Full Story Summary: The story begins in New York. There was a man who could see the beauty in small things and a witch who was known by everyone and no one. Her heart belonged in London and his heart belonged to her, even if she couldn't stay. They loved each other recklessly and paid the price. For a while, they only saw each other in their dreams. Timing is a funny thing. Everyone was watching. They lost each other, but they found themselves and somehow, that was everything.

Chapter 1:

Like any great love, it keeps you guessing

Like any real love, it's ever-changing

Like any true love, it drives you crazy

But you know you wouldn't change anything

Welcome to New York...

It was June 1st, 1989.

James Potter was 21 and in New York City for the first time in his life.

He walked through the crowded village, all the trees aglow with twinkling fairy lights. James' heartbeat fast in his chest as he took in America for the first time, eyes wide and child-like. New York City was nothing, nothing like the quiet countryside in England. The streets pulsed with life from the very dirty sidewalk, all the way up to the tallest skyscraper. James walked along to a soundtrack made up of city busses, taxi cabs and fast-paced mortality that echoed with each footstep.

Girls passed laughing into their manicured hands; boys danced after them with their hearts on their brightly colored sleeves. James smiled gawkily when the local girls giggled in his direction, their eyes dragging up his body to examine his jeans and frumpy black t-shirt. Their electric eyeshadow and scrunchies were glowing underneath lights from the buildings and clubs he walked by. James stopped in windows where clothes were colorful and expensive art pieces in themselves. James wished he could pull off half the fashion in the windows, but he'd leave being a fashionista to his best friend Sirius Black.

James preferred his jeans and t-shirt combination, especially since he always managed to get paint on all his clothes. James' mum Mia Potter had stopped buying him nice clothes in primary, stating she got tired of trying to get oil-based colors off his white polos. James wished he had brought his polaroid with him out into the streets so he could send his mum pictures of New York. She'd always said she missed living in a city but James' father, Fleamont Potter, preferred the countryside.

James hadn't planned on spending his summer in New York originally. In fact, he'd thought he'd spend the summer sleeping in the old hay barn, sketching the sheep for the second summer in a row. Now, surrounded by buildings twice the size of any he'd ever seen, James was spinning around in astonishment.

He'd been offered a drawing and architecture summer class through a scholarship program at an art academy in Brooklyn. The offer to live and study in New York for the summer had come as a complete shock to James, mainly because he'd only applied to it on a whim after his brother dared him.

"When are you ever going to get the chance to live in New York City for free every again?" Sirius said to James when he had passed James the application over breakfast earlier that year, "this is your chance for adventure, a chance to meet other artists and maybe even get a whirlwind summer romance!"

When Sirius also got the call to come to New York for a summer dance program, it was fate that sent them dropping duffle bags in a big wide city. Mia and Fleamont had been hesitant to send James and Sirius off so far away for the summer, but Sirius had convinced them it would be worth it. Sirius was living in Manhattan studying at Juilliard and James was in Brooklyn at Pratt Institute. They both had been excited for the new adventure, counting down the days together until the trip arrived.

James decided to explore the city on his own his first night in town, finding the allure way to distracting from his small dorm room on Pratt Institute's campus. James jumped from station to station, taking in the world like it was covered in gold. He'd never lived in a large city before, much more used to cow pastures and sheep neighbors. Now, buildings rose up around James like towers that spiraled into the clouds.

James' long fingers itched to draw every inch of New York. The tall and sloping architecture, the stained-glass windows in the churches and the people who walked amongst each other in calculated huddles. It was all so mesmerizing, and James got lost at least ten times. He didn't mind, getting to know as much of his new world as possible.

It was well past one in the morning when James finally found his way back to the middle of Manhattan. One more stop and then he'd be back in Brooklyn, where his school was. James stopped in front of a tall building with gold plated windows. The building was concrete with plenty of glass windows that covered the adjacent sidewalk in yellow tint. James was so caught up in the lights shining through the windows that he didn't notice the woman or the black cat in her arms until after he ran into them both.

"Hey!"

The girl had dark hair to her shoulders, and she stumbled back, glaring at him greatly. James' hand shot to his hair as he apologized profusely while the cat in her arms hissed greatly at him. The girls shushed her cat before considering James through her long fringe. James considered her too, noting she looked as if she'd appeared from another dimension.

First of all, her cat was large and fat, black as night. The girl carried the cat, despite it wearing a collar and leash. More interesting, were the girl's clothes. She was wearing what looked like a robe someone would wear out of the bath. Perhaps she had come out of a bath, but her hair was curled delicately around her shoulders in a way that didn't seem bath-like. James appreciated her cheekbones, high and proud with a curved nose. She was gorgeous, even in the dark, commanding the attention of any who glanced her way.

"Do you often walk your cat around Manhattan?" he asked, not hesitating to comment on her cat while she was looking him up and down cautiously.

"Pardon?"

She responded back quickly, sharply, as if he'd offended her. James felt a small smile curve onto his face as he recognized her accent.

"You're British." he said excitedly.

"So are you," She replied back hastily, hefting her cat up in her arms more, "do you intern for MACUSA too?"

He spoke up the same time as her, "are you here on a scholarship too?"

"Scholarship?" she tilted her head in confusion, "What's that?"

"You aren't here for Uni?" he asked, equally as confused.

"No." she looked disappointed and she took a step back, as if she just realized she were talking to a complete stranger, "no, I'm done school."

Her answer surprised James, because the woman certainly looked his age, so she had to be eighteen, at least. She was blunt, but James still was intrigued by her. Her eyes were scraping across his jaw, as if she'd seen something she liked in his smile.

"Are you on holiday?" he asked her when she didn't say anything.

Her almond shaped eyes narrowed even more, "No."

"Have you been in New York long?" he was trying to get more from her, the mysterious girl with the cat in her arms.

The girl still seemed intrigued by him, despite her sudden hesitance, "a few weeks, you?"

"Just arrived this morning." James licked his lips once, "is it normal to walk around New York with a cat?"

"Are you trying to tell me it's not normal to take your cat for a walk?"" she countered, a sparkle rising in her eyes that reminded James of his best friend.

"Wouldn't know," James crossed his arms, "I don't own a cat."

"Tragic."

"I'm not a cat person." he added.

She tutted, "even more tragic."

"I've been thinking of getting a dog."

"Dogs are overrated." she wrinkled her nose.

"Do you have something better in mind?" he felt like he was sparring, but with words.

Her lipstick was bright red and it glowed under the streetlights as she simpered at him, "An owl perhaps?"

"An owl?" James deadpanned, "as a pet?"

She offered him a shifty smile, "don't knock it till you try it."

James stared at her, transfixed. The woman danced around him, aware of his eyes boring into her. She started walking backwards, so even though she was walking away, she was still looking at him. She gave half a wave before turning and walking away, her heeled boots clicking on the sidewalk.

Her voice carried back to him in the wind, "Welcome to New York."

Thanks to COVID I've had a bit of spare time to write up a quick little AU based on Taylor Swift's album 1989. I hope you guys enjoy! I've certainly been having fun writing it! There are 15 chapters, all of them varying in length. This won't be as long as Fearlessly Red or Reputation though. It follows more of a Speak Now vibe. After this, the only albums I haven't transcribed will be Taylor Swift (self-titled debut) and Lover...I can hardly believe it!

xxx

Petals