Everyone knew the story of James Potter and Lily Evans. Everyone had seen it play out. The whole school was waiting for Lily to crack and even a pooling bet had been going around since James declared she was going to marry the witch in second year, even the professors were invested.
James liked to think he was a good catch of a wizard. Good looks, Quidditch extraordinaire, surprisingly amazing grades, proper manners, over the top hilarious prankster, co- creator of the Marauders Map and leader of the group. So why did Lily keep rejecting him ? Sure he was the scion of the House of Potter and sure he was a spoiled but that didn't mean he was prejudiced, but he was an arrogant toerag and a bully who only cares about himself as Lily had said countless of year was his year to get the witch of his dreams. He had grown up from the boy he used to be, he still liked pranking but after the whole debacle last year and Sirius running away from his family home he decided he couldn't be careless. He also had gotten appointed as Head Boy which was really a big surprise so this year he had to balance Head Boy duties, pranking with the Marauders and wooing Miss Lily Evans.
The year was going great so far. As Quidditch Captain he was pushing the team to its limits, it was his last year and he intended to win the Cup. He also shared dorms with his witch and surprisingly they had gotten to along just fine planning the Prefects rounds, when he had informed his fellow Marauders Padfoot just burst out laughing and Remus reminded him that if he wanted Lily to realize he had changed he needed to show her starting by getting along with her friends including one slimy greasy snake by the name of Severus Snape. Contrary to popular belief, Snape and Lily were still friends even after the whole Mudblood debacle, he had heard from Marlene that Severus had profusely apologized to Lily during the summer break and Lily had ended up forgiving him. James' first reaction was disbelief. How could Lily forgive a person who had used such a foul word and still be friends with him but couldn't even give him the time of day ? Not fair, he thought. But they were friends first before Hogwarts, a voice that sounded strangely like Remus said. Remus, who had been Lily's shoulder to cry on after her breakup with Snape explained to James how important Snape was to Lily and that he couldn't dictate if she decided to pardon him.
"Prongs you may have not called Lily that word but your pranks against some students, specially Sytherins are just as bad. I'm not comparing a racist slur to our pranks but you need to grow up if you want Lily to see you as more than an arrogant bully. If you think you deserve to be forgiven for all the pranks you do, Snape as much as you hate it deserves an equal opportunity at being forgiven. That is Lily's decision, not yours, hers."
James sobered up after that conversation. Sirius and James respected highly what Remus thought, he made sure to keep them on the right track or at least try. He made sure they kept up with their studies and assignments whilst helping them plan their next prank. James would really give up his life for his best mates.
James was getting ready for Quidditch practice when he heard someone crying. Strange, he thought, Remus was in the library and Sirius was already on the pitch. Peeking through the door he saw Lily in front of the fireplace and she seemed to be crying. James' heart broke a little, he couldn't bear seeing a woman cry. Silently making his way to her, he transfigured a cushion into a handkerchief and handed it to her, Lily looked surprised but took it.
"Lily, I know it's none of my business but why are you crying ? If you don't want to tell me it's okay" James rushed rubbing his hand awkwardly over his neck.
"I just found out something in Divination," Lily whispered. " We were doing palm reading and Trelawney pointed out something about my life line"
James didn't like Divination, he thought it was a load of rubbish. However, this seemed important to Lily and she was clearly upset by it.
"What did she say ?"
Instead of talking, Lily showed James her palm. His blank stare gave him off because she rolled his eyes and stated "It's short"
James then laughed but could tell Lily was getting angry and ready to hex him. Eyes blazing, hair cackling with magic. Calming himself he put his hands up and showed Lily his own hands.
"Divination is a huge piece of shite if you ask me, nothing is a hundred percent certain and palm reading is nothing serious. If you take a look, my life line is also short, similar to yours and I'm very much alive. Lily, you're a great witch destined for great things so believe me when I say you aren't dying anytime soon"
"Potter, that was...thank you"
"You're very much welcome miss, I'd love to stay and speak more but I have some lads waiting on me on the pitch and I don't want them to think I'm slacking" James said as he reached for the door, Lily called him.
"Potter, you've changed and I kind of like this new side, keep this up and I might consider accepting our belated date" Lily joked
"I'll keep that in mind mylady and please call me James" James smiled and really left this time.
Lily however was now in a much better mood, James was surprisingly right, not that he needed to know. Lily couldn't think for the life of her a world where James Potter was dead that young. He was strong, loyal and fierce, with his best friends he seemed untouchable. He had much to live for. James Potter made life colorful and fun and a world without James Potter seemed incredibly dull. From that day on, James and Lily started to seek eachother out. They started to study together, they sat together at meals and to everyone's surprise they had been seen together in Hogsmeade talking,holding hands and laughing with no hexing involved. James Potter and Lily had hit it off. However, there were two individuals who were not happy with this sudden blooming relationship. Severus Snape and Sirius Black.
Sirius Black. Heir to the Most Noble House of Black. Older brother of Regulus Arcturus Black. Rebel, leather wearing proud Gryffindor and not so fan of Jily, as the whole school had deemed them. Don't get him wrong he adored James, the Potters had taken him in and treated him like a son and Evans was a nice,brilliant but scary witch. However, he was suspicious of this sudden buddy-buddy relationship, more on Lily's side than Jame's. He knew James was besotted with the witch, he had watched his brother in all but blood chase the bird for seven years now. Everyone seemed to think James took rejection really well but Sirius knew better. He had seen James take waves of insults and hexes in a stride from Evans and not even flinch but when he got to their dorm, James broke down, moped around, got drunk, hexed his belongings and put on a show face to carry on pursuing the girl. So forgive Sirius for being a little bit wary around the witch that had hurt his best mate.
Severus Snape thought the same, Lily must've hit her head or something to be all chummy with Potter. Over the summer, thank Merlin he had earned Lily's forgiveness and he realized he was in no position to question who Lily was friends with or the manchild she had decided to date, but that didn't mean he didn't despise Potter in his imagination. He also realized that Potter and his gang hadn't played any prank on his house this year and whenever they crossed paths, he merely acknowledged him with a nod but otherwise they stayed out of eachothers ways.
As the year went on, the Marauders still played their pranks, none were harmful but they still got their fair share of detentions. Most of Hogwarts and the teacher staff agreed that behind every prank, there was elaborate planning and an amazing display of magic. Minerva McGonagall or Minnie really felt she aged faster with every prank they played but Godric, did she love those boys. She had watched James fall in love with Lily, she had seen with utter horror the bruises Sirius had and wanted nothing more than to hug him, she had seen little Remus cry over Madam Pomfrey after every full moon and made sure he had chocolate the morning after. She had known the moment they turned into animagi to help Remus and created the Marauders Map. She distinctly remembers seeing James' and Sirius' writing in Remus assignments after the full moon or that time after Sirius got disowned and got in trouble and called 'mum'. Her brave,brave boys.
N.E.W.T.S and the Quidditch Final had James Potter on edge, he knew he wanted to be an Auror and fight the evil. The Prophet had been reporting suspicious murders of muggles and rumors of Voldemort gaining power could be heard, he was worried for his parents and his girlfriend. He knew his parents sided with Dumbledore, the Potters were very vocal on what they thought about Pureblood supremacy however being the scion and sole Heir to the House of Potter made him a target as well as Sirius, even though he had been disowned and blasted off the tapestry, he was still the Heir to the House of Black. He worried for Lily because he knew her parents and sister were muggles and because his girlfriend was one hell of a witch, she was a power house, people would call her 'The Brightest Witch of Her Age'. However, his pressing matters were N.E.W.T.S and Quidditch, with that in mind he headed to the library.
"Ready to lose next week, trust fund baby?" James joked
"May I remind you, Potter, that you are also a trust fund kid as well as my idiotic brother here?" Regulus drawled "Plus, you're the ones who are going to end up eating dirt."
"Ouch, Reggie, not the last naming me" James cried with a hand over his heart."Plus, not a chance, I'm leaving this year and I'll be leaving with that Cup"
"If you're so sure about your team, let's make a bet" Regulus said, eyes glowing with mischief. "Want to bet on the result or on the snitch?"
"The result of course, what type of question is that?" Sirius interjected
"I say you win the match but I catch the snitch, how about that? " Regulus stated
"Not betting on your team winning, Reg, that's just sad" James laughed "However I say we both win the match and catch the snitch, what do you say?"
"What does the winner get, where's the catch, Reg?" Sirius eyed his brother suspiciously
"If I win, I get to call in a favor, no matter what happens or what you hear. If Golden Boy here wins, I'll agree to wear Gryffindor colors for an entire week and I'll even sit at your blasted table" Regulus smirked
"What the fuck, Regulus, what are you not telling me ?. For Merlin's saggy tits, I'm your older brother and this fucking bet just took a disgusting turn"
"Are you in or not, Golden Boy?" Regulus said, ignoring his brother
Eyeing his best friend and the hand in front of him, he decided. "You've got yourself a deal"
"Great" Regulus smiled and with that he left, his brother furiously following behind
Regulus Black knew he was playing a very dangerous game but he was determined to come out unscathed. For a Slytherin, he was acting like a Gryffindor.
He could hear the heavy boots of his older brother following him and before he could reach the dungeons, a hand on his shoulder spun him around.
"Get the fuck off me, Black" Regulus spat noticing some Slytherins walking by.
"C'était quoi cette foutue conversation avec James?" Sirius shouted "Quel est le jeu auquel tu joues ? Es-tu en danger ? Tu ferais mieux de réfléchir à ta réponse avant de parler, petit frère, car je vois bien que tu me mens. Il se passe quelque chose à Grimauld que je devrais savoir ? Les gens parlent Regulus, ce n'est pas un secret entre toi et moi, pour l'amour de Merlin, il y a une guerre qui se prépare à l'extérieur de ces murs. Tu n'as pas à te cacher autour de moi, je suis ton grand frère et c'est mon rôle de te protéger."
("What the fuck was that conversation back there?" "What are you playing at? Are you in danger? Better think your answer before you speak little brother because right now, I can see you are lying to me. Is something happening in Grimmauld that I should know off? People are speaking Regulus, this is not a you and me secret, for Merlin's sake there is a war brewing outside these walls. You don't have to hide around me, I'm your older brother and it's my job to protect you
"Ils veulent que je le prenne, Sirius" Regulus sighed.
(They want me to take it)
"Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire?" Sirius snapped.
(What the fuck does that mean?)
"La marque, Sirius, Mère et Père veulent que je prenne la Marque Ténébreux"
(The Mark, Sirius, Mother and Father want me to take the Dark Mark)
"Il les marque ?" Sirius cried horrified.
(He marks them?)
"Oui, il le fait. Il nous marque comme du bétail, peu importe que vous soyez un sang pur, un demi-sang, un muggle ou un traître de sang, tant que vous plaidez la loyauté envers lui".
("Yes, he does. He marks us like cattle, he doesn't mind if you're a pureblood, half-blood, muggle born or a blood traitor as long as you plead loyalty to him")
"Is there a problem here, boys?" Narcissa Black sneered
"Cousin, fancy seeing you here and I was just leaving" Sirius huffed "Reggie, we are not fucking done"
"Fuck you, Black" Regulus replied.
Sirius and Regulus had always been as thick as thieves. Regulus being the younger brother always followed Sirius around. Sirius would make the most ridiculous stories at Grimmauld to keep them entertained and he loved him for it. He learnt from Sirius that not everything is so dark, that there was goodness in this when his brother got sorted in Gryffindor he knew their relationship was never going to be the same. He kept receiving letters from Sirius but at some point Father had burned them without reading them, Sirius thought his brother had been brainwashed by their parents. Out of the two, Sirius was the bravest. He would openly antagonize their parents, Regulus wouldn't dare and maybe that's why he ended up in Slytherin, he had a sense of self preservation that his brother lacked. He had seen how James Potter had replaced him in Sirius's life and how he seemed to not be affected by it, but losing him. One day, tired of his bullshit Sirius cornered him and angrily asked Je te manque? (Do you miss me?), Regulus had broken down in the hallway. Nobody knew of course what they really said to each other. Sirius slowly introduced him to Lily, Remus and James. Regulus would casually sit at the end of the table where Lily and Remus studied and sometimes would ask them some questions. James at the start was suspicious but after Sirius explained to him his brother was not a persona non grata, he immediately took him in.
The Quidditch Final had arrived. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. The day was sunny, not a cloud in the sky, the stands were filled to the brim. There was something about Quidditch that really bought the houses together. Both Slytherin and Gryffindor's players were all neatly lined up in their gear and the usual formal swapping of handshakes and greetings that took place.
"Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the final Quidditch match of the season. Heading Gryffindor as their legendary team captain and chaser we have James Potter , doesn't that arse look good in those pants" Remus paused waiting for the crowd to calm. "This year the Slytherin team is headed by the ruthless Lucinda isn't that fitting fellas, all bark no bite from these guys, but a little owl told me that their bet for this game is none other than Reggie always the spare but never the heir, I can see you throwing daggers at me, leave that pent up frustration for the game baby Black"
The whistle is heard and both teams are neck to neck as Remus boomed into the mic, "BRING THE CUP HOME"
James, with his wild, untamed hair and confident grin, had a natural talent for flying and an even greater knack for scoring Black, Gryffindor's Beater, cracked his knuckles and grinned wickedly. He relished the opportunity to send Bludgers hurtling towards the Slytherin the other side of the pitch, Regulus Black, was determined to outshine his brother.
The game continued for an hour, intensifying,bludgers were flying, Chasers were weaving in and out, and the crowd's excitement reached a fever pitch. Gryffindor was leading 245 - 's determination was unwavering. He spotted the Snitch's golden glint near the Gryffindor goalposts and rocketed towards it.
James, noticing this, raced toward the Slytherin goal post and managed to score two more goals for his team, however, in a heart-stopping moment, Regulus Black's fingertips brushed against the snitch, and with a triumphant cry, he closed his hand around it.
The Gryffindor crowd erupted into cheers and red and gold banners waved proudly. When both teams descended they reluctantly shaked hands. Regulus and James seemed to have a silent conversation with their eyes as their teams left for the locker rooms.
After that match, rising tension started to notice itself. The Dark Lord and his followers were escalating their attacks. People were taking sides. Light and Dark. Death Eaters against the Order. In the midst of all this, James and Lily were hanging out at the Black Lake and talking about what they wanted to do. James wanted to be an Auror and Lily wanted to be an Unspeakable. They wanted to fight back. They were worried about their future because nothing was set on stone.
"Lils," James started "you know I love you right? Only Merlin knows I don't deserve you but I thank my lucky stars everyday because you chose to love me."
"Jamie, where is this all coming from?" Lily laughed sitting up.
"Just let me finish, please. I'm terrified, there's a war going and nothing is certain. Sirius is getting worried because Reggie hasn't talked to him in months. I've already talked to you parents and they have agreed. What I'm certain of is that I love you, I have loved you since the day you called me a toerag in our first year and I'll continue to love you for as long as you'll have me. I know it's crazy to have a wedding with all that's going on but I'd rather spend every bloody minute together. So, Lily Marie Evans, will you make me the happiest wizard alive and do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
"Yes," Lily said through her tears "Of course I'll marry you, you big prat"
"But I'm your prat" James laughed slipping the ring on her finger
And just like that their fate was sealed.