It was a disaster. There was no better way to put it.
Six summers back it had been everyone's first summer at Hogwarts Holiday Camp in the Scottish Highlands. The camp was a respected one, and selective as well. It trained children for their future careers, having a variety of subjects for students to choose from and enjoy over the summer. All of them were from different backgrounds, from different parts of the British Isles, yet they all got along so well, so well indeed. They'd all become friends immediately, exchanged their Mum and Dads' mobile numbers, and vowed to keep in contact even after the summer had ended. Some of them didn't even live too far away from each other, and they all had reunions every once in a while. They grew apart, of course, during the school years, but when summer came along, they all were there for each other once more.
It had been quite simple, quite simple indeed, until they had all turned fifteen. Then it had gotten complicated. For the summer before fifth form was the summer that all of them began going out with others. It started alright, but when they began dating each other, that was when it had grown quite complicated. Because in truth, perhaps they were just too good friends to be romantically involved.
It was what James Potter was thinking as he blankly stared out the window in the back of the sleek, silver limousine that he was to be escorted to the camp in. His very best mate, Sirius Black, was sitting across from him, sipping a pink-coloured bubble tea rather elegantly through a wide straw. Sirius was one of those people who had struck gold in the beauty department, and his long, black hair and swoon-worthy grey eyes could certainly attest for it.
The two boys had met at Hogwarts during both of their first summers there while canoeing across the Loch Ness, an activity that only was repeated once more over the course of the two months the camp took place. They had been placed in the same canoe, and decided that a tad bit of trouble would help liven up the experience further. Everyone was furious when they tipped their own canoe over before discreetly swimming to the others and doing the same. It was no wonder how they had grown close. They were both charming, both good-looking, and both troublemakers. Hogwarts certainly had themselves a handful.
They'd also become close with the two other blokes in that fateful canoe - Remus Lupin, a sandy-haired, good-looking boy who suffered from a chronic illness, but was otherwise quite intelligent and steadfast, and Peter Pettigrew, the endearing loyal one in their group of four. The four of them, together, had become known as the infamous Marauders, and were responsible for nearly everything that went wrong at camp. But of course, there were always people to rein them in.
"Cheer up, James, mate. You're a Head Counselor this summer! You've got your own cabin!" Sirius laughed, waking James from his moody stupor. He bent over, picking up another cup of bubble tea, and thrusted it towards his mate. "C'mon, this is delicious! Try it! It's guava-flavoured."
James gratefully accepted the tea and began slurping the drink through the purple straw, allowing his thoughts to wander once more. Yes, he was a Head Counselor this time, alongside another person who he had not received information about. Until they reached Hogwarts, the identity of his partner would remain a secret. He wouldn't have been too bothered about it if he hadn't had an inkling about who she would be. And if he wasn't worried about looking like a coward, he would have refused the offer to take a position as one of the most important people at a camp that had thousands of students on the waiting list. He had therefore resorted to sincerely hoping his suspicion was incorrect, though he knew that she would definitely be his partner that summer.
The whole limousine shook thunderously as the luxurious car passed over a speed bump. James swore as some of the sickly sweet liquid in the cup he was holding lept out of its confinement and splashed over his periwinkle shirt, a sticky stain blooming over his abdomen. Sirius noticed this and turned his head towards the partition between the driver's seat and the passengers' compartment. "Oi, Kreacher! Drive this bloody car correctly, won't you?" he barked. Kreacher was the Black's family servant, and was an added benefit of being as wealthy as Sirius' family was.
Unfortunately, Sirius' family was also very obsessed with how wealthy someone was and their social status, even though Sirius wasn't, meaning that the handsome young boy's friends and playmates were often chosen for him in his earlier years. However, his parents had allowed him to drive to Hogwarts with James because James was equally, if not more, wealthy as Sirius, for James' father, Fleamont Potter, was the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the most popular cosmetics and pharmaceutical company in at least Europe, making him the wealthiest person in the continent. Therefore, James enjoyed many privileges that most children didn't grow up with.
The car rattled once more, and James placed his bubble tea in the cupholder, rolled up his sleeves casually so they displayed his sinewy forearms, and ran a strong hand through his messy, jet-black hair. "Are we there yet, Sirius?" he asked vexedly, his hazel eyes, which were partially obscured by thick-framed, black spectacles, darting back towards the window. Ben Nevis, the tallest peak in the U.K., was quite visible, along with several other mountains that dotted the rugged landscape.
Sirius shrugged half-heartedly. "I reckon it'll be at least another hour, mate."
James sighed and pulled out his mobile phone, which was a rose-gold colour, from the pocket of his jeans. Pressing the power button and entering his password, his fingers found the 'Messages' application and he prepared to scroll through the latest notifications. The first message he found was from Marlene McKinnon, his friend from since they were in nappies, who was almost like his sister. He selected his private chat with her and began to read through what she had to say.
10:38 AM
Marley
Today 9:56 AM
Alr Jamsie guess what?
You know how you're a head counselor?
guess who ur partner is?
… No?
it's Lily
otherwise known as your ex
but don't fret, really
I didn't tell her that ur a head too
James scoffed and clenched the fist that wasn't holding his phone, laughing bitterly and looking up at Sirius. "Guess who the other Head Counselor is?" he smiled humorously as Sirius' eyebrows scrunched up. Then, his face fell as the answer dawned upon him.
"Evans?" he asked softly as James nodded sadly. His eyes fell back down towards his mobile screen and he began furiously typing an answer to Marlene's messages.
10:39 AM
Marley
but don't fret, really
I didn't tell her that ur a head too
10:39 AM
Thanks Mar
i'm glad you gave me a heads up at the very least
No one else thought to inform me about this?
Oh no they did
but Lily told them not to
she threatened to decapitate all of us
and you remember from two summers ago
that it's very possible
So why are you telling me?
because i feel guilty
i know i took our favourite redhead's side in ur fight and breakup
So i'm doing you a favour
from a sister to her brother
won't she decapitate you?
nah
she wouldn't dare
Especially after i took her side
Well alr
Thanks again
Oh and send me a pic of Sirius otherwise known as foxy adonis
hooo shite that one is sure beautiful
if you weren't best mates with him you probably should have dated him
Actually nvm
He's mine
Marley he's reading your messages over my shoulder
He can see what you're writing
Oh my lord
Oh my sweet lord
Put him on the phone this instant!
James fleamont fucking potter
If you don't
I promise i'll kill you
or better yet
I'll ask lily to do it
James' mobile's screen suddenly turned a dark colour, and Marlene's name popped up on the screen, along with an option to accept the call or decline it. His device also began vibrating in an attempt to inform him of the incoming call. Chuckling, he placed a finger upon the 'Accept' icon and brought the phone to his ear.
"JAMES POTTER! YOU HAD SIRIUS BLACK, HOGWARTS' MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR, IN YOUR CAR THE WHOLE TIME, AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO CALL ME? PUT HIM ON THE DOG THIS INSTANT!" a voice screeched.
James dropped his phone in surprise and put a hand to his ear, yelping in pain. He had forgotten to turn the speaker off and Marlene's voice rang through his head. Sirius' eyes went wide as he let out a snort of laughter.
"Ah, McKinnon, it's lovely to know that you think of me like that," he smirked, reaching for the mobile, which had fallen into James lap. He brought it towards his ear, turning the speaker off. "You're bloody brilliant, you know that, McKinnon? Only, here," he frowned, shooting James a dirty look, as though he was ruining a special moment. "My number's 020-72336668, give me a ring, yeah? Or better yet, just send me a message."
James thought he could hear Marlene shriek as she presumably entered Sirius' number onto her mobile phone and added him to her contacts. He rolled his eyes. He knew that Marlene fancied Sirius, as did most girls, but his adoptive sister was the only bird Sirius ever reciprocated feelings for. He knew that they were both perfect for each other, but something about the two of them together made him a bit uneasy.
"Perfect!" Sirius chirped as he pulled out his own midnight-blue mobile and gazed intently at the screen. "Oh, I see you here now. I'll just give James his phone back then. Bye now." He brought the phone in front of his eyes and cut the call, handing it back to James. Then, taking his own phone into both hands, he began rapidly typing with a speed James didn't think he was capable of.
"Christ, Sirius, you fancy her that much?" James teased as he leaned over in his seat in an attempt to take a glance at what he was typing. Sirius, however, shoved his face away with the palm of his left hand and continued typing with his right.
"Fuck off. You can't say you were any better with Evans."
James was suddenly overcome with a sense of longing, despair, and a bit of anger. "No, I really can't," he muttered, running a hand through his hair once more. Switching his phone back on once more, he looked at the next person who had messaged him.
10:42 AM
Mum
5 unread messages
Today 9:56 AM
James
You forgot your toothbrush
I can't believe you
I told you at least five times last night
You're worse than your father
Sorry mum
i was up all night talking to Marley
oh
That's alright I suppose
Excuse me
That WOULD be alright if you were done with all of your work
Which you weren't
You're lucky I love you
I am :)
The car slowed as it pulled up into a large parking lot that was already completely full. Thankfully, however, Kreacher was able to drop off the boys via the driveway, stopping only long enough to allow them to grab their luggage from the boot of the saloon.
James had only brought a couple of brown trunks that he could easily carry around, whilst Sirius had brought three suitcases that contained all of the items he had brought from his home. As the two pushed through the crowd, James noticed a familiar flash of auburn hair and felt his heart leap as he walked forward. Indeed, Lily Evans was standing there, chatting with Marlene and Emmeline, about her summer holidays. She was dressed in a red corduroy pinafore dress that accentuated her modest curves, over a white shirt that was nearly transparent. Nearly. Her achievement sash, branded with the Hogwarts crest and at least a hundred badges, was draped over her shoulder and around her waist, and she had a royal blue purse slung over her shoulder, her left hand propped up on her waist, as she animatedly described her room, which she had redecorated, James noted as he walked closer towards the three girls. Lily looked as beautiful as always.
"Hey Mar," he said shakily, giving Marlene a weak grin. Marlene turned her laughing pale blue eyes away from Lily and returned James' smile.
"James!" She threw her arms around his torso and gave him a squeeze. "You've grown so much!"
James snorted. "I've grown three inches, Mar, how is that a lot?"
"Hello, James!" Emmeline smiled, waving from next to Marlene, who pulled away from James. "Sorry I haven't kept in much contact with you. My Mum and I moved to Paris, you know that, right?"
"Yes," he nodded solemnly. "I was sorry to hear about your father's passing. He was a brilliant man."
Emmeline's face fell slightly. "He was," she breathed, her voice watery. She shook her head. "Never mind that. Look at you, all fit and handsome!" She grinned at him, shooting a wink his way. "You'll definitely catch someone good-looking!"
A scoff escaped from Lily's throat, and James' eyes found her emerald ones. He looked her over once more, and noticed that her black achievement sash, which was quite filled, now encompassed a large badge engraved with the letters "HC".
"Evans," he smirked, taking a step closer towards her. Lily crossed her arms over her chest as she drawled "Potter" in return.
"I see you'll be my, ah, partner this summer." His eyes widened in mock-surprise as they focused upon her badge. "What do you make of that?"
Lily's nostrils flared as he stuck out a hand for her to shake. She took it, surprisingly, putting on a simper, her smooth palm that held his own with a firm grip all but reminding James of what those hands felt like underneath a shirt on his bare skin. He almost shivered, before remembering his resolve to not let her affect him. She'd broken his heart once and he wasn't about to let her do it again. James suddenly felt a sharp pain running through his right shin as he looked down in the nick of time and saw Lily withdraw her suede clog boot away from his leg. His eyes darted back to her face as she grinned wickedly.
"Look, Potter, obviously I don't want to work with you," she deadpanned, narrowing her eyes at him. "I know we had a thing last summer, but it didn't work out at all." The corner of her lip curled upwards as though this pleased her. "And now we're back this summer. I thought you should know that I don't appreciate what you did, and the fact that I loathe you."
"What did I do, Lily?" he demanded, running a hand through his hair. "All year long you've been on about something I did, and you've never told me what! Did I kiss you wrong? Did I do something you didn't want me to do?" He growled in frustration.
Lily grit her teeth. "I guess you could say that," she muttered angrily.
"Well, tell me then!"
"Oh, please, James, don't pretend as though that wasn't you kissing Hestia Jones after we finished the five-mile hike!" Lily sneered. "You - you kissed her in front of everyone, and then had the audacity to ask me out the very next day! I'm not one of your slags, Potter! I have enough self-respect to stop myself from saying yes to a person who's already shagging someone else!"
James scoffed in memory of that day. They had all gone hiking on one of the shorter mountains, and when they had reached the base, Hestia Jones, a pink-faced, rather pretty brunette who everyone knew fancied James, had thrown her arms around his neck, pressed her mouth to his, and attempted to snog him senseless, but James had pushed her away, telling her that he wasn't interest since he was already seeing someone else. Perhaps Lily hadn't heard that last bit.
"Really, Evans? Did you hear what I told her after that? I said that I was already going out with another girl! How could you think that I'd let her kiss me when I was already snogging the most beautiful girl in the camp? Did you think I was bored of you? Were you bored of me?"
Lily's mouth twisted into a scowl. "That doesn't explain why you took her out the very same week!"
"I took her out because she was actually interested! You had just told me no when I tried to make it official with you, so what was a bloke supposed to do? I went out with her because she wanted me to, and I was trying to get over you!" James snapped, glaring daggers at Lily. So this was why she had refused him, wasn't it? He felt a sense of sick satisfaction settle in his stomach as her face fell.
"Well - that - how?" she spluttered. "How could you be interested in a girl like her?"
"You have eyes, Evans, why don't you tell me?" he challenged her in return.
Lily gave him one last scream of fury before storming off, leaving Emmeline and Marlene to give James identical looks of pity before dashing off to join her.
James shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans furiously before kicking at the dirt and locating the large Multi-Purpose room of the camp. Making his way towards it, he let out a string of swear words, muttering "arse-buggering, finger-fucking, abominable minx" under his breath, earning gasps and cover-up coughs from several of the younger campers nearby.
At last, he pushed the doors of the behemoth of a room and saw that four long tables with silver plates placed along the lengths had been lined up perpendicular to the doors, all parallel to each other. Along the opposite wall, the staff's table, which was shared amongst the staff, and counselors, oversaw all of the other tables, and chairs had been placed for them. For the four other tables, where the campers would sit, benches would suffice for their seating arrangements.
A good hundred children had already settled into their places at each of the tables. A noticeable pattern seemed to differentiate each table; the students at the leftmost table were all wearing green Hogwarts T-shirts, the ones to the immediate right were wearing blue, further along, they were wearing yellow, and the children at the rightmost table were wearing red. James tugged at his own apparel, which he had changed in the loo a couple of minutes before, a crimson tee branded with the Hogwarts crest and a badge pinned onto the shirt pocket denoting his status as Head Counselor.
He made his way to the Heads' table and placed himself a few chairs to the right of Ms. Minerva McGonagall and Mr. Filius Flitwick, whom everyone respected very much. McGonagall was the coach of the football team, as well as the physics instructor. She had played football during her own days at Hogwarts, but an injury had kept her from pursuing it professionally, and she had resorted to teaching her second most favourite subject - physics. Flitwick, on the other hand, was an Olympic Gold Medalist in taekwondo, karate, and jiu jitsu, and he taught fine arts, including visual, applied, and martial arts. He was amicable and well-liked by all of the students.
Not a split-second after he had sat down, he felt someone tapping his shoulder, and turned around to see chocolate-haired Benjy Fenwick grinning at him. Benjy was sporting a blue T-shirt and khaki trousers. Unlike most counselors, Fenwick was just a fifteen-year-old, younger than most of them by at least a year. But, he was quite talented and had been awarded a scholarship as well.
"Congrats on Head Counselor, James!" he chirped, clapping him on the shoulder. "I always knew you'd get it! After all, you've got the most achievement badges in your form!" It was true. James had beat Lily out for the top spot by just a few football badges. After all, he was the Captain of Hogwarts' football team, and had earned them the inter-camp trophy last summer, his first time as Captain.
"Thanks, Benjy," James smiled. "And congrats on becoming a counselor this summer as well."
Benjy nodded enthusiastically. "I honestly didn't expect it," he said frankly, genuine surprise evident over his features. "I didn't think they'd make a fifth former counselor. I mean, I know I was a trainee counselor last year, but it was so unprecedented, you know?"
James grinned. "You'll do a brilliant job. Are you planning to try out for the football team? I've been watching you kick around the ball with your mates, and I think you'd be an excellent addition to the team. We need to beat out Castelobruxo again."
The younger boy blushed shyly. "I've, er, been thinking about it. I definitely will give it a go, but whether I make it or not is a different story."
"Mr. Fenwick, please return to your seat," a voice interrupted coolly. James averted his attention to Lily, who had changed from her tight pinafore into a red shirt nearly identical to James', save for the fitting, and a pair of jeans shorts. She was standing to Benjy's right and had a hand casually placed on the top back of her own chair, which was just to the right of James'. "Lunch is beginning in a few minutes and I'd hate to hand out punishments already."
"Why are you being such a bitch, Evans?" James demanded, narrowing his eyes at her. "Benjy's excited for his position as counselor and was just asking around for a few tips. Didn't you do the same?"
Unnoticed, Benjy slipped away into a chair far from James while Lily crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against her chair. "I wasn't talking to a troublemaker-cum-socialite who hadn't the foggiest how to be a proper counselor," she scowled. "I was talking to a proper role model, one who at least taught boys to treat women right."
"I didn't mistreat you, Evans, if that's what you're getting at. Despite the fact that I explained what happened, you still refuse to take it for an answer? Get the stick out of your arse. The world doesn't revolve around you."
Lily scoffed as she slid into her chair, now overlooking the whole of the Great Hall. "Funny, I remember saying something similar to you last year. Fancy that?"
"You are a mystery, Evans. And I don't even mean it in a coy way," James growled. Suddenly, Ms. McGonagall stood up and walked around the end of the long table, returning to stand just in front of the Heads' table. She was dressed in a tan Burberry trench coat, with comfortable trousers. Her hair was pinned into a high bun, and her hands were folded in front as she gave the crowd a stern look from behind her rectangular spectacles. Clearing her throat, she began to address all of the students.
"Good afternoon, children. If the new students could please follow me towards the Computer Lab," she announced as she addressed the children who were sporting the clothes they had worn to camp. "You will be completing your Sorting, receiving cabin assignments, and selecting from T-shirts provided for you." A wave of around one hundred ten and eleven year olds, as well as a few older children who were new to the camp, stood up and shuffled towards the door in the wall next to the table of red-clad students McGonagall was gesturing to. Whispers, chatter, and excited giggles clamored throughout the hall as the small students nervously tiptoed into the lab. They would be logging onto a computer and using an app called 'The Sorting Hat,' which used algorithms based on questions the students answered to determine their characters and qualities, then sorting them into one of four cabins - Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. The Gryffindors were courageous, the Slytherins ambitious, the Ravenclaws intelligent, and the Hufflepuffs loyal. After taking the Sorting quiz, the children would then look through the available sizes and choose the right T-shirt size for themselves. Their T-shirt would have the Hogwarts crest and their cabin name on it, and it would be either red for Gryffindor, green for Slytherin, blue for Ravenclaw, or yellow for Hufflepuff. Once sorted, a student would be in the same cabin for all seven summers at Hogwarts.
Over the next half hour, students slowly trickled back into the Multi-Purpose room, now wearing cabin shirts and colours, as well as bright smiles and ear-splitting grins. They stumbled into their seats like mind-wiped zombies and accepted congratulations from the older students who were quite pleased about additions to their house. James himself clapped everytime he spotted a student wearing red plop themselves onto the bench at the Gryffindor table.
At last, the new children at Hogwarts camp were all settled into their seats, now officially sorted into cabins. Then, a tall, thin man with a silvery-white beard that clung to his face, but dangled down to his chest stood up and introduced himself as Albus Dumbledore, the proprietor of the camp. He continued to explain the history of the camp, where all of the different buildings were located, and introduced all of the other staff members as well. He mentioned a few basic rules and regulations before telling all of the students that they were free to walk over to the cafeteria, fill their plates with food, and return to eat in the room.
Standing up at last, James walked to the front doors, and, as part of his job as Head Counselor, told all of students where exactly to find the cafeteria, and follow him if they liked, but if they got lost, "make sure to look for the counselors - the ones with the badges pinned to their shirts, yeah?" With this, he pushed the doors open all the way, making sure the magnetic door stops held the doors open properly, and ushered everyone outside, leading them to the cafeteria.
After lunch, the students had been directed to their cabin complexes by the counselors that belonged to the same cabins as them. James, on the other hand, had his very own, and all he had to do was locate it and unpack.
Ruffling through the trunks he had brought, he realised that his mum, Euphemia, had not only packed his toothbrush for him, but had also placed a spare in a freezer bag, along with a few tubes of mint-flavoured toothpaste. His very favourite. God bless that woman, he thought as he walked into the bathroom and placed the bag into a cupboard behind the mirror. The bathroom was modest, but at the very least, he had his own. He also emptied cologne, a hairdryer, and a comb into the cupboard, along with a bar of soap for when he showered, and liquid soap for handwashing. Lastly, he draped a towel over the sliding door for the shower, as he planned to take one immediately.
He returned to the main room of the cabin, which encompassed a queen-sized bed, a dresser, a study table and office chair, and a rug with a fireplace in front of it. It was luxury for the camp, for all of the students who weren't counselors shared a single cabin with four other people, using bunk beds in the place of single ones, and sharing a larger bathroom. Granted, the entirety of his cabin was smaller than the others, but it was far better than having to share this year again.
He grasped the hem of his T-shirt with both hands and pulled it over his head, allowing it to muss his hair as he slid his head through the neck-hole. Stretching his arms up to accommodate, James bunched up the fabric as his hands returned to his side and placed the shirt on the bed, revealing a well-toned abdomen that had defined muscles from years of working out so he could continue playing striker on his school's football team, or soccer, as his American cousin called it. They had played it together over the summers before James began going to Hogwarts at the age of eleven. His skin had a slight tan, but not as bronze as his father's had been when he was a boy.
The door suddenly burst open as Lily, with a rucksack thrown over one shoulder, walked in and threw her luggage onto the bed. For a moment, she noticed nothing, but when she looked up to inspect and locate the bathroom door, she spotted him and ogled at James' bare chest with an open mouth and wide eyes before blushing, averting her eyes, and regaining her composure.
"Potter!" she snapped, tugging at her high ponytail. "What the hell are you doing in my cabin?"
James snorted and rolled his eyes pointedly. "See something you like, Evans?"
"You haven't answered my question! This is my cabin!"
"No, it's mine, because Dumbledore said that the bloke's is on the right and the lady's is on the left. So you've just burst into my cabin right before I was about to shower, claiming that this one is yours. Unless you'd like to join me, you should probably leave," he smirked as she blushed furiously.
"Oh, fuck you!" Lily shrieked as she reached for her luggage once more, and as she ran out the door, James called, "I was offering, you know!"
"The molecular formula of benzene - Mr. Potter?" Mr. Slughorn called as James' hand shot up, beating out Lily's by a mere second.
"C₆H₆," he answered humbly, earning his group another point. In chemistry, they were recalling the molecular formulas of several common compounds, only, it was to win points for their table group. Whichever team had the most points at the end of the game won. James' table group consisted of Owen Avery, a Slytherin who carried a general air of unpleasantness, Emmeline Vance, and his very own Head Counselor partner Lily Evans. Lily had donned a royal blue tea dress patterned with roses, her hair pulled back into a plait, as wearing their cabin colours was not mandatory. The rule worked out well, and James was wearing a light grey shirt with comfortable tracksuit bottoms.
Lily shot him an annoyed look and muttered "know-it-all" under her breath. She had no reason to be ungrateful, however, as James was part of the reason their group was in the lead. Propping herself onto an elbow, she turned her attention back to Slughorn as he announced the next compound.
"This is a simple one - glucose!" Every hand in the classroom shot up, and Slughorn chuckled fondly. "I'll pick an ice lolly stick, whosever name comes up gets to answer." Placing his hand into the can, he drew out a stick and squinted at the name scribbled with pen onto it.
"Ah, Mr. Snape!"
"C₆H₁₂O₆," Snape drawled, his beady black eyes piercing the teacher. His greasy black hair hung around his face as he scrunched up his hook nose in displeasure.
"Of course, of course. Another point to Group Seven."
The game continued for a while, and Group Seven ultimately took the victory by one point as Avery had accidentally confused methane's formula for ethane's. However, the group accepted their loss good-naturedly, save for a few grumbles from James. They all left the classroom and began walking to their next classes.
"Interesting lesson, yeah?" James asked Emmeline loudly, attempting to yell over the crowd so she could hear him, his eyes flickering to the botany greenhouse, where their next class would be.
Emmeline shrugged and in response, said "I don't fancy chemistry much."
"Then why do you take it?"
"Because all of my mates do, and I'll have a free period, which I don't want."
They shoved their way out of the mass of students exiting the classrooms and began to walk in silence for a few minutes. The silence was maintained until someone pushed their way between the two and slung an arm around Vance's shoulders.
"Em, I was looking for you!" the person announced brightly. Watching the auburn plait swish, he realised that it was Lily Evans. James swore internally and wondered what it would take for her to let last summer go. "I didn't realise you had become matey with the scum of the Earth!"
"Let go, Lily," Emmeline muttered, pulling away from Lily.
Lily slid her arm back to her side, only to cross both over her chest. She seemed to be doing that a lot. "Fine, then. Anyway, let's go, I think Marley's looking for us." She reached for Emma's wrist and dragged her away, leaving James to chuckle bitterly in the silence.
"Aaaaand there's now five minutes left in the second half, with Hogwarts leading 5-4 against Durmstrang Institute, and, oh, Potter's just taken a hit to his noggin, you might want to check that out, Madam Pomfrey, that looks bad," Mary MacDonald announced as the crowd in the stands booed. The Hogwarts football team was playing its third game of the season, this time against Durmstrang, another holiday camp up north. They had won their two previous games, with the help of the new team, and James had done incredibly well. He was the attacking midfielder for their team, and despite being further away from the goal than the striker, Benjy, had scored four of their points already.
James was positioned, ready to intercept the pass, when Ivanova suddenly kicked the football ball as hard as possible at his head, making contact with his frontal bone, and knocking him to the ground. It was a blatant foul, but it would get James, their main scorer, out of the game.
"Potter's lost consciousness, oh, fuck! I don't care, Ms. McGonagall, look at how bad this whole situation is! They blatantly cheated!"
The teachers began rushing onto the field, as well as Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Marley. Sirius and Marlene were playing in the game as defender and midfielder, so they didn't have to run as far. Sirius in particular sprinted to James' sprawled figure on the field and began shaking him awake. "James, mate, get up!"
"Stop that, Mr. Black!" Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, called as she pushed Sirius out of the way. She began examining the area of injury and looked to Sirius.
"You look strong. Can you carry him to the stands? He'll regain his wits, but I refuse to allow him to play for the rest of the game," she declared, brushing a few golden locks out of her face with a fierce and determined expression. Sirius, who had paled, nodded and squatted as Marlene helped James onto his back. He straightened himself and walked as quickly as he could as the crowd cheered for him.
"He'll be alright," Marlene muttered to Sirius, draping James' arm back over the handsome boy's shoulder. They climbed up the stairs, the metal clanking loudly as multiple sets of feet clambered over them. They made their way into the first row of stands and placed James down onto a bench as he slumped into a sitting position.
After a few agonising minutes, his eyelids flickered as he groaned. Everyone surrounding him tensed in anticipation as he swore, "Ah shit, fuck! Damn, my head feels like there's a huge bell in it!" He attempted to straighten himself but after groaning once more, he blinked and squinted his eyes. "I can't see anything. Have I gone blind?"
Remus, stepping forward, gently placed his glasses onto the bridge of his nose and adjusted them until James complained once more. "Everything's still blurry, mate. Dear Christ, I must have gone blind!"
"Calm down, Mr. Potter. You are merely a victim of a concussion," McGonagall snapped from behind Madam Pomfrey, who tutted in response to his remark. "McKinnon, you may take over as attacking midfielder, I don't believe there is any need for a replacement."
James struggled to his feet and blinked, attempting to clear his eyes. "I can play! We need to beat Durmstrang! I'm alright!"
"Potter, the team plays well enough without you," Lily smirked, hopping over a few rows and giving him a contemptuous glare. "The world doesn't revolve around you, you know," she added condescendingly.
"It's not that, it's just - argh!" He ran a hand through his hair.
"Lily, fuck off for a bit, won't you?" Marlene bit, taking Lily by surprise. "He's injured, he doesn't need your ill will."
"I'm not injured! I can play!"
"Mr. Potter, if you attempt to leave the stands, I will have you stripped of your position as Captain," McGonagall hissed, blocking the path to the stairs as James stumbled towards the staircase.
"I don't want to be the reason we lose! The team deserves this, I don't want to let them down!" James growled, returning to the bench, sitting down vexedly and crossing his arms over his chest.
McGonagall's face softened but she still did not allow him to play. "I understand, Mr. Potter, but you cannot risk injuring yourself further!"
James scoffed. "Well, fuck."
Four minutes later, Benjy scored once more, bringing the final score to 6-4. The crowd erupted into cheers as James stood up and clapped heartily. His vision clearing slightly, he saw Benjy's rich brown locks shaking as he grinned at the admirers who had flocked onto the field, hugging him, smiling, and even planting kisses upon his cheeks. Sirius and Marlene were intensely snogging next to a goalpost, and the rest of the team members were being coddled upon the field by their friends. Hobbling down to the field, James pushed the crowd aside, yelling "Oi, Benjy!"
Benjy turned towards James, giving him a thumbs-up. "James, thanks for the tips! They really helped with that last goal!" He shoved through two swooning girls and walked towards James. "You alright, Captain?" he asked softly.
James grinned. "I'll live, I suppose. Now, let's talk about your style. I think in the next game, you should probably change up the way you score. It's not that it didn't work in this game, but if you kick like this," he paused to demonstrate, "rather than like how you already kick, then you'll make even more goals, yeah?"
"Definitely! Can I treat you to a slice of pizza?"
"You don't have to, we'll take the whole team," James insisted. "Everyone deserves a goddamn break after that game. So many fouls! I mean, I always knew Durmstrang played dirty, but trying to murder the opposing team? Unheard of, mark my words." He shook his head good-naturedly and looked down giving the younger boy a smile. "You played brilliantly. It's lovely that you decided to try out. You were perfect!"
"Thanks, Captain! Oh, and look, your mates are coming."
James turned his head slightly and saw Sirius and Marley, disheveled and hand-in-hand, grinning like idiots in love as they stumbled towards James.
"Great game, you two," James smirked, taking in their appearance properly.
"Sirius played wonderfully," Marlene gushed, squeezing Sirius' fingers. "I don't think I've ever seen a better defender!"
"No fucking way, you played way better," he smiled, draping an arm around her shoulders. "The way you sent that last pass towards Fenwick? I was so sure that you were beyond good-looking."
"Oh, hush."
"Shut up, your lovesickness is making me sick," James snorted, waving the team over. "Come on over, you lot! Let's get some lunch and discuss strategy!"
A few quiet, mostly uneventful weeks passed by, July fading into early August. Sirius had informed James that he and Marlene had gotten together after the match, complimenting Remus and Emmeline's relationship. Though his tone only implied it, Sirius had certainly suggested that it was time for James to get a girlfriend as well, something he had been reluctant to do as he had eyes for only one girl, and she was being quite stubborn. Though it was summer, rains had begun to pour, causing quite a few activities, including canoeing, to be cancelled.
It was one of these rainy evenings during which James heard muffled sobs coming from the cabin next to his. The cabins had had quite thin walls, so in the complexes, James had listened to quite a few arguments over which camper got which bunk, and drunk, randy encounters between the older children. It was quite traumatic. However, now that he had his own cabin, he hadn't expected to hear anything from another cabin. Curious, he sat up in his bed, pushing the duvet aside, and listened to the wails continue, and the fire in his cabin crackle in the background. Wanting to see for himself what had happened, he slid off of the bed and walked towards the door, opening it gently as a flash of lightning erupted and lit up the night sky. He then quickly stepped through the rain until he found the door of Lily's cabin, and rapped it smartly with his knuckles. When the crying continued and no one opened the door, he grasped the doorknob and twisted it while pushing the door open, letting himself inside.
The inside of Lily's cabin was dark and cavernous, as she had not lit her fireplace, and her sobs echoed throughout the room. Tiptoeing around, he saw Lily crouched on the floor, sobbing into her knees as she leaned against the bed in her grey jumper and flannel bottoms. Ignoring the fact that he was wet from the rain, James walked towards her, sat on the floor next to her, and pulled the auburn haired girl into his arms, wrapping them tightly around her. Stroking her hair as she wept into his collarbone, he soothed her with "It's alright, everything's going to be alright," and felt his heart break as he buried his face in her silky hair. He held her for possibly minutes, maybe even hours, until she finally sniffed one last time and looked up at him.
Her face was red and blotchy from crying, and her lips gently sloped downwards into a frown as her forehead creased. She took a long, deep breath to steady herself as she reached a hand to her face and furiously wiped at the tear stains tracking down her face.
"You're not supposed to be here," she accused, her voice stuffy and nasal from the sobbing. "You broke into my cabin, and you're wet. You're not allowed here!"
"Hush, Evans, I don't even get a thank you?" James teased softly, pulling her into his lap and snaking his arms around her waist, so Lily's face was buried into his chest. He heard her let out a sigh as she continued to speak, her voice muffled by him.
"Th - thank you, I suppose," she murmured. Feeling her warm breath on his torso, James grinned to himself as he allowed his hands to wander underneath her jumper and began to tickle her.
Lily shrieked and pushed herself away from him, landing on the floor. "God, you're so cold!" she announced, hurrying over to the fireplace and lighting it with a couple of matchsticks. James, meanwhile, lept onto her bed and gazed at the wooden beams of the ceiling as he lay on his back. Once Lily had started the fire, she joined him as well, sprawling herself all over the covers.
James found her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers, watching her confusion as she bemusedly looked at their intertwined hands. When she looked to him for an answer, he smiled gently and looked back to the ceiling.
"I don't want to be your enemy, Evans," he muttered as Lily tutted.
"You can't be nice to me. I was so horrible to you all summer long. You didn't deserve it, surely. I was just, well, unwilling to accept I was wrong. I tried to break things off with you because I was looking for any excuse to deny my feelings. It didn't work, obviously. Here I am, a year later, still fancying you," she muttered swearing under her breath as he let out a bark of laughter.
"I forgot how tetchy and irritable you were," he sighed, rolling onto his left arm so he could face Lily. She, meanwhile, stubbornly remained on her back as he continued. "Honestly, though, what's the matter? No one cries like that unless something's terribly wrong."
Lily scowled and rolled onto her left so she was facing away from James. "Petunia sent me a text message, saying that I was invited to her wedding, but only because Mum and Dad said so. But she scheduled it at the end of August on purpose because she knew I wouldn't be able to come. She hates me so much. What's worse is she sent a - a lot of things I didn't need to read. And they upset me a lot," she sniffled.
"Why wouldn't she invite her own sister to her wedding?" James demanded angrily as Lily turned back to face him with a wry smile.
"She doesn't approve of me. She calls me a freak, mostly because I got into Hogwarts and she didn't. She's jealous, but she acts like the fact that I go away every summer makes me a bad person."
He reached for a fingers once more. "You're not a freak," he whispered. "Jealousy is a rotten thing, but the fact that you're in Hogwarts and she isn't, that's not your fault, Lily. That's her own. Maybe her application wasn't special enough, or maybe she just wasn't promising enough for the people that run this place, but whatever happened, it's not because of you. Actually, it is. It's because you're one of the most special people I know."
Lily blinked for a moment before scooting closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck, coyly muttering, "You think I'm special, eh?"
"Oh, yes," James smirked in return, his arms going to her waist. "So special." He sat up, pulling Lily along with him, before Lily brought herself closer to his face, so close that their breath had become one, and brought her nose to his, staring into his eyes affectionately.
"What are you doing, Evans?" James breathed.
Lily batted her eyelashes. "Something I should have done a long time ago. Oh, yes. We had a thing last summer, and now we're back, and I hate you so much, Potter." Closing the gap, she brought her lips to his, softly matching her curves against his own, wistfully bringing her hands to his hair and running them slowly, tantalisingly through them. Following along, James brought his forehead to hers and parted his lips, and she sighed as their tongues met. Angst and longing for each other destroyed them as James' mouth began to move away from hers, slowly trailing to the corner of her mouth, gently taking the strawberry-flavoured flesh between his teeth and grazing from left to right, tenderly nipping at her before moving down to her jaw, trailing kisses down her neck as she gently moaned, arching her neck, and tugged at his cotton T-shirt.
"I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to, Lily," he murmured as she took his chin and brought his lips back to her own. Shaking her head, she brought her face away from his just long enough to whisper, "This is what I want, James."
The way she said his name, so softly, so deliciously, he just had to do what she liked. He was a soft mess in her hands.
"Fine, then," he chuckled as she fisted his shirt tightly and kissed his Adam's apple. "But I'm warning you -"
"I'm warning you, if you don't shut up now, I'll snog you so hard you'll forget your name," she threatened, wrapping her legs around his waist. James grinned wickedly as his hands went to the hem of her jumper, slowly and agonisingly pulling it over her head, taking a few moments to admire her bare skin and wondering where the hell she had been his whole life.
It was safe to say that night, they both forgot their names quite easily.
Another wonderful Hogwarts holiday, indeed.
