A/N: Wow! Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! 21! That's more than I've ever got for a first chapter before! You all rock so much! Everyone had some really good ideas about what to call James' mum and dad, and whether the dad should be thin or fat. What would I do without you all? Oh, and just to let you know, I'm not completely following the fifth books insights. This is just for some fun, yeah?

Quick thanx to:

Fates Fallen Angel: Not only the first review for this fic, but the funniest and longest! You rock so much!

SnakeEyesHannah: Thank you for the great review! I think you're too nice to me!

Sweet Sarcasm: he he he! Your name suits you well! That was so nice, thank you for the compliments!

Chapter Two

Awkward Encounters

The Potter mansion seemed scarily large to Lily. All she had ever known were small, but comfortable houses with two or three bedrooms. But this! The mansion had over fifty rooms, not all of them inhabitable. It was very old, almost like a castle. The older parts still had stone floors and pane less windows. The bits where the Potters actually lived were carpeted and fitted with the modern settings that made life easy. James' father was the head of the Department for International Affairs, and so they had a tidy little amount of money stored away for life's expenses.

After the introductions that first day (not that she and James needed any), Lily had been shown her room. It was huge! With its own bathroom, and a king sized, four poster bed…needless to say, Lily was in heaven. She dumped her bags on the ground, promising herself she'd unpack later, and set out to explore the house.

If she took a right in the corridor outside her door, she discovered, it would lead her to the older areas of the mansion. After about ten minutes of walking, she approached what looked to be a ladder leading up to an attic. Cautiously she touched the ladder, and then began to climb.

The room at the top was musty. Lily scanned it quickly. Old chairs, lamps, boxes, James Potter, wait-James Potter?

"What are you doing here?" he exclaimed, finally seeing her.

Lily was so startled she almost fell backwards down the ladder.

"Oh, sorry,' James said, coming over and helping to pull her up into the attic.

"Thanks," Lily gasped, pulling her hand back uncomfortably. She glanced around again. Although most of the room was old and dusty, one corner - the corner James had been in - was swept out and had a desk, a chair and even a small sofa set up appealingly.

James walked over and sat in the chair, indicating the sofa for Lily. She stepped up next to it, but hesitated to sit down.

"Uh, sorry, if I'm intruding…I could just go away, if you want me to-" she began, but James raised a finger to his lips and then indicated the chair again.

Lily frowned a little, but sat down anyway, sinking into the squashy cushions.

"So…is this your den?" she asked tentatively, in an attempt to make conversation.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," James nodded, his back to her, as he bent over something on the desk. He turned to face her, with a smile. "I like the old parts of the castle. They're more imaginative, don't you think?"

"Um…yeah," Lily said, nodding quickly.

The thing was, Lily and James had rarely ever talked to each other at Hogwarts. The closest they came to a conversation was a quick argument about something or other, but even that only ever happened once or twice a year. They really had nothing to do with each other. She had no idea what to do.

"Sirius is coming next week, did you know?" James said suddenly.

"Really? Oh yeah, he stays here in the holidays, doesn't he?" Lily remembered.

"Yeah. Um, I, uh, made this for you," James said, a blush creeping up his face. He held out a piece of paper for her to observe.

It was green and had 'Lily's Room' written on it in big pink letters, with a flower at the end. A bird and a bee were down the bottom, and somehow, James had enchanted them to fly around the page.

Lily looked up in delight.

"That is so nice! It's lovely, James, thank you!" she said, smiling rapturously. With her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed slightly in excitement, she looked beautiful.

James looked away, embarrassed.

"Well, mum said to do something nice," he muttered.

"Oh," Lily nodded.

For a moment they sat in silence. Then-

"Well, I should go," Lily said suddenly, getting up. "I'll stick this on my door."

"Yeah," James said, watching her disappear down the ladder.

After she had gone, he sighed and leant back in his chair. He had no idea how to talk to Lily. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, but he had never really talked to her, and confusion was taking over. He couldn't wait until Sirius arrived- he had a way with the ladies that James had never quite developed.

Who would have thought that a girl in the house could be so much trouble?

(Later that evening)

When Lily walked into the dining room later that night, Mrs Potter - or Elena, as she preferred to be called - was busy setting the table for dinner.

"Er, can I help with that?" Lily asked, stepping into the light.

Elena looked up and smiled.

"Of course," she said. "Could you please get the forks for me from the kitchen drawer?"

Lily nodded, and walked through the adjoining door into the kitchen. There she found a man sitting at the table, his face hidden by a newspaper.

"James?" she asked cautiously, peering at the figure.

The paper was lowered, and Lily found herself staring at an older version of James' good looks. The same eyes, the same unruly hair, and the same twinkle in the smile he gave her.

"No, not quite," he grinned. "Harold Potter, very pleased to meet you." He got to his feet and shook her hands.

Lily's heart squeezed tight, as she suddenly remembered her own father. He had made her feel so safe, just the same as Harold had, the moment he had looked at her. She swallowed the lump that had suddenly risen in her throat and managed a smile.

"I'm pleased to meet you as well. I wonder, could you please tell me where to find the forks?" she asked.

"I sure can," Harold said, walking towards the kitchen. As Lily followed, she finally began to feel at home.

But there was much to happen yet. Maybe the arrival of a certain Sirius Black would spice things up…

A/N: he he he! Did you like it? How about another ten reviews? I have some ideas for the next chapters; I can't wait to write them! So, tell me what was your favorite bit in this chapter, yeah? And personality traits for Sirius- do we want the classic playboy, or someone a little different? Maybe dark and brooding this time?

Review soon!

Luv, Jaizar