Date Posted: 7th May 2010

A/N - Thank you for reading. I updated much earlier than intended but something changed my plans.

Has anyone ever wondered why James was so in love with Lily even though time after time she had rejected him, slapped him, cursed him, jinxed him, poured ice-cold water on him, poured boiling-hot water on him, and even ever so rarely (frequently) gently (violently) kicked him in the nuts. And yet not once, has James ever shown any sign of hating her for it or diverting his attention to other women. Miraculous really, seeing the amount of conspicuous flirting and deliberately half-opened blouses headed his way.

So why did James so unconditionally love Lily Evans? And why did Lily Evans so blatantly hate James? I mean, she literally loathed him minutes after meeting for the first time on the Hogwarts Express right?

To understand James' morbid love for Lily, one must venture back a few years through time. Contrary to popular belief, unknown to even Lily herself and the rest of the Marauders, the first time James met Lily was neither on the Hogwarts Express, nor on the boat ride across the Black Lake, nor was it during the feast in the Great Hall. In fact, it was long before the beginning of Hogwarts or when Lily even know about magic.

The Potter Family, being the rich and old purebloods they were, were in possession of quite a few properties. Charlus and Dorea Potter favoured a particular house in which they chose to raise James in. The Potter Surrey Home was a humble abode in muggle Britain. In attempt to learn about muggles and their way of life, Charlus and Dorea decided to move into the muggle home, take on muggle jobs and leave James in a muggle day-care centref. As this was fairly unusual, to avoid criticism and unwanted media, they wore glamours, took on muggle names as aliases and tried to appear regularly in magical towns as to not raise suspicion.

Being raised in muggle Little Whinging, James received his primary education there, he had fluent knowledge of both worlds; he could pull off being a muggle or a wizard without seeming awkward.(A/N this is fanfiction. I'm allowed to bend things.)He always knew of his wizarding background of course and knew about the magical world like any other magical kid his age and still lived in the magical Potter Manor on weekends and attended Quidditch games amongst other things. He had been briefed not to tell the muggles about the magical world as it was a secret. It was here, in the muggle world, at a muggle day-care centre, under a muggle pseudonym, that he met the supposed muggle, Lily Evans.

They were best of friends. From preschool through to year 6. (A/N that is based of the Australian school system. I don't know how other countries do it) At that time, neither he nor Lily realise she was magical. James did not tell Lily about magic, James did not teach Lily magic, and James did not tell Lily what his real name was. Lily merely knew him as a blue-eyed, dark blonde, fair-skinned boy by the name of Jasper Hartwell.

Flashback JamesPOV

I would never admit it, but I was nervous. I started late, halfway through the year, due to our holidays in Greece. Everybody already had friends; they didn't seem to need a stranger in their group. I became saddened. I didn't want to be a loner, all by myself without friends. I wish we didn't go on that stupid holiday. Greece wasn't even that fun anyway. They only had really, really big buildings, detailed sculptures and brilliant food...ok, maybe Greece was great.

"Do you want to draw with me?" asked a gentle voice, bringing me out of my self-induced melancholy. She had a soft, kind face framed with vibrant, fiery red hair. A stunning set of shimmering emeralds amplified by her delicate long lashes, enhancing her creamy white skin. She was overall, very cute.

"But don't you already have friends? Why would you still wanna play with me?"

"Come on. I'm always happy to make new friends - you can't possibly be as boring as Marcus."

"Hey! I heard that, Lils!" exclaimed one of the boys also drawing.

"Well, if you're fine with it...ok then." I said as she dragged me off to the drawing corner by the hand.

We sat down and drew. I drew a flaming dragon fighting a herd of manticores in the middle of a forest.

"What did you draw?" asked Lily.

"A dragon and a...er...candypaw!" I blurted, couldn't quite tell her about magical creatures could I? Whilst muggles knew of dragons, they have no idea of manticores.

"Candypaw? Cool! What does it do?"

"It shoots candy like bullets from its paws." I should be a fiction author if I can't be a Quidditch player; I'm a absolute natural.

"Wow! What other creatures live in this forest?"

and the day went on, leading to some the sad deformation to many poor creatures including Pimple-thorned Snotknacks, Fatgrowmantulas, Blubberworms and Flippopliffs just to name a few.

End Flashback

Whilst the others were welcoming to him as well, no-one could ever beat Lily. After the first day, they continued to enjoy each others precence. Bestfriends and classmates all through to the end of primary school.

But he felt like he was lying to her. For all those years, he was worried she would find out about the glamours and magic and feel betrayed, or not want to be his friend because he was a wizard. The years of guilt built up, but he could never tell her, a secret was a secret, and the magical world was one big secret.

So James did the only thing he thought would make him feel better. He played with Lily, always shared all the toys and food with her, listened to her, gave her presents and tried to do anything to please her. And each and every day, he would find himself just that little more in love with Lily. So the day his Hogwarts letter came, he was devastated; happy but devastated. Happy that he had been accepted in the most prestigious magical school in all of UK. But deeply saddened by the thought of leaving Lily.

The next day, when he walked over to Lily's house and pick her and her sister Petunia up and walked together to school and tell her that he was moving to some foreign country, imagine his surpise when she talked about receiving a letter to attend Hogwarts. He was so happy, he nearly blurted out that he was a wizard. But then he got scared. If Lily knew he was going to Hogwarts, then undoubtedly she would find out about the mask he had been under for so long. James wouldn't be able to stand the thought of Lily hating him. He couldn't help but cringe under the hurt betrayed expression on Lily's face if he told her.

No. Jasper Hartwell will forever remain as Lily's muggle friend from Little Whinging. James Potter, will instead take the role of bestfriend at Hogwarts. If she were to ever find out, she would hate him...well, more than she did now anyway, he didn't quite think his more sensitive organ could take many more kicks.

So if Jasper and Lily were such good friends before Hogwarts, and Jasper was James, how did Lily come to hate James?

Flashback JamesPOV

"Come on, Sirius! There's only one more carriage left," I hurried him along.

As purebloods and heir to their families, Sirius and I have met on many occasions, usually at Pureblood Balls. Neither of us really enjoyed such formal occasions, so we usually just wondered around (got into mischief). During the process, Sirius and I had become bestfriends. This friendship grew even stronger when I learnt of the horrible treatment Sirius suffered Walburga and Orion Black. We were more than bestfriends; we were brothers in all but blood.

"Why are we even going through all these carriages? You have any damn idea how long the Hogwarts express is?" he complained.

"Well considering you and I have just walked along the whole length, I would assume so," Honestly, Sirius could be such a nut-head sometimes.

I opened the door to the last carriage and peeked through every compartment. And in the last one, I found her...hugging some greasy git.

"Oh my god, Sev! This is so amazing! I walked right through this barrier and ended up in front of this beautiful scarlet red train! And I saw a bunch of third years repair a broken glass! The chocolate frogs even move! This is so much better than you told me! Thank you SO much Sev! Without you, I would have probably fainted and be lying on the ground somewhere! I love you!" exaggerated Lily, locking Severus in a tight embrace!

I felt a heart wrenching pang of sadness with a tinge of jealousy rising up my throat. I was supposed to be her bestfriend. Not some other idiot. Has that bastard ever heard of manners and etiquette, hugging a girl like that in public? Talk about PDA! I cast a mild stinging hex at him, just enough to get him to let go off his Lily; I always had had a good control of my magic, even before Hogwarts or wandlessly; what can I say, I'm a very talented wizard.

"Ow! Hey, what's your problem? Don't go around hexing people! That hurt!" howled Severus.

"Says you, you slimy bastard. Have you ever heard of shampoo? 'cause you sure need some. How about a couple hundred bottles you jerk?"

That did it. Severus jumped at me. Both he and I crashed to the ground with a loud thump. He threw a punch at me and cracked my glasses. I could here Lily screaming for us to stop in the background and Sirius' booming voice chanting approval.

"You walloping wanker!"

"Thimble-brained twat!"

"Fairy-prancing prat!"

"Puckered-mouth plonker!"

"Stupid, slimy smeghead!"

"Pea-brained pillock!"

"Greasy-git!"

"Tongue -tosser!"

I retaliated by breaking his nose, causing him to shrink back, creating a huge opening. Taking advantage of it, I kicked him in the ribs and did a arm lock, forcing him to the ground. Suddenly, a fist connected to my face - it was Lily.

I froze. Lily...hit me? I felt my eyes tearing, not because my nose was broken, not because of all the bruising on my arm, or the throbbing of my ribs, but the shock of betrayal. Does Lily..h-hate me? Lily...would hit me...for HIM? I mindlessly walked out of the in confusion and depression. I need to be alone. Think things over. Calm down.

End Flashback

I felt the sting of tears resurface in my eyes, but I forced them back. That had been the first time Lily had ever hit me other than playful banter. Afterwards at the feast, after I had composed myself, I tried to apologise and make amends to Lily. But she wouldn't listen. She was still angry. Lily always had had a temper; but I liked it, it matched her fiery red hair. I continuously reassured myself that she couldn't possibly hate me and be (what I interpreted as) bestfriends at the same time...I was proven wrong when she kneed me in the nuts.

A/N - Please R&R. I do not mind constructive criticism, but avoid flames please.