Disclaimer, please: I bow to you, o' mighty Joanne Kathleen Rowling, for inventing James Potter, Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Frank Longbottom, Peter Pettig... well, it's not that I'm really grateful for making HIM up, 'cause Lily & James would still be alive if... Okay, okay. I'm joking. My original characters are in here too, so go me. Plot is mine, mine an only mine. Woohoo.
Author's Notes: Can you see me jumping up and down like a psycho? No? Well, I am. Reviews make me so happy – you have NO idea.
Here's a new part, MUCH MUCH LONGER than the first two. That's why I deserve more reviews, ahaha. But it's logical, isn't it? Anyways, loads of James... and Lily... this time... Hehehe. Read & review, okay? I'll love you forever. Now, onto the individual replies, if you will.
1.
Shelbykins: Hahaha, that made me laugh. Glad you liked the 'la
cucaracha', LOL. Oh my, you're making me blush. I can't
describe how happy I am to read your reviews! So you like the
Snape/Trelawney idea? Cool! I'll have to throw them in as soon as
possible... maybe. -wink- Remus/Sirius coming soon, I puh-romise.
Once again, thanks and enjoy!
2. Ashley Pups: Giggling is
good! Thanks!
3. Cindy: J/L is one of my OTPs, too. LOL, I
know you're supposed to have One True Pair, but how can I choose
between Ron/Hermione, James/Lily and Remus/Sirius? So. Hard. Anyways,
I'm glad you think the marriage idea is cute. Yay!
4. Linds
;D: Woo-hoo! So happy you think that. Enjoy the new chappie!
5.
Emiko Black: Ehehe, so happy I made you like R/S, muahaha. Thanks
for liking!
6. jellyjulie: Yep, 'tis original, alright!
Muchas gracias!
7. Tanya: Lupin is a dearie, isn't he?
Hehe, Sirius does that from time to time... Thanks!
8. Nick:
Yay! So glad you liked it, even though it was a surprise for ya.
-smile-
9. Phaerie: OMG OMG OMG! lol, I love using OMG too
Here's more, only for your pleasure. Thanks!
10.sarah:
LOL, weird in a good way, eh? Thanks a bunch!
11. blacksmoon:
Thanks soooo much! Glad you like those lines, ehehe.
12.
blacksmoon: hello, again -wink- Happy to see I made you laugh! I
mean, Lupin made you laugh, LOL James is happy... for now... ehehe.
Update is here! Thanks, one more time.
13. MaraudahLily: Of
course you can quote a part from the story! I love when I see my
readers like some particular part from the fic. I'm grinning like
crazy now, hehe, thanks so much! Poor confuzzled Remus indeed.
Annnnnnd. That's done. Now I'll leave you to read in peace, without me getting in way, haha. Cookies and butterbeer for everyone who leaves a review! The more I get, the more I write. See ya, loves!
Not So Holy Matrimony
written by Milka-Weasley
Chapter 3 – Potter and Evans
-Clementine Helps-
Later that day, James found himself wandering around the Hogwarts grounds, closely followed by Peter, who wasn't really something you would call "the happiest choice of company." James tried to figure out what had happened during the breakfast as he played the film backwards in his head.
Namely, Remus peeked into the Great Hall but refused to go inside. He excused himself saying he still had to finish his research in the Library. James didn't miss the fact Lupin's voice trembled as he was telling them that.
"Library my ass," laughed James loudly a few minutes after, as he and Peter sat for the Gryffindor table right next to Sirius, who had already been there. "He's probably off to a snog session with his destined wifey. Not that I can imagine Moony snogging, though..."
Sirius choked on his toast and quickly stood up, disappearing with a short "Later, Messrs."
"Why, isn't that great, Pete?" grumbled James as he kicked a clod of mud, "both of them are now somewhere with their precious new ladies, enjoying their freaking holy matrimonies, while you and me are stuck with each other, completely forgotten and abandone... Peter?"
James turned around only to realize Peter was no longer tagging behind him.
Instead, he saw him a few meters away, talking to a short blonde and slightly chubby girl, who looked sort of dumb as she tittered at something Peter had said.
James stared in disbelief.
"Peter – and a girl – what – when did that – how come – Peter Pettigrew? You have got to be kidding me... My eyes are betraying me, I know they are..."
James took off his glasses, elaborately rubbed them off his robes and put them back on.
To James Potter's astonishment, the sight was still the same.
"First Moony, then Padfoot, now Wormtail... Well that's just not fair.. Not bloody fair at all..."
Peter stopped talking as he noticed James gaping at the girl and him. He grinned significantly, waving and yelling: "Don't worry, James, I'll be just fine!"
The girl giggled stupidly.
"I'm sure you will..." he responded, all of the sudden feeling completely left out and even lonelier than before.
"Heck," James thought darkly, "I must be very desperate when even Peter's silent and boring companionship doesn't seem too bad now..."
Sighing, he lethargically glanced towards the lake.
It seemed as though more than a whole half of the Hogwarts students were outside, chatting and enjoying one of the last sunny days of this year.
That didn't bother James too much. The fact everyone seemed to be paired bugged the hell out of him.
He saw a couple of years younger Frank Longbottom, walking side by side with a beautiful Hufflepuff girl Alice Fiennes, appearing to be extremely happy. Why wouldn't he be, after all? A lot of guys from school would sell their wands and brooms to be on Frank's place just for a minute – she was that gorgeous.
Not far away, a freckled brown haired Ravenclaw girl gave a Slytherin boy quick peck on the cheek. The boy gave his best to camouflage his puzzlement, but it was obvious he was unprepared for that sudden burst of tenderness.
"Couples... Everywhere I look – couples..."
James felt his ego shrinking and getting smaller and smaller with every passing second. It seriously threatened to become invisible, when he unexpectedly spotted two girls in nearby, who he recognized as Lily's close friends.
"Hallelujah!"
James's heart started beating faster and a smile played on his face as he rushed to join them.
"Ignis, Spacey, hi, how are you today?" he said more politely than he would usually sound.
Flora Ignis, a blonde seventh year Slytherin, frowned, not trying to suppress her peevishness. On the other hand, Clementine Spacey, James's classmate, smiled at him.
"Fine and yourself?"
"I'm lonesome, thanks for asking,"
Flora rolled her cold green eyes. "What d'you want from us, Potter? To pity you?"
"Now that you've mentioned, I wouldn't have anything against it. Maybe next time, though. Right now, all I need is help. Has any of you two seen Evans today?"
"No."
"Yes."
"Clementine Spacey!"
"What?"
"So, I take it you know where she is. Don't worry, Ignis, I'll bugger off as soon as you share that information with me."
"You do know she's got boyfriend, don't you?" asked Clementine slowly.
"Seems to me you weren't paying attention. I'm not asking for her boyfriend," James played innocent. "I'm looking for the better half...".
"Common room's the answer," said Flora quickly. "Bye!"
"Nice one. Already looked there. As well as Great Hall and Library. No sign of her."
"Well..." Clementine narrowed her eyebrows, thinking. "There is something Lily calls her own runaway place, though..."
Flora shot her a warning look.
"Don't. You know very well she goes there only when she specifically needs to be alone. And this is one of those days. You know she didn't even want to speak with us! Alone, Potter," she fixed James's brown eyes with hers. "means without company."
"I'm perfectly aware of the meaning of that word, as you can see" James retorted, feeling his tolerance for that Slytherin girl wouldn't last for much longer. "Oh, for Merlin's sake, it's not like I'm gonna go there and perform Unforgivable Curses on her! I've never actually mastered Crucio, to be quite honest. That was a joke, you two."
"Ha ha." said Flora sarcastically.
"Come on, Spacey," begged James, completely ignoring Flora's comment. "show me some Gryffindor alliance! Help your friend in need and I promise I'll do the same for you!"
Clementine couldn't resist his pleading look.
"Alright, alright... Don't expect me to be a hundred percent sure on this one, but the only place Lily could be at the moment is, I think... the Owlery."
Flora sighed. "Those Gryffindors and their eternally wrong friendship principles..."
James brightened, spontaneously hugging Spacey. Ignis rolled her eyes.
"Oh my darling Clementine, thank you so much! I won't forget you this!"
"Sure you won't, Potter. But you shouldn't forget about my part of the deal, too." she reminded him, laughing.
"No problem!" James's new gained self confidence allowed him to feel generous, "How may I help you?"
"Next time you see your dorm-mate Clark Bradley," she said, smirking, "do tell him to stop acting like a childish and immature toddler. After all, we are husband and wife now."
James sneered. "Consider it done."
He energetically turned on his heals, nearly running to the Hogwarts entrance. Owlery wasn't the nearest part of the school and he wanted to be there as soon as possible.
-Lily's Runaway Place-
"Who ever... ever... made these... tormenting... gadgets," panted James, "must've been either... really... bored or really... evil!"
Despite the fact he was already tired of the constant rapid climbing, James didn't want to stop to take a breath.
He skipped every other step, encouraging himself to continue.
"Ahhhh... Just a little bit more and you're there..."
Finally, as he was only a pace away from entering the Owlery chamber, James allowed himself to slow down.
He didn't want to burst in, scare Lily to death and cause her to fall down the tower. No, he certainly didn't want to do that.
The door of the Owlery wasn't entirely closed. He cautiously drew nearer, pushing it gently forward as silently as possible. His spirits rose as he saw a figure of a girl just a few steps ahead.
She wasn't aware of his presence.
James froze for a moment, getting overrun by the beauty of the sight she created.
The setting sun was sending scarlet rays up the Owlery, causing Lily's red hair to shine irresistibly. She was slightly bent over one of the glassless windows, looking somewhere far away, appearing to be deeply lost in thoughts.
James was capable of standing there and watching her mutely for hours. Alas, the scripts of life had something else in plan.
An owl hooted loudly from one of the rafters, spread her wings and flew out of the Owlery tower right above Lily's head.
She startled and turned around, noticing James for the first time.
"You..." she said hoarsely, "What are you – how long have you been standing there?"
"Enough to enjoy every second of it." James teasingly said.
Lily closed her eyes, breathing.
"Potter..."
"Evans?"
"I... I need to go, before I..." she said insecurely, backing off the window. "Move away from the door."
"But I thought..."
Lily cut him off.
"I don't care what you thought, don't you understand?" she snapped. "Just move aside and let me go!"
"No, Evans..." James silently, but crisply said. "Don't run away now when..."
"Okay, I won't." she said, as her eyes flamed and voice started to vibrate. "Because I'm curious to know, Potter."
"Know what?"
"What did you have to do for it to work? Chores? Promise you won't do any more stupidity with Black? Swear that it all has a higher purpose? Dumbledore's always been just, I really don't get it how you made him do it..."
"I don't get it, Evans." James honestly said. "I have no idea what you're talking about..."
Lily let an annoyed ironical laugh. "And I really started to think you weren't that bad, Potter. I started to consider you a... friend, maybe? Got used to your regular asking out, because it wasn't anything... threatening... till now. Oh Potter, I didn't know you could fall this low..."
"Will you stop with that and finally tell me what the heck you're talking about?"
"I'm not stupid, despite your beliefs!" spat Lily. "I heard McGonagall asking you if you talked to Dumbledore yesterday after the whole notes in class thing... and what happens! Only a few hours after you talking about marriage and kids and what not, Lily freakin' naïve Evans is happily married to James the innocent Potter! Wow, what a coincidence!"
James's knee tottered. "You don't seriously believe I had anything to do with it?"
"No, I'm just joking." responded Lily sarcastically.
He could feel the anger for being unfairly accused racing through his body.
"You once told me I was big-headed and vain," he said hotly, "but this has gone far over my range! I didn't do anything with those parchments, believe it or not! It's destiny! The magic, Evans. The way it should be. You might like it and you might hate it, but even fate knows we're right for each other."
"Fate, ha?" Lily sneered. "What if I don't believe in fate? What if I believe in only what I see?"
"Purebloods would never doubt it." James said , before managing to hold himself.
"That's... that's..." Lily began, as her voice trembled worse than ever.
"I'm so sorry, Evans" apologized James sincerely, in shock of what he'd just said. "I didn't mean it, I really didn't mean it! You know I didn't. Oh, I'm so dense sometimes, sorry..."
"No, maybe you're right..." Lily said quietly, her eyes getting blurry and red. "He said it too.. He said that if I didn't believe the parchment, I must be really prosaic... He said that bloody pureblood Bellatrix bastard is his destiny if Matrimonium Alveum said so... He actually... He..."
She muted, as a tear strolled down her face.
"You must think I'm pathetic... crying over a boy..."
James approached her slowly. "I don't. I think it's pathetic to cry over a Ravenclaw, especially when we beat the hell out of them on the last Quidditch match."
Lily felt a faint smile on her face, as she wiped the tear off her cheek. "You shouldn't make me smile... I'm supposed to be mad at you... You're Potter... and I'm Evans..."
"Care to know what I think? Probably not, but I'll tell you. I think you weren't mad at me... I think you were mad at him. Rodolphus Lestrange. I was just here at the wrong place at the wrong time."
She looked at James, who was now much closer to her than he had been minutes ago. She didn't know what to say. Maybe he was right, after all. Maybe she was angry because of Rodolphus breaking up with her. Maybe because of that, she refused to believe in the truth of the Matrimonium Alveum.
"What... what made you come up here, anyway?" Lily asked, trying to change the subject. "Nobody comes to Owlery on a beautiful day like this..."
"I better don't say it, it's not like enough bad words were spoken by both of us today... You'll just get annoyed again and I'll probably get stained by owl poop all over..."
Lily looked James with her green eyes, still shiny of tears that had been welding up all day.
"Try me."
James swallowed a dumpling.
"My destined wife. You made me come up here." he whispered and then closed one eye, frowning. "Are you going to hit me now?"
Lily grinned. "I'm not that violent, Potter. No matter what other boys might say, I swear I didn't touch them at all! Those bruises were there before me, honestly!"
James chuckled at this.
"So... does this mean... you are okay... with the fact we are..." he tried to say it, but still felt slightly intimidated by Lily's possible reaction.
"Married?" Lily said out loud, trying to swallow the fact. "Not yet, but I will be. I will be, James."
Author's Notes: Soooo... whaddaya think? Tell me, whatever it is. OMG OMG OMG. Hope you liked! -smile-
