Chapter One: The Pre-Prologue (Or, A Flashback)
James awoke, thinking about how strange it felt to be alone in his own flat. He did his usual home-in-the-morning routine. That is, he stood and slipped on some slippers, stretched a bit, put on a t-shirt and his glasses, and headed down to his kitchen to start breakfast.
His morning routine, which had worked out for him for the entire first two weeks of the summer, was interrupted by a cute redhead. Lily Evans was sitting at his kitchen table, along with two hefty plates of bacon, sausage and scrambled eggs.
"Uh…"
"Good morning, James," she said politely. "I made breakfast."
"Lillian Evans, why are you in my kitchen?" James questioned. Realizing that he was standing there in only boxers and a tight t-shirt, he took a seat across from the blushing female.
"I made breakfast for you," Lily repeated.
"I can see that," James said. "But why are you, Lily Evans, in my, James Potter's, kitchen?" He pulled one of the plates toward him. "If my memory serves me correctly, you're in love with an oaf who has forbidden us to ever even be in the same room together, much less alone in my kitchen when I'm wearing only underclothes."
"I don't even know if I can respond to that," Lily said quietly. James began to eat his food.
"How about telling me why I woke up to find you here with breakfast all ready for me. That's a simple start."
"That…is a long story," Lily said hesitantly.
"Lily, throughout the, what, six years that I've known you, nine out of ten times you say that something is 'a long story,' it really isn't." Lily looked down at her plate and pushed her eggs around with her fork. "What is it, Lily?" James asked, concern etched deep into his features.
"Can I stay here for a little while, James?" Lily questioned quietly.
"Are you going to tell me why?" James shot back.
Lily sighed. "Michael was very controlling, James.
"This I know."
"He did things to me…"
James shot up in fury. "Did he force y-"
"No!" Lily shouted, hands up in defense. "No. Nothing like that."
James returned to his seat, but the hatred for Michael never left his eyes. It rarely did during a conversation where that name was brought up. In contrast, his voice was completely calm. "What did he do, Lily?"
Lily took her wand out. "Thank Merlin for being of age, eh?" She pointed it at her own face and slowly a shiny bruise appeared.
"He did that to you?" James asked, sadness and anger both battling to shine through. "That's a bad black eye, Lily." She nodded. "Why would you let him do that to you?" The sadness was winning. "You're so…you're Lily."
Lily said nothing, opting instead to continue playing with her eggs.
"Oh, Lily…" James stood and dragged his chair over to where Lily was sitting. He gave a small sigh. "You can stay here, Lils…for as long as you need." He took her hand in one of his and lightly touched her face with his other one. "Let me go get my wand; I know a few basic healing spells that should clear this right up."
James stood and left the kitchen. Lily let a few tears escape her eyes and rapidly attempted to compose herself.
When James returned he had his wand and was now wearing a pair of pants.
"Hold still," said James. He muttered a quick spell and Lily's face was as good as new. "How long has this been going on?"
"A while," Lily muttered. "Can we talk about this later? I was up all night flying here." She motioned to her broomstick which was under the table. "Is it alright if I just nap for a little while?"
"Of course," James said. "Take my bed."
"Thank you so much, James," Lily said, standing and throwing her arms around his neck. "I know we haven't spoken in ages…I'm just glad you can look past my idiocy."
"You know I care about you, Lils," James said. "You go and nap. I'm going to go to the market to pick up some food." Lily nodded. She left James in the kitchen.
James sighed, shaking his head. "No, Potter," he muttered to himself. "You can't go there again." He lifted his want. "Accio jacket."
His light coat zoomed toward him and off to the market he went.
The door opened.
"What?"
"Hello, Michael."
"Potter."
"I'm here to collect Lily's things." James was shooting Michael venomous looks. "Move."
"She's with you?!" A manic look plastered itself to Michael's face.
"Yes, now move."
Without warning, Michael wound up and hit James in the face. James couldn't stop himself; he pushed Michael through the doorway and followed him in. He hit him square in the face before drawing his wand.
"Petraficous totalis!" he shouted. Michael froze. "Jerk," James muttered. "Dumbledore will have my head when he hears about this."
James found Lily's trunk in the room that she and Michael had shared and began to pack her things.
Lily awoke with her face smothered in James' pillow. She enjoyed the fact that it smelled very much like him. Turning over, Lily began to stretch a bit.
James is being so amazing, she thought. She looked at the clock. It's nearly five. Maybe I'll start supper for him.
Upon inspection, Lily found that she was alone in the flat, but there was a fresh stock of groceries in the kitchen. Lily picked out the ground beef, deciding to cook a meatloaf.
James walked into the kitchen around the time Lily was finishing up her cooking. He froze when he saw her standing there, mixing the contents of a pot in his pajama pants and one of his t-shirts.
"Where did you go after shopping?" Lily questioned. She moved from the pot and began to slice the meatloaf.
Stop it, James! he scolded himself. "Your things are up in my room," he said aloud. He approached the refrigerator to get some drinks. "You sleep up there and I'll sleep on the couch."
Lily, as she made up two plates and brought them to the table, protested. "No, James. I'm already using my one generosity coupon. I'm not willing to make you sleep on the couch, I will."
"Lily, just shut up and take the bed."
Lily sighed. "Fine, but if-wait a moment," she cut herself off. "How did you get my things?"
"I went over and picked them up," James said as if it were no big deal.
"JAMES!" Lily scolded. "Why would you do that? Now he's going to know where I'm staying. I wanted to just…disappear."
"Lils," James began to reason with a mouth full of mashed potatoes, "He doesn't know where I live. Besides, you can't just disappear, we go to school with the idiot. You don't need to worry about him anymore, I'm here and I always will be."
"Thank you, James."
"King's Cross."
James paid the muggle driver. He stepped out of the taxi and pulled the two trunks from the trunk. Lily stayed with the luggage while James went for carts.
"James," Lily said once they were on their way to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.
"Hmm?"
"I just want to say thanks again," she said. "You've been great all summer."
"All in a day's work, m'dear," James said jokingly.
"Listen…" Lily began nervously. "Michael's been writing to me and I've been hesitant to tell you…."
James stopped dead in his tracks. He knew exactly what she was going to say, but he didn't want to believe that she would. After all, she was way too smart for this!
"He's gotten better," Lily went on. "He was under a lot of the stress when everything that happened was going on."
"Lily-"
"I'm going to give him a second chance, James," Lily cut him off. "Everyone deserves a second chance."
"Lily…he hurt you."
"I know, James, and he's sorry."
"That's what they always say!" James exclaimed.
"James, please don't-"
"Forget it," James said sharply. "You do what you want." He walked away from Lily and toward the barrier.
"James!" she called after him. "Don't walk away, James! Don't be mad!" She was following him closely now. "We have to work together this year," she reminded him when he wouldn't turn around. "You can't ignore me forever!" He passed through the barrier. "Damn it," Lily muttered.
