Title: The Babysitter

Author: louisaeve

Rating: T

Summary: Lily was an individual. A grown woman. She was a writer, accomplished and had spent her life taking care of herself. She certainly didn't need an annoying Potter eight years from her past to babysit her, stalker or not.

Characters: James Potter I, Lily Evans, Marlene McKinnon, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Emmeline Vance, Evans family, Minerva McGonagall

Chapter 1 - The Exit

Lily felt as if she would stop breathing. Or like she could make others stop breathing.

James Potter the fool who had humiliated her for over four years until she had transferred to a school closer to home, was about to 'protect' her? Was Marlene insane?

Lily let out an inward sigh at that. No Marlene was not insane. She was worried, as any good friend would be. And she was trying to do her best to help her.

"Evans?" Potter said incredulously, his eyes wide as he talk her in.

He'd gotten taller, Lily noted. Broader shoulders, encased in a black tee and long legs protected by long, worn jeans. His glasses still remained, and although it had been trimmed his hair was still wild and messy. He looked like he'd just walked off the street. Not exactly what most looked for in a bodyguard.

"Sorry," Potter said lowly, his voice broken and deeper than Lily remembered, as he took her image in in surprise. "Miss Evans."

"Potter," Lily put on the voice she used with directors that wanted to put her leads with hair and makeup artists that would stuff up their eyebrows. Condescending and met with little to no resistance. "Good to see you again."

"Likewise," Potter nodded.

"Well why don't we get these papers signed?" Marlene asked, trying to break the silence.

Lily turned to Marlene, picked up a pen and started signing her name with a flourish.

Eight years since he'd seen her. Eight years ago her red hair had left his sight forever in his eyes.

James Potter was not the boy he had been eight years ago. The years had brought brutality and cruelty and cold with them. No longer was he heading towards a football career, life in the spotlight. Instead he had begun to change and turn and became one sworn to protect and to die for another. He was trained to kill and to die.

But Lily Evans wouldn't see it that way. She never would.

Lily Evans was the kind of stubborn that you didn't expect to meet every lifetime. She was the sort that men wrote songs and books and poetry about.

"Potter," she said stiffly, primly in the way that he remembered. Disapproving and paired with a glare. "Are you coming?"

She stood up and walked out of the room, Marlene towering beside her on a pair of ridiculously tall heels. He was going to murder bloody McKinnon. At this rate he'd be gone before the stalker could even make an approach on Evans'.

Letting out a sigh he walked out behind them, making his way down the building through the elevator.

Lily was furious. Was she a child? A child unable to take care of herself?

"I have a spare bedroom," Lily said, her voice conveying all the disapproval she could find within herself (which believe me, was plenty). "You can sleep there."

Potter nodded his head and ran his hands over his blue jean legs.

They were both standing in her living room. Her comfortable living room which she had decorated herself. Which she'd spent hours and hours decorating, hand painted with the help of her friends and her father. The furniture was selected individually, pieces she'd found or brought. Pieces from her aunts and cousins and her grandmother. The living room which she didn't allow the outside world into, didn't allow a newspaper or gossip magazine into. And he was inside her room. He was invading it bringing darkness and gloom and her old life.

"My things are on the way," Potter shrugged, his voice deep and low and heavy.

"Good," Lily sniffed as she tried to calm her anger, which was bubbling and brewing inside of her.

First she was told she was a child, unable to defend herself. Then she was told that she was going to be babysat by James Potter of all people.

And to add to that he seemed to of enjoyed his age old tradition of humiliating her. Only this time, instead of using words as he previously had he was using silence.

And if there was one thing that Lily was it was stubborn. And stubborn people refused to be humiliated.

"I need to have your schedule," Potter said seriously.

"Excuse me?" Lily raised an eyebrow, scoffing. "What are you going to stalk me now?"

Potter looked at her blankly, no emotions showing. "I need to know where you are if I'm supposed to protect you from your own stalker."

Lily winced at that and turned away into the kitchen. Stalker. that was so harsh. That wasn't what the police had called them. They had called them the suspect or merely they or it. Never stalker. "Marlene can give you my schedule," she swallowed the lump that had risen into her throat. "But it changes often and without much warning."

"I understand," he nodded, and Lily turned around.

"Do I have to feed you as well?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I can get some food delivered," Potter shrugged.

"No, no," Lily shook her head with a sigh. "You can help yourself to whatever you want in the kitchen. I can't cook anything but if you want you can try."

Sighing once more (she seemed to be doing that a fair bit today), she pulled out her phone, scrolled through her latest tweets, ran the other hand through her hair tied into a loose ponytail and headed for a hot shower and bed.

James Potter knew he was in a difficult situation. he knew it.

but when his old teacher had shown up at his doorstep and briskly told him that he had a new job he knew that he really had no choice. So now he was looking after his childhood crush who he he hadn't seen in over eight years and now looked more gorgeous than ever.

Only now he wasn't the only that noticed. And the men that noticed were too far away and too self confident for him to scare off.

Men liked fame and Lily Evans was famous. A lovely writer they all said. Everyone across the literacy world knew her name. they called her artistic and creative and they all loved her wit. The wit that she held, that carried through her writing and was shown when she talked on radio shows and international TV.

And God, she was still able to charm him even as she glared at him.

Sighing he walked into the spare room she had pointed out to him earlier and collapsed on the bed. This was going to be painful.

So how do you like my James? Lily? Marlene? Hopefully we shall see some of our favourite Marauder era characters very soon, and I wish you would talk to me (of the over a hundred people that looked at my fic, only one reviewed :(), and if you have any questions they shall of course be answered soon. Special shout out to JellyBeaan007 who reviewed, and much thanks to those who subscribed (and some even favourited - already?). Anyway much thanks and I hope to see you soon! Xx Louisa