Everywhere

Seventh year

Lily glared at James as they entered Hogsmeade, just so he would know that this was not a date. Dumbledore had asked them to patrol Hogsmeade, although for what reason she did not know.

"Three Broomsticks?" suggested James with a grin.

"We're here to patrol," said Lily. "Not to get a drink."

"Oh, come on," said James. "Dumbledore said that we had to enjoy ourselves. Remember? He said that it was just a precaution, but nothing serious, so we should enjoy ourselves, and if we see any students misbehaving or anything, to tell them off. He didn't ask us to go sniffing out miscreants in Hogsmeade."

Lily sighed after a hesitation. "Fine."

James Potter wasn't as infuriating as he used to be. Perhaps it might even be fun, having a drink with him, a friendly conversation. She stopped short. Fun? What was she thinking? This was James Potter, she reminded herself. An absolute, first-class, big-headed prat.

Or had he changed?

Lily sneaked a glance at him. All of her senses were telling her that he had, but she could not bring herself to believe it. Six years of obnoxiousness could not disappear overnight. Or, more realistically, over their summer holiday. But was it only summer that had changed him? She thought back to their sixth year. In the last few months of their previous year, his idiotic comments were fewer and less harsh, and that cocky grin was less cocky, more… What was the word? Playful, perhaps.

James pulled open the door, allowing her, with a sincere gesture of his hand, to go in first. Lily quickly walked over to the table that was the farthest away from the clusters of students. Rumours spread like wildfire at Hogwarts, and she would not take well to the whole school muttering excitedly about their Head Boy dating their Head Girl. James, grinning as always, pulled up a chair and sat opposite her.

Madam Rosmerta beamed as she caught sight of the two of them, and hurried over.

"What can I get you two?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with what looked like suppressed delight.

"I'll have a Butterbeer," said James. "And you?"

Lily nodded. "Me too."

She glanced around the inn, trying not to attract anyone's gaze. She didn't want to look at James, either, so watched Rosmerta as she headed to get their Butterbeers.

"Merlin, I'm thirsty," said James, leaning back in his chair.

Until then, Lily hadn't realised, either, how thirsty she was. And when Madam Rosmerta returned with their drinks, there was a brief silence as the two of them drank, James gulping his down, Lily taking a number of satisfying sips.

The door burst open the instant James threw down his empty mug. Both Lily and James looked up as Sirius, Remus and Peter came through the door. James broke into a grin. Lily glanced back at him, thinking: please no, please no, please no…

"SIRIUS! REMUS! PETER!" called James.

Lily's spirits sunk. Now she would have to endure Sirius' crude comments on James and Lily out, for the first time, together. Remus and Peter would be civilised, she thought. Especially Remus.

"Prongs?" laughed Sirius. His eyes widened as he saw the shock of red hair, and, as Lily turned her head to look at him again, Sirius couldn't help but let out a splutter of surprise. He instantly cloaked it with a lopsided grin. "Hey, Lily."

The three pulled up chairs, ordering four Butterbeers, since James had already finished his and wanted another.

"Well, well, well," said Sirius.

"James and Lily?" asked Remus with a raised eyebrow. Lily flushed, shaking her head quickly, but no one saw.

"Lily and James?" said Peter, testing the feel of it.

"I approve!" announced Sirius, grinning widely. "Now tell us. How did this happen?"

And just as Lily was about to intervene, her chest tight with exasperation –

"It's not a date or anything like that," said James calmly.

Three heads whipped around to face him.

"Dumbledore asked us," he continued. "You know, Head Boy and Girl patrolling Hogsmeade. It's nothing special."

"Nothing special?" echoed Sirius in a hollow voice. "This is Evans, Prongs!"

James cleared his throat. Lily, studying his expression, realised that he was as uncomfortable as she was. There wasn't even the hint of a gloat. Yet another piece of evidence for him growing up, said a little voice in the back of her mind. James really is changing.

Potter is, she felt herself automatically correct.

James, James, James, retaliated the voice.

She exhaled in annoyance at herself.

"Is there something wrong, Lily?" asked Remus.

Her face flamed. "No, no. Nothing's wrong. Just ignore me. Ha, ha…"

She took a gulp of Butterbeer, strongly aware that James was looking at her with a strange expression. When she put her drink down, however, he was cracking a grin – as usual.

"Sorry, guys," said James, standing up. "But we should carry on with our duties. 'Scuse us."

They broke into – well, Sirius, mainly – a chorus of loud oooooooohs, as James left his payment for their Butterbeers on the table. Lily quickly tried to pull out her own purse, but James ushered her out of the door.

"Sorry if they made you feel a bit uncomfortable," he muttered. "They can be a bit of a handful sometimes."

"Sirius can, you mean," she grumbled. An instant later, her gaze shot up, apologetic, backtracking. "I mean–"

He laughed. "No, I get it."

"You didn't have to pay for me, you know," she said.

"It's two Sickles!" he said. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

Lily stared at him in profound confusion, unable to place him.

That's because he's changing, said the voice in the back of her head. Perhaps it was her conscience, influenced by the Butterbeer, or by James's…

Potter!

Her conscience, or whatever the voice was, seemed smug. He's changed, it said. Face it, Lily. He's changed, or is changing. You're just too prejudiced–

She gritted her teeth. It seemed like this voice would follow her forever, go everywhere she went, not giving up until… Until what? Until she embraced the fact that James Potter really had changed?

Yes, smirked the voice, sounding maddeningly like the old James Potter. He's a different person, Lily. And until you realise that, really realise it, I'm sticking with you everywhere you go.

Everywhere?

The voice seemed to grin, just like James Potter.

Everywhere, it agreed.