A/N: Hello Everyone! I apologize in advance, but this isn't a new chapter~ I had to major edit one, and thought it worked best when combined with another. If you've read these two already, you can read the re-edited version, or just wait for the next update which should be coming along soon! Sorry for any inconvenience caused!
1) Shark in the Water by V.V. Brown
"Wouldn't cause any harm, just want you in my arms, I can't help myself…"
2) Obsessed by Mariah Carey
"Why you so obsessed with me, boy I wanna know…finally found a girl you couldn't impress, last man on the earth still couldn't get this?"
3) Nothing by The Script
"They say a few drink will help me to forget her, but after one too many, I know that I'll never…"
Ch 4: A final tribute to James: 5th year Obsession
As James and Sirius boarded the Hogwarts Express, Mrs. Potter made ready her parting speech for her only son.
"Now, James, I don't want any more mischief out of you," she began.
James rolled his eyes.
"I'm serious, James. If I hear that Hagrid caught you sneaking out into the Forbidden Forest again, I'll be extremely angry." Sirius snorted at the idea of Mrs. Potter being angry, but hastily turned his snort into a cough.
"And that goes for you as well, young man," she added turning her brilliant eyes on Sirius. "It's too dangerous! And I'm not talking about the usual centuars and werewolves—"at this, neither Sirius nor James could prevent himself from emitting a hacking cough.
"This man, Voldemort, has followers everywhere, and I don't care how "pure" your blood is, no one is safe from that…that…bastard. Please, stay in school- you'll be safe with Dumbledore around. James, please, I'm asking as your mother."
"Mum," he groaned again, although his face had turned grave when she mentioned Voldemort. Mr. Potter's friend from work had recently been discovered under a ruin of their former magnificent home, the acid-green Dark Mark floating above. He and his wife had both been muggle-born.
"You take care as well, alright?" he asked, leaning out the window and kissing his mother on the cheek in a rare display of physical affection (especially for a teenage boy).
"Don't worry about your father and me, we'll take care of ourselves," she said loftily, grabbing Sirius and pecking him on the cheek swiftly before the Hogwarts Express began to pick up speed. "And be good! The both of you!"
They waved, and in a few seconds, Mrs. Potter had disappeared from view.
James and Sirius grinned at each other. "Let's find Remy and Pete, shall we?" Sirius asked. James made a face, as the two of them began to make their way down the Hogwarts Express.
"Urgh, Remy is a horrible nickname."
"I know," Sirius said glumly. "But I mean, how on earth are you supposed to shorten a name like Remus?"
"Like Sirius is much better."
"WHAT? Are you serious? No, I'm serious, Sirius is so much better."
"Point seriously taken."
As they walked on, in search of their other two friends, a few 6th year witches passed them and stared blatantly and rather hungrily at Sirius. Tall with smooth black-hair, flawless pale skin, a straight nose, and deep-set grey eyes, Sirius was undoubtedly a handsome wizard, a fact that he seemed completely oblivious to. He barely glanced at the girls staring at him, although even James noticed that they were all very pretty. He shot James a look as if to say, what's with them?
James rolled his eyes. He was no Sirius Black in the looks department, but...
"Hey ladies," James said in what he thought was a charming fashion with a cocky grin, ignoring Sirius's snort of disbelief next to him. The girls finally turned their eyes on him. James, expecting them to roll their eyes, was surprised to see one smile coyly at him, while the other two walked away giggling. James's gait quickly turned into something of a strut as Sirius guffawed. Before he could comment, however, he stumbled across Peter sitting in a compartment with Marlene and Alice.
"Petie!" Sirius yelled, running into the compartment and thumping his little friend on the back.
"James! Sirius!" Peter squeaked, a delighted smile shining from his watery eyes.
"Hey Pete," James responded, grinning and joining Sirius. Then he looked at the familiar girls across from him.
"Mind if we join you ladies?" James asked, trying out his grin again. Pretty Marlene McKinnon smiled back (was James imagining it, or was her smile brighter than usual?). James knew the Mckinnon's extremely well, as all old wizarding families tended to know each other.
"Of course not," Marlene said, shifting her long limbs so that James had more room to stretch his legs. Neither she nor Alice beside her had changed into their robes. Marlene wore a shirt with a large picture of her favorite wizard band printed in red, while Alice's wore a baby pink top covered in flowers."Alright, Alice?"
"I'm fine, thank you James," she said, her round face lighting with a smile.
"How's Frank?"
Marlene looked suddenly thunderstruck.
"NO. JAMES, DO NOT MENTION FRANK." Alice hit Marlene, rather hard.
"…What?" James asked.
"She won't shut up about him," Marlene explained.
"Ah of course, the two lovebirds," James said, smirking. "Where is old Frankie anyway?"
"The prefect's compartment," Alice replied, her face shining. "He's Head Boy this year!"
James smiled.
"Congratulations to him!"
Sirius, who had been talking to Peter, turned suddenly.
"Wait…Frank Longbottom is Head Boy this year?" he said, grinning devilishly. "Excellent!"
Alice looked suddenly angry. The look didn't suit her face very well. She got up, pulled out her trunk, and began shuffling for her robes.
"Just because he likes you, doesn't mean he's going to go easy on the two of you this year. Besides, I'm still a prefect, and if he doesn't stop you from breaking rules, then I will." She finally located her Prefects badge in her trunk as Sirius's grin broadened.
"Worked real well for you these past two years, hasn't it?" he said, smugly.
"Oh, shut up." Alice replied. "I'll go change in the bathroom and then I've got to go to the Prefect's compartment as well. Imagine what an impression I'd make if I were late!" She hurried out. Marlene promptly propped her feet where Alice's behind had been.
"So, Marlene," James asked conversationally. "How many feet did you grow this summer?" Marlene laughed jovially.
"Don't be sore just because I'm taller than you." Sirius guffawed but James ignored him.
"It's a known fact that we Potter men only have growth spurts when we are sixteen," he said. "But I still think we might be the same height."
"You're on," Marlene said, shooting to her feet.
They stood back to back. Sirius pushed himself up with an effortless grace, and looked down at their heads.
Just then the compartment door opened to reveal none other than Remus Lupin and Lily Evans, both decked in their school robes already.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking to see who is taller, Remus." James said whilst craning his neck.
"Oh, Marlene, absolutely," Lily said, with a gurgle of laughter. James spared her a brief glance, but then immediately had to do a double take.
It looked as if Marlene hadn't been the only who had grown over the summer. While Lily had been barely above average height at the end of the previous school year, she now looked an easy 5'7.
The new length, in James' opinion, made her look more mature, yet somehow more fragile. Her face was more angular, a look which served to accentuate her almond green eyes. Her neck in particular caught James's eye- it looked pale and long, especially in contrast to her dark red her, which now fell past her shoulders down her back in a thick mass. Even in her robes, her figure looked different- there was a definite harder pinch where her waist had been, which was in sharp contrast with the (rather tantalizing) flair below and above said waist.
James felt himself gulp.
"Uh…what's with Potter?" Lily asked.
Sirius, frowning, was the one who replied.
"I think he thinks you grew taller than him as well."
Everyone laughed, which pulled James out of his momentary lapse of consciousness.
"No way, Evans, not you too! We have to see now." Lily rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. Even if her face had angled, James noticed her cheeks still lifted to include her whole face in the smile, and a dimple shown in her left cheek.
"Oh, fine, but then Remus and I have to go to the Prefect's compartment."
A sudden silence from the boys in the compartment as all three swiveled to stare open-mouthed at Remus Lupin in their midst.
Remus, who was looking pale and rather meek as was (the full moon was approaching) lost even more color in his face. He stared down at his feet.
"D-did I forget to mention that Dumbledore made me Prefect?" he muttered.
More silence followed this statement, a silence which even the girls didn't feel comfortable breaking. And then Sirius began to laugh.
His laugh was oddly bark-like, but it was long and full, and so contagious to James, that James found himself joining in. Soon they were both clutching each other as they laughed, although poor Remus had begun to blush a steady shade of pink.
"'s not that funny," he mumbled.
"You, Alice, and now Longbottom as Head Boy- Dumbledore's lost his mind, hasn't he?"
"Well," Lily said, sounding put out. "I'm a Prefect as well, and I'm sure Lupin will join me in making sure you stay in line this year. Won't you, Remus?"
Sirius ignored her.
"Of course he made you Prefect," James said with an eye-roll. Lily glared at him.
"I think we'll be able to finish by the end of next month for sure!" Sirius said brightly grinning at James and Peter. James suddenly looked excited, while Peter gave an anxious smile. Blood had drained from Remus's face again.
"You really shouldn't be—"
"Ah, of course we should," James said clapping his hand on Remus's shoulder.
"And you should be in the Prefect's compartment," Alice said glancing at Lily and Remus, reappearing at the compartment doorway to drop her muggle clothes into her trunk.
"Shall we head out then?"
"Yes alright," Lily said, with one last scathing look at the boys left in the compartment. "See you later, Marlene."
"Later, Lily."
Before she turned to leave, James heard himself recklessly blurt out, "what, I don't get a goodbye as well?"
Lily glanced back at him. James had his new grin plastered on his face and had drawn himself to his full height. He was just taller than her, if barely. If his smile worked on Marlene…
There. It was there. A flicker. A momentary startled look in her eye and an uncertain swift smile back, before she seemed to pull herself together. The smile vanishing once more, she said,"Goodbye, Potter," before leaving the compartment, followed by a waving Alice, and a glum-looking Remus Lupin.
Once they had left, Marlene glanced at the three boys in her compartment with her.
"So, let's get done with the Quidditch talk right now, and then I can leave you three and find someone to kill time with who won't try to put a spider in my hair…or bewitch a bludger to follow me to 'improve my reflexes on the Quidditch pitch'…or hit me with a 'swearing curse' right before I have Transfiguration with Professor—"
"Point taken, McKinnon, James has been horrible to you throughout your childhood together."
James looked thunderstruck.
"Me? Those were all your ideas!"
Sirius glanced at him.
"Okay, fine, the bludger was mine, but really, Marlene, you've gotten so much better at dodging bludgers!"
"I'll bludger you this year, you just wait…speaking of which, nervous for Chaser tryouts this year?"
James snorted.
"As if."
Marlene raised an eyebrow.
"A bit cocky, aren't you?"
"Well, he's not cocky without good reason," Sirius said loyally. "He's a ruddy good Chaser."
James beamed at him.
"You know you aren't too bad yourself—"
"I'm not joining the team, mate."
"But think of how much fun we'd have together!"
"But, mate, me and Pete here are the two most important members of your fan-club. Without us..."
"But…wait, I have a fan-club?"
"Indubitably."
"How many witches are in this fan-club?"
"Including Peter?"
"Well, yes I suppose so."
Peter squealed a laugh before realizing he was being insulted.
Sirius said, "Including Peter…one."
"I want out."
"You can't choose the members of your own fan-club."
"Disband, immediately."
"Fine, I can get Marlene to join, right McKinnon?"
"No. Besides, I play, I deserve my own fan-club."
"But McKinnon, if you joined, our fan-club would be called PMS for Potter."
And so they talked about Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch Cup, about new students, their new classes, OWLs, and more, while eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans and Cauldron Cakes and Chocolate Frogs from the trolley. Eventually Marlene did leave the compartment, but Remus joined the three boys. Back in their gang of four, still laughing and stuffing their faces, the boys swapped stories from their summer.
Sirius told hilarious stories about locking his house-elf with illegal magic in the cupboard under the attic, tricking Regulus into entering a pub that he swore was the Leaky Cauldron (it wasn't- it was a muggle strip club for women), and about the news that his favorite cousin had a new daughter. What he didn't mention was how his other cousins whom he was sure were death eaters had been around the house all summer making the only Gryffindor's summer quite a nightmare, a summer he spent counting down the days until he would see Hogwarts and his best friends again….
James told them about the many parties he had been forced to attend with his parents, the pranks he had played there (including slipping many questionable substances to various important Ministry members for entertaining results), and all his Quidditch escapades with his neighbors and cousins. What he didn't talk about was Voldemort- how he had killed their family friends, the dementor attacks near his house, and his fear that his parents were growing steadily older and frailer, and there was nothing that James could do about it.
When talk turned to their plans for the school year, and how they were going to make it exciting, James felt himself tune out Sirius momentarily to think about Evans again, and the way she had looked when she walked into the compartment- her red hair and hips swinging, her face alight with laughter…the look on her face when he had smiled at her. Suddenly, James thought- Well, maybe I don't like her like her, but I can still ask her out can't I? On a …friendly sort of date? Thrilled by this idea, he joined Sirius heartily in planning their next Hogwarts great adventures.
It was in this blissful fashion that they finally managed to change into their robes, slip from the train, and into the Thestral-drawn carriages to Hogwarts at last.
Fifth years were being given more work than ever, and it was only the first day back. Remus was stressed.
"How can you even think of Animagus transformation when we have two rolls of parchment due for Transfiguration, and we need to read a book by next Charms lesson, and we need to hand in an essay on the uses of Aconite?"
"Jeez, Remus, behind on work already? It's only first day back!" Sirius said, haughtily.
"How are you not behind?" Remus retorted, stung.
"Sirius and I finished Transfig during break, we both read that Charms book ages ago, and that essay isn't due for another few days. And anyway, wolfsbane, aconite, the uses are pretty obvious, if you ask me," said James, not bothering to keep his voice down. A number of fifth years around them in the common room shot him looks of mingled resentment and admiration.
"Well, I'm with you, Remus," a girlish voice chimed. James whipped around to see Lily Evans passing them, her red hair dancing behind her. "I'm retiring to the library, and it's the first day back!"
James watched her go through the portrait hole, and then hastily made up his mind.
"Hey, I fancy something from the kitchens, I'll be right back," said James, hurrying after Lily.
Sirius seemed stunned.
"WE JUST HAD DINNER!" he yelled after a retreating James, who waved quickly and then jumped out the portrait hole.
"Evans. Oi, EVANS!" James yelled, as he ran down the hall. Lily turned around.
"Oh, hello, Potter. Where are you headed?"
"Library as well."
"I thought you said you were done with all your work?"
"I am," James said, as they began to walk together. "But I wanted to grab something to read to pass the time, you know."
"Free time? That must be nice," Lily said grudgingly. James laughed. When his laughter died, an uncomfortable silence fell between them.
James broke the silence.
" So, Prefect Lily…are you meeting anyone in the library?"
Lily threw him a searching, surprisingly shrewd look.
"A friend."
"Snivellus?" Now she was glaring at him.
"Can't you just leave him alone? You won't cause trouble in the library, will you?"
"Nah, Evans," said James cheerfully, running a hand through his hair, "was just making conversation was all. I'll leave him alone if that's what you want," James said, (at the time, he really had intended to). Lily looked at him suspiciously, but did not comment. Another rather awkward pause ensued.
"So…what book was it you were going to get?" Lily asked, making a stab at a conversation, as they turned the corner of the corridor leading to the library.
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," James said immediately. Lily looked mildly surprised.
"Oh…we don't have Care of Magical Creatures work already, do we?"
"Nah, I just wanted to see if there was a particular beast in there."
"Oh…maybe I could help?"
"Well, you know where this beast lives."
She looked puzzled.
"I'm looking for the entry: 'James Potter, a handsome and fantastic beast, known to prowl the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Madam Pince shrieked at Lily to be quiet and a number of students in the library shot her annoyed glances. Severus Snape, in the back, looked mutinous as he saw Lily Evans enter the library, beaming and barely able to control her laughter, next to an extremely smug-looking James Potter.
"Potter, you are terrible," Lily whispered. "You got me in trouble, on the first day back!" Despite all this, she was smiling.
"Well, what else am I here for, Miss Evans?" James replied with an exaggerated wink. Lily rolled her eyes.
"I'll see you later, James," she said, smiling.
"Yes, alright." James disappeared behind the nearest shelf.
He watched from between two books as Lily made her way to the table where Severus Snape, thinner, more pallid, and greasier looking than ever, was seated. Giving her a thirty second head-start, James prowled from shelf to shelf until he was hidden behind the shelf right beside their table.
"What were you doing talking to Potter?" James heard Snape ask in a voice that seemed to be barely controlling rage.
"We just walked down from the common room together. You know, this thing between you two is getting ridiculous." Lily said, frowning. Snape spluttered.
"What thing? He and his cronies take to ganging up on me and jinxing me every chance they get?"
"I know what they do to you is horrible, but sometimes, Sev, you give as good as you get."
"So, you're saying I should just take what they do lying down?" he replied so quickly that it seemed to James that this conversation had happened multiple times before.
"No, I'm saying you shouldn't taunt them. Like…that spell you used on Potter last year, I saw that you know! The one where he was bleeding from gashes forming in his skin…that was Dark Magic, that was!"
"Oh, not this again," Snape muttered. Lily flared up at once.
"Yes, this again! I don't understand your… obsession with Dark Magic, and I don't support it one bit."
"Lily, when you are dueling, it doesn't matter what kind of magic you use, so long as you get the better of the other guy," Snape muttered, although he would not meet her eye.
"Well, Potter and his lot don't use Dark Magic, and they've beaten you enough times." And then she froze. She looked at Snape, who was glaring at his book.
"That's because, if you haven't noticed, they never come after me unless it's four against one," he hissed. Lily sighed and reached for her books in her bag. As she was spreading them out on the table, she spoke again.
"Look, forget I said anything. I just have this feeling that he might…stop harassing you this year." Snape looked up, staring at Lily.
"You didn't say anything to him, did you?" he asked quietly. Lily shook her head hastily.
"I didn't!" she said. Snape looked suspiciously at her, before turning back to his books once more. They both seemed immersed in their books within minutes. James, his heart thumping inexplicably over the conversation he had just heard, was just about to escape back to the common room when Snape opened his mouth again.
"Lily," he began.
"Hmm?"
"Did you see the dates for Hogsmeade trips were posted on the walls?"
"Oh, goodness, already? No I didn't see them."
"Well…there's one coming up."
"Hmm." Lily scratched away at her essay with a quill. Snape, looking supremely awkward was twisting a handkerchief between his hands. James wished Snape would put that cloth to other use; his nose was dripping, something James noticed even from the small gap between the shelves. Snape's eyes were roving from left to right, and quite suddenly James knew exactly what he was going to do. He fought the sudden urge to either laugh or strangle Snape.
"I was wondering…if you wanted to go with me."
"Oh," Lily said, looking up at last. James could see she was trying to look as if this request was not a cause for panic. "As friends, you mean?"
Snape didn't respond. Lily blushed.
"Oh, Sev, I didn't know that you…um…well, that's really very sweet and brave of you to ask me," she said earnestly. "But the thing is…." She paused, and now her face had turned a delicate shade of maroon. James couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
"It's our fifth year, and we've got O.W.L.s coming up and our careers to worry about, and we already have so much work to do, and it's only the first day back! And I just don't want to make life more stressful and difficult by thinking about anything except my schoolwork and spending time with…friends." She said all this very quickly and breathlessly, although, James noted and was impressed by the fact that she looked at Snape the entire time. Snape, however, was not looking at her when he replied.
"Sorry, I just thought I'd….I get it."
"It's really not you," Lily said, earnestly. "It's—"
"It's ok." Snape replied curtly, and suddenly he was packing up his books. Lily looked shocked.
"Wait, Sev, where are you going?"
"I forgot, I promised to meet someone at eight."
"Meet…someone…who?"
"I do have other friends, you know," Snape said coldly.
"I never said you didn't…well…alright then, I'll see you later," Lily said guiltily. "I will see you later…won't I?"
"Sure Lily," Snape said robotically, hurrying out of the library without another glance. Lily watched him go. She then returned determinedly back to her work, her face scarlet.
James left the library five minutes later, lost in thought. He walked, headfirst, into Sirius Black.
"Kitchens, was it?" Sirius asked, eyebrows raised. He was looking suspiciously at James.
"How'd you know where I was?"
"Call it a best friend's intuition. So, what did Evans have to say to you?"
James sighed. He turned to return to the common room with his best friend.
"Nothing really…but get this. I just heard Snivellus ask her on a date to Hogsmeade."
For the first time in his life, Sirius Black was speechless. James saw his eyes widen in shock and disbelief, and his mouth open and close a few times, before he burst out laughing. James couldn't help but join in.
"Snive…llus…and…hic….Evans! hic….MERLIN that's hilarious!"
"I know, right?"
"Wait, wait," Sirius backtracked. "What did she say?"
"No, of course. She made up some excuse about concentrating on her schoolwork I mean, please," James replied, still chuckling. "Like anyone would go out with that slimy git. " Sirius guffawed, but then his laughter subsided.
"James, c'mon, mate," Sirius said, sounding suddenly aggravated.
"Hmm?"
"You could like any other witch in this entire school…there are so many that are less likely to give you lumbago. Why on earth would you start going after Lily Evans?" he spat her name as if he were saying "spattergroit".
James blinked.
"I don't like her, Sirius."
"You're starting to," Sirius replied immediately, albeit reluctantly. "I'm your best mate, I know you . It's a mystery to me why, though."
Silence.
"Well, can you blame me Pads? She's cute, smart, nice...and...I don't know, there's something about her."
Sirius scoffed.
"Mate, I don't see it, but it's your funeral. Why don't you just ask her out and be done with it?"
James didn't respond, unable to own up to the fact that so far, he hadn't been given one hint that Lily Evans liked him back.
Neither of them realized that Severus Snape, held back by tying his shoes, had heard their entire conversation.
Alice was beaming and running towards him.
"JAMES, Frank just met me in Hogsmeade, and HE JUST ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM! WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!"
James caught Alice before she could run him over and, despite his scrawny arms, managed to pick her up off her feet and spin her around, laughing his delight and congratulations. She squealed her own delight, showering his face with kisses. When he put her down gently, she beamed up at him, her entire face lighting as he had never seen it before; he thought he had never seen anyone looking prettier.
He glanced up for an instant to see Lily standing behind Alice, beaming her own delight at her friend's happiness behind her.
Well, James could be wrong, sometimes.
Sirius Black watched Severus Snape watching Remus Lupin cross the yard to the Whomping Willow. And suddenly, inspiration, or was it madness? struck him, and he walked up to Snape, in a whisper asking if he wanted to know Remus' secret…
When James Potter found his best friend laughing, he expected to join in on the joke, but when he heard what Sirius had done, with only a look of contempt for his best friend, he ran after Severus Snape…if he saw Remus…all would be lost…
Dumbledore was there when he pushed Snape out panting, having narrowly escaped Remus' bite. He walked with Sirius and Snape up to Dumbledore's office in silence, not looking at either of the boys, unsure of whom, at that moment, he was repulsed by more…
At breakfast the next day, Sirius Black came to sit down by his best friend.
"I'm sorry Remus," he began.
"Remus mumbled an "It's ok," without looking up.
"I'm sorry, James," Sirius continued.
James jumped up.
"YOU ALMOST KILLED TWO PEOPLE." He yelled, his hazel eyes flashing. Several people, including the entire Gryffindor table, were staring at him. Sirius Black, for the first time in anyone's living memory, looked close to tears.
"Why did you go after him?" Sirius asked pleadingly, whispering so only a few Gryffindors could make out his words. "I thought you hated him as well, and honestly mate, I didn't think about his death or anything, I just thought he deserved it, sneaking around, I didn't, I didn't…"
"JUST BECAUSE I HATE HIM DOESN'T MEAN I WANT THE GREASY HAIRED GIT TO BE KILLED BY—" James broke off, glancing first at Remus, then at his raptly listening audience, and then finally up at Dumbledore. "THE WHOMPING WILLOW, ALRIGHT?"
He stormed off.
But really, it was too hard to be mad at Sirius Black forever, and in less than a week's time and after a long, late-night talk, the two boys were best friends once more and things in Hogwarts seemed normal once again. After cementing their friendship again, James and Sirius were eager to throw a low-key prank, which involved James collecting some plants from the greenhouse. As he made his way past the courtyard under his invisibility cloak, he heard a familiar voice…
A/N: Dialogue owned by JKR (for full scene, please reference The Deathly Hallows, Ch: The Prince's Tale)
"What about Potter and his gang?" Snape's voice.
"What's Potter got to do with anything?" James could recognize Lily's voice anywhere.
"They sneak out at night. There's something weird about that Lupin. Where does he keep going?
"He's ill— they say he's ill…"
"Every month at the full moon?"
"I know your theory," Lily said to Snape, sounding cold. James' heart was beating rapidly in his chest. "Why do you care what they're doing at night?"
"I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are."
Even in the evening light, James could see what Snape said had made Lily blush. His heart was pounding in his chest. They were walking away, their voices fading, but he still caught snippets of what Lily was saying.
" You're being really ungrateful…I heard James Potter saved you from whatever's inside the Whomping Willow…."
James couldn't hear the rest, but somehow it didn't matter. Humming to himself and dancing a little, James entered the greenhouse.
It was November, the Friday before the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor against Slytherin. James, having already managed to turn his Porcupine into a pin cushion, was trying to deny the fact that he was feeling nervous about the upcoming match. The new Slytherin beaters looked like a pair of female trolls. He watched for a while as Sirius amused himself by harassing Peter, while Peter accidentally gave his porcupine the ability to breathe fire. Remus was struggling with the spell as well, although less abysmally.
He turned to his notebook, doodling idly. He scratched out a dragon breathing fire, and then a porcupine. Rather pleased with both drawings, he continued drawing a pair of trolls, a beaters bat, a Quaffle, and then snitch. The snitch was giving him a few problems. He tried to carve the intricate drawings he had seen on the golden ball into his minute paper drawing. All he managed to do was create a flowery looking letter "L". He glanced around and found Lily towards the front of the class.
It appeared as if she had successfully transfigured her porcupine as well. She was scratching some notes onto her paper, a look of intense concentration on her face, her green eyes narrowed, her auburn hair falling effortlessly around her.
Glancing back down, James crossed off the minute snitch on his paper. James then drew another, larger snitch on his paper. Inside he carved an elegant looking L, followed by an elegant looking E…
The bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day.
Sirius was still busy making fun of Peter, so James scanned the crowd around him. As he made his way to the Great Hall, many people, particularly girls, accosted him.
"Good luck tomorrow James!" Jenna Abbott called out with a wave.
James ran his hands through his hair, messing it up even more, recalling the windswept look his favorite Quidditch player had when he dismounted his broom.
"I'll score one for you, Jenna!" he yelled back. Jenna, giggling, walked away towards the Hufflepuff dormitories.
"Go get 'em Potter!" a stout and rather tough-looking 7th year girl called out in an alto voice. He grinned his appreciation.
"Thanks, Miggelan!"
"A kiss for luck tomorrow, James," a particularly bold looking Gryffindor 6th year said, swooping down to kiss his cheek, her long black hair swinging. James remembered her as one of the girls from the train, and threw her a winning smile, his cheeks flaming.
He looked up just in time to see Lily Evans rolling her eyes as she walked into the entrance hall, looking rather cross.
His spirits soared.
It was his 15th goal. Even if Slytherin managed to catch the snitch at that exact moment, Gryffindor would still win the match. With this thought in mind, James was doing a few loops to let out his ecstatic energy, to appreciative roars from the scarlet-and-gold clad supporters below, when he was quite suddenly hit in the stomach by a ferociously hit bludger.
Barely holding onto his broom, gasping, James didn't even see the other bludger that rammed into the back of his head, and quite suddenly, he was falling...
He hit the ground with a sickening crunch and everything went black.
Seconds later, or so it seemed to James, he opened his eyes in the hospital wing. He reached for his glasses on the bedside table, and put them on. He blinked. His three best friends, paler than he had ever seen them, his Quidditch team, and what looked like the entirety of Gryffindor House, surrounded his bed.
"How do you feel, James?" his Quidditch captain asked.
"M'alright," he replied, groggily.
"HE LIVES!" Yelled Sirius, to the tumultuous cheering of the crowd around him. The hospital door banged open, and Madam Pomfrey, the young School Nurse stepped in.
"EVERYBODY OUT!" She shrieked. People hastened to the door, not before yelling congratulations to him, and the score from the game, 300-0, thanks to James' 15 goals, and the snitch. James, despite the broken bones in his arms and legs, felt he had never been happier in his entire life. To raise his spirits even higher, he saw a mane of red hair in the crowd headed for the door. Lily cared about him, did she?
"Hey, Evans, could you hold back a second?" James said softly (he really didn't have much energy left). He didn't know if she could hear him above the thundering crowd heading for the exit. It seemed she had, however, for she turned around and made her way to his bedside. He saw Sirius turn around as well, looking mutinous, but Remus dragging him off.
Madam Pomfrey glared at him.
"This is only one person, and I just want to talk to her for a minute," James said coaxingly.
She sighed. James sniffed defeat.
"Go on, Madam Pomfrey," he said, smiling winningly at her.
"I'm timing you," she replied, before stepping back into her office.
He turned to look at Lily, who looked anxious and rather awkward. They were the only two in the room.
"Are you alright, Potter? That was some fall you had back there….it looked awful. Everyone was terrified."
"I'm fine," he said. "Some win, huh? What'd you think of the match?" he asked her, grinning rather cockily, still high from the news of their victory.
Lily rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
"I expect you know already that you were brilliant," she said, grudgingly, playing with the Gryffindor scarf around her neck. James' smile broadened.
"Hey Evans, I wanted to ask you if you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend."
Lily's hands froze.
Seconds, or it could have been years, went by.
"I said, do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?" James repeated, trying to sound more confident that he felt at that moment, despite the 300-0 victory he had just secured for Gryffindor House.
"Um…as friends, you mean?" Lily asked, in a would-be casual voice.
James' heart was hammering.
"I think you know that I don't mean as friends," he replied over the sound of his own hammering heart. He wished it would stop thumping so loud, he could barely hear his own thoughts.
Another eternity, during which James' heart was in overdrive, went by, before Lily opened her mouth again.
"Um…wow. That's…er… thank you…but, I'm really sorry, I just…I'm behind on schoolwork, and I don't think I have time for…"
"For Hogsmeade visits?" James asked skeptically, and nonchalantly. Lily couldn't possibly know that his heart was hammering painfully, bile had risen in his throat, his neck was sweaty, and that his face felt on the verge of flaming.
"Well…" Lily said, somewhat abashed. "For dating."
"Oh," James replied. To hide his disappointment, James had to laugh.
"I thought that was just something you told Snivellus because you didn't want to date him, but alright," he said. Immediately he knew he had said the wrong thing. Lily's expression changed rapidly from one of embarrassment to one of astonishment to one of anger. Her green eyes were slits.
"Excuse me?" she squeaked.
His heart was still hammering loudly, and painfully. He wished it would stop.
"I said—"
"I heard what you said. How did you even know….you know what, it doesn't matter. For your information, James BIGHEAD Potter, I'd rather spend any Hogsmeade visit with Severus than you." She turned on her heel and slammed the door to the hospital wing behind her.
James' heart took its time quieting down. Only then was he left in silence.
It was Monday afternoon, and Severus Snape was walking past James Potter in the hallway, immersed in a book, barely watching where he was going. James felt his blood boiling beneath his skin as soon as he saw him, Lily's words ringing in his ears. To make matters worse, James could clearly see, from its black cover and shady markings, that the book in his hands contained nothing but spells on the Dark Arts.
"Sirius," James said.
"Hmm?"
"Snivellus."
Sirius turned around, and his face split into a grin.
"Look at that grease. Eack, Looks like someone needs a bath, don't you think, James?"
James didn't need further coaxing.
"Scougrify!"
People all around him were laughing as Severus Snape's greasy hair was covered in pink frothy bubbles that were oozing down his face.
"Well…at least he'll be cleaner now," he heard Marlene McKinnon saying, fairly, as Snape frantically tried to keep bubbles from his eyes, dropping his book. The laughter increased.
He heard Lily.
"Remus, we're Prefects, we have to stop—"
"Potter, what do you think you are doing?" It was McGonagall. She waved her wand at Snape, and the bubbles vanished at once. Bright red, Snape hurried away from the scene, leaving his book behind. "Detention, my office, tomorrow night. I'm ashamed of you, Potter."
James had the decency to look abashed, at least.
"I'd have stopped myself if Evans would have agreed to go out with me, Professor," James said, loudly and cheekily. Several girls in the watching crowd laughed, throwing glances of wonder, mirth, and even resentment at Lily Evans, who was standing next to Marlene. Lily didn't crack a smile.
"Sod off, Potter," she said, turning around and walking away. Marlene shrugged at James and shot him a smile before following her.
James was sure McGonagall'S lip twitched.
"Better luck next time then, Potter. I'll see you at seven in my office."
The thing is, when you get used to hexing one person, each consecutive hex and jinx, as James found out, became easier and was accompanied by less guilt than the last.
It was only natural, really, when he heard Bertram Aubrey call him "big-headed", and Sirius retorted that Aubrey probably had never seen a big head, that he should hex him so his head doubled in size.
Well, why should he stop at only hexing Snivellus?
He might as well hex Sirius' younger brother who sneered at them both, or Abraham Smith who sneered at Remus' shabby clothes, or Bertha Jorkins for teasing Peter (only he, Sirius, and Remus were allowed to do that) as well.
To be fair to himself, however, James saved his worst hexes and jinxes for Severus Snape, whom he had grown to steadily hate.
"James," Sirius would begin. He would spot Snape, perhaps in a crowded hallway, or more infuriatingly, eyeing Remus and Madam Pomfrey from afar as they headed towards the Whomping Willow.
They would both hex Snape at once, leaving him writhing on the floor more resembling a slug than a human. Often, if Peter Pettigrew was with them, his squeaking, delighted laughter, made them puff their chests out a little more than usual.
But the most interesting part of this story, dear readers, is how James Potter dealt with his rejection at the hands of Lily Evans.
James Potter had never dealt with rejection in his entire life, and he wasn't about to start now. He began to start asking Lily Evans at every opportunity. At first he thought he would be able to wear her down with his charm. Soon it became habit to ask out Lily Evans at every opportunity, although Remus called it obsession.
If he was honest with himself, each rejection hurt like another stab at a fresh wound that had not yet begin to heal.
He'd start at breakfast.
"Good morning Evans," he would say pleasantly, deepening his voice and running his hands through his hair.
Lily's civility was growing thin.
"What Potter?"
"Lovely day, isn't it?"
She'd stare at him suspiciously.
"I suppose."
"It'd be even lovelier if you agreed to go out with me."
No response.
James Potter would usually finish his classwork within the first half hour of the period, and spend the remaining time staring at Lily Evans or doodling her name on his paper while talking to, or hexing unsuspecting students with his best friend. Lily, who felt his stare, was becoming increasingly cross.
In Potions, Slughorn would walk by his cauldron and give it an approving nod.
"Although not quite the consistency Miss Evans achieved—"
"I'd perform infinitely better in Potions, Sir, if only Lily Evans would agree to go out with me," James would say smoothly. "You see, I'm love sick, and that effects Potions-making." Slughorn would laugh.
"Well, Miss Evans? What do you say to this love-sick fellow?"
"To be honest sir, I rather like being best at Potions, so I would have to say 'no,'" she would say cheekily, grinning at Slughorn and, as he was roaring with laughter, glaring at James. She became increasingly annoyed, and her answers became inceasingly cheeky, as Slughorn continued to ask her and Potter how their "romance" was blossoming.
In the hallway, he noticed with increasing satisfaction, that Severus Snape was growing furious with him and, in turn, cross with Lily Evans, whom he saw hanging around her old best friend less and less. Although, he really shouldn't have rejoiced about that fact because this seemed to make Lily Evans crosser than ever, and her rejections still less civil.
"Go out with me Evans?"
"Leave me alone, Potter."
"Go out with me Evans?"
"Go away, Potter."
"Want to go to Hogsmeade with me Evans?"
Through gritted teeth: "When hell freezes over Potter. When hell freezes over."
"Hey Evans, go out with me?"
"HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE GIRLS DORMITORY? What about the enchantment, oh forget it, OUT, OUT, OUT."
"It's not like you're in your knickers or something, you're fully clothed aren't yo—"
"OOUUUUUUUTTTT AND FOR THE FINAL TIMES, NO I WILL NOT GO OUT WITH YOU! AND BY THE WAY, I'M THROWING YOU IN DETENTION."
And in such a manner did James Potter's 5th year begin to fly by.
A month before OWLs began, James, Sirius, and Peter finally succeeded in their Animagus transformation. In the Forbidden forest they transformed again and again, in front of a pale and sickly (the Full Moon was the next night), though impressed and extremely grateful looking Remus Lupin.
"Did you say I'm a deer?" James said, when he turned himself back into human form. Remus shook his head.
"You've got prongs, James. You transform into a stag."
"Thank heavens," James replied cheekily, grinning. "Much more manly."
"Hey, how about that for a nickname?" Sirius said.
"What?"
"Prongs for a nickname?"
James thought about it.
"I like it!" he said finally. "I've always hated the name Jimmy, anyway, and this one can be just between us. What about your nickname, Sirius?" he asked.
"Maybe they should all match, somehow…like, start with the letter P?"
"Yeah," James agreed eagerly. "Transform again so we can see what we can come up with!"
In an instant, a black dog was before them. James petted the enormous dog, who, despite himself wagged his tail. Remus, Peter, and James all laughed.
"Shake," James said, holding out his hand. Obediently, Sirius held out his paw. The others guffawed.
"We could call him 'paw'," Peter suggested.
The great black dog growled and shook his head. James, who was still holding his paw, was struck with inspiration.
"Padfoot?" he asked, uncertainly. And now the dog bounded up and licked his cheek before chasing his tail in delight.
"Padfoot it is," Remus laughed.
"Why don't you change now, Peter?"
Peter did so immediately, and, to make his friends laugh, began chasing his tail just as Sirius had done.
"When he does that, it's not as cute as when I do it," Sirius said, back in human form. "I mean, his tail looks like a worm."
James and Sirius looked at each other.
"Wormtail!" they yelled.
"And how about Remus can be…wolfy is too obvious…hey, how about Moony?" James asked
"Loony Moony? Excellent," Sirius replied with a grin.
"This is awesome, mate. Man, I wonder what Lily would think if she saw my animagus form?"
The three boys surrounding him rolled their eyes.
"She'd report you to the authorities, crazy Prongs."
In lieu of their first successful night-time rendezvous as four non-humans in the Forbidden Forest, the four best friends were feeling rowdier, cockier, and more like they owned the world than ever before…can you really blame them?
And then, at the end of their 5th year, the infamous scene took place...
A/N: JKR's again- reference The Order of the Phoenix Ch: Snape's Worst Memory for full scene.
"You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter... Leave him alone."
"I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on… go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."
"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid."
"What is it with her?" James asked himself over and over again the following night. They had just finished taking their last exam, and James had thought, in lieu of this cheering event that Lily Evans would be more forgiving towards him, but he was very, very wrong. When she caught sight of him after their last exam ended, she glared at him with bloodshot, red eyes, and ground her teeth at him before stalking away. James glanced at Marlene for help, but she shrugged her shoulders, threw him an apologetic look, and followed her friend.
"Mate, please, for all our sakes, give her up." Sirius said. "Moony, back me up, here."
Remus sighed.
"Look Prongs," he began. "You're one of my best-friends, and you're a great guy, but you don't let Lily see the guy you really are; you only show her the prick you occasionally like to be."
James rolled over on his bed.
"I resent that."
"She's not going to like you, and agree to go out with you, until she sees the other side of you."
James thought for a while.
"I'll make her see it!" he said, triumphantly, and actually made to get up before Sirius shoved him back down onto the bed.
"That'll take at least a few months, you dolt. And besides, even if she starts thinking you're an okay guy, she's not gonna like you until you give her a taste of her own medicine, Prongs," Sirius said. Remus threw him a sharp, searching look, but didn't contradict him.
"Meaning?"
"Look, I know girls, Prongs. Girls go crazy and fall for you if you ignore them, and treat them, pretend if you have to, like you don't like them."
James stared at him for a long time, before finally, in a rather dead voice, replying.
"Really?"
"Yes. So, you're going to listen to me. You're not going to try to apologize to Lily Evans anymore. You are going to try to pretend she doesn't exist, especially to her face. You will avoid looking at her as much as possible. You will stop trying to win her over, or even talking to her at all more than necessary. It'll be as if you never liked her, or worse for her, as if you lost interest in her."
James stared at him blankly, and then turned to his other friend for help.
"Moony?"
Remus, who had been staring shrewdly at Sirius, turned his gaze to James.
"Well, to be honest, I think it'll work better than your approach thus far has worked, Prongs," he said finally, rather cautiously. James, stung, turned at last to Peter.
"Yeah, forget Lily Evans!" Wormtail squeaked, giving him a watery smile of encouragement.
Minutes went by in silence before James finally answered.
"Well…alright then. How about we start forgetting tonight, with a bottle of firewhisky?"
Sirius Black had always hated the substance but, for the sake of his best friend, he snuck into Hogsmeade to buy some Firewhisky. The four best friends celebrated the end of their fifth year by forgetting; James, his love-life, Remus, his shame, Sirius, his guilt, and Peter, his fear, if only for a little while.
A/N: And that's a wrap! Comments? Suggestions? New chapter soon!
Cheers and Love,
Science and Food