Mentions of death and injury? Kind of?


"I think I might have screwed up." James winces as Lily pokes him with her wand again.

"Might have?" She snorts. "James, people never intentionally get hit by Bludgers."

"He was going to hit Dorcas as she was going for the Snitch!"

"Was that worth almost breaking your neck?" Lily meets his eyes.

"Yes," he hisses empathetically, and Lily is taken aback. It must show on her face because James hastily amends, "Well, not breaking my neck, but I think I can take a Bludger if it wins us the Cup."

Lily sighs. There is no reasoning with James when it comes to Quidditch. "I'm just worried about you. I know this was the final game at Hogwarts, but what happens after we leave? You've gotten several offers from professional Quidditch teams, and you'll —"

"No." James' voice rings in the empty classroom and Lily blinks, momentarily pausing in her assessment of his injured arm. "I've turned them all down. I'm flattered but I don't want to play Quidditch professionally."

Lily bites her lip, staring at his arm, unseeing. She should be relieved, but... "You don't?"

"Lily." His free hand comes up and tips up her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I want to fight next to you. I love Quidditch, but it is not the most important thing in my life. I want to fight for the people I love."

He sounds so resolute and Lily feels something warm inside of her. But there is a harsh reality they must face. "I do too. But...we're high on his list. Me because I'm a Muggleborn. You because of your surname. Once we leave, we're going to be targeted every single day. We'll be protected by the Order but...the Order can only do so much. What's the guarantee that we'll make it out alive?" She laughs cynically. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather you stick with Quidditch, rather fighting him face-to-face."

"Doesn't mean that I'm in any less danger," James tells her. "And if I die, I'll die knowing that I died to protect someone else."

Something squeezes in Lily's chest and she forces back tears. "Yeah," she says hollowly. "That's a good way of looking at it."

James must pick up on her dismay because he gently plucks her wand from her unresisting fingers, sets it aside, and cups her face with his palms. "I love you," he murmurs empathetically and that's all he needs to say for Lily to snap out of her numbness.

"I love you too," she says, touching his injured shoulder with two fingers. "And thank you." Her fears haven't completely vanished but she's able to ignore them for now. "Let me finish healing your shoulder."

James lets go and Lily picks up her wand, touching it to his shoulder and murmuring an incantation. A warm glow illuminates her wand and the purpling bruises start to fade.

(She'll protect him too. She always will.)


494 words

Assignment 4, Public Services Task 4: National Health Service: Write about someone healing, or trying to heal another person.

Auction 22.4 - James Potter

Southern Cookout - Summer Fruits- (pairing) JamesLily

Cat Herding - James/Gryffindor Tower ("I think I might have screwed up." / "Might have?")

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