Chapter 14: The Potter Made of Gold
A/N at the bottom.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.
His voice was smooth and liquid, like flowing honey. They said he had a silver tongue, did James Potter, able to talk his way out of anything. But Lily knew better. James Potter had no silver tongue, no silver anything in fact.
No, James Potter was purely gold.
His eyes of hazel, green and brown melding into an endless sea, had flecks of gold that caught the light when he threw his head back to laugh.
His skin was a warm golden brown with his tan.
His hair had very faint, fine gold tips in the deepest part of the summer, when he would stay outside from sunrise to sunset.
Like the colors of the house he was so proud to belong to, James's soul was painted in hues of gold and red, the colors of flame.
How accurate that was.
James was like fire in every way.
He was passionate in his views, loyal until the end, and a warm, kind beacon of hope.
James was like fire in the way that his eyes glittered when he smiled a true smile, in the way the corners of his eyes crinkled, in the way he would laugh until he couldn't breath or shout until he forgot what he was shouting about.
He was bright and quick and warm and so unbelievably happy.
Yes, James was like fire.
Or perhaps...
Perhaps fire was like James.
...
James pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and took one out, flicking his lighter open. He didn't bother to offer Lily one, knowing it would only earn him a glare. He lit the cig and sighed resignedly. "I hate parties."
Lily stepped forward impulsively and plucked the cigarette from his lips. Instead of grinding it into the ground or Vanishing it as he expected, she took a drag.
"Why is that?"
James squinted at her, puzzled, but decided to play along.
"Well, there're always people that want something from you."
Lily handed back the cigarette and shifted to lean against the archway that led out to the balcony. "Like what?"
"Oh, you know... attention, money, alcohol... sex..." James seemed to cringe at the last word, as if suddenly realizing his mistake.
To his surprise, Lily simply nodded. "I get the picture. You just always seem like you're enjoying yourself."
James's smile turned sheepish and his cheeks reddened slightly. "Well, to be honest... since second year I mostly showed up because I was hoping you would be there."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "'Since second year'? You barely even talked to me until... you know."
James rubbed his neck self-consciously. "Yeah. I was... kind of a wimp. Pretty much until... about fifth year. And then I went about not being a wimp in the most asshole way possible."
Immediately Lily remembered another reason he was so comparable to fire, the reason she had hated him for an entire year.
He'd bullied younger students.
He'd hurt her friend.
And he'd ripped his way through her life with the force of a blazing inferno.
"I, er... I should probably get back to... y'know..."
Lily tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace, the memories of fifth year still fresh in her mind. "Um... yeah. Tell-tell Sirius I said happy birthday. I have to go too, to make sure Alice isn't completely pissed."
"Right."
With that she left, James staring after her with stormy eyes, wishing he could just give in to his feelings.
...
"So I saw you talking with Evans and you seem to be intact. I assume it went well?"
James winced. "Er... ish."
"Well either way, just be glad she didn't see the look you gave her as she left. You looked like you wanted to push her up against the wall and fu-"
"ANYWAY," Remus said loudly. "She appears to be warming up a bit. That can't be bad, right?"
James gave a weak smile. "I hope so. But you never know with her; it could just be the calm before the storm..."
...
Remus inwardly resolved to forget all of his problems for the next two hours and put on a smile as he sat down next to Lily. "Hey."
Lily smiled back. "What's up Lupin?"
Grinning even wider, Remus pulled out his book just as Slughorn began to speak.
"Today, class, we will continue the theory of the brewing of Veritaserum. Now, can anyone tell me who invented it?"
No hands came up.
"Mr. Lupin?"
Remus groaned silently and sat up straighter. "Was it Icarus Brectis, sir?"
"Not quite, Mr. Lupin. He invented a lesser version, but the true invention is credited to his son, Dastus. I expect you to know the answer the next time my boy, but I won't judge too harshly, you usually do."
Remus put on a smile that only his friends could see was sarcastic. "Of course, professor!"
"Fuck you, Professor!" He muttered in a very fake cheery voice, and Lily giggled.
"Is everything all right back there, Mr. Lupin?"
"Yes sir, just reminding Lily of that essay that's due Thursday."
"I see, of course. Just try to remember on your own, Miss Evans!"
"Yes sir!" Lily responded with a smile equally as fake as Remus's. "Burn in hell, sir!" She muttered in that same mockingly bright tone, and they burst out laughing as they always did at their habit; they always did it when the lecture was boring.
Slughorn took a breath and began droning on again.
"Now remember, -ation is the key to brewing Veritaserum. Concentration, determination-"
"-starvation, petrol station, anal penetration," Remus continued in a perfect imitation of the man, sending Lily into another fit of laughter.
I love writing sassy Remus/Lily. I picture him both as very sarcastic and witty, and when they were together, they would drive the others insane.
Anyway, drop a review if you can as always; I appreciate it. Hope you liked it. If you have any suggestions, feel free to PM me!
~~~J, a friend. "Sanctissimi cordis, quam acerrimi animi!"