When James got into his parents car the following day, he couldn't help but
notice they weren't going directly to their house.
"Mum?"
"Yeah James?"
"Where are you going?"
"Don't you remember? We are moving, we got a bigger house over there," said James' mum.
"Yeah, the biggest one on the street," said James' dad.
"But why are we moving?"
"Because the people living by us over there don't like us very much. We're wizards--"
"—And witches—"
"So the people on the street aren't huge fans of us. We are moving to a street where there are supposedly two Muggle-born witches and a wizard."
"Oh," was all James could manage before remembering something. Wait! Vanessa and Lily are both Muggle-born and live on the same street! But I don't remember any wizard at Vanessa's party, I wonder who that is.
Upon arrival at the new house, James was shocked. He did indeed remember the street. Indeed, it was Lily and Vanessa's.
"Dad, didn't you say a wizard lived on this street as well?"
"Yeah. Someone that's named Severus Snape, he just moved here as well."
Great, thought James, I still will have competition for Lily.
As soon as he walked into the house, he saw two girls looking out the window from next door—Lily and Vanessa.
He overheard Lily's scream from her room. Then again, his own was right next to hers, with only the air in between.
"JAMES POTTER!" called Vanessa, and James opened his window. Lily was no longer standing there.
"What, Vanessa?"
"STOP STALKING LILY!" screamed Vanessa.
"I didn't mean to! My parents moved so I had to come with," said James.
By then Lily had returned to the window. "Potter, quit following me everywhere!" and with that, Lily shut the window.
James felt both dejected and happy. The feelings may not have gone together, but he knew why he was feeling them. Why can't she just give me a chance?!
The following week, an answer came as to why Lily was so secluded. Her parents were both divorced, as she had said, and her sister was indeed never home, but it seemed that her father was close to death.
"We love you, Lily," said her mother one day. "We both do."
James had also become more secluded. He spent every day without fail in his room, trying to stay away from Lily so she would believe him.
However, on July 12, it was Lily's birthday. Vanessa's had been a week ago. James had been invited to Lily's pool party against what he felt was his own wishes. Sirius had informed him one day that he wasn't to get a big head, as the only reason he was invited was because Remus was and Lily didn't want to leave anyone out.
When James arrived, everyone was already there. Sirius was playing cards with Vanessa. Remus, Snape, and Lucius were all sitting on the couches. Peter was just walking around and watching Remus, as if waiting for a signal.
James decided to form his own group: the talking to Lily group. Once she opened the door to let him in, he turned to her to give her the gift.
"Thanks," she muttered, then walked up to her room to put it down.
Finally everyone was there. Lily told everyone to go outside, as it was finally time to go in the pool. The second they got outside, however, it begun to rain.
"James, why did it take you so long to get here?" Lily asked him, annoyed. But the next time she looked, the rain had stopped.
"Must have been a strange storm. Let's go," said James, then they all got in the pool.
As they started to play random games, James always seemed to be grabbing Lily and dunking her underwater. When the time came for everyone to leave, Vanessa, James, and Snape were the final three to leave. Vanessa had to go home quickly to shower and grab her stuff for the sleepover. Snape decided to leave a short time before Vanessa got back, so James took his chance.
"Hey Lil," he said, smiling.
"About time you said hello," she retorted, cleaning up.
"Why didn't you open your gifts when everyone was here?" asked James.
"Because I'm going to end up throwing half of them out anyway since half the people over were guys that I think all like me, and no guy should. I grew up so now I'm twelve, but still, school matters to me, not boys. Please go, I need to set up for Vanessa sleeping over tonight," said Lily, and James, knowing that he wouldn't get anything out of her, decided to leave her alone.
On his way out though, he happened to see a certain greasy-haired git on their way into Lily's house. He walked into his room, hoping that Lily would bring Snape into her room. Luckily for him, she did.
"Look, I just told Potter this same thing. I'm not into guys yet!" Lily said, however Snape didn't stop. He just started kissing her. But Lily didn't push him away until she looked out the window and James caught her eye.
"JAMES POTTER, STOP SPYING ON ME!" she screamed, shutting the curtains and pushing Snape down the stairs.
Vanessa had arrived at Lily's house at the same moment Snape fell backwards out the door after falling a flight of stairs.
That night, James was about to lie down in bed when he heard voices from next door.
"Come on Vanessa!"
"Look Lily. All the guys like you, that's obvious. All the girls in our dorm are fawning over James and yet you keep turning him away! Why?" came the voice of Vanessa. James decided to listen in.
"I told you, him, and the world! No one understands me right now, probably not even you! My father is dying, Vanessa. My mother is the reason. I'm not giving out the details in case Potter is listening from his window or something, but I'll tell you later."
James turned away. So that's why she hated love. Not only because of school being in the way, but also because her father was dying because of her mother. James then heard his name yet again and turned back.
"God, Lily, lighten up. What happened to your parents won't happen between you and James!"
"God, me and James? Right now, with his possessiveness of me and taste in even thinking of bringing Danielle anywhere, I don't even think we'd make good friends. The only reason he was invited over here for my party was because you made me invite Sirius so, naturally, Sirius wouldn't have come without his crew and you wouldn't have come without Sirius. You're the one that's bloody strange, we're twelve for crying out loud!"
"Anyway, off the subject of James. What happened between you and Sn-I mean, Severus today?"
"Well, he sort of came in my house uninvited after James had left and then came up to my room, demanding I open his present. I opened it and it was a really expensive necklace, so I thanked him. That wasn't all he wanted though. He studdenly started kissing me all over and as much as I wanted to push him off I knew James was spying on me so I figured I'd go along with it, then maybe James would stop following me around," said Lily.
"Let's just go watch a movie," said Vanessa, and with Lily's agreement they left the room.
James was stunned. So it had been an act, with the whole Snape thing.
"A good act though," he said to himself in a whisper before falling asleep.
Sooner than expected, it was time for the return to Hogwarts. James had avoided Lily carefully for the rest of the summer, however was catching her hanging with Snape more often every day. On the day of the return to Hogwarts, he saw her standing outside, face in her hands.
"What's wrong?" he asked, walking over.
"Nothing that concerns you, Potter. Just leave me be," she replied, and then James saw Snape crossing the street.
"What are you doing to Lily, Potter?" he asked.
"What do you mean? I was seeing why she was upset, but if it's a crime to care about my friend, then I'll stop," said James sarcastically, but Snape picked up Lily.
"I'll get you to the station," said Snape, bringing her into his car.
James, upset that Lily had a relationship with Snape, grabbed his own things and went out to the car, throwing his trunk into the back. He was picking up Sirius and Remus on the way, as Peter had his own mode of transportation.
Once they all picked a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, eager conversation about Quidditch broke out.
"What are you trying out for James?" asked Sirius gleefully.
"Chaser. I might go for Seeker later on in Hogwarts though," said James in response. It was at this time that Lily and Vanessa looked around for a train compartment as well, and Sirius opened the door to let them in. Vanessa accepted happily, but Lily kept right on walking.
Remus and James left to go and find Lily, telling her that she would be welcomed with open arms in the compartment, however she turned them down.
"Severus and Lucius are nicer to me than you four," she said quickly, resuming her smile and talking to Snape about Quidditch.
"What a witch," said James, then remembered the previous year.
"You—little-BOY STEALER! You knew James was mine! You little WITCH!"
"I don't take that as an insult, being that that is what I am," said Lily, but there was a loud SMACK!
'I rushed to her side,' thought James. "Where's Danielle's compartment?" James asked Remus, but Remus shrugged.
"How should I know?" Remus answered, and James went off. He knew what he'd do—he'd use Danielle to get Lily jealous. A foolproof plan, he thought, a huge smile on his face. As he walked into Danielle's compartment, he was covered in smoke. Going through it, he saw three girls: Danielle, Patricia, and Linda.
"Hey there ladies," said James, smiling.
"There you are! Take the seat over there, it'll be just a minute," said Danielle.
Like father like daughter, he thought, taking the seat she pointed him to. By the time they arrived at Hogwarts, Danielle had pushed Patricia and Linda out of the compartment and James had been kissed by Danielle countless times. When the prefect walked in to tell them they were close to Hogwarts, he put his hands over his eyes.
As they walked in the Great Hall for the Sorting, James took a seat by Danielle.
"Lily, would you please open the door for my girlfriend?" he asked, and Lily laughed.
"Quit trying to make me jealous, James Potter."
How'd she know? thought James, but concealed his feelings very well. "What are you talking about?"
"I know very well that you do not like Danielle and I mean the world to you. Listen to me for once and just leave me alone. You can stay with this, this, this piece of useless rubbish if you wish, but you'll bloody well wish you hadn't. I, being a girl, know a bit more about her than you." And with that, Lily left.
James was shocked. How did Lily read his mind like that?
Before he could even answer himself he was seated beside Danielle. He figured he's continue to go along with it and see if it changed Lily's mind about him and his 'relationship' with Danielle.
"Hello all, and welcome to another year at Hogwarts. This year, as we continue to mourn for Professor Dippit's death, the next four years we will do something special on Halloween, since that was always our late great Dippit's favorite holiday.
"Last year was a ball. This year we will do things the Muggle way. Those that are Muggle-born know what I mean," said Dumbledore, and the Muggle- borns nodded. "Normally, on the Muggle holiday Halloween, they do something called Trick-Or-Treating. They dress up as a character and get lots of candy. However, we're putting a magic spin on it. Being that we understand that many of you like romance, the girls will all be in a house somewhere in the Great Hall or the room that will be added for the night opposite the Great Hall. A man will then knock on the woman's door, and, if he likes the woman, will join her for the night. Now, we know that some of you women do not like romance--" said Dumbledore, and all eyes went to Lily— "so for those souls you'll have fun finding out which guys like you. You may only go in one person's cabin. Ladies, as many men as ask to join you, must. That is all. Ladies, please stay for five minutes after dinner, there is some more information for you."
After eating, James didn't leave. Well, he wouldn't, that is. He walked outside the Great Hall and threw one of his specialties, the Transfiguration of a table into an ear, so he knew what was going on within the Hall.
"Now that you all have had time to breed on this, I know some of you don't want to participate in this event. However, as much as I strongly encourage you to participate, it is not required. If any of you aren't going to participate, please leave now."
No one, not even Lily, must have risen, because Dumbledore continued.
"Okay. Now you all must have a costume drawn for us by the first of October. We will make your costumes in a flash and then give them directly to you. Go and invent your houses now, once you turn in your drawings we'll give you further explanation. Also, Mr. Potter, I know you are out there, so please do not tell all the men about this. That is all."
Dumbledore knows all thought James, hiding as the doors burst open. Suddenly, an invisible force came about, and James didn't find out who it was until they were in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"James, why must you know everything I do and everything about me?"
It was Lily. But not the beautiful Lily, like normal. The ugly, not caring about appearance, angry Lily.
"I didn't mean to. You know Transfiguration is my best subject, and I kind of felt the need to know what was going on with the girls. Sorry."
He must have looked it, because Lily took his apology and walked up to her dormitory.
"Lil?"
"What?" Lily's voice still had the anger in it.
"I really am sorry, you know."
"Sure. Sorry for asking me about my life, sorry for flirting with me and not stopping, sorry for listening in on my life, sorry for doing everything to me. Whatever."
As Lily continued to go up the stairs, James couldn't help but fall even deeper for her. He had to do something...but what?
"JAMES!"
James woke up, startled.
"We're late for Charms! Come on!" said Sirius, throwing James his cloak and wand. They ran unstoppably to Charms and made it just in time.
"Today we will be learning a simple spell. It is used to charm the mind of a Kneazle into a trap. Please, after me. Absnon Zysnon!"
"Absnon Zysnon," said the rest of the class.
"Don't forget the wrist movement as well," said Flitwick, and Lily said the charm under her breath, pointing her wand at the Kneazle.
"Very well done, Miss Evans! Everyone else, keep trying!"
"Absnon Zysnon," said James, and, much to his liking and surprise, the same light that had ejected from Lily's wand came out of his own and hit the Kneazle, which turned around to face everyone, confused.
"Okay, we have our two exemptees from the pop quiz! Miss Evans and Mr. Potter, outside please," said Flitwick. They walked outside quickly and James took the chance to talk to Lily.
"Hey," he said. Lily glared at him.
"Why must you do this to me James?"
"I'm not Mr. Potter anymore?"
"No, you're not."
"I'm actually James?"
"Yes, Potter, and you're lucky to be that."
"That's my name though!"
"Not in my mind."
"What am I in your mind then?"
"If I told you, then I'd have to kill you."
"That's rich—what? Did I say something?"
Upon hearing the word 'rich', Lily had broke into tears.
"What's wrong Lil?"
"Nothing, nothing. I'm fine," she said, wiping her eyes.
"Cry if you want to, Lil. We have time. Flitwick's quizzes last about a half hour."
Surprisingly to him, Lily buried herself in his shoulder. Having wished she would do that for a long time, he patted her on the back. He then took her chin and cupped it in her hand.
"I'm here for you Lil."
He knew this was it; his moment, his chance. He leaned in towards her, then, making sure no one was looking at them, he kissed her.
She backed away quickly. "James, please. Listen to me on this, I really don't want a boyfriend. I don't think I'm ready, with my parents' separation and—"
But James had put his finger up to her lips, stopping her from continuing. He tried to kiss her again, but she pushed him away yet again, and pulled him into a loose hug.
"Let me guess. Don't tell Danielle?" Lily said, breaking apart from him.
"You were right, she was just a decoy. You are the one I want, not her," James said, trying to grab hold of her. He reached her in time—but not where she wanted to be touched.
"James, remove your hand from my butt immediately!"
She's already forgotten about the kiss? Does she suffer from short-term memory loss?
Lily then stalked off after using the Summoning charm to retrieve her stuff from the classroom. James followed her in doing the same thing, then followed her to the Gryffindor common room.
"Lily—wait!"
"James, I told you, please!"
"Why were you kissing Snape that one day then?"
"You were spying on me? I thought that was Peter!"
"He doesn't like me much, personally.
"I can't blame him."
"Oh, shut up."
"I will when you do."
"I will then."
"What?"
"I will shut up. Goodbye Potter," said Lily, walking up the stairs to the girls' dorms.
"God, why do I always get this nervous around her? and why won't I let her be? Why must the one girl I really like hate me in return?" he said aloud, and it seemed a little too loud. Someone else had heard him—someone that he later would find out about.
"We're twelve years old," said a voice from far away. "It's too soon for a relationship."
But when he turned around to see his coorespondant, no one was there.
Sooner than expected, it was October first, and the day of Quidditch tryouts. James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Vanessa were all trying out for the house team.
"Hello everyone trying out for a house team. Please split up based on what you are trying out for. Being that we already have a keeper, me, and one beater, Caitlyn Branx, we don't need a keeper at all and only need one new Beater. To get it overwith first, we'll do the Beaters. Whoever wants to be a Beater go over there," said the captain of the team, Ian Wood.
Sirius and Peter broke away from the group, along with a fifth year girl, fourth year guy, and two seventh years.
Ten minutes later, the six returned, all looking beaten.
"How was it?" James asked Sirius, who looked at him as though the next person to ask him that would be cursed, then continued on walking. James looked to Lily then Remus, who all knew what was coming next.
"Chasers!"
The three all abandoned the other students and left for tryouts. They had to work together, as a team, to pass around the Quaffle and put it through hoops at the ends of the field.
When their ten minutes were finally over, they all flew back and handed off the brooms. James felt okay, he was tired yet he had done pretty well.
That night, James and the rest of the boys in the school were told to stay behind after dinner in the Great Hall.
Once all the girls had left the Great Hall, Dumbledore spoke.
"As you know, this year we will be doing Halloween the Muggle way, with our own touch. Trick-or-Treating. The girls will all be in houses around this room and the room across the hall, which we normally don't use but we will for that day. All you have to do is dress up like someone else, and there are no limits as to what here. You will simply go to every house you think the girl you like is in, and say 'Trick or Treat'. If you get the trick, the lady will hex you, not deadly of course. If you get the treat, you'll be asked to stay with the lady, where your options are endless. No one can see through their houses, so don't worry about spying.
"I know you want to ask the girls what their houses look like, however they have been told if they tell then they will not be allowed to come to this. That is all. Bed!" said Dumbledore, and everyone left.
"So we're prettymuch finding out what girls like us but we won't know who they are until we're in the room? That's rubbish," James said to Sirius.
"I don't know what to do. I need to be in that room with Vanessa, but I don't know what I can ask without Dumbledore finding out I know which one she is!" said Sirius, frowning slightly.
"Dunno man, but we're in for it."
"How?"
"Well, we're going to try and find the girls we like, but since we don't know where they are, if the girl standing at the door likes us we'll be stuck with her!"
"This is rubbish, man," said Sirius, as they approached Gryffindor tower.
The Halloween Trick-or-Treating came quicker than expected. At seven o'clock that night, the boys were all ready. They went down to the Great Hall, hoping their girl was there.
Remus knocked on a door that appeared to be made of gingerbread. As he knocked, a Slytherin girl came to the door. He knew her name and how much she despised him, so he didn't say Trick-or-Treat, he just left.
Sirius and James were knocking on every door, then realized something. The people in the doors they were knocking on were all Hufflepuffs, and the opposite side of the room was Slytherins!
"Lessgo into the other room," said James to Sirius, who nodded and they sprinted across the hall into the other room. They looked on the walls to see one column of Gryffindors, one of Ravenclaws. They both started knocking on all the Gryffindor doors, however neither could find who they wanted. That is, until they saw there were two more rows of people.
Sirius knocked on the middle ones, which was prettily decorated into the look of a pool, with a basketball net on one side. Vanessa came to the door.
"TRICK OR TREAT!" said Sirius, happily. Vanessa pulled him inside, and James knew that meant Lily had to be around there somewhere.
He kept knocking until he came to a house made up of drawings of Quidditch goal posts, books, and spells. Sure enough, Lily came to the door.
"Trick or treat!" James said, smiling. Lily didn't seem to return the smile though, rather she just pulled him inside.
When he looked in the corners of the room, there were already at least six boys in the room.
"I knew I should have hidden better," said Lily, angry now.
Another knock came on the door.
It was Remus. And Peter.
Lily let both of them in, though now even more unhappy. Eight guys were now sprawled out on the floor. Lily decided any more and she would hex the people to come to the door.
Five minutes later, Dumbledore's voice came from the speaker.
"All girls with more than one boy in their room, shoot up red sparks. The boys will be separated from you for a quiz about you and the winner will be the one you get to see for the night."
James went back and thought about Lily. He knew more about her than any of the guys there—that is, everyone except Snape, who she recently had been seen with quite often.
Lily, of course, left her house for the moment and shot up red sparks. Dumbledore went to her place and looked inside.
"Wow, Miss Evans, quite a few boys in here. Come out, all of you," said Dumbledore, taking them to the Room of Requirement.
There were test papers in there, all reading as the name 'Miss Lily Evans'.
"Answer these questions as you feel Lily Evans would," said Dumbledore, and with another wave of his wand, questions appeared, along with the initials of the student taking the exam in the upper right hand corner.
1. What is your favorite color?
2. Whom is your favorite book author?
3. What is(are) the name(s) of your sibling(s)?
4. What is your favorite girl's name?
5. What is your favorite guy's name?
All the way down to
50. What is the name of the boy you most like?
Of course every guy put his name in that position, and then Dumbledore collected test papers.
"We will inform you of the results momentarily," said Dumbledore, and, with yet another flick of his wand, the person with the most correct answers' lit up. But there were two.
"JP and SS," said Dumbledore.
James and Snape.
Great, thought James. What am I going to be forced to go through now?
"Since we have a tie, we'll take it to Miss Evans."
This was what James had feared. Obviously, Lily would pick Snape over himself. So it came to a surprise when Lily was asked and she said, "James."
James, on the inside, started jumping with joy. Lily had picked him over Snape, the guy she had been seen with lately! He walked into the room and, with one last flick of his wand, Dumbledore had the room set up.
As soon as the door shut and locked itself, Lily put a Soundproof Charm on the walls so no one would hear their conversation.
"Well, sit down," said Lily. She seemed to have quite a few questions for him. He obeyed her.
"First of all, why do you still like me?" she asked. "I act like a horrible book-loving person towards you yet you act like I am a goddess."
Well you are, he thought, then answered her simply, "I don't know, I just like you. I know you well, over the summer I really got to know you. But I don't, well, know how to get over you."
"Learn," said Lily. "Do you think I let you in here because I like you more than Severus? Don't fool your mind with that, I figured this way I get to ignore you all night. Anyway, my only other main question was already answered, so I'll just go to sleep now."
With that, Lily was asleep on her couch.
Without Lily awake, no one could stay awake. James was asleep not even a minute later.
On Christmas, James was the first awake. He walked downstairs to see tons of presents, more than the normal, sitting in front of him. Not even a minute later, Lily and Vanessa came down the stairs, giggling loudly.
It was probably their giggling that made Sirius come down, but this was good, as now they all felt that it was okay to dig into the gifts.
James opened the one on the top of his stack first, one from Danielle. It was a very expensive set of cologne. There was a note attached.
For when we go out, darling. Love you!
James felt like laughing. When would this girl get it through her head? He put her gift aside and picked up the next one—from Lily.
It was a book, leather bound. He lifted the cover and realised the name of the book was Foul Potions and Spells In Europe.
"Thanks Lil," he said, and Lily did the unthinkable—she BLUSHED!
She then must have come to her senses, as she ran up the stairs into the girls' dormitories.
"Lil?" he called.
He started walking up the stairs, however one of them fell as he tried to step on it.
Lily came out, laughing. "Guys must be more untrustworthy than girls. What do you want?"
"To talk to you. Just talk."
"You just did. Goodbye Potter," she said, then Summoned the gift that was from Snape.
She began to open it on the spot, not realising that James was still standing there. He gasped upon the sight in front of him, as did she.
It was a necklace, set in diamonds, and clearly very expensive. Along with it was a long cloak, a red and gold one. James walked back down the stairs and ran up to his dorm.
I thought she said that school mattered too much to her to date? he thought. He grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and began to walk down the stairs, cloak on him. He followed Lily to a hallway he never knew existed before.
"Hello Tom," she said, and he curled up in a corner.
"Hello Lil! Having a nice Christmas?"
"Well, Severus got me a present that must been utterly expensive, and I don't know what to do."
It was then that James made himself known. He took off the cloak, and Tom pointed at him.
"Who is this?" he asked, and Lily spun around.
"James Potter, how and why on earth—"
"No time for explanations now, Lil," he said, walking up to Tom and shaking his hand.
He decided to leave, or at least to appear so. He walked over to his Invisibility Cloak, threw it back on, and then started snooping around.
There was a door in the corner of the hideout. He opened it quickly as to not make any noise and found the two kids that had disappeared on the train last summer. They were two Muggle-borns. And they were dead.
He stumbled backwards, opened the door, and ran. By the time he got to the Gryffindor common room, Lily was standing there already.
"DON'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT TOM! He's not one of the best wizards in the world, but he has astonishing powers. He also is one of the best bloody friends in the world I have and is nice when he's not holding a wand or other lethal weapon," said Lily.
"You're trusting me?"
"I'm praying it's not a mistake. Normally, I'd just perform a memory charm on you. But good as I am at them, and as much as I hate you, I doubt it would work correctly."
"The secret is safe with me," said James. Anything for you, Lil.
"Good." With that, Lily walked down to the Great Hall, James following closely behind.
At the next Charms lesson, Lily and James were once again the first students done. They were told to go ahead and leave the class, but they had to stay in his new chamber. They obeyed, and, after Lily put a soundproof charm on the door, she spoke.
"Have you told anyone about Tom?"
"No," he said.
"Cause his hideout's been found out by the Ministry, and they don't like that he wants power."
"Well I still haven't given out his location," he said.
"Yes you have."
"No I haven't!"
"Yes you have, you arrogant pillock! You're the only one besides me that knew!"
"No I haven't, you useless piece of rubbish!"
"Yes you have, James Potter. Now leave me and my friends ALONE!" Lily retorted, and with that, James was out of the room.
He had had enough. Enough with Lily's smart remarks, enough with her insane thoughts, enough of her. He walked out of the room and left the class.
That night, James snuck into the library after his conversation with Sirius.
"Let's become Animagi!"
"I'll get the book," said James, and they found out the first book on it was in the Restricted section.
"I'll still get it!" James said, now without a girl to worry about.
At the end of the year, two more students, again both Muggle-borns, disappeared on the train ride. When James got onto the platform, he walked out and saw Lily run to her parents.
James' parents walked over to Lily's and began to talk.
"Yes, so you got tickets to this 'Quidditch World Cup' thing, and we got the tickets to the baseball game," said Lily's mum.
"Yeah, we'll take her to the World Cup as long as you take James to the baseball game, he needs to see the Muggle way of doing things," said James' father.
"WHAT?!" both Lily and James said simultaneously.
"You're going to a baseball game, James, and we're taking Lily to the Quidditch World Cup," said James' mum.
"Thank you Mrs. Potter!" said Lily politely.
"No problem, Lily," said James' dad, leaning in to whisper something in his ear.
"She's polite enough, if you like her she's fine with us!"
"Mum?"
"Yeah James?"
"Where are you going?"
"Don't you remember? We are moving, we got a bigger house over there," said James' mum.
"Yeah, the biggest one on the street," said James' dad.
"But why are we moving?"
"Because the people living by us over there don't like us very much. We're wizards--"
"—And witches—"
"So the people on the street aren't huge fans of us. We are moving to a street where there are supposedly two Muggle-born witches and a wizard."
"Oh," was all James could manage before remembering something. Wait! Vanessa and Lily are both Muggle-born and live on the same street! But I don't remember any wizard at Vanessa's party, I wonder who that is.
Upon arrival at the new house, James was shocked. He did indeed remember the street. Indeed, it was Lily and Vanessa's.
"Dad, didn't you say a wizard lived on this street as well?"
"Yeah. Someone that's named Severus Snape, he just moved here as well."
Great, thought James, I still will have competition for Lily.
As soon as he walked into the house, he saw two girls looking out the window from next door—Lily and Vanessa.
He overheard Lily's scream from her room. Then again, his own was right next to hers, with only the air in between.
"JAMES POTTER!" called Vanessa, and James opened his window. Lily was no longer standing there.
"What, Vanessa?"
"STOP STALKING LILY!" screamed Vanessa.
"I didn't mean to! My parents moved so I had to come with," said James.
By then Lily had returned to the window. "Potter, quit following me everywhere!" and with that, Lily shut the window.
James felt both dejected and happy. The feelings may not have gone together, but he knew why he was feeling them. Why can't she just give me a chance?!
The following week, an answer came as to why Lily was so secluded. Her parents were both divorced, as she had said, and her sister was indeed never home, but it seemed that her father was close to death.
"We love you, Lily," said her mother one day. "We both do."
James had also become more secluded. He spent every day without fail in his room, trying to stay away from Lily so she would believe him.
However, on July 12, it was Lily's birthday. Vanessa's had been a week ago. James had been invited to Lily's pool party against what he felt was his own wishes. Sirius had informed him one day that he wasn't to get a big head, as the only reason he was invited was because Remus was and Lily didn't want to leave anyone out.
When James arrived, everyone was already there. Sirius was playing cards with Vanessa. Remus, Snape, and Lucius were all sitting on the couches. Peter was just walking around and watching Remus, as if waiting for a signal.
James decided to form his own group: the talking to Lily group. Once she opened the door to let him in, he turned to her to give her the gift.
"Thanks," she muttered, then walked up to her room to put it down.
Finally everyone was there. Lily told everyone to go outside, as it was finally time to go in the pool. The second they got outside, however, it begun to rain.
"James, why did it take you so long to get here?" Lily asked him, annoyed. But the next time she looked, the rain had stopped.
"Must have been a strange storm. Let's go," said James, then they all got in the pool.
As they started to play random games, James always seemed to be grabbing Lily and dunking her underwater. When the time came for everyone to leave, Vanessa, James, and Snape were the final three to leave. Vanessa had to go home quickly to shower and grab her stuff for the sleepover. Snape decided to leave a short time before Vanessa got back, so James took his chance.
"Hey Lil," he said, smiling.
"About time you said hello," she retorted, cleaning up.
"Why didn't you open your gifts when everyone was here?" asked James.
"Because I'm going to end up throwing half of them out anyway since half the people over were guys that I think all like me, and no guy should. I grew up so now I'm twelve, but still, school matters to me, not boys. Please go, I need to set up for Vanessa sleeping over tonight," said Lily, and James, knowing that he wouldn't get anything out of her, decided to leave her alone.
On his way out though, he happened to see a certain greasy-haired git on their way into Lily's house. He walked into his room, hoping that Lily would bring Snape into her room. Luckily for him, she did.
"Look, I just told Potter this same thing. I'm not into guys yet!" Lily said, however Snape didn't stop. He just started kissing her. But Lily didn't push him away until she looked out the window and James caught her eye.
"JAMES POTTER, STOP SPYING ON ME!" she screamed, shutting the curtains and pushing Snape down the stairs.
Vanessa had arrived at Lily's house at the same moment Snape fell backwards out the door after falling a flight of stairs.
That night, James was about to lie down in bed when he heard voices from next door.
"Come on Vanessa!"
"Look Lily. All the guys like you, that's obvious. All the girls in our dorm are fawning over James and yet you keep turning him away! Why?" came the voice of Vanessa. James decided to listen in.
"I told you, him, and the world! No one understands me right now, probably not even you! My father is dying, Vanessa. My mother is the reason. I'm not giving out the details in case Potter is listening from his window or something, but I'll tell you later."
James turned away. So that's why she hated love. Not only because of school being in the way, but also because her father was dying because of her mother. James then heard his name yet again and turned back.
"God, Lily, lighten up. What happened to your parents won't happen between you and James!"
"God, me and James? Right now, with his possessiveness of me and taste in even thinking of bringing Danielle anywhere, I don't even think we'd make good friends. The only reason he was invited over here for my party was because you made me invite Sirius so, naturally, Sirius wouldn't have come without his crew and you wouldn't have come without Sirius. You're the one that's bloody strange, we're twelve for crying out loud!"
"Anyway, off the subject of James. What happened between you and Sn-I mean, Severus today?"
"Well, he sort of came in my house uninvited after James had left and then came up to my room, demanding I open his present. I opened it and it was a really expensive necklace, so I thanked him. That wasn't all he wanted though. He studdenly started kissing me all over and as much as I wanted to push him off I knew James was spying on me so I figured I'd go along with it, then maybe James would stop following me around," said Lily.
"Let's just go watch a movie," said Vanessa, and with Lily's agreement they left the room.
James was stunned. So it had been an act, with the whole Snape thing.
"A good act though," he said to himself in a whisper before falling asleep.
Sooner than expected, it was time for the return to Hogwarts. James had avoided Lily carefully for the rest of the summer, however was catching her hanging with Snape more often every day. On the day of the return to Hogwarts, he saw her standing outside, face in her hands.
"What's wrong?" he asked, walking over.
"Nothing that concerns you, Potter. Just leave me be," she replied, and then James saw Snape crossing the street.
"What are you doing to Lily, Potter?" he asked.
"What do you mean? I was seeing why she was upset, but if it's a crime to care about my friend, then I'll stop," said James sarcastically, but Snape picked up Lily.
"I'll get you to the station," said Snape, bringing her into his car.
James, upset that Lily had a relationship with Snape, grabbed his own things and went out to the car, throwing his trunk into the back. He was picking up Sirius and Remus on the way, as Peter had his own mode of transportation.
Once they all picked a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, eager conversation about Quidditch broke out.
"What are you trying out for James?" asked Sirius gleefully.
"Chaser. I might go for Seeker later on in Hogwarts though," said James in response. It was at this time that Lily and Vanessa looked around for a train compartment as well, and Sirius opened the door to let them in. Vanessa accepted happily, but Lily kept right on walking.
Remus and James left to go and find Lily, telling her that she would be welcomed with open arms in the compartment, however she turned them down.
"Severus and Lucius are nicer to me than you four," she said quickly, resuming her smile and talking to Snape about Quidditch.
"What a witch," said James, then remembered the previous year.
"You—little-BOY STEALER! You knew James was mine! You little WITCH!"
"I don't take that as an insult, being that that is what I am," said Lily, but there was a loud SMACK!
'I rushed to her side,' thought James. "Where's Danielle's compartment?" James asked Remus, but Remus shrugged.
"How should I know?" Remus answered, and James went off. He knew what he'd do—he'd use Danielle to get Lily jealous. A foolproof plan, he thought, a huge smile on his face. As he walked into Danielle's compartment, he was covered in smoke. Going through it, he saw three girls: Danielle, Patricia, and Linda.
"Hey there ladies," said James, smiling.
"There you are! Take the seat over there, it'll be just a minute," said Danielle.
Like father like daughter, he thought, taking the seat she pointed him to. By the time they arrived at Hogwarts, Danielle had pushed Patricia and Linda out of the compartment and James had been kissed by Danielle countless times. When the prefect walked in to tell them they were close to Hogwarts, he put his hands over his eyes.
As they walked in the Great Hall for the Sorting, James took a seat by Danielle.
"Lily, would you please open the door for my girlfriend?" he asked, and Lily laughed.
"Quit trying to make me jealous, James Potter."
How'd she know? thought James, but concealed his feelings very well. "What are you talking about?"
"I know very well that you do not like Danielle and I mean the world to you. Listen to me for once and just leave me alone. You can stay with this, this, this piece of useless rubbish if you wish, but you'll bloody well wish you hadn't. I, being a girl, know a bit more about her than you." And with that, Lily left.
James was shocked. How did Lily read his mind like that?
Before he could even answer himself he was seated beside Danielle. He figured he's continue to go along with it and see if it changed Lily's mind about him and his 'relationship' with Danielle.
"Hello all, and welcome to another year at Hogwarts. This year, as we continue to mourn for Professor Dippit's death, the next four years we will do something special on Halloween, since that was always our late great Dippit's favorite holiday.
"Last year was a ball. This year we will do things the Muggle way. Those that are Muggle-born know what I mean," said Dumbledore, and the Muggle- borns nodded. "Normally, on the Muggle holiday Halloween, they do something called Trick-Or-Treating. They dress up as a character and get lots of candy. However, we're putting a magic spin on it. Being that we understand that many of you like romance, the girls will all be in a house somewhere in the Great Hall or the room that will be added for the night opposite the Great Hall. A man will then knock on the woman's door, and, if he likes the woman, will join her for the night. Now, we know that some of you women do not like romance--" said Dumbledore, and all eyes went to Lily— "so for those souls you'll have fun finding out which guys like you. You may only go in one person's cabin. Ladies, as many men as ask to join you, must. That is all. Ladies, please stay for five minutes after dinner, there is some more information for you."
After eating, James didn't leave. Well, he wouldn't, that is. He walked outside the Great Hall and threw one of his specialties, the Transfiguration of a table into an ear, so he knew what was going on within the Hall.
"Now that you all have had time to breed on this, I know some of you don't want to participate in this event. However, as much as I strongly encourage you to participate, it is not required. If any of you aren't going to participate, please leave now."
No one, not even Lily, must have risen, because Dumbledore continued.
"Okay. Now you all must have a costume drawn for us by the first of October. We will make your costumes in a flash and then give them directly to you. Go and invent your houses now, once you turn in your drawings we'll give you further explanation. Also, Mr. Potter, I know you are out there, so please do not tell all the men about this. That is all."
Dumbledore knows all thought James, hiding as the doors burst open. Suddenly, an invisible force came about, and James didn't find out who it was until they were in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"James, why must you know everything I do and everything about me?"
It was Lily. But not the beautiful Lily, like normal. The ugly, not caring about appearance, angry Lily.
"I didn't mean to. You know Transfiguration is my best subject, and I kind of felt the need to know what was going on with the girls. Sorry."
He must have looked it, because Lily took his apology and walked up to her dormitory.
"Lil?"
"What?" Lily's voice still had the anger in it.
"I really am sorry, you know."
"Sure. Sorry for asking me about my life, sorry for flirting with me and not stopping, sorry for listening in on my life, sorry for doing everything to me. Whatever."
As Lily continued to go up the stairs, James couldn't help but fall even deeper for her. He had to do something...but what?
"JAMES!"
James woke up, startled.
"We're late for Charms! Come on!" said Sirius, throwing James his cloak and wand. They ran unstoppably to Charms and made it just in time.
"Today we will be learning a simple spell. It is used to charm the mind of a Kneazle into a trap. Please, after me. Absnon Zysnon!"
"Absnon Zysnon," said the rest of the class.
"Don't forget the wrist movement as well," said Flitwick, and Lily said the charm under her breath, pointing her wand at the Kneazle.
"Very well done, Miss Evans! Everyone else, keep trying!"
"Absnon Zysnon," said James, and, much to his liking and surprise, the same light that had ejected from Lily's wand came out of his own and hit the Kneazle, which turned around to face everyone, confused.
"Okay, we have our two exemptees from the pop quiz! Miss Evans and Mr. Potter, outside please," said Flitwick. They walked outside quickly and James took the chance to talk to Lily.
"Hey," he said. Lily glared at him.
"Why must you do this to me James?"
"I'm not Mr. Potter anymore?"
"No, you're not."
"I'm actually James?"
"Yes, Potter, and you're lucky to be that."
"That's my name though!"
"Not in my mind."
"What am I in your mind then?"
"If I told you, then I'd have to kill you."
"That's rich—what? Did I say something?"
Upon hearing the word 'rich', Lily had broke into tears.
"What's wrong Lil?"
"Nothing, nothing. I'm fine," she said, wiping her eyes.
"Cry if you want to, Lil. We have time. Flitwick's quizzes last about a half hour."
Surprisingly to him, Lily buried herself in his shoulder. Having wished she would do that for a long time, he patted her on the back. He then took her chin and cupped it in her hand.
"I'm here for you Lil."
He knew this was it; his moment, his chance. He leaned in towards her, then, making sure no one was looking at them, he kissed her.
She backed away quickly. "James, please. Listen to me on this, I really don't want a boyfriend. I don't think I'm ready, with my parents' separation and—"
But James had put his finger up to her lips, stopping her from continuing. He tried to kiss her again, but she pushed him away yet again, and pulled him into a loose hug.
"Let me guess. Don't tell Danielle?" Lily said, breaking apart from him.
"You were right, she was just a decoy. You are the one I want, not her," James said, trying to grab hold of her. He reached her in time—but not where she wanted to be touched.
"James, remove your hand from my butt immediately!"
She's already forgotten about the kiss? Does she suffer from short-term memory loss?
Lily then stalked off after using the Summoning charm to retrieve her stuff from the classroom. James followed her in doing the same thing, then followed her to the Gryffindor common room.
"Lily—wait!"
"James, I told you, please!"
"Why were you kissing Snape that one day then?"
"You were spying on me? I thought that was Peter!"
"He doesn't like me much, personally.
"I can't blame him."
"Oh, shut up."
"I will when you do."
"I will then."
"What?"
"I will shut up. Goodbye Potter," said Lily, walking up the stairs to the girls' dorms.
"God, why do I always get this nervous around her? and why won't I let her be? Why must the one girl I really like hate me in return?" he said aloud, and it seemed a little too loud. Someone else had heard him—someone that he later would find out about.
"We're twelve years old," said a voice from far away. "It's too soon for a relationship."
But when he turned around to see his coorespondant, no one was there.
Sooner than expected, it was October first, and the day of Quidditch tryouts. James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Vanessa were all trying out for the house team.
"Hello everyone trying out for a house team. Please split up based on what you are trying out for. Being that we already have a keeper, me, and one beater, Caitlyn Branx, we don't need a keeper at all and only need one new Beater. To get it overwith first, we'll do the Beaters. Whoever wants to be a Beater go over there," said the captain of the team, Ian Wood.
Sirius and Peter broke away from the group, along with a fifth year girl, fourth year guy, and two seventh years.
Ten minutes later, the six returned, all looking beaten.
"How was it?" James asked Sirius, who looked at him as though the next person to ask him that would be cursed, then continued on walking. James looked to Lily then Remus, who all knew what was coming next.
"Chasers!"
The three all abandoned the other students and left for tryouts. They had to work together, as a team, to pass around the Quaffle and put it through hoops at the ends of the field.
When their ten minutes were finally over, they all flew back and handed off the brooms. James felt okay, he was tired yet he had done pretty well.
That night, James and the rest of the boys in the school were told to stay behind after dinner in the Great Hall.
Once all the girls had left the Great Hall, Dumbledore spoke.
"As you know, this year we will be doing Halloween the Muggle way, with our own touch. Trick-or-Treating. The girls will all be in houses around this room and the room across the hall, which we normally don't use but we will for that day. All you have to do is dress up like someone else, and there are no limits as to what here. You will simply go to every house you think the girl you like is in, and say 'Trick or Treat'. If you get the trick, the lady will hex you, not deadly of course. If you get the treat, you'll be asked to stay with the lady, where your options are endless. No one can see through their houses, so don't worry about spying.
"I know you want to ask the girls what their houses look like, however they have been told if they tell then they will not be allowed to come to this. That is all. Bed!" said Dumbledore, and everyone left.
"So we're prettymuch finding out what girls like us but we won't know who they are until we're in the room? That's rubbish," James said to Sirius.
"I don't know what to do. I need to be in that room with Vanessa, but I don't know what I can ask without Dumbledore finding out I know which one she is!" said Sirius, frowning slightly.
"Dunno man, but we're in for it."
"How?"
"Well, we're going to try and find the girls we like, but since we don't know where they are, if the girl standing at the door likes us we'll be stuck with her!"
"This is rubbish, man," said Sirius, as they approached Gryffindor tower.
The Halloween Trick-or-Treating came quicker than expected. At seven o'clock that night, the boys were all ready. They went down to the Great Hall, hoping their girl was there.
Remus knocked on a door that appeared to be made of gingerbread. As he knocked, a Slytherin girl came to the door. He knew her name and how much she despised him, so he didn't say Trick-or-Treat, he just left.
Sirius and James were knocking on every door, then realized something. The people in the doors they were knocking on were all Hufflepuffs, and the opposite side of the room was Slytherins!
"Lessgo into the other room," said James to Sirius, who nodded and they sprinted across the hall into the other room. They looked on the walls to see one column of Gryffindors, one of Ravenclaws. They both started knocking on all the Gryffindor doors, however neither could find who they wanted. That is, until they saw there were two more rows of people.
Sirius knocked on the middle ones, which was prettily decorated into the look of a pool, with a basketball net on one side. Vanessa came to the door.
"TRICK OR TREAT!" said Sirius, happily. Vanessa pulled him inside, and James knew that meant Lily had to be around there somewhere.
He kept knocking until he came to a house made up of drawings of Quidditch goal posts, books, and spells. Sure enough, Lily came to the door.
"Trick or treat!" James said, smiling. Lily didn't seem to return the smile though, rather she just pulled him inside.
When he looked in the corners of the room, there were already at least six boys in the room.
"I knew I should have hidden better," said Lily, angry now.
Another knock came on the door.
It was Remus. And Peter.
Lily let both of them in, though now even more unhappy. Eight guys were now sprawled out on the floor. Lily decided any more and she would hex the people to come to the door.
Five minutes later, Dumbledore's voice came from the speaker.
"All girls with more than one boy in their room, shoot up red sparks. The boys will be separated from you for a quiz about you and the winner will be the one you get to see for the night."
James went back and thought about Lily. He knew more about her than any of the guys there—that is, everyone except Snape, who she recently had been seen with quite often.
Lily, of course, left her house for the moment and shot up red sparks. Dumbledore went to her place and looked inside.
"Wow, Miss Evans, quite a few boys in here. Come out, all of you," said Dumbledore, taking them to the Room of Requirement.
There were test papers in there, all reading as the name 'Miss Lily Evans'.
"Answer these questions as you feel Lily Evans would," said Dumbledore, and with another wave of his wand, questions appeared, along with the initials of the student taking the exam in the upper right hand corner.
1. What is your favorite color?
2. Whom is your favorite book author?
3. What is(are) the name(s) of your sibling(s)?
4. What is your favorite girl's name?
5. What is your favorite guy's name?
All the way down to
50. What is the name of the boy you most like?
Of course every guy put his name in that position, and then Dumbledore collected test papers.
"We will inform you of the results momentarily," said Dumbledore, and, with yet another flick of his wand, the person with the most correct answers' lit up. But there were two.
"JP and SS," said Dumbledore.
James and Snape.
Great, thought James. What am I going to be forced to go through now?
"Since we have a tie, we'll take it to Miss Evans."
This was what James had feared. Obviously, Lily would pick Snape over himself. So it came to a surprise when Lily was asked and she said, "James."
James, on the inside, started jumping with joy. Lily had picked him over Snape, the guy she had been seen with lately! He walked into the room and, with one last flick of his wand, Dumbledore had the room set up.
As soon as the door shut and locked itself, Lily put a Soundproof Charm on the walls so no one would hear their conversation.
"Well, sit down," said Lily. She seemed to have quite a few questions for him. He obeyed her.
"First of all, why do you still like me?" she asked. "I act like a horrible book-loving person towards you yet you act like I am a goddess."
Well you are, he thought, then answered her simply, "I don't know, I just like you. I know you well, over the summer I really got to know you. But I don't, well, know how to get over you."
"Learn," said Lily. "Do you think I let you in here because I like you more than Severus? Don't fool your mind with that, I figured this way I get to ignore you all night. Anyway, my only other main question was already answered, so I'll just go to sleep now."
With that, Lily was asleep on her couch.
Without Lily awake, no one could stay awake. James was asleep not even a minute later.
On Christmas, James was the first awake. He walked downstairs to see tons of presents, more than the normal, sitting in front of him. Not even a minute later, Lily and Vanessa came down the stairs, giggling loudly.
It was probably their giggling that made Sirius come down, but this was good, as now they all felt that it was okay to dig into the gifts.
James opened the one on the top of his stack first, one from Danielle. It was a very expensive set of cologne. There was a note attached.
For when we go out, darling. Love you!
James felt like laughing. When would this girl get it through her head? He put her gift aside and picked up the next one—from Lily.
It was a book, leather bound. He lifted the cover and realised the name of the book was Foul Potions and Spells In Europe.
"Thanks Lil," he said, and Lily did the unthinkable—she BLUSHED!
She then must have come to her senses, as she ran up the stairs into the girls' dormitories.
"Lil?" he called.
He started walking up the stairs, however one of them fell as he tried to step on it.
Lily came out, laughing. "Guys must be more untrustworthy than girls. What do you want?"
"To talk to you. Just talk."
"You just did. Goodbye Potter," she said, then Summoned the gift that was from Snape.
She began to open it on the spot, not realising that James was still standing there. He gasped upon the sight in front of him, as did she.
It was a necklace, set in diamonds, and clearly very expensive. Along with it was a long cloak, a red and gold one. James walked back down the stairs and ran up to his dorm.
I thought she said that school mattered too much to her to date? he thought. He grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and began to walk down the stairs, cloak on him. He followed Lily to a hallway he never knew existed before.
"Hello Tom," she said, and he curled up in a corner.
"Hello Lil! Having a nice Christmas?"
"Well, Severus got me a present that must been utterly expensive, and I don't know what to do."
It was then that James made himself known. He took off the cloak, and Tom pointed at him.
"Who is this?" he asked, and Lily spun around.
"James Potter, how and why on earth—"
"No time for explanations now, Lil," he said, walking up to Tom and shaking his hand.
He decided to leave, or at least to appear so. He walked over to his Invisibility Cloak, threw it back on, and then started snooping around.
There was a door in the corner of the hideout. He opened it quickly as to not make any noise and found the two kids that had disappeared on the train last summer. They were two Muggle-borns. And they were dead.
He stumbled backwards, opened the door, and ran. By the time he got to the Gryffindor common room, Lily was standing there already.
"DON'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT TOM! He's not one of the best wizards in the world, but he has astonishing powers. He also is one of the best bloody friends in the world I have and is nice when he's not holding a wand or other lethal weapon," said Lily.
"You're trusting me?"
"I'm praying it's not a mistake. Normally, I'd just perform a memory charm on you. But good as I am at them, and as much as I hate you, I doubt it would work correctly."
"The secret is safe with me," said James. Anything for you, Lil.
"Good." With that, Lily walked down to the Great Hall, James following closely behind.
At the next Charms lesson, Lily and James were once again the first students done. They were told to go ahead and leave the class, but they had to stay in his new chamber. They obeyed, and, after Lily put a soundproof charm on the door, she spoke.
"Have you told anyone about Tom?"
"No," he said.
"Cause his hideout's been found out by the Ministry, and they don't like that he wants power."
"Well I still haven't given out his location," he said.
"Yes you have."
"No I haven't!"
"Yes you have, you arrogant pillock! You're the only one besides me that knew!"
"No I haven't, you useless piece of rubbish!"
"Yes you have, James Potter. Now leave me and my friends ALONE!" Lily retorted, and with that, James was out of the room.
He had had enough. Enough with Lily's smart remarks, enough with her insane thoughts, enough of her. He walked out of the room and left the class.
That night, James snuck into the library after his conversation with Sirius.
"Let's become Animagi!"
"I'll get the book," said James, and they found out the first book on it was in the Restricted section.
"I'll still get it!" James said, now without a girl to worry about.
At the end of the year, two more students, again both Muggle-borns, disappeared on the train ride. When James got onto the platform, he walked out and saw Lily run to her parents.
James' parents walked over to Lily's and began to talk.
"Yes, so you got tickets to this 'Quidditch World Cup' thing, and we got the tickets to the baseball game," said Lily's mum.
"Yeah, we'll take her to the World Cup as long as you take James to the baseball game, he needs to see the Muggle way of doing things," said James' father.
"WHAT?!" both Lily and James said simultaneously.
"You're going to a baseball game, James, and we're taking Lily to the Quidditch World Cup," said James' mum.
"Thank you Mrs. Potter!" said Lily politely.
"No problem, Lily," said James' dad, leaning in to whisper something in his ear.
"She's polite enough, if you like her she's fine with us!"