Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter or any characters or places in Harry Potter. Anything you recognize is JK Rowling’s.





“Boys, get up! It’s time for breakfast!”



James Potter rolled over in his bed and groaned. Finally, realizing he could not wait much longer, he kicked the covers off his bed. Stumbling out the door, he walked across the hall into his best friend Sirius Black’s bedroom.



“Sirius, time to get up.”



“Not now, Prongs. Just five more minutes.” Sirius’s voice was muffled, his face against his pillow.



“Come on, Padfoot… I smell bacon!”



“Bacon!” Sirius sat straight up. “Well, what are we waiting for?”



The two ran down the three flights of stairs to the kitchen in the Potter Mansion.



When they reached the kitchen, they found Mr. Potter, James’s dad, already sitting at the table, reading The Daily Prophet. Mrs. Potter was at the stove.



Piling their plates with bacon and buttered toast, James and Sirius settled into a delicious breakfast.



“The killings are getting worse,” Mr. Potter said gravely, looking over the front page of the newspaper.



“Yes. Which brings me to a topic I need to discuss with you boys.” Mrs. Potter said. “Professor Dumbledore was over here late last night. It seems as though the Death Eaters are concentrating their attacks on Muggle-born children and their families, especially those in the Surrey area. Wizarding families are now being asked if they could allow these children to stay at their homes until school starts. I told Dumbledore I would be delighted to host a student. She will be arriving later this afternoon. You need to make sure she feels at home.”



“She? Did she say she?” Sirius whispered anxiously to James.



“Give it up, Padfoot. If this girl and her family are in serious danger, she’s probably not going to be up to flirting.”



“You don’t know that. Besides, she is in Sirius danger. Although I don’t I say that I’m that dangerous,” replied Sirius, grinning mischievously.



“Sirius, shut up. That isn't funny anymore. And anyway, this kid could be real little. You, as a seventh year, could most definitely not try to snog an eleven year old.”



“You just wait and see.”



“Padfoot!”



“Just kidding, Prongs. Just kidding.”



***



Lily Evans stared at the piece of parchment she held in her hands, fuming.



“The POTTERS? First they tell me I have to leave my house for so-called ‘safety reasons,’ NOW they tell me I have to stay with the Potters? Of all people, I get stuck with the most annoying, arrogant prat in the entire school! And Dumbledore’s reasoning- so that I can learn to get along better with Potter? That’s crazy! WHY do I need to learn to get along with JAMES POTTER?”



Lily’s sister Petunia poked her head into her room. “I know you are a freak who enjoys doing freaky things, but could you please stop yelling at yourself while Vernon’s over? I’m glad you’re leaving today- then I will no longer have to deal with your freakiness. Just so you know, the freaky man from the freak place is here to take you to where ever it is you’re going.” Petunia slammed the door and stomped down the hall with her jerk of a boyfriend.



Lily sighed, and dragged her trunk full of belongings down the stairs where Dumbledore was waiting.



“Here’s a portkey that will take you to the Potter’s living room. I trust that Mrs. and Mr. Potter will make your stay both comfortable and enjoyable. I will see you in three weeks on September 1st .”



“Enjoyable, my foot.” Lily grumbled, but Dumbledore didn’t hear her- he had already apparated with a loud pop. Lily gave her parents a quick good bye hug then clutched the old plastic grocery bag, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as she felt a familiar jerking sensation just below her navel.



***



Lily stumbled onto a soft, cream colored carpet. She quickly composed herself, and standing up, noticed two boys goggling at her, and a nice-looking lady smiling down at her.



“Evans?” James asked incredulously.



“Yes, Potter, I am staying at your house for the next three weeks.” Lily answered stiffly.



“Welcome, my dear,” said Mrs. Potter, positively beaming, “The boys will show you up to your room.”



“Yeah, Evans, just follow us,” said Sirius, smirking. James elbowed him in the side and Lily rolled her eyes.



“Don’t mind him, Evans. Just this way,” said James as politely as he could manage, and picked up Lily’s trunk.



Lily could not help but gape as the boys led her through an elegant front hall up a vast staircase. As they reached the first floor landing, James pointed out a door, “Library’s over there. Your room is on the fourth floor, but you’re welcome to come here whenever you want.”



They continued up the stairs in that fashion, Lily in awe of the vastness of the house, and James pointing out various rooms of interest. They argued very little, except when he showed her the Poker room, and Sirius whispered under his breath, "Maybe she knows how to play strip Poker.” Besides that, Lily decided she could live in this house comfortably for three weeks, simply because it was so big she might be able to avoid Potter and his sidekick for most of her stay.



At last they reached the fourth floor. James pushed open a door, and Lily gasped.



“My mum hoped you would like it,” said James, clearly pleased with Lily’s happy reaction.



The room was decorated with cream colored walls. The canopied bed, ruffled curtains, and soft rug were all a pale blue. There was a bookcase overcrowded with books, wizarding and muggle alike, and a door to the bathroom, also decorated in cream and blue, stood ajar.



“Thank you,” Lily said breathlessly.



“If you need anything, my bedroom is two doors down to the left. Sirius’s is across the hall from mine.” James answered.



“Okay, thanks.” Lily replied. When he didn’t leave, however, she questioned, “Uh, Potter? Are you going to leave, so I can get settled in and stuff?”



“No,” he replied cheerfully, “Not until you agree to go out with me.”



This sentence seemed to break Lily out of the trance she’d been in since she arrived at the Potter Mansion. She blew up at James.



“NO! I will NOT go out with you! What is WRONG with you? I JUST get here, and ALREADY you’ve fallen back into your old game! LEAVE ME ALONE!” She then turned on Sirius, “And what are YOU doing here? Have you taken to following me around, too?”



“Sheesh, calm down Lils. Sirius lives here, because he doesn’t really get along with his family. You don’t need to work yourself into a hissy fit.”



“I AM NOT HAVING A HISSY FIT! AND DON’T CALL ME LILS!”



“Uh, Prongs, maybe we should leave…” said Sirius uncertainly.



“Yes, leave. And don’t come back, James.”



They did as they were told. Once they were outside her door, Sirius asked, “Why do you look so happy?”



James, wearing a silly grin on his face, answered. “She called me James.”