Written for Hogwarts' Around the World Event: Dominica - (setting) Diagon Alley.

Word count: 597

Mistake

"Don't turn around, but Potter's here—on your seven o'clock."

Instantly, as if compelled by some greater force she couldn't explain, Lily spun on her heels, scowling as she caught sight of the aforementioned black-haired boy, laughing with his friends.

"And I was having such a nice day, too," she complained mournfully as Mary, her shopping companion, grabbed her by the arms and forced her to turn back around.

"What was it about 'Don't turn around' that was too hard for you to understand, Lily?" her friend hissed.

Lily rolled her eyes violently, and together, they ducked deeper into Flourish and Botts, slipping out of sight easily.

"Why is he even here?" Lily moaned dramatically as she leaned against the History of Magic shelf, her eyes drifting to the golden embossed letters of the first fifteen versions of Hogwarts: A History.

Mary snorted loudly, hefting up the basket half full of their schoolbooks she had been carrying on her arm with a sigh. "At a guess, I'd say he got his letter too and is now trying to get his supplies—you know, same as us," she said, tone heavily sarcastic. "You know I love you, Lily, but the world doesn't actually revolve around you," she added teasingly.

Blushing sheepishly, Lily replied, "Sorry, I know it doesn't—it's just, it's Potter." Se spat out the last word like it was a curse, and only rolled her eyes when it made her friend giggle.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Mary replied with a smile so sympathetic Lily would have believed it—if not for the mirthful glint in her friend's brown eyes. It was a glint she knew well after five years of friendship, and it wasn't to be trusted. "You hate him, he's in love with you-" Mary continued with a sing-song voice.

"He thinks he's in love with me," Lily corrected, interrupting her. She crossed her arms, barely wincing as the gesture made her own basket bump painfully against her stomach. "He won't take 'no' for an answer and he's exasperating. I am really not in the mood to give him the opportunity to start on his daily campaign of asking Lily out—or whatever that stupid endeavor of his is called—and if there was a way for me to never see him again, I'd take it."

In front of her, facing the part of the bookshop they had just left, Mary paled drastically and very, very suddenly. Lily froze, heart hammering in her chest. "He's right behind me, isn't he?"

Mutely, Mary nodded.

Lily turned around with a snarl. "What?!" Her fury died a quick death, though, as she took in how small James looked, despite the way he still towered over her. Beside him, Sirius' stormy eyes seemed to drill a hole into her soul as he stared at her hatefully.

"I'll leave you be, then," James said, the defeated tone of his words a far cry from his usual bravado.

It made Lily feel sick in her stomach, how hurt James looked, but her throat felt too tight to say anything and so she could only watch as James walked away silently.

It was only once he and Sirius had vanished out of sight that it felt like the spell had been broken, and Lily could breathe again.

"What just happened?" she asked, bewildered.

Mary stared at her pityingly. "I think you just got what you asked for."

"Yeah," Lily agreed, "that's what I thought."

Then why wasn't she happy? Why did it feel so wrong, and why did James' soulful brown eyes refuse to leave her be?