Summary: James, a doctor at St. Mungo's, saw it as a way to get his long-awaited raise. Lily, the work-preoccupied and somewhat bitchy "rising-star" reporter at the Daily Prophet, saw it as a step to a front-page article. What they both didn't know was what seemed like a simple news story would change both their lives forever.

Disclaimer: Gee, I wonder whose all this stuff is...

Author's Note: Not too many reviews for the first chappie, but hey!! THANK YOU to all of yous who reviewed!! (Thanks at end of chapter.) So this chap should be a tad better...sorry, it's shorter tho...ick, I just realized how short it is, SORRY!!

The Quill

Chapter Two

By Lady Wildcat

He was late. Lily sighed and glanced at her watch again, clicking her heels on the pavement next to her suitcase. That damn photographer. He'd been told to be outside the Prophet building at 9:50; it was 9:55. They were supposed to Apparate to St. Mungo's together. But if he was late, she was going to be mad.

Frustrated, she whipped off her sunglasses and dug into the pocket of her practical black robes. She retrieved a small emerald-green notepad, which she flipped open and tapped with her wand. "Record." She tapped it again. "Nine fifty-six a.m., Friday the thirtieth of April. Outside the Prophet." As she spoke, her words were recorded on the pad. "Still waiting. Damn photographer still isn't here."

"Actually, the damn photographer is here," said a cheery voice behind her. Lily tapped the pad again and turned. A skinny young man stood behind her, with a suitcase in one arm, a camera in the other, and a mop of brown hair in his eyes. "Gus Fletcher. Actually, it's Mundungus, but that's a mouthful."

"I'm Lily Evans," she said, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice. "Can we please get going? We need to be punctual for this." She replaced her dark green sunglasses on the bridge of her nose.

"Right." Unfazed by her icy welcome, Gus dug out his wand and followed Lily in Apparating.

They appeared a couple miles away, in a section of Diagon Alley quite near to Hyde Park in the Muggle London. Lily spoke into her pad again. "Nine fifty-seven a.m. Outside St. Mungo's. A very large white mansion, green trees, iron fence, gravel walkway." She motioned to Gus and they crunched up the gravel to the courtyard, Lily still talking. "On about five or so acres. Three separate buildings, could be dormitories or warehouses."

Two people stood on the stoop of the hospital. One, in the white doctor robes, was tall and thin, with glasses and unruly black hair. The other was tall as well, yet shorter and more well-built, with long dark brown hair. His robes were dark green. They both looked vaguely familiar, the taller one more so.

The one with glasses spoke. "Miss Evans?"

"Ms., please."

"Ms. Evans," he said. "My name's James Potter, and on behalf of the MES..."

"Who's your sidekick?" Lily looked at the man in green.

He bristled slightly. "Sirius Black, Auror."

"Hm," said Lily. She turned to Potter. "Now, Mr. Potter--" She frowned and stopped. Potter. Black. Even more familiar than their faces. "Excuse me, but did you two go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes..." James frowned. "Wait...Lily? Lily Evans?"

"Right. Hogwarts, graduating class of '76."

"You were--"

"Head Girl."

"And I was--"

"Head Boy."

"Wow," said James. He was totally at a loss. Lily Evans, the pretty, straight-A student...he remembered her. Vaguely. Their relationship had been polite and slightly cold. Well, that was Lily.

Sirius, evidently, wasn't barred by politeness. "Lily Evans? The hottest girl in our year? Man, Lily, I had the biggest crush on you in third year..."

She just glared at him. Even with sunglasses her glare could freeze a fire.

Sirius was unfazed. "Who's the photographer?"

"Gus Fletcher. You don't know me, but I know quite a bit about you."

"Really?" Sirius put his hands in his pockets. "How's that?"

"Well, I'm Remus' friend, and..."

He didn't need to speak any further. "Really! So Remus is the doctor who knows the photographer!" He slung an arm across Gus' shoulder and picked up his suitcase. "We will see you later, Jamesie old pal. So Gus, you know we're practically brothers..."

Feed me to the lioness, Sirius. James sighed and looked at Lily. She was talking into a green pad. "--Potter, tall, glasses, black hair, tad underweight, little geeky--"

"Hey..."

Lily ignored him. "By some odd quirk, known through school." She tapped the pad with her wand, and turned to James expectantly.

He cleared his throat. "Lily...Ms. Evans...Lily..." He laughed nervously. Lily didn't move. "Should we go to the MES headquarters, and you can start your interview there?"

Lily took off her sunglasses, and James saw her vibrant green eyes. Now he recognized her even more.

"Look, James Potter," she said, leaning in. "I don't know if you remember seventh year and working on all those Head Boy and Girl projects together. I don't remember much, but I do remember that I was in charge." She tapped his chest with a purple fingernail. "This will be just like seventh year. I'm in charge, and you're to follow directions. Got it?"

James nodded. There was silence, and then Lily stooped to pick up her suitcase. "Why don't you show me around the hospital, and then we can have our first interview."

It wasn't a suggestion; it was a command. James nodded, and led Lily to the door. He was relearning how to act around her, and it wasn't going to be easy.

***

Author's Note: THANK YOU: lemon spritzer (first reviewer! I'll update as much as possible!), Bon (hee hee), jamie (glad it's original), The Infallible Teller (gonna continue), Lily's friendJess (here's the next chappie!), Myxie (glad ya liked the first), DreamCloud53 (I'm sooo sorry about TFI chap. 6, I have writer's block for it. I'll try and update soon!), Nobody In Particular (thanks!), aand Sammi (I WILL continue!).

See ya in chap. 3!

Best,

Lady Wildcat