II. Bliss – supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment

The light blinded James as he pulled into the port across the sea from his home. "Are we to go straight to the castle?" he asked Rodolphus Lestrange, standing next to him.

"I don't think we need to. We're not needed for three more days."

"Well, I'd like to go up there, and get out of this god-awful sun," Lucius Malfoy exclaimed.

"I'll have a look around with you, James," said Remus Lupin, Sirius and James' friend who was forced along in order to get out of the house.

"All right," James said. "We'll see you mates a little later. Assuming we don't find any trouble," James winked.

"Now you two behave yourselves. You're representing our country while you are here," Lestrange warned.

"Oh we won't do anything to disrespect the country name. You can bet on it, Rodolphus," James said before he and Remus made their way off the boat and onto the dock.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Malfoy said to Lestrange. "They're probably going to end up doing something stupid."

"You know Sirius would be livid if he found out we didn't let Potter do whatever he wanted," Lestrange said, tying a knot in his rope.

Malfoy groaned. "I sure am getting tired of all his crap."

"Miss Evans!" Belqua hissed, "We really shouldn't be doing this!"

"Shh! Someone will catch us!" Lily hissed back. They were climbing through branches to sneak past the guards of the castle walls. Lily was dressed in peasant clothing, her hair wrapped up under her cloak.

"Lily! We shouldn't be doing this," Belqua repeated.

"Belqua, you really need to be quiet," Lily threatened. They were almost through the bushes. "We're almost there."

Lily emerged on the other side to a deep wood of trees. She looked around as Belqua brushed all the branches off her robes.

"N-now where to?" Lily asked, suddenly afraid.

"This was your idea, Miss Evans. You tell me," Belqua said, even though she knew the path to the market.

"I think it's this way," Lily decided walking in one direction. Belqua didn't move. "Or maybe it's this way," she second-minded. Belqua gave a small laugh. "Which way is it, Belqua?" Lily demanded.

"How should I know?" Belqua said.

"You only go down there every day to get fruit!" Lily said.

"Well, I don't know the way from here," she lied. "We should just go back."

"No! Belqua!" Lily sighed, "I promise we'll come back to the castle tonight if you lead the way," she said reluctantly.

"Oh, all right. Its this way," Belqua said and began walking off into the distance. Lily skipped after her in glee.

"Would you look at all this stuff, Belqy," Lily said twirling around. They were now in the marketplace swarmed by people. "And look at all these people!"

"Wow," Belqua said sarcastically. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Its amazing!" Lily said. She ran over to a stand of apples and picked one up. Belqua followed behind her giving a coin to the owner.

"Miss Evans," Belqua said, "You really shouldn't be wandering off like that."

"Stop calling me that, here," Lily hissed. "You can call me Lily," she said. At that moment, she saw a stand of books. "Books!" she said and ran towards them.

"Yes, like we don't have enough already," Belqua said.

"We don't!" Lily said.

"Obviously you haven't been to the library in the west wing," Belqua said.

"Uh, Belqua, I've only lived in that tomb my whole life. Of course I've been to the library in the west wing. These books are just so real."

Belqua rolled her eyes. "Now Miss Evans, I really must stress your safety while we are down here. You really need to be careful."

"Careful of what?" Lily said.

"I just mean, don't give out your name or your true identity. If your father found out you were down here—"

"Look!" Lily said. "The Odyssey! My favorite!"

In the marketplace James and Remus were having a drink at one of the pubs.

"Ever been in love James?" Remus asked.

"No. Love is overrated," James replied.

"You're crazy," Remus said. "Love is powerful and magical and—"

"We're all magical, Remus."

"But love does something to you. Love makes everything in the world stop. Love fills your heart with a feeling unlike anything else," wooed Remus.

"Have you ever been in love, Remus?" James asked.

"Yes," he said. "But she never loved me back."

James suspected that that was the worst type of love. The love with no return. He didn't understand how some person could pour their heart out and just have it rejected and pushed away.

"I'm sorry about that, Rem," James said. "Hey, you wanna find love tonight?"

Remus looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean there has to be some girls out there who are in search of some handsome bachelors like us," James said.

"I don't know," Remus said.

"C'mon! It'll be fun!" James grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the bar in search for some girls. But Remus was instantly distracted by a stand of books and wandered off towards them. James rolled his eyes and followed him. So much for that, he thought.

James was leaning against a rack of books, waiting for Remus to finish. He was itching to go to the other side of the marketplace to look at the weaponry. It was just then that he spotted an attractive girl with her nose buried in what he and Sirius teased Remus of reading what they called "monsterbooks."

She was pretty, he thought. Her hair was wrapped up in her cloak, but she had a nice face. James felt the sudden urge to talk to her.

"Hi," he said, going up behind her. She twirled around to look at him and smiled.

"Hi," she said. He stuck out his hand and she shook it.

"My name is James," he said.

"I'm—" she glanced at Belqua who gave her a stern look. "I'm Emena," she said the first name that came into her head.

"Emena," James said. "That's interesting."

"Well, thanks," she said, taking it as a compliment. Belqua cleared her throat. "Oh, this is Belqua, my friend."

"Pleasure to meet you, Belqua. That's my friend over there, Remus," he pointed to Remus whose nose was buried in a book.

Lily smiled. "I see he likes to read."

"You have no idea," James said. "Do you like to read?"

"Sometimes," she said. "If it's a good book."

"I hate it," James said.

"Oh you do, do you?" Lily said.

"Yeah I don't see the point of it," he brushed a hand through his messy black hair.

"It's an alternate reality to escape to when everything else is wrong," she said.

"Why escape?" he challenged.

She smiled. "Some people aren't satisfied with their lives."

"Are you satisfied?" he asked.

"Right now, I am," she said.

"Well, what are you reading?" he asked.

"Homer," she said.

"Hmmm… I never got around to that one," he said.

"Ever tried?" Lily asked.

"Nah. I haven't the time anyway," he said.

"Nobody ever does," she said looking back at her book.

He smiled. "Would you like to have a drink with me?"

"Su—" she began but Belqua cut in.

"I think we really must be going, Emena," Belqua urged.

"Yes, you're right, Belqua," Lily said. "I'm sorry, but I must leave now. It was a pleasure to meet you, James." She turned to leave.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, too," James called after her. He watched her walk a few paces until he followed her shouting "Wait! Emena, wait!" jShe stopped and turned around to look at him. "Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked.

She smiled. "I think I'd like that," she said.

"Where can I find you?" he asked.

"Er - I'll find you," she replied as Belqua tugged on her arm.

He smiled as she walked away. Remus rejoined him, mystified by the smile on his face.

"What happened to you?" Remus asked.

"I found love," James said, winking.

"I though you didn't believe in love?" asked Remus.

"I never said that," James laughed.

"Oh, wasn't he just dreamy?" Lily asked Belqua, later after they had returned to the castle.

"You're meddling with danger, Miss Evans. I would be careful if I were you," Belqua warned.

"Oh stop fretting, Belqua. I'll be fine," Lily said. "But we must go back tomorrow."

"No," Belqua said sternly. "We will not be returning."

"But, Belqua! Please! I will never ask you for anything again. Please," Lily begged.

"No. And that is my final word on the matter," Belqua said and packed up her things and slammed Lily's door shut.

Lily rolled her eyes. She'd get out of the castle.

The next morning, Lily woke up early, before Belqua entered. She quietly dressed herself in old clothes and exited her chamber. She tiptoed down the steps all the way to the kitchen. There was a door there. She quietly opened it and let herself out. Now she knew the way to the marketplace, thanks to Belqua.

She made it there without a problem. But once there, she was lost. Where would he be? She knew she shouldn't have played hard-to-get. She walked around aimlessly, for some while. She was just about to give up and go home when she saw a head of messy black hair. It's him, she told herself.

He was carrying a bouquet of flowers. She walked up to him. "Hello," she said.

"Hello," he replied. "Oh. These are for you," he said, handing her the flowers.

"They're beautiful! Thank you very much!" she said. "So what do you want to do today?"

"I don't know," he said. "I'm kind of new around here."

"Let's go to the ocean. I'll show you my favorite spot." She took him by the hand to the beach and to her cave.

"Its beautiful here," he said.

"Isn't it?" she replied, looking around. "I love it."

"This whole place is beautiful! Where I come from, its very dark," he said.

"Where are you from?" she asked.

He hesitated but decided to tell her the truth. "I'm from – far away," he said.

"Oh," she said quietly. She looked at him. He was very handsome. She felt a connection with him, one that she had never felt with anyone else. She liked him and she wanted to get to know him better. You're leaving soon, said the back of her mind, but she pushed the thought away. She was just going to be a normal girl. She would just avoid that subject altogether.

Suddenly she realized her face was close to his. He leaned in to kiss her. His kiss was soft and tender. She returned it. After a few moments he pulled away. He caressed a hand on her cheek.

"You look beautiful," he said. She took out her long red hair, letting it fall across her shoulders. She smiled and looked into his eyes. She had never felt happier.

Just then somebody stormed over interrupting them. "Miss—er—Emena!" It was Belqua. "You really need to be getting home, now." Lily knew she was mad, but she didn't move. "Emena!" Belqua repeated.

"All right! All right!" she said. "Can we have a moment though?"

"Fine, but only a moment," Belqua said walking away.

"She sure is protective of you," James laughed. "And you sure do have to go home a lot."

"Yes, I know. But I'll meet you here tomorrow, all right? At noon?" she said. "Of course, that is, if you want to see me again."

"Yes, I think I do want to see you again," he said smiling at her. "I really like you Emena."

"I really like you too," she replied.

"Tomorrow is my last day here," he told her.

"Oh," she said, sadly. "Then we should make it a day to remember," she said. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then left to meet with Belqua.

"Oh Miss Evans," Belqua said. "You put me in a terrible position today! Your father is looking for you!"

Well, you're going to be in the same position tomorrow, Lily thought.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I hope you liked this chapter. More L/J action next chapter. I currently have up to chapter five done and I am working on chapter six. I am predicting this to be about a 10 chapter story, more or less. Please review!