Library

When he saw Lily start to head over, James sprung to his feet and began looking through his bag to appear like he had just stopped for a second. 

“Oi, Evans!” James called out when Lily walked by him without acknowledging his presence. 

“Potter, please. I’m not in the mood.” She said, turning around to look at him. 

Her eyes were so bloody green. 

“Um, I was just going to ask if you fancied a walk to the common room?” James said, his voice sounding more high pitched than he would have liked. 

“Considering that I was already heading there, I suppose I can’t stop you from walking beside me.” Lily sighed, continuing her march up the stairs. 

James ran to catch up with her: “I love it when you sigh at the idea of spending five minutes with me.” He quipped, nudging her elbow. 

Despite herself, Lily laughed a little. She fought a smile when she saw James’ massive grin. 

“Ah, so she can laugh.” He said, definitely too proud of himself. 

“James, I’m exhausted, I cannot be held accountable for anything I may or may not do.” For some reason, couldn’t make her tone hold the normal edge she reserved for Potter. Some part of her may have slightly appreciated his lighthearted demeanor to contrast everything racing through her head. 

“You must be.” He agreed. “You never call me James.”  He said quietly. He looked over at her, noticing that she seemed lost somewhere. Her left shoulder was slightly lower than her right, presumably because her bag was overflowing with books. One was clearly for god awful Slughorn. “Do you want me to get that?” He gestured toward her bag. 

“Oh,” Lily was momentarily caught off guard by the gentlemanly request. Recovering, she said “Potter, I am more than capable of carrying my books.”

“I never said you weren’t.” He said, smiling, always ready to respond to her constant need to poke at him. “You just said you were exhausted, Evans. I thought I could help.” She nodded, but continued to hold her bag. “C’mon, just let me get it.” 

She rolled her eyes and handed him her satchel: “Fine.” After a beat, she came to her senses and realized he was doing something nice: “Thank you.”

He laughed at her annoyance and slung the bag on his right shoulder: “Merlin, Evans! How many boulders do you carry around in here?” 

“Five.” Lily deadpanned. 

James smirked at her and then stopped to retrieve a slip of paper that fell out of the front pocket of Lily’s bag. As soon as he picked it up, Lily snatched it out of his hand.

“Confidential?” He joked, trying to peer at the paper. It seemed to be some sort of stationary with yellow daisies lining the edges. 

“Private.” Lily attempted to chastise him for snooping, but her voice lost its edge, cracking as she caught a glimpse of her sister’s handwriting. She turned her face away from James and began walking again. 

James noticed the change in her demeanor and racked his brain for the reason why. Clearly, this letter was upsetting her, but it wasn’t in his line of sight. 

“What’s wrong, Evans?” James asked, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. She tensed at the contact, but didn’t shrug him off like he expected her to. He thought it may be because she was lost inside her head, but he hoped she was happy he was there to anchor her. 

She stopped moving and was quiet for a little while, still turned away from James. Then, she faced him and held out the letter: “It’s silly, you can read it for yourself.” 

Her eyes had lost the spark James so admired and looked quite red. He dropped his hand from her shoulder and felt every fiber of his being go rigid at the thought of Lily crying. In all the time that he’d known her, he had never seen the girl look hopeless. Concerned, he took the paper from her shaking hand. 

Lily,

It has been a year or so since we last spoke. I have received your many, many letters attempting to reach me. I read the first one and gave up shortly thereafter. 

You continuously plead with me to be your sister the way that I once was, but how could I be? As far as I am concerned, our relation died out when you received word that you were accepted into the school you have attended for the past 6 years. 

I don’t recognize the person you are. The things you are learning to do are unnatural! You don’t belong in our home anymore no matter what mum and dad may say. They claim to be proud of what you have “accomplished,” but I know it is either because they are afraid to admit the truth about their freak daughter or because you cursed them to live in delusion. 

Do not try to contact me again. If you come back to Cokeworth, I will be your relative in blood, but nothing else. 

Petunia.

James couldn’t believe the words on the thin page. He damn near ripped the letter up, but realized that he would probably just upset Lily more. He looked over and saw her running a hand through her auburn waves. 

“Potter, I demand that you do not feel sorry for me.” 

“Lily.”

She had never heard anyone say her name like that. His voice was full of tenderness and care and something else she wasn’t quite ready to place. She looked at him, half hoping for a sarcastic smirk that she could push him away for, but instead he looked at her with a furrowed brow and eyes full of concern. A tear fell down her cheek. Without thinking, James brushed it away. Lily hated to admit it, but she leaned into his hand, relieved that he continued to rest it on her cheek for seconds after. 

His hand moved to cover hers. He guided her away from the staircase to a hallway where no one else was around. It was slightly dark. Lily was grateful to be away from an audience, but wondered how James always seemed to know the castle better than she did. To cause trouble, she thought to herself. 

When they stopped, James let go of her hands and opened his arms slightly: “Come here.” He said quietly.