Chapter Eleven - All About Lily, Nomomom

James was known for being rather oblivious to the characters of others. In fact, he chose to believe that every person—Muggle, Muggle-born, half-blood, and pureblood alike—was good-natured until proven otherwise.

Sirius called him an idiot for trusting too easily. Remus thought it a valuable trait, the trust part, not the obliviousness. Pete often told him he wished he could feel the same way about others.

But lately, Charlotte Evans didn't quite fit into James' simple worldview.

He knew she wasn't bad—she was painfully honest and awkward in a way that almost made him want to protect her. Yet, there was something unsettling. James had been watching her closely since she started spending more time with them. And the more he watched, the more questions she raised.

That morning, as Charlotte stood up and walked away from the Gryffindor table, James couldn't help but feel puzzled. She didn't even glance back at them. Charlotte seemed to both cherish and despise her social isolation, a contradiction that baffled him. She was clearly lonely—how could she not be, with only Lily for company? But then again, she acted as though she preferred her solitude over the camaraderie they offered.

James had suggested trying to include her more in their daily activities—breakfasts, dinners, trips to the common room. He'd hoped it would make her feel more comfortable around them. He had hoped it would make her trust him. Hoped, perhaps, that it would make her trust him the way Lily never did. Of course, he hadn't expected Sirius to be so obnoxious about it, but subtlety was never his strong suit.

He watched Charlotte as she left, barely acknowledging any of them. It wasn't like they were the kind of friends who laughed over pranks or shared secrets, but still, her avoidance stung. She got along with Sirius, she bantered with Remus—why was it always him she avoided?

James slumped back in his seat, stabbing at his food.

Why wasn't she asking him anything? They had spoken more than anyone else in the group! Yet now, she was laughing with Sirius like they were lifelong friends. His frustration built as he absentmindedly watched her long, dirty blonde hair, which was always as messy as his own, pulled back into a bun. It was one of the first times he'd seen her without her hair cascading down her face, and he found himself noticing details he'd missed before.

Her features were stark compared to Lily's. Where Lily had that doll-like perfection, Charlotte's face was sharper, more expressive. She never hid her emotions, not once since he'd met her. Her eyes—those deep blue eyes—revealed everything she felt: annoyance, suspicion, joy, even confusion. They were fascinating.

James frowned, his thoughts growing darker. How could he not have noticed her all these years? They had shared the same common room for six years, attended classes together, yet he couldn't remember a single interaction before the last few weeks. How was that possible?

His mind churned. He wasn't stupid enough to think he knew everyone at Hogwarts, but still—this wasn't some random student. Charlotte was Lily's twin. That should've made her impossible to miss. And yet… not a single memory surfaced.

It was starting to drive him mad.

"Mate, you've been mumbling for the last five minutes, and we haven't heard a word you've said," Sirius said, breaking James out of his reverie. His friend was grinning as he took a gulp of pumpkin juice, but his grey eyes held a hint of concern.

James stared at Sirius for a moment, then looked down at his plate. Sirius may be joking, but he wasn't wrong to be worried. James wasn't one to obsess over trivial matters, but this wasn't trivial. Something was off about Charlotte.

"You're not daydreaming about Lily again, are you?" Pete asked with a snort, earning an eye roll from James. He had long since gotten used to their teasing about his obsession with Lily, but this time, it wasn't Lily on his mind.

"Nah," James muttered with a sigh, leaning back from the bench. His face broke into a wild smirk as he added, "I dream of her enough at night to need some variety during the day, at least."

Sirius burst out laughing, Remus rolled his eyes, and even Pete snorted. But the humor didn't last long. After a few moments, James noticed all of them watching him, waiting for him to explain what was really bothering him.

"I…" James started, frowning down at his plate. He wasn't even sure how to articulate what was gnawing at him. "Am I the only one who finds it odd that Charlotte's just… appeared? She's supposedly been in our year and house for six years, but I can't remember ever seeing her."

Recognition flashed across Sirius' face, followed by Remus' thoughtful frown. The Marauders were quiet, each processing what James had said.

"So… what? You think she's lying?" Sirius asked, his brow furrowing.

James shook his head, but slowly. "I don't know. Maybe? It's just strange. How could we all have missed her for this long?"

"Maybe we didn't miss her," Remus interjected, his voice thoughtful. "Maybe there's more to it than that. I mean, Slughorn didn't recognize her either, and he practically worships Lily."

The table fell silent. James hadn't thought about that. Slughorn's confusion during Potions had been unnerving. How could a teacher forget a student, especially one as academically capable as Charlotte?

"Damn," James muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Maybe we're overthinking it," Sirius offered, though his tone wasn't convincing. "She could just be… shy."

"Shy?" James snorted. "She's more than shy. She's suspiciously interested in illegal topics we happen to be experts in."

Sirius leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "You mean Animagus transformations?"

James nodded grimly. "I'm the one who let it slip. If she's not who she says she is, I've put all of us in danger."

Sirius' teasing smile faded. "So what's your plan?"

James hesitated, glancing around the table. He could already see the resistance on Remus' face, but this needed to be done. "I want to get her student file from McGonagall's office."

"What?" Remus exclaimed, nearly knocking over his drink. "You want to break into her office? Are you mad?"

"It's the only way we'll know for sure," James argued. "We can't keep guessing. If she's lying, we need to know why."

"And what if she's not?" Remus shot back. "What if she's exactly who she says she is, and we get expelled for nothing?"

James clenched his jaw. "Then we'll know. And we'll deal with it. But right now, she knows too much about us. We can't afford to take risks."

Remus leaned back, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Look, I don't like this either, but breaking into McGonagall's office? That's a step too far, James." He paused, considering his options, before continuing, "Here's what I think we should do: we watch her. For a week. We keep an eye on her, see if anything suspicious happens. And if, after that, we don't find anything out of the ordinary, then we drop it. But if something does feel off, we'll discuss the file again. Agreed?"

James frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the suggestion. But he knew Remus wasn't wrong. They had to tread carefully. "Fine. One week."

Sirius grinned, mischief dancing in his eyes. "One week to keep an eye on Charlotte, is it? I can think of worse ways to spend my time." He leaned back, a suggestive smirk tugging at his lips. "Maybe she's hiding more than just secrets, eh, Prongs?"

James rolled his eyes, trying to keep his face neutral, but inside, a flare of annoyance shot through him. He didn't like the idea of Sirius watching Charlotte like that, even if it was all just a joke. It was supposed to be about figuring out what she was hiding—not anything else.

James, regrettably, had somewhat of a reputation with the girls at Hogwarts. He'd done his fair share of dating—searching, if he was honest, for anyone who could steal his thoughts the way Lily did. But Sirius... Sirius' reputation preceded him. He wasn't a serious dater, and there were fewer girls at Hogwarts he hadn't snogged than those he had.

The thought of Sirius setting his sights on Charlotte, even in jest, stirred something uncomfortable in James. He told himself it was because Charlotte was Lily's sister—of course, that's why he felt protective of her. But deep down, the unease twisted tighter, and he didn't care to examine why.

"Grow up, Padfoot," James muttered, though his voice was sharper than he intended.

Sirius chuckled, undeterred. "Relax, Prongs. It's just a bit of fun."

But it wasn't fun for James. The idea of Sirius being interested in Charlotte, even momentarily, made him feel protective—because she was Lily's sister, of course. That had to be it.

"All right, enough," Remus interrupted, sensing the shift in the air. "We're watching her because something doesn't add up, not for whatever other reason is rattling around in your head, Sirius."

Sirius raised his hands in mock surrender, the smirk still lingering on his face. "Fine, fine. One week, I promise to be a perfect gentleman."

James forced a smirk, but the uneasy feeling gnawed at him.

James glanced around the table. Remus was still frowning, clearly weighing the risks of their plan, while Sirius wore that infuriating smirk as if this was all some grand adventure. Pete, on the other hand, seemed content with his role, nodding along in agreement. But James couldn't shake the unease tightening in his chest. This wasn't a prank. This was about figuring out who Charlotte really was—and making sure she wasn't a danger to them.

He let out a slow breath, forcing himself to focus. "All right. We'll give it a week. Keep an eye on her, but don't make it obvious. We're not trying to scare her off."

Sirius snorted. "Subtlety is my specialty, mate."

"Right," James said flatly, rolling his eyes. "Just... try."

Remus stood up first, gathering his books with a look that said he wasn't convinced this was the best plan. "We'll talk to Lily, Alice, and Charlotte. See what we can find out without prying too much."

James paused. Alice—Lily's closest friend. She wasn't just close with Lily, though; Alice was a steady presence in the Gryffindor common room, always quick with a laugh and known for her no-nonsense attitude. If anyone besides Lily knew anything about Charlotte, it would be Alice. She had a knack for picking up on things others missed.

As his friends rose from the table, each lost in their own thoughts, James stayed seated for a moment longer. Sirius tossed his bag over his shoulder, still grinning as though this whole thing was a grand adventure. Pete lingered behind, clearly eager to prove his worth by watching Charlotte's movements with the map.

But James stayed seated for a moment longer, staring at the empty space where Charlotte had been. His mind wandered back to her again—her messy blonde hair, her sharp features, and those dark blue eyes that always seemed to hide something just out of reach. Why hadn't he noticed her before? Why was she so willing to get involved in something as dangerous as Animagus transformations?

And more importantly, why did he care so much?

He told himself, again, that it was because she was Lily's sister. That was the only reason. But as he stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that maybe—just maybe—it was more than that.

Sirius caught his eye, his grin turning wicked. "You sure you don't fancy her, mate? You're starting to look awfully invested."

James scowled, pushing past him. "Shut up, Padfoot."

He didn't need Sirius planting more ideas in his head. His thoughts were confusing enough as it was.

As the Marauders left the Great Hall, James glanced back one last time, half-expecting to see Charlotte looking at them. But the table was empty, and the mystery of Charlotte Evans only seemed to grow more tangled in his mind.

One week. That's all they had. One week to figure her out.

And James wasn't sure if that would be enough.