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Snowflakes by The_Dream_Team

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Chapter Notes: I'm so sorry for the horribly long wait! Please don't be mad... I was extremely busy these past couple of months with finals, basketball, a concussion, schoolwork, an insane Odyssey project, trying to have a social life, and writing. This chapter has been written, deleted (accidentally), rewritten, edited, denied, edited some more, and finally submitted again. Thank you so much, Colores, for pointing out my many errors! I couldn't have submitted this chapter without you! (Unless I had epic editing skills...).
Dear James,

You must stay at the Loge. Our family is being watched and we can't risk you coming home. Last night, Aunt Milly, Uncle Mark, and your cousin, Henry, were attacked by Death Eaters and murdered. Please, do not try to come home. Dumbledore and the Aurors are trying to find the men who killed them, but you must not go after them yourself. You and Sirius should just stay there and don't get into any trouble. A Muggle ski resort is probably the safest place to be right now. And James, do not respond to this owl. Our mail is being intercepted and we don't want your location getting found out. Please, be safe and remember that we love you and Sirius. Don't get yourselves into trouble and maybe lay low for the next two weeks. We will try to contact you whenever possible. It is extremely difficult to send owls because they have to go through Dumbledore, so we aren't sure when we will be able to write next. Please, don't do anything rash. Be strong for your aunt, uncle, and cousin- they would have wanted you to be.

Love,
Mum and Dad


There were tear stains splattered across the parchment.

Lily looked up from the letter to see James trying to stay calm. Sirius was completely silent, which was unusual for him when his best mate was in need. They were all in shock. Lily had never even met James' aunt or uncle, but Henry was just four years older then them. She knew him at Hogwarts. He was Quidditch captain and Head Boy, always smiling and hoped to be a journalist. He used to help the Marauders out with their constant pranks and they used to be seen plotting in the common room on most nights.

This was horrible.

Lily had always seen the reports of deaths ever since Vodemort started rising to power, but this time it wasn't just a name in the paper. This was a boy who Lily had known. True, she didn't talk to him much, but she did look up to him and he had been a role model. It seemed unreal.

James' shoulders were shaking and Lily suddenly felt very awkward. James Potter didn't cry. Not the James Potter she knew. But here he was, the arrogant, lazy, mean, sarcastic, egotistical James Potter, crying.

Sirius seemed to be re-reading the letter, as though he could change it just by staring.

James still hadn't looked up from his hands and Lily wasn't sure if she should go and comfort him or let him be. Would he be embarrassed if she talked to him during his time of need? If she hugged him? It was hard to watch him sit there, so she made her decision.

"James, are you alright?" Lily asked him and she put her arm around his shoulder, giving him an awkward hug.

He quickly looked up and Lily could tell that he had been crying. His eyes were red, but now there weren't any tears as far as she could tell. He must have covered them up. Sirius seemed to have snapped out of his trance and he was now sitting on James' other side.

"James, I'm so sorry," said Sirius quietly. James nodded his head, but didn't say anything.

"What are we gonna tell the others?" James said, shakily, after a few moments of silence.

Lily hadn't even thought of her friends. They were probably wondering why it was taking them so long to get rid of an owl. She quickly stood up and headed into the room, trying her hardest to think up an excuse. In the end, she decided to tell them what happened.

"Hey guys," Lily began, "I just wanted to tell you that James' aunt, uncle, and cousin died."

Blank faces.

"He's really bumming, so...."

"What happened?" asked Jill.

"It was a robbery. They were killed," Lily replied. She felt herself getting choked up.

"When?" asked Cassie. "How did James find out?"

Lily had hoped they wouldn't ask that. "Um, he just got a... a call. While we were out there."

"A call? I didn't hear a phone ringing," said Jill.

"Oh, we brought it out there," said Lily, quickly.

"That's awful," Bess sniffed.

"Yeah, I knew Henry, his cousin. He was a little older than us. Anyway, I think James and Sirius are going back to their rooms. I'll walk them back."

Nobody protested, so Lily went back to the balcony were Sirius and James were still sitting on the bench.

"James," Lily said, quietly, "I told them what happened. I hope that's all right."

"That's fine, they should know," James replied. His voice was still shaky.

"We probably should be going back to our rooms," said Sirius.

Lily nodded. "I'll walk with you."

The carpet muted their footsteps, so the hallway was almost silent. James was a step ahead of Sirius and Lily, probably to hide his face from them. Lily could hear him sniffing from time to time. Sirius seemed to be effected as well. She knew the two of them were like brothers, so Lily imagined he knew James' relatives, too. The hallways seemed to be getting lengthier. Lily didn't remember the trip to the boy's room being as long as this. . .

At last, they reached the door.

"I guess I'll head back now," said Lily, awkwardly.

Sirius nodded and slipped into the room, but James lingered.

"Thanks," he mumbled, softly.

"Oh James, I'm so sorry," Lily said and she gave him a hug. It felt right, being in his arms, comforting him. She didn't want to let go, but she knew she had to. When they broke apart, James was wearing a small smile. He went to turn, but Lily quickly grabbed his arm. Before he had time to say anything, Lily quickly kissed his cheek. His eyes lit up and Lily could feel her face getting warm, so she smiled and turned to head back.

"Goodnight, James."

"'Night, Lily."

What did I just do? Lily thought. She knew that James needed a pick-me-up, but from her? Why did she go and kiss him? Sure, it was only his cheek, but it was so out of character! If the same thing had happened a few months before, Lily would have maybe patted his back, at the most. What was happening to her?

And then it dawned on her.

"My charm has finally worked!" Yes, those were his exact words, only yesterday.

His charm had finally worked.

Stop smiling! Lily internally slapped herself and wiped the stupid grin off her face. This could not be happening. He's arrogant, he's mean, he gets in trouble, he loses House Points, he pulls pranks... funny pranks... but pranks none the less! This was James Potter. She couldn't be worrying about him with everything else going on. There's a Death Eater running around the mountains, French boys everywhere I turn, and James' relatives are dying.

Lily couldn't take it anymore. She slid down the hallway wall and plopped herself down on the floor. She had to sort out her thoughts. She couldn't deal with James right now.

And just when she thought things couldn't possibly get worse, they did. Lily heard a band of French accents walking down the hall and right towards her. When Lily looked up, she saw Jim and his pals laughing with a couple of girls she hadn't seen before.

At first, Lily thought that she could avoid them by not making eye contact. Unfortunately, it's hard to miss a red-head sitting in the middle of the floor.

"Lily?" asked Jim.

Lily moaned. "Hello, Jim."

"What is it you are doing on the floor?"

"I'm sitting. What does it look like to you?"

"Oh, sorry," he said. He paused as though he were thinking something over in his head. "We're hanging out in our room. Would you care to join us?"

Lily was torn. She needed to get her mind off of James and the Death Eaters, maybe hanging out with Jim and his friends would be a good idea. "Sure, thanks," she said and let Jim help her up.

They got back to Jim's room and Lily saw that it looked almost the same as hers. She sat down on the sofa and Jim and Danny sat beside her.

"Where are all your friends?" asked Danny. He was probably wondering if Jill was anywhere.

"They're back in our room," Lily responded.

"And those boys, too?" asked Jim, his eyebrows raised.

"James and Sirius are in their rooms." Lily sighed. She shouldn't have come, she didn't feel like socializing much at the moment.

A tall girl walked over to the living room and sat next to Danny and she draped her arm around him. Interesting... Lily thought. Maybe they're just a bit more friendly in France.

"This is Eloise," said Danny, who was smiling at her.

"I'm his girlfriend," the girl added, smugly.

"Girlfriend, huh?" asked Lily. Jill would not be happy about this....

Eloise nodded and Danny gave Lily a look.

"Come on, Danny, want to go over there?" Eloise asked with puppy-dog eyes. Danny nodded and stood up, grabbing her hand.

Lily turned on Jim. "You know, Jill really likes him."

"Danny told me they were only friends," said Jim defensively.

Lily huffed. She wished that she hadn't seen that. She hoped that she wasn't the one who would have to break the news to Jill.

"I should be going," said Lily and she made to get up, but Jim held on to her hand.

"Don't leave, you just came," Jim started. "Just stay a little longer." And he pulled her back down on the couch.

He is very attractive..., thought Lily. Maybe I'll sit here a little bit longer.

"All right," she said.

Jim started talking and asking question right away. He listened to what Lily had to say and laughed at all the right times, but Lily couldn't help but notice the small things. Jim wasn't very funny. He didn't tell many jokes or goof around at all. His accent was a little hard to understand and his sandy hair was too neat and tidy. Plus, his eyes were so blue that they looked fake. He probably has perfect vision, too, she thought.

"So, where do you go to school?" asked Jim.

"I go to Hogwarts, a school for the performing arts," said Lily, sticking with her previous story.

"I love the arts!" said Jim, excitedly. "What do you study?"

"I'm a painter," she told him. And Sirius acts while James prances around in a tutu! Lily giggled as she remembered the buffet. She wished she was back there now, with the boys and her friends. Everybody was laughing and telling jokes and having fun.

"Painting is lovely," said Jim as he pushed his straight bangs out of his eyes. Lily wished, for a second, that he was more like James, ruffling his hair and laughing with her.

"Mmm hmm. Jim, it's late. I should really go now," Lily said and she stood up.

Jim sighed, "Okay, Lily."

He walked her to the door, passing Danny and Eloise who were locked in a snog, and she walked out.

"Let me walk you back to your room," he suggested.

"I can get back on my own, thanks," Lily said, feeling a little annoyed now.

"At least let me accompany you to the elevator."

Could she say no again?

"Fine."

He grinned and hurried next to her, slipping his arm around her waist. She wriggled, trying to get out of his grasp, but failed and gave up. It's only to the elevator, she thought.

Finally, they reached the gold elevator doors and he let go of her.

"Goodnight, Lily," he said and Lily turned to get on, but he had grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"Jim," she started, but he had spun her around and kissed her. Stop it, stop it, stop it! Lily begged as she tried to push him away. She finally managed, and came face to face with a happy looking Jim.

"What's wrong with you?" Lily screamed. "Do you go around kissing girls you've just met? I'm not interested!"

"Sorry, Lily, but...."

"No, Jim. Please don't ever do that again."

The boy just turned away and headed back to his room, leaving Lily to wait for the next lift.

"What was that about?" asked Sirius.

"Oh, in the name of Merlin's baggiest Y-fronts."
Chapter Endnotes: Thank you so much for reading! Did you like this chapter? Did you hate it? Was it worth the wait? Don't you hate Jim right now? I know I do... But hey, you might have a soft spot for him... I wouldn't know unless you leave a review! Thanks again for reading! Hoped you enjoyed! And hopefully, the next chapter wount take a decade to get accepted! =D