Disclaimer: The ever-wonderful J.K Rowling owns all but the journal idea.

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beta by: ilovethedotgame

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Chapter Seventeen: Maybe, Just Maybe

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James Potter

Sirius Black

Remus Lupin

Peter Pettigrew

Dear Lily,

How are you? I'm fine. How has your summer been?

Mum and I were wondering if you and your family would like to come for dinner on Sunday afternoon. Please, please come. Sirius is already driving me crazy. If you think he's bad at school, try living with him day in and day out.

Most of the time he's not too bad, but when he gets bored, watch out!

Please send me your reply as soon as humanly possible!

Sincerely, James

Driving you nuts? What do you think you're doing to me?

I bought a record player yesterday. Last summer I told Lily that I was going to, but never got around to it. So, yesterday I convinced dad and Sirius to come with me and help me pick one out.

While were we were out, I picked up some records that I heard at Lily's house and a few new ones that I heard on the radio. (yes, I listen to the muggle radio stations)

But "I'll Get You" by the Beatles is by far my favorite.

I'm going mad and it's your fault.

You and your stupid record player. You've played that "I'll Get You" song so many times, I hear it in my head even when it's not playing!

Twenty four hours until Lily and her family arrive!

Twenty three hours!

If you dare write an hour by hour countdown and…I don't what I'll do, but I'll be forced to take drastic measures.

Spoil sport.

He's singing in the shower.

I may kill him.

One can only hope the neighbors don't come knocking on the door wanting to rescue whoever's being tortured, because that's what it sounds like. Either that or a wounded animal.

Merlin, it's only six o'clock in the morning, what in the world is he doing up at this time of the day?

Oh, I forgot, Lily is coming today. That explains it. It doesn't make it any better, but it explains it.

How dare you tell Lily that I was singing in the shower! And that I sounded like a "seagull that was being strangled" no less!

I was telling the truth, mate. It was not a pretty sound. I may invest in a pair of earplugs.

Or you could just soundproof your room.

Even better.

Now get out, I have important information to record.

You're awfully pushy for a bloke who woke up the entire house with his shower singing.

Get going!

Oh, fine. I'll go fly around the pitch

You do that.

Okay, he's gone. Prat. He made me seem like such an idiot when Lily was here. I don't need anyone to help me seem more idiotic; I do it just fine myself.

Lily's family arrived at approximately 6:30 and five seconds. Lily's family, minus Petunia, that is. She didn't come! What luck! It would seem that she opted to visit a friend's house instead. Maybe she remembered the pepper imps Sirius and I gave her…one can only hope.

Anyway, I was waiting by the door when they arrived and the moment the door bell rang I flung the door open and gave Lily a hug. I think her parents were a little startled. She hugged me back, and you know…she actually seemed to enjoy it. If I didn't know that she doesn't like me, I'd swear that she took a deep breath, as though trying to savor the moment and…remember how I smell…?

Like a quidditch field, I expect.

Why aren't you out on the pitch?

It's raining.

Go anyway.

I'd rather sit here and add my two Knuts worth to your narrative.

What if I don't want your two Knuts worth?

You're getting it anyway; you have no choice.

You always have a choice.

You don't.

Oh fine! As I was saying, after we all went inside, I decided to show Lily my new record player. I thought it would interest her, since it's a muggle gadget, and she had probably forgotten all about my declaration to buy one.

She had.

I'm quite aware. And then Sirius stepped in and told her about my singing in the shower and said that it was ruining his health.

It is!

Did you really have to tell her that? I mean, honestly now. How was I supposed to respond to that? Merlin knows what she thought…probably that I'm a complete and utter loser. You are so lucky that you're still living.

After seeing my record player, we went outside and Sirius and I played quidditch while Lily watched. She would have played except she was wearing a skirt, and well, you know, that wouldn't have worked.

Sirius kept distracting me by waving at Lily and getting me to look at her, but I won in the end.

Show off.

Lily enjoyed the match.

What does that have to do with anything?

I dunno.

Next, we walked around the estate and showed Lily the grounds, including James' lily garden.

You prat. You couldn't keep your mouth shut.

When can I ever?

Why did you have to tell her that I tend the garden myself? She never would have known; she would have just thought that they were more of my mum's flowers.

If you could have seen both of your faces when I told her, you'd understand why.

After dinner, Lily, Sirius, and I went back outside. Lily looked cold so I summoned my Appleby Arrows jacket for her to wear. She looked so nice in my jacket, even if it was a bit big on her. Wearing my jacket, Lily looked like she was my girlfriend.

The best part is she forgot she had my jacket on and wore it home. Granted, I'm now out a coat for a while, but who cares when Lily could be at her home, wearing my jacket?

I care. I was going to borrow it.

You are so insensitive.

I've written Lily a few letters and have received some back, but other than that, I have nothing to write on the Lily front.

Nothing to write.

I miss Lily.

Sirius, mum, and I have been invited to tea at Lily's house this Friday afternoon!

That interesting…and enlightening.

Tea was nice; Mrs. Evans is a wonderful cook. I think I ate too many scones though.

While we were out in the garden, my mum asked if Lily would show her the rest of the garden in the backyard. They weren't gone for long, but when they returned, Lily seemed a tad shocked. It wasn't shocked in a bad way, as though my mum had scolded her about breaking my heart or something. It was more like…pleasantly shocked. That is, if you can look pleasantly shocked. Must remember to ask Mum what she said to Lily.

Sirius, having never been in a muggle home, wanted a tour, so Lily showed us her house. Unlike pictures in the wizarding world, muggle pictures are stationary, and since Sirius had never seen muggle photographs, he was quite puzzled. He kept prodding the pictures with his wand, trying to get them to move. He nearly burned a hole in the wall.

In Lily's room, she has several photographs of her friends. One of them has all of the girls and all four of us guys in it. The girls are sitting on the couch in the common room and we're standing behind the couch. Naturally, I'm standing behind Lily.

All of the others are pretending to pull the girls' hair or give them bunny ears or something equally juvenile, but the photo me is leaning down and whispering in Lily's ear and running my hands through her hair.

Naturally, Sirius was highly amused by this picture. He went so far as to poke the picture with his wand and telling the picture me to kiss Lily.

And I did. The picture me, I mean. But you know what? The photo Lily kissed me back. Why did she do that? Aren't wizarding pictures supposed to reflect your feelings and personality? It doesn't make sense…

I got to talking about muggle sports with Lily's dad, and while were doing that, Sirius told Lily that he wanted to see her record collection again. So they disappeared up the stairs and into Lily's room, leaving me wondering what in the world was going on up there.

According to Sirius, nothing earth shattering happened. They talked about muggle music and the records she owns. I want to believe him, but there was this look in his eye when he said it that tells me there's more to the story than it seems.

I want to trust Sirius, but if he's hiding something from me…I don't know what to think. I mean, what could he and Lily talk about that he can't tell me?

Prongs, I swear that nothing went on between Lily and me. We just talked. I promise. If there was a glint or whatever in my eyes, well, it's nothing bad. You'll find out what it means soon enough, I would think. Can't say any more than that, sorry.

Oh, when you tell a story, you need to make sure you tell the whole thing. You left out the part about the Easter picture. See, there are lots of pictures of Lily and her sister on the walls at Lily's house. James stopped in front of one of Lily in this puffy white dress with a big bow in the back and pigtails in her hair.

He was looking at it when Lily told him not to because she hated the picture. James, being the lovesick prat that he is, said "Nah, you look cute in the picture."

And I, being the wonderful friend I am, said "So, you're saying that she doesn't look cute now?"

James gazed at Lily for a moment then said, "Cute is for little girls. Lovely is for young ladies."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. It was so funny. He didn't seem to realize just what he'd said right away, but when he did, he turned a dark pink color.

Is it your life mission to humiliate me? After leaving Lily's I felt like becoming a hermit and going to live in a hole in the ground.

Don't say that. You'd never actually do it anyway.

Oh yeah?

You'd miss me too much.

Not right now.

Bet you'd miss Lily.

I'd take her with me.

Oh really?

Well, I'd marry her first. It wouldn't be proper for us to live in the hole without first being married.

I might have to let Lily know that she's going to marry you and spend the rest of her life living in a hole.

You dare and I'll –

What? Sing at me? Won't work –I've got my room sound proofed and a pair of earplugs.

I'll find a new best friend, that's what.

You wouldn't.

If you tell her that, Remus is my new best friend.

You know I would never actually tell her that. I have plenty of other incriminating stories about you to tell her.

Oh, sweet Merlin. I'm Head Boy.

What was Dumbledore thinking? Was he thinking?

I can't be Head Boy! I've caused too much trouble, I – I mean, all the things I've done and I've been made Head Boy? Who wants a trouble-maker for a leader and disciplinary figure?

I thought for sure that Remus would be Head Boy. He's the logical choice. I mean, he's responsible and smart and…he's Remus. Everyone knows that Remus deserves the Head Boyship…what are people going to say when they realize that I'm Head Boy?

If the letter didn't have my name on it, I'd swear that it was sent to the wrong person.

I'll bet Lily is Head Girl. What will she say? She's certainly my friend, but she's Remus's friend too. She knows that he deserves it much, much more than I do.

I'm going to write to Remus.

Well, Remus just wrote back congratulating me on my newfound position. I thought he might be bit angry, but he says he's not. He says he's glad it's not him. Well, that solves that problem, but what about Lily?

I'd bet my broom that she thinks I'll abuse my power and hand out detentions to Slytherins left and right. But she'd be wrong. I won't.

If Snape looses a few more house points than usual, so be it, but I'm not going to target the other Slytherins just because I have a personal vendetta against Snape. Not all Slytherins are bad. There must be some nice ones…somewhere. I just haven't met them yet.

I asked mum what she said to Lily, but all she said was "That is a matter between Lily myself."

Blast.

We went shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley today. Sirius and I met up with Remus, Lily, Hestia, Emmeline, and Alice in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

It seems that Remus told Lily about me being the new Head Boy. And you know what? She's not angry. She doesn't think I'm wrongly chosen. She thinks I'll be a good Head Boy. She's glad.

Ihad a revelation while I was trying to sleep last night.

Now, I may be wrong, but I hope I'm not. All those mysterious conversations that the guys kept having in here, my jacket that has yet to be returned, the hug, and just a bunch of other small things that add up once you think about them…

Maybe, just maybe, Lily sees me as more than a friend. Like a boyfriend.

I hope I'm right.

Oh, Merlin, I hope I'm right.

If anyone's wondering what James' mom said to Lily, or the exact dialogue of what Lily and Sirius talked about, check out Chapter Seventeen of "In This Journal".

Review Responses

Auramistealia: Life is good. For me and James! I know what you mean about not knowing what to say in a review. I have the same problem. Every now and then when I read a bad one, I suggest a beta reader, but other than "great job" "good character portrayal", I never know what to say that sounds worthy enough of a good review.

avovisto: I'm glad you liked that part! It was my favorite part of the chapter as well!

PickinWildFlowers: I don't like those stories either, that's why mine isn't that way:-) I think that they really would have had to be friends first, considering Lily's feelings towards James in Book 5.

AnneChristy: I am actually working on another Lily/James story right now, called "Just One of Those Things". It's an alternate universe 3rd person fic that centers around the story of James, Hestia, and Lily. James and Hestia have been betrothed since they were two years old and now they're in seventh year. James starts to get feelings for Lily and vice versa. But, obviously, they can't do anything about it! Meanwhile, Sirius seems to have taken a liking to Lily, and Voldemort is gathering more and more followers. Part of the story will take place after Hogwarts in which James tries to get out of his betrothal, but there are a few obstacles in his way. I like it, but then I might be rather biased. :-)

Right now, I have no plans for another chapter length story after this one and my other one. I do have a vague idea for a one-shot, but no plans for another chapter length story. Maybe an idea will come to me though, who knows?

JKRobsessed: Sorry this update wasn't very quick, but I was visiting my grandparents, who don't have a computer, let alone internet connection.

Lady Sonora the Black-Rose: I'm glad it made you smile! Thanks!

J.E.A.R.K.Potter: No, sorry, only one more chapter left!

Amber Tinted: Glad to hear it! I was so worried when I first added Sirius and the guys in that someone was going to report me for stealing bluebottlebutterfly's story even if I hadn't. But yeah, since then, I've read other journals by James so I'm not too worried.

InuBecka: Thank you!

aussiechick249: Well, he's become a bit less naïve now. We'll have to see what happens with his revelation, hmm?

Queen Of Day Dreams: School starts August 17th for me. Oh joy. But I promise I will finish this story before then. I've got already got a bit of written, actually!

hhfanx2: Thank you very much! I'm very glad my story isn't one of those!

NinitademiBrooke: Well, I'm sorry to say that the next chapter will be the last. The counterpart only has 18, and I want to keep the chapter numbers the same. It's sad to think that this will be over, but I think you'll like the ending!

Laughing Dragoness: Me too! James is wonderful.

Trapped Rabbit: Yeah, that's some comfort to know that she'll like him back eventually. Or already does!

Abby: Yeah, I would stall much longer if I were going to study too, but James is really smart (at least when it comes to school!) and probably wouldn't have to study as long as I would. Studying probably isn't that much of a chore for him. The next chapter will definitely be an "aw" chapter!

DOJ: You know, despite what James says, he really doesn't mind his friends writing in his journal. You're right. It doesn't faze him at all. Well, I'll be looking for that one-shot! Thanks for the great review! It made me smile!

KairiQueen: I actually have read the "Protector of the Small" series, but thanks for the suggestion anyway:-) Thanks for nice review!