Not Another Teen Love Story
Chapter 1: Letter from James
It was the summer before Lily’s seventh year and she could hardly wait. She had gotten many letters from friends in the Wizarding World but it just was not the same as being there. She had hoped her friend Leah would invite her over for a couple of weeks but that had not happened. She had just received her Hogwart’s letter a couple of days ago and, needless to say, something great had arrived along with it.
Her Head Girl Badge!
She had somehow known that she would make Head Girl. Of course, she never would have admitted that to anyone. ‘I’m not as arrogant as James Potter’, she thought. ‘Oh my gosh, did I just think of him again?’
Lily had thought a lot about James that summer, which was extremely unusual for her. She had hated him ever since second year. At first, she thought he was downright cute until he started acting like an arrogant prat.
Of course, she still thought he was cute, downright gorgeous actually. But she would never have admitted that to anyone either. That was part of the reason she loathed him so much. She did not like the feeling that he gave her. It was like anger and admiration balled up into one. So, she overcame that abnormal feeling by screaming at him every time he talked to her.
She had noticed last year that he had matured quite a bit but she still stood her ground around him. She would not allow him to break her heart like he did every other girl he had ever gone out with.
She was brought out of her reverie when she heard a pecking at the window. She smiled. It was Remus’ owl. Although, he was one of the Marauders along with James, she had become very good friends with him when they were both Prefects in fifth year.
When she untied the envelope, it felt rather heavy. ‘He must have written a lot’, she thought. She was hoping he would disclose in this letter that he had made Head Boy. She could not think of anyone else who would have gotten the position, except maybe Frank Longbottom.
When she opened the envelope, she realized there wasn’t one, but two letters, contained in it. She opened the first one and saw that it was from Remus.
Lily,
Hey, how are you? I’m doing okay. Full moon was a week ago. Lucky me, huh??
Remus had revealed to her in one of their many conversations in fifth year that he was indeed a werewolf. When Lily asked where James, Sirius, and Peter went those full moons, however, he refused to tell her. She grimaced when she thought of poor Remus having to go through those awful transformations.
Anyway, how has Petunia been treating you? I hope well. Next year you will be moved out, and she’ll regret never talking to you. James says hi. Yes, I am at James house. He knows you probably won’t say hi back but he says it doesn’t matter.
The Head Boy badge is sitting next to me.
‘Good, the Head Boy is someone I know,’ Lily thought gratefully. However, her happiness turned into some weird feeling she could not describe when she read the next words.
It’s not mine, though. James got Head Boy. I know, quite a shock, huh?
About James… I know you don’t like him, but he has been extremely happy knowing he will be Head Boy along with you. How does he know you’re Head Girl? Well, it was extremely obvious who would get the position. Anyway, he says he wouldn’t have it any other way. A word of advice: Please be nice to him. I know you “loathe him” (the quotations are necessary because I, Remus, don’t believe them) but it will make both your years more bearable if you are civil to one another.
Well, hope to see you soon. If not before, I will see you at school in a week.
Your friend,
Remus
Lily could not believe what she had just read. ‘James? Head Boy?? It’s impossible’, she thought. Although, Lily knew it wasn’t. He was top of their class, tied with her. It’s just with all the Marauder’s pranking, she didn’t see him as responsible enough, however much he had changed last year. She then remembered there was another letter enclosed in that envelope, and she had a feeling she knew who it was from.
She reluctantly opened it and saw that it was indeed from James.
Lily,
I didn’t call you Evans, that’s a start, huh? I wanted to let you know that I’m really sorry for how immature I’ve been in the past. I hope you can find it in your heart of gold to forgive me. You don’t seem like you’re the type of person to judge on one’s past, but just in case.
Anyway, I also wanted to let you know that although I want you to go out with me and give me a chance, I’m willing to not ask you out this year if that will make you be friends with me. Just don’t expect me to go out with anyone else, you hear? I also promise I will stop hexing any guy who says “Hi” to you if that will make you happy. All I want is for you to be happy. If this is not enough to allow you to at least be friends with me, just tell me what else I have to do and I will willingly do it. I’ve realized I’ve wasted all this time trying to get you to go out with me when you obviously don’t want to and you could’ve been my friend all along. If that’s what I have to settle for until you want to give me a chance (if ever), I will.
As Remus told you, I am Head Boy. I believe we should be friends not just for the sake of my feelings for you, but also for the Gryffindors. Please write me back.
Anxiously awaiting your reply,
James
A wave of guilt swept over Lily when she thought of how rude she had been to James in the past. Another feeling came over when she read the words “I’m willing not to ask you out this year…” She at first thought that this feeling was happiness. This was what she wanted, right? She was surprised to almost feel hurt when she read these words. ‘What is wrong with me? Does he not think I’m beautiful anymore?’, she thought helplessly. She immediately mentally slapped herself. She had never been one to have vanity issues.
She realized that it was probably for the best that she become friends with James. She believed it would make her year better. Oh, if she only knew how right she was…
She sat down at her desk and began to write out a reply to James. She had mistakenly forgotten all about Remus’ letter.
________________________________________________________________________
“Sirius, stop snoring!” Remus yelled while throwing a pillow at Sirius’ sleeping form.
Sirius just grunted in reply.
“You know he never stops, Remus. Just get earplugs. like me,” James said, pointing at two Styrofoam green earplugs in his ears.
Remus looked almost disgusted. “I’m not into that Muggle stuff, James,” Remus said. James had become strangely fascinated with Muggles ever since he had met Lily. Although Lily was a witch, she lived in the Muggle world and her family was Muggles as well,
Just as James and Remus had begun to drift off (Peter was off vacationing in France with his parents, or so he said) they heard a pecking at the window. Remus recognized it as Lily’s owl. James jumped out of bed and ran to the window and untied the letter from the owl’s leg. However, when he picked the envelope up, his heart dropped. There was only one letter in here, and James knew it had to be Remus’.
He gave the letter to Remus and plopped back into his own bed. A minute later, though, Remus dropped the letter back next to James.
“Prongs, buddy, it’s for you,” Remus said, shocked.
A/N: Very minor cliffy, although Lily’s letter is of course important. This is my first fanfic, I hope you like it. Be as blunt in your reviews as you wish to be, just taking into account that I have never written one of these before. Please, please review.