Disclaimer: I do not own Harry, James, Lily, or anyone from the Harry Potter series.

Meeting Your Mother

I was 11 when I met your mother. We were both first years on the Hogwarts express, small and nervous, but still very excited. First I met Sirius, a tall boy with molasses colored hair and mischievous grey eyes. After hitting it off on the platform, the two of us ambled down the raucous corridor in search of an empty compartment, chatting about Quidditch and our expectations of school along the way. By the time we had reached the end of the train, we had not encountered an empty compartment. Pushing open the last door, Sirius and I saw that there was only one inhabitant- a girl about our age who had looked up from behind her book when she heard us at the door. She had long red hair, a pale complexion with a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, and I could see that when she stood up she would be a good two or three inches taller than I was.

"Do you mind if we join you?" asked Sirius.

"Not at all," she replied, extending her hand. "Lily Evans."

"I'm Sirius Black."

"James Potter," I heard myself say as I shook her hand. As I shook her hand, I took note of her most remarkable feature- her eyes. Lily had sparkling emerald eyes which shone with life and carefree laughter. Even during our first meeting at 11 years old, I knew somewhere in the recesses of my mind that her eyes held more emotion than most people I would ever meet. Awed by such beautiful green orbs as these, I must have held onto her hand for a moment too long. Suddenly I dropped it as if it had burned me. We both blushed crimson and turned to look elsewhere, overcome by childhood awkwardness.

"How about a game of Exploding Snap?" Sirius suggested. I grinned in agreement, and settled on the floor to play.

"What's that?" questioned Lily.

"You've never played Exploding Snap?" was Sirius's incredulous reply. Lily shook her head, turning red once again. I was surprised as well. Every wizarding kid knows the game…

"Oh, you must be Muggleborn!" I exclaimed. Lily nodded, opening her mouth to respond, but I cut her off. "That's no problem, we'll teach you." Her eyebrows shot up. Apparently, Lily was surprised that her parentage wasn't an issue. Someone must have warned her that not all wizards were accepting of Muggleborns. I, however, didn't see why it mattered who your parents are if you can do magic.

Lily settled down between Sirius and me on the floor, a slight grin on her face. We taught her the rules, and she caught on quite quickly. She had beaten Sirius and me twice each before the lunch cart had arrived. If she had enjoyed Exploding Snap, Lily was completely enthralled with wizarding food. We all bought different kinds of candy, from Bernie Botts to Pumpkin Pasties, and shared amongst the three of us. It really was amusing to watch her reactions to the various treats piled in the compartment. Her favorite was the Chocolate Frogs, especially because they introduced her to wizarding pictures. I still can't believe Muggle photos don't move. How boring!

The rest of the train ride passed quickly. By the time we had exited the Hogwarts Express, I had learned a lot about Lily. From the massive tome she had been reading, HogwartsA History,and just from carrying a conversation with her, it was easy to see that Lily was very intelligent. She was certainly independent and strong-willed. I was interested to find out how stubborn she might be. Of course, I also thought she was quite pretty.

The first train ride is one of my favorite memories of Lily and me. Starting a new phase in our lives, we were full of hopes and dreams of the future. Our first trip on the Hogwarts Express was one of lighthearted childhood laughter, full of excitement and joy. After that trip, Lily and I had a rather rocky relationship. That awkwardness of our first meeting stayed as a kind of tension she didn't have with any of my other friends, Sirius or Remus or Peter, nor I with any of hers. While I certainly admired her strength and stubbornness, it often clashed with my own persistent will. Nevertheless, we ended up together. Before our marriage, I wondered how, or why. Now I know the how doesn't matter, and the why is answered quite simply- I love her. Although I don't believe in love at first sight, I do believe that every experience we shared from our very first meeting would lead me to love her more as we grew up. As I look back on our life together today, it is clear to me that our love now has its roots in times long past.

So, my little Harry, now you know how I met your mother. She really is an amazing woman, and it is my greatest wish for you that, one day, you will meet someone to love as much as I love Lily. I hope you had a wonderful Halloween today. I love you, my son.