Chapter 2 - James and Sirius
James Potter paced around his chamber, muttering comforts to himself. Sirius Black, his best friend, and best man, sat in a chair near the door yawning widely.
“Why is it taking so long?” James asked himself for the thousandth time. “Did she change her mind? Did she forget something? Is she sick?”
“Calm down, mate,” Sirius grinned. “Don’t sweat through the tuxedo. It’s a rental.”
“How can I calm down, Sirius?” James waved his arms around to emphasize his point. “How can I, when my bride-to-be is not ready and we’re already running five minutes late!”
Sirius held his palms up in defense. “All I’m saying is that you’re probably working yourself up. She’s probably just looking for a lost earring.”
James sighed and collapsed in another chair, running his hand through his messy hair.
Sirius got up from his seat and went to his friend. “Don’t worry, Prongs. The way Lily reacted when you proposed, I don’t think she’d have any regrets.”
James smiled weakly up at his friend and muttered, “Thanks Padfoot. You’re a real friend.”
Sirius snorted and went back to his seat. “Don’t go all ga-ga over me, Prongs. Save that for later, if you know what I mean,” Sirius winked.
James smirked and shook his head, his eyes resting on a nearby mirror. As he stared at his reflection, he remembered that just less than a decade ago, he had hated the girl - no, the woman - he was now going to marry. He still remembered his first reaction to the name Lily Evans...
---
The two boys stared after the retreating backs of the two girls. Sirius said, “There goes a girl who knows exactly what she’s doing.” He turned to his friend and, after noticing James's expression, asked, “What’s the matter with you?”
James just stared angrily at the back of the retreating redhead and touched the now welting red mark on his cheek. He let out a huff of annoyance before spinning around to storm into the Leaky Cauldron.
No one, in his entire life, had dared insult him. Well, that was not including Sirius at least. But that didn't count; they'd known each other from the day Sirius's parents stormed into the Ministry, angry at the "injustices" done to the Deatheaters.
But that...that...redhead, whom they had just met, decided to walk up to him, insult him, and then slap him! How dare she!
He could still see the curly-haired temperamental girl stomping away. 'If Sirius hadn't been there to hold him back, she would've have been able to walk away like that,' he fumed silently.
Sirius looked at his friend’s scowling face and let out a laugh. “Blimey, she really got you that time, eh?” They settled down at their usual table in the dim tavern. "Oye, Tom! Get me some of that new firewhiskey there, mate!" Sirius called to the bartender.
Tom, an old bent wizard, narrowed his eyes at the grinning Sirius and mumbled something before depositing two tankards full of caramel-colored butterbeer. Sirius frowned at the retreating bartender's back. "Oye that's no way to greet your regulars! We ordered the firewhiskey!"
Sirius shook his head and stared at his butterbeer. Without warning, he let out a long sigh. James looked up to see his friend's face uncharacteristically long and downhearted.
"What’s the matter with you?” James asked Sirius, concerned about the sudden mood change. "Angry you didn't get your firewhiskey?" he joked.
“I was just thinking how nice it would’ve been if that girl had been a witch. She would’ve done quite well here in the wizarding world.”
James’s scowl returned. “No, you’re wrong, Sirius. If that... that... thing was a witch, she would have to go to Hogwarts. And if she went to Hogwarts, I would have to put up with her for seven years! You and I both know that's trouble."
Sirius laughed. “Too bad we didn’t ask for her name, at least.”
James shook his head. “No, she wouldn’t have given it to us anyway.” He took a sip of his butterbeer.
Sirius, on the other hand, seemed deep in thought, wrinkling his face as he did so.
James laughed inwardly at Sirius' expression. “What is it? You look like you drank some sour milk.” James peered into Sirius's drink. "Did ol' Tom slip you something for the time when you jumped on his back?"
Sirius’s face brightened instantly. “Lily!”
A look of confusion fell on James’s face. “Excuse me?”
“Her name’s Lily!” Sirius cried, looking incredibly surprised that he remembered.
“How do you know that?”
“That’s what her friend called her,” Sirius answered impatiently, as if explaining something to a five year old. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder if those ears of yours are working at all."
“So?”
“So we know her name!” Sirius beamed happily.
“There’s no point. We’re never going to see her again, good riddance.”
“Oh yeah.” Sirius’s happy face dropped to the floor.
“Well come on. I heard they had a new model of the Nimbus in stock. Hurry!” James urged his friend then downing the rest of his butterbeer.
Immediately, Sirius’s grin returned. He downed half of his butterbeer while the rest spilled over his shirt. "What are we waiting for?"
End notes: This chapter follows as closely to canon as my knowledge of the Harry Potter universe as of August 8, 2003 allows. Any information revealed to be false by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will not be changed.
Reviews are graciously accepted and appreciated.