Note from the author:

Hello to you, readers!

This fiction tells the story of James's journey since the worst memory of Snape. I changed the scene slightly, so James looked better, but the substance of the scene is still there.

If I decided to write this story, it's mainly because I do not like the actions of James in canon towards Severus. They are too exaggerated, especially for Lily to start going out with him (yes, he improved for about a year and a half, but he still traumatized another student by assaulting him in front of his peers. respect would not come out with the one who assaulted his friend at the time). Also know that when I talk about consequences, I include removing the title of Head-boy to James because it could be considered a reward when he does not really deserve it because of his actions.

Another thing I do not like: the fanfictions on the James / Lily romance where James' harassment towards the one he loves is recurrent (seriously the authors: James sometimes asks Lily several times a year and she say no each time, then she falls in love with her stalker?! Sorry, but that's not romance.)

The third thing I do not like is Lily who hates James and insults him all the time and ends up falling in love with him overnight. In the two cases I just gave, I wonder where respect has gone.

Good, enough complaints. Just know that there will be none of its elements in this fanfiction is the characters will be as close to the Canon as possible. I also plan to do one chapter from Lily's point of view and another from Snape's point of view.

This is my first fiction in English, but I'm not very good at writing in this language, so if you have suggestions, do not hesitate to contact me!

Chapter One: James

James was lying in his bed in the boys' dormitory. Seventh year. His breath was fast, and he was sweaty. He had just seen for the umpteenth time the scene where everything had rocked for him, the moment he had exceeded the limits of the acceptable: the aggression he had committed against Snape. Oh, how he hated this blind idiot! Could not he see what he already had?

James closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hands. "I have to stop thinking about this guy, he drives me crazy even when he's not here." After a few minutes of unsuccessful attempts to get back to sleep, James got up, put on a dressing gown, and walked out of the dormitory into the common room, leaving behind Remus and Peter.

As much as it was warm during the day and in the evening with its students attending their occupation, it seemed cold and inhospitable after midnight. The chimneys had long been extinguished, and there was the icy atmosphere of February.

James sat down with several blankets at one window to contemplate the moon that would soon be full. "Only two more days before Moony's transformation," James said to himself. Without realizing it, his thoughts led him to the immediate events that followed the lake's aggression.

James was sitting with his head bowed in Dumbledore's office. The latter was busy brewing his Pensieve, while Maximilian, leaning on the mantelpiece of the office, stroked his chin thoughtfully. The director and the latter had just seen James's thoughts after interrogating him for over an hour.

"So, if I understand correctly, you say you were not yourself today," Maximilian summed up for the umpteenth time. "Still, your memories do not show any significant change and your friends say you acted as usual."

"It's complicated to explain, but I swear to you, I would never have done what I did to Snape! I never wanted to go down to the level of his friends! James said to Maximilian, looking him in the eyes before turning to Dumbledore who was walking towards his director's chair with a calm step. "Professor, I swear to you ..."

"I believe you, Mr. Potter, but the facts are there: nothing proves what you are saying".

"I made a promise to Snape: if he did not say anything about Remus and stopped chasing him, I would not take him anymore, I left him alone! James exclaimed, clutching the arms of his seat as Dumbledore sat down. " I always keep my promises. My parents have always told me that we have only one word and to betray it once meant that no one can trust us. I swear to you, teachers, I'm not a monster ... "James continued breaking at the end, tears streaming down his face.

"We understand, Mr. Potter, but we can not do anything," Dumbledore replied before Maximilian spoke. "The potion you have been given does not suppress your free will but frees you from your inhibitions. In summary, you were yourself, but at your worst, as if you were under the influence of alcohol. I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but you will still have to face the consequences of your actions. "

"Good," James replied, sinking into the chair. " What should I do? "

"First, you'll write to Mr. Snape a letter of apology. Then you will be suspended for three months. During this suspension, you will have to take home classes you will miss. Then, on your return to school, you will avoid as much as possible Mr. Snape. You are forbidden to speak to him. On top of that, you'll have to tutor for the entire sixth year and you're banned from Quidditch until further notice, "Dumbledore explained. "Know that the slightest mistake, you will be definitively returned. Are we on the same line, Mr. Potter? "

"Yes, Professor," said James, who had watched Dumbledore as he told him his sentence.

" Do you have any questions? "

"No, Professor."

"Know, Mr. Potter, that you are very disappointing," said Maximilian, sitting in the second chair facing the desk. "Personally, although you're a troublemaker, I had a lot of hope in you. Nevertheless, I hope you will come back up the slope. "

"You can go," Dumbledore dismissed.

James woke up when he fell from the window sill on which he had fallen asleep.

He waited patiently as he listened to the sounds emitted by his roommates. After a few minutes he got up and headed for one of the couches. He lay there with the blankets and plunged back into his dark memories.

The sixth year had begun horribly. During the previous summer, he had had a long talk with Remus and Peter and they agreed that although James had been drugged with a potion, in the absence of evidence, he would have to keep a low profile and show his good will. James had decided to abandon Lily: her actions had destroyed all her chances with her. He preferred to focus on his redemption.

What he did not expect was that they had to work together for school work after the Christmas holidays and they were friendly. The more time passed, the more she seemed to soften in his presence, but James kept his distance for several reasons. The first was because he was afraid to destroy the relationship they had managed to build. The other was that he had convinced himself that he did not deserve his affection.

Another change was Marauders' unity: Sirius never returned to Hogwarts. After what happened at the lake, he was fired. He arrived a month later at the Bloody Potter's and asked for refuge. Since then, he was attending school at home without being able to use his wand that had been broken. Without Padfoot, it had become risky to accompany Moony during full moons. Remus had to be lonely again during his transformations. For Peter, nothing had really changed, although he seemed sad about the destruction of the group.

At school level, nothing had changed: James, Remus, Lily and Severus were at the peak of their year, each having a favorite subject (metamorphosis, DADA, charm and Potion respectively). James did a lot of tutoring and ended up loving it. He decided to continue doing so in his seventh year.

James sighed and stood up again. After stretching himself, he looked at the clock that indicated it was four o'clock in the morning. He decided to get into his dormitory to take his cloak of invisibility and his outer clothes. He went back down the spiral staircase and went out by the portrait while waking the Fat Lady who protested weakly.

James deflated in the empty corridors for a good while and finally went out on the ground. Arriving at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, he removed his cloak of invisibility and turned into a deer, while running at full speed, he thought back to the events of the previous summer and the beginning of his seventh year.

In the seventh year, James and Lily continued to draw closer, though the time spent together was shortened by the position of Head Girl of the latter. At one point, James felt a tension coming from her, but he could not say what. He was very careful around her not to miss. He did not flirt with her, did not ask her to go out to Hogsmeade as a friend, did not seek any pretext for accidental contact, and so on.

Unfortunately for him, it seemed to have the opposite effect on her: the farther away, the more she seemed to want to get closer. One day in October she stuck him at the end of one of their meetings to ask what he had planned for the next trip to Hogsmeade. He told him he was going with his friends. After saying that, he thought he saw, for a brief moment, disappointment on Lily's face. She said goodbye quickly and left the room, leaving him alone to wonder what had happened.

After several long conversations with Remus and Peter, James finally agrees to invite him to the next outing to the village. When he asked her, she accepted with a big smile after a first date that was a success, they began to attend slowly. It was only a month and a half later, two weeks before the Christmas holidays, that they started going out together. They decided to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas and enjoy their last Christmas together at school.

Unfortunately, there was something he could not tell anyone: his secret clashes with Snape. The latter wanted revenge, but James was unable to sit idly by. In fact, he had tried, but since he was dating Lily, it had made him worse. Snape seemed to be determined to cause him problems. Sometimes they took out their chopsticks when they passed each other in the corridors, but Remus and Peter prevented anyone from attacking.

James saw that the sun was beginning to appear on the horizon. He decided to go back to school to try to get back to bed before classes started. After returning to his human form, he slipped under his cloak and went to the Gryffindor Tower. Once in the common room, he removed the cloak and began to climb the stairs to his dormitory where he threw himself on his bed.

When he woke up, after what seemed only a few seconds, he felt a hand caressing his hair. He smiles contentedly.

"You have to wake up, James," whispered a soft voice. "The classes will start soon".

"A few more minutes," James growled.

"If we wait too much, we'll be late," the sweet voice insisted.

"Good," James mumbled, opening his eyes and sitting on the edge of the bed. A hand gave him his glasses, which he put on. Turning to Lily, he received a kiss on the lips. Still smiling, James says, "I missed you? "

"A little, yes," replied the redhead, pulling her by the hands to get up. She gave him a napkin with croissants and a cup of juice that he drank while walking for their class. "I'm really lucky to have him," James said to himself with a smile as he looked at Lily as she spoke.

Together, they continued their way to their destination, whatever it may be. They were a team: they filled each other's faults with their own qualities and always sought to become better versions of themselves. James still had a long way to go to expiate his faults but having Lily in his life gave him even more strength and determination to succeed.