Days Go By by Jack Mason Potter
Thanks to LARZZ, Super Cara, Selly and thekikgeek for their reviews. Review replies are at the bottom for those who care.
Please review. I love getting reviews. For an author on this site, it's the only form of reward we get for the work we do.
Still looking for another beta reader. I have typed three chapters ahead.
More thanks to my two awesome beta readers:pacesettergurl1 and Christinnz.
This is the only update for the weekend. Getting kidnapped by my friends.
Bored because I won't be updating this weekend? Check out pacesettergurl18's version of how the couple got together- told from the POV of James.
fanfiction .net/s/7679382/1/A_Year_to_Fall_in_Love
-Jack
Chapter 10:
The Potter boys left the aftermath of the fight as quickly and wordlessly as they could.
"Are you hurt, Maxy?" James asked.
"No, you?" Max replied.
"Not at all. I'm glad you're ok."
"Physically at least." Max grumbled. James put his arm around Max. "What am I going to tell Julia?"
"That Slytherins are assholes?" James suggested.
"That's not what I meant. And not all Slytherins are bad; I would thank you to not keep helping that rumor. Merlin, for example, was a Slytherin. He was one of the biggest pushers for better treatment of Muggles." Max corrected. "You would know this if you ever paid real attention to History of Magic or read Hogwarts, A History."
"One: Like anything from Hogwarts, A History would help anyone in a pragmatic situation. And B: Merlin's House contemporaries are not following his lead-"
"One: It is helpful for those of us who don't gallivant after hours for our entire school career. Two: Are you aware that you said "B" instead of "two?" Three: Some of Merlin's contemporaries not all. Four: In any case, Mulciber found out about my problem and just leaked it to the school. I'd imagine I should probably tell Julia, you know, since she's my girlfriend and all."
"Oh, is she you're girlfriend? I didn't realize that, I just thought that she like hanging around duffy history nerds." James said jokingly and ruffled Max's hair.
"Arg, James, do that to your own hair." Max lightly punched James' arm in retaliation.
"Can't. Got too many complaints, so I'll take it out on your hair. Anyways, I told you that you should have just told her beforehand."
"Because it would have been so natural to say: 'Hello, sweetheart, I know that we just started seeing each other, but this is the perfect time to tell you about something awful about my life."
"Well if you had done that, you wouldn't have to worry about that now. See? I'm a genius."
At this point, Sirius came down the stairs. "There you two are." He said with relief. "I heard about the fight, and was worried that McGonagall Transfigured you two into ferrets. C'mon then."
Max turned to make his way to the Hufflepuff common room.
"And where do you think you're going?" James asked.
"Umm, my dormitory? McGonagall would be even more unhappy if she caught me outside of where she sent me." James pulled out his Invisibility Cloak. "Oh. Right." James threw the cloak over Max and they began walking to the Gryffindor common room.
The boys were silent as they were moving. James began thinking about Lily and how she barely looked at him during the incident. His mood began to get very grim as they made their way to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Didgeridoo." Sirius said to the painting. Half of the common room was in there, wanting to ask James more about what happened, or to congratulate him on punching a Slytherin, or both. James and Sirius tried their best to keep Max between them so that no one would accidently walk into the invisible boy. James was partially relived and disappointed that Lily was nowhere to be seen. The boys continued walking towards the stairs.
Max saw Julia in the crowd and wanted to reach for her, but remembered that he was invisible. As if James could read Max's mind, he signaled Julia to give him a minute.
They made it into the 6th years' dorm and closed the door. Max pulled off the cloak.
"Are you, ok James?" Max asked. He didn't want to draw attention to himself while he was invisible, but he couldn't help but notice James' face frowning for most of the walk on the way to the room.
"Huh? Oh. Yeah…I just… Lily." James sat down on his bed and looked into his hands.
"Yeah. I'm sorry that I got you into that fight-" Max began feeling guilty that he was too busy thinking about Julia to consider his cousin's new problem with the girl that he liked.
"It's not your fault that Snape's a git. I chose to punch him in the face."
"But, you're upset about Lily."
"He's been upset about Lily for years, Maxy." Sirius added cheekily.
"Always the sensitive one, Padfoot." James retorted.
"I call 'em, like I see 'em."
James lowered his head into his hands. "I finally got Lily to be on friendly terms with me, after almost a year of near good behavior, and then she catches me as I was practically strangling the one person she told me not to strangle!"
"Come now, Prongs. It can't be that bad."
"No, I think it can be." Max interjected. "Lily did not look happy at all when she saw us…"
"I was hoping to see if she'd go to Hogsmeade this time, we have the last trip right after exams…"
"Oh, give her a day or so…" Sirius said flippantly. "Then ask her mates what's going on."
"I don't know." James sighed and lifted his head. "Maybe. I just don't have the heart for more rejection after this year."
"You're going to go mad if you keep obsessing like this."
"I am not obsessing."
"You're obsessing." Both Sirius and Max said simultaneously.
"See? Even Potter agrees with me, Potter."
James grumbled. "Fine. I will just give it some time, and I dunno, twiddle my thumbs." Sirius kicked James' foot. "Oww, what did you do that for?"
"So you can add 'smarting over an injury,' to your list of things to do."
"You're ever so helpful." James replied sarcastically. "Oi, make yourself useful and please escort Miss Abercrombie up here before Maxy here works himself in a tizzy." He looked over at his cousin who was sitting on the floor, trying to be attentive, and not have his foot tap impatiently; the latter goal was not achieved.
Sirius did a big sweeping bow before walking out the door. "I think Sirius is right, James." Max said. "I hate to say it, but maybe you should give it a rest." James' shoulders drooped. "Also, I'm sorry that I got you in detention."
"Eh, don't worry about it, I've had loads of detentions before; this is nothing."
At this point Sirius showed up at the door followed by Julia. Max stood up immediately and walked over to her. Julia threw her arms over his shoulders and embraced him in a big hug. They made a cute couple; both of them were very athletic and fit looking, but were certainly not bodybuilders or the stereotypical 'jock' types. Even though Max was younger, he was about an inch taller at 5' 6", and most likely would end up being almost a foot taller than her in a year or two. Julia had neat long wavy light brown hair and blue eyes that contrasted with his short and unruly jet black hair and dark brown eyes.
She kissed his cheek. "Are you hurt?" she asked with concern in her voice.
"No. I'm okay." Max replied. "Just having a really rough weekend, even if my team did win the Quidditch Cup."
"C'mon, Sirius, I'm feeling peckish, let's go to the kitchens." James had already put his cloak back into his bag and pulled Sirius away from the couple. Max and Julia sat down on the floor after the other two left.
"I'm sorry if I gave you a scare." Max said with apprehension.
"You better be." She said sternly.
"What? I didn't mean to."
"What had gotten into you? You don't get into fights like that, and you had just got out of the hospital wing!"
"Well, I- I was on my way to see you, when I ran into Snape. And he just started yelling at me, and then he said something bad about James, and the next thing I knew, our wands were drawn."
Julia muttered something about boys being dumb and gave him a small shove. "Ok, and it just escalated from there?" Max nodded and Julia noticed his 'there's something else wrong look' that he tried to pass as puppy dog eyes. Julia sighed and brushed his cheek with her hand. "One of my dorm mates told me that there was something else, but she wasn't sure if it was true…"
Max bit his lip. "Yes. You see, Mulciber found out about a- a-" Julia put her hand on his knee to comfort him. Max took her hand and held it. "My parents… were killed last summer by Death Eaters… I was there… and since then… I've been having nightmares… and was having a bout of one in the hospital wing… " Julia had a look of surprise on her face and squeezed Max's hand. " And apparently one of the
Slytherin's heard my yells before Lily came and woke me up." Julia listened intently and moved in closer to hold him as Max retold his story.
Max felt that it was a lot easier to say everything to Julia after having told Lily the night before; it was also easier because he was more prepared unlike with Lily where she had just woken him up after an episode. He was able to hold back his tears this time. When Max finished, Julia pulled him into another hug. "So, that's it? That's what's going on?" She asked.
"Yes. I was worried you wouldn't like me anymore if you found out…I- I really fancy you."
She shoved him onto the floor. "That's a warning, Potter. Don't you dare go on thinking that something like that would make me shy away from you."
Max opened his mouth to apologize but found that it was not possible because she was kissing him.
Sirius and James opened the door to find the other two snogging. "Oi!" Sirius laughed. "The only bloke who should be getting snogged in this room ought to be me. So quit it, you two." Max and Julia separated, with Julia laughing and Max looking sheepish. They saw that James and Sirius had brought back a decent amount of food.
"Figured that you might be hungry." James said as he handed out some butterbeers. "We swiped two whole chickens, and loads of sides while we were out. Got your favorite, Maxy, mashed taters."
Max chuckled as they began having an indoor picnic in the dorm. Relief spread across his mind as he no longer had to worry about telling Julia his secret; Lily was right, Julia was very supportive about the whole thing. Speaking of Lily… Max was still concerned that there could be more done to help James. Also, what was Lily up to? Max swept his concern away as Remus and Peter also appeared into the room. Remus sighed and tried not to say anything as he knew that having Max and Julia in this room, Max as a Hufflepuff especially , should not be allowed. Sirius gave him a look of feigned innocence and Remus gave up trying to say anything. Instead he sat down and joined in the conversation of what the rest of the Marauders should do to Snape and Muliciber during next week's detention.
More Author's Notes:
-LARAZZ, a beta reader is someone who sees chapters and stories before they are published to help with editing and/or give input into the progression of the story, plot, and content.
-Selly, I'm so glad you went to check out my story. I can't wait to show you all what I have in store.
-thekikgeek, yeah, even the tension is driving me crazy.
-Super Cara, thanks for the support on the male fanfic author subject. I wonder how many of my readers are guys, as I think most of my reviews are from girls. Oh no, poor me, my only fans are mostly women, what will I ever do ;) I suppose that could make me a very poor and way less talented Nicholas Sparks.