Star

Fifth year

Throughout his entire Charms lesson, James sat glowering at that bloody Ravenclaw, Nathaniel Stebbins, whose arm was slouched casually across Lily's shoulders, her eyes trained on whatever Charm Professor Flitwick was demonstrating to them, his fixed on her. James was so engrossed in them that it took him a few moments to realise that Sirius's fingers were touching his. He jerked out of his seat, bolting upright, yanking his hand away from Sirius.

"Is everything all right, Mr. Potter?" enquired Professor Flitwick.

"Er… yes, Professor," said James, embarrassed. "Absolutely fine. Sorry to – to disturb."

He sat down again to the amusement of the whole class. Lily must have thought he was even more of an idiot now.

"What the hell, Sirius?" he hissed, quietly enough so that Professor Flitwick wouldn't hear, but urgently enough so that Sirius would respond. "Why was your hand touching mine?"

"I was passing you a note!" hissed back Sirius. He grinned. "Besides, you're not my type."

James took a deep breath, calming himself down, then unfolded the piece of parchment.

They went out yesterday, read James, and his face fell. Stebbins asked her out on Fri. SHE SAID YES! Took her to Hogsmeade, apparently.

James took out his quill and began scrawling his reply: Bloody idiot's probably wondering how the hell he got her to go out with him. I want to kill him. I'm going to kill him.

A fleeting grin crossed Sirius' face as he read James' response, then he wrote back: James, James, James. You're so sensitive! So what if she goes out with him? You've gone out with loads of girls!

Only five, he corrected. And that was for her! So she'd be jealous! It makes me sick, just seeing his arm around her. I WANT HIM TO TAKE HIS ARM OFF HER! Padfoot, you're going to have to restrain me once this lesson is over. I'm going to kill him.

Don't be so dramatic! What are you going to do, beat him to death with the end of your broom? Besides, he's an alright bloke. Just be pleased it's him and not Snivelly!

Pleased? PLEASED? Padfoot, just look at the way he's ogling her. She's too good for him.

She's too good for you. And I didn't know that you knew a word like ogle!

Not helping.

What do you want me to say? Tomorrow morning she's going to wake up realising that she's desperately in love with you, and she'll run into your arms and kiss you and everything will be just peachy?

YES.

Read above, then. I'm not repeating myself.

Piss off, Padfoot.

Whoa there! With that charm you'll be sure to attract her. She being the kindest, sweetest – the list goes on – girl in our year, I'm sure she'll fall for a lovely old delinquent like yourself.

James sighed. If only.

Sorry, he wrote. Didn't mean to tell you to piss off. Stebbins is just really getting to my head.

I HAVE AN IDEA!

Well, scrawled James, it's so helpful that you wrote it down and told me.

Well, why don't you just… here it comes… BE NICE?

James turned the piece of parchment over; they had run out of space on the front. Ha, ha.

Sorry, Prongs. Couldn't resist. What I meant was, maybe you could write some beautiful, heartbreaking poem for her, for Valentine's Day?

You're joking.

Guilty as charged. GOT ONE! Roses are red, Violets are blue. My life would be incomplete, Without the presence of you…

I'm going to be sick.

Can't take credit for it, though, joked Sirius. Got it off a poem some girl sent to me yesterday.

Look at you, you Hogwartian Casanova!

I see myself as more of a Mr. Darcy, actually.

What – dark, brooding and in love with a woman who hates him?

I like the dark and brooding bit – but the third one's all you. Elizabeth Bennet, being, of course, Evans.

Why on earth are we talking about Muggles – two of whom are FICTIONAL?

Changing the subject, are we?

This conversation is over.

I think I'm going to cry.

After this, I'm not replying.

Fine.

Fine.

You replied!

Shut up.

And again!

James tucked the note into his pocket in order to finalise his point. Beside him, Sirius was grinning widely. James settled down on his desk again, his eyes travelling back to Lily and Stebbins. Lily was still watching Professor Flitwick, although her green eyes darted downwards every now and again to scribble something down. Stebbins, too, was staring sleepily at Professor Flitwick, having taken his gaze off the redhead sitting on his left.

But James was bewitched. To him, Lily was the only girl he ever really saw, a dazzling, beautiful star that sparkled up, up, up – too far up in the sapphire sky for him to ever reach, even on his broomstick. She was the only girl he wanted more than anything to love him back, and he knew she never would.