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Believing the Unbelievable
A Lily and James Tale
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"C'mon, Evans, you know you want to."
She threw him a disgusted look. "I will only go out with you when pigs fly!"
"You mean that?" He said with a thoughtful grin. She started at his response before placing her hands on her hips.
"Definitely." She should have known better. She should have remembered that some things that applied in the normal world almost never were carried over to the magical one. She should have known this fact, being the smartest witch of her age and all.
"OK then. I will get back to you when that happens." He gave her a cheeky, lopsided grin, before grabbing his friend's arm and strutting away. Lily watched him as he walked down the hallway. He looked back just before turning the corner; he winked. She whipped around, pulling her bag tighter, and hugging a thick book tight to her chest. How he infuriated her.
James Potter was being his usual arrogant, rich, spoilt self, strutting around the school as if he owned the place. He thought himself good looking, smart and the King of Hogwarts. Well, he was quite handsome, either though she's rather die than admit it. And he was dreadfully intelligent, all three of them were, and that was quite intimidating. What was a small, redheaded muggle-born witch to a pureblooded, handsome wizard?
A challenge, that's what.
For the last week he had been hassling her; before, in and after classes. At Lunch he found a way to sit next to her, whispering sweet nothings in her ears, piling food onto plates, trying, but not succeeding to win her over. In the Common Room, she wouldn't even get a few minutes to study without the dark-haired boy snatching her book to place love letters in the pages.
At first, she had been surprised and excited, that James Potter, the James Potter was interested in her; plain old Lily Evans. Then she had been frustrated at all his antics, his style bothering her rather than enchanting. And now - now she was seriously annoyed.
Didn't he get the hint? She didn't want to go out with him. She didn't want him to try to make her fall for him. Because it wasn't going to happen. Only a disturbing miracle would make her think twice about James Potter.
That's when things started to get strange.
It was a Thursday morning, and she had Charms class first. Professor Flitwick was to start teaching them the Adhesive Charm, a tricky little spell that Lily was determined to conquer in the first half an hour. As soon as she entered the classroom, she knew something was wrong.
James Potter and Sirius Black were sitting in the back-most corner, heads down in silent concentration. Their friends, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were sitting in front, turning around occasionally to see what they were doing. James looked up when she entered, laying his eyes on her for only a second before looking down. Sirius glanced up and a wicked grin spread across his astonishingly handsome face. She knew that look. She saw it every time a prank was about to be completed; it made her stomach squirm uncomfortably.
She narrowed her eyes at them suspiciously, not liking their behavior one bit. Remus Lupin gave her a small smile, his brown eyes betraying humor. She liked Remus Lupin the most out of the four friends. He seemed more mature and behaved. Also, he was a Prefect, which meant they patrolled together occasionally. Even though most of that time was spent by him telling her what a great friend James was and how much he liked her, the times that they actually talked was quite entertaining.
They shared many interests, being both top students and Prefects, and Lily often wondered why he hung around with the likes of James Potter and Sirius Black. They were both mischievous pranksters, showing off almost every chance they were given. Remus seemed different. But she knew he was a Marauder, and there had to be a reason for it.
Lily dropped her bag to the floor, sliding into a seat in the front row so she had a clear view of the teacher's desk and black board. She set up a quill, parchment and ink on the desk, straightening her back to await the arrival of Professor Flitwick. Alice soon filled the empty seat beside Lily, her round face shining in joy.
"Hi, Lily," she said with a shake of her head, allowing her blond hair to flick from her shoulders. Alice was a pretty girl, and Lily admired her happy nature, kind words and intense loyalty. She was the kind of friend you had forever; the kind of friend you sat with when you were old, sipping tea in the sweet summer air. Alice was a friend for life.
"Hello, Alice," Lily said with a smile, watching as her friend's blue eyes flicked to the back of the room.
"What's up with the Awesome Foursome?" Alice said with a frown. "They look awfully...attentive." Lily glanced back at the quiet boys and shrugged dismissively.
"Who cares?" But, she really did care. She desperately wanted to know why James Potter had suddenly gone silent. It was as if he had finally taken notice of her lack of interest and had given up on trying to win her heart. It was strange. Too strange. Because James Potter had never been one to give up.
"Are you even listening to me?" Lily shook her head, ridding it of thoughts pertaining to the annoying prick in her side, before landing her eyes on Alice. She was staring at her with a silly smile, her large eyes glittering in mischief. "Or is your mind at the back of the room? Have you finally realized that having James Potter want you is not such a bad thing? Have you finally unearthed your true feelings?"
Lily felt her face flush and she hastily turned away. "Of course not! Why would you even suggest that I like James Potter?" And that did it. She had forgotten she was in a roomful of her peers, all having gone silent as Professor Flitwick entered the room - just in time for Lily's outburst.
Laughter rang through the room like rumbling thunder. Her face burned bright red to match her hair and she buried her head in her hands. She had never been so embarrassed in her entire life, not even when she had fallen asleep in History of Magic and woken up screaming about toadstools. And that had been the worst moment of her life.
"All right, settle down, settle down. And I don't think we need to hear about your love life, Ms Evans," the small professor said, taking stand at the top of four books. Lily spluttered and would've retorted about how `James Potter' and `love life' shouldn't be said in the same sentence involving her, but Alice kicked her shin; she bit her tongue.
The rest of the class was spent in quiet study, everyone trying to learn the Adhesive Charm. Lily waved her wand and clearly said, "Adglutino!" She reached out and pushed the coin; it moved. She groaned in annoyance. It wasn't meant to move. The spell hadn't worked because she was too flustered about her recent embarrassment to concentrate. Also, James had mastered the charm on his first few tries, and was now scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment in front of him. Sirius was adding things at odd intervals, having also completed the spell.
It made her incredibly mad. She was meant to be the smartest in the year, but those two troublemakers had accomplished the charm before her. She jabbed her wand at the coin, turning it into a sticky mush. How she hated James Potter.
The day steadily grew worse, with her classes making all the more frustrated and angry. She couldn't turn her finger into a pencil in Transfiguration, while Remus had made his entire arm a keyboard that actually made sounds. She had almost melted a cauldron in Potions, causing Madam Ferguson to deduct fifteen points from Gryffindor while just managing to vanish the boiling potion before it could burn through to the floor.
Alice attempted to stay out of her way through most of the day, speaking only to ask a question, not wanting to suffer the angry girl's wrath. When Herbology rolled around, they were replanting the deadly African Man-Eating Ferns. Lily was lost in vengeful thoughts while others around her pulled on dragon-hide gloves and picked up bottles of plant repellent in case the ferns tried to attack.
Lily was sharing a bench with Alice and a tall Hufflepuff girl called Cynthia Stine, whose long black hair was woven with silvery beads, that caught the sunlight filtering through the thin greenhouse roof. Lily was feeling a little better in this class, because only Peter Pettigrew was taking this class, not having been smart enough to be able to join the others in Duelling.
She had wanted to do that class, but it had clashed with Herbology, which she needed to become a Healer. Alice was doing extra Duelling Classes after classes, which she had to do to go to Auror Academy after Hogwarts.
At a bench across from theirs was a group of Gryffindor boys. Peter was working with Frank Longbottom, a plump boy with a sweet smile and kind eyes, and a short boy called Henry Aberton. Alice had secretly liked Frank for over a year, but she was too shy to ask him out and too stubborn to ask Lily to do it for her. So, the silent lusting continued, for Lily knew that Frank returned the feelings, after Remus told her one night patrolling. He had forbid her to tell Alice, saying they would get together when they were ready.
She was so wrapped in her thoughts that she reached out for a bottle of repellent, but was greeted with an incredibly painful sting. She withdrew her hand, staring aghast at the sharp-toothed fern which had torn a great gash in her hand.
"Oh, Ms Evans, I thought you would be more careful! Ms Whindley, take her quickly to the Hospital Wing, and tell Madam Pomfrey exactly what happened! Quickly now, and keep pressure on it so the poison doesn't spread any further!" Professor Sprout said hastily, handing Lily a clean rag which she gratefully pressed on her bloody wound. Alice hurried forward, ushering Lily from the greenhouse.
"Lily, what's with you today? You've been off ever since Charms!" Alice said, practically dragging her friend across the lush green lawns of Hogwarts. Lily moaned in pain, keeping hold of the rapidly staining cloth.
"I don't know!" she cried, wincing when she stumbled up the path. They were soon running into the Infirmary, calling for the school nurse. A young witch bustled in, her face shining with anticipation and concern.
"What happened here?" Madam Pomfrey said, directing Lily to a white hospital bed and removing the blood-soaked bandage. The outer edges of the cut were slowly going a sickly green-tinged-purple. Alice cringed while Lily closed her eyes.
"I got bitten by an African Man-Eating Fern in Herbology. I was being careless; I should have been paying attention!" Lily said desperately, stifling a cry when the nurse applied a thick, gooey potion that seemed to burn her flesh.
"Sit here for a moment while I fetch the antidote and a pain-relieving potion," Madam Pomfrey said,
rushing away into her office. The sound of bottles being knocked around reached their ears, before the nurse returned,
a tray laden with two goblets and bottles of potion in hand. "Drink this, Ms…"
"Evans. Lily Evans," she said, taking the goblet and gulping down the steaming liquid. It burned all the way down. Immediately, the sting left her hand and arm, leaving it blissfully numb. After the Pain-Relieving Potion was swallowed down, Madam Pomfrey set to work healing the cut on her hand.
"All right there, Evans?" the voice startled her, and she whipped around to face the cause of all her problems. James Potter was leaning against the doorframe, a concerned look on his perfect face.
"I'm fine, not that it concerns you." Lily spat, releasing some of her anger on the annoying boy in the doorway. His face fell slightly, before he picked it back up, replacing it with the usual cheeky grin.
"But it does concern me, Evans; I care about your well being!" James said with a nod in Alice's direction. She grinned.
"Well you shouldn't!" Lily said scathingly, biting back a painful yell when the nurse wound a bandage tight around her hand and wrist. James frowned before sighing, stepping away from the door.
"I hope you're able to come to dinner, I have something to show you," he said with a small smile, "I'll see you there then, Lily." And then, he was gone. Lily was left in stunned silence. He said my name!
Half an hour later, she was released from the Hospital Wing with a bandaged hand and a confused mind. Alice was chattering away at her side, her voice sounding disoriented and jumbled to Lily's ears. Her thoughts were on the frustrating and puzzling day she had just had. Just thinking about it made her head hurt.
"So, you're going to zone out regularly now?" Alice said with a crooked smile, watching Lily's face turn red.
"I was just -"
"- thinking about James Potter?"
"No!" Lily said, embarrassed and angry that her mind could be so easily read.
"He's getting to you, isn't he?" Alice said cheekily. "I told you no one could resist the charm of James Potter!"
"Yes, he's getting to me! He's bloody annoying!" Lily said, before adding, "And I am so resisting his charm!"
"So, you're saying he has charm?" her friend said with a silly grin that made her face shine with youth and beauty. Lily groaned.
"Stop twisting my words! You always do it!" she said, picking at the bandage on her right hand. The nurse promised it would be completely healed in two days, but that was two days Lily was unable to do school work. She would be lost.
"I'm only repeating what you said," Alice answered innocently, as they rounded a corner leading to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"You're twisting my words, and you know it!" Lily said. "Jillywog." With the password said, the portrait swung open.
"Are not!" Alice said as they climbed the stairs leading to the sixth year girl's dormitory.
"Are too!" Lily countered as they walked back down after placing their school bag and books away.
"Are not!" the blond girl sang back, pushing through the portrait hole.
"Are too!" Lily said with a growl.
"It's not my fault you're completely blind to your own feelings when you can top every single class with one-hundred and ten percent!" Alice shot back with a smile, the two girls jumping onto a staircase as it swang away from the floor.
"I do not like James Potter!" Lily seethed, scaring a small first year into running down a flight of stairs. "I think he's arrogant, a show off, and a snobby rich boy!"
"But not ugly!" Alice chuckled. Lily sighed. She had her there.
They entered the Great Hall with spent breaths from arguing so much. They found their seats in the middle of the Gryffindor Table, as far away as possible from the Marauders who were sitting at the far end. James raised his eyebrows at her as their eyes met; Lily turned defiantly away.
Dinner passed slowly, without much occurrence. Lily merely pushed the food around on her plate, listening half-heartedly to Theresa Prewett tell Alice about how her older sister, Molly, had become recently engaged only three years out of Hogwarts to a man working in the Ministry, someone named Arthur Weasley.
James and his friends were quiet at their end of the table, looking up at the starry sky or to the rafters, as if expecting something. Dinner was nearing to a close when a loud squealing could be heard coming from the enchanted ceiling. Everyone in the hall looked up, including Lily.
And what did she see flying through the space in the rafters? A creature with a pale, hairless body, short legs, a round stomach and a curly tail. As it approached, a flat snout could be spotted above a mouth that was letting off a series of excited screams. A pair of tiny, white, fluttering wings had sprouted from its back, hardly carrying its weight.
It swooped down low over the tables, causing people to shout and duck with laughter. Lily sat speechless, too numb to move, as the hog slowly descended to the Gryffindor Table. It knocked the tops off the assorted desserts, before coming to a clumsy stop in the middle of the table; right in front of Lily.
It turned its small piggy eyes to her and it oinked. Laughter erupted around the room, as Alice leant forward and poked Lily in the arm. "Go on, read it!" she said eagerly, pointing to a scroll tied to the pig's hoofed leg. Lily didn't want to but her curiosity got the better of her. She reached out and clasped the parchment. It was tied with red ribbon, with her name written on the outside in black, loopy writing. Taking a breath, the unrolled it.
Will you go out with me now?
Lily snapped her around to look at James, who was smiling triumphantly from the end of the table. He gave her a small wave. She groaned as Alice said, "You've got to admit he has style!"
"Yes, I think you're right." Lily said, wondering if the world had gone crazy because she had just agreed to one good thing about James Potter.
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One week later, Lily and James went on their first date to Hogsmeade,
One month after that, they sat in the candlelight sharing a romantic dinner.
One year after that, they were sharing a Dormitory as Head boy and Girl.
And one year after that, James proposed.
Lily said yes.
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Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter and never will.
Hey.
Here's a one shot, I felt like writing a Lily and James Fic, so here it is. It's nice, light and fluffy, hopefully to your fancy. I wrote it all tonight because it felt good writing it. I may write another one, one day if I have time.
Please review and all that, and the next chapters for BOH and BTEOFH should be out either tomorrow or Friday. Thanks and enjoy!
Later Days…
DW
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