Here we go again: and we will have some lovely flashback scenes which will be written like this
31st October 1997
Dear Harry,
What did we tell you about 50 million times in your last letter – be careful! And then you and Ron and Hermione break into the Ministry of Magic, one of the few places YOU CANNOT GO TO! Thank God you all got out of there alive! We understand that you had to go there to get that Horcrux, and it was very brave of you to do so, but I would love to throttle that Mundungus Fletcher for giving that locket to that toad Umbridge. It would have saved you so much trouble if he hadn't done that! Not to mention son, your mother was in bits! To think I had one of those…. things (!) in my house…. *shudder*! Please don't think badly of Regulus, Harry. He came up here, he redeemed himself. We've been making up here for lost time actually, I see him often. I've told him all about you and what you are doing, and he wishes you the best of luck. He knows exactly what you're going through.
We don't want to keep going on and on about those Horcruxes sweetheart, seeing as you're practically eating, sleeping and breathing those things. So what we've decided to do is do something a bit different – we think it's time you knew how your father and I got together. We'll try as much as possible to keep it short because it is quite a long story. Sirius told us that you saw the errrm Mudblood incident when Snape was teaching Occlumency and that you went to see him and Remus about it, remember? Now, we do not want you to judge us solely on that. I was blind to just how arrogant I was back then. We're deciding to tell you this now as the only person (we feel) who otherwise has the right is Remus, but I doubt he'll feel it's right. He always was a very humble person. This is where I am going to leave for this one Harry. This is strictly between you, your mum and your dad – I'll only be a fourth wheel. Be safe, be brave and keep fighting; you're doing so well.
I love you
Sirius
Ok, now that your Uncle Padfoot's gone, let's get down to business. I think it is best to start the night of the Mudblood incident.
*Why James? You said it yourself, Harry already knows what happened then?*
*Lily, trust me ok? It is important*
James couldn't sleep. He felt bad; really bad. He knew he shouldn't have done that. He knew he pushed Snape too far and made him say that awful word to Lily; and now, Lily won't look at him, even after trying to look out for her and make Snape apologise. He knew he had to see her. Maybe she'll have cooled down a little bit and listen to him. He pulled out the Marauders Map, hoping that she wasn't in the dorm, that she wouldn't be asleep. Thank Merlin she wasn't. Without a second to lose, he shoved the Map in his pocket, pulled the Invisibility Cloak over his head and walked over to the Astronomy Tower. About 100 metres away from her, he heard footsteps and pulled out the map again. There was another dot heading straight towards him and Lily: Marlene McKinnon, one of Lily's best friends.
"Shit!" James muttered, and shoved himself in the closest possible gap he could get away with, so that he could avoid Marlene as she passed, and at the same time, overhear what she and Lily had to say:
"Go away"
"I thought this is where you'll be hiding. You haven't been in your bed all night"
"Bollocks, here to say I told you so? You guys always thought that Snape was going to hurt me one day like this"
"Actually we didn't. Not like that at least" Marlene sat down next to Lily on the cold stone floor, sliding an arm around Lily's shoulder. "But you did do the right thing. Mary told Alice and me that Snape was threatening to sleep outside the Common Room. You handled that really well. What we don't understand is why you snapped at James like that"
"I still meant what I said. His big fat pig-head is just as bad as Snape"
"Lily, he was only looking out for you, you know that. You know James loves you"
"Does he? Because if he did, he would have changed. He if he was less arrogant, I might have considered going out with him, but now he's got no hope!"
*JAMES POTTER! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HEARD THAT, THAT WAS PRIVATE!*
*Sorry honey* You see Harry, what your mum said really hurt me. But it also motivated me. I decided from then on I had to become the man she wanted me to be. This included giving her space. I didn't talk to him for ages after that, and while I know it hurt him, he accepted it. This now takes us on to that start of our 6th year:
"Evans, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Errr, ok," James took her hand and lead her to a corner of the Common Room. Lily noticed he was shaking a little bit. He ran his hand though his hair, a habit that Lily used to think was just him showing off, but was now starting to realise it was down to nerves. "Potter, is something wrong"
"Not really" James replied "I just wanted to apologise about last year" What? Lily looked at him quizzingly. James continued: "I pushed him too far. He would have never said that to you if Sirius and I hadn't provoked him first. I know I can't go back and undo what I did. I knew he was your friend for a long time; and I ruined it. I'm not expecting you to forgive me. I'm just glad you're hearing me out right now." Lily kept blinking at him.
"Are you sure you're not someone else using Polyjuice Potion? You just don't sound like the Potter I know"
James pulled her in for a hug. "Does that smell like someone else?" Lily breathed him in: she could smell new parchment, aftershave… wood moss… and something else that was probably broomstick polish; definitely James.
"Sorry," she whispered, pulling away from him. "It was only a matter of time before he said something like that. I just wish it wasn't so public." She looked at him – her emerald eyes met his hazel ones. "And it's ok. I do forgive you. I know what you were trying to do."
She gave him a weak, but genuine smile. James blushed.
"Can we try and get along this year then?"
"Ok. I'd like that. But please don't keep ask-"
"I wasn't going to. If you do something for me?"
"What's that?"
"Go on first name basis, Lily?"
Lily blushed this time "O-ok"
"Then go on. Say it."
"J-James"
James grinned at her. "Come on. Let's go back. We don't want Sirius and the others thinking we're having some hard-core snog-fest"
After that, your mother and I slowly started to get on a little for a little while. I even dare to say we started to become friends. But it took a little dip when she found out about Sirius, Peter and I being Animagi that year. I already knew about Remus' "furry little problem" (I worked it out in about 4th year) and one night after Christmas, I was taking a midnight walk, not realising it was the full moon. I met your father in his stag form and he was shoving me back towards the school. I didn't know it was your father though until I saw his eyes – and I mean REALLY saw them. I knew she had recognised me then, son. She mouthed my name:
"Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to be running around with a werewolf?"
Lily and James hadn't spoken for about 3 days, until she decided enough was enough and cornered him after Quidditch practise, when everyone else had gone.
"What were we supposed to do, let him go through torture once a month?!"
"He's not in his right mind though, you could get seriously hurt!"
"Perhaps, but he's still Remus, and he's still our friend. What if it was Marlene, or Mary, or Alice? What would you do?"
Lily went silent. She knew he was right, they couldn't abandon Remus like that; and she would at least try and do the same if it was one of her friends. She admired just how loyal James was to his.
"I know it may be a shock for you, so I'll let it sink in," James then lifted her chin and gave her a hard look, "But I swear, if you tell anyone-"
"I'm not going to do that" she interjected. "It's not my place"
It took a while for that to settle, but after that, we were ok, though we still annoyed each other and had our arguments. I think we should go to our 7th year now,
* shall we James?*
*Yes please!*
"Remus, do you know who the Head Boy is?"
Remus turned to Lily and his eyes went wide. They were in the Prefects Carriage on the Hogwarts Express. All Lily had to do was meet the Head Boy and give out the Prefect duties to the others.
"You're Head Girl" Remus pointed to the badge on Lily's chest.
"Yes I am, and you're avoiding my question, do you know who the Head Boy is?"
"I do Lily, but I'm not sure you're going to like it…"
At that moment, the door opened and James Potter walked in and sat beside her.
"Pot-James" (she still sometimes couldn't get used to the first-name basis) "What are you doing here?"
James pointed to a blue badge on his chest – with the initials H.B.
"BLOODY HELL!"
To say that it shocked me, let alone your mother was an understatement. Unlike her, I wasn't a Prefect before and neither of us could figure out WHY Dumbledore had chosen me. We had to share a dorm as well – that was a lot of fun ;)
*James!*
Surprisingly though, your dad actually took it seriously and (unless it was Sirius) telling off people who were randomly hexing each other – something he used to do back in his arrogant years. And it was round about then that I started to really open up to your father –and I really started to like him (though I refused to admit it to myself, let alone anyone else). And your mother just got more beautiful by the day
*I love you Lily*
*Thanks, I love you too.*
I think it was at the end of September when I felt I could show all sides to him – even me being vulnerable :
"Lily"
She was sitting on the sofa in their common room staring into the fire. Her body was hunched over, hands clenched into fists. Her red hair, which was normally full of life, looked a bit limp. Even from the other side of the room, James could tell that she had been crying and some of her hair was sticking to her face. He went over and covered his hands over her fists. She uncurled them in shock. A piece of paper slipped out from one of her hands. James picked it up and read. After a couple of minutes, shock and horror and pity were etched on his face. He had read in the Daily Prophet that morning that there had been a Death Eater attack in London – and Lily's cousin was one of the victims.
Immediately, James dropped the paper on the floor, sat beside her and pulled her into a bear-hug. Lily cried into his chest. James rubbed circles on her back. They stayed like that for a while until Lily forced herself to pull away from him a little and look up at him. There were still tears in her eyes, but they added a new dimension to them that even in a state like she was in, James couldn't help but love.
"Thank you" she whispered
It was horrible to see your mum like that, let me tell you. I knew then I had your father's trust with anything – which next brings us I think to when we made Amortentia in Potions, in which we were made partners. This was when I felt certain I liked him, perhaps even loved him.
*I remember that lesson. You went as red as your hair when you sniffed it.*
"Finally it's ready! Let's have a sniff, see if it works" James leant over the cauldron and sniffed. "Parchment, Chocolate Frogs, flowers….. and mint, toothpaste" He looked over at Lily, grinning. "Go on, have a whiff"
Lily leant over the cauldron and let the aromas waft around her. She had definitely smelt them before. She too could smell parchment… as well as aftershave, moss and broomstick polish…. SHIT!
Of course I would have gone red. I'm sure you would do if you ever sniff Armotentia Harry, and think of Ginny.
*I think you know what's coming James*
*Halloween, FINALLY! Bring it on*
Harry, you're going to love this ;)
"Let's play Truth or Dare!" Sirius yelled
The Marauders as well as Lily and her old dorm-mates were all in the Head's Common Room having a laugh and drinking Firewhiskey (they wanted a proper party, but they weren't allowed. They had to wait till Christmas and McGonagall requested they have a proper Ball in the Great Hall instead). Everyone, even Lily, seemed to love the idea, so they got in a circle on the floor.
"Me first," said Sirius "I say Truth"
"Ok," Marlene giggled, "Exactly how many girls have you snogged?"
Sirius thought about it, taking another shot of Firewhiskey "Lost count; but only 3 so far this year, I'm doing well" Marlene shrugged. Fair enough.
"Your turn Mary" said Peter. "Truth or Dare"
"Truth"
"Is it true you shagged that Ravenclaw guy"
"No! That was only spread around by his ex for some stupid reason. Who's next?"
Remus was then dared to go topless for the rest of the night. The next one was Lily. "Truth or Dare?" asked Sirius.
"Truth"
"If you had to go out with any of us Marauders, who would you pick?"
"James, no question"
The whole room went silent. James' eyes went wide. Lily went red, only just realising exactly what she said in her slightly tipsy state.
Alice was the first to recover "In that case, James, I dare you to snog Lily for 5 minutes straight!" That woke everyone up.
"What? But I didn't choose Truth or Dare; and it wasn't even my turn!"
"Still a dare Prongs," said Sirius "Off you go"
Rolling his eyes and ignoring all the cheers and wolf-whistles, James stood up, took Lily's hand and took her to the stairs leading to her dorm. They sat down, leaning closer and closer to each other. Both of their faces were red, they were breathing heavily.
"Now what?"
Surprisingly, it was Lily who closed the gap between them. Though she was tentative and nervous she soon relaxed into James' touch, despite the strong taste of Firewhiskey on each other's breath. After about a minute, James couldn't hold back much longer and the kiss went from gentle and sweet, to six years of his love and passion for her coming out all at once. And to his shock, and utter delight, Lily was kissing him back exactly like he was kissing her. After a while, they broke apart for air and looked at each other – really looked.
"Wow!" James breathed
"Uh-huh" Lily nodded her head, it was the only thing she could do.
"You really meant that didn't you? What you said?" She nodded. James took her hand. "Lily Evans, will you therefore do me the honour of escorting me to Hogsmeade next weekend? And possibly becoming my girlfriend?"
"I'd like that a lot"
After another kiss (multiple kisses actually) they went back down to join the others who had massive smirks on their faces.
"What?" James and Lily said together
"You were dared to snog for only 5 minutes," Marlene grinned "not 15…"
And from then on, as they say son, 'the rest was history'. We hope that has given you some comfort and humour too while you're going through this difficult time.
Good luck son,
Remember, we love you so much,
Mum and Dad
THAT TOOK FOREVER TO WRITE! How was that? I know it's been done a lot, but I thought it'd be something different to the rest of the story and I hope I did it justice. Please tell me what you think
And question for you: do you think I should add a chapter with the Resurrection Stone scene? Let me know
Thanks, more is on the way =)
the-kermit-kid
PS: I only just realised that part of Sirius' bit wasn't underlined and therefore looked like Lily... sorry about that, don't know how it happened, but hope you weren't confused...