Two chapters for you patient fans. Thank you for reading and enjoy. Disclaimer: not my characters.
After the realization of James Potter and his crush on the brilliant Lily Evans, his efforts grew increasingly unstable. He ended up using way too grand of gestures to woo her, which resulted in him getting hexed most of the time.
It all started at the end of second year, when the hatred part of their relationship became a true ideal that many saw. Lily made it known that she would love to hex the life out of a certain messy-raven-haired boy if given the chance. Which she was.
Potter on the other hand was too arrogant to see past his ways. He thought that if he liked a girl then he should be good enough to woo her, and if not he'll move on. But upon meeting Lily Evans, he realized how difficult moving on would be.
His arrogance led him to romantic gestures that played out more like pranks than romance. And Lily would know, she was somewhat a hopeless romantic in a way. She would scoff at the idea of reading romance novels with her friends, but a genuine good novel was good no matter the genre. As to why she enjoyed Jane Austen classics.
James only wanted to charm her, but couldn't help his childish ways. He hoped one day he might be able to do something right for once when it came to her. But for now, he yearned and yearned for just a generous glance, getting none in return.
But as said before, he was a very determined boy. Eager to break down her shell and cause her to yearn for him too. He wanted her, as simple as that. But his desire was more childish than mature, feeling more as an object he could covet instead of a person who would answer back with the same need for him.
He did make a fool out of himself in these years, playing several pranks that were supposed to be romantic. It ended up embarrassing the two parties involved most of the time. Lily would storm out with a red face and boiling anger, running to Snape to complain about Potter.
One of these instances occurred in the beginning of third year, around the first Hogsmeade trip. In early October, when autumn set in and the leaves were orange and crimson, and a chill bit in the air. It wouldn't be just a chill that bit James.
Potter had just come back from Transfiguration, feeling as confident as could be. The day was going well for him: made the quidditch team again, but as a chaser this time; he had been acing Transfiguration and is one of the top in the class; and finally he had a great summer filled with many visits from the other Marauders and plenty of progress in his animagus process.
As his confidence peeked, so did his hope. He naively thought that maybe everything would go his way. He had created what he considered a perfect plan to get Evans. All he had to do was put it in motion.
The night before the doomsday he talked to the Marauders about his plan, each rolling their eyes at the mention of the word Lily. They wished that he had the same hatred as he did in first year, tired of the word emerald.
"James, you do realize she's going to hex you if you do that." Remus warned, peeking up from his muggle book. He had a blonde eyebrow quirked up in concern.
Potter responded with a blinding smile and spoke arrogantly, "Ah, that's just what you think Remus. But this year is mine and so will she be."
Sirius groaned at that line and rolled onto his stomach. He picked up his pillow and slammed it over his head, in hopes of tuning out "Lily talk".
Peter bit his lip to suppress any laughter. His eyes glued to the sheet in front of him, he doodled away. A simple doodle of James failing miserably at his supposed perfect plan.
Remus sighed again before turning off the lights. He then moved to his side ignoring both Peter's and James's protests. However he did fall asleep with a smile on his face, hiding the amused look on his face.
The next morning seemed brighter to James, which was strange since it was raining. He walked proudly out of his bedroom, cloaked and ready to go.
But the day was not perfect, for instance it was raining, his glasses broke in Potions, he had gotten detention, three essay assignments due tomorrow, and he fell down the stairs bruising his arse.
Eventually lunch time did arrive and he sat down grumpily, munching on his ham and cheese sandwich with a forlorn look. Remus was watching him quietly, wondering what happened to the eager James from yesterday.
Sirius sat next to Remus and stole some crisps from his plate before noticing the upset James sitting across from him. He exchanged a look with Remus before opening his mouth.
"Jamesie, you alright?" Sirius was hit in the shoulder for the insensitivity in the question. Remus gave him a death glare.
"The plan is ruined but I'll be damned if I give up. This is my chance." James was now picking at his crisps, focusing on the plan and not his friends.
Sirius grumbled, "You said that the last forty times." James glared at him, then suddenly a spoonful of jam landed on his face. He groaned before looking back down and wiping it off.
The day was only going to get worse for him. The sun was no longer shining with joy, instead the rays of heat beat him down like a challenge. And James never backed down from a challenge, even when he should.
He saw the grim signs and thought of them as signs of a challenge instead of warning him of the ill-fated attempt, which would leave both teens in shambles of embarrassment.
Just as James was going to get up and prepare in the astronomy tower for the plan, Peter came scurrying through the hall. Peter was smiling widely when he sat down next to James. The boys looked over at the gleaming smile, confused.
Pettigrew smiles, but rarely when he was alone. Therefore Sirius looked around before returning to the joyful grin of Peter, the other two were suspicious.
"The astronomy club is holding an open house, with free food. And you know that the Hufflepuffs bake the best constellation cookies." Peter shared with the group as he loaded up his platter with a slice of apple pie and plain crisps. Remus eyed the plate with concern, the amount of sugar that was on the plate would cause a heart attack.
"Are they using the astronomy tower?" Sirius asked nonchalantly, joking around since he knew how much that mess up James's already doomed plan.
"Of course! That's their meeting room." He stopped between a bite, his mouth opened wide. Remus was avoiding looking at it, James was gagging, and Sirius nodded with a teasing smirk.
"It's fine, it just makes it more romantic that everyone gets to see it." James said with too much of that sinful pride. He brushed by and walked out, firm in his plan.
"Moony, you got the damage control care package?" Sirius asked, sighing right after. Remus nodded before proceeding to lecture Peter about his plate, which Peter kindly responded with a retort about Remus's obsession with chocolate.
Potter on the other hand was speed walking his way up the astronomy tower, his self-confidence peaking. He saw the amount of people and hoped to Merlin that Lily would be able to find him.
He set up what he was going to say, and received the coded message that told him Lily was on her way. The plan was set, the marauders in their spots, and the care package concealed in the dorm room.
The only thing he wasn't prepared for was the actual second she would walk through that door. So when she entered, he didn't expect her to be asking everyone questions about everything, aside from him.
That was the whole point, it was supposed to be just him in the tower, so she'll realize it was him and the plan would work. But she was being social and asking other people, she asked Amos Diggory too, and he flirted with her. The whole plan was ruined to James.
Eventually she saw Potter in the corner, hiding away from his humiliation. Her emerald eyes narrowed, he swallowed. She looked as if she was about ready to kill him. All the confidence he built up died, she was stalking towards him and he looked up.
He hoped above everything in the world that Sirius didn't see her or that he backed out or he just didn't do what he was going to do. The thought of soggy flowers doesn't sound sweet anymore to him, but that's what dumped on both Lily's and his head.
Her emerald eyes were now rich in something other than annoyance, pure fury. It blazed on, she scoffed at him and shook her hands stiffly. The soggy lilies drop from her clothes and hands like leeches, hanging and sticking.
The unbridled fury was boiling her face redder than everything, yet all James was thinking was how pretty she was with scrunched eyebrows. Attention had turned to them when it fell, some began to laugh, but then the next part of his plan came into play.
He heard the click and closed his eyes, preparing himself for the onslaught of humiliation that was sure to follow. The sound of a chorus of doves singing began to fill the vast tower, every person blaring into boisterous laughter.
James opened his eyes to tearful green eyes, she was furious. She turned and left brusquely, he went to chase her but quickly realized that it would be even more embarrassing for her.
He casted his head down, hatred for himself filling in. He knew he would be good enough for someone, but he wanted that someone to be Lily.
Potter decided that slightly smaller gestures were the way to go. So the third year of their relationship was filled with agony, Lily breaking down his self-preserved confidence, while he destroyed her tolerance.
The next year when tried a different tactic, he asked his friends for help again. They all groaned at the idea but helped their friend in need.
This time Remus was in charge of helping him plan it out. Set to take place in the library, a simple note of romance to her. But of course, Potter had to add flair.
Sirius helped him write the poem, and Peter helped correct the grammar mistakes. The boys were ready to set the plan in motion.
When Peter and Remus went to the study session, Sirius and James joined them. Black was welcomed, mostly because he joined them when Remus was away. James on the other hand was not.
When he appeared the girls collectively groaned, Dorcas snarled at him. Lily decided that ignoring him was the best solution.
The other marauders were trying to act normal, ignoring the fear ebbing its way into their hearts. They've witnessed James getting his heart broken many times but doing so while with other friends was somehow worse.
He cleared his throat before enchanting the ladies with his poetry. The graceful words flowed out but didn't quite hit the mark with Lily.
She took the sincere outpouring as a mocking of her study group. Her face filled once again with overbearing fury, the hatred for Potter burning deeper than it ever had been.
She decided yelling in the library was not worth it, instead she got up, slammed her book and stormed out. The other girls hurry to go to her, concerned over their short-tempered friend, while James watches from a far confused.
Her cloak billowed behind her, her feet running faster than her heart beat. James looked back at his friends and threw an anxious look their way. The boys responded with a sympathetic look.
Yet despite the ultimate refusal every bloody time. Potter persisted against their feelings, finding an urgency in his emotions. Like she would eventually fall for him, it was supposedly inevitable. But Lily was just as persistent, firm in her disdain for the lackluster boy.