Recap: Lily Evans and James Potter have been at war with each other for years. That is, until their dear friends Andy Starmenter and Sirius Black (know mortal enemies in their own right) band together and try to make them see that they are good for each other. Now that the Hogwarts gang have entered their final year things start off with a bang; namely with the announcement of the new Head Boy and Girl of Hogwarts. So now, as the school year begins secrets are revealed, destinies are established, and bonds between friends and lovers will be tested. And now…on with the story!!!

Days in Avalon

Chapter 41: Leave Out All the Rest

As classes started the following day, the students set back into their normal routines of classes, homework, and of course gossip. As Thursday rolled around, everything seemed normal, that is except for the new Head Boy and Girl. As a few of the fifth and sixth years commented on viewing the pair together ('You'd have to be blind not to see how much she hates him.') James merely rolled his eyes as he continued to walk around the school before heading down to get some lunch.

Neither Lily nor any of the other Gryffindor girls were talking or even acknowledging his presence. Especially was true in the case of his best girl, Andy. Since they arrived back to Hogwarts, Andy had hardly said two words to him. He did, although happen to receive several hits upside the head from her when they were in class, in the hallway, or even at meals for the matter. As he continued to walk down the hallway ignoring everyone, he happened to noticed a seventh year girl with a busy blond ponytail walking ahead of him alone.

"Andy! Hey Andy wait up!" he yelled as he ran to catch up with her.

Andy glared up at the ceiling upon hearing James's voice. She continued to read her Dark Arts book, trying to ignore the thundering steps that were echoing up quickly behind her.

"Andy would you just talk to me?" he asked as he jumped in front of her pathway. She merely sidestepped his block and continued on her course.

"I have nothing to say to you," she muttered as she began to flip the pages in her book.

"Oh come on Star. We both know you aren't happy until you make someone pay for hurting your friends. And considering what I did, I'm surprise I'm not hanging from the rafters with multicolored hair and girls' underwear on." He commented as he fell into step along side her.

"Girls' underwear? Hmm…there's an idea," she said more to herself.

James sighed in frustration at Andy's attempts to ignore him. He finally made on last ditch attempt to get her to talk to him by jumping in front of her once more halting her retreat.

"Andy, please? Okay I'm sorry!"

Andy let out a deep huff. She knew there was no point in trying to be rid of him now. "Why are you apologizing to me? If you'd had called me boring to my face, I'd have broken that cute little nose of yours along with your glasses."

"Like you could even try," said James trying to lighten the mood a bit, thinking she would go along with it. Apparently he was wrong.

Before James could say a word, Andy had grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him into a dark and dingy looking bathroom. There were large puddles of water all over the floor and by the looks of it, they had been there awhile.

"All right, who are you and what have you done with James Potter?" barked Andy as she held him against the wall.

James easily pushed her off before he addressed her. "What are you going on about?"

"Oh don't give me that line! Who the hell are you?" she asked again as she stared at the boy before her. "What are you Lestrange trying out a polyjuice potion? Did you and Blackie switch brains or something?"

"No," he said as if she had lost her mind finally.

"Then what happened to you? Because the Potter I know would never say that to anyone, let alone the girl he fancies."

"Well maybe I've finally grew up. I'm over her," he said with a hint of arrogance that didn't go unnoticed by his close female friend.

Andy sighed heavily before speaking again. She was trying desperately to keep her temper in check. "Jay, you know I'm your friend. Heck you're practically a brother to me."

"I know."

"Now I'm going to tell you this with as much sisterly love as possible. You are full of shit!"

"Andy…" he started.

"Shut up James! You wanted me to talk, you've got it!" exclaimed Andy. She took a deep breath before she unloaded what she had been bottling up since the incident happened. "James…why on earth would you do that? Especially to Lily! You've had a thing for her sine we were fifteen, and now all of sudden you decide 'oh I'm over her'! 'I'm not infatuated with her anymore'? Give me a break."

James let out a deep sigh. "You don't understand."

"Then enlighten me. Why wouldn't I understand? Because I'm a frigid wench?" she asked hoping to get some form of a response from him.

"No, of course not."

"Then just tell me!"

"I can't. Not here anyway." James looked around the bathroom as if the walls had ears. Andy noticed this and the fact that he kept watching the door as if someone were going to barge in on them at any moment.

"Why not?" she asked.

"What if someone comes in to use the loo?" he asked while pointing to the various toilets in the stalls.

"They won't. No one ever comes in here. This is Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

"Oh!" James had heard of the famous bathroom that housed the young ghost, but never really had an interest in exploring it. Unlike his other friends who found the story interesting. "Where is she?"

"Don't know. Probably checking out which ever bloke is in the prefect's bathroom," replied Andy with a shrug. She watched as James's face turn to disgust at the mention of it. "Hey…she may be a ghost. But she's still a teenager. So then…what is going on?"

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When the start of lunch rolled around Sirius entered the Great Hall with a bit of a skip in his step. He smiled at some adoring third years that immediately began to giggle madly. As Sirius approached his house table, he noticed that none of his friends had arrived yet. He gave a small frown a he began to sit down. That is…until he noticed a certain young lady with auburn hair nibbling at her plate while looking over her potions book.

Lily was lost in thought as she scanned over her potions book of a new brew they would be creating in a few hours. She was about to make a note in the margin until she felt someone's eyes on her. When she looked up she was greeted with a pair of grey eyes staring right at her.

"Good afternoon Lily. Is this seat taken?" said Sirius with a grin as he motioned to the empty seat next to her.

To say that Lily was surprised by his sudden appearance would have been an understatement. She shook off her initial shock and put on her game face for dealing with Sirius while he was in his charismatic mode.

"Hello Sirius. Can I help you with something?"

"You could answer my question, please."

Lily motioned for him to have a seat while she shut her text book. There was no point in trying to study now.

"So…what do you want Black?"

"Now why would you think that?" asked Sirius in his smooth voice, that knew drove the girls crazy. Well…most girls, apart from for those in his own year.

Lily looked at him and tried her best to refrain from rolling her eyes. "Because I know you, and you hardly ever come to talk to me during lunch. As a matter of fact you've never come over to talk to me ever…unless it was to get information from me to use against one of my friends."

"That was in the past. I've grown up! We are in our seventh year after all. Besides, I need to have a reason to talk to you, other than the fact that you are prettiest girl in all of Hogwarts?" he asked, pulling out all the stops to flirt with her.

Lily tried her best not to laugh in the poor guys face at his miserable attempt to flirt with her. "Nice try, Sirius. But lines like those didn't work back when we were fourth years; they sure as hell are not going to work on me now."

"Well a guy can try. Actually Evans, I came over to congratulate you on making Head Girl. Of course there really was no contest there."

"Thank you, Sirius. But you are wrong. It could have gone to anyone," she said in matter of fact tone.

Sirius watched as she took a drink from her cup and at how she seemed to sit a bit taller at the mention of her new title. "Oh don't be so modest, my dear."

"Dear?" she croaked as she tried not to choke on her pumpkin juice.

"Again, a guy can hope," he said with a sly grin.

Lily let out a low chuckle while shaking her head at his line. "You really do have that Gryffindor courage down pack."

"And you have been hanging around Sparky too much," he said with a deep sigh knowing that look on Lily's face was a common staple for Andy.

"Well maybe that's a good thing," Lily responded with a wicked smile.

Sirius began to laugh at the girl's actions. She had spunk, and a quick wit that would drive any man crazy. "I can see now why Prongs likes you so much."

At the mention of James's nickname, Lily's mood turned suddenly sour. "I doubt that entirely."

"Why would you say that?" inquired a curious Sirius.

"Well considering what Potter said on the train, I don't think we'll be the best of friends now."

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"I don't know what's wrong with me," said James. "Okay?"

"You're lying," sang Andy with her arms folded.

James let out a low growl at his friend's stubbornness to get the truth out of him. "You know Andy, this really isn't easy for me."

"Oh don't give me that 'it's not easy for me to talk about my feeling because I'm a bloke' speech. It didn't work for my real brother, so it sure as Merlin isn't going to work for you."

"I can't…"strained James.

Andy knew that she was close to breaking him. "Can't…what?"

James let out another low growl before finally giving up and letting the truth out. "I can't stop thinking about her!!! Okay? Every time I close my eyes I see her, Miranda. I dream about her practically every night. And it's killing me!! You know a guy can only withstand so much rejection in his life from one girl."

"James…" said Andy. She was shell-shocked. She had no clue that he felt this deeply for her best friend.

"I can't do it anymore, Andy. I thought that maybe if I stayed away from her then it would be easier. But now…with this stupid Head Boy thing…I don't know what to do anymore," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"James…in all the years I've known you, I've never seen you afraid of anything."

James huffed at her comment. "Love can make you do some really crazy things. Or…lust…or what ever it is I have," he said hurriedly, hoping that she hadn't picked up on what he said.

Andy stared at James for a moment contemplating his words and trying to digest them. "So…what you have here is a dilemma."

"You're just now realizing this?" he said as he fell against the cold wall

Andy watched his sad and broken form sit on the bathroom floor. Seeing him at a low point like this was something she was not use to. This was a sight usually reserved for Sirius or even Remus, but never her.

Andy squatted down to his level and spoke to him in a friendly voice. "You want some advice?"

"Sure! Why not," said James sarcastically as he raised his arms in a dramatic shrug.

"Become friends with her," said Andy simply.

"I tried that. Remember?"

Andy let out a soft laugh at her friend's dry humor. "No. I mean just her friend. The last time you still had a goal of dating her. What I mean is really try to b just a friend to her. Like how we are."

"I guess I could try it."

"Of course…you were on the right track before you blew up on the train."

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"Oh…you should have heard him talking about you before the train," said Sirius before slightly regretting it.

She saw his face slight cringe after the words left his mouth. "What are you talking about?" inquired Lily.

Sirius took a deep breath before speaking once again. "Well…from what James was telling me over the summer…it sounded like you were becoming fast friends in Spain."

"He talked about that?" asked Lily in complete wonderment.

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"I know! I know!" shouted James.

"No…not really. James I know about Spain," said Andy as she looked down at the small puddle of water between the two of them.

James quickly looked up at her in amazement. "What? How?"

"Who do you think?" asked Andy rhetorically. "Lily told me how she ran into you there and how you two spent a couple of days together seeing the sights with your families. She even kept asking me questions about you."

"She did? What kind of questions?" James was now highly captivated by Andy's words.

Andy merely shrugged her shoulders not really knowing what to say at first. "Little things, like what is your favorite Quidditch team. Who your favorite player was? You're favorite color. What do you look like with your shirt off…"

"She asked that?" he asked with a slight squeak.

"Well…not the last question, but you get the picture," replied Andy with an impish grin.

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"Are you kidding me?" laughed Sirius at the look upon Lily's face. "Every time I saw him, he kept telling me a story about you and him in Spain."

"Oh really?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hogwarts honor," replied Sirius as he raised his hand in honor. He watched Lily as his words suck in. A small smile began to pull at the corners of her mouth as she thought about her summer trip and talking with James. That simple smile told Sirius all need to know. There was still hope for this crazy plan after all.

"So what did you think?" he asked suddenly.

"Of what?" asked a confused Lily.

Sirius looked at her as if the question had been an obvious one. "Spain. Did you enjoy yourself while you were there?"

"Oh! Yes I did. It was very beautiful. Have you been there before?"

"I went a couple of years ago," he replied nonchalantly.

"Really?"

"You sound surprise."

"I am a bit. I just never really saw you as someone who would enjoy Spanish culture," said Lily quickly. As soon as she said the simple sentence she suddenly remembered whom she was talking to and how her words could be twisted into something…unethical. "I mean…from…never mind…"

Sirius couldn't help but play at Lily's now slightly flustered state. "How did you see me then?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she replied quickly.

"Oooohh…I'm intrigued now."

"Well…you would be Mr. Black," said Lily with a slight chuckle. She couldn't believe she was having this type of conversation with Sirius. But what surprised her most was that she was actually enjoying herself.

"Oh…Mr. Black now. I feel all special now," he replied while inhaling deeply and batting his eyelashes. Lily let out a loud burst of giggles that she had been trying to contain. "Ha! I knew I'd get a full laugh out of you."

Lily slightly pouted and sighed. "Darn. I guess you do win."

"Then don't you think I deserve a reward?" Sirius asked smoothly with a smirk.

Lily had noticed how close he was now and that was leaning into her. "Depends on the reward?"

Sirius was silent for a moment before releasing his piercing grey eyes upon her. "Why don't you tell me about what you and Prongs did in Spain?"

"I thought…" started Lily in confusion.

"James likes to embellish sometimes," he replied quickly and in business like tone. "I know from you…I'd get the real story. Girls always tell the truth when their reputation is questioned."

Lily knew now what type of game he was playing. "It wasn't anything too exciting like you are hinting at. And I seriously doubt James wouldn't tell you of all people the utmost truth. We just saw a couple of sights and just talked."

"Talked?" asked Sirius as if the idea were laughable.

"Yes, Sirius. We just talked. It wasn't a big scandal like you think it was," she stated with dark eyes.

"Oh boo…" he huffed.

"Besides if there really was one, I'd never tell you of all people," said added for dramatic attack.

"And why is that?"

"Because everyone knows you are the biggest gossip spreader in all of Hogwarts."

"That is not true" exclaimed Sirius.

Lily simply looked at time with a raised eyebrow before speaking. "Who was the one that started the rumor about Mary Winters's underwear? Or that Stan West dances and sings along with the Flowering Daisies?"

"Well…"

"Or biggest gossip bomb to this date…who Andy had a crush on back when we were in third year?"

Sirius reflected for a moment at one of his greatest pranks to date. "Oh yeah…that was one of my best forms of spreading the news. What was the blokes name again?"

Lily shook her head in utter amazement. "You really are a stuck up prat."

"Yes, but admit it," he said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You've grown to like me."

"Keep dreaming," she stated while rolling her eye.

Lily then felt Sirius lean in close to her ear as he whispered "Oh don't worry. I will."

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"We just talked. A lot actually," said James as he paced back and forth in front of a seated Andy. "She kind of helped me deal with my family. The extended part anyway."

"Oh right…the crazy old timers that should've past on a while ago," said Andy as she recalled the one and only time she had met the extended Potter family that she was also connected to in some way or another.

"The same ones."

"What was it this time?" asked Andy as she got up to stretch her legs. "How cute you were when you were a baby? Or how much you looked like some old or dead relative?"

James laughed at her questions. "No. This time it was 'when will James be married and continue on the Potter line'."

"Oh! So you were talking to my relatives," said Andy.

"Yes…I guess," replied James with a soft laugh.

"Well good thing that Lil had enough practice with me and dealing with those old geezers from hell." Andy watched James's face seem to change as if his mind had wandered off to another time and place. "What is it James?"

James shook his head as he tried to rid his thoughts that were running through his mind. "I don't know. Just…forget about it."

The room was eerily silent as the two friends took in the situation they both shared. Both were from families that wanted to see their lineage continue on and were now looking to them to fulfill that dream. They could both feel the fact that slowly their lives were changing whether they liked it or not. Deep down they both silently wondered 'how did they get like this?' and 'what do they do now?'

James felt the sudden pressure of Andy's hand on his shoulder causing him to turn around. "For what it's worth…" she started "I could tell that she had a good time in Spain."

"She did?" he asked with a small smile that graced his face.

Andy couldn't help but smile as well as she watched James. "She even seemed like she wanted to further your friendship…in a more public setting."

"Really?"

"Well…she did…"said Andy. She wasn't she if she should continue her thought. But by the look on James's face she knew she had too. "Until you opened that trap of yours on the train."

"Urrrgghh!! I'm such a moron!!!" roared James as the reality of what his actions came crashing down on him once more.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," sighed Andy. "Why did you do it, Jay? Why would you say those things when you don't mean them?"

"I don't know!! The guys were talking and…"he started.

"And…what?"

James let out a sigh. He knew at this point he could tell her…that he could trust her with the truth. "I didn't want them knowing again...that I still care about her. I know how much of a pain I was the last couple of years to them. So…I figured I'd just deal with this crush on my own until I was over it."

"James you've had this crush on her since fifth year. I don't think it's going to disappear over night," said Andy.

James rubbed his face in exhaustion. "She's never going to talk to me again."

"Maybe."

"Maybe what?" said James as he looked at his best gal pal.

"She will talk to you again. Eventually. She just needs time to calm down. If she knew…"started Andy.

"No!" roared James. "She can't know. She can never know I still like her. I've caused her enough pain already. I shouldn't even be thinking of trying to have a conversation with her. I just…she needs someone better than me as a friend. She deserves better."

"James…"said Andy.

"I give up Andy. I can't fix this. No one can. It's over," said James.

With that James walked out of the bathroom and headed off down the hall with a million thoughts going through his head. Andy just stood there in slight awe at what her best friend had just unwillingly confessed in his speech. James was not just infatuated with Lily Evans. He was head over heels, deeply in love with her.

A/N: Yes…okay…I know it's been a long time. Here is the deal…life got crazy and stuff happened (like school, work, and oh yeah…finally graduating college!) So…now that that is all said and done, I can finally finish this story. And yes, there is an ending to this never ending story. I have a few chapters already written out, but there is still a lot of editing to do. I probably won't post for awhile while I'm working on the ending. But don't worry…for those of you that have stayed with this story since the beginning, I will try to make it worth your while. As for those that have just now stumbled upon my little creation…welcome!

Okay now peeps…I'm off to work on this some more. Until next time…