Lily smoothed out the wrinkles on the front of her summer dress, which was dark blue and backless. SamLin was dressed similarly, except her dress was pink and had a cardigan over it. The two adult Andersons were standing by both of them as a House Elf led them into the front room. They were standing there, smiling uncomfortably at one another, when all the Potters entered the room.
Yes, all of them.
Mr. and Mrs. Potter were there, of course, but for once, Trinity Potter was standing next to her brother too. She was the mysterious piano-playing girl, Lily realized, once she put two and two together last night. James was standing next to her, and he looked down, his eyebrows raised.
She nodded, and mouthed something. Lily nudged SamLin, but SamLin shook her head, since the parents had just started making conversation. Lily had a feeling the conversation was going to last a while before the parents realized the children were indeed still in the room. But now she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Lily looked up. Trinity Potter was standing right before her, smiling.
“Want to go into the backyard?” she asked, tucking a hair behind her ear. “It’ll be better than hanging around here.” She gestured towards the sets of parents, who seemed really into their conversation at this point.
SamLin answered for her. “Love to, thanks.”
Lily nodded along, and Trinity giggled. James was smiling.
*
“Was that really so bad, Lily?” SamLin asked, loosening her elastic so all her hair came tumbling out.
Lily shrugged. “I suppose not. But you did most of the talking, SamLin.”
SamLin collapsed onto the bed. “It comes very naturally to me.” She laughed. Lily smiled; it was good to have her old friend back. “But was it just me, or did James seem less like a prat with his sister around? You know, he’s just so mean at school, but this afternoon he was really funny.”
“He’s not that mean,” Lily said, without realizing it. SamLin’s eyebrows practically came off her forehead.
“Oh, really?” She nudged Lily with her elbow, smiling mischievously. “Lily,” she said, her voice suddenly serious, “do you really like him?”
Lily looked at her best friend, at her blue eyes and blonde hair. How could she admit she liked the best friend of the boy who broke her heart?
So she countered with her own question. “Do you think it is right to?” SamLin blinked, obviously confused. Lily sighed and elaborated.
“What I mean is that liking someone is a whole lot of trouble.” She shifted and scratched her elbow. “Emily gave up everything, even us, to be with that Willard. You had your own heart broken--or stamped on, more like--all because of misinterpreted signs. Is it worth it?”
SamLin took Lily’s shoulders into her hands. “I thought it was worth it. And it was. I don’t regret it, Lily. Maybe you and James have to stop played this game of never admitting and always regretting. You both don’t know what could happen if you did.” Lily opened her mouth, but SamLin just spoke over her. “Of course you fear it, Lily. But you don’t know if what happened to Emily and I could necessarily happen to you.” She let her arms drop and Lily felt numb. “I’m going to have a little nightcap. You should go to sleep; this is not the night for staying up until three o’clock just thinking.” She walked out of the room, closing the door.
Lily listened to the quiet sound of SamLin’s feet against the wooden floor. She stifled a sigh and pulled back the covers. Maybe SamLin was right. About the sleep, that is.
*
Trinity folded her arms and blew some hair out of her eyes. “James. Stop pacing.”
James stopped, but then he collapsed on the carpeted floor. Trinity sat down beside him.
“She can’t like me,” he muttered. “Not after what I did.”
Trinity rolled her eyes. “Are you actually trying to convince yourself she isn’t justified to like you? There’s a lot to like about you, James. You just don’t see it.”
James looked over at his nightstand, where his glasses were, and Trinity shoved him. Nicely.
“Not your glasses, you prat.”
James’ sat back up, scowling and rubbing his head. “Well, she hasn’t apologized for yelling her bloody head off at me. What do you have to say about that, Trin?”
Trinity pursed her lips. “Merlin, isn’t it obvious? She’s proud like you; she’s not going to just come up and kiss you and say, ‘I go out with you forever, James Potter! I’ll never leave you!’” Trinity clasped her hands over her heart and made a sickeningly sweet face. Now James rolled his eyes.
“You’re worse than Sirius,” he said.
Trinity dropped the face. “My point is, she wants you to redeem yourself. She doesn’t have anything to redeem; every girl has the right to yell at a boy when they’re confused about something.”
“And I don’t?” James asked bitterly.
“You’re not going to get around that, James. That leaves you with only one option.”
“Oh, great.”
“You must solve all the problems you’ve created.”
“What?”
“And even the ones you didn’t create.”
“What?!”
Trinity shrugged. “Let’s think what you could do...”
“I’m not doing anything!” James--on the verge of yelling--said angrily. “I haven’t done anything! I apologized!”
“You didn’t even do it face to face,” Trinity said matter-of-factly. “And let’s face it: this option is the only way you can prove to Lily you aren’t what she hopes you’re not.”
“Must I?”
Trinity stood up. “Do you like her?”
“Yes.” James stood up too. “Of course I do.”
“Do you love her?”
Silence.
“Well, that’s definitely a ‘yes.’”
“Wait, I didn’t say anyth--”
“Good. Now you’d better start thinking.” Trinity smiled and was out the door as James blinked.
*
Katie rolled over on the couch. She dropped her book, Emma, on the ground, and groaned. Her head was pounding from all the reading. The doorbell ringing wasn’t exactly helping either.
She trudged over to the front door, cursing under her breath. She felt groggy and disoriented, and really wished Lily or SamLin or even Alice was here with her. Instead, she got stuck answering the door, and she knew it was probably her little brother’s stalker on the other side.
Oh, was she in for the shock of her life.
When Katie flung open the door, there was Emily Bennett, sopping wet, red-eyed, and in James Potter’s arms. Katie’s jaw slackened.
“J-James?” she sputtered. “Emily?”
“Katie.” James nodded. “Emily needs your help.”
“My help?” Katie repeated.
“Yeah. Do you have towels? She’s soaked through.” James stepped into the foyer, but Katie managed to clear her head and hold her hand up. Confused, he stopped.
“Aren’t you going to explain anything?” she demanded, feeling hot and dizzy. The sight of Emily was almost like an illusion to her.
“Katie, I can’t,” James said. “Just get a towel.”
Katie let out a frustrated noise. “I want to help Emily. I really do. But I just can’t figure out why someone who hates me so much really wants my help.”
James looked pained. “Do you have any way to reach your friends?”
She nodded. “Let me get the towel first, though.”
*
“Lily!” SamLin looked pale and out of breath. “There you are!”
“Yeah?” Lily looked back down and turned a page in her book.
“Alice is over Katie’s!”
“That’s good. She was pretty lonely this summer.” Lily looked up again.
“We have to go over, too!”
“Wait--what?”
SamLin looked impatient. “We have to go to Katharine Carroll’s house!”
“I know, I know! But what about your parents? What about the trip?”
“Forget that! Mr. and Mrs. Carroll have set up a Floo connection, and we have to go now!” She reached over and grabbed Lily’s arm.
“Why?”
“Emily’s there!”
Is it Pride or Prejudice? by Stormbringer
Chapter Notes: (I am the worst person alive! I have not updated since...gosh, I don't know when! So sorry! This chapter's very short, but hopefully some people will read it.) James has decided that he must redeem himself--slowly but surely--to get to Lily's heart. The question is: How?