sixteen – patience

"Alright, Evans?"

Lily looks up from Marlene's smuggled copy of The Female Eunuch that her mother had expressly forbade her from reading with a suspicious eyebrow raised. "What do you want?" she asks, turning a page.

"I'm bored," James declares. "Moony - Remus, I mean, is catching up the Arithmancy notes in the library, Pete's got some bird on the go -"

"Peter and Janet have been dating for three months, James."

"- and Sirius, the little berk that he is, has got a detention. And it's with McGonagall, too, so he doesn't stand a chance of being let out early." Lily gives him a reprimanding look and he holds his hands up. "You know how it is, Evans. A sweet word to the ladies and he's home and bloody dry."

Lily shakes her head and returns to her – Marlene's – book.

"So what can I do for you?"

"Well," he begins, but the reprimanding look returns and he tries a different tack. "What're you reading?"

"Germaine Greer," says Lily patiently, holding the book up so he can see the cover. "Feminist," she adds, and glares when James makes a derisive noise in the back of his throat. "I think she's brilliant, and she knows what she's talking about, but..." Lily looks down at the book and snaps it shut, bookmark in place. "It just doesn't seem as - I don't know - important? To me, right now, being hated for being Muggle-born is at the top of my list, and being a woman second, I suppose."

James leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Why are you reading it, then?"

"Cause Mar would have my head if I didn't," she says, and then, "and because I want to."

James raises a sceptical eyebrow.

"I do," Lily protests. "But she doesn't understand. She's a half-blood from a respectable family, and she's a Ravenclaw with respectable marks. She doesn't understand because she can't understand, you know?"

James scrunches his glasses up on his nose. "I suppose," he says noncommittally. "But she still believes in it, right?"

"Which?" Lily questions, placing the book on the coffee table and bringing her legs up underneath her. "Gender equality, or blood-status?"

"Both," James shrugs, "but I meant the blood-status thing. I mean, you don't have to be Muggle-born to know that Pureblood elitism is wrong – majorly wrong – and that everyone with magic in their veins should be free to own a wand. If you're born with magic, it's an inherent part of you, isn't it? You can't reverse being a witch or a wizard with a simple obliviate."

He flops back into the sofa cushions and Lily regards him.

"We're not talking about Marlene anymore, are we?" she says finally.

He breathes deeply. "Maybe not," James agrees, "but it's everyone's fight, Lily. It's everyone's responsibility. Regardless of her blood-status, she should have the opportunity to speak about her beliefs."

Lily's silent for a moment. "So Dark wizards and witches can spout whatever they want without criticism, then?"

Consideration breaks out on James' face. "I know what you're getting at, but - yes. If what we want is truly equality within Wizard-kind, then everyone should have their say. Even if it is prejudiced bullshit."

Lily sighs. "There's the James Potter we all know. I was scared you'd gone a bit John Lennon on me then. Imagine all the people, and whatnot. "

James gives her a confused glance. "The Beatles bloke?"

Lily snorts. "Honestly, if you could hear yourself. But yes. It's a Muggle song about peace," Lily explains with a wave of her hand. "I reckon you were channelling your inner hippie." They're both quiet for a time, the first-years playing Exploding Snap and third-years' Gobstones tournament breaking the silence.

"Why do you believe in blood-status equality?" she asks. "You're a Pureblood. You could have it all."

He gives her a wry smile. "It's not all it's cracked up to be. But it's how my parents raised me, I suppose. They fought against Grindlewald and saw the prejudice then. They wanted it to stop."

As Lily digests this new information the Fat Lady admits a slime covered Sirius to the common room. James roars with laughter.

"Shut it, Potter," Sirius growls. "I've just spent the last hour returning frogs to their normal state after a bunch of second-years attempted Transfiguration. I'm not happy."

At this Lily joins James in a fit of giggles and Sirius sends the pair of them a withering stare.

(Later, when she's lying in bed, Lily can't help remembering that their laughter twisted together in perfect harmony.)