Potter vs. Evans

by S. L

James watched as his friends all left grumpily. He really didn't want to spend his holiday with Evans and her family. At least they were on better terms, but it was going to be torture.

Evans seemed to be thinking along the same lines. She picked up her baggage and sighed. "There's my family," then without any further warning she took off, dragging him behind her as always.

He was led (rather hauled) over to what had to be Evans family. Her mum was a tall stern looking woman, James could tell where Evans got her red hair from, Her dad was tall as well, but he was smiling happily. Next was what could only be Evans' sister. She was a rather unflattering thing, short, stick thing, with pasty blond hair. She wore far too much makeup and bore a strong resemblance to a horse.

"Mum, dad," Evans said completely ignoring her sister. "This is James Potter, they annoying git who got us stuck together."

James opened his mouth to protest, but then realized it would be rude to tell Evans that she was an insufferable bitch right in front of her parents.

Her dad hid a grin and her mum fixed him with sharp eyes. "Yes, Lily, you will have to explain this all to us. I`m afraid that your letter was a bit unclear." Then she smiled and pulled her daughter into a hug, her dad followed. James toppled over, pulling Evans with him.

"Oh dear," he heard Evans' dad say from somewhere above him. Both him and Evans were sprawled across the ground as usual. They repeated the usual routine and helped one another up.

"Don't worry," James said cheekily. "That happens all the time. We don't always agree on whether we are coming or going."

Then the girl that James assumed was Petunia, snorted and marched off to the waiting car. Her nose was in the air.

"We'll be careful then," Mr. Evans said smiling and winking at James. James decided he liked him.

Without much trouble James and Evans made it to the car and began the ride home. It was completely boring in James' opinion, who was used to speedy magical transportation, even magical cars were a lot faster than this. Worst of all he had to sit there while Evans told her parents all about Hogwarts, and about how horrible `Potter and his stupid friends' were. Though he did have to admit, she wasn't being near so terrible was she could be.

"Your not all that great yourself Evans," he said pulling them into what was now one of their trademark quarrels.

"At least I know my way around a library, you Potter would do well to help yourself in that department!

"I got a better grade on the Transfigurations essay, with three inches more than you. And I didn't even have to spend an hour in the library researching first!

"No you got Remus to do all the research then explain it all to you, then you stole my notes!"

"I did not- that was the potions essay!"

"Oops my mistake, I get a little confused with all of the marauding you idiots do around the school."

"Our marauding- Evans you've thought up half the things we've done since Halloween!"

"Good thing too or you'd still be poisoning the Slythrins! And because of all that you've gotten me at least a dozen detentions!"

"Like you said, you thought up half that stuff, the least you can do is take half the blame. Besides that was two detentions- not a dozen!"

"Half the blame? You call cleaning all the armor in the great hall the muggle way half the blame? I was the only one even doing any work, your damn friends were all throwing buckets of soapy water at one another!"

"Of course blame it on the Marauders. Though if you'd remember you were the one who started all that, and you weren't cleaning the muggle way, you were using magic!"

"At least I did something before McGonagal expelled all of you! Honestly I don't know how you're going to make it to your seventh year at the rate you're going! You'll be out of Hogwarts by the end of this year at least."

"But you forget Lily dearest," James flashed a smile. "That we're bound together, If I go, you go."

Evans had reached her tolerance level. "I'm going to kill you Potter."

Then forgetting that they were in a car, Evans launched herself at him as she had done so many times before. Luckily for them both, the car had stopped in the driveway. Otherwise when James leaned against the door handle they would have fallen into the middle of a busy street instead of a hard driveway.

Neither of them noticed though. Evans was still madly trying to pin him to the ground, and he was madly trying to get her off of him. They didn't stop until a very angry someone cleared her throat.

Feeling guilty they helped one another up and smiled at Mrs. Evans.

"Sorry," Evans said.

"Sorry," James said.

Both of them were stifling laughter.

The ends of the woman's mouth twitched. "No wonder you always bloody complaining..."

Then she marched off into the house, followed by a prim looking Petunia. Mr. Evans burst out laughing.

"Do you always argue like this?" He said at last.

"Constantly," James said grinning, which awarded him a smack on the back of his head, curtsey of Evans, but a smiling one.

"Two months already, and we still haven't found the counter curse. Professor Mandrake won't tell us either, it's absolute torture."

James grinned. "Just wait until we go to my house. Christmas with the Blacks of course, which means you'll have all three of Sirius' brother's to deal with as well as my little and big sisters, and me of course."

Evans did not look amused. "Dad," she said with a forced grin. "I'm going to my room. I'll get our things later..."

Then with a whirl she marched off dragging James behind her, who waved helplessly at Mr. Evans.

Evans' room turned out to be rather nice actually. It was slightly small, all painted in a pale blue. All that was in the room though was a dresser, a bookshelf and a bed. On the floor was a sleeping bag.

"That's where you get to sleep Potter," the witch said as she fell on her bed, causing James to fall on the floor.

"You could give a guy some warning you know!" He cried out, trying to sit up." He looked around for anything interesting to do.

There were books, magazines, more books, clothes, random trinkets and more books. James sighed, this was going to be a very boring week.

"Hey Evans," he said after a moment. She still lay on her bed, flat on her back, eyes staring up at the ceiling.

It took a moment for her to respond and she did not sound happy. "What now Potter?"

"What do you muggles do for fun around here?"

She sat up and fixed him with a sharp stare. "You're bored already? We've only been home for fifteen minutes!"

"Oy, I know," he rolled his eyes. "Forever isn't it? Don't know how I lasted. Come on, isn't there anything to do?"

Evans looked ready to give him a sharp retort, then smiled. "Well Potter, we can go visit my old friend... haven't seen her in ages."

He made a face. "No really, something fun."

"She has a twin brother you can talk to..." She said trying to sound enticing. James didn't take the bait.

"No, I'm not hanging out with muggles. I don't know what to talk to them about anyways. I've never been in the muggle world."

Her mouth snapped into a thin line that reminded him strongly of McGonagal. "Too bad, Potter we're going. This is my week, next week we're at your house."

Despite himself he smiled. "Then you'll do whatever I want when we're at my house."

She gave him a side long glance. "We'll see, but now we're going to `Becca's."

"'Becca's?" He had just enough time to say before he was pulled through the door.

"'BECCA!" Lily shouted when her friend answered the door, she flung herself at Lily, giving her a huge hug. They both ignored Potter completely.

He snorted to make his presence known. "Right," Lily said with a careless wave of her hand. "This is Potter, I'm supposed to baby-sit him over break."

Potter's eyes narrowed, which could only mean one thing. He was going to do something.

He flung one arm around he shoulders and smiled at Lily's friend. "Oh don't listen to her, she just likes to mess around. I'm James Potter, Lily's boyfriend."

Lily made a disgusted noise, and poked him in the side. "Shove off Potter!"

She turned back to her friend exasperated. She only smiled. "I'm Rebecca Stanton. Lily and I went to school together before she moved to America."

"Hullo then," he said trying to straighten himself.

Rebecca gestured for them to come in, Lily followed while Potter gave her a disgusted look. She chose to ignore it.

"I didn't know you were coming back for holidays," Rebecca chatted on. "So how's your new school? Like it there?"

Lily smiled. "It's magical."

Potter choked. "I thought you were supposed to be secretive Evans!"

"It's a figure of speech Potter, there's no such thing as magic." She stuck her tongue out and walked after Rebecca who hadn't noticed a thing.

"Well I hope you like it, though I really wish you'd just give up the whole boarding school thing and come to school with us. We really miss you, you know."

Lily saw Potter make a face, she tried to ignore it. "I know, I miss you guys too."

They arrived in Rebecca's familiar kitchen where Lily had spent so much time when she was little. It looked to her as if nothing had change, to her it looked like home.

"Want something to eat?" Rebecca asked gesturing to where she had been sitting reading a magazine and snacking on chips.

"Sure," Lily said sitting down, pulling Potter in a chair next to her.

Potter was looking strangely at the glass of Coke Rebecca had poured for him. Then cautiously he took a sip and smiled widely. "Hey Evans, this stuff is actually good! Not at all like butterbeer though..."

He took another sip, Rebecca was looking at him like he was crazy. "Where did you find this guy Lily?" She asked in amusement, but Lily could tell she liked James. Rebecca had always been one to fall for a pretty face, and Potter was quite cute. She'd never tell anyone that though.

"We go to school together, he's crazy though. We're doing this sort of- project and we can't... er we have to stay together, an experiment really. Otherwise you wouldn't catch me dead talking to him."

Potter was poking the bubbles in his drink, but still heard her. "If you were dead Evans, I doubt I'd be talking to you. Though compared to when you're alive, I doubt I'd notice much difference."

Lily opened her mouth to retort when voices filled the next room. She couldn't make out the words, but apparently Rebecca knew who they were. She groaned.

"It's my brother and his idiotic friend. I thought they were out!"

Lily tried not to groan too as the two boys entered the kitchen. Rebecca's brother Donny was nice enough, but Chris, his friend, was an absolute pig. He had liked Lily for a long time, and had never tried to hide the fact.

Chris sat in the seat next to Lily's and threw his arm around her shoulder. She stiffened. "Well, well Lily's come back has she? How's school been? Know you miss me."

Donny sighed and sat next to James. James was looking at Lily and Chris curiously.

"How many times do I have to tell you Chris, I do not like you, I hate you in fact. So leave me alone."

Chris tutted. "Oh Lily darling you shouldn't say such harsh things." He put his hand on her leg. She shivered.

"Excuse me," Potter said suddenly, his voice cold. "I'm afraid we haven't been introduced. I'm James Potter, Lily's boyfriend." He pushed off Chris' hand and replaced it with his own, slung over her shoulder.

Chris looked quite angry. "I don't think so buddy."

"Well I do," Potter said angrily. Lily didn't know what to do so she looked hopelessly at Rebecca who stared back at her evenly.

Chris moved his hand off of her leg. "Fine then I hope your happy with the bitch. Though I'd be careful if I were you. She likes to sleep around. In no time she'll come crawling back to me. Like the slut she is."

Donny looked away, as did Rebecca. Lily looked at her feet, but Potter stood up.

"Say that again."

Chris stood too. "Lily Evans is a slut," he smiled. "You're her boyfriend as you say, you should know."

He didn't even know what was coming. Potter's fist hit him square in the face, then all heck broke loose. The two boys were fighting about on the floor, pulling Lily down with them. Rebecca stood up and began to dance about trying to do something. Donny was sitting with a speechless look on his face.

Finally Lily had had enough. "POTTER!" She yelled and stood up. She walked away slightly pulling James out of the fight, she helped him up. Chris stood up awkwardly and walked out of the room in a huff. "Sorry Becca, but I think we'd better go. Bye." Rebecca looked at her apologetically and watched as they walked away.

"What they hell did you think you were doing Potter?" Lily asked as she slammed the door shut behind them. He had a blood nose and a split lip. No doubt he was battered up pretty well too. Chris was bigger than him.

He glared at her. "That guy was an ass hole." He marched off dragger her behind him. His fist were balled up angrily. "Besides no one can call you a bitch, but me."

Lily didn't know what to think, she just walked behind Potter in silence for a few minutes. "Thanks though," she whispered.

He didn't say anything, merely continued on his march in fury.

I told you I'd have the next chapter up fast, even I didn't think it would be this fast! Oh well, babysitting your little sister does get a tad boring after a bit. I had to do something! Lol!

Thanks to those who reviewed already for the last chapter!!!

~Midnight Owl (faithful as always with reviewing- THANKS)

~fireblaze: thanks so much you don't know how happy that makes me, I'd love to be a writer, but that's so long away, that I've still got a lot to go through before I start thinking about it too hard. I love it when people say that though, it really makes me want to be one!

~SuNnY GuRL: THANKS YOU!!