-Chapter Four: Did Someone Say "Royalty"?
-By Natali
(-Present…-)
"So, what were you up to, old man?" Rachel asked, smiling at the man across from her on the main street.
"Not a word, Rachel," James whispered, grabbing her hand. "Come on, we'll talk back at my flat. I have a great need to bathe."
"You had a great need to bathe two days ago, James," Rachel muttered, preparing for apparition to the guys' flat.
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(-Later…-)
"So, why were you stalking Lily?" Rachel asked, looking through a photo album of James and his parents. "I noticed you were hanging out at her house yesterday. Spill."
James sighed, running a hand through his wet hair. "Ok, Rachel, but you can't say a word about this to anybody."
Rachel nodded. "Of course. That goes without saying."
James closed his eyes, trying to psyche himself up for what was going to come-what he was going to have to relive.
"Has Lily… told you why I broke up with her?"
"No, and I haven't had the bollocks to ask her about it. I was hoping you'd enlighten me."
"I'll bet the reason she hasn't told you is because… I haven't given her one to begin one." He rose from the couch and went into the kitchen to pour himself a drink-a very strong one.
"You did what?" Rachel asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I haven't told her why I broke up with her."
"And you're going to tell me?"
"No."
"I didn't think so. Are you going to tell her?"
"Eventually. I just… can't. Rachel, I need to talk to her. If you could ask her if she wants to meet up with me, I'd really appreciate it." He looked at her with pleading eyes. "I'd ask her, I would, but I've already tried to talk to her. And she ignored me entirely."
"How long have you been stalking her house?"
"About a month, after my second attempt to make contact. I thought she needed a little time to recuperate, but it's only gotten worse. I spoke to her maid, and she said that she's lost a lot of weight. Doesn't sleep very good. Isn't the same person…"
"She wasn't," Rachel affirmed. "But she's feeling better now. To an extent anyway. Do you really think she'll agree to see you if I ask her?"
"I hope so."
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(-Back with Grace and Lily, at Lily's house…-)
"I wonder where Rachel disappeared to," Grace mused, setting her stuff on a table. "Should we try her cell phone again?"
Lily shook her head. "She's heard the next story, to an extent. You were away shagging Remus when I told her."
"Would you stop that!"
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September 30
Last night, I hadn't been able to finish my story. Anyway, James asked me if I wanted to skip the after party. Hey, I'm always up for a little romp in the sheets! But no, that wasn't quite what he had in mind.
At least, not for the immediate future.
And so, I think I'll finish the rest of my story. As you know, we got back to school at five in the morning. Well, what had happened before was… very nice. Now, diary, I'm not really quite sure what is up with us. Not truly. I've read the entry Mum put in here when she went out with my father for the first time-back when she claimed she loved him. For that matter, perhaps she's always loved him, but things just got complicated…
But I digress.
James had asked me if I wanted to skip the party. I've said that like four times. But it's the way that he asked. Now, he didn't get on bent knee and propose that we miss it. I'm not suggesting anything nearly as exaggerated. Maybe I mean what he was saying through his eyes?
So, I was confused. When I'm confused, I consult the earlier pages of my heavy volume that is a diary. Mum and Dad's first date was boring-she stated so herself. But it was about twenty entries later that I found what I was looking for. Something that related so much to me that it scared me…
Right now, diary, I am wearing a golden chain around my neck. But I have no idea what it stands for! James gave it to me. There's something symbolic about. I'm almost positive it holds some sort of magic, but I don't know what!
Perhaps I should just ask him?
Which wouldn't be so hard… If he hadn't asked me to not ask! But I'm getting ahead of myself. James told Jerry to go on ahead-to where, I didn't know until later.
It took awhile to get to our destination (though I'm very suspicious of the carriage flying above England. That or I've seriously misjudged where the place we went is located…), but we finally did. What can I say? What is there to say? I had a lovely time with a lovely person…
…Who knows how to give lovely gifts.
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(-Memories…-)
Lily sat in the carriage, playing with the zipper of her purse. For the past fifteen minutes, she and James had been silent. It wasn't necessarily an uncomfortable silence, but she wished they could talk about something.
I wish he'd kiss me, that's what I really wish. He can be as silent as he wants, so long as he's kissing me!
James's eyes met hers, and he smiled.
"Are you bored? You've been playing with the zipper for awhile. I'm sorry I'm not much of an interesting date."
"No, I'm not bored. It was just something to do with my hands," she explained, smiling back. This was what she wanted. This was, after all, a date-an engagement to go out socially with another person, often out of romantic interest. Needless to say, James was of a romantic interest to her. "And you're very interesting."
He shrugged, looking out the window. "Why'd you agree?"
"Pardon?" she asked, bewildered. Agree to what? Skip the after party?
"Why did you agree to go out with me?" he clarified, turning back to her. "You'd refused before. So why then, in the forest."
Lily-for the first time in years-blushed. It wasn't a purposeful blush; he'd actually made her blush! "I'm not sure, James. But I'm glad I did."
He nodded, turning his head to once again look out the window. "Me too."
"If it helps any," Lily continued, playing with her zipper again, "I think it was that you'd set the mood. The clearing really was wonderful, James. And… you were right."
"About what?"
"There is loads of sex appeal."
They shared an intimate smile, before James got up and joined her on her side of the carriage.
"You don't think this is too much then?" he whispered in her ear, breathing in her scented skin.
"Oh, it's definitely too much," Lily giggled. "But I guess you were only trying your hardest."
"Not my hardest. It could have been a lot more ridiculous," James chortled. "I could have taken you to dinner with the Queen."
"You are so dramatic, James."
"I know."
They fell silent once more, but it was no longer comfortable. The air was heavy with tension-I wonder what kind…?
"Sadly, I have one more thing to give you," he said after a minute. "I was going to wait until later, but now seems as good a time as any."
Lily looked at him warily. "What is it, a castle or something?"
"No, but that could be arranged."
"Oh, sure."
"Fine, don't believe me. But right, back to your gift-to celebrate my first date ever, and our first date together."
"We should write this in the history books."
"Sirius is taking care of it. I think that Remus is taking the pictures as well… When he's not off shagging Grace anyway," he laughed, pulling her onto his lap. "Ok, I hope you like gold jewelry."
"Well, save something for the surprise, will you?" Lily asked. She accepted the box James handed to her, and lifted off the lid. She'd never really perfected the art of accepting gifts (just how gracious should you be?), and this was one to top them all.
Inside lay a thing gold chain with a gold pendant, with what looked to be symbols of a sort on it. It was nothing out of the ordinary (at least, to the naked eye), but it was captivating all the same. There was something about the way the light would shine off the exquisite metal…
"It's lovely," she whispered, taking it out of the box. "You're quite a spoiler."
He grinned and took it from her hands to put it around her neck. "Yes, my family is famous for that. My father says that it's a Potter tradition. The girls are quite generous too." He fastened the pretty necklace, and let it fall against her chest (glorious chest that it was).
Lily frowned in thought. "There's something… eerie about it. In a good way, don't get me wrong. It's just… different."
"Lily, promise you'll never take it off," he whispered in her ear.
"I won't," she promised, fingering the pendant. "What does this say?"
"Don't ask and I won't have to tell you a lie."
Lily scrunched her nose, but let it pass. Honestly, she didn't give a crap what it said.
"You are so beautiful, do you know that?" he asked, barely audible. Without waiting for her reply (though it was technically rhetorical), he leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against hers.
"Again," she murmured.
So they kissed again, their tongues barely touching.
He briefly broke apart from her lips to whisper, "To many more, Lily." And again their lips crushed the other. Just as James was about to deepen the kiss…
"Oof!" Lily fell on top of James (more than she already was, that is) as the carriage lurched to a stop. "You need to tell your driver to give a warning if he's going to brake like that."
"I need to tell my driver to not ruin very good moments," he bit out, seating Lily back onto her own seat and opening the door. "My lady," he bowed, offering his hand to help her down.
Once she was out and had looked around, Lily burst out laughing. "This is the entrance to Hogwarts!"
James grinned and nodded. "What, did you think skipping the party meant we'd go somewhere else?" With a wink, he gave a squeeze to the hand he hadn't yet released. "Come, we'll go eat something in Hogsmeade. Jerry, thanks for everything."
"Anytime, James."
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(-Later…-)
"Mmm," Lily sighed happily, trying to slip off her shoes.
"Damn it, where is that extra blanket?" James hissed, searching blindly with his hands while his lips were otherwise occupied with Lily.
"Forget the blanket."
"I get very cold at night."
"You won't be getting cold tonight. Trust me."
(-To be explained and continued…-)
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(About twenty years before…)
Diary of Erica Thompson, March 23
Agatha Winsley's Boarding School for Girls
Today was the third date I've had with Christopher-Chris. It was so very sweet, in every possible way. He was so nervous! Maybe it was the pressure of improving his prior boring dates?
He was the perfect gentleman. It's such a nice change after Adam-bloody wanker. But never mind. If Madame knew I had escaped from the school… Heh, I would hate to think about what would happen to me.
It started off so nicely. Chris isn't very rich (which is ok, because nor am I), so it was a very casual date at a local restaurant-in his hometown, thirty or so miles from my school. We couldn't risk being seen by someone and having it get back to Madame.
It wasn't the dinner, or the place where we ate that really touched me. It was the way he treated me. He opened every door for me, helped me in and out of his car, tucked the chair in behind me in the restaurant… He even bowed when he picked me up and dropped me off! Didn't even try to kiss me.
I had such a good time. I haven't smiled so genuinely in a long time. I wish Mama didn't make me come to this stupid school. It's so high-strung, for the rich, "I can get anything because Daddy has truckloads of money" bitches that inhabit this concrete prison with me.
As I've mentioned before, we'd grown up together. He and his family had moved when he was fifteen and I was ten. Despite the somewhat large age difference (back then, anyway), we were reasonably close friends.
And somehow, when he told me he loved me tonight-after only meeting up again for two months!-I returned the statement.
And diary, I do mean it.
He is my escape, and such a sweet one too.
Today he also gave me a glass rose. Small, inexpensive, but the gesture was so full of love!
…And I haven't even kissed him yet.
I'll bet it will be like fireworks. It'll be such a reawakening that I'll never want to leave his arms, nor run into the arms of another.
By next year, I know I will be Mrs. Chris Evans. And the year after that I'll be pregnant with either Peter or Petunia Evans!
I'll finally be happy…
-Erica
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(-Present…-)
Lily stared down at the page her mum had written so many years earlier. It showed that love sometimes wore away.
"But Erica is different from me," Lily told herself aloud, grateful for Grace's sudden need for the loo. "I am not going to screw up my life like she did."
With that, she closed the book and threw it onto the floor. After a moment of pondering it, she picked it back up and opened it to an empty page, grabbing a quill to write. It'd been awhile-since James had come into her life practically. The only time she wrote was to write down important dates: James's first "I love you", first talk about marriage, how many kids they'd have…
The same mistakes Chris and Erica had made.
Furious, and already crying, she began to write furiously.
Date: Who gives a fuck?
I hate him. I love him. I want to hurt him. I want to kiss all his troubles away…
What will the great Lily Evans, Queen of Hogwarts, do now? What would they all say?
They would all laugh, that's what! Lily Evans has finally fallen…
All hail the goddamned queen…
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(-Memories, a few months after their first date…-)
Lily Evans smiled as she walked down the halls with James Potter by her side, holding her hand and carrying her books. Everyone was watching them, though they tried to appear inconspicuous.
"Lils, James!" Grace said, walking up to her. "Have you heard what they're saying around school?"
Lily and James smiled at Grace's excitement.
"What?" Lily asked.
"You're the new king and queen of Hogwarts-or so they say," Sirius said, jumping in next to them. "Ever since Longbottom and his girlfriend left last year, they've been looking for their replacements."
Rachel came out of the Muggle Studies classroom, saw them, and having heard the gist of the conversation, joined them too. With a pinch on Sirius's bottom-at which he gave a surprised yelp-and said, "Yeah, and the lame ducks have even offered to come and crown you after the Quidditch Cup Tournament at the end of the year."
Lily and James looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"That is so…" Lily began.
"Pathetic," James finished. "Really, as if we need the Mob's approval of our relationship to go on living."
Grace rolled her eyes, playfully shoving Remus when she passed him in the corridor. "Well, I just thought you two would like to know. Shall I pass it along the grapevine that you wish to accept your position, should you be chosen?"
They didn't even have to look at each other.
"Yes."
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(-Present, at James's flat…-)
Rachel sipped some of her coffee while she watched James pack a bag-he was going back to stalk Lily's house again.
"If I were you," she told him, "I'd take a tent."
"I've rented one of the houses down the street from there."
Her eyebrows shot up. "Really? Well, good for you. Does that mean you're moving out of here?"
"I said renting. I haven't bought it-and won't, either." He zipped the bag and hung it on his shoulder. "Ready to go, then? I'm sure they're wondering where you disappeared to."
"I'm a big girl now," she said. She sighed and stood up. "Ok, let's get this over with then."
James sighed as he made ready to apparate to his new home for at least the next week. He wanted so badly to talk to Lily, but she just kept ignoring him. What would he do?
Wait until he could tell her everything, and then kiss her, propose to her, and not leave the bedroom for at least a week.
There was doubt in his mind though. What if he never got the chance?
"One more thing, Rachel," he blurted out, dropping his bag. "I need you to do something for me."
Rachel looked at him when she heard the trouble in his voice. "Yeah? What is it?"
He said as he walked to his room, "I'm going to write a letter. And if anything happens to me, I need you to give it to Lily. But only if something happens to me or if I tell you otherwise."
"James, what the bloody hell are you talking about? Are you in some kind of trouble?" she asked, following him. "If you are, tell me. You're starting to scare me. First, you stalk Lily's house. Then you follow her to another town. And now you're telling me something might happen to you? No, this is just too much. I want you to walk up to her and tell her to her face and resolve all this shit, `cause you two love each other, whether you like it or not!"
"Rachel," he warned.
"No, I'm not done!" she fumed, pushing him onto his bed in order to scream at him properly. "You broke Lily's heart-no, you broke Lily and haven't even apologized or given a reason for it. I've been understanding; hey, things happen. But you know, I think you're scum for doing that to her, I really do. Inside, at least. In the part of me that doesn't think you're a good guy.
"I know you are, but fuck it, James! You've hurt her so bad that she didn't even want to live. What the hell am I supposed to do? I love you, as a friend, and don't want to lose you. I love Remus too; Sirius even more because he's possibly the best guy ever!"
"Sirius-?"
"Do not interrupt me, Potter!" she cut in. "Now, as I was saying, you need to grow some and talk to her yourself, you little wanker! I don't care that she's ignoring you. That, in my opinion, is all your fault and what you deserve. I will talk to you tomorrow-wait for me by the fountain down the block from Lily's at one." With that, she disappeared to Lily's house.
"Bloody hell," he muttered, then smiled. "Sirius, eh?"
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-A/N: Ok guys. This is the last of the prewritten chapters. So, you'll have to wait. But I expect to have another chapter by tonight. If not, tomorrow. I've declared next week off because of midterms. Happy holidays.
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