Remember When
By: holyheartbreak (Judy) and DoubleDoubleToilAndTrouble (Kimberly)
PG – Just to be safe
Disclaimer : If you know it, it's not ours.
A/N: This story is going to be co-written by me and Kimberly, and this chapter (prologue) is mine!
"James!" A four-year-old Lily Evans giggled, "Come on silly, or we'll miss it!" The red-headed child darted through the trees with her friend on her heels.
"I'm not even running that slow Lil, just don't go so fast!" The raven headed Potter replied.
James Potter, who was five, and Lily Evans were best friends. Even at such a young age, their friendship was everything. Their parents couldn't have been happier. It was a stroke of luck that they were next-door-neighbors, and an even better stroke of luck that Lily's parents were so open to the fact that the Potters were of the magical sort.
"James!" Lily shrieked, her wine-red curls bouncing.
"I'm coming Red, I'm right behind you!"
The two friends were darting through the trees, hoping to make it to their special place just in time for the sunset. Their special place, "Waterpoint" as they liked to call it, was a slow and steady creek in a clearing in the woods behind Lily's house. The creek had a small waterfall and the clearest water you could ever imagine. After the clearing, there was a thinning out of the trees facing the west, and it was the best place to catch the sunset.
"Beat you!" Lily cried, as she jumped onto the big rock that sat beside the creek.
"Only because you ran so fast." James panted.
Lily giggled. "What are you gonna do Jamie, when some boys wanna race ya and you can't keep up?"
James grinned, "I'll let you run for me."
Three Years Later
"You're lying," An eight-year-old James spoke, his voice deadpanned.
Rebecca Potter shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry James, but they're moving."
James put his hands over his ears and closed his eyes as tightly as he could. "I won't hear anymore of it Mum. It's not true! Lily is going to stay here, and we'll go to Hogwarts together, and you can't stop that!"
"James," his mother said, her voice almost desperate.
"No!" he cried.
Rebecca pried James's hands from his ears. "I know you probably don't want to hear this son, but listen to me. I'm your mother, I know what I'm talking about." After Rebecca felt James relax a bit, she went on.
"I know you'll miss Lily, but Surrey isn't too far away, and we can't always take you to visit. And James, Lily grew up near magic, being here a lot and all, so I am almost positive that she will receive her letter wherever she may be. You know of her specialness, the power she has that many others don't. That's magic."
James nodded his head and buried himself in his mother's arms.
Weeks Later
"James?" A meek voice spoke from behind. James turned to see Lily standing there, her curls pulled back into a ponytail, a backpack snug on her shoulders.
"We're leaving soon," Lily said quietly, her bright, emerald eyes shining with tears. The summer sun reflected off of them, making them even brighter and shinier than ever thought possible.
James stared into those eyes. Some of his first memories were of them. Really Lily, but as for the memories, it's just those eyes.
Lily's eyes held so much in them. So much emotion. Even at his young, ripe age of eight, he knew she was something special. Was it her sensations of deja vu, or was it her early signs of wandless magic? Or maybe it was her incredible ability to dance.
James loved watching Lily dance. She started when she was only 3, and she held so much promise. James's mind wandered as he remembered watching Lily dance in the dance room her parents had built for her in their house.
"Say something," Lily whispered. A single tear rolled down her porcelain skin.
James shook his head back into reality and took a step forward, "I'll miss you Red." he said quietly.
Lily let out a sob and threw herself at James, holding onto him as tightly as she could. He hugged her back and she burst into tears.
"Don't ever forget me," Lily whispered fiercely. "And I'll never forget you."
"Never?"
"Never," she confirmed. "I'll come back to you Jamie, I swear it."
A Year and a Half Later
Nine year old James was sitting on his bed when he heard a knock at the door.
"James, can I come in?" his mother asked.
"Sure Mum!" James called. When his mother entered the room, he noted that her eyes were red and puffy... from crying, perhaps? But why?
"What's wrong Mum?" he asked, he voice full of worry.
Rebecca Potter sniffled and handed her son the piece of parchment that would burn a hole in his heart. "This came in today... from the Evans."
James's hazel eyes lit up, "Lily?" he questioned excitedly.
His mother shook her head, "Not Lily."
Puzzled, James read the letter:
Becky, Harold, and James:
Terrible news. There was an awful accident. Lily was involved. Lost much of her memory. Got most of it back – not all. She doesn't remember you. No pictures bring it back.
The doctor says there's a slim to none chance of it coming back.
We'll keep you posted.
Love,
The Evans
"She's gone?" James spoke, his voice far away and very distant.
Rebecca shook her head vigorously, "Not gone James. Just... forgotten. She's forgotten us."
James said nothing. He simply stared at the letter, digesting its words. His mother took her cue to leave, but just as she was walking out the door, she heard his words.
"She broke her promise, and now I've lost her. But she'll come back to be Mum, I know she will. Just like she said."
A/N 2: I'm (we're) going to be needed a beta for this, anyone interested?
