A Truth by Equinox Chick
Summary: James and Lily started off on the wrong foot, and continued limping until their fifth year. And then Lily started to see that Potter wasn't quite as awful as she'd previously believed.

This story was originally written for Lori (Weasley Mom) and Sophie (the owl) in the SBBC Lovebombs month. They like James/Lily and Jane Austen, so this is what I came up with.

Disclaimer: Not only am I NOT JK Rowling, I am not Jane Austen either.

The lines threading through this tale are from Pride and Prejudice.
Categories: James/Lily Characters: None
Warnings: None
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 1 Completed: Yes Word count: 1761 Read: 2337 Published: 05/31/14 Updated: 05/31/14

1. Chapter 1 by Equinox Chick

Chapter 1 by Equinox Chick
It is a truth,


–Tell me the truth!” Lily shouted. –Not that you know the meaning of the word, not even if it bit you on the arse!” She tossed her head, rather enjoying the fact that for once her hair was behaving and falling in soft swirls to her shoulders. –And neither would your stupid little gang!”

He was running from the common room, running so fast she had a hard time keeping up - unless she wanted to break her neck.

–What’s it got to do with you?” James shouted back, slowing only slightly as he careened off the wall.

Lily faltered - more out of surprise than fear. Potter, for all his faults, rarely lost his temper, not even with her, and she had to admit she tried to provoke him. Taking a breath, she sped up. –Something is going on. Something that could land Gryffindor in trouble. It’s gone nine. You can’t go out ... I won’t let you!”

–Too bloody bad,” he muttered. He’d reached the sixth flight and showed no sign of slowing. –Report me all you want, Evans, some things are more important.”

–I don’t want to hex you!” she shouted after him as he pelted onwards.

–Then don’t!” he yelled over his shoulder. He turned, watching her as she debated whether to follow. –I don’t want to hex you, either, Lily, but ...”

There was something in his expression, in his tone, in his very demeanour that stayed her hand.

That and he’d used her name. She put her wand away.

–Thank you,” he mouthed, and then, before she could say anything more, he’d pounded away.


universally acknowledged,


–Wow,” Mary whispered, her eyes wide. –Have you heard what everyone’s saying?”

–What?” Lily tried to sound disinterested, but she had a fair idea who Mary was talking about. She bit her lip, annoyed with herself because it was obvious, now, that she should have stopped Potter from disappearing last night. She glanced round the table. He wasn’t there, and neither was Remus, but Black and Pettigrew were hunched together, neither eating.

–Well.” Mary swallowed and took a breath. –Last night Potter went down to the Whomping Willow.”

–Merlin, is he hurt?” Lily felt her stomach lurch.

Eyeing her curiously, Mary shook her head. –No, he’s fine.”

–Has he been expelled?” The warnings from Professor Dumbledore had been explicit. After Davey Gudgeon had lost an eye, no one was to go near the tree.

–Will you let me finish?” grumbled Mary. Lily nodded. –Thank you! Okay, so last night, James snuck out to the Whomping Willow, and ... well, no one knows how he got in, but-”

–Got in where?” Lily interrupted. Then she gasped. –He didn’t go into the tunnel, did he?”

–That’s exactly what he did,” Mary said, her voice full of awe.

–But why? Everyone knows there’s something bad down there. Merlin, if I’d known ... I thought it was just a prank...” But she had known it wasn’t a prank. James had spoken to her in earnest, and that was why she’d believed him. –It’s my fault.”

–What?” Mary shook her head. –Lily, he wasn’t fighting anything. He wasn’t trying to impress anyone.” She paused and licked her lips nervously. –Snape had gone down there, and James rescued him.”

Lily felt her jaw drop open. –Severus went down there. But ... but he could have died.”

Mary nodded her head. –Uh-huh, and James saved his life. Everyone knows it. He’s universally acknowledged to be a hero, now.”


that a single man,


–Dorcas dumped him,” Lily heard Sirius tell Remus and Peter. –And he’s stomped off somewhere.”

–Should we go and look for him?” Peter deliberated. He cast a look at the door.

Remus shook his head. –Leave him. He probably wants to be alone.”

–Typical Dorcas,” Sirius muttered bitterly. –Hanging out long enough to get a birthday present and then ending it.”

Remus said nothing, but from the corner of the room, she could see him raising his eyebrows, plainly disagreeing with Sirius’s assessment. He caught her eye. –Ready to patrol, Lily?”

Getting to her feet, she smiled and joined them. His attention clearly not on her, Sirius mumbled a greeting instead of mocking her, leaving Peter to smile a little, even as a look of concern flickered across his face.

–If you want to look for Potter, then I don’t mind,” Lily murmured as she and Remus roamed the corridors. –Is he really upset?”

Remus shook his head absentmindedly and hesitated in front of a classroom. –Hurt pride, possibly,” he muttered. Then he smiled ruefully. –He won’t sulk or remain single for long.”

Lily chewed her lip. She knew she should change the subject - she wasn’t interested in the slightest in Potter’s love life - but there was something nagging her.

–Dorcas isn’t like that, you know,” she said. Remus started walking, ignoring her. –I mean it. She’s not a gold-digger, and she was really into Potter, so whatever’s happened, I don’t think it’s fair to accuse her of only holding out for the present.”

–I know,” Remus replied quietly.

–Then will you tell Sirius to stop bad-mouthing her?”

He laughed. –Not that he’ll listen to me, but I’ll try.”

They walked in silence for a while, but still something nagged at her. –I wonder why she ended it,” Lily murmured, more to herself than Remus.

Remus stopped walking. Looking weary, he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

–Sorry, it’s none of my business,” she continued, and then took him by the arm. –It’s odd that he’s upset, and even odder that she finished it on her birthday, too. He did get her a present, didn’t he?”

–Yes, he bought her a gift. Well, three actually.” Remus smiled sadly. –Chocolate caramels from Honeydukes.”

–Nothing wrong with that,” she said, her mouth watering.

–A scarf from Twilfit and Tattings,” he said.

–Oh,” Lily frowned. –The green one. That’s gorgeous. And the third?”

Remus chewed his lip. –Uh, flowers.”

–Wonder what was wrong then?” she pondered. –They sound like perfect gifts.”

Remus stared at her, and for a long while didn’t speak. She could hear his breath stop, and then he swallowed. –Perfect gifts, Lily, but for the wrong girl.”

–What do you mean?”

He sighed. –I think the Knut dropped for both of them when he handed her the flowers.”

She held her breath. –What were they?”

–Beautiful, orange tiger-lilies.”

–Oh.”

in possession of a good fortune,


–Look, I’m not debating this!” James declared. They were sat in the Three Broomsticks, Lily sitting next to him with Sirius the other side, facing Remus.

–I can’t accept,” Remus said clearly. He eyed the three of them, and then turned to Peter. –You understand, don’t you?”

–Er ... Moony, I know you don’t want to accept charity, but if you can’t find a job.”

–He’s got no chance!” Sirius said brutally. –Remus, don’t be an idiot -”

–Sirius, leave it.” Lily touched his arm. He glared at her, but closed his mouth and sat back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. James smiled at her, a small tug at the corner of his mouth.

Clearing her throat, she leant across the table . –Remus, you want to fight, don’t you?”

–Of course, I do. How can you doubt that?”

–Then ...” She took a breath. –I know you want to support yourself, but you’re far more valuable to the Order if you’re not thinking about your next meal, or trying to find a place to live, or working in some awful hole for a pittance. Let James help ... please?”

James covered her hand with his own. He mouthed ‘thank you’, and all at once, she was catapulted back to the night when she’d not prevented him from leaving the castle to save Severus from the ‘monster’ she now knew was Remus.

–I don’t know,” Remus muttered. His voice trembled and his hand reaching for his beer was shaking. He stood up. –Sorry, I need time to think.”


must be in want of a wife.


–Do you think he’ll accept?” she asked.

They were in his parents’ lounge, James sprawled on the sofa, Lily leaning into him, sharing thoughts and kisses in equal measure. They’d already discussed Sirius, and his first night alone in his flat; whether Peter was happy in his Ministry job because he’d seemed quiet in the pub. But hovering around them was the ever-present thought of Remus.

James sighed. His thumb, which had been stroking small circles in the crook of her elbow, stopped moving. –I hope so,” he replied and kissed her cheek. –If he does it will be down to you.”

–I just ...” She sighed with him. –I hate saying I feel sorry for him, because that makes him sound so pitiful, but ... I hate knowing that he’s adrift, that he’s perceived as a ...” She choked on the word.

–A monster,” James supplied. He held her tight. –That’s what I love about you, Lily. You see the best in him, even though you know the worst.”

He’d never mentioned love before. –You mean that?” she whispered, holding her breath.

–Yeah, I do,” he muttered. –You know the worst of me, too, and you’re still here. So ... um ...” He disentangled her from his arms, and moved away.

–What?” she asked, puzzled. –Are you okay?”

–That all depends,” he said, –on your answer.”

–Uh ...” She watched, half in shock, half in bewilderment as James dropped on to one knee in front of her. –James, what are you doing?”

He ruffled his hair, swallowed, and then after taking a deep breath, smiled hopefully at her. –Lily, I don’t want it to be ‘me’ supporting Remus. I want it to be ‘us’, so ... will you make an honest man of me?”

Feeling a laugh bubble inside of her, she shook her head, then stopped when she saw his face crumple. Cupping his cheeks in her hands, she kissed his downturned mouth. –I don’t think anyone could make you completely honest, James, you’re too full of tricks and mischief, but I’ll certainly marry you.”
End Notes:
Bit of fluff for you all. Enjoy!
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