Title: It Can't Be Real
Slash: James/Lily
Rating: PG-13-- Language and sexual situations.
Genre: Romance/General
Summary: The J/L sequel to "Even If I Said No?"
Disclaimer: Like I always say, when you take credit for something you didn't do, you're lying. Actually, I don't always say that, but I'm not going to lie. I don't own Harry Potter, JKR does.
Author's Note: Sorry this took so long. I can't even think straight. This cold thing is driving me crazy. I can't breathe, taste my older brother's cooking (which might be good and not bad, actually) and I'm coughing up stuff that's supposed to come out your nose (how's that for a lovely mental picture?)! But... since it's basically my whole world, besides my music and, well, the other stuff... I continue to write. ONWARD!
~*~
CHAPTER TWO: That Was... Interesting
In a little three-room shack somewhere near the equator, three people lived in a miserable disarray. It was extremely hot, and all the three men had were long robes and their underwear. Two had odd jobs, one was too depressed and scared to do much of anything. These three boys were Ian, Juan and Thomas.
Ian was just coming back from the supply store. It was a hot day in whatever country they were in... they didn't know which one for safety. Ian had dragged Thomas away from England when Thomas decided he wanted to come clean and not be Dark anymore... he'd finally realized the pain he had caused to the many people Voldemort destroyed. Voldemort had killed Diana, an oblivious Muggle who Thomas married three years before, and which had been killed under Voldemort's command.
"What about Lily?" Juan had asked. He sounded angry at Thomas when he said it. "She was better than Diana... you shouldn't have married a Muggle!" Juan had always had a curious disliking for Muggles, probably subconsciously, like any other pureblood family.
Ian was holding the grocery bag and climbing a big hill, the sun beating down on him like a lighted match on a candle wick. He wiped the sweat off his brow as he neared the top of the hill. He threw up before continuing; he was heavily dehydrated. When be looked up, his worst nightmare had come true... the Dark Mark hung over the little shack, like a neon sign...
"AHHHHH!" Ian shot up in his bed and screamed into the night. He breathed heavily, and he was in a cold sweat. He looked around the room. The only source of light was the moon shining in through the window. The body next him stirred.
"Ian?" Juan asked, and sat up with him. "Wassamatter? It's 2 AM."
"Uh... nightmare." Ian said, gulping the lump in his throat. The bad dream had brought back too many memories...
"Damn, again?" Juan said, and gently cradled Ian in his arms. "Shhh, Baby. It's alright. Let's go back to sleep."
A single tear fell from Ian's face as he nodded and closed his eyes. Being in Juan's arms gave him so much comfort, he couldn't argue. Ian was worried that the dream would come back, but he was too tired to care so much.
*
"5 more hours to go!" James said, after an hour of being on the job. Lily was lucky enough to land the cashier job, while James was unfortunate and got the occupation to pick up after the owls; clip their talons, file the tips of their beaks, clip their feathers, pick up their poop, feed them... all Lily watched with an amused expression.
"Jimmy, sweetheart, it's really not that bad." Lily said dully, sketching in her sketchbook. It was 6 AM, and no one in their right minds would be shopping for an owl at this hour. In fact, Lily's working hours were different than James's, being the cashier. She got up with James so he wouldn't be bored. James had to get up at 5:30 AM to pick up the store before costumers came... and for the hundreds of owls and only two other helpers, James hated his job with a fiery passion. But, he loved Lily with a fiery passion, so it was she who kept him going.
Unfortunately, there seemed to be this other girl to fancied James...
"Jamie..." Rhetta Campbell called in a sweet singsong voice, walking toward James with a spring in her step. In her arms she carried a basket with a magical fire going under it, one you could touch. James peered inside the basket, which had five owl eggs in it, before looking to Rhetta.
"Don't call me Jamie, my name is James." James told her firmly. Rhetta was tall, blonde, blue-eyed and earning money to travel to Paris to be a model. James swallowed as she winked at him before saying;
"Sorry, James..." She said, saying James's name in a purr that made James's palms sweat.
"Er... okay." James said. "What do you want me to do with the owl eggs?"
Rhetta gave the basket to James. "Mr. Eeylops wanted these in the Safe Incubator." She turned around to walk back to the broom closet, but on her way, her hand brushed against James's crotch, making him cough and walk away with haste. He walked over to Lily, putting the basket down, and smiled at her.
"Long day," he said huskily.
"We've only been here an hour, and you're sweating." Lily said, raising her eyebrows.
"Uh... Gotta go to the Safe Incubator." James said, picked up the basket, and power-walked to the Safe Incubator. Lily's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Today was going to be a warm day, so Lily decided to wear Muggle clothes... a sky blue tank top and plain denim shorts. Her hair was under control, for once, in a neat ponytail. James was wearing Muggle clothes (under Lily's command). Simple shorts and electric green T-shirt.
Rhetta was the most low-rent person Lily had ever met. She sheep-eyed every male peer that came into the store, and wore outrageous robes that usually are seen in strip bars. Today was a flowered bikini top and a matching long skirt (other option to long robes). Lily didn't like this girl at all... and she seemed to be rather fond of James.
The little door-bell rang, indicating that a costumer came in the store. Lily looked up and saw that it was Toby Jenson, Lily's old boyfriend. She smiled and said, "Well, bless my soul! It's Toby Jenson himself!"
Toby bowed. "The one and only." He looked around. "I saw that mess of red hair and thought it might be you. Summer job?"
"Sort of... I'm buying and re-opening Music Petals."
"Music Petals, the music store that's gone out of business?" Toby asked with interest. "Big shame, isn't it? I never really noticed it until I saw your concert... I found my calling."
"What would that be?" Lily asked, closing her sketch book.
Toby leaned in. "The tambourine."
Lily broke out laughing. "The... the tambourine?"
Toby smiled. "I thought so too. But I just beat that thing against my hip, and I feel alive."
They both laughed.
"Well, it's refreshing to see a friendly face." Toby said.
"Oh... your older brother still working to outshine you?"
"My father... what's with him and secondary school? You know, if I wanted to be educated more, I'd retake all of Hogwarts, but not secondary school."
"Secondary school?"
"Sort of like Muggle College." Toby shrugged. "Father says he wants to send me to the very one Dumbledore was sent to... Pigpimples Secondary School of Witchcraft and Wizardry... but I refused." ((A/N- Catchy title for a college, huh?))
Lily shrugged. "It could be worse, having to listen to your boyfriend gripe about picking up owl poo for six hours."
Toby tilted his head to one side. "Boyfriend?"
"Promise not to laugh?"
"Sure."
"James Potter."
Toby grinned. "James Potter? The James H. Potter? The fourth Marauder, eh? A popular kid, eh? Well, well... impressive."
"You sound Canadian." Lily shook her head.
"That might be because I am Canadian..."
*
"Well! Glad to see you, Prongs." Remus said.
"You know... working my ass off for no apparent reason." James said, then taking a swig of butterbeer. The Hog's Head seemed a little more teen-friendly than the Three Broomsticks. It had a couple pool tables, which the Marauders loved, and their peers gathered here more often than any other age group. First years to the retired went to the Three Broomsticks, and the scene seemed more crowded. Yeah, the Hog's Head fitted their needs better. Plus, Hagrid visited sometimes.
"14 striped into the corner-pocket." Peter said, and hit the ball square into the left corner. Remus gave him a high five. Then Sirius went next.
"Well," He said, "it's great to see your face, finally. We can play pool properly again, and Peter doesn't have to play for two teams anymore."
"You're just mad because I'm better at pool you are," Peter said with a shrug.
"That maybe so, but what I lack in pool-playing ability, I can beat you at Quidditch anytime." Sirius said, and tried to hit a solid 4 ball into a center pocket but missed. "Anyway."
"So, how's Poe?" James asked.
"Broke up. She's found better soil at secondary school." Sirius said bitterly.
"Sorry, mate." James said sympathetically. Then, to annoy Sirius, he added, "Well, me and Lil couldn't be better."
"Duh. You're obviously soul mates." Remus said, and hit the 10 ball into a pocket. "Anyway, Magenta and I broke up too, right after getting off the train from Hogwarts. We decided we weren't meant for each other."
"She found a bigger man, didn't she?" James said, raising his eyebrows.
"Oooh, yeah." Remus shook his head. "Your turn, James."
James his and successfully suck the solid 11 ball. "Well, there's Arabella Figg... you have sort of fancied her for a while..."
"Say no more." Remus said, looking ahead. Standing not too far away was Arabella Figg, with her short light brown hair and hazel eyes. Remus casually walked over to her, the other Marauders watching intently.
"Hey, Bella." Remus said, making sure his ponytail was tight.
Arabella turned from her conversation with another girl and saw Remus.
"What's new?" Remus asked.
Arabella only smiled.
"Uh... are you thirsty? Can I get you a drink?"
Arabella shook her head, and her smile got a little broader.
"Hungry? Want me to order you some lunch?"
Arabella shook her head and her smile turned into a grin.
"Well... what do you want?"
Arabella leaned forward and slipped her tongue down Remus's throat.
"Omigawd!" Peter shrieked and the other three Marauders broke out laughing. They found it extremely amusing that Remus wasn't prowling, and that Arabella (quiet, humble) was.
Arabella let go from the kiss gently and Remus fell to the floor.
"Nice to see you again, Rem." Arabella said with a smile.
"Lovely to make your acquaintance," Remus said huskily, looking up at her as if she were a goddess. As Remus stood up and dusted himself off, the girl Arabella had been talking to was in a fit of giggles. Remus kissed Arabella's cheek. "Want to date?"
"Sure." Arabella shrugged.
"Where?"
"Here."
"When?"
"8 o' clock."
"Should I bring 'equipment'?"
"By all means."
"Well, see you later, Bella."
"Bye, Rem."
Remus dazedly made his way back to the pool table. The Marauders were biting their fists in order to stop laughing, Sirius and James in particular.
"Well... that well, didn't?'
"Oh, yes, quite." James said, and laughed.
"What did you mean by 'equipment'?" Peter asked.
"Condom." Remus said casually, albeit with a huge grin on his face. Sirius and James exchanged amused expressions. Peter shrugged and took his turn, missing the left side pocket and sinking the Q-ball.
Sirius nodded. "Well. That was... interesting."
*
The birds outside chirped softly, letting James subtly know it was dawn. James opened one tired eye and glanced at the clock. It was 6 AM, and he was going to be late for work. He groaned and poked the shoulder of Lily, who was sleeping on top of him. Lily looked up into James's eyes, who pointed to the clock. Lily's turn to groan, and she rolled off of James and sat up.
"James, last night was bliss, and you forget to set your alarm." Lily said, rubbing her eye.
James mumbled something indistinct, but Lily knew he was probably saying something his defense. Lily got out of bed and walked over to James. She planted a kiss on his cheek and smiled.
"Love you."
James smiled meekly and muttered, "Ditto." James wasn't a morning person.
"Go ahead and Apparate over to Eeylops, I'll be there in about an hour. I'm going to take a shower, alright?"
James garbled as he put on his underwear and other clothing items. Lily nodded and walked toward the bathroom. Before she walked in, she yelled down the stairs, "Mum, I'll be getting breakfast in Diagon Alley!"
"Right!" Called back Elizabeth, who was probably fixed Leonard breakfast before he shuffled off to work (an office job down at the city-wide newspaper).
James mumbled and walked over Lily and kissed her before he Disapparated.
*
"Morning, Jamie." Rhetta winked as James stumbled over to the time-card puncher, punched in his card and walked over to the Safe Incubator.
"'Lo," He managed to say. He checked the eggs due to hatch, and nothing was happening.
"What's new?" Said Rhetta sweetly.
"Nothing much." James said, and then made his way to the coffee maker, which was fresh out of coffee.
"You can have the rest of mine." Rhetta spoke, holding up the white china coffee mug. James half glanced at it, unsure why she was giving him coffee when the whole entire human population needed coffee to stay awake at this hour.
"Mmkay." James mumbled and walked over to Rhetta. She handed him the mug and he drank deeply. When he stopped, the whole world seemed... red. James, still being half asleep, thought that this was pretty cool. Then he realized (when the coffee kicked in a second later) that the world wasn't supposed to be one color. He shook his head, then the world went back to being normal colored.
Then, James looked at Rhetta, about to make her tell him what the hell she did to his coffee. For some reason, his heart melted when he looked at her. Her smile was beautiful, her face was perfect, her haystack hair... James felt in love, sort of what he felt around Lily.
"Uh, thanks." James said, bemused. Rhetta's face seemed to fall.
'Why didn't it work?' She thought.
James gasped. "Don't be sad, my lovely! What do you want- anything I can get you? Jooblie's is not too far away from here..."
"No, no... I'm fine!" Rhetta instantly smiled. James felt his heart pound when she smiled.
'What the hell?' James said, part of his mind still sane. 'Why am I... oh dear lord, I'm in love with Rhetta Campbell!' Rhetta was just standing there, smiling at him.
Then James did what everyone thought was the impossible; he leaned over and kissed Rhetta (who, I might add, was in complete ecstasy).
From the doorway, holding three breakfast rolls he had bought for James, himself and Lily, was Toby. He witnessed this horrible scene, and almost dropped the food. Instead he slowly and soundlessly backed away, and was very confused as he made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron. Toby wasn't an expert at this sort of thing, and didn't know if he should keep what he saw as a secret... or tell Lily.
*
