I decided to see where this story takes me . It won't be exactly like Sweet Home Alabama, there will be some twists and differences to make it original. Thanks for the reviews! You guys are awesome. I just have tons of ideas for this story. I don't think it'll be a long one, but we'll have to see.
Lily sat outside of James' door staring at her watch, realizing that any effort to make her portkey would be fruitless if she didn't have the papers signed. She cursed James again, and cursed herself for being stupid enough to think this would have been easy. When it came to her and James, nothing was easy.
With Jack, everything was simple. He was kind and gentle and she knew he loved her. On their first date, he'd taken her for a picnic in central park. Her first date with James involved sneaking out of Hogwarts and then getting attacked by death eaters and tortured with the Cruciatus Curse. Yes, James and Jack were as different as night and day. James was immature and stubborn, while Jack was considerate and did everything in his power to make Lily happy. She smiled thinking about him.
"He won't be coming out anytime soon," Sirius said as he noticed Lily was still sitting outside of James' door.
"He has to come out sooner or later, he's driven by his stomach and he'll get hungry," Lily said.
"You're right, but considering he just apparated to Remus and Kate's place for dinner, I think you'll be waiting for quite some time," Sirius said with a chuckle.
Lily furrowed her brow in frustration. Drat James Potter for running away from her. She should have charmed his bedroom to prevent apparition. It was a difficult spell, but she could have easily done it if she'd been using her head. However, James always did rile her up so she could never think logically around him.
"Right, well I suppose we'll just have to go to Remus and Kate's," Lily said.
Sirius stared at her.
"No way, James will likely kill me if I show up with you," Sirius said.
Lily pleaded and cajoled him and when that didn't work, she threatened with a variety of hexes and jinxes. Finally, just to shut her up, Sirius agreed.
"But if James asked, you used the damn imperious curse on me," Sirius said, trying to come up with the best defense he could think of.
With a blink of an eye and a quick tugging feeling at the belly button, Sirius and Lily arrived in Remus and Kate's living room. It was quite cozy with a roaring fire in the fire place.
"Good thing we didn't floo here," Lily joked, but Sirius didn't have time to answer before James hurled a curse in his direction.
James started advancing on him with a menacing look on his face.
"Whose side are you one Padfoot," he growled.
"Yours," Sirius said nonchalantly, knowing perfectly well that James would never hurt him.
However, before James had the chance to respond, Gabby stepped in.
"James, don't hurt him, his face is the only thing he has," Gabby said as she stepped in front of Sirius.
Sirius protested, saying that he had more than looks and proceeded to ramble off a long list of other amiable traits, but Gabby wasn't listening after she registered who was standing behind him.
"Actually, my mistake. James, hex him into oblivion," Gabby said and then turned around and headed towards the kitchen.
"My pleasure," James said.
Lily, who was extremely taken aback by the cold reception she had just received from Gabby, ran off after her.
She burst into the kitchen to find Gabby whispering something to Kate, who looked at her with confusion. The two girls who Lily used to consider her best friends, continued to stare at her obviously trying to force an explanation from her. Suddenly, Lily regretted her hasty decision to invade this dinner party. Obviously, his disappearing act warranted a rather cold reception.
"I'm sorry, I can explain," Lily said.
Gabby laughed. Lily knew Kate would forgive her because it wasn't in her nature to hold grudges or be obstinate, but Gabby would be harder to win over.
"Explain why you disappeared and didn't contact us for seven years?" Gabby said incredulously. "Go ahead; I'm sure it'll be a whopper of a story."
"I had my reasons," Lily shot back.
"I'm sure you do. I'm also sure that they are utter bullocks," Gabby replied.
"The door swings both ways, you could have contacted me," Lily replied.
"Right, when I didn't have a bloody clue where you were," Gabby said. "You missed everything Lily, so don't expect us to throw a party in your honor to welcome your return."
"I wasn't expecting a party," Lily said, feeling slightly defeated once again.
At this point Kate decided to step in. She approached Lily and gave her a hug.
"It's good to see you," she whispered.
"Traitor," Gabby muttered.
"So what brought you back?" Kate asked as she poured Lily a glass of wine.
Lily reluctantly lifted her hand to show the diamond ring on her finger.
"Bloody hell, that thing is the size of a hippogriff," Gabby said as she looked at Lily's hand.
"Oh Lily, it's beautiful," Kate said, in awe of the beautiful gem.
"Who's the lucky bloke?" Gabby asked. "Not that I care or anything," she added.
"His name is Jack Gage and he's a lawyer from New York," Lily said proudly.
"That's a muggle name if I've ever heard one," Gabby grouched.
It was true, Jack was a muggle and he didn't know that Lily was a witch. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell him, she did. She just wasn't sure of the best way to go about it. She felt bad about keeping secrets from him, but she justified her deception by convincing herself that she wasn't part of the magical world anymore.
"Yes, he's a muggle, but it doesn't matter to me," Lily said defensively.
"Does he know you're a witch?" Kate asked.
"Yes," Lily lied.
"Are you still married to James?" Gabby asked.
"Yes," Lily replied.
"Isn't that a bit of a problem," Gabby asked.
"Yes," Lily said.
"So that's why you're here. You are trying to get James to divorce you," Gabby said.
"Yes, and as soon as he signs the papers, I'll be taking the first portkey off this bloody island," Lily said.
Lily almost felt ashamed of her motives for returning. They weren't to reconnect with old friends or make amends, but rather they were selfish, and for that Lily felt horrible.
"Silly me, I thought maybe you were back to see us," Kate said.
Lily knew exactly what her friends were doing. They were master manipulators and their attempts to make her feel guilt were working.
"Don't start that Kate, I know what you are trying to do," Lily pleaded.
"You didn't even come to my wedding," Kate pressed, her eyes looking sadder every minute.
"You aren't going to convince me to stay," Lily said stubbornly.
"Oh you'll stay, because James Potter will never sign those papers of yours, for the simple reason that it'd make you too bloody pleased," Gabby argued.
Lily had been afraid of this. James loved to be contrary. He'd never cared what she wanted or what would make her happy. She just hoped it wouldn't take too long for him to come to his senses.
"Why won't he? It's not like he hasn't moved on. It's been seven years," Lily said, hoping her friends might provide some answers for her.
Kate looked as if she was about to say something, but a sharp look from Gabby made her refrain from doing so. Instead her friends answered her question with their silence.
"Fine, if he wants a wife, I'll give him a wife," Lily said, as a plan began to form in her head.
"Lily, what do you mean to do?" Kate asked, hoping that no furniture in her house would be broken.
Lily and James' rows were famous for causing enormous amounts of upheaval.
"Nothing, but give him what he deserves," Lily said.
"Fine, but can your evil plan to torture James please wait until tomorrow? It would be so lovely to have a peaceful, friendly dinner," Kate pleaded.
Lily conceded to start her mayhem tomorrow to please Kate, and the girls decided it was time to re-join everyone for dinner. By the time they walked back out into the living room, James, Sirius, and Remus were enjoying a few beers and avidly discussing quidditch.
"Some things never change," Lily said to herself.
"Remus, I thought you said you'd set the table," Kate said as she looked at her dinning room table without any plates or silverware on it.
Remus quickly rectified the situation with the wave of his wand, and Kate chastised him for being so careless with her mother's dishes. Soon, the six of them were sitting down to dinner.
"I'm not sitting next to her," James whined as he saw the only place left was next to Lily.
"Why, afraid I'll bite?" Lily asked.
"No, just afraid some of that rude American attitude you have picked up is contagious," James replied.
"As if you aren't rude yourself," Lily retorted.
"I don't bust in on other peoples' dinner parties uninvited," James supplied.
"I wouldn't have had to if you'd just do what I ask," Lily said.
"No," James said.
Their friends watched this exchange, ready for curses to start flying like they did back at Hogwarts before Lily and James started dating. Kate quickly intervened.
"That's enough! James go sit by Remus, and I'll sit next to Lily and if either of you starts at it again, you'll both regret it," Kate said, standing in between them, hoping to prevent any slip of the wand either might suffer from.
James grumbled slightly and scowled at Kate for her interference.
"Don't look at her like that, you're the one who refuses to act civilized," Lily said as she watched James' expression blacken.
"Lily, stop it," Kate said as she rounded on her friend with determination in her eyes.
The meal started off in silence, nobody wanting to set James or Lily off. Lily wanted to say something about how much she had missed everyone, but decided anything she would say would sound insincere and James would undoubtedly make a cutting remark at her expense. Thankfully it was Remus who broke the silence.
"Anyone think Dumbledore looked a little tired at the Order meeting last week?" Remus asked.
Everyone glared at him for mentioning the Order in Lily's presence. He turned slightly red; embarrassed that he'd made such an error. Lily quickly came to his defense.
"Honestly, you all don't need to give Remus the death glare, it's not like I was never a member of the Order. He didn't say anything I don't already know," Lily said diplomatically.
"Well you aren't a member anymore and it shouldn't be discussed in the presence of non-members," James said cuttingly.
"Are you saying you don't trust me," Lily said, slightly offended at James' comment.
"I'm saying we haven't seen you for seven years and who knows who you've been cavorting with," James replied testily.
Both Gabby and Kate shot him a warning look, but James paid no attention.
"Oh that's rich. Yes I'm secretly a Voldemort spy sent her to infiltrate your group and learn your secrets," Lily countered.
"It would explain why you just decided to show up," James said.
"You know why I came back," Lily said in a low tone, suggesting that she was on the verge of erupting with rage.
"Perhaps it's just a convenient excuse, kill two birds with one stone," James said.
Everyone knew that James was only saying these things to get a rise out of Lily. Despite her absence, she would always be loyal and would die before joining Voldemort. He'd killed her parents at her wedding after all.
"Of course I'd be working for the wizard who killed my parents, that makes perfect sense," Lily said quietly.
James stiffened slightly, knowing that he had gone too far. He may be mad at Lily, but that didn't justify practically calling her a death eater. He knew first hand how devastated she'd been when they died and she wasn't the same after it happened. She never said it, but he knew she blamed him for their deaths. It was the reason she'd left him and the wizarding world behind.
"And just in case you're curious, I am still a member of the Order. Dumbledore uses me as a liaison with the American wizarding community, so you can stop thinking you are the only one fighting Voldemort in this room," Lily said.
James smiled slightly after learning that Lily still had some fight in her. He'd be disappointed in her if she didn't.
"I never said that," James said testily.
"No, but it's what you and your gigantic ego think," Lily replied.
It was at this point that Gabby placed silencing charms on both participants in the war of words. Both James and Lily shot her angry looks, but she just said that she wouldn't remove the charms until the both promised to act like grown-ups. Everyone was appreciative of the silence and continued to eat their dinners in peace. After dinner, Sirius had the idea of gluing each combatant to their seats so they couldn't move or speak and everyone agreed that was a great idea. So Remus, Kate, Sirius and Gabby retreated to the living room to enjoy a bottle of wine and talk, but Lily and James were stuck at the dinner table unable to talk to each other or anyone else.
"Do you think that's such a good idea, leaving them to their own devices? They can still use their hands and therefore their wands," Kate said, still concerned about her furniture.
"It'll be good for them to be stuck with each other," Gabby said.
In the dining room, James and Lily stared at each other, resigned to their fates. Lily squirmed trying to release the bonds that kept her stuck to the chair. She used every non-verbal spell she could think of, but nothing worked. She watched as James sat leisurely in his chair eyeing her with amusement. Finally she summoned a peace of paper and a quill from a drawer in the kitchen. She wrote hastily on it.
"Any ideas for getting out of these chairs?" she wrote and shoved it toward James.
He read it with one eyebrow quirked in amusement that she'd ask for his help.
"When you squirm around it only seals the bond tighter so stop moving around for one," he wrote back and sent it back to her.
She tried not to be offended at the superior tone he was taking in his note. She chuckled slightly and wrote a response.
"Since we are stuck here and you now have a quill, how about you sign the bloody papers and I promise to leave you alone."
He read this and a frown formed on his handsome face.
"You must really love this git to be in such a rush to marry him."
Lily read his comment and didn't know quite how to respond.
"I'm not in a rush, I just want you to sign the papers so I can move on."
James read this with interest. He had to find out if she really was in love someone else.
"You didn't answer the question. Answer it and I'll sign the bloody papers."
Her stomach jumped as she read the response. If this was his price, then she'd gladly pay. However, she soon realized what he was doing and became angry again.
"It's none of your damn business," she wrote back.
"Bloody well is, you are my sodding wife so I think it's my business if you are in love with someone else."
"I'm not your wife James, I'm just the first girl who jumped on the back of your broom stick."
James' face fell. It hurt him to know that she treated their relationship with unimportance. He had loved her to distraction and she was willing to attribute it to a school girl romance.
"Keep telling yourself that, before you there were lots of other girls and after you there were lots more."
"I'm sure there were," Lily wrote back and then the notes stopped.
They remained sitting in silence not writing or saying a word to each other. Lily tried hard not to let the tears that were forming in her eyes slide down her cheeks. She knew James was putting up a wall to protect himself, but it hurt her just the same. She wanted desperately to get back to New York and her life. Finally, around midnight, Gabby came back into the room and removed the charms and when she did James and Lily continued not to say anything.
"Sorry for interrupting the party," Lily apologized. "It won't happen again."
She started to head for the door, but Gabby stopped her.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I probably should go find a hotel room for the night. Thought I might try the Leaky Cauldron," Lily said.
Everyone looked at each other.
"You aren't going anywhere, you just got back. You can come and stay with me," Gabby said.
Lily looked at her to make sure she really meant it, but Gabby rarely said things she didn't mean.
"Are you sure?" Lily asked.
"Don't be dense Lily, of course it's alright," Gabby said and put her arm around her friend's shoulder.
"Traitor," James mumbled.
If his friends accepted her back into the fold that would mean she would be around more and she would have more chances to nag him about signing the divorce papers. He grumbled a thank you to Kate for a lovely dinner and quickly apparated back to his flat. Sirius gave Gabby a quick kiss on the cheek and followed.
Lily hugged both Kate and Remus goodbye and promised to come over for coffee the next day, then the two girls apparated back to Gabby's flat.
Later that night, James sat in the living room with a glass of fire whiskey in his hand. Sirius saw the light on downstairs and went to check on his mate. He poured a glass for himself and took a seat on the couch.
"Why don't you just sign the papers?" Sirius asked.
"Because she wants me to," James replied as he took another sip of his drink.
"That's bullocks. I'm your best mate, you can't hide anything from me," Sirius said as he took a sip of his drink.
James continued to stare into the fire, deep in thought. He'd imagined what he would do if he saw Lily again millions of times, but now that she was here in the flesh and blood, and engaged to another bloke, which changed the situation entirely. He hadn't meant to be so boorish towards her, he just couldn't help it.
"I don't want to talk about it Sirius," James said evenly.
"Look James, you've been holding on to Lily for seven years. Either stop fighting with her and win her back or move on," Sirius said.
"You think I'm still hung up on Evans?" James asked, with a tone that suggested he thought Sirius' suggestion was ludicrous.
Sirius looked at James with confusion. His best friend had been in love with Lily since he was eleven years old and he knew the same was still true today.
"I know you James and you'll be in love with her until the day you die and probably after that as well. So don't play stupid," Sirius said.
"Lily and I haven't been in love for a long time," James mumbled.
"Yeah and its made you a miserable old grumpy git so I suggest you speed the process along and use that winning smile and any charm you have left to convince her to give it another go so I don't have to keep looking at your sad sorry mug," Sirius said bluntly.
"Even if I was interested, which I'm not, she's engaged to another bloke," James said.
"She's your bloody wife and since when has something as trivial as an American fiancé stopped you before? You aren't afraid of a little challenge are you" Sirius challenged.
"Come off it Sirius, Lily and I are over and we both want it that way," James said. "I'll make her sweat it out another day or two just because its fun to rile her up, but then I'll sign the bloody papers and it'll be done."
She wasn't his anymore. They'd had their chance and it hadn't worked out and now she was ready to move on. He'd always cared more about her happiness than his own and if marrying this American bloke and leaving her home and friends was what she wanted, then he wouldn't stop her.