Lily lay on her bed, papers strewn around her. The papers were all letters she had received from Mary over the course of the holiday break. The most recent was from just that morning. It read:
Dear Lily,
Sometimes I think you are too forgiving for your own good. I know you feel you owe it to Severus to give him another chance, but how many chances are you going to grant him? Longevity is not a substitute for quality when it comes to friendships. I’m not going to tell you what to do, I just want to express my concern for your well-being.
That being said, since you are planning on forgiving Severus, would it be so hard to extend the same gesture to James? No matter how many stupid things he has done, his arrogance has always been harmless. Maybe he’s the one who deserves a chance to show you that he is growing up.
Maybe you need to accept that people can change. You’re a person who has grown up knowing who you are and how you want to act, but not everyone finds themselves so easily. Especially boys. My overall advice? To accept the possibility that someone may not be who you think they are.
Love always,
Mary
p.s. Good luck at dinner tonight! I hope everything goes well.
Lily had a clean paper in front of her and a pen in her hand, but she did not know what to write. Mary’s words were so accurate that Lily almost did not want to accept it. She knew Mary was right; she should give James a chance. But how easy was it to get along with someone you have sworn to loathe for all eternity? James had shown that he was capable of kindness and even gentleness, but he had also shown that he was incapable of letting anyone else see this. It was the cocky front he put on that irritated Lily to no end.
–Lily!†Mrs. Evan’s voice floated down the hall to Lily’s room. –Lily, Vernon’s here!â€
Lily sighed, tossing her pen on the floor as she got up to go greet their house guest. She glanced at her reflection in her mirror briefly, wondering if she looked –normal†enough for Petunia. However, Lily knew this was something she would never achieve, so she accepted defeat with a shrug and walked down the hallway.
Standing awkwardly near the door along with Lily’s parents and sister was a young man of about twenty years. Vernon Dursley was a plump little man with dark beady eyes and seemingly no neck. Standing next to her boyfriend, Petunia looked even more thin and bony. He seemed, Lily noted, deliciously normal, which was most likely the reason Petunia was attracted to him
–Hi, Vernon,†Lily greeted him with a smile, extending her hand. –I’m Lily, Tun- uh, Petunia’s sister.†Lily caught herself before using the childhood nickname she always used for her sister; she was determined for everything to go as smoothly as possible. Ever since she had started attending Hogwarts, her relationship with Petunia had become strained. Although they were close growing up, it was as if a wall had formed between the two. Petunia had hardly spoken to Lily ever since she had been back except to instruct her not to do anything –weird†or –unnatural†when Vernon came for dinner.
The dinner was a quiet one; Vernon did not have much to say, and for the most part Petunia did the talking. He merely grunted in agreement in between mouthfuls as Petunia gave Vernon’s life story.
Not until they had moved on to dessert did Vernon find his voice, launching into a dreadful monologue about his work and how he was doing humanity a large favor by selling them drills. Lily’s eyelids began to droop out of utter boredom. She had not even realized that she had dozed off in her seat until she received a sharp kick to the ankle underneath the table.
–Oh!†Lily started awake, completely knocking over her dish of chocolate ice cream so that it landed with a satisfactory splat on her clean white blouse. Petunia was shooting daggers at her from across the table.
–Dreadfully clumsy, sorry,†Lily mumbled, trying to clean most of the dessert off of the front of her shirt. –If you’ll excuse me.†She rose quickly from her chair and headed towards her bedroom to change her shirt.
Once out of sight, Lily let out a heavy sigh. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried to fix her relationship with her sister, she always found a way to mess it up. Being with Petunia was like walking on thin ice; it was all Lily could do to keep from giving Petunia cause to despise her.
Lily threw open the door to her room, but before she could enter it, she was greeted by a rush of feathers streaking past her and down the hall.
–Ferdinand!†Lily groaned in exasperation. She turned and took off at a sprint after her owl, but he was too fast for her. When she reached the dinning room, chaos had already ensued.
Petunia’s shrill shriek rang through the small house at the sight of the creature. Lily’s parents had jumped to their feet and were hastily attempting to shoo the owl towards a window, but Ferdinand was flying in blurry circles around their heads, confused by the commotion.
–What the- ARGHHHHH!†Vernon let out a yell as Ferdinand’s talon became caught in his hair, but Ferdinand did not cease flapping his wings and hooting incessantly. Vernon waved his hands above his head aggressively, trying frantically to bat the owl away from him.
–Don’t hurt him!†Lily dashed over to Vernon’s chair to prevent him from doing her pet any damage. She quickly untangled Ferdinand’s foot from Vernon’s hair, but not before Ferdinand left with considerable chunk of it. The brown owl flew swiftly out of the open window with a loud hoot.
The scene the owl left behind could have been considered almost comical. Chocolate ice cream dripped down the front of Lily’s shirt. Petunia’s expression was murderous, and it was directed at Lily. And finally, Vernon standing with his previously well-combed hair standing straight up on his head. For a moment, no one spoke, then Vernon hesitantly broke the silence.
–Well- er, thank you for having me, I think I’ll be going...†his voice trailed off awkwardly. He took his coat from the hook by the door.
–Thank you for coming, Vernon, dear, I hope we’ll be seeing you again,†Mrs. Evans’ said kindly as she opened the door to let him out.
–I’ll see you at work, Petunia,†Vernon said before quickly departing.
Petunia was motionless, the forced smile she had plastered on her face for Vernon’s benefit vanishing as soon as the door shut.
Lily bit her lip. –Petunia...†she started uncertainly.
–What is wrong with you?†Petunia’s voice shook with rage as she faced her sister. –Was one dinner too much for me to expect from you? One night out of my whole life where you could at least try to pretend to be remotely normal?â€
–I’m sorry, it was an-â€
–Don’t tell me it was an accident! The only accident was the day you were born!â€
–Petunia!†Lily heard her mother gasp.
–But Tuney, I really didn’t mean-â€
–DO NOT CALL ME THAT!†Petunia shrieked in Lily’s face. – You are a freak, Lily Renee Evans, a stick-twirling, cape-wearing FREAK, and I want nothing to do with you as long as I live!â€
Her harsh words still hanging in the air, Petunia turned on her heel to go into her bedroom, slamming the door shut with surprising force. Lily was left in stunned silence.
–You’re not a freak, darling.†Lily felt her mother’s reassuring touch as she put her hand gently on her shoulder. –She’ll come around, I know she will.â€
–When? It’s been five years, Mum, five years and we’ve hardly spoken.â€
Mrs. Evans sighed. –I’ll go talk to her.â€
Lily shrugged. It was pointless. –I’m going out.â€
Neither of her parents responded, there was no need to ask where she was going. Lily grabbed her sweater and left without another word.
It was not until she was out in the cool evening air that Lily felt she could finally breathe again. She took deep, steadying breaths as she cut through her small backyard to the deserted playground where she and Petunia used to play when they were young. She took the path at the edge of the woods by the river without a conscious thought; her feet had traveled this way so many times it had become natural.
Soon she had reached a small house at the bank of the river. Lily quietly opened the gate to the backyard and let herself in. She went up to the window facing the river and knocked softly on it four times.
The blinds flipped open and she saw the familiar hook-nosed face peering at her. With a flash of recognition, Severus’ expression lifted and he immediately disappeared. In a moment, he was through the back door and standing by her side.
–Hi,†said Severus, a grin on his face. Like Lily, he was dressed in Muggle clothes, jeans and an over-sized black shirt. Lily smiled at him and then they walked to their spot by the river to sit, as they always used to.
Sitting cross-legged across from Severus, Lily remembered the countless times their eleven-year-old selves had assumed the same position as Severus told an awed Lily stories and rumors about Hogwarts. It was so easy, so familiar to be with Severus in this way; Lily could not imagine not having his friendship in her life. The lingering feeling of unease that had remained in her stomach since she had forgiven him gradually disappeared and she was able to once again feel completely comfortable in his company.
–Petunia’s boyfriend came over for dinner,†Lily informed Severus. She continued to recount the story of the disastrous evening, complete with colourful imitations of Vernon’s sputtering and Petunia’s shrieking. Severus had the good grace to look only mildly amused.
–She hates me, Sev, she really does.†Lily pulled a blade of grass and twirled it between her fingers, her shoulders slumping forward miserably.
–You’re her sister, Lily, she can’t hate you,†Severus said softly, his eyebrows forming a frown. Severus had no siblings of his own; his words were understood to be for comfort rather than from experience.
Lily sighed, and let herself fall on her back onto the soft grass. It was damp from the dew that had started to form, but she hardly cared.
–Remember when we used to sit here and make up our own constellations because we didn’t know any real ones?†Lily smiled to herself as she reminisced. Severus lay next to her and chuckled.
–We were rather creative,†he said. –There was that two-headed ogre, the over-sized monkey...â€
Lily laughed out loud. –I’m glad we’re friends, Sev,†she said quietly.
Severus turned his head to smile at her. –Me too, Lily.â€
–Let’s be friends forever, okay?†Lily said with a grin.
–Always.â€
–Come on, James, she’s really cute, I promise!†Sirius pleaded with his best friend. The two boys were sitting in the bedroom they shared, James laying on his bed as he watched Sirius’ attempts at persuasion.
–You’ve barely gone out since we’ve been home,†Sirius complained. –Just come this once, we leave in two days!â€
–Why do you need me to go, anyways? It’s not like you need a wing-man, you do just fine on your own,†James said, grinning.
Sirius pouted. –I don’t need you to go, I want you to go. It’s more fun when you’re there.â€
–I’m flattered, Padfoot, I really am,†James batted his eyelashes at his friend. –But I don’t really feel like double-dating with you tonight.â€
–You haven’t felt like doing anything except sit at home and whine about your girlfriend all of the break.â€
–Have I said anything about Lily?†James raised an eyebrow.
–No, but you’ve been thinking about her,†Sirius said with an air of irritation.
James laughed. –My best friend’s a psychic. Okay, how do you know that I’m thinking about her?â€
–Because,†Sirius said. –You just sit there and you kind of smile a little and whenever anyone talks to you, you just say –hmm?†dreamily. It’s disgusting.â€
James rolled his eyes. –I was thinking about... Quidditch.â€
Sirius just gave him a look. –Uh huh. Quidditch.â€
–Well, I really like Quidditch, you see.â€
This time it was Sirius that gave the eye roll. –Well, I don’t think Quidditch feels the same way about you.â€
–Oh, shut it.â€
–Seriously, mate,†Sirius said. –Come out with me. Forget about Lily, she’s too uptight for you.â€
James glared at Sirius. –Okay, new rule. No derogatory comments about Lily, and no one gets hurt.â€
Sirius threw up his hands in surrender. –I swear, James, if you send me out on a date with two pretty girls all to myself, I just might have to kill you.â€
–A fate worse than death, I know.â€
–James?†James’ mother knocked on the open door to his bedroom before poking her head in. –James, the cat is missing again, keep an eye out for him, will you? I don’t want him getting into the trash again.â€
–Eve, tell your boring son to go out with me,†Sirius instructed, crossing his arms as he pouted.
Eve Potter smiled. –Sirius, go tell Henry that I need him to get me some more healing potion for the cat, if we ever find him.†Sirius shrugged and dismissed himself, leaving James alone with his mother.
Mrs. Potter gently pushed James’ hair back from his forehead. –Is something the matter, honey?â€
James sighed, his eyes closed, feeling completely soothed by his mother’s caring touch. –It’s nothing, Mum, it’s just this girl.â€
Eve gave a wry smile. –That’s not like you, now, is it? She must be some girl.â€
James chuckled. –You’d like her.â€
–I doubt it.†James’ eyes flew open in surprise at his mother’s words, but she continued with a smile, –How can I be fond of anyone causing my son to mope about like this?â€
–I’m not moping, I’m just thinking,†James said defensively.
–Well, stop thinking so much.†His mother rested her hand on his cheek, and he reached up to hold it in his own. –Go out with Sirius, live while you’re still young. You can think when you’re old like me.â€
James looked up fondly at his aging mother. Unlike many witches her age, she refrained from taking potions to keep the gray from her hair or the wrinkles from her skin. Instead, she embraced her age, and it agreed with her. Even with the many streaks of gray in her dark, curly hair, and the circles that had formed under her eyes, James thought she still looked beautiful. She her lips never lacked a smile, and her hazel eyes always had a twinkle.
–All right, I’ll go, for you,†James agreed, patting her hand.
–Yes!†Sirius appeared in the doorway, throwing his fist into the air. –Good work, Eve!†James rolled his eyes and his mother laughed.
–Have fun, you two,†she said with a wink as she left the room. –Don’t be too late.â€