A/N: January/July same difference right? veryyyy late, a bit short, but i hope it makes you smile!


The new year, for all its pomp and circumstance, snuck in right under Lily's nose. A blur of life and snow and feelings. So very many of them.

As a professional, as an independent career woman, Lily was constantly dragging her attention to important manners. Namely the shaping of young minds in general, and ensuring they actually pass their exams in particular.

She's got an entire semester to do so, but the months can slip by so easily. Hell, she can hardly believe they've taken fall midterms let alone rang in a new year. And all that came with it.

So now, as she drags herself from the comforting warmth of her bed and out into the perilous cold of her room.

The chill wracks her bones as she readies for the day, setting out her notes and tools for the day's lesson - light but not unimportant. Fully mindful of the haze too much Christmas pudding can create in even the most eager of minds.

Once she's slipped on her woolen stockings, cable knit jumper, and favorite gingham skirt, all that's left is to brave the hordes of students. And professors.

Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, Lily presses her classroom door open and steps into the hall, her boots soft-footed in the cobbled hall.

Students fly, saunter, and amble past. The latter a bit zombie-like as they have seemingly not quite recovered from their New Year's celebrations. Honestly, Lily can't fault them. Can find the feeling quite relatable, if she's honest.

But the rumble in her belly demands attention and it does no good to delay things, for extending the good or stalling the ill.

The Great Hall is filled to brimming, warm and bouncing with excitement, and Lily rides the wave through the press of students to the professor's dais. Tureens, serving bowls, and dishes already steaming and waiting.

Along with her colleagues - an empty seat held at the far left end. Just next to - next to Professor Potter. James.

His grin is hesitant when his hazel eyes settle on her across the distance, and Lily's equally so. Understandable after - well after. And yet odd that things are less easy following something -

When she climbs the steps and hovers at the empty seat, James smiles again. "Alright, Evans?"

His cheeks are rosy and LIly wants to do a great many things to that adorable, tempting face. "Alright. And you?"

"Better now."

Lily rolls her eyes and sits. "That is disgusting."

"I'm a charmer."

"Sure," Lily drawls, reaching for the toast stacked high to James' right, "How about we dispense with the pretty words and get something in my stomach."

James does as she asks, following with the pot of jelly and butter. "Of course. Though I can't help but note your utterly grouchy demeanor seems at odds with a post-holiday breakfast."

"Perhaps I got quite used to living without the daily trial of living in close quarters with certain near sighted colleagues."

"Joke's on you I'm farsighted."

Sirius crunches down on a slice of bacon and snorts from James' other side, "Bloody arsehole has bifocals - can't see for shit."

He laughs, James does, and his eyes are warm with it. But when his gaze fully settles on Lily, it's a different warmth - heat. Heat that she can't quite deal with this early in the morning. And after perhaps a few days of internal angst.

And maybe he can see that, sense it on some level, because he winks at her and sets his focus on the meal at hand. "So Sirius, what brew are you torturing the young ones with today?"


With the spring semester, Lily's holiday themed projects are less relevant. And it might be a bit less fun, but she thinks comparing and contrasting muggle and magical forms of government is a legitimately important course of study. She's got enough fun stories on the times they intersect - like the wildly debated Minister of Magic encounter with the Muggle PM shortly after her '79 inauguration. The rumors whorl about for sure, and LIly's got her own guesses on how exactly it went down.

Which is how she ends up closing out her first lecture with the assignment to write a fictionalized account of the interaction, that would hopefully demonstrate they'd half listened to her lecture.

The wizarding world really does face a unique political situation that even the muggles don't experience, despite being half of the relationship. By far, the large majority of the muggle world doesn't know they exist, and the necessary disclosures (see Madam Prime Minister and select of her predecessors) have been kept in the low end of double digits.

Tomorrow, they'd discuss what scenarios generally lead to those closed-door encounters which would lead into the topics that would definitely be a far cry from their Hallowe'en dress up day.

Although her notes are written and she's more than well versed in the subject both professionally and personally, there's so much responsibility at doing it well. The kids know enough of the conflict between the two communities, of the divide within the magical community itself, but the next few class periods could change things, opinions, shape at least a small part of the next generation.

So yes, she's ready and they're sweet, and the tensions between muggleborns and the pureblooded community are severely lessened since her time as a student. But that doesn't mean she's not seriously considering pouring a cup of whiskey with a bit of tea in it.

She's rubbing at her temples and willing the blooming tension headache away when the door to her classroom creaks open. With a sigh, she turns and rolls her shoulders back and down below her jawline, "What's troubling - Potter."

He grins, "Evans," he takes a few sauntering steps closer, fingertips dragging over the top of the empty desks. "In answer to your question, the fact that you're missing dinner and I found you with your shoulders in your ears is a bit troubling."

Lily feels her lips lift in a smile and she follows the pull of James that seems to just be a part of his very existence, and becomes part of hers every time he enters a room.

James ruffles his curls and slides forward to close the remaining distance between them, just a breath apart. His voice is quiet when he asks, "Want to talk about it?"

"Hm, let me think," Lily murmurs, pursing her lips comically enough that they just brush his.

"I'm here for whatever," James answers as he nudges his nose against hers.

Slowly, Lily lets her hands slip up his arms, over his shoulders, knits her fingers into his hair and pulls his lips a bit closer. "I'm here for more of that New Years Eve 'whatever'."

"I can do that."