His Greatest Wish, by AndromedaMarine
A/N: Chapter 26 officially put the reviews of this story over 200! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, even if I haven't replied to you. I'm so glad I have so many followers on this story—it's almost unbelievable. On another note, this 27th chapter is a week-late happy 27th birthday gift for Neo-digi, who was kind enough to review chapter 26 and let me know that June 4th was the special day. (I promise this chapter was mostly written by June 4th).
Persistent Potter
In the weeks following, Sev and Lily became even closer than he thought possible for their age, but neither pressured the other about anything. Lily knowing his enormous secret lifted a great weight from his heart and shoulders, and even the Circle noticed his improved mood. He'd argued, though, with Lily over why he didn't want anyone else to know he was from the future.
"It's not that I don't trust them, Lil, I do—look, the fewer people that know, the safer I—we—are. Think about it…people will want to know what happens, some people will think I'm crazy, and some would want to lock me up and dig through my mind."
Lily didn't seem convinced, but she let it drop because at least she knew.
Even though Lily had made it clear she was far from interested in Potter, the egotistical fourth year remained convinced he could change Lily's mind. It was the first Hogsmeade weekend, and Lily and Sev went together like they always did. It was different this time, however, because the entire walk into the village their hands were laced together. The rest of the Seven and Regulus were off doing shopping, Alice making sure she was with Frank.
James, accompanied only by Amos Diggory, caught up with Lily and Sev just outside The Three Broomsticks.
"Come on, Lily, get a drink with me," he insisted arrogantly. Amos watched him with an unsure expression.
Lily tightened her grip on Sev's fingers. She wondered what had happened to James that he couldn't take 'no' for an answer. She faced him. "Apparently you haven't noticed, Potter, but I'm taken." Lily lifted her and Sev's joined hands.
Sev turned his head to stare down at her. Up until now, she'd never confirmed nor denied that they were a couple, let alone talked to him about it.
A flash of a sneer passed over James's face. "Joking, are you? What could he have that I can't offer?"
Outraged, Lily said, "Common sense, for one. I won't try to explain my choices to you because aside from not understanding them, you wouldn't even listen."
"Give me one good reason—"
"I've given you several, so many I can't count them, foremost of which is that your attitude makes you utterly repulsive and absolutely hideous."
As Sev stood there next to his best friend and, now, apparently his girlfriend, he had never wanted to kiss her more than he did now. He restrained himself, though, not sure if she was ready to give that part of herself to him. The perfect moment hadn't come yet, and it was still all about her.
"I won't stop trying, Evans," James replied, obviously hurt and more than a little angry that a girl didn't find him appealing. "I can show you a good time."
"Save your efforts, Potter, and realize that Mary Macdonald thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. As for me…" she looked up at Sev with something new in her eyes, "I've already found my Prince."
Sev smiled, still a little stunned, at the play with his last name.
"Come on, Sev, let's get some Butterbeers." Lily pulled him into the pub, leaving James and Amos staring after them.
"I guess I was wrong about her, mate," Amos said to James. "She looks happy with him. You shouldn't force it. Let them be."
But red had clouded James's judgment. "No, Amos—she's the one."
Amos stared at him incredulously. "This isn't the middle ages anymore, James!"
"I never said it was, Amos. She'll come around, eventually. And even if she doesn't…"
Amos's jaw dropped. "You can't force a girl to marry you! It's against Wizarding law, James! Not to mention we're barely old enough to even be thinking about finding a girl to marry."
James let out a growl. "She's blinded, Amos—all she's ever known is that pureblood prat."
"You don't even know what you're talking about. Severus is a half-blood, his father was a Muggle. I'm not going to help you try to get her, James. You've gone batty." Amos then proceeded to seize his friend's arm and drag him up High Street towards Zonko's.
Peter, who had been standing several feet behind them, overheard the whole thing. He stood there as still as he could, waiting until Amos and James disappeared into Zonko's before daring to move from his rooted position. He hurried into The Three Broomsticks and quickly found Sev and Lily talking quietly in one of the back booths.
Sev and Lily abruptly stopped talking when Peter came up to them. He glanced around before sitting down across from his friends, and leaned forward over the table. "You won't believe what I just heard Potter and Diggory saying after you came in here," he whispered hurriedly. Sev silently cast Muffliato and Peter proceeded to tell them everything he'd witnessed.
When he finished, Lily wore a look of righteous anger. "So he thinks he can just take whatever he wants? Merlin, and to think he was actually all right in first year!"
Sev was just as furious, but he slipped his arm protectively around her shoulders and she leaned into him. "You're not an object, Lil. He can't take you or make you do anything at all."
Peter watched them curiously. "So what's this?" he asked with a little smile on his face, indicating how Sev and Lily were sitting. "Did I miss something?"
"Oh," Lily said, her lips quirking into a smile. "You didn't miss anything, Peter. Today, officially, Sev and I—we're, well—"
"Dating?" Peter supplied. "It's about time."
"Sorry?" Sev said, staring at the boy he'd grown to think of as a friend.
Peter shrugged. "It's just that we've all been waiting for one of you to do something about it. It was obvious from the moment we all met that you two are inseparable. So, unofficially, since when?"
Lily looked up at Sev. "Since the first Saturday back, I guess." Merlin, his eyes are so expressive…
The door of the pub opened and Sirius, his brother, and Remus came in with bags beneath their arms. Peter waved to them and the three boys joined them at the booth.
"Oh, finally," Sirius said with a breath as he dropped into a seat beside Peter, his eyes on Lily and Sev.
"Yeah," Remus added with a grin. "I was beginning to worry that you were both too scared to do anything."
Lily's jaw dropped. "Are you all for real? You all saw it—except us?"
Sirius exchanged a glance with Regulus, who was trying not to laugh. "Well, we're not too sure about Frank because he has yet to realize the reason Alice is always hanging around him."
At this, everyone burst into laughter.
After Peter told the Circle what he'd overheard from Potter and Diggory, Sirius decided it would be in Sev and Lily's best interest if the whole school knew just how medieval James Potter's thoughts were. The Black brothers and Remus executed this plan by loudly discussing it at the Gryffindor table during meals, in classrooms before lessons began, and in the common room when it was particularly packed. As time went on James's mood only grew steadily worse—he began playing Quidditch so badly that seventh year and captain Celeste Kaus kicked him off the team. James snapped one early December day and jinxed Sirius just as Professor McGonagall entered the Transfiguration classroom from her office.
Her expression livid, she immediately took thirty points from Gryffindor, gave James a week's worth of detention, and righted Sirius as he lay on the stone floor with his legs flailing in the air under the effect of Potter's well-aimed tarantallegra.
"I have never seen such animosity between members of the same house—let alone in Gryffindor! Potter, Black—you shall remain behind after the lesson to explain it to me. In full!" With that final note she began lecturing the class about cross-species transfiguration.
Sev, Lily, Remus, Peter, Frank, and Alice all waited outside the rom as McGonagall spoke with James and Sirius.
"Now, if one of you will tell me what this is all about—"
"He thinks he can take whatever he wants!" Sirius expounded at the same moment James said, "This Slytherin sympathizer thinks he can tell me what I can and can't do!"
"Mr. Potter!" Minerva held up both hands and peered over the rims of her glasses. James and Sirius were glaring murderously at each other. "Mr. Black, give me your side first."
James shot daggers as Sirius spoke. "The first Hogsmeade weekend Potter said he would force Lily to date him if she wouldn't accept on her own!"
McGonagall's nostrils flared.
James cut in. "I did not! I only want to show Lily she can have a better time with me than with Severus Prince—"
"Oh yeah? Pete heard what you said to Amos Diggory, that apparently Lily's 'the one' for you and you'll stop at nothing to get her—"
He was silenced when Professor McGonagall cast a shield charm between the two fourth years, having sensed that James was about to throw a punch.
"Really!" she exclaimed. "All this over a girl? Mr. Black, while your intentions to protect your friend are honorable, provoking Mr. Potter is no way to handle it. Mr. Potter, while it is endearing to see your apparent affection for Miss Evans, you have no right to force her into anything at all, especially if she is already in a relationship with Mr. Prince. I assure you Miss Evans is not the only girl in Gryffindor House or, for that matter, all of Hogwarts." She fell silent for a moment to look both boys in the eye. "I expect better from you both. Resolve this, but without wands and outside of my classroom!" She released the protego. "Now, Mr. Black, if you would send Mr. Prince and Miss Evans in when you leave…I daresay they are waiting for you."
James and Sirius left, and Sirius told Sev and Lily that McGonagall wanted to talk to them.
Sev held the door open for Lily and followed her inside.
"Mr. Black tells me Mr. Potter thinks he can simply take whatever he likes, whether or not it be a person."
Sev's gaze hardened and Lily's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her hand found his, but McGonagall didn't see as the students' cloaks hid it from view.
"I admit I find this a positively archaic idea. Can either of you confirm or deny Mr. Black's claim?"
"I've been telling Potter 'no' ever since last Christmas, Professor. He hasn't listened at all! It's gone from mildly annoying to a downright nightmare," Lily said bitterly. "I don't understand how he thinks he can 'take' me if I don't want to come." Instinctively she moved even closer to Sev. She felt safe with him—and recently, she'd been thinking more and more about what it would be like to kiss him. But that was for another time; she couldn't think about that while speaking with McGonagall.
McGonagall pursed her lips. "I suggest you continue ignoring him, Miss Evans. Mr. Prince, I do not want to hear anything about you dueling Mr. Potter, regardless if it's to defend Miss Evans' honor. Defending yourself, on the other hand, is acceptable. Defensive spells only. You both know better than to cast spells on fellow students when not instructed to in classes. Inform me if things get, well, out of hand."
"Yes, Professor," they both said, and left the transfiguration classroom.
"Well?" Peter prompted once the door clicked shut behind them. "What'd she say?" Sirius had already told them what McGonagall's conversation with James and him had involved.
"Only that we're to ignore Potter and not duel him," Sev answered in disappointment. "I'd like to make his—"
"Sev!" Lily exclaimed, and the old potions master shut his mouth.
Remus hid a smirk.
"Well, it's a bit late for the whole 'not dueling' bit," Frank said. "We all got something off at him as he was leaving."
"Better put up protective spells around your beds at night, now," Sev muttered, but everyone heard him. In all honesty Sev was surprised James hadn't tried something already for the mere fact that Sev was closer to Lily than he was. Wards would be around everyone's beds tonight…
"I got off a well-aimed kick," Alice revealed with a smile.
Despite all this encouragement, Lily said, "Somehow I don't think he'll stop. It's almost as if I have to be married for him to consider another girl."
Sev swallowed but no one noticed when his heart sped up.
"That's such a defeatist thing for you to say," Regulus said, walking up behind them with a sugar quill hanging from his mouth. "If I were you I'd plan some sneaky way to punish him without getting caught." Sev smiled, recognizing the distinct Slytherin aspect of Reg's words.
"He called me a Slytherin sympathizer," Sirius commented with disgust evident on his face. "He probably doesn't think Regulus here should always be eating with us at the Gryffindor table. As if my dear brother would poison anyone's food but Potter's!"
Alice reached out and smacked Sirius on the shoulder. "That's not something you should say! At least out in the corridor…"
Remus chuckled.
Transfiguration was the last class of the day, and Celeste had called for a Quidditch practice that evening before dinner to prepare for the game on Saturday against Hufflepuff. "Lily, Sirius," Sev said, "We should get down to the pitch, do a couple laps before the team gets there."
Sirius nodded and clapped Sev on the shoulder. "Good call, mate." He started down the corridor towards the main staircase, everyone else following. At the staircase the Seven and Regulus parted ways, the Gryffindors heading up to the Tower so the Quidditch players could get their gear.
When Lily woke up the morning after the Quidditch match (during which they beat Hufflepuff by almost a hundred points) and looked out the window, she saw that the ground was covered with a fresh blanket of snow. She jumped out of bed, still a little sore from the game, showered and dressed, and hurried over to the boys' dorm to prod Sev awake.
"Lily!"
"What?" she shrugged. "No one else is up, they don't matter…wait, didn't you have wards up?"
He nodded silently.
"Then how did…?"
"It recognized you, it's nothing." Sev gave her a pointed stare. "Are you going to let me get dressed, or what?"
"Oh, right…there's new snow, we should go outside."
Sev smiled. "All right. I'll be down in the common room in a few minutes."
Lily's eyes sparkled.
A/N: I'm sure you've noticed that I have not written a first kiss yet. I promise…it's coming
A/N2: In case it has escaped your attention, I really have a thing against James Potter. I've always wondered how JKR could write Lily to fall for James even after he spent all his Hogwarts years tormenting her best friend—and how she couldn't see that James drove her best friend away from her on purpose. I suppose it helps that Alethea27's brilliantly written "Maybe I'm Amazed" that has convinced me without a doubt that James Potter never deserved Lily. (Shameless plug, I know)