Hi again! Well here is chapter three. This has been edited and hopefully we caught everything. I hope that you like it! (Edited January 13th 2006)

Thanks again!

Jill

Rating: M for mature. I like the word mature...it is v. mature.

Disclaimer: I think Jane is mine...but that's all.

Of Past Jobs and Future Loves

It was strange for them to hear James talk so highly of another person that was not Lily.

"You know, Jane said that-"

"I don't bloody care what Jane says, does or thinks. She can go jump off a broomstick for all I care."

James' smile disappeared and he glared at Sirius. Remus and Peter elbowed him under the table.

"Do you have a problem with Jane, Padfoot?"

Sirius stifled a yelp from the double elbows and shook his head.

"Good!" James smiled as he continued to talk about Jane's opinion on this particular restaurant lunch menu. "Jane has had most of the salads and speaks very highly of the Garden. I think I will have that."

Sirius chocked on his water while Remus and Peter stared. The server walked up.

"Have you decided?"

James put on his best smile and handed her his menu. "Yes, I will have the Garden Salad with water."

Peter shook himself out of his daze and grabbed Remus and Sirius' menu.

"The men at this table will have the steak, all medium–rare, with a pint of your finest ale."

Peter flashed his own charming smile and the server nodded and left.

"Have you gone mad?"

James looked across the table in confusion. "No, why?"

"A Garden Salad, mate? A salad? You're not a rabbit, eat man food."

"Jane has got me on a diet. She says I need to be fit for my new job."

Remus looked at James in disbelief. "You're in the best shape out of all of us, and you've always eaten like a pig."

"People change, Moony! I suggest you three try the salad as well, you might like it."

"Sorry James, but I'm not a girl," Peter mumbled.

Sirius covered his laugh with a cough.

"Did you read the article on that divorce lawyer?"

"No, why would I?"

"Because she was amazing; won a case in two hours. The poor bloke didn't stand a chance."

"What happened?"

"Messy divorce, the lawyer got lots of money off of it. Some famous Qudditich player and a Healer in Rome. She wanted half of what he'll make in the next four years, and she got it."

"That's hardly fair; the poor bloke is probably struggling to make ends meet. It's hard to make it big in Qudditich."

The man laughed. "Nope, he was the top player in Italy. She'll be getting about five million galleons a year. And even if the guy is injured, traded or even gets a lower wage in the next four years, he still owes her the money. The lawyer did amazing work."

"What was this lawyer's name?"

"I think it was Lily Evans."

That name triggered something in Jane's mind. She knew a Lily, or met one. Although she can hardly remember much about the conversation, she was drinking. She should ask James if it was the same person. There was a very small chance of it being her, but if it was, she would be promoted. Her boss might even offer her partner if she could get that Lily to come work here.

Jane shook herself out of her daydream. As she thought before, the Lily that she met might not be the Lily that her co-workers were talking about. But the possibilities…she would definitely have to ask James.

Books weren't as popular as Lily had believed them to be. By the lack of people coming into the shop, she would be done organizing and cleaning within a week, which was never good. Lily needed something to keep her busy. She needed more of a distraction.

And a distraction is what she got.

Interrupting Lily's thoughts of a new book shipment and the labelling system, the bell over the door rang. Half-startled to see anyone in the shop at noon, let alone anytime of the day, Lily prepared her friendly self. That was until she saw the person who walked in.

"Jane?"

Jane smiled.

"Lily, you're just the person that I wanted to see."

Lily was genuinely confused. She was pretty sure she had given off a bad impression of herself last time they spoke.

"What for?"

This is where Jane started to get uncomfortable.

"Well, you see… there was this article at work. It mentioned this woman. She was a divorce lawyer in Rome." Lily froze. Jane struggled on, oblivious to Lily's reaction. "And her name was also Lily, and I know I might be taking a stab in the dark, but I just had to ask you. Remus said that you lived there, I just thought-"

Lily's sigh broke Janes ramble.

"So was that you? Is that you?"

Lily decided then and there that she really disliked Jane.

Lily never hated anyone. She was not that type of person. Sure, she disliked people, but that was a rare occasion. The only people to ever grace themselves with a disliked status was her sister (Petunia), James (he was on and off for years), and the most recent, Jane. This had nothing to do with her living, being friends with or dating James. It was the fact that Jane was exactly like her.

"You came down here to ask me that?"

"Yes."

Lily rested her elbows on the front desk. "I suppose you want an answer."

Jane sort of laughed. "That would be nice."

"Alright. I don't think it is really any of your business to know what I did in Rome."

Jane was taken back, but nodded.

"I completely understand, it was very rude of me. I'm sorry, I'll leave."

Lily watched Jane walk out. Yes, Lily definitely disliked Jane.

"Lily, I think that was extremely rude."

Lily looked over her refrigerator door.

"You want to talk about rude?"

"Yes I do! She was asking you a question, with a simple yes or no answer. There was nothing personal to it!"

She shut the door. Both. The refrigerator and the front door which James left open in his rage.

"How did you know where I live?"

"You are avoiding the answer."

"You are avoiding the question."

James' eyes narrowed.

"Pete told me."

Lily nodded. She grabbed her cup of coffee of the table. "Would you like any?"

James ran a hand through his hair. "Damn it, Lily!"

She smirked.

"Congratulations on your promotion. Always knew you had it in you."

James sighed and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs.

"Well James, I'd say you're being rude."

"Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same question," she challenged.

"I'm angry at you for being rude to Jane."

"I didn't like my job."

"As a lawyer?"

Lily glared. "Yes."

James stood up and poured himself a cup of coffee. He sat down again.

"Why couldn't you just tell her that?"

"Because it was none of her business."

"Damn it Lily! Why isn't it her business? She's a lawyer too."

"It just wasn't."

James hand was now almost constantly running through his hair.

"If I were there, would you have told her?"

Lily thought for a moment.

"Yes."

"Why with me there? I thought it was none of her business."

"Because it's your business."

He stopped.

"Because the reason I left was you, the reason I became a divorce lawyer was because of you. And you have a right to know that."

James gave her a long look.

A loud pop could be heard in Sirius' apartment Saturday morning.

"Padfoot!"

"Not now Pete, let me sleep."

"Padfo- you think I sound like Peter?"

Sirius opened a sleepy eye. "No, Pete knows not to wake me up this early."

James tore off Sirius' covers. "It's 11:30."

"Too early," Sirius mumbled, rolling over blindly searching for his covers.

"Come on Sirius, we didn't even go out last night."

"Speak for yourself."

"You went out? Without me?"

"Yes."

"By yourself?"

"No, Lily and Pete were there."

James was taken back. "Why didn't you invite me?"

Sirius scoffed. "That would have been awkward."

"Lily and I are over each other. In no way would going out with her, in a group, be awkward."

Sirius sighed, getting out of bed. He stretched and walked over to the washroom. "I wasn't talking about it being awkward with Lily. It would be more awkward for you and her new boyfriend."