Salt Air and Never Have I Ever Before
Lily Evans wasn’t sure when it started. The attraction to James Potter, she meant.
It could’ve been when she noticed how nice he looked when he smiled, how his dimples seemed to pop out and complimented the hazel warmth of his eyes.
It could’ve been when she caught him defending a first year Hufflepuff from bullying during one of her prefect rounds.
It could’ve been when she noticed how really talented he is in Transfiguration, always continuously impressing Professor McGonogall.
It could’ve been realizing how attentive he was and how he always fretted after his friends. Always making sure Remus ate breakfast, reassuring Sirius before every quidditch game, helping Peter with any assignment.
But no matter how true it was, she would deny that it was because he abruptly stopped pining after her and started pursuing that Ravenclaw seeker.
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It disgusted her, really — was there really no other place to show affection?
Lily scowled and continued to stab at her breakfast all the whilst staring at the couple who decided to grace the Gryffindor table with their presence.
James Potter and Elizabeth fucking Dellow.
Lily didn’t even realise that they knew each other. She always assumed James’ head was so far up his arse to even converse with other students who weren’t Gryffindor.
James Potter was currently gazing at Betty Dellow as if she hung the fucking stars up for him and him only.
Likewise, Betty smiled at James as if he released the sun and summoned the moon during every cycle for her and her alone.
A year together and one would think you’d get tired of that look, but goodness no. Godric forbid Potter and Betty stop looking at each other with that look of love.
Frankly, she was sick of it. James had blindly chased after her with a stuck-out tongue and a wagging tail since first year up until 5th year, which was when he met Betty .
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“So Potter,” Lily sprawled herself on the sofa in the Gryffindor Common Room, “how are you spending your summer?”
James looked up from the letter he was writing and scrunched up his face. “Spending it with Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail because Betty will be visiting her dad in France.”
“Hmmm.” Lily took a deep breath and exhaled. Keeping her gaze on the oblivious bespectacled boy in a royal blue jumper.
Remus looks up from the book he’s currently reading and asks her, “Why do you ask what James is up to? I assumed you didn’t care about what the “arrogant toe-rag” did on his time off.”
Before Lily could even come up with an excuse for that, Peter piped up. “We’re actually all headed to Brighton for one whole day, the four of us I mean.”
Lily perked up at the thought. “Brighton is terribly fun if only you know where to go.” She looked at James who was now pasting pictures into a leather book. “I reckon you boys will need a proper tour guide. I’ll happily volunteer.”
“Wait.. what?” James dropped the quill he was holding and shook his head. “You’re not spending the summer with us. Says who?”
“Says me Potter. Now if you don’t mind, I must go finish packing. I’ll owl you when we can all meet up, James.” And with that, Lily left the common room up to her dorms with a Slytherin worthy smirk on her face.
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“What did you say the name of that thing was again?”
“James for the fourth time, it’s called Hotel Horror!”
“Remus, I’m hungry. Go fetch me a snack.”
“Sirius, the next time you step on the back of my shoe, I’m throwing you off the pier.”
“Lily, we’ve been walking for about forever already.”
“Peter, it’s only been 10 minutes.”
The group of five had been wandering the beach, looking for a proper secluded place to sit down and bask in the remaining enjoy the salt air that summer had to offer.
Nearing sunset, and seeing that most families had left, Sirius had chosen a spot about 7 meters away from the shore.
After eating the snacks they had brought from Potter Manor, Lily was nearly falling over herself in laughter as James recounted the tale of how Sirius had drunkenly flirted with Madame Rosmerta on his 16th birthday.
Lily wiped the tears forming in her eyes and willed herself to calm down. “Speaking of drunk, let’s play a little game.”
She brandished a cheap bottle of whiskey and proceeded to pass it around the group for inspection.
Remus held the bottle up and read the label. “What game did you have in mind exactly?”, he asked wearily.
“ Never have I ever of course,” Lily transfigured their cups into shot glasses then yanked the bottle back from Peter’s grasp and filled the short glasses up to the brim.
“Moony, my friend,” Sirius knocked back one shot then filled up his glass again, “do us the honor and start.”
“I don’t like the idea of this.” Remus shook his head while giving Lily a subtle side look. But nevertheless took a deep breath and said, “Never have I ever got a detention-“
“BAH- You have had detention Moony. You can’t lie, especially when you served it with me.” James looked smug at his conclusion.
Remus rolled his eyes at the messy haired boy’s theatrics. “As I was saying, never have I ever got detention for something I actually did.”
Peter -who got caught cheating on the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam(s)- took a shot.
Sirius -who got caught pranking the Slytherin prefects- took a shot.
James -who got caught, one too many times, in a broom closet or an empty classroom with his girlfriend - took a shot.
Never have I ever failed a test. Peter took a shot.
Never have I ever flashed someone. Sirius took a shot.
Never have I ever skinny dipped. James and Sirius took both a shot.
Never have I ever stolen food from my roommates. Remus, Peter, and James took a shot.
It went on and on until it didn’t.
Lily, with a subtle glance at James said, “Never have I ever done it . ”
She needed to know just how far her James had gone with that Ravenclaw bint.
James, Remus, and Sirius took a shot.
All three boys looked at each other wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
“Explain.” They all said at the same time.
“5th year. Marlene McKinnon.” Sirius.
“Sirius’ 17th birthday. Mary McDonald.” Remus.
“Betty’s 16th birthday.” James blushed a beautiful shade of Gryffindor red. “Betty, of course.”
Lily internally rolled her eyes and scoffed.
“What was that for, Lily?” Remus asked with a frown forming on his scarred face. It seemed as if the werewolf had caught up with the red-hair’s antics.
“Nothing, Remus.” Lily stared at James with a dangerous look in her eyes and took a sip directly from the bottle.
The same look that she gets when she shot her hand up to answer every question in every class.
The same look when she decided to break the pureblood stigma that muggleborns weren’t deserving of their magic.
The exact same look when she found out she was magical.
It was a look of determination. It was a dangerous look on the red-haired girl, because she was focusing it all on the messy-haired boy across from her.
“Absolutely nothing, Remus.”
And with that, Lily took another swig of the bottle. “5th year, Yule break. Amos Diggory.”