Chapter Three

Hexes and Curses

James stepped out of the fireplace and looked up after dusting himself off. Seeing Hestia Emmaline and Lily staring at him he gave a feeble smile. "Erm..hello?" James asked as he set down his trunk.

"JAMES POTTER WHAT IN THE NAME OF HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Lily shouted marching over to him.

James ran a hand through his hair quickly looking away from them and to his aunt. Biting his lip he widened his eyes in a silent plea for help. What was he supposed to say? Oh you know I'm just here for the party? James swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat opening his mouth to speak he was cut off by his Godmother.

"Well Lily dear, James is my Godson..so he's going to be spending the rest of the summer with us." Camilla said looking towards James.

James nodded his head putting on his most charming smile. He watched as Lily narrowed her eyes and looked at Hestia who wasn't quite meeting her eyes. James hoped that Hestia wouldn't spill any important information that James wanted to tell her himself. Sighing he ran another hand through his hair.

"Yes you know…Erm…Yea I'm his I mean her Godson. Bloody Hell. Hello Lily, nice to see you again." James said sticking out his hand awkwardly.

"James why are you here? WHY ARE YOU HERE ON MY BIRTHDAY?"

"Lily…girl don't worry about it. Look how he dressed up for you, how sweet he looks." Emmaline said quickly shooting James a look that plainly said keep your mouth shut.

"Emmaline! It's my seventeenth birthday! I want it to be a special day filled with fun and laughs and-"

"Well who better to make you laugh then James Potter? He's practically the biggest joker in the whole of Hogwarts! And you consider him a friend don't you?" Hestia asked quickly.

"NO! I consider him a menace and a trouble maker and a pain my arse!" Lily said looking at her best friend like she'd grown a second head.

James heart fell. Maybe he was hoping too much what the hell was he doing here Lily was never going to love him she hated him, she had just plainly said so. James crossed his arms and leaned against the fireplace, well he wasn't going to let Lily find out just how much she had just how much she meant to him. Today was the last day that he was going to put his heart out in the open and let her trod all over it. To bad he could be just as mean as her.

"Well you know Lily, I only came because my Camilla asked me to. It's not like I would want to see your carrot head or anything." James said giving a disdainful sniff.

Looking over at Lily he saw her face change close up. Well he hoped that he had hurt her near as much as she hurt him every time she said something spiteful against him. James shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, not meeting hers but looking over her head at her two best friends that were gaping at him. Although I suppose you couldn't really say gaping for like frowning, especially Hestia. James shrugged his shoulders as if saying what am I supposed to do, just let her push me around? James looked over at his Godmother that had a very reproving look on her face, he knew that she didn't believe men should talk harshly against any lady. James sighed throwing up his hands.

"Well since your all just going to stand there and gap I'm just going to leave!" Grumbling he pulled out his wand and levitated his trunk directing it out of the kitchen.

James knew were he was going to sleep, he always slept in the same room, the third door from the top of the stairs. James levitated the trunk up the stairs making sure not to ram it into anything and down the hall to the third doorway. Pushing it open he walked in and set his trunk down at the end of the bed. Putting his wand away he walked over to his trunk throwing up the lid. Sighing he started to unpack his clothing into the dresser and chest of drawers that were housed inside of the large bedroom. Finished and not wanting to go back downstairs James sat down on the bed falling backwards with his legs hanging over the side he washed his face with his hand.

"Well haven't I really stuck my foot in my mouth now?" James asked himself sighing once again.

Meanwhile in the kitchen…..

Lily stared at the back of James Potter's head. What the hell was that all about? Someone was having a little spaz attack. Lily crossed her arms a stubborn look coming over her face, so she hadn't been all that nice, she had known that James liked her…well who didn't know that he liked her was the question. He scared away anyone that even thought of her in that way, it was already like they were dating except that she hated his bloody guts. Letting out an agitated noise escape her throat she looked at her two best friends, surely they realized how immature he was being.

"Can yo-" Lily started to be cut off by Hestia.

"Lily that was really immature of you, he came all the way over here just to spend your birthday with you, you think you would appreciate it a little more!" Hestia said her hands on her hips.

Lily stared at her friend, all the way over? He only had to hop in the bloody fireplace and say the name of the manor to get here! It wasn't like he had to travel days and nights to get here! Lily narrowed her eyes at her friends crossing her arms and cocking her head to the side.

"Who cares Hestia. It's not like I want him here…he's just a pain." Lily said suddenly realizing she had been talking to the wrong person she turned to Camilla. "And why did you invite him here? HUH? Why didn't you tell me James was you godson?"

Camilla pursed her lips crossing her arms as well. She wasn't going to just let this little thing push her around and demand answers from her. "Well dear I think that you would have figured it out with all the pictures I have around here. You've looked at some of the photo albums I have. I thought you were supposed to be the smartest witch to ever pass through Hogwarts!" Camilla took a breath letting Lily realize her foolishness. "And why I invited him here is none of your concern young lady, let me remind you that you are a visitor in his house and you won't demand anything from me. AND you will be civil to James!" Camilla said raising her voice as she saw Lily open her mouth to respond.

Lily gaped at the older woman while Hestia and Emmaline giggled behind her. She turned and glared at her friends. What were they squawking about? They had no idea how annoying James Potter could be! And he was going to be here for who knew how long! Wait she knew! The rest of the summer! "Bloody Hell." Lily muttered without realizing it. This is was just-just fantastic! She was going to have to spend the rest of her summer with Potter! Lily wanted to scream, she really did…no no not just scream pull her hair out and scream and then go and kill James Potter and bury him behind the stables. Maybe she would Grey Earl out for a run. That would help calm her wouldn't it?

"Camilla…trust me…we can't be and I be cannot be civil to each other…it will just not work. So I will just avoid him and everything will be fine!" Lily said looking from Emmaline to Hestia to Camilla. Surely they agreed with her right? "You agree with me right? Hestia? You know how he acts, so immature and horrible! Anyways whatever then I'm going out riding if none of you are going to take my side!"

Lily turned and strode out of the kitchen from the side door marching down to the stables she marched her outrage away. Maybe James had changed maybe he wasn't the pig that he used to be. Wait. He never really was a pig was he? He always treated her with respect he offered to beat up any guy that made a rude pass at her, no he wasn't a pig but really a gentleman wasn't he? WAIT! What the hell was she thinking? He wasn't a gentleman he offered to beat every guy up for her because he just wanted her for himself didn't he? Lily sighed and ran her fingers through her hair then patting it. This was going to drive her batty she just knew it. As Lily reached the stable doors she heard a voice inside, one that she knew only too well.

Meanwhile with James…..

James stood by Grey Earls stall door, opening it he walked into the stall, smoothing his hand down her neck he scratched his way up to her ear giving her a good scratch behind them he rested his forehead against the strong neck. "Oh Grey. The bloody girl just doesn't understand how much she means to me. Stupid girls. We men have to stick together don't we boy?" James asked the big stallion all he got in reply was a snort. "Well a lot of good you do!" James turned and looked at the figure that had just opened the door.

James felt like snorting himself as he looked down at his change of clothes he pulled his old farm shirt straight it was an old plaid one that buttoned up the front he had the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and old worn jeans with a pair of black cow boy boots on. James crossed his arms self consciously no one except for Sirius had ever seen him so dressed down in old clothes and he hadn't really excepted Lily to see him like this. 'Oh well who gives a hop?' James asked himself.

"What do you want Evans?" James asked in a harsh tone.

"I came to see Grey Earl, what are you doing here Potter? I see you've changed." Lily replied running a critical eye over his clothing, in truth she thought he looked really good like that all he needed was the hat and he'd look like a real cowboy.

James looked down once again at his changed clothes and shrugged his shoulders. "I came to see my horse, and yea so what does it matter to you? It's not like I'm going to be attending your grand party."

"Well…Well I'm glad your not coming you'd probably just ruin everything!" Lily said crossing her arms a stubborn look appearing on her face. "Why would you want to come anyways Potter? Just to be the center of attention?"

"No maybe because I wanted to see you on a day as special as this…but wait I must have been dreaming because every day that you live is special…in your head 'cause your just so damned full of your self!" James said with smirk.

Lily's chest swelled her eyes narrowing her went for her wand she couldn't believe he was so big-headed! What was the matter with him? Her full of herself? He must be talking about himself! Stupid Pratt. "Say that again Potter I dare you." Lily said in level tones her wand pointed at his head.

James couldn't help it. She thought she was so strong with just her wand pointed at him she probably didn't even know a good curse or hex. James was bent over double laughing his head off when the curse hit him. He couldn't stop laughing and he was dancing, what bloody hex had she put on him? Standing up straight still laughing but not of his own will he tried to speak in-between peals of laugher. "Evans! Evans take it off for gods sake!!"

Lily crossed her arms a smirk on her face, he thought she was full of herself did he? Oh well at least she had a reason to be other then good looks, not that she wasn't pretty, she knew she was she had a healthy respect of her good looks she knew that she was the only girl in Hogwarts that had the shade of hair that she had naturally. "Why should I Potter? Are you going to apologize?" Lily asked as someone came into the barn.

"LILY! What in bloody hell do you think your doing?" Hestia asked as she took out her wand and quickly cast the reverse charm for the hex's Lily had put on James.

"Evans we're not finished and stay the hell away from my horse." James said as he stalked past.

He had planned not to go to the dance because he knew that Lily didn't want him to but now he was just going to go to spite her. So what? She had gotten him but so what, he had been unprepared. James stalked past Hestia giving her a sorry look and slammed the stable door shut after him.

"I'll go near him as much as I like Potter!" Lily shouted after him turning to her friend with an exasperate look on her face. "Can you believe how dumb he is?"

"Lily…I don't get why you just don't try and be civil to him..and I really don't think you should be going near his horse if he doesn't want you to be." Hestia said hesitantly.

"Camilla said I could use Grey Earl and I will. Even if it is James Potter's horse it's better mannered then him." Lily said with a sigh. "Anyways I suppose you came to fetch me to get ready for the ball."

Hestia nodded shaking her head. She didn't understand Lily and James relationship, she knew that Lily sometimes liked James but that she would never admit it to herself. Hestia shook her head once again and sighed. "I suppose we should get going then."

Lily nodded her head and walked with her friend out of the stables and up to the manor with no idea what plan James Potter was forming in his room with two of his very best friends.