James and the Giant Lily A/N: For the James Potter Birthday Project on tumblr. Happy 54th birthday to James Potter. I was going to write a regular Marauders story like I usually do, but I found a higher calling came to me, speaking words of wisdom, "Write Jily." And what could I do? I had to obey this higher calling. It's a bit of a clichéd beginning, but I almost never write shipping fanfics. This is a new experience for me. Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing. The O.W.L scene dialogue has been written by J.K. Rowling. You'll recognize it her. For James Potter, the world fell beneath his feet. He was Quidditch captain and had led the Gryffindor team to victory three years running. He was a master of Transfiguration. He had succeeded where many adult wizards had failed and completed the Animagi transfiguration. He had three of the best friends anyone could ask for. The female population of Hogwarts worshipped him. He could have had any girl he wanted. Except for one. Lily Evans. Lily Evans was in the same house and year. The first thing he had noticed about her was her flaming red hair. He remembered his mother's own auburn locks and recalled how his father had told him about the Potters' attraction to gingers. He had been nine at the time at time and had adamantly refused to believe that he could be attracted to any girl. How times had changed. James's infatuation with her led to him asking her out repeatedly. It became almost routine for him to ask her out and for her to reject him. Lily had never understood what anyone saw in Potter. With her friend Severus Snape supporting her, she did all she could to prove her hatred for him. It was finally in fifth-year that everything changed. It was after their Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. that this incident took place. She had got into an argument with Severus over his friends, which was why he was alone and she was with her Gryffindor friends. Lily, Marlene McKinnon, Dorcas Meadowes and Hestia Jones headed over to the lake. Lily took her shoes off and dipled her toes into the water while Marlene and Dorcas were talking about a Quidditch match that had take place a couple of days ago. Hestia removed her shoes as well and sat next to Lily with her feet in the water. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You look worried." Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just thinking about Sev." "Did something happen?" asked Hestia, looking concerned. "Nothing out of the ordinary," said Lily. "We had a row about his Slytherin friends. I really am worried about his being friends with them. Avery and Mulciber are just evil, Hest. He says they're nothing compared to Potter and his friends. But at least the Marauders don't use dark magic. You remember what they did to Mary Macdonald, don't you?' Hestia nodded. "I know what you mean. I heard Avery call Tessa Parker a mudblood last week. He's really creepy." "Exactly," said Lily, thankful someone shared her viewpoint. "He should really - oh no, they DON' T!" She broke off as she saw Severus collapsed on the ground and James Potter towering over him. She shoved her shoes on and ran towards the scene. "Leave him ALONE!" she yelled angrily, rising to her friend's defence. Sirius and Potter looked around, and Potter's eyes fell on her. His hand rose to his hair. "Alright, Evans?" he said, using the deep voice she hated. "Leave him alone," said Lily, glaring at Potter. "What's he done to you?" "Well," said James, mockingly considering the point,"it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…" Lily held back a growl. "You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone." "I will if you go out with me, Evans," said Potter. "Go on… go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again." Furious, Lily said, "I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid." "Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius. "OI!" he yelled, turning to Severus who had got hold of his wand. There was a flash of light and a gash of blood appeares on Potter's robes. Lily's eyes widened. He had used Sectumsempra. Potter whirled around and used Levicorpus on him. Severus was hanging upside-down in the air, his underpants visible. "Let him down!" yelled Lily. "Certainly," said Potter, and Severus landed on the ground. Sirius quickly used a body-bind charm. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" yelled Lily again. "Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said Potter. "Take the curse off him, then!" demanded Lily. Potter sighed and removed the curse. "There you go. You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus–" "I don't need help from filthy little mudbloods like her," snapped Severus. Lily blinked. Mudblood. "Fine," she said coldly. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash my pants if I were you, Snivellus." Mudblood. "Apologise to Evans!" roared Potter. "I don't wabt you to make him apologise," shouted Lily. "You're as bad as he is." "What?" James yelped. "I'd never call you a you-know-what!" Mudblood. "Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you because you can - I'm surprises your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK." She pivoted around and ran off. Mudblood. Mudblood. The voice echoed in her head as she ran all the way to her dormitory. I don't need help from filthy little mudbloods like her. In the dormitory, she broke down and cried. Sev has just ended their friendship with that one word. After eight years, it had just ended. And it hurt. It hurt her so damn much. Her best friend in the world a betrayed her. Tears poured down her face as she lay facedown on her bed. She wasn't sure how long she lay there, but eventually she heard a familiar voice. "Lily?" It was James Potter. Nevermind how he had got into the girl's dormitory. Lily turned to him, too tired to even glare. "What do you want?" "Lily, I wanted to apologise." This wasn't the Potter he knew. "For what, picking on someone innocent? For torturing someone for no reason? For making the my best friend call me a MUDBLOOD!?" Suddenly all the anger and hurt came back. And since Potter was the only one there, she lashed out. "I hate you! I hate you!" She had her wand pointed at his throat. "You are the reason I'm in this situation now. You don't even deserve to be heard out." He nodded. "I can't deny that." A wave of lethargy came over her. "James," she muttered, and collapsed. He leant forward and caught her. He supported her and gently lay her down on the bed and sat down next to her. Tears were pouring down her face. She let out a gasp and buried herself in James's shirt and sobbed into it. He gently rubbed her back. "I'm just so tired, James," she murmured at last. His eyes widened. This was a drastic change. "I know," he whispered. "And I really am sorry." Lily didn't say anything. She didn't know why she was doing this, but what the hell. It just felt so good. It was just her and James then. No one else. The two of them sat together. "I'll let you start over," she finally said. "What?" "I know you as an arrogant prig and a git. But I'm willing to forget all of that." The words poured out of her. She rested her head on James's shoulders. "Let's start over." She felt James stiffen for a second, before he sighed. "Deal." And it felt like the best thing in the world. THE END
