A/N: Hi everyone. This is Always and Forever, my first fanfic. This story is set in the Marauder's era, and is mainly about the seventh year relationship between Lily and James, with their friends and some events thrown in. Most of the characters in this story are creations of J.K. Rowling, and a very few of them are of my invention. This is going to be a long, many chapter story with a definite, book related ending. I am making every attempt to be as accurate and true to the books as possible. I will love it if you review, and ask that you please do, but I won't ask for a huge number before publishing the next chapter or anything like that. I'd like to apologize for technical issues, as this is my first fanfic. I'm also sorry for inaccuracies, mistakes, and inconsistencies related to not only the books/Harry Potter wizarding world, but also the 1970s, England, and English culture, since I'm American. I will be doing my best to research those things (thank you, Pinky Brown, for your guide!). I apologize for any late updates, and please keep in mind that those are either due to my incredibly busy schedule or writer's block and it's not because I'm mad at you. I'd like to acknowledge the Harry Potter Lexicon, my life saving resource. I dedicate this to and thank: Bekka, Aidan, C-Rose, the creators of Fanfiction, all the wonderful authors on this site who have inspired me, and you! (Especially those of you who ADORE Lily and James stories!!!) Plus, this is the longest author's note you'll ever get, except possibly the one at the end. All right, I'm done now! Enjoy!!!

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT! Do NOT, I repeat NOT, read this if you haven't read all the Harry Potter books, particularly the last three, and ESPECIALLY Deathly Hallows. You'll regret it! If you have, please continue.

DISCLAIMER: 'Kay, this is the official disclaimer the one with all the details. After this they'll be short and (hopefully) amusing. Here goes: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. Any OCs are very small characters (for now) and although some characters may have unfamiliar last names it's because they get their married names later…

Always and Forever

Prologue

Lily Evans had just left the Gryffindor common room on her last day of sixth year at Hogwarts. She was sad to be leaving the place that was more of a home to her than her actual home outside of school. Lily walked dejectedly down the corridor, not anticipating someone approaching.

"Lily," she heard a voice call behind her. She knew that voice—the voice of James Potter. Lily spun around.

"Why'd you call me Lily?" she snapped.

"Because it's your name," said James reasonably. Lily found that, for once, she had no response.

"Anyway, why are you here, Potter?" Lily demanded.

"It's James," he said. "I'm here because I thought I'd say good bye before we go home for the summer."

"Okay," said Lily irritably.

"Well, um, good bye. Have a good summer," James said awkwardly.

"Good bye," said Lily, walking away briskly.

James just stood there for a moment. Then, he called, "Wait! Lily, wait!" and ran up to her.

"What do you want now, P-James?" asked Lily, exasperated.

"Will you go out with me?" said James, the trademark arrogant glint back in his eye, and his hand mussing his already disheveled black hair.

The small amount of patience for James that Lily had still had snapped at his words. "No, James!" she yelled. "When are you going to get it into your thick, overinflated head that I will never go out with you? I'll go out with you when pigs fly and there's snow in August! I hate you, always and forever!"

James face fell. He was wounded. "Lily, what do I have to do to get you to go out with me? To like me, even as a friend?" he asked desperately.

Something other than anger came into Lily's eyes. A sadness, maybe. "I think you know the answer to that question," she whispered. Then she turned around and walked away, her gait growing faster with each step she took, until she was running. James thought that maybe, just maybe, he could hear sobs.

Well, thought James, three new additions to my mental to do list: figure out how to make pigs fly, figure out how to get snow to fall in August, and figure out, besides those things, what I have to do to get Lily to like me.

Lily had done something to James's heart with her words. Altered it, somehow. He just didn't know it, and neither did she.

And the only thing keeping Lily from liking James was his immaturity. Other than that, she was already falling for him. She just didn't know it, and neither did he.

A/N: All right, what did you think? Please review! And please come back as this story will get longer and better. Also, most chapters will be longer than this, but I felt for that this little prologue the length was about right. I'll do my best to update soon, but I have an incredibly busy life... -bibliophile114 (If you need an actual name-name, I'll let you have one of my many pseudonyms: Storm. I may use it to sign off sometimes...) Bye for real now!