A/N: Got cracking on this chapter as soon as physically possible, what with school and all. ((Gives chocolate fondant to reviewers)) Luff you much. Oh, and Amie is pronounced Amy. Just thought it would be nice to have a different spelling.

Disclaimer: Only own whoever I make up and the plot.

Chapter 5: Thin Air

Lily walked into the Gryffindor common room for the first time since first year. She had had to trail Felicity from History of Magic to get her wand back, and then she had to run all the way to Potions. Professor Slughorn hadn't been too miffed, luckily for her.

But, Lily had unwittingly left her book bag in the common room on one of the armchairs. She had to share a textbook with her partner for that lesson, a sweet blonde called Alice. After that though, she had to fairly dash – one to avoid Professor Slughorn asking her to another one of his dreadful parties, and two to get to the common room before anyone else.

She was there before any of her usual tormentors, and was about to get out quick smart to keep her luck intact when a voice that sounded scarily like James' ordered someone else to, "Stop bullying her!"

Lily turned around, half expecting to see James there protecting one of the younger students. What met her eyes was something completely different, and someone very much shorter.

A raven haired girl dived into a circle of purely blondes, resurfacing some time later dragging out a brunette. The blondes harrumphed in indignation, but did nothing to grab back their quarry. Instead, they merely disappeared up to the dorms.

The raven haired girl dragged the brunette to the front of the fire and checked her over worriedly. "You okay there, Willow? You sure they didn't do anything physical to you?"

Expecting Willow to burst into tears, Lily's eyes widened in surprise as the brunette laughed, tossing her chocolate brown waves over one shoulder with a smile and a gleam in her bright blue eyes.

"Oh, Amie. You know I'm fine. You and your melodramatic rescues as if I'm a damsel in distress."

The raven haired girl joined in the good natured laughter, shoving Willow playfully. "Away with you, maiden fair!"

The brunette laughed. "I'll see you later in DADA. Remember to save me a seat this time!"

"Your wish is my command."

A smile plastered on her face, Amie finally noticed Lily standing there by the portrait hole. Her smile grew wider.

Walking over, she thrust out her right hand. "Jamie Ashlyne. Jamie as in J-A-M-I-E, and Ashlyne as in A-S-H-L-Y-N-E. My friends call me Amie, as in A-M-I-E. What's your name?"

"Lily, Lily Evans." Lily was rather bemused at this presumptuous introduction, used to the sneering and the insults that came naturally with the mere sight of a strand of red hair. "Pleased to meet you, Amie."

Jamie Ashlyne, up close, looked remarkably like James Potter. Ebony black hair tumbled down in soft waves, curling into ringlets where they ended at her shoulders. Gold hazel eyes gazed mischievously out of rimless glasses, thin black arms disappearing behind the gently waving hair.

"I suppose you watched that whole rigmarole? Nothing much really. Knew Willow could handle herself fine, but couldn't wait to dash in. She hates it when I steal her thunder, but we all knew she was only toying with those idiots."

Lily couldn't help herself. "Ashlyne, the way you spell it-"

"Well, since my elder brother named my first name, my parents chose my second name."

Lily blushed at her stupidity. "Oh, I thought Ashlyne was your last name."

The younger witch threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, heck no!"

"So who's your brother?" Lily couldn't stop the words as they came out, she usually made it a point of not conversing with her peers, but Jamie was so interesting she couldn't help herself.

"My brother's six years older than I am, he should be in your year if you're seventh. This is only my first year here; heard some fantastic stories from James though."

Lily thought her heart had stopped. "James? As in James Potter?"

Jamie laughed. "Yeah, that's the one! Infamous, isn't he?"

"I'll say," Lily muttered under her breath.

"Anyway, James was six, yeah? And I was about two months away or something, and my parents were fighting over what my name should be. My mother wanted a real girly name, like Annabelle or Christine, but my dad wanted something more tomboyish, like Kate or Tina. 'Short and sweet' he said. So finally, they decided that my brother would decide."

Lily smiled. She wished she had an interesting back-story to her name, but since both her parents had loved flowers, they had named their two little girls after their two favourite flowers, petunias being her mother's favourite and lilies being her father's.

"So apparently, they went to my brother who was playing around with his train, and my dad was like, "Jamie, lad, what should we name your little sister?" And James – he was only six at the time mind – went "Jamie! Jamie!" My mother was pretty miffed, though my father was fine with it. They'd shaken on it, see, so Mum had to agree with whatever James said. But course, Mum finds a loophole in everything cause she's a lawyer, so she wheedled out a real girly second name. So there it is – Jamie Ashlyne. To this day Mum thinks that Dad bribed James or something."

Lily was about to talk, when out of the corner of her eye she spied Felicity and her posse mincing into the common room at last. "Well, this has been fun," Lily smiled a goodbye. "But I've really got to go. See you later, Amie."

"Wait!"

Lily turned around, sighing in exasperation as Jamie clutched at her robes and dragged her back in. "The bell's not gone yet. And anyway, I promised James I would wait for him by the fire. I think he wants some money off me again. I need some company, and Willow is going to take forever."

Resigned to her fate, Lily sat down, listening to Jamie's chatter. I promised James… James. Just the sound of his name was enough to still her heart's beating. She half envied Jamie, having James all to herself for summer after summer.

The redhead shook her head angrily. Jamie couldn't help it, could she? Being James Potter's sister. The same way she couldn't help being born into a muggle family; the same way she couldn't help being a witch; the same way she couldn't help Felicity hating her.

Lily shook her head again, turning her thoughts to more alluring subjects than Felicity O'Connor. Oh why did she have to feel so ridiculously strongly about one person? One totally unattainable person? Hadn't Felicity set her sights on him already? It was going to be impossible to get him.

She sighed. Why James? Why James?

"Jamie?"

A voice, deep and rich in its sensuality sounded to Lily's left, and when she turned around her breath caught in her throat.

James was standing in front of one of the windows, hair windswept and robes untidy. He looked adorably sheepish as his younger sister's eyes narrowed and she advanced towards him.

"D'you want money again, James?"

"Only five sickles!" James wheedled, falling to his knees in begging. "Please oh high and mighty Amie to who my life is indebted to forever?"

Jamie looked on nonplussed at the Grecian statue at her feet. Lily believed if their places had been switched, she would have melted into a puddle of miscellaneous goo.

One touch, one glance and she was hooked. He was so chivalrous, handsome, brave, loyal, courageous… So many traits, so little time. One of these days, when she had found Rose she had to make a list of James Potter's most alluring points.

"James, you asked for 'Only five sickles!' last time as well, and you still haven't paid me back."

"I swear, Amie, that I will have it in to you, by my life. On my word."

Jamie sniffed, unimpressed. "Your word means nothing to me."

"Five sickles back in that little hand of yours by tomorrow," James pleaded.

"Done."

The five pieces of silver transferred themselves from one robe pocket to another with a murmured threat of, "Better be by tomorrow."

Lily chuckled slightly, but when she became aware that Jamie and James had probably left already, she took up her bags and made to go.

"Lily?"

The witch turned her head, blushing slightly as her eyes met those of her earlier reverie.

"Divination's your next lesson, isn't it? You won't mind if I walk you to it, do you?"

Lily was struck dumb. He, the god of Hogwarts had just asked a lowly mortal to be seen with him. Most of all, he was to walk with her. Talk with her. Be seen with her. It was all she could to do to not trip over her words and end up saying no on default when she meant yes.

In the end, she must have gargled out something, as James crowed in triumph.

"Fantastic! I just have to nip up to the boys' dorm to collect some books, but I'll be right down, okay?"

Nodding her head, still in shock, the redhead watched dreamily as her unrequited crush disappeared up the stairwell.

Her mind was soon enmeshed in the lovely thought of James, when suddenly an unfriendly tap on her shoulder brought her back down to earth.

Lily stopped mid turn when an all-too-familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"You stay away from him, Lily Evans. James is mine, and you would do no good to stand in my way."

Shivering, Lily nodded in acceptance of the threat, turning around and disappearing out of the portrait hole. When James came down later, he was met with thin air.

A/N: I can hear the screams of "Mary Sue!" from here. ((Covers ears with hands)) Sweet silence. Anyways, I needed a Jamie Ashlyne, and I thought it would be a laugh to make her James' little sister. He can do the whole brotherly love thing, and Sirius can tease him for it. UNCANON ALERT!

Whatever. I've never been a big fan of doing things 'the canon way', so yeah. I'm guessing you don't either, seeing as Lily is portrayed rather ((cough)) differently.

((Points at the review button)) Please press.