Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!
Chapter 2
Three days after the party, James got a letter from Lily. It said:
James,
I was wondering if I could borrow a few books of yours, and if you could explain more about the book you gave me on wizarding culture. I'd understand if you weren't able to, if you need to do something, but it would be nice if you could do so ASAP. The party was a lot of fun, thank you for inviting me.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Lily Evans
He must of looked like an idiot to Sirius, who was watching him, when he started jumping up and down, excited and grateful that it had worked.
"What happened, did you win the lottery?"
"Better, this is from Lily."
"No way." Sirius said, astonished.
"Yes way. It worked!" James grinned.
"Well are you going to write back?" he asked. James just grabbed a piece of parchment and quill and began to write.
Lily,
Of course you can borrow the books, that is why I offered. I can explain more about the wizarding culture after you find the books you want. Did you understand the homework Slughorn gave us? It's kind of hard, even Remus is having trouble. If you want to work on it, just bring it, and we can all work together. How about today at three, or whenever you get this, whichever comes later?
Waiting for you,
James Potter
He finished writing the letter, then rolled it up and gave it to Lily's owl, who looked rather unimpressed with the amount of time it took him to write back.
When three o'clock came, James was once again leaning on the pale wall of his foyer, impatiently waiting. Yet again, Lily arrived the second his watch hit three. "Hi, James" she greeted.
"Hey Lily." he said, stealing the bag he had loaned her to hold the books, and throwing it over his shoulder.
"So are you really having problems with the potions homework, or was that in case the letter was intercepted?" she asked.
"Did you really need me to explain wizard culture, or was that just a way to came here?" he countered.
"No, I don't, the book is very informative. I was hoping you could get me started on the Animagus training."
"I don't need help, that's what Remus is for. If you could look it over, just in case, though, I'd be grateful. Of course I'll get you started." he said, smiling at her.
"Good. Where?"
James hesitated "How about the sitting room of my room?"
She shrugged "Fine with me"
James lead the way up to his room, suspecting she would get lost if she tried. She was, once again, looking around his manor was amazement. "The architecture of the place is outstanding." she complimented.
"Some old ancestor of mine built it, I can't recall his name currently. He also built a lot of other wizarding buildings, but this is the best of them." He told her.
"Which buildings?"
"He designed the way the Ministry would be laid out, but died before they could build it, and they messed up him plans quite a bit, I know. Other then that, I don't know. If I track him down on the family tree, I'd know more."
"Wow." she said, impressed.
"I know" he said, opening the door of his room, and letting her in before he walked in. She sat down in the chair she had sat in last time, but he paused. "I'll be back in a minute." he told her, then walked into his actual room. Once, in there, he went to the small bookshelf just to the right of the door, and pulled out three well worn books. Then, he walked back to Lily, sat beside her, and handed her the books.
"You actually have books about becoming an Animagus! I didn't think there were any." she said.
"Most were destroyed 4 centuries ago, but a few families left the bad copy or the ones that weren't that good out for the ministry to destroy, and hid the good ones. Also, people who are registered have them, as they are sometimes needed." He told her.
"For once, you know something I don't know about at all." she said laughing.
He laughed as well "You'd be surprised, I know a lot more then most think I do."
"Why don't you use it, then?"
"Most of it is stuff I'm not supposed to know, that is forbidden by the ministry, or not taught in classes at Hogwarts. Hogwarts only teaches the basics, and none of the really advanced stuff. That is what I know, and why I never pay attention I Transfiguration, as I already know everything she will ever teach." He told her.
"I never knew that. Other then books, how do people learn those sorts of things?"
"Apprenticeships, mostly. Or, there are a few Wizarding collages, but they are small, and are very prejudiced on who they accept."
"Prejudiced as in they won't accept Muggleborns, right?" she said dryly.
"They will accept Muggleborns if they have ties into an old pureblood family, like Black, Malfoy, or mine maybe." James said.
"Why are you a maybe?" she asked.
"My name is Potter, which is a craft, therefore, we aren't as good as others." he told her.
"The Wizarding World is so prejudiced." she sighed.
"That it is. Now, want to start?" he said, grinning at her.
"Yes!" she said.
"Read the first chapter in all of those, then I'll start teaching you. They all tell you about a different variation on the method, I did the second, but I can teach any of them, really."
"Ok." she said, then leaned back into the chair and opened the first book. James stole the second book from her, and opened it up to the teaching chapter, reading it while occasionally looking up at her.
An hour later she had finished the chapters he had assigned, and he had read the teaching chapter on each. "I like the second the most." she told him.
He laughed "Good, cause that's the one I know the best. It takes the longest, but it's easier to do. Now, get comfortable, and relax." he coached, then went through the comforting ritual. He might not be dating her yet, but they were friends now, and that was better then they were before his idea.
Thanks to multiple requests, I am back with a new, shiny chapter! Tell me what you think!
