every year she bit her tongue and kept her narrow shoulders back as she watched her freak of sister ascend into the train to disappear. Yet this time there was a faint smile on her lips. It was the last time she would have to go through such a scene.
"Good bye, mum. Good bye, father." The green eyed sister said, pressing a tender kiss on her parent's cheeks. She wrapped her arms around her pale sister, bidding farewell. The sunlight that reflected from the red engine cast an enhancing sparkle on her hair. In that moment she looked perfect, as she most often did. Even as she climbed into the shadow of the train car her beauty was evident and so was her sister's jealousy as their parents waved, blowing kisses as the train began to move. Petunia let out a squeaky snort at the ridiculousness of the crowd around her. People began to shuffle off the Platform, stuffing twigs into the pockets of their oversized and old fashioned bathrobes.
While the Evans family left the station the train moved quickly towards rolling hills of green. It shook mechanically for the first mile, jostling the students within to the point that the few without seats pressed themselves against the corridor walls until the momentum steadied out. Lily Evans was among the stragglers. She pressed a hand against the window to brace herself then began to move along the hall after the ride grew smooth. Her friends were all seated in a car not too far down and she could hear their familiar giggles and gasps from sharing summer stories through the crack they left in the sliding door. She smiled, excited to join them after months of not being with them but as her joy rose to shadow the sadness of leaving her family the train jolted violently. Her hip hit the wall with a noise and she closed her eyes in pain. Her legs couldn't hold her as the train began to go up hill so she began to tilt forward. Suddenly there was an arm around her waist, keeping her from falling.
"Thank you." She muttered to the stranger behind her. But the arm did not loosen to let her on her way again. Instead it pulled her with strength into the nearest car. It happened so quick that it took a moment for Lily to realize she was standing face to face with none other than James Potter.
"How dare you?" She said, unwrapping his arm and shoving him backwards into the seat. He smiled and chuckled.
"Don't say dare unless you meant it."
"Oh, but I do." She said, straightening her skirt and pulling her sweater down further.
"No, you meant to say 'How very kind of you, James. I didn't think I was going to find a seat and was beginning to worry. And to be honest, you're the only person I'd want to sit with.'" He said in his arrogant tone, sitting up and changing his smile into a grin. Still charming nonetheless. "You're welcome to join us, Evans. We have plenty of room." He lifted a hand to the two bench seats. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew were squished into the bench opposite James. Of the three only Peter looked up at Lily, blinking his beady eyes and nibbling on his lip nervously. Remus' face was behind a book and Sirius had his arms crossed with his gaze toward the window.
Lily's green eyes intensified as an odd smile flickered across her face. Her thoughts of anger transformed into a clever little plot. It was her turn to trick the mischief makers for once. She could be just as good as James in such a game so she played along. James rumpled his hair and patted the spot next to him, looking up at Lily with eyes that only barely hid his attraction.
"How very kind of you, James." She said in a voice lovely enough to intrigue Remus from his book. Sitting down she crossed her legs politely. In the process she moved close to James, her leg pressing against his. But James wasn't stupid enough to fall into her trap when it had only just begun.
"While I have you here," he began" I should ask you again when it is we're going to finally go out. I don't want to prolong your agony any longer."
"I had no idea you knew of my passion." Lily replied, reaching for his uniform tie and twisting it around her fingers. "But of course, any girl would feel such…." She took the time to formulate her words, "ardor for a man like you. With such devastating good looks and such strong, skillful hands from Quidditch it is a wonder there isn't a line outside the door this very moment."
With that Sirius' attention was summoned. His grey eyes darted away from the window the way a dog grows alert.
Next, Lily reached up to place a graceful hand on James' arm.
"I have to be sure….that I am the only one." She said, her voice fading into a whisper. "Tell me that I'm the only one you want. Tell me that you love me, James, even if it isn't true." The car was so silent that the exhaling breath from James was heard in Lily's pause. "I dare you."
There are moments when timing is just right, when everything falls into place. This perfect sequence can be made possible by human efforts or it can take place naturally. Lily was an intelligent girl, the top of her class and well liked for her down to earth ways. Though she was kind she was not a pushover. She was not, as so many teenage girls are, shallow. The depth of her eyes suggests that there is something strong and willful about her. James Potter on the other hand basked in the attention he received. This made him prone to dislike, prone to jealous stares and a reputation unlike that of the wonderful Miss Evans. And his ego made him prone to dares.
He opened his mouth, ready to confess now that Lily had begun to wrap strike his tie /strike him around her little finger. Just as he was about to make a fool of himself someone else did it for him.
While the attention of all those in the car was consumed by the situation with James Lily was still well aware. So when a figure appeared at the door to the car her eyes glanced over to quickly identify the new witness. Though James was known for quick reactions Lily was smart enough to think in an instant. Sacrificing the glory of James trying to melt her with a love confession she rose to her feet, slid open the door and threw herself into the arms of the student who was looking in just seconds before.
Four pairs of eyes followed her and grew wide in astonishment to find the beauty once before them with her arms wrapped around a greasy, hook nosed enemy. He seemed frozen, face cold while trying to hide his expression of surprise. Lily stood up, away from him and straightened her clothes again. She leaned into the car for one last enticing statement.
"It is a shame how little you know James when it comes to girls. The way to our heart is not won by an act, nor is it based solely on good looks. And I'm not going to waste my time with a guy who thinks arrogance is charming. You may have had my attention but it's always been for the wrong reasons. Be genuine, and then perhaps you'll earn some true chivalry." Her lips curved upward. "And if you couldn't tell my flirting was fake then you know nothing about the person I really am." She began to walk off but turned to say one that thing. "By the way, my name is Lily…not Evans."
Severus was still stunned but a scowl began to form. It seemed the two minutes he allowed himself to look in on Lily was the bad decision that made the fool. And as always he was made the victim. Though it was Lily that did so, unintentionally humiliating him, he found his anger surmounted against James.
James was out of his seat in a blink, searching for Lily in the hall. His face had turned red with some sort of a blush and his defenses were down. Severus took the opportunity to trip him as he scrambled through the doorway. Then as he lay face down on the floor he gripped the sliding door tight, slamming it fiercely with as much force his bony arms could muster. There was a loud crack followed by a sharp intake of breath as one of James' wrist bones shattered with the impact. Sirius was on the other side of the door, ready to pull it carefully back so Severus took the moment the others peered through the window at James' as his chance to escape.
"Here, I'll hold his wrist so it won't go limp. You, help him to his feet." Remus said, kneeling down with Sirius. Peter was behind them, hands flailing tensely with nerves.
"Where did she go?" James asked, jaw clenched with pain, but mind still intent upon Lily.
"Probably
to her own car. Let's get your wrist wrapped. We'll have to wait
until we arrive and Madame Pompfrey can examine the break." Remus
replied, indicating to Sirius as well.
With James' other arm
over his shoulders Sirius pulled him to his feet then set him in on
the seat. Then he moved to the luggage rack, ruffled through his
truck for a moment then pulled out an old sock. Remus took it, a
smile flashing across his usually serious face, and used it to keep
James' wrist steady.
It took some coaxing from Sirius and attentive healing spells from Remus to keep James' seated. Finally, after James attempted to throw them off of him to go after Lily Sirius resorted to shoving him backwards with full force, knocking the wind out of him.
"I could have just sedated him with a sleeping spell, you know." Remus said in a low voice.
Sirius ignored him. "You're acting like an idiot! If you go talk to her now, no matter what you say she'll think you're more of a crazy bloke than she does already."
"Be patient." Remus joined in.
"I don't care! She is wrong about me and I'll tell her so! I'll show her the real man, the real James Potter!" James lashed, trying to stand again.
Sirius chuckled, shaking his head but it was Remus who went on. "Sirius is right. You need to wait. Even if you can suppress your anger long enough to say something that makes sense and poses enough interest to her it wouldn't be right to address her in front of all her friends. She has to know that you like her in a way that shows its from the heart." He placed an open hand over James' heart, then pushed him gently back. Something began to dawn on James. He closed his eyes and began to think. The pain from his broken wrist grew faint, the more he thought of Lily and by the time the train arrived he was calm enough to be escorted to the Hospital Wing without protest.
"What a way to start our last year." Remus thought out loud as he made way to the Great Hall. Sirius nodded in agreement as his side while Peter trailed after then. He looked over his shoulder four times before the three were closer to the feast than where they left James. He blinked as though a bright light blinded him and his feet shuffled along without confidence. Confidence, the one thing he lacked and James had so much of. Perfect James Potter and pathetic Peter Pettigrew, he thought.
The welcoming feast began as usual. While the first years settled in the table of their new house the boys entered. Only a few students noticed, as all else were occupied by the food that appeared before them. Severus managed a triumphant glance through his dark, overhanging hair. And Lily let her eyes linger, noticing James absence. She felt no remorse over what she said to him on the train but was curious as to where he was and why the others were late. Grasping the handle of the pumpkin juice she paused in thought, then shook her head. But Remus' eyes caught her glance and for a moment the two were locked in a look that exchanged thoughts with understanding.
Their seventh year at Hogwarts was not the only thing that began that day…
