Wandering Romance, Unwavering *A Lily and James Fan Fiction*

Both were from completely different worlds. One was from the world of magic and the other from the realm of muggles. But both attended the same school: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Their story is a long one that ends where it also began: Platform 9 ¾.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Harry Potter series or memorabilia. This is purely fictional. Anything that sounds familiar most likely belongs to J. K. Rowling, if not someone else.

Author Note: Sorry for taking so long to update. I should probably say this right now. I am not likely to update on a regular basis. Nothing is going to allow me to make room to update any of my stories on a regular basis and keep them at a schedule. Not when I have work, college homework, chores, a nagging mother, an annoying sister, a dog demanding attention, DEP meetings, school starting in less than a week, and general craziness going on around me.

Chapter Four

As James walked into the common room, he felt immediate awe fill him. The entire common room was filled with red and gold. Squashy armchairs filled the room alongside some tables. James looked around and took note that Gryffindor would be a tower. The circular room was light with a bright fire, giving off red and gold sparks that bounced off of the walls of the chimney back into the fire. James was looking at one of the windows when Sirius jumped on him in excitement.

"This is so much better than living in a dungeon! That was all Bella and Cissy would talk about at my house this summer. Even Andy got sick of it! She eventually just took off for some unknown destination. Bella and Cissy have been pretending she doesn't exist, though, so I haven't been able to figure out what is up with her. She didn't go to Slytherin table, though, now that I think about it…" James just gave Sirius a curious glance before taking the staircase the prefect had pointed out.

Sirius, on the other hand, chose the opposite staircase – determined that he was right and the prefect pointed that one out as the boys – and promptly fell down a slide. Everyone turned to look at him, including the girls, as he slowly stood, his only showing that the feast did, in fact, make him lethargic. He ignored James' sniggering as he passed him. Remus came up to James, a smile hidden in his features, though Peter zoomed past him (or what James assumed was a zoom, though it was faster than he would have managed at this point) in pursuit of either Sirius or the bed up in the dormitory. James decided it was not worth thinking about. Instead, he just walked up to the boy's dormitory with Remus following.

"He is really quite idiotic when he is sleepy." Remus looked at James with amusement. "What?" he asked, noting Remus' silent laugh.

"I think everyone would be idiotic during their lethargic state," he commented as he trudged over to his bed. Peter and Sirius, as well as another boy with red-brown hair, were already passed out with sleep probably dreaming of food. James merely looked at Remus. "What?" the sandy haired boy asked defensively. "Haven't you ever had a sleepover?" James flushed before deciding he wanted to wash up before he went to bed. When he got back, Remus had gone to bed as well. James sat perched on the edge of the last bed, which had his belongings tucked at the edge. What is a sleepover? He finally lay on his back and continued to think, going into a fitful sleep.

Lily looked around her new dorm. And I thought the common room was amazing! She looked at all the beds, watching curiously as each girl wandered to a trunk and began to pull out clothes. She looked over to find her own trunk and smiled before rushing over to open it and pull out her pyjamas. She shuffled through her clothes before finding the blue bottoms and the button up top with a clean white trim. She wandered over to the bathroom and peaked inside, smiling and giggling as she saw five sinks and little marble cups that held toothbrushes and other oral hygiene products that they might have. A little shelf ran along under the mirror, separated by five indents, to hold other items the girls might own. She looked over on the other side and saw a toilet blocked in by a stall next to two showers, blocked from view by shower curtains. I might want to be the first girl up in the mornings if I want to go to the loo at a decent time… Lily looked back at the other girls and noted that they all crashed in their beds, two snoring and one thrashing around and one sleeping with a sweet smile on her face. Lily suddenly felt lonely and scared. Mum won't be waking me up in the morning… She sat on the edge of her bed, perched with her arms and knees pulled into her chest. Tears welled into the corners of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. She stood and changed into her pyjamas, sliding the covers up and slipping into them quietly. She stared at the top of the bedposts before slowly drifting to sleep, a small frown on her lips as she thought about not waking up to her mum's cooking.

James was not a happy camper. He was the first one up, which wasn't unusual, aside from the fact that it became blatantly obvious that he would be the odd boy for a while. He knew that he should have expected to be a bit off as he had the oldest parents of the entire lot. He didn't know a lot about the other boys, but Kyle Lanchester had young parents: quidditch stars, as they were, were not exactly elderly; Sirius Black may have a dark family but even they were not too old: they were constantly going to parties and promoting their beauty, especially his mother; Peter Pettigrew was the son of a shop owner in Diagon Alley: he had seen the man several times and knew the man was not old either; Remus Lupin he didn't know much about, but he would be willing to wager a guess that his parents were not in their late eighties.

James gave a muted glare at all the boys and moved on to go into the bathroom, carrying his bathroom supplies with him. He looked at the sinks and placed his towel on the sink before unpacking the toothbrush and placed it in the small cup next to one of the sinks and put his toothpaste on the shelf next to it. He picked out his shampoo and body wash and slipped his glasses off and onto the shelf – feeling around with his hand as he did so – and slowly made his way in the general direction of the shower stalls the boy took note of when he walked in. Finally making his way to them, he slipped off his pyjamas, red bottoms with gold snitches on them that moved around in slow mode and a red long sleeved shirt, and put them in a neat pile before entering the curtained stall.

James messed with the shower knobs, noting to never use the one on the right. It squirted boiling hot water at him. The one on the left shot ice cold water at him. He ventured the middle was warm. He hesitated only slightly before turning it on. He was met with cool, yet warm water. He smiled a small smile as he started his shower. I can't wait for my first class! He quickly finished and stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel next to the stall, noting to ask on upperclassman how it appeared. When he left the bathroom with a towel around his waist, all the other boys in his dorm were still asleep. Looking at the alarm clock next to his bed, he decided it was about time to wake them all up. He may have been able to wake up at five in the morning and except that as just a bit odd, but breakfast was going to start in thirty minutes. He didn't know about the other boys, but he had not much idea as to how to get to the Great Hall.

Walking into the bathroom, he picked up his pyjamas and walked out again to put them on his bed, which he made up as best he could, so they were in easy reach for that night. He then walked back into the bathroom, passing by Sirius' bed and cringed as the boy snored. He filled a marble cup with water and walked back out. He paused just barely a few feet from the bathroom door and thought of whom he would pour water on first. Before he could put much thought into it, a noise brought his attention to Remus, who was waking up and staring at James blearily, as though he were confused. James merely smiled at Remus before continuing his thoughts. Kyle looked as if he were in the throes of waking up. Peter was quite literally about to fall off of his bed. Sirius just continued to snore very loudly and James felt the sound was about to kill his ears. Sirius it will be. James walked the few steps to Sirius and began by dripping the water right into Sirius' ear. Other than some twitching, this didn't do much to wake up the boy. James struggled not to laugh. James moved the dripping over to Sirius' nose, which was facing slightly upward. Sirius merely shook him head like a dog and twitched his nose.

James struggled to keep his sniggers inward so much that they were starting to come out. Eventually, he dropped the cup altogether and it fell onto the bed, James giggling and gasping for breath. Sirius bolted upright, having a cup fall on his head and getting soaked at the same time, and stood on his bed, toppling off because one foot had a very uncertain setting on top of his pillow. The young Black jumped up and looked over the other side of the bed at James, who was on the floor roaring. James eventually stood and grabbed his bag and ran down the stairs to the common room, still laughing. Several people turned to look at him. He paused at the bottom of the stairs, noticing the stares. He gave a sheepish smile. He heard pounding on the staircase and turned slightly to see Remus following, sniggering a little as well.

"That was brilliant!" the boy exclaimed. Then he frowned. "What were you doing up and fully dressed so early?" James merely blinked at his dorm mate before heading to the portrait hole and exiting the common room.

Lily woke up before the rest of the girls, mostly due to the fact that she really hadn't much ability to sleep in. She didn't, however, get out of bed until about an hour before breakfast and get ready. Grabbing her bathroom necessities, she propped everything up on a shelf and into the cup before going back and picking out her clothes for the day. Once in the bathroom again, she went to the loo and took a quick shower before walking out of the bathroom, fully dressed and in desperate hunt for her hair brush. She finally found it as one of the girls got up from her bed, whose name Lily vaguely remembered being Kimberly, though her last name evaded her.

"Morning!" the girl said, a yawn coming right after it. Lily gave her a curious glance before smiling. "See you got to the loo before the rest of us." She peeked into the room. "And chose the best mirror! I should have took your method! Wake up first!" The girl turned and smiled. "I'm Kimberly, by the way. Kimberly McLane." Lily gave a small smile before responding.

"Lily Evans." The girl smiled even brighter.

"It is nice to meet you, Lily. What do you think classes will be like?" Lily paused in her motion to brush her hair. "What?"

"I'm muggle born. I have no idea. I know everyone will know more than me!" Lily frowned as she blushed. Kimberly just giggled.

"Oh, no you won't! I know rubbish about class. My brother refused to tell me anything, as did my cousin, Mea. They even lied about the Sorting!" Lily giggled.

"Severus didn't know anything about the Sorting!" Kimberly blinked.

"That mistreated boy in Slytherin?" she asked. Lily hesitated before nodding.

"Well, it is more like…unnoticed." Lily saw the girl avert her eyes.

"He's a little weird if you ask me."

She turned and went into the bathroom with her bath stuff, taking a shower as the other girls in the dorm slowly made their way to the realm of the active. As each woke up, they greeted Lily with sleepy voices before wandering into the bathroom to get ready. Picking up her bag, Lily made her way down the staircase to the common room around thirty minutes to breakfast. She watched a few people before turning towards the portrait hole. Just as she opened it, the messy haired boy who bragged about his father's Gryffindor Sorting on the train ran down the stairs laughing as the whole common room heard a shriek coming from the boy's dormitory. The sandy haired boy who sat with them at dinner that night came down the stairs much slower, but smiling just as brilliantly.

"That was brilliant!" she heard him exclaim. "What were you doing up and fully dressed so early?"

Lily glanced back at those words to find the boy rushing past her to the portrait hole, exiting. She tilted her head curiously before following him, running to catch up. He stopped suddenly in the corridor, causing Lily to crash into him. He fell on his face, Lily landing on top of him. A groan and shout filled the empty corridor.

"Ow!" the boy said, slowly rolling upward, depositing Lily onto the floor next to him. "What are you doing?" he asked, looking at her as he stood up with obvious struggle. The boy's robes were nice, but had a little too much fabric. "Why did mum have to be so determined to buy these stupid robes?" Lily giggled. The boy looked at her. "What?" She giggled even more. "Are you even going to answer my question?" Lily paused to look up at him.

"Yes."

"Then answer it."

"I just did!" she said, holding back her giggle.

"No you didn't! I asked you what you were doing trying to knock me over."

"I wasn't trying to knock you over!" Lily exclaimed, now frowning and not giggling at all. The sandy haired boy from earlier came around the corner and paused to look at the two with the other boy this one chatted with on the train.

"Figured you be to the Great Hall by now," he grumbled unappreciatively. The messy haired boy didn't spare him a glance. The sandy haired boy ventured out as well.

"James?" 'James' continued to ignore the two and just glared at Lily.

"I was trying to catch up to you!" she whispered before turning on her heel and continued on her way to the Great Hall.

James was only mad for two reasons. He didn't know his way to the Great Hall, and his mum's idea of decent school robes were going to make it impossible for him to move. I am writing dad today to ask him to get me new robes. The ones with less fabric. Remus, who up until this point merely watched James with curiosity, ventured to speak for a second time.

"What happened between you and that redhead? It isn't even three hours into our first day and you are already fighting with her." James looked at the floor, tight lipped. He turned and continued in the direction the girl went in. He eventually found his way to the Great Hall, getting lost only thirty times, only because Remus decided he knew exactly where the Great Hall was.

James and Remus were still bickering about who got them lost the most when they entered the Hall. James was quickly distracted by the redhead he argued with earlier. She was sitting at the Slytherin Table; she was talking to the greasy haired boy she was with on the train with enthusiasm. She glanced over at the door and frowned immediately when she saw James, though James also frowned at her, his accompanied by a pouting glare. She looked away when the boy next to her spoke, quickly leaving the table after. James was confused until he felt someone brush past him. Kimberly McLane walked past him, smiling sweetly at him before moving towards the redhead. Kimberly backed up a few feet back to him and addressed James, ignoring Remus.

"Her name is Lily Evans, you know. Now you can stop staring at her." Kimberly skipped off towards Lily Evans the redhead and shouted a greeting for the whole hall to hear. James was now staring at Kimberly, as was Remus.

"Creepy bird," a voice said. Both Remus and James jumped and gave shouts of shock as adrenaline pumped through them for a moment. James was still trying to calm his nerves as he turned to look at the boy he dumped water on just less than an hour previously.

"Sirius…" he said, quickly shifting closer to Remus for protection. Sirius narrowed his eyes.

"Hello, James. Rather frigid morning, don't you think?" James gulped. Personally, James thought it was rather warm, but he was not about to answer the statement the Black proposed to him. Sirius merely brushed past James and Remus and moved to the table. Remus headed after him, James following, though several feet behind them.

"Merlin's transparent knickers! This is amazing!" The whole hall turned to look at Sirius, and James and Remus scrambled to get under the table. Professor McGonagall was pounding down the table, Sirius her target. The two boys looked at each other before rolling their eyes. This guy is going to get us in so much trouble here.

"Mr. Black! That is not appropriate conversation for Hogwarts! Ten points from Gryffindor!" At this, James stood quickly, banging his head on the table, knocking a tray of burning hot sausages into Sirius' lap.

"Ow!" James shouted, while Sirius proceeded to demonstrate to the whole room just how many swear words he knew. James managed to get out from under the table, Remus following, and stared at Sirius in disbelief. At a particularly colourful verb James had only heard his parents mutter once when they assumed that he was no where nearby, James flushed a deep purple, skipping red altogether. Professor McGonagall and several other students went bright red.

James, however, took action, no longer wishing to learn any more from Sirius: he stuffed food in the boy's open mouth.

"Shusht?" Sirius said, shocked out of his revive of cursing.

"Seriously, shut up!" James said, probably saying the most appropriate words of the moment. Sirius smirked. "And eat with your mouth closed." Sirius's mouth came to a frown. He swallowed the food and tilted his head at James.

"Did you just tell me to talk with my mouth closed?"

"What? My mum tells my dad that all the time." Sirius just blinked before rolling his eyes.

"Oh brother…" James blinked and decided to ignore Sirius.

Minerva McGonagall watched James curiously. The boy looked like he was coming to Hogwarts the year his parents did, clearly showing that his mum picked out his school robes, but his parents instilled some clear values. A small smile lit her face, other students in the hall gawking at it. I guess Eric and Am did raise him. What did Albus call him earlier today? A behaved version of Eric Potter? McGonagall snorted.

"Yeah right! Eric being behaved! If only that were possible," she muttered, unaware that three boys were staring at her questioningly as she went back to the student whose schedule was in her hand.

Just some notes: I just thought it was odd that very few people write James as a likable character. I mean, sure, I may be an optimist here, but I don't think that James, having such old parents even for the wizarding world, could possibly be a slob or sleep in late all the time. I imagine him to be different from all the people his age, just based off of who his parents are. His has values ingrained in him that others don't, considering that losing his parents was especially real to him, whether it be murder or death by disease.

I like the McGonagall bit, personally. I originally had "McGonagall gave a very unladylike snort, but it made the chapter too long. I wish I could have kept it. Oh well, you can replace it in your mind if you like. I like to think that she liked James a lot, myself. She knew more about his situation than most, herself.

Another side note: It is really very pathetic that I only had less than a page to do before I put this up. I am ashamed. I apologize for my laziness.

XOXO, I.L.K.13