CHAPTER TWO: JAMES' SUMMER
James Potter sat on a bench behind his home at Godric Hollow, England. Around him were bits of half-used parchments, some with frustrated blots and others scribbled out completely. He was bent over one last piece, and holding it up, whooped triumphantly. He ran inside, gave a large tawny owl the paper, and ran to his room grinning.
He had sent his first letter to Lily Evans.
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP
Weeks later, James Potter sat absorbed in a letter from Lily Evans.
"Dear James,
'
After much debate I have decided to honor your request completely, with a novel-length letter of no importance.
. . .Truthfully, I have been bored to my wits end, with only my obnoxious sister Petunia and mother for company. Even the family cat won't let me pet him-seems Brutus doesn't like magic!"
James smiled.
". . .Then again, neither does Petunia. I don't know what's worse-being an only child and spoiled, or have siblings and dealing with THAT. You don't know how lucky you are to be by yourself, probably in some great big house in the country, surrounded by family and admirers."
James smiled bemusedly, glancing over to see Sirius attempting to fish while his mother stood by laughing.
". . . Hopefully, though, your summer hasn't been quite as dull as mine. The only place I've gone is Glasgow, to visit Alice, and that was for a week. Besides that, the only company I have are your letters, which are certainly . . .numerous enough. I'm actually quite curious: did you get Sirius to write some of this? 'Dearest, dearest Lily!?!?' 'I count the days until I can see you again!?' Either you are horrible at writing anything REMOTELY romantic or you are pulling a prank. I still expect one of these letters to explode in my face, or get a howler, or something! They all seem rather too calm. Maybe you have both been too absorbed in worrying over the dark Lord to even think about pranks lately . . .what is the world coming to . . .
Well Potter, I am now out of topics to amuse myself with. I may have to answer you questions. They are the only things more numerous than the letters themselves, which I seem to get more of every day. Is there any chance you could simply send me one letter a day? My sister Petunia keeps trying to steal them and read them, and she actually succeeded once. That was quite a day. Unfortunately for me, it was a "Sirius" Letter . . ."
James, wincing, skipped ahead a little, flipping through another page of neat writing. He found a part that caught his eye, written in a strange type of ink.
". . .I only realized how little 'pure-blood' wizards know of the muggle world when I read back over your letters. Every other question is 'what's this,' or 'what's that,' or 'how does this work,' Tsk Tsk, Potter, you should know curiosity killed the cat . . ."
James muttered, "I'm not a cat" under his breath. Another topic to discuss in his next letter . . .
". . .To enrich your muggle experience, I wrote in a muggle pen. Truthfully, I also wrote like this because my inkwell is currently empty. Really, you send me too many questions . . ."
And you answer too many of them. Thought James. Feeling bored after a few minutes of Muggle history, he flipped another page, the last few.
". . .Oh, also—James, sometimes I do think you are insane. Why would a person ever keep following after me for so many years? I am no different from anyone else. I am perfectly human. I think that maybe I seem more than that to you, that I am some great enigma you can worship and love . . ."
James paused for a moment, but shook his head and continued on.
". . .After reading these I hate to say it, but it's true. Hearing you talk so honestly in your letters now, I think that . . . I was wrong. Maybe you do actually care about me in some small way; I'm not just a piece of inhumanity. I also have to say, I understood you perfectly in your one letter, about . . .Bellatrix and so forth. I think it is time I gave you some answers to these questions, no matter how embarrassing. I don't know. You confuse me. One moment you make me laugh, the next you make me scream in frustration, like right now.
First of all, Bellatrix. There was a prefect meeting, and we discussed the massacre. I was going to class, and she started to talk about your father and you. She said that your father should have died SOONER. I couldn't stand it, the injustice of it! I'm sure your father was a wonderful person, and that he was a great wizard and respectable, and I wish I could have met him. But, she said he should have died sooner because . . .we were getting along better. It hurt my pride terribly, but it also hurt yours. Maybe that's why I thought it was so unjust. You were not there to defend yourself, and I was being degraded. No, I didn't mean that. You are not degrading to me. Of course not; you are one of the most popular, handsome boys in Hogwarts, and you want to go out with me. . ."
James beamed at the paper.
". . . And James, I have been dwelling on something also. Do you remember when you bared your heart and soul to me beside the lake? Of course you do. Well, you said that I was afraid. I was afraid. James, I want you to know- It's true. . ."
James grinned: she could remember that! She could remember that as well as he could. His heart lifted a bit, and he smiled.
". . . You know, now I am in doubt as to whether I should even send this letter. But, I needed to repay you for what you have told me. These days, everything is changing, and even old grudges and walls must be broken down. Unfortunately for you, there's a whole continent you need to cross before getting anywhere near me! No need to lose hope though—as long as you don't do anything stupid or ignorant, or arrogant, or obnoxious—yes, you are perfectly acceptable. I'm happy to see that there is much more to you than was first suspected. You have seen a lot, and it hasn't killed you yet.
I best end this letter, before I get more obnoxiously emotional. Well then Potter, my best wishes for the New Year at Hogwarts!
Sincerely,
'
Lily
P.S.: My mother wants to meet you at Diagon Alley. When are you going for your school supplies? I need a reply shortly, but I doubt you would keep me waiting!"
James smiled again, and quickly pulled out the nearest parchment and quill.
"Dearest, Dearest, Dearest . . . damn. I lost track...Lily,
'
Your letter was wonderful, Lily, perfectly wonderful. And of course, I will not keep you waiting! I am planning on going to Diagon Alley the twentieth, with Sirius, Remus, and Peter-"
Here his quill stopped, as his mother called from the lake. He walked over, and saw her holding a thick packet of parchments.
"What is it?" he said as he walked outside. His mother was beaming at the papers, scanning over them happily.
"Oh, look James, look!"
She handed him two of the parchments.
"We are pleased to inform James Potter he has been chosen as head boy this term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..."
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
GNA: Yeah, there aren't going to be true reviewer thank you's anymore, at least not until the last chapter of this year (which is at least 20 chapters away (). However, I would still like to thank everyone for sticking with FOTM despite how boring it is at the moment!
James Potter sat on a bench behind his home at Godric Hollow, England. Around him were bits of half-used parchments, some with frustrated blots and others scribbled out completely. He was bent over one last piece, and holding it up, whooped triumphantly. He ran inside, gave a large tawny owl the paper, and ran to his room grinning.
He had sent his first letter to Lily Evans.
HPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHPLJHP
Weeks later, James Potter sat absorbed in a letter from Lily Evans.
"Dear James,
'
After much debate I have decided to honor your request completely, with a novel-length letter of no importance.
. . .Truthfully, I have been bored to my wits end, with only my obnoxious sister Petunia and mother for company. Even the family cat won't let me pet him-seems Brutus doesn't like magic!"
James smiled.
". . .Then again, neither does Petunia. I don't know what's worse-being an only child and spoiled, or have siblings and dealing with THAT. You don't know how lucky you are to be by yourself, probably in some great big house in the country, surrounded by family and admirers."
James smiled bemusedly, glancing over to see Sirius attempting to fish while his mother stood by laughing.
". . . Hopefully, though, your summer hasn't been quite as dull as mine. The only place I've gone is Glasgow, to visit Alice, and that was for a week. Besides that, the only company I have are your letters, which are certainly . . .numerous enough. I'm actually quite curious: did you get Sirius to write some of this? 'Dearest, dearest Lily!?!?' 'I count the days until I can see you again!?' Either you are horrible at writing anything REMOTELY romantic or you are pulling a prank. I still expect one of these letters to explode in my face, or get a howler, or something! They all seem rather too calm. Maybe you have both been too absorbed in worrying over the dark Lord to even think about pranks lately . . .what is the world coming to . . .
Well Potter, I am now out of topics to amuse myself with. I may have to answer you questions. They are the only things more numerous than the letters themselves, which I seem to get more of every day. Is there any chance you could simply send me one letter a day? My sister Petunia keeps trying to steal them and read them, and she actually succeeded once. That was quite a day. Unfortunately for me, it was a "Sirius" Letter . . ."
James, wincing, skipped ahead a little, flipping through another page of neat writing. He found a part that caught his eye, written in a strange type of ink.
". . .I only realized how little 'pure-blood' wizards know of the muggle world when I read back over your letters. Every other question is 'what's this,' or 'what's that,' or 'how does this work,' Tsk Tsk, Potter, you should know curiosity killed the cat . . ."
James muttered, "I'm not a cat" under his breath. Another topic to discuss in his next letter . . .
". . .To enrich your muggle experience, I wrote in a muggle pen. Truthfully, I also wrote like this because my inkwell is currently empty. Really, you send me too many questions . . ."
And you answer too many of them. Thought James. Feeling bored after a few minutes of Muggle history, he flipped another page, the last few.
". . .Oh, also—James, sometimes I do think you are insane. Why would a person ever keep following after me for so many years? I am no different from anyone else. I am perfectly human. I think that maybe I seem more than that to you, that I am some great enigma you can worship and love . . ."
James paused for a moment, but shook his head and continued on.
". . .After reading these I hate to say it, but it's true. Hearing you talk so honestly in your letters now, I think that . . . I was wrong. Maybe you do actually care about me in some small way; I'm not just a piece of inhumanity. I also have to say, I understood you perfectly in your one letter, about . . .Bellatrix and so forth. I think it is time I gave you some answers to these questions, no matter how embarrassing. I don't know. You confuse me. One moment you make me laugh, the next you make me scream in frustration, like right now.
First of all, Bellatrix. There was a prefect meeting, and we discussed the massacre. I was going to class, and she started to talk about your father and you. She said that your father should have died SOONER. I couldn't stand it, the injustice of it! I'm sure your father was a wonderful person, and that he was a great wizard and respectable, and I wish I could have met him. But, she said he should have died sooner because . . .we were getting along better. It hurt my pride terribly, but it also hurt yours. Maybe that's why I thought it was so unjust. You were not there to defend yourself, and I was being degraded. No, I didn't mean that. You are not degrading to me. Of course not; you are one of the most popular, handsome boys in Hogwarts, and you want to go out with me. . ."
James beamed at the paper.
". . . And James, I have been dwelling on something also. Do you remember when you bared your heart and soul to me beside the lake? Of course you do. Well, you said that I was afraid. I was afraid. James, I want you to know- It's true. . ."
James grinned: she could remember that! She could remember that as well as he could. His heart lifted a bit, and he smiled.
". . . You know, now I am in doubt as to whether I should even send this letter. But, I needed to repay you for what you have told me. These days, everything is changing, and even old grudges and walls must be broken down. Unfortunately for you, there's a whole continent you need to cross before getting anywhere near me! No need to lose hope though—as long as you don't do anything stupid or ignorant, or arrogant, or obnoxious—yes, you are perfectly acceptable. I'm happy to see that there is much more to you than was first suspected. You have seen a lot, and it hasn't killed you yet.
I best end this letter, before I get more obnoxiously emotional. Well then Potter, my best wishes for the New Year at Hogwarts!
Sincerely,
'
Lily
P.S.: My mother wants to meet you at Diagon Alley. When are you going for your school supplies? I need a reply shortly, but I doubt you would keep me waiting!"
James smiled again, and quickly pulled out the nearest parchment and quill.
"Dearest, Dearest, Dearest . . . damn. I lost track...Lily,
'
Your letter was wonderful, Lily, perfectly wonderful. And of course, I will not keep you waiting! I am planning on going to Diagon Alley the twentieth, with Sirius, Remus, and Peter-"
Here his quill stopped, as his mother called from the lake. He walked over, and saw her holding a thick packet of parchments.
"What is it?" he said as he walked outside. His mother was beaming at the papers, scanning over them happily.
"Oh, look James, look!"
She handed him two of the parchments.
"We are pleased to inform James Potter he has been chosen as head boy this term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..."
HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP
GNA: Yeah, there aren't going to be true reviewer thank you's anymore, at least not until the last chapter of this year (which is at least 20 chapters away (). However, I would still like to thank everyone for sticking with FOTM despite how boring it is at the moment!