#they were bullying arrogant toerags

[buggre-alle-this-for-a-larke]

Something I think people forget is that James and Sirius are said to have bullied and hexed more kids than just Snape (who you could argue deserves it, at least a little). It was something they did for fun.

OotP it’s said by Lily in the Snapes Worst Memory chapter:

“Walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can”

Then in the next chapter it’s corroborated by Remus who says the same thing:

“And stopped hexing people for the fun of it.” Said Lupin.

“Even Snape?” Said Harry

“Well.” Lupin said slowly, “Snape was a special case.”

In HBP we get the actual name of another kid they hexed on a detention slip that Harry has to copy out:

‘James Potter and Sirius Black. Apprehended for using an illegal hex on Bertram Aubrey.’

So it wasn’t just Snape, and it wasn’t some crusade against the dark arts. Hexing kids was something they did for the shits and giggles because they could - and something they did grow out of by the time they were 7th years.

[fluffyneondinosaur]

i don't think think jily would've lasted if they'd lived

Or at least not with both of them being content. I mean, first of all Lily was dating someone who' gone around bullying her ex-best friend, which to her knowledge, ended after SWM (which was sexual assault!).

However, we know that James went behind her back to continue to torment Sev even through 7th year, after Lily had started dating him. Let's take a look at the book.

“You think you’re funny,” she said coldly. “But you’re just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone.”

“I will if you go out with me, Evans,” said James quickly. “Go on . . . Go out with me, and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.”

Now that she's going out with him, did James stop bullying Sev? No. Of course Lily didn't go out with him to protect Sev her 7th year, but he got his girl who's only dating him because she thought he'd changed, so why not stop? Was she not enough to convince him to change?

Also, their relationship was super rushed too. They started dating at 17-18 (7th year), married and got pregnant at 19, and had Harry when they were 20.

And what does James do when they're both young and inexperienced parents? Go sneaking around with Sirius instead of staying home to help Lily care for their infant son? Let me tell you, if my dad had ever pulled shit like that my mom would've been furious.

And remember, this is the equivalent of a high school relationship. Imagine marrying someone who you dated in high school. I know that it sometimes works out, but more often than not, it's a terrible decision.

And James and co. loved Lily's feisty, fiery daringness, but I think that after becoming a mother she'd calm down a little, become a little more cautious (I'd be a little concerned for the kid if she didn't) and thoughtful. I don't know if James would've liked that change, or if he would've changed too, along with her.

I certainly hope he would, but if he toned down his recklessness, I suspect that they would grow more distant with Sirius, since he's truly an audaciously violent person (see: prisoner of azkaban, snape's head). James really did seem to care more about Sirius than Lily all through the few times we got to see him in the books, so I inclined to doubt he'd actually change.

There's no way people who sneak around their partner's back and ditch their child for a bit of reckless fun would be able to stay in a committed relationship. I think Lily would've grown to resent how reckless James would've been during the war, endangering his own life with no concern for her or Harry. And if the truth about him bullying Sev in 7th year came out, it would only make their relationship worse.

[halloworhorecrux]

I like to think when Harry saw Draco getting bullied on the train for 8th year. He did, in fact, STRUT and quote

" So its true then, what they're saying on the train. Draco Malfoy has come to Hogwarts. Names Potter, Harry Potter."

And the kids scoff because of course they know him but it's the perfect response for what Harry intends.

" Think my names funny, do you? No need to ask yours. "

shifts back to Malfoy and reaches out helping him up, but Draco is beyond annoyed because he could handle himself Potter.

"Don't want to go making friends with wrong sort, I can help you there"

This is the beginning of his James Potter Era.

Draco just huffs and walks away from that arrogant toerag using his lines to embarress Draco. When in reality Harry has just realized that he is going wife up that prickly blonde. Harry just needs a couple more encounters to realize what he is doing.

Lies, Hermione has to tell him to stop flirting with Malfoy because it's just getting embarrassing watching Harry crash and burn, trying to impress Draco Malfoy.

Harry strutting up to malfoy in the library. He does the whole pulling out a chair and tipping backwards with his feet on the table*wandlessly* saying the cheesiest lines "Sorry for returning you late, but you had fine written all over you" .

Draco is unimpressed. He packs up his stuff with a wordless flick of his wand. He gets in Harry face as he whispers, " If braincells were currency, you couldn't afford a paperbag, much less a fine." He then tips Harry onto the floor with a push against his chest. "Idiot" and walks away with a sway of his hips. Poor Draco still thinks this is all revenge. Harry is a flustered mess on the floor because Draco lips were so close.

Potions class is unbearable for the Blonde because anytime they have to partner up, he yells out, " Oi, Malfoy, guess you must have had some Felix felicis because I'm all yours"

[seriouslysam8]

Do you think that Sirius and Remus idealize James when they describe him to Harry as a "take off his shirt in the middle of a storm for a stranger" kind of guy? (Don't get me wrong, i think they absolutely do, Remus is full of self loathing and still can't believe that someone actually befriended him knowing about his furry little problem, and while Sirius is self aware of them being "arrogant little berks", James was his moral compass, his lifeline and refuge from the Blacks.)

Teenagers can be absolutely awful, but it's still a bit difficult to reconcile Sirius and Remus' description of James with a bullying toerag from SWM. What's your HC on that particular scene, especially in Petrichor/Synodic?

*side note, can we appreciate how Sirius is bored in the middle of exams that leave most people shivering in anxiety?

Memory fades. Time goes by and things appear different than they actually were. Conceptually, Sirius knows they were arrogant little berks, but at the same time, James was his best friend. James and the Potters took care of Sirius when he ran away from home. In his mind, James has been nothing but an amazing friend and person towards him. So he does think the world of James. But he also knows that they were little shits to Snape. Honestly, I think Snape was just as awful to them. I don’t think it was one-sided bullying, but I think they were both constantly going at one another.

So, I think, in Sirius’ mind, he was only treated with respect and love by James. He remembers their relationship and how that relationship made him feel. While he can recognize they crossed the line and were idiots, they gave as much as they got.

You see in Brumous that Harry really struggles between what he saw, what Snape says, and what Sirius says about James throughout the story. I think he struggles so much because he was the victim of viciously bullying growing up and the fact that he had put James on this pedestal. So when that perfect image of his dad comes crumbling down, Harry can’t grasp who his dad really was. But never once does Harry ever think poorly of Sirius. The key difference is that he knows Sirius. He sees the man who lived in a cave and ate rats for him, the man who gave him family, the man who would move mountains for him, the man who made him feel like a priority for the first time in his life. So Harry can dismiss Sirius’ part in that memory he saw, but he doesn’t know James. He doesn’t have one memory that’s his own of James. So the struggle is so real for Harry in the same way it’s real for you. It isn’t until Harry meets James between the cracks does he really start to understand who his dad was.

*side note, this is why I can’t understand fandom Sirius. Like this guy was naturally intelligent and calm and the fucking Gryffindor Casanova. I will never understand or like the shift that the fandom did when they gave all of Sirius’ characteristics to Remus… and/or Regulus. Why they hate on our boy??

[jilymicrofics]

Today’s submission is a bit different - another non AO3 submission!

Author #16 | Title: Expectation | Not Rated

Prompt/s: expectation

Read below ⬇️

She is erasing the blackboard when he enters the room as if he owns the place and sits on a desk by the last row. Lily lifts his eyebrows at him and, in turn, Potter just smirks at her; it’s the kind of smile that makes some of her friends sigh, and while it does add to his charm, Lily does what she usually does in his presence these days: she frowns.

“May I help you?” She asks, uninterested.

He gives her a look of polite obviousness. “I am here for the class; this is the tutoring class for Chemistry, right?”

Lily glances at the formulas on the blackboard for a moment before turning back to him. “Yes, so?”

“I’m your new tutee, Evans.” He laughs suddenly. “Funny word, right? Tutee.”

“Amusing,” she replies, unsmiling. “Nice prank. I’m guessing Black is filming this or—”

“No, actually…” There is a flush on his cheeks that Lily doesn’t remember seeing out of the football field. “Sirius doesn’t know I’m here. I—I have been told I need to get at least Exceed Expectations on my next Chemistry exam, or I’ll be kicked out of the team.”

“Then go study.”

“This is what I’m trying to do—look, my father is a Chemistry genius, but I obviously didn’t inherit his genes.” He watches her for a moment, then runs his hand through his hair as if he is just out of the field after a match. “Hey, Lily—may I call you Lily?”

“Not really.”

He breathes out, relieved. “Good, it felt strange. Evans—you are a good soul. I know it, everyone knows it. You wouldn’t let me reprove when you hold the key to my success, would you?”

“I don’t really care, Potter. Maybe some time away from football would do you some good.”

Potter looks properly appealed by the idea. “How could it?”

“You weren’t such a toerag before becoming the football star of the school.” She crosses her arms and looks away, annoyed by her outburst. It didn’t matter that Lily had nice memories of being friends with James Potter before Year 10; they had grown apart, James – Potter had made other friends and then he had all but ignored her in favour of enjoying his popularity and his arrogance. Lily didn’t mind it, she vouched she didn’t, at least not for herself. “You keep messing with Severus.”

He leans against the desk, suddenly annoyed. “It’s your boyfriend who doesn’t leave us alone.”

“Oh, right, because he has nothing better to do than follow you around to be bullied.” She grabs her things, admonishing herself for sparing her time for James Potter. “And he is not my boyfriend.”

“Oh.” There is something in Potter’s voice that makes her turn to him, despite herself. “I always thought, you were always together—”

“What?”

“Nothing.” But he smiles all the same, and it’s not obnoxious or a smirk anymore; Potter looks just glad for a moment. “I really need your help, Evans.”

Just go away, she tells herself. Instead, she shifts her weight from one foot to another. “What exactly do you want, Potter?”

He bites his lip, looking far more uncertain than she has seen him in the past couple of years. “I need good grades in Chemistry. It’s my worst class, and the coach says I cannot play if I don’t improve my grades.” He wides his eyes, begging her; his eyes are a nice shade of hazel. “Do it for Gryffindor? You don’t want us to lose to those snakes, do you?”

She doesn’t, not really, but this is not the reason why Lily walks to him and sits in the chair in front of his desk.

“Three o’clock,” she says. “Thrice every week. You will have homework, and if you don’t bother doing it, go find someone else to help you.”

He lets out a relieved breath. “You are a lifesaver, Evans—”

“I’m not done yet. We can use this classroom—”

“Can it be somewhere else?” Potter winks at her. “I’d rather people didn’t know.”

“You mean you don’t want Black to know.” He looks ashamed; she fights back an urge to laugh, though she doesn’t think he is fooled by it. Potter looks glad about her reaction. “There are some rooms in the library, I can book one for us.”

“Or you can go to my place.” When she lifts her eyebrows, he raises his hands. “Just for studying, my mother has this big office she doesn’t use. We would have it all for ourselves.”

“Is that how you attract girls to your place? To show off your big office?”

“I don’t really… Hey.” The smirk is back on his face as Potter tilts his head, eyes moving over her face. “Why are you concerned if I have girls in my place?”

Lily flushes. “I don’t,” she insists, though his smirk doesn’t sway. “We are studying in the library, not anywhere else. And there is something I want in return. Leave Severus alone.”

He rolls his eyes, straightening his back away from her. “I will if he—” Lily glares at him. Potter sighs exasperatedly. “Fine, I’ll lay off Snivellus. Snape.”

“Good.” She stands up. “Then I’ll meet you tomorrow afternoon. And Potter…” She looks at him. Other than a pen behind his ear, he didn’t bring anything to the classroom. “Bring your material for class tomorrow.”

He chuckles. “Yes, Ma’am.” Lily sighs. She is by the door when he calls her back. “Hey, Evans. I want something in return also.”

She chuckles despite herself. “You came here begging me to tutor you, and now you want something in return?” Potter nods, his face as serious as he can get. Lily shakes her head, not hiding her amusement. “Fine, let me hear it.”

“Promise me you won’t fall in love with me.”

Lily stares at him; Potter meets her eyes without blinking, his face showing an innocence that she doesn’t believe for a second. Lily knows him ever since Year 1; maybe she did have a crush on him when she was young and didn’t know better; maybe, for all he is arrogant and annoying these days, she has to admit he still holds a certain charm, with his dark-pit messy hair and hazel eyes that always promise mischief; maybe sometimes she wishes their paths hadn’t deviated so much as they grew older; maybe her heart skips a beat when she hears his laugh or when he is actually kind to another soul. 

But for all the maybes, there is only certainty as Lily smiles at him now.

“I promise you,” she assures, departing without looking back.

[roalinda]

i find it strange -James alone called a bully yet people leave out - Sirius was there too! They did swm together, they both were entertainted by cruelty! We know little about the prank, but maybe that was (bad, out of hand) joined descision. Yet James is singled out as bully and max Sirius should do is grovel for the prank [which imo is not something he'd do]. tl;dr, broad fandom makes James darker and Sirius lighter while prongsfoot shippers often do opposite, and this amazes me XD

Hello anon,

I am sorry for the late reply. I was a bit sick, so I was on and off on tumblr. 

If I want to be completely honest, I don't know much about how James is portrayed outside prongsfoot fandom because I usually don't go near other pairings when it comes to him, unless it is Jily or Jilypad. The way he is HCed as an stupid himbo in other fandoms bothers me, because in canon he is one of the brightest students along with Sirius. Same goes for Sirius, viewing him as a brainless bimbo in some fandoms makes my blood boil, so I prefer to stay in my small prongsfoot corner, thus I lack knowledge about the way James' darkness is portrayed in anything minus prongsfoot. But here are my thoughts on prongsfoot if you are interested. ♡ 

James and Sirius both are purebloods. One is spoiled with whatever his heart desires and the other is blessed with too much sass and class. Everyone thought that they were the height of cool ( in Lupin's exact words) in their school days. I find it strange to only call James a bully, because you are right anon, Sirius was involved in that scene as well. 

Personally, I think it is because there are three books for the reader to know Sirius and just a bunch of pages to know James. It is absolutely unfair to judge James by a single memory. But unfortunately, a lot of people just judge James based on that, only focusing on him being an arrogant bully. In Sirius' case there are other books, so we can see that he is arrogant and cruel, yet has many other positive characteristics as well. In James' case we either have the negative arrogant toerag picture frame or the positive hero worship unless one starts to read the whole seven books and just focus on small clues about him.

As for entertainment by cruelty, I think putting it this way would be better. 

James started it to entertain Sirius, Sirius joined in and then the whole crowd were entertained. ( not discussing the morality or cause and effect here. )

Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had gotten to their feet and were edging nearer to watch. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained. ( HP and OOTP, page 643 )

Even Lily:

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, "Let him down!" (HP and OOTP, page 648)

It doesn't mean that James started it for the crowd or Lily, it was started for Sirius and naturally it contained showing off for him and in front of the whole school, amusing Sirius by indulging him in bullying Snape. 

What I am saying isn't that Sirius and James were saints, I am saying that most of the crowd there were enablers. Even Lily was amused for an instant, so clearly she is no saint as well. 

There is also one other thing. When Harry asks Sirius about this, here is his answer.

"I'm not proud of it," said Sirius quickly. (HP and OOTP, page 670)

Sirius Black, the man who is described as haughty and arrogant more than N times in the books, says he is not proud of what he had done. Of course, he would rather go back to Azkaban than to say it into Snape's face but admitting it to Harry is something. Point is he has been given the chance to express this because he is older and alive, something that James didn't have the chance to, so people assume that he never grew out of it.

So, yes, I think only calling James a bully and leaving Sirius out is stealing his glory, they are quite a double act after all. 

The prank though, as you said, we don't know much about, at least not that much to be able to put the complete blame on either side. But I don't think it was a joint decision at all. James and Sirius tend to even each other out, so in situations when Sirius is rash James is not and vice versa, so here when Sirius was impulsive, James saving Snape is not odd to me. It was for protecting the marauders' secrets as well, sure, but believe me if it was a joint decision Snape would have been already dead, because Sirius and James planned their pranks with cruelty like you said. But there are different types of cruelty and planning to dump someone in front of a werewolf is different from public humiliation.

Prongsfoot fandom in general tends to sway to a darker Sirius and a lighter James mostly because Sirius belongs to the Black family with their famous ego and wrath and how it is explicitly mentioned in the books that James hated dark arts. But a lot of prongsfoot authors make them equally morally grey, not shying away from their faults which personally I find really intriguing. I think one of the reasons that prongsfoot is not everyone's cup of tea is precisely this. Neither character is portrayed as a saint or the sacrificial lamb or the other's keeper or a casanova. ( ok, Sirius is a casanova but that was not the point. ) The point is, they are what they are. Maybe a writer views one of them darker than the other but they usually try not to sway too far and create some alien out of JP or SB. 

I can rant about this for the whole day, I need to stop myself before this gets out of hand.

Thank you for the ask. ♡

[isahorcrux]

JILY WEEK DAY FOUR: TROPES GALORE

For @thegobletofweasleys' Jily Week: Tropes Galore, I was given the trope of MORE INSULTING THAN INTENDED (peak Jily trope). Here is proof that's what I got:

Anyway, I promised @sunshinemarauder that I'd do Snape's Worst Memory from my laundry day!Lily's POV and it just fit so perfectly, but I do not have time to interrogate Lily and Snape's entire relationship today, so here's the roughest of drafts of what is to come.

“Leave him ALONE!” Lily shouted.

At Lily’s voice, James Potter and Sirius Black whirled around.Sev was on the ground, choking on the pink soap bubbles that Potter had just conjured.  He’d be alright, Lily had just used that jinx on Black four days ago, but Lily had had enough.  Enough of Sev and Potter constantly at odds.  Enough of Potter teasing her about her deteriorating relationship with her oldest friend (though he didn’t know the deteriorating part).  Enough of Sev constantly accusing her of siding with Potter (which she was categorically not).  And…enough of Potter messing up his hair.  Seriously, why did he always do that?  It was an infuriating habit.

“All right, Evans?” Potter said, sounding slightly out of breath.

“Leave him alone,” Lily repeated, glaring at both Potter and Black, but especially Potter, “What’s he done to you?”

“Well,” said Potter, “it’s more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…”

The small crowd of onlookers that had gathered around chortled.  Lily noticed Bertrum Aubrey was amongst them, which in her opinion was incredibly rich seeing as not two weeks ago Potter and Black had inflated his head to twice its normal size.  Not that Lily was complaining that much, Aubrey was absolutely foul.  It’d been a sixth year Ravenclaw Prefect who’d given the pair of them detention, though Lily had witnessed the whole thing.

“You think you’re funny,” she said icily, “But you’re just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter.  Leave him alone.”

“I will if you go out with me, Evans,” Potter said, flushing slightly, “Go on…Go out with me, and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.”

Lily’s mind went temporarily blank.  She stared at Potter, blinking several times.  Did he just…?  No, she must have heard wrong.  That…what?

Luckily, however, her mouth seemed to be working faster than her brain, for she responded, “I wouldn’t go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid.”

Lily couldn’t lie to herself, the snorts of laughter that erupted from the group were deeply satisfying.  What the hell was Potter playing at?  What was his end goal asking her out like that?  To piss Sev off most likely.  Well, it certainly would.  And by proxy piss Lily off, seeing as she’d have to spend the next few days assuring Sev that she would absolutely not be going out with James Potter.

  Lily continued to glare at Potter, who was currently being consoled by Black.

“Bad luck, Prongs,” said Sirius grinning, before turning back to Sev, “OY!”

Sev, now free of the pink bubbles, had his wand trained straight at Potter.  A moment later, there was a flash of light and a nasty cut appeared on Potter’s cheek.

Fucking, Sev.

Potter, who had always been an excellent dueler, wasn’t phased, however.  He immediately whirled around and sent a spell straight back at Sev.  Lily recognized the wand movement immediately, Levicorpus, one of Sev’s inventions.

Well, serves him right.

Lily hated that that was her first thought, but it was.  And there was nothing she could do about it.  Well, she could help him, she supposed.

“Let him down!”

“Certainly,” said Potter, and he jerked his wand upward and Sev fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

Lily wanted to smack Potter upside the head, but she was too far away.  He was just goading Sev into a fight at this point.  Sev had managed to get to his feet, wand raised to retaliate, when Black jumped back into the fray.

“Petrificus Totalus!”

Lily couldn’t take it anymore.  Sure, she might be still mad at Sev from what had happened with Mary Macdonald right before exams, but he didn’t deserve this.  Two on one with the school’s best duelers.

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Lily shouted, pulling out her wand.

Potter and Black eyed her.

“Ah, Evans, don’t make me hex you,” Potter teased.

Lily’s mind flashed to the last time she dueled Potter.  DADA just after they’d lost the cup to Ravenclaw this term, because the Snitch had fucking run into Reg Cattermole and she’d been on the other end of the pitch.  Potter was pissed.  She was pissed.  They’d both ended up in the hospital wing; Potter covered in boils, Lily in feathers.

“Take the curse off him, then!”

Potter took a very deep sigh, as though this was the last thing in the world he wanted to do, but all the same, turned towards Sev and muttered the countercurse.

[annabtg]

21 and 24 for the ask game, please!

Thanks for playing, Kelsey! 💖

21. Share your favorite piece of dialogue

I have a few of them, naturally, but I'm going to go with an underappreciated one from Inescapable - kind of lengthy but I love James in this!

“If my own best friend thinks I don’t deserve to be there,” her voice rises in righteous anger, “then how can I think anyone else does?” “Well there are those of us who think you deserve to be there far more than those shitheads do, but you call us arrogant, bullying toerags when we act on that sentiment.” Lily stills. She swallows. James Potter watches her with his shoulders thrown back and his chin raised, his indignant tone unlike anything she’s ever heard from him. He looks – older. Wiser. Mature, almost. But even with several feet separating them, she can feel the intensity radiating off him – controlled, but deadly. “You’re coming back,” he continues. “If I have to hex every last Slytherin mouthless so you never hear that dirty word again, you’re coming back.” “You will do no such thing,” she finally speaks up. “I will.” His eyebrow cocks upwards, while a small, devious smirk curls his lip. “And you can’t stop me if you’re not there.”

24. What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

I was surprised by the rapport between Sirius and Petunia in The Chaperone! I knew I didn't want it to be shippy, and I persisted in that - but while I had initially pictured their interaction more as Sirius manipulating Petunia, I think it ended up surprisingly more genuine.

Fic writer asks for 2023 in review here!

[throwthemanaway]

Why did the Marauders hate Snape and bully him?

James Potter: “He exists.” (OoTP)

Sirius Black: “Snape was just this little oddball who was up to his eyes in the Dark Arts.” (OoTP)

”we were sometimes arrogant little berks.” (OoTP)

Harry Potter: “(James) just attacked Snape for no good reason, just because — well, just because (Sirius) said (he was) bored” (OoTP)

Lily Evans: “(James is) just an arrogant bullying toerag.” (OoTP)

Remus Lupin: “old prejudice” (HBP)

marauder fandom/Snape antis: it was because Snape was a wizard Nazi and the Marauders were muggle(born) rights activists and Snape was stalking poor little Remus. Didn’t u read my fanfic???

[syndromealice-blog]

Why Lily was a bad friend

I always read something like: Lily was a good girl, the best friend, but Snape was a Death Eater and he was obsessed.

I didn’t notice her like a character at all, she was more a neutral to me, because everyone said, that she was so good and so beautiful and so awesome. She was Harry’s mother and I understood that she is an important for Harry and to some people. But then I read The prince’s tale. Oh, well. How can I start? The first thing, that I didn’t like: she used Severus even they were a children. He told everything about Hogwarts and Wizarding World. I think that was a reason why she wanted to be his “friend”. Lily lived with her sister, who hated her and when Lily realized that she is a witch, she was happy, because now Lily has some privileges.

When Lily came to Hogwarts Express, there was a scene:

"You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

Petunia turned scarlet.

"Beg? I didn't beg!"

"I saw his reply. It was very kind."

"You shouldn't have read " whispered Petunia, "that was my private ¨how could you ?"

Lily gave herself away by half-glancing toward where Snape stood nearby. Petunia gasped.

"That boy found it! You and that boy have been sneaking in my room!"

"No" Now Lily was on the defensive. "Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that's all!

Okay, now it seems, like she actually defense Severus, but no. She said, that Severus did that. Severus saw, Severus found... why? She defense herself, not Severus. I had the same situation in childhood and I defended my friend and said it was my fault. Lily literally enjoyed this moment, when she can show to her sister who is a muggle and who is a witch.

Then in Hogwarts:

"...thought we were supposed to be friends?" Snape was saying, "Best friends?"

"We are, Sev, but I don't like some of the people you're hanging round with! I'm sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev, he's creepy! D'you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?"

Lily had reached a pillar and leaned against it, looking up into the thin, sallow face.

"That was nothing," said Snape. "It was a laugh, that's all"

"It was Dark Magic, and if you think that's funny "

Yeah, Lily, it was a dark magic, but why you wasn’t terrifying, what James and Sirius did to your “best friend”? Or you are so good and so kind only to rich boys? Or maybe you just didn’t care.

Severus asked a logical question:

"What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?" demanded Snape. His color rose again as he said it, unable, it seemed, to hold in his resentment.

"What's Potter got to do with anything?" said Lily.

Oh, my God. Of course, you don’t know.

"They sneak out at night. There's something weird about that Lupin. Where does he keep going?"

"He's ill," said Lily. "They say he's ill "

"Every month at the full moon?" said Snape.

"I know your theory," said Lily, and she sounded cold. "Why are you so obsessed with them anyway? Why do you care what they're doing at night?"

He is obsessed? No, Lily, you are obsessed with defense. They bullied him all years in Hogwarts. Of course Severus hate them, it’s a normal reaction. I know, people can say, that Lily was a child, but when I was a fifteen years old, I wasn’t so stupid.

"I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are."

The intensity of his gaze made her blush.

"They don't use Dark Magic, though." She dropped her voice. "And you're being really ungrateful. I heard what happened the other night. You went sneaking down that tunnel by the Whomping Willow, and James Potter saved you from whatever's down there.

“LILY, THEY TRIED TO KILL ME DOWN THERE”

They don’t use Dark Magic though

“LILY THIS MAN ON THE STREET TRYING TO RAPE A BABY”

He don’t use Dark Magic though

"I know James Potter's an arrogant toerag," she said, cutting across Snape. "I don't need you to tell me that. But Mulciber's and Avery's idea of humor is just evil. Evil, Sev. I don't understand how you can be friends with them."

A boy, who bully others not a bad, he is just a toerag. Mmmmmnmmmm

Then was a mudblood scene. She literally smiled, she didn’t help, she said: LeAvE hIm aLoNe. What? If my friend was hung upside down, I certainly wouldn't say leave him alone. I would curse the bully properly and go straight to the headmaster or at least to the teacher. Why Lily didn’t go to the headmaster or to the teachers earlier? She just didn’t care about Severus at all. Because I can’t explain, why fifteen years old girl, who sees every day, that James Potter bully her “best friend” and she does nothing. Then Severus called her a mudblood. I have one theory and I believe that’s a canon. Levicorpus was Severus’s spell. He created it. And why Lily had a successes in potions? I am sure, that Severus gave own book to her and she saw all spells. Levicorpus is non-verbal spell and no one can learn it just by hearing. So, Lily gave book to James. He read this spell and used it. If this is true (at least it seems logical), so Lily is a fucking piece of shit. She gave best friend’s book where were a hints to his bully.

Then Lily was angry and said:

Fine,' she said coolly. 'I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.'

Later, when Severus try to apologize, she said:

To call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?"

Yeah, girl. Like YOU, rich and beautiful human, said to poor, ugly friend wash your pants. It was a classism.

"It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends ¨ you see, you don't even deny it! You don't even deny that's what you're all aiming to be! You can't wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?"

Okay, if you already saw that he is so bad and awful, why you continued this “friendship” Why? Nobody actually forced you. Why? If he wasn’t good enough, just say: Sorry, but I think, I don’t want to be your friend anymore. That’s it. You literally can do this.

Three years later Lily was married with James, who was “ an arrogant toerag”. Hmmm, okay. Sirius and Remus said, that James didn’t bully anyone but Severus. Lily didn’t know about it. Sorry, I don’t believe.

Results:

Lily didn’t care about Severus and their “friendship”. She gaslighted him all the time. She saw how difficult was his childhood, she saw his abusive father and their life before school. She didn’t help when James bullied him. And no, saying LEAVE HIM ALONE is not a help. If she wanted to help, she did it. Lily used Severus in Potions, before school, when he told everything about Wizarding World and then she gave his book to his bully. She is not a friend. She is just a girl, who wanted something from Severus. And yes, everyone say: IT’S NOT HER JOB, HE BECAME TO A DEATH EATER AND USED DARK MAGIC. She knew that all the time. If this was a problem, she could leave. If she was terrified about death eaters shit, she could talk with him. She knew how difficult life he has. It’s not her job, that’s right. Or maybe she is just a shitty friend?

[mischief-marauders]

The audacity to say lily didn’t even try to defend him and justify his behavior towards her. To even compare lily to petunia feels like an insult tbh-

Let’s unpack?

Sorry if this might be long. Okay so for a lot of us, there are small details in the books that we forget. This one of those things. After James hung Snape upside down, everyone was laughing and cheering (if someone hung a racist upside down, I would’ve laughed too) and then this happens.......

“Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile” (OOTP 648)

So yeah, Lily did hide her smile when James hung Snape upside. Snape was her friend at this point and for her to smile, I genuinely think someone being hung upside down isn’t a big deal in that time and culture. I mean, Remus does mention that it happened to him loads of times when he was at Hogwarts. But I’m getting off track. Back to the main point. Yes, Lily did hide her smile BUT (and there’s a big but here), this also happened:

“Leave him ALONE!” James and Sirius looked around. James’s free hand jumped to his hair again. It was one of the girls from the lake edge. She had thick, dark red hair that fell to her shoulders and startlingly green almond-shaped eyes — Harry’s eyes. Harry’s mother . . . (OOTP 647)

“Leave him alone,” Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of great dislike. (OOTP 647)

“You think you’re funny,” she said coldly. “But you’re just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone.” (OOTP 647)

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, “Let him down!” (OOTP 648)

“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily. (OOTP 648)

5 times. In the span of 2 pages, Lily (very angrily) told James and Sirius to leave Snape alone. She defended him and tried to help him TWICE. In the same instance that she “almost smiled”, she defended him at the same time. She defended him to the point of pulling her wand on James and Sirius and threatening them (Damn, Lily really had them TERRIFIED). She genuinely defended him, helped him, threatened other people at wand point until he was safe, for him. She literally only stopping caring and stopped defending him when he used a horrible slur against her.

“There you go,” he said, as Snape struggled to his feet again, “you’re lucky Evans was here, Snivellus —”

“I don’t need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!”

Lily blinked. “Fine,” she said coolly. “I won’t bother in future. And I’d wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.” (OOTP 648)

He called her a “mudblood”, not because he was being tormented or agitated or whatever the hell else Snape stans say to excuse his behavior. He said it because he was getting help from someone that he deemed “inferior”. He felt humiliated (not by James) but by needing help from someone that his ideology hates and thinks doesn’t deserve magic or rights even. Also? Saying James and Sirius “tormented” him? As if Snape didn’t whip out dark magic to use against James and hit him with sectumsepra? Reading comprehension is LACKING.

[bloatsome]

I feel like one of the reasons people are so ready to forgive James and the Marauders in SWM is because R*wling made it a "schoolboy thing" and something they apparently "grew out of" (even when Sirius tells Harry they didn't). She repeatedly reminded the readers through Harry that the marauders were only 15 and thought it was fun, and nothing more to tease the ugly, poor half-blood who was sorted into Slytherin, a cherry on top.

Severus, as always, was written unkindly. There was no indication of him "acting his age" and doing normal 15 year old things. This, along with making Remus a serious, unparticapative Marauder made it seem like both were mature for their age and it would be "worse" if they did something like James or Sirius had. However, Remus doesn't do anything much, he's an enabler, but that's it. His friends don't value him less, and consider using his trauma to harm Snape as a "prank" and nothing more. Both Sirius and James had a lot of growing up to do, but since they were only 15, it's all okay.

But who does not get away with his shitty actions? Snape. He calls his friend a mudblood (we didn't even know they were friends yet so it seems like something Snape does for fun) and Lily deserts him, James proceeds to assault him, and the readers hate him even more. Even though he was a child himself, and was comparatively better than the Marauders, only calling people a slur against sexually assault, attempted murder and constant hexing of other students.

R*wling established Lily as the "moral right" and Lily chose James (maybe because what he didn't didn't harm her, only others) implying he changed as an adult. But more importantly, what does she say in SWM?

To James Potter, about himself: "you're an arrogant, bullying toerag and I would never go out with you" re-establishing the fact that they are teenagers and he's just very annoying.

To James Potter, about Snape (notice how she doesn't even talk to Snape): "You're just as bad as he is" making Snape's actions seem as bad, without implying that he is a child as well.

And we all know snaters' tendency to blow stuff Snape did out of proportion.

We see Snape growing up, becoming completely selfless and giving his life to the side who had abandoned him and James was still bullying Snape behind Lily's back, and was only 21 when he died, not giving him much time to "mature" but Harry chooses not to dwell on that so much, giving marauders' fans a reason to hate Snape more than ever.

[awritingtree]

Always have

James Potter x reader

Summary: James and Y/N have always been two peas in a pod, never straying far from the other. Even through James’ endless pining and ramblings about his ‘Lilyflower’, Y/N never left his side. But what happens when Lily’s rejections go too far one day? And what happens when Y/N realizes she’s starting developing feelings for her best friend?

Words: ~5.8k (oops?)

Warnings: fluff, angst, a bit of cursing, pining, making out

A/N: I did not expect it to be this long, I swear. This isn’t the best, especially the angst. I just didn’t know what to write because I kept with both sides of the argument. Anyways, I hope you like this <3

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Important! I just want to say that I have nothing against Slytherins. I love all houses. This was purely for the fic and nothing else. No hate <3

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5th year

James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Y/N Y/L/N, otherwise known as the self-proclaimed Marauders, could be found near the back of the Transfiguration classroom on a cold morning in the middle of January. It was unusually quiet for a room filled with more than one of the Marauders. The night before yesterday had been a full moon and all the four friends were still exhausted from helping their friend with his furry little problem.

James suddenly sat up from the desk he was laying his head on, trying to catch up on some sleep before the day started.

“Hey Evans! Go-,” he started.

“No,” said a voice sharply in response.

“You didn’t even let me finish what I was going to say, Evans,” said James, a cheeky smile painting his lips.

“No, I will not go out with you, Potter!” Lily Evans replied, not even bothering to glance at him.

James huffed and looked away as Sirius, Peter and Y/N tried to hold back their snickers behind their hands. James rolled his eyes at the sight of his idiotic best friends and laid down onto the desk, his head in his arms.

He felt a hand squeeze his upper arm. “Hey, don’t worry. She has to come around at some time.” He twisted his head to the side to look at Y/N, a hint of a smile still on her face from the transpired events. “And even if she doesn’t, it’s her loss,” she shrugged, her hand returning back to her side.

Before James could go off on a rant about how it wouldn’t be his Lilyflower’s loss, it would be his loss, Professor McGonagall’s voice drifted through the classroom, beginning the lesson for the day.

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“It’s been years and she hasn’t shown even the slightest bit of interest. Are you ever going to give up, Prongs?” Peter questioned as the Marauders walked from their last lesson, Potions, towards the Gryffindor common room.

“She’s interested, Wormtail. She’s just playing hard-to-get. I’ll wear down though, I know it. After all, how can-” James started off before a certain redhead distracted him.

“Hey Evans! Go to Hogsmeade with me?” James called after Lily.

“Never in a million years,” said Lily swiftly, rushing away from any more potential offers to go to Hogsmeade from an arrogant toerag.

“See, that means she is thinking about the possibility of us happening after a million years,” said James smiling wistfully.

Sirius groaned at James’ response to, yet, another rejection and grabbed Y/N’s hand. “Come on, darling. I need your help in getting that girl from Hufflepuff to go out with me this weekend,” he said as he dragged her away.

“Why me!? Ask James for his help!”

“I’d luck out of all future dates with Prongs’ help if his experience with Lily has anything to say,” muttered Sirius to Y/N, hoping James wouldn’t hear.

“HEY!” they heard James exclaim from behind. Sirius laughed, quickly turning around the corner of the hallway before James could throw a shoe, or something, at his head.

6th year

“Today’s the day. I know it. She’s going to say yes. She has to. She’s been throwing looks at me all day,” James rambled to Sirius, sitting in front of the Gryffindor common room’s fireplace on a Friday evening.

“And by throwing looks, he means glaring and plotting his murder,” said Remus, as he turned a page of the book in his hands. James jerked his head up as the portrait hole opened up, sighing sadly when he realized it was another student, returning from the library by the looks of it.

Y/N looked up at James from the ground, where she sat doing her Arithmancy homework. “James, I don’t think it’s the best idea to ask her out again. After what happened last year,” she trailed off.

“She’s over that,” he said hesitantly. “She has to be, right? I mean, they don’t even talk anymore. And she refuses to forgive him."

"Even if they don't talk anymore, they were best friends. And what you guys did was wrong."

Sirius, Remus, and Peter winced, looking down in shame.

"I know. And we are sorry," James looks down guiltily, looking like a kid caught for stealing cookies. Y/N smiled softly at the sight.

"I know. But she doesn't. And she's not going to want to listen to anything any of you have to say right now."

But James was not listening, for Lily had just walked into the common room with Marlene and Alice. He stood up, a determined look on his face.

Realizing what James was about to do, Y/N reached out to hold him back, "James don't-"

Paying no mind to Y/N, James marched over to a corner of the room where Lily sat, laughing at something Marlene said.

“He’s got a death wish,” said Sirius as he watched his brother walk towards his impending doom.

"Fancy seeing you here, Lilyflower," James said, leaning against a chair, a cocky smirk on his face. Lily looked up, a sour look overcoming her face after seeing who was next to her. "What do you want, Potter?" she asked with a snarky tone.

"You. Me. Hogsmeade. Tomorrow."

Lily scoffed and looked away from him.

"What? Did I say something funny?" James asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Just the fact that you think I'll agree to go anywhere with you."

“Now why would that be funny. We all know it’s going to happen sooner or later,” he said, you know, like an idiot; thinking it would make the situation better. Upon getting no response, James tried again, “Oh come on, Evans, you know- “

Lily stood up abruptly, an angry look over her face. “I knew you were an arrogant, good-for-nothing toerag but I did not take you to be daft. I don’t know what it will take for you to understand that I will never ever go out with you. You think you’re so high and mighty when you’re nothing but a bully! You’re no better than those Slytherins! I hate you. I would rather die than go out with the likes of you,” spit Lily venomously.

The entire common room fell silent at her words. James stood in shock, his limbs forgetting how to function. All he could do is stare at his Lilyflower with a hurt look. The silence was broken by the sound of a book being slammed onto a table which seemed to do the trick and snap James out of his shocked state. He turned on his heel and headed out the portrait hole without sparing anyone a glance, not even his brother and best friends.

“What is wrong with you!?” shouted Y/N as she approached Lily. Sirius, Remus and Peter sat wide-eyed, internally praying for someone to come and save Lily from Y/N’s wrath.

“How dare you!? Got your revenge for your precious Severus, have you, by humiliating him publicly!? I get that you don’t like James and he’s not exactly been the kindest to Snape but that was just cruel! He did not deserve that, nobody does. You may not see it, but James is one of the most kind-hearted and best people out there. I honestly pity you for not seeing anything good in him. Although, I do find it strange how up until last year, you could find the good in Snape no matter what he did or said but for some reason, James is always the devil incarnate. I honestly don’t know what he sees in the likes of you,” seethed Y/N. She turned around heading to the portrait hole, fuming.

She suddenly paused, turning to face Lily, “You know if him asking you out bothered you so much, you could have sat down with him and made him understand maturely and firmly that you were not interested when he clearly failed to take a hint. But the fact that you kept saying no but not taking it any further to make him stop his pursues makes me wonder if you like all his attention after all.”

Without waiting for Lily to form a coherent response, Y/N stormed out of the Gryffindor common room. Slowly, quiet murmurs started to fill the silence left behind by the raging Y/N; everyone discussing the events that had taken place a few moments ago right in the centre of the common room.

Sirius looked at Remus with wide eyes, “Should we go after-?”

Remus shook his head, “I think it’s best if we let her find James. She’s the only person that can comfort him right now and he’s the only one that will be able to calm her down.”

Y/N shivered making her way up to the Astronomy Tower. ‘Should’ve run out with a blanket,’ she thought grumpily, rubbing her arms trying to keep warm.

“Aw is ickle Jamsie sad because his Lilyflower said no again?” she heard the unmistakable voice of Peeves in the distance.

Y/N rushed up the rest of the stairs. “Leave him alone Peeves,” she said as soon as she was within hearing distance.

She entered the Astronomy tower to see Peeves floating up to her. “Oh, lookie here. It’s Jamsie’s girlfriend come here because his Lilyflower upset him,” he said in a mocking baby voice.

‘That doesn’t make any bloody sense’ thought Y/N. She looked at Peeves dead in the eye and sternly said, “I mean it, Peeves. Go away or I’ll call the Bloody Baron.”

Peeves rolled his eyes and left through the wall grumbling, “You’re no fun.”

Y/N slowly walked to the edge of the tower, where James stood leaning against the railings looking out at the night sky. She leaned against the railings next to him. It was a cold, clear night. The stars twinkled against the velvet black background. The stars looked near enough to grasp with the stretch of an arm from where they stood. The crescent moon hung in the sky, lighting up the dark world in a soft, dim bluish glow. A sudden cold breeze blew her hair onto her face and into her mouth, obstructing the beautiful view in front of her eyes. She spat out her hair, her hands trying to stop the breeze from blowing her hair onto her face.

James chuckled watching her struggle before he turned her around so that her back was facing him. He gathered her hair in one hand and held his other hand out. Y/N removed a hair tie from her wrist putting it on James’ outstretched hand. She waited as he carefully tied her hair into a low ponytail before turning around to get a look at his face. She felt her heart crack at the heartbroken look on his face. She quickly wrapped her hands around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. James reacted instantly, his hands finding their place around her waist whilst he buried his face in her neck. Cold tears wet her neck as she felt James’ shoulders shake with sobs causing her to pull him closer and hold onto him more tightly.

They stood there for a few minutes, or it could’ve been a few hours. It didn’t matter to Y/N; as long as James felt better, she would spend all eternity there holding him as he let out his sorrows.

After a while, James pulled away from Y/N, his hands still wrapped around her waist. Y/N moved her hands from his shoulders to gently cradle his face. Her thumbs wiped off the tears on his cheeks as he silently looked down at her.

“She doesn’t deserve you, Jamey,” she whispered, her eyes looking into his. She reached up to fix the glasses sitting crooked on James’ face. James didn’t reply for a while. He continued to look down upon his best friend. Her nose and cheeks red with cold, lips drawn into a frown; her eyes sparkling from the moonlight reflecting off her unshed tears.

“But what if she’s the best I can do?” his voice hoarse from crying.

“I don’t believe that. You are a wonderful human being, James. You are smart and kind. You are brave, chivalrous and a true Gryffindor. You sneak out to the kitchens when one of your friends is feeling low and is in need of some hot chocolate. You are ready to drop anything and everything when someone asks you for help. You became an illegal Animagus so that your friend wouldn’t be alone during his worst moments. You would sacrifice yourself for those you care about without any hesitation. I cannot, for a second, believe that Lily Evans is the best you can do,” said Y/N.

James searched her face for any hint of a lie or doubt in what she said, but there was none. James felt a small smile creep onto his face. He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. “Thank you, Y/N/N,” he mumbled, his lips still pressed against her forehead.

He pulled away, moving to sit down with his feet dangling off the edge of the tower. He looked up at Y/N, “Care to join me, love?”

Y/N smiled widely and quickly sat down. She shifted close to James, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, resting his head on top of hers. They stayed like that, gazing at the stars above them.

“Can I tell you something? Full disclosure, but don’t feel offended,” Y/N spoke after a while, lifting her head up with a hesitant look on her face.

James turned away from the sky to look at her. “Of course, Y/N/N. You know you can always tell me anything.” His eyes scanned her face curiously, trying to decipher what she might want to talk about but found nothing.

“I just-” Y/N paused. She closed a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to prepare herself for what she was about to say. She didn’t know how James would react. Would he get mad? Would he hate her? Would he never speak to her again? There was no way to really know.

James, on the other hand, felt concern. What could Y/N possibly have to say that would get her so nervous? Is she okay? Did something happen to her, but he was too busy prancing about fawning over Lily to notice? He really hoped that was not the case.

“I just think you should maybe decide to move on. You’ve been asking Lily out for years and she has yet to show any interest. Truthfully, she treats you like shit, James,” said Y/N, looking over his shoulder not daring to look at him, fearing his reaction. Maybe that’s why she wasn’t sorted in Gryffindor (or just ignore this sentence if you are a Gryffindor).

“So, you think I should just give up?” questioned James with an underlying tone of irritation. “You-”

Y/N cut him off abruptly, “No, of course not! What I mean is I think you need to stop setting yourself up for hurt and disappointment. You deserve happiness in your life, and I don’t Lily is going to give you that happiness.”

James removed his arm from Y/N’s shoulder and turned around to face the night sky again. Y/N sighed and made a move to stand up, but a hand gripping on her forearm stopped her.

Her eyes trailed the hand up to look at a confused-looking James. “Where are you going?”

“I thought you won’t want me around right now,” Y/N admitted anxiously, looking down at the floor.

“Just because you said something I don’t want to particularly agree with doesn’t mean I don’t want you around Y/N,” James said softly, gently tugging her arm telling her to sit back down.

Smiling, Y/N took a seat next to James, again.

“Just think about it okay?” she said after a while.

“I will,” sighed James. He turned his head to the side to shoot her a small grin.

7th year

Y/N didn’t know when it happened. She didn’t know when she, Y/N Y/L/N, started having feelings for her best friend, James Potter. Was it recently? Or were those feelings always there but she never realized it? “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” muttered Y/N angrily to herself. “How could you fall for your best friend!? Especially right after he seems to be moving on from his long-time crush?”

“Hey Y/N/N.” Y/N jumped at the voice and feeling of an arm around her shoulder. She looked to the side to see Remus looking at her with an amused look.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Of course, Remy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Other than the fact that your voice suddenly became high-pitched, you were talking to yourself there earlier.” Y/N cursed at herself internally. She was really hoping he wouldn’t’ve noticed. Unfortunately, this was Remus, he noticed everything.

“I’m fine. Just stressed. Nothing to worry about,” she said with a forced smile as she continued to walk towards the DADA classroom with Remus.

Remus shot her an unconvinced look. Before he could question her any further, Sirius interrupted them. “Moony! Why’d you leave so quickly? We were just getting to the good part of the planning!”

James and Peter came running behind him, out of breath. Y/N’s eyes connected with James’, staring at each other. Y/N felt her face burning as she looked at the beautiful boy in front of her. They only snapped out of their gaze when Peter asked, “You okay there, Prongs? Your face looks pretty red.”

James’ face flushed a deeper red as he mumbled, “It’s nothing.” He stumbled into the classroom, taking a seat at the very back. He placed his hands on his cheeks, trying to cool his face. ‘What an idiot,’ he thought.

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“Today, we shall be brewing the Memory Potion as a review from last year,” announced Slughorn. “You will work in pairs with the person sitting beside you. I shall be grading this as your second test; therefore, you cannot refer to your textbooks. You can get started right away. Good luck everyone!”

James got up mumbling, “I’ll get the ingredients, you can set everything up.” He walked away awkwardly without waiting for a response from his partner.

He soon returned; his hands filled with all the ingredients needed for the potion. Y/N having already set up the cauldron, was writing the recipe down from memory in her book so that they didn’t miss any steps preparing the potion. They got to work as soon as she was done. They worked in silence, knowing exactly what to do to not get in the way of the other but still work as a team.

Y/N searched for the mortar and pestle to crush the sage when a hand holding onto exactly what she needed stretched out to her. James smiled at her sheepishly.

“Thank you,” she mumbled, taking the mortar and pestle. Their fingers brushed lightly. Electricity spread through their bodies from the small amount of contact. Y/N started to crush the sage into a fine powder, attempting to hide the blush forming on her cheeks. Little did she know, James was going through the same struggle.

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“Hurry! Wormtail won’t be able to hold him off for long.”

“Shut up! It’s almost-” he said finishing off their masterpiece with a sticking charm. “There. It’s done.”

James and Sirius stepped back to admire their work.

“Achoochoo!”

“I can’t believe we agreed that would be the warning,” exclaimed Sirius as he ran away from the direction of the heavy footsteps.

“It’s not like ‘Meowie-ow’ was a better choice,” James pointed out. Turning a corner, he toppled over, bringing down whatever it was that he bumped into.

“Ow!” a voice cried out from underneath. There was Y/N, underneath him, with him lying on top of her. Her hair was left loose in its natural waves, face free of any makeup. She smelled like sandalwood, he observed. She wore a blue jumper, his cheeks coloured scarlet as he recognized the jumper as his. She looked mesmerizing. His eyes drifted across her face to her lips. And he started to lean in.

Y/N stared wide-eyed at the sight of James on top of her. His jet-black hair was messy as it always was. He wore a green jumper which brought out the hazel colour of his eyes. She loved the colour of his eyes. She noticed his eyes glance at her lips before starting to lean in. She thought he was going to kiss her for a moment before-

“Godric Y/N/N! I’m so sorry,” he apologized, moving to get off her, stopping himself from ruining a friendship. He leant her a hand to pull her up from the ground, putting a hand on her waist to steady her. Time seemed to stop as their eyes connected. The sounds faded into nothing and the things around them seemed to melt away. All James could see was Y/N and all Y/N could see was James.

The sound of a throat being cleared had them jumping apart, realizing that they had been leaning in again. Y/N reached down to collect the books that flew out of her hands when she crashed to the ground, her head hurting from the impact.

“He-here let me help,” stuttered James, kneeling down to help her collect her books.

“Thank you,” she said softly. James smiled at her bashfully, handing her books back.

“I-um. I should go,” said Y/N.

“Yeah. I should too,” replied James.

None of them moved for a small period of time. Y/N smiled at James before walking away in the direction she came from. James stared after until she climbed up the stairs at the end of the corridor.

“So, what was that about?” asked Sirius. James turned around to see his brother standing there with a knowing smirk on his face.

“What was what?”

“Don’t play coy with me. You know exactly what I’m talking about. You like Y/N.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” James brushed off Sirius.

“Don’t lie to me! I am your brother. I know exactly what it’s like when you like someone.”

James continued to look at him with a blank look. Sirius looked back with a pointed look saying, ‘Don’t lie to me.’

“Okay fine, yes. I like her,” admitted James in a quiet voice facing his feet.

“I knew it!”

James didn’t say anything, continuing to look down at his feet. Sirius stared at him. He had never seen James this way, it seemed as if he was almost shy? But that wasn’t possible, James Potter was confident, some would say cocky and arrogant. James Potter was not shy.

“You love her,” stated Sirius.

James sighed and looked up at his brother.

“I think I do,” said James, ruffling his hair. “I think, maybe, I always have.”

James slid down the wall and sat down on the floor, urging Sirius to do the same.

“I realized it a few days before this year. During the summer holidays when Moony, Wormtail and Y/N/N came over. We were all in the back garden. You three were messing around with some muggle device as I was sitting down in the garden and Y/N was helping Mum with the sandwiches for lunch. I looked over her and that’s when it hit me. She looked so beautiful, Pads. Her hair was up in her usual ponytail, blowing lightly in the summer breeze. The sun lighting up her face as she laughed at something Mum said. I don’t know what they were talking about, it doesn’t matter, but the smile on her face took my breath away. When I saw her and Mum interacting, I just- I realized I want to see them interact like that, like mother and daughter, for the rest of my life.”

Sirius gawked at James from this sudden revelation before shaking himself out of it. “You should tell her how you feel, James.”

“No, I can’t,” James shook his head, then pushed his glasses, that almost fell off, up his nose. “Every time I’m around her, my breath gets stuck in my throat and I can barely breathe yet talk.”

James groaned and buried his face into his hands. “How stupid am I?”

“I don’t think you’re stupid at all. But I do think you’re stupid to not tell her,” said Sirius, patting James on the back. “You need to tell her, mate. For your sake and hers.”

James contemplated; he thought out all the ways telling her how he felt could go wrong. Then he thought about all the ways it could go right. He nodded.

“I will.”

⭑*•̩̩͙⊱••••✩••••̩̩͙⊰•*⭑

“Hello darling.”

Y/N looked up to see Sirius sitting across from her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked suspiciously.

“What? I can’t come and spend time with my favorite girl?” asked Sirius, a mocking hurt look on his face.

Y/N rolled her eyes at his dramatics, “No, it’s just that you’re here. Alone in the Library. Without any of the others. I have a right to be suspicious with all of your history.”

Sirius chuckled, “We’re not pulling a prank on you, I promise. I actually came here to talk to you about something.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow in question, gesturing to him to go on.

“You like James, and I want to know why you haven’t told him yet.”

Y/N started to cough, choking on air. She didn’t know what she was expecting but it was not that.

“What gives you that absurd idea?” she squeaked out.

“Um the reaction you just gave and the way you look at him when you think no one’s watching; like he put the stars and moon in the sky.” Y/N felt her cheeks heat up at his words. “The funny thing is, he would bring them all to the ground for you if you asked.”

Y/N stayed quiet. Sirius had to be joking, right?

“I’m not joking, darling.”

“Then I think you’re wrong in what you see. He couldn’t possibly like me,” Y/N countered.

“And why would you think that?” asked Sirius, leaning back on his chair.

“He can’t, Sirius. I mean, look at the type of girls he likes. Lily Evans; beautiful, smart, kind, head girl. I’m nothing compared to her.”

Sirius furrowed his eyebrows. How could she think that? Sure, she wasn’t head girl, but she was a Prefect. And maybe Y/N could come off as mean at times, but she was the sweetest thing when she isn’t angry. She was just as beautiful, just as smart, just as kind as Lily, if not more.

“Hey, I don’t believe that,” Sirius spoke softly, placing a hand onto hers. “You are an extraordinary person Y/N. James should be honoured to have someone like you return his feelings.”

Y/N smiled at him but with an unconvinced look causing Sirius to sigh.

“Look, why don’t we go to the kitchens and have some chocolate cake. Let’s forget about all this James business for now.”

Y/N’s smile widened at the idea. “That sounds perfect.”

⭑*•̩̩͙⊱••••✩••••̩̩͙⊰•*⭑

A few weeks passed by without anything happening. To say that Sirius was getting impatient and frustrated would be an understatement. He was tired of all the shy glances when the other wasn’t looking and the flirting, so subtle, that none of two realized what was happening.

James on the other hand was pretty content with how life was at the moment. He would sit next to Y/N in all the classes they shared, giving him the opportunities to look over at her as much as he wanted or cause a small ‘accidental’ brush of their hands, jolting sparks up his arm. He enjoyed the subtle flirting and her response as she flirted back, but he didn’t think she realized what she was doing. They were really close friends, after all. They had always been more affectionate and comfortable with each other than any other normal friendship.

A paper hitting the back of his head snapped James out of his daydream of kissing Y/N, how it would feel to have her run her hands through his hair.

“Tell her or I will.” said the note. James turned around to see Sirius with a serious look on his. James didn’t get a chance to reply as the bell rang, ending the lesson.

"I mean it, Prongs. Do it or I swear I will," said Sirius, walking down the corridor with James and Remus.

James looked at Remus for help, but Remus shook his head indicating he was not getting involved in this. Remus knew the two liked each other way before than they, themselves, did. He thought they suited each other perfectly and was waiting for one of them to make a move. But like Sirius, he was left disappointed and frustrated.

"Ah look, there she is" Sirius pointed in the direction where you were walking with one of your Hufflepuff friends, having got back from Herbology. Your cheeks were flushed red from the cold outside, your hair was slightly ruffled from the wind. Your uniform, however, was tidy as always; your shirt tucked in, and tie pulled up to the neck. Others might say you're prim and proper, but James adored how you always wanted things in place; neat and tidy, because 'I have enough of a mess in my head, I don't need it out here too.'

Next thing he knew, he was being shoved into a small, cramped room. The room was lit by the small amount of light seeping through the gap between the floor and the door. James could barely make out what the shelves in the room were stocked with when the door opened behind him, another person getting shoved in.

"What the fuck are you doing, Sirius!?"

Y/N.

"You both know why you're in there. And you're not getting out until it's sorted. Have fun children." They both could hear the teasing smirk on Sirius' face.

Nerves started to wash over James’ body as he realized there was no way out of this. Either he told her how he felt or Padfoot would do it for him which he was sure no one would like. He wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers and took a long, deep breath hoping to calm himself.

He heard some shuffling as a small, soft hand grabbing his, hesitantly. When James made no move to pull away, Y/N intertwined their fingers. “James?” she whispered into the darkness. James took in a shaky breath, finally looking at her. She looked as nervous as he felt.

“Can I tell you something? Full disclosure,” her voice shaking.

‘Is she as nervous as I am? Is her palm sweating, or is it just mine? Godric, how is she not repulsed by how sweaty my hand is?’ James thought.

“Of course. You know you can always tell me anything,” James spoke in a hushed voice as he tried to keep his voice from shaking.

Y/N mumbled something inaudible out.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”

“I said, I’m in love with you. I think I always have been,” she whispered out, eyes shifting to their conjoined hands.

James’ eyes widened upon hearing those words; those words he knew, now, that he’d been waiting years to hear; not from Lily, but from Y/N.

Something snapped inside of him.

He slammed his lips to hers and pushed her against the closed door. He moved one of his hands to her hips while the other found its place at her small of her back. His body heated up at the feeling of her lips moving against his. They were slightly chapped, but still soft, exactly how he imagined they would be.

Y/N was shocked. This was not what she thought would be happening when she confessed her feelings. She thought he would surely walk away, never to look back. What gave her the confidence to say her feelings out loud, she’ll never know, but she thanked Merlin she did. At the feeling of James’ hands against her body and his lips moving against hers, in a slow but passionate embrace; it felt like a fire lit up inside of her and was spreading, burning through her entire body. Y/N moved to run her hands through his soft hair, messing it up even more. She pulled him closer, moving her head to the side to deepen the kiss. James squeezed her hip making Y/N let out a small gasp. He took the opportunity and slid his tongue inside her mouth. James let out a groan at the feeling of her tongue against his, pushing her further against the door, leaving no space between their bodies.

Y/N held in a whimper as their lips detached. The feeling of James’ lips against her jaw, leaving kisses down her neck sent shivers down her spine. James sucked on a spot above her collarbone, eliciting a low breathy moan from Y/N. She tugged on his hair and brought his lips back to hers in a slow kiss before they pulled away from each other.

James breathed heavily, staring at the sight of a flustered Y/N against his body.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, leaving his hand to cup the side of her face. His thumb moved soothingly against her flushed cheeks before tracing her lips.

“I don’t think, I know I always have been in love with you,” he breathed out, his eyes filled with adoration for his girl, wrapped up in his arms.

A smile spread across Y/N’s face, happiness and love shining through her eyes. She pulled him back down into a kiss. Unlike their first kiss, this one was soft and gentle, both of them trying to express years of pent up feelings to each other through the kiss.

Suddenly, the door was yanked open. Y/N fell back with a yelp and James fell on top of her.

“Detention, both of you.”

They both looked up to see Professor McGonagall peering down at them through her glasses with a disapproving glare.

“Put yourselves together and head to class. You’re already late as it is,” she said strictly before turning around to head towards her office with a hint of a smile on her face. ‘Flitwick owes me 5 galleons,” she thought happily.

Y/N gaped up at James, surprised by what had just occurred.

“Did we just get detention for snogging in a broom cupboard?”

“Reckon it was worth it,” said James with a cheeky smile before pressing his lips to hers, pulling her in for another kiss.

⭑*•̩̩͙⊱••••✩••••̩̩͙⊰•*⭑

If you enjoyed reading this fic, please like/comment/reblog! Your opinion/feedback is welcome, appreciated, and motivating :)

General taglist: @heloisedaphnebrightmore @pregnant-piggy @approved-by-dentists

Lmk if you wanted to be added to the taglist :)

[jilyradar]

What if a confrontation after SWM went in an interesting way? What if Lily kissed James?

After OWLs 

by OgdensOldFirewhiskey

Summary:

James seeks Lily out to apologize for the incident by the lake, and it doesn't go at all the way Lily expected. He's an arrogant, bullying toerag... so why on earth is she snogging him against a wall?

Canon-compliant, takes place immediately after the events in "Snape's Worst Memory."

“You’re sorry?” she asked, her voice still with an edge. “Yes,” he snapped. “For all of it.” “Well, alright then.” They stared at one another, still breathing deeply as though they’d just run a great distance. Her eyes met his. They were hazel, she realized, with little flecks of snitch-gold in them. They looked warm.

[rockinggirl06]

TRULY MADLY DEEPLY 💕

✨A Jily Songfic Oneshot✨

Wattpad + Tumblr Masterlist

Likes liked ! Reblogs adored ! Comments LOVED ! + Stealing is a crime !

Warnings: none ! Pure beautiful fluff !

Note: I highly recommend keeping the song on repeat on Spotify while reading the oneshot =)

- -

A one-shot inspired by and about Jily's wedding night and after. A James POV in verse. A Lily POV in chorus.

- -

Am I asleep, am I awake, or somewhere in between?

The boy woke up from his slumber. Shaking his head, he tried to recollect the memories of the night before. A cheeky grin enveloped his features as the thoughts of the day before flooded his mind.

I can't believe that you are here and lying next to me

His eyes fell upon the redheaded angel-like face, her chest heaving slightly up and down with every breath. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair which seemed more untidy than ever due to last night's.. *ahem* activities.

Or did I dream that we were perfectly entwined?

Was this it? Was his mind playing tricks on him? Had it all been a dream? He already found it hard to believe that the girl had actually agreed to go out with him in seventh year..

Like branches on a tree, or twigs caught on a vine?

And now she was under his sheets. His sheets.

Like all those days and weeks and months I tried to steal a kiss

The uncountable times James Fleamont Potter had confessed his undying love for her to which she would just roll her eyes at the boy's childishness. All those times he tried to steal a kiss during their little studying sessions and how she simply would playfully stick out her tongue at him.

And all those sleepless nights and daydreams where I pictured this,

His three mates had grown tired of hearing the lovesick boy's mutterings about how he'd one day marry her. And his parchment and quills were also very  aware of the boy's hopelessness as random doodles with her name entwined always found their way on the corners of essays.

I'm just the underdog who finally got the girl

And there she was. The girl he had chased for as long as he can remember. Bright fiery red hair with a fiery personality to match: Lily Evans.

Potter now, actually.

And I am not ashamed to tell it to the world

The way he spinned her around wih glee when she nodded a tearful yes, the way a certain professor had gotten a wedding invitation with a "PS. I told you she loved me, Minnie." And the way he had sang louder than anyone else in the shower that day possibly making the entire Gryffindor house aware of his joy. The boy was head over heels in love, and well, she was falling too.

---

Truly, madly, deeply, I am

And he was on his knee. A gasp escaped from her mouth. This was the moment. Their moment. All her subtle stolen glances at him and the way he made her heart flutter everytime a teasing 'Evans' drawed from his lips.. all of that had lead to this. Tears lined her eyes as she nodded a yes.

Foolishly, completely falling

As a friendship blossomed between the destined pair, they took on their head boy and head girl duties. Potter had stopped with his continual display of affections to the girl and yet now the girl had started falling. Hard. Maybe she always liked him along the way. And it definitely didn't help how much taller and handsome he had grown over the summer.

And somehow you kicked all my walls in

And one day she couldn't help herself. On a patrol as usual as ever, she pinned the boy against the wall and kissed him. All those walls set up came crashing down as their lips crashed.

So baby, say you'll always keep me

After breaking apart, a red hue similar to her hair took over her corsage as the boy simply grinned in amusement and euphoria, and teased, "Alright there, Evans?"

Did she really hate the messy haired boy with the glasses? Nah she didn't.

Truly, madly, crazy, deeply in love with you

With all the roses and candles the boy had set up at their first night together as husband and wife, she couldn't have asked for anything else. And here she was remembering the events of last night where she had pulled his body into hers and made love as he kissed each and every one of her freckles softly.

In love with you

She was truly in love. In crazy, stupid, cliché, cheesy but beautiful love.

---

Should I put coffee and granola on a tray in bed?

She lay beside him and for the first time, he was confused. What was he supposed to do?? Prepare her breakfast? That would please her, right? His father always cooked for his mother. And he definitely could make a mean omelette.

And wake you up with all the words that I still haven't said?

But would that be the newly wed "husband" thing to do? Maybe he should wake her up murmuring sweet things in her ear? But on the other hand, the last time he woke her up, he'd gotten himself punched square in the jaw. And Evans —Potter! He kept forgetting yet always corrected himself with a shy smile— was rather strong.

And tender touches, just to show you how I feel

His tense shoulders relaxed as he simply admired the sight before him. Caressing her face, he tucked some of her red locks behind her ear as he placed a soft kiss upon her cheek. He could simply count all the freckles on her face over and over again. He'd never get tired of looking at her.

Or should I act so cool like it was no big deal?

Maybe he should just get up and shower. Did girls like it when boys made fuss about this or not? Well, then again, it was their wedding night. All doubts from his head were washed away as she gave a small smile and leaned into the touch of his hand which lay caressing her cheek. Maybe he'd just stay here for a few more moments, he decided.

Wish I could freeze this moment in a frame and stay like this

And to think everyone in the wizarding work knew we were on the brink of war. No! He refused to think of that right now. 'Live in the moment,' his best friend had always told him. And that's what he did. He snuggled closer towards the girl, putting an arm over her gently, and pulled her flush against his bare chest.

I'll put this day back on replay and keep reliving it

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and her sweet flowery scent consumed his senses. Their bodies entangled together beautifully and he couldn't think of a better day to start a day. He could now. He would now wake up every day to the love of his life. Maybe until when they were 100. Yeah, yeah he definitely would, the boy declared in his thoughts.

'Cause here's the tragic truth if you don't feel the same

People might consider it rather childish: the way he would confess his love for her ever since their third year. But he truly meant every love confession to her growing up. Maybe it was the sweet tinkling sound of her laughter, or her adorable pout whenever Flitwick assigned extra homework or Merlin, it was probably that one time she flirted with him after a Quidditch Match which caused him to become infatuated with her forever.

My heart would fall apart if someone said your name

And he truly loved her so much, words were never enough to describe it. He really hoped she felt the same.

---

And truly, madly, deeply, I am

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid." She meant that actually. James Potter was definitely an arrogant toerag. But that's the thing. He was.

Somewhere along the way, the prideful egotistic boy had become a caring and proper man.  Her green eyes couldn't help but linger on him more as his usual bullying time was replaced by maturity. That time turned into taking care of his werewolf friend, or even time for comforting his best friend who cried into his arms in the corner of the common room some nights.

And soon enough, a friendship blossomed between the unlikely pair of the redhead and the brunet.

Foolishly, completely falling

And sooner it turned into more..

"Ariel, Ariel uh- let down your window?" One night, a rather confused whisper came from Lily's bedroom window. With a startle the girl rushed to slide up the windowpane and was met with the lopsided grin and the familiar hazel eyes with a playful twinkle looking back at her. "Potter!" She shook her head with a chuckle as she allowed him in. "Evans.. I missed you, okay?" he drawed out sheepishly as he gently pulled her closer by her waist. Heat rose to her cheeks as she looked up at him.

And somehow you kicked all my walls in

The boy leaned down towards her lips unable to resist the girl any longer but Lily turned away at the last moment (resulting a rather sad pout on the boy's lips) as she heard her name being called downstairs. "Lily! Next time your boyfriend wants to visit at 12 am, tell him to use the door, okay? My rose bushes are ruined!!"

So baby, say you'll always keep me

And now she was waking up beside him.

She meekly opened her right eye to see if her husband —yes, husband she reminded herself proudly—was still asleep. A lazy smile on his lips, she was greeted with a drawl in his low morning voice, "Good morning, Evans."

Truly, madly, crazy, deeply in love with you

His infuriating smirks had now grown into breathtaking smiles. And he gave her one right now earning a blush upon the girl's cheeks. In his arms and close was exactly where Lily wanted to be. She smiled back endearing and simply looked at him with awe, treasuring the moment, before closing the distance between them. As she pecked his soft lips, she murmured into them, 'Potter, actually."

She was his and him, hers.

All was well.

Anyone catch the ending words reference? The first time I heard this song some months ago (maybe even a year oop—) , I just knew it SCREAMED #Jily. And so here I am finally writing and publishing this !

Thanks for reading and love you all you beautiful people !

Riri <3

[the-dream-team]

“Are you trying to steal that?” National Treasure prompt?

Thank you for the prompt!! Here are some fifth-year shenanigans for you, courtesy of Lily Evans and Remus Lupin :)

Are You Trying To Steal That?

Read it on AO3

A brilliant flash of midday sunlight reflected off a tiny, polished gold ball as it flittered, much like a hummingbird would, around the heads of four bored-looking teenage boys. The Golden Snitch, twitching and buzzing around the air as if it were impervious to gravity, made a few decent escape attempts, but at the last moment, the boy with glasses and permanently windswept hair always managed to reach out and catch it before it was too late. 

Hiding behind a bush near the edge of the lake, Lily Evans watched James Potter play with the Snitch from afar. She’d been doing a lot of that recently. Watching. Observing. Taking note. 

The anger simmered in the pit of her stomach as it had been ever since that afternoon following their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. two weeks prior. A day hadn’t gone by without the plague of memories of the incident, the cruel hexes, the words that were said, the way her heart stopped beating as rage took control. 

Maybe, deep down, she always knew the day would come where Severus would show his true colors. She cursed herself for being so foolish, so trusting. For ignoring the warning signs. The anger she felt towards Snape had a sickening lurch of pain. He hadn’t just stabbed her that day, he took extra care to twist the knife. 

Lily didn’t want to spend time with that pain, but she did want to act on her anger. Find someone else to unload her rage onto. Someone who deserved the weight of her anguish. Someone who had a hand in Severus’ cruelty. Someone like James Potter.

She had trailed Potter and his friends for days, searching for an Achilles heel. She wanted to take something from him, the same way Severus’ friendship had been taken from her. But James was surrounded by loyalty and admiration. A big Quidditch hero, top marks in almost every subject, and disappointedly good-looking… James Potter had it all and then some. No wonder he thought so highly of himself.

Or did he?

The more time Lily spent observing James, the more she noticed his facade falter. He was outgoing, sure, but his brows knit together anxiously whenever a joke didn’t land. His eyes shifted often, always taking note of whose attention he held and whose he didn’t. He messed with his hair compulsorily, as if he might lose respect if it ever lost its disheveled nature. There was a need to please, a need to impress, written into his every public action. 

But if he ever misstepped, ever started showing the cracks in his confidence, Lily noticed that James Potter had a backup plan. In any moment of need, he had his stolen Golden Snitch and athletic talent as a crutch. No matter what happened, he could always lean on his Snitch and remind everyone that he was a Quidditch star, worthy of their love and attention. 

Lily wanted to steal his confidence. She wanted to steal his Golden Snitch. She needed the cracks in Potter’s persona to be revealed and made deeper, so everyone else could see him the way she did, as an arrogant, bullying, toerag. 

So, when James charmed his Snitch and left it dormant on top of a pile of discarded robes to join Sirius and Peter for a swim in the lake, Lily found her perfect opportunity to strike. 

She snuck behind bushes and trees, jittery nerves mixing with the boiling anger, careful to avoid the eye lines of the boys splashing around in the water. The Snitch continued to catch light from its spot underneath the boy’s tree, encouraging her on as she stepped closer. She leaned up against the tree trunk, so near now, she could see the intricate detailing on the Snitch’s shiny exterior. As she watched Sirius dunk James’ head underwater, she knew there wouldn’t be a better opportunity. She reached out her hand, felt the cool metal on the tips of her fingers-

“Are you trying to steal that?”

Lily’s heart flew through her chest as she jumped back, nearly tripping over herself. Remus Lupin was watching her, an amused laugh playing on his lips.

“I- er- I was just,” Lily stammered, her brain going blank under the shock of being caught red-handed. Her eyes shot to the lake, but to her relief, the boys in the water seemed to have taken no notice of the events on land. “I didn’t realize you were sitting there.”

“So you were trying to steal it- the Snitch I mean,” said Remus with a smirk. 

Lily could feel the heat spreading on her cheeks, utterly humiliated from being caught by her fellow Prefect. She looked away, unable to meet Remus’ eyes. He had been the one sixth year Gryffindor boy she actually enjoyed spending time with. He probably hated her now and she cursed herself for being so petty and dead-set on revenge. 

“You realize he would just steal it back, right?” When Lily looked up, Remus was wearing a friendly smile, his brows quirked as if he were hinting at the answer to a particularly tricky Transfiguration question on the O.W.L.s.

“Steal it… back?” she said, not having thought that far ahead in her plan.

Remus shrugged. “Yeah. The kid’s a whizz at Accio, he’d have that Snitch back before dinner. If you want to take it from him and keep it, you’re going to have to earn it.”

Lily scoffed. “Earn it? I don’t need to earn anything from him.”

“Suit yourself,” said Lupin, turning back to his book, “you can grab his Snitch now, but James can't respect a sneak. If you’re trying to push his buttons, do you know what will really rile him up?”

“What.”

“If you take it from right under his nose.” 

She stared at the quiet Snitch for a moment of consideration, then back at Remus. 

“That’s not a bad idea, Lupin,” she said, the gears in her head turning.

“I know,” he said, glancing up at her from behind his book. “Hey, Evans, I’m sorry about Snape.”

She pressed her lips together in a fine line as her heart panged at the sound of his name. “Thanks,” she said with a curt nod before casting a quick Disillusionment Charm on herself and heading back to the castle. She had some training to do.

Lily gave herself three days to perfect her hand-eye coordination. Mary looked at her as if she were a lunatic when she requested her friend spend hours one evening throwing balled up pieces of parchment across their dorm for Lily to practice catching. Marlene couldn’t figure out why Lily had suddenly decided to take up juggling. And most of the Gryffindors looked on with curiosity as she trained her owl to throw tiny packages from higher and higher distances. Only Remus Lupin watched her hone her new skills with a knowing smile.

And then finally, on the last day of school, as all the students made their way to Hogsmead station, Lily was ready.

She let her anger heat to a boil as she thought of every stupid thing James Potter had said to her. Every time she had been stuck on the wrong side of his pranks. The countless times he had mocked Severus in front of her.  Each time she had caught him staring at her from across the classroom, only to hide behind his hands as he frantically ruffled his hair. 

He was ruffling his hair as Lily walked directly up to James and his friends, a blazing look of revenge in her eye. The glittering Snitch zipped around his head, never an arm's length away. 

James’ eyes widened as Lily approached, caught off guard by her determined stare. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, his face flushing slightly. A second hand joined his first in his hair, giving Lily the perfect opportunity to reach out and effortlessly grab the Snitch right out of the air, directly in front of his face.

He gasped. Every student surrounding them gasped. Even Lily gasped as she felt the cool metal vibrating in her hand, settled in her palm.

As she watched James’ shock play out over his face, she felt a deep sense of satisfaction at throwing him off his guard in front of the entire school. Mission Accomplished.

“I’m taking this,” she said, giving herself only a brief moment to shoot Remus a cheeky smirk. He beamed back in return. James continued to gape at her, his eyes turning to stars. She quickly pocketed the Snitch and gave him a shrug before turning on her heel to find her compartment on the train, a little bit of anger dissipating. For now.