Reckless Thought *Chapter 8*

[ginnypotter19]

Hey guys! This is ginnypotter19, and I'm not officially back yet, but soon. I just thought that I would get you guys siked into seeing that the sequel to A Generation We Can't Forget is up and running right now. Sorry the first chapter isn't up yet but it will be soon. Just remember, if you haven't read A Generation We Can't Forget before this story, you might get a little lost.

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ginnypotter19

[ginnypotter19]

I've finally finished! Sorry Potter, but I thought everyone should get to enjoy it. You can choose one chapter that you want to read before anyone else if you want, but be happy that I've finally posted on it! This is my baby.

Chapter 1: Packing

Lily Potter had opened her eyes to a small, golden band around her finger with a small, but big enough diamond on it. She had received it just last week, since it wasn’t offered to her on the day of her proposal, but she still said yes. It was different, not being eighteen just yet but knowing that this was where life starts.

The night she was proposed to had been hectic. The minute she had said yes, family and friends were all over the two of them. Most of them anyway. Through all the trouble that had gone on between her and her fiancé, her family was still supportive, even if they had only known each other for a few months.

She rolled over on her side and smiled as she saw the man with black hair and freckles in front of her. His eyes were closed and his breath was steady. It had taken her a while to convince Seamus that they would have to sleep in two different beds until they were married, but he finally agreed, but only if they bought another bed, and she had even been allowed to arrange it to where it was at least three feet away from her own.

She crawled out of bed and her baggy T-shirt barely fell to her knees. Her red hair was still a little wavy from the braids she wore yesterday. Today she and Seamus would be leaving for America for two months to meet his parents. They had come up for a visit last week to see her father, although her father and his were old friends, they hadn’t seen each other in years. Seamus had been living with his grandmother for years to finish school and was supposed to return home this year, but now the two of them would be making wedding plans!

Lily went to take her morning shower before work, even though she had none this morning, and as she was on her way, she spotted a picture on her dresser mirror. She smiled and took it down to look at it. It was of her graduation with her friends and family in it. Of course she and Seamus were beside each other, but so was James.

James Longbottom was one of her dearest friends. That is, he was until Seamus had proposed to her. What once was a since birth friendship, turned into a distant one in the past couple of months! He had moved into another apartment and took her locket with him. Even though he still worked with her at Mr. Thomas’ restaurant, they hardly ever spoke to each other since his birthday.

Today was October the first and she had been engaged for two months, but Seamus said he’d be working hard in training as an auror this year, so the date of their wedding was set for Christmas day of next year. Lily absolutely loved the idea, but by the expression on Seamus’ face meant that it had been a random date he had picked. Even though it was practically a year to plan everything, she wished it was sooner.

“Lily?” a sleepy voice called behind her. She jumped and placed the picture face down on her dresser when she turned.


“Hey, honey,” she said, walking toward Seamus. He smiled at the words and raised himself up to sit. His chest was bare as he pushed the white comforter off of him.

“What time is it?” he asked, his face concerned.

“Ten in the morning. Why?” said Lily with surprise in her voice. She hadn’t bothered setting the alarm since neither of them would be going to work for two months. She even made plans with Mr. Thomas, her boss, and he had agreed to hire someone else for a part-time job until she came back.

Seamus hopped out of bed, in his knickerbockers, and started rummaging through his own dresser for clothes.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, afraid she had done something wrong. “You said we would be leaving in the afternoon.”

“Yeah,” retorted Seamus, “after I get off my last day of training! Lily, I told you to set the alarm!” he snapped, pulling on a black wool sweater.

“But I thought you finished yesterday?” Lily asked, there were tears forming in her eyes. She knew how important this job was for Seamus, and he needed to pass his training, that’s why she’s been holding off her school idea. There simply wasn’t enough money to pay for both of his training and her school, the wedding, and the apartment!

“No, Lily, I didn’t. Today is our final test before I go back in January, and if I fail, that’s our money down the tubes!” said Seamus, pulling his plain pair of jeans on.

“I-I’m sorry.” Lily sobbed. Seamus spotted this and sighed, pulling on his last boot, and stood to hug her.

He stroked her hair and said, “I’m sorry, Lily,” he whispered. “I just really need to pass my training. I’ll tell you what. When we get to the airport, I’ll get you anything that you like. Deal?” he said, as he looked into her emerald green eyes and smiled.

Lily wiped away a tear and smiled.

“That’s my girl,” Seamus said, and then kissed her forehead and ran to the door. “Oh, and Lily? Could you finish packing today? Thank you.” And he left her in the apartment, alone, until he would return home.

************************************************** ***********


James Longbottom was one of the busiest men alive in these past few months. He had gotten a new apartment, in Lily’s case, and now it was even farther away from work, causing more concentration on the three D’s. He even begged Mr. Thomas for longer hours of work for more pay, and even though he had been doing it for months, he still didn’t have the money to help him pay his rent and get Lily her birthday gift.

The locket now hung on his bed post, and even though it pained him to take it away, he had to. Lily was engaged now, and if she saw the small, lonely tulip on the locket now, it would ruin everything for her. And even though he loved the idea of them not getting married, he wasn’t as cruel as Daniel Lupin, the man who set Lily and Seamus up in the first place, realizing that if he can’t have Lily, neither can James.

He had plenty of warnings from being evicted, but every time he had a bit of money to pay with. Most of it had to be saved for the perfect place. Not for him, but Lily and her school for children with special needs. It had been Lily’s dream to open it for as long as he could remember, and he had promised to be by her side no matter where they worked.

James found the perfect building, and although it wasn’t a castle, it was a great deal enough. A few vanishing spells on it, after he has bought it of course, and muggles’ wouldn’t be able to see it. It was where Lily had always dreamed of it being. In a valley with yellow tulips, and other flowers the children would plant, to grow later in the future. He felt that he almost had it too, but then the rent would sneak up. But no matter what, he promised himself to have it by her birthday.

It was early in the morning and his apartment was a mess. He barely had time at home to clean it, but he barely had time to mess it up. ‘I wish it was as easy to clean as it was getting it dirty.’ He thought. Today he would be going to work at the restaurant for twelve hours and then seeing the owner of the land with the old Hospital, which was run down, for the cost.

He ran his fingers through his black hair and pulled on a baggy shirt and threw on a sweater with a hood over it. For October, it was freezing, and aparating wasn’t allowed in Diagon Alley, just to the Leaky Cauldron and the rest was for him to walk the few blocks that were left.

When he lived in the Leaky Cauldron, he and Lily would walk to work all the time. No matter what the conditions were. But today, when he would go to work, she’d be too busy ignoring him like she did every day. He locked the muggle apartment’s door, so nobody would walk in during his absence, and pulled his wand out from his back pocket.

“The leaky Cauldron.” He whispered, and with a pop, he was gone from the room and arrived at the back door of the Leaky Cauldron. He thought about going in to see if Lily had left yet, but thought better of it and, with his wand, tapped the brick wall and watched it as it opened for him like it did every day. He pulled the hood over his head to cover his ears and then placed his hands, and wand, in his front pockets to keep them warm.

As he walked, he saw the shop that he and Lily sang at to give the couple more business. Every now and then he would hear people’s voices singing on the inside, but he never returned to it, and neither had Lily, and the store where Lily bought all of her dresses, and the flower shop where he bought her all of her yellow tulips.


Time seemed to go by fast as he past the memories, and before he knew it, he was putting the everyday red apron on and was ready for work.

Hours had past by, and even though he was too busy, as he was a waiter and tending to tables, he never saw Lily check in. He had been waiting all morning for his break to ask Mr. Thomas. Finally, when it had come, and after it seemed he took break, everybody decided to leave and no others were showing up.

Mr. Thomas was in his office listening to his radio and signing checks and other papers left and right. When he looked up and spotted James, his familiar smile spread across his face. “James, my boy! How may I help you?” he asked, his voice echoing throughout the room.

“Yes, sir,” said James, “I was wondering if Lily had called in today?”

Mr. Thomas looked at him curiously and stopped working. “Why she is on vacation. I thought you knew about her going to America?” he asked.

“Yes, sir, but I didn’t know when.” Confessed James.

“She’s leaving for two months. Amy will be taking her place until she gets back, I felt we had enough waiters anyway. Shouldn’t she have told you?” said Mr. Thomas, confused at James’ sudden curiosity.

“No, sir. We haven’t been talking much.” Said James, looking shameful.

“Really? Well, you better start soon, or you might not be invited to the wedding. Look at the time. Your break is over.” Said Mr. Thomas and then returned to his own work.

James didn’t bother being told to leave, so he shut the door behind him and looked out to the tables, and of course, everyone seemed to hoard back in. He pulled out a small notebook from his apron and took the pencil out from behind his ear and stood by the nearest table.

“May I take your order?”

**************************************************

Seamus Finnigan Jr had been spending all afternoon trying to do every spell imaginable that he had been asked to do. When he had arrived, after nearly being late, he had to aparate several times to make sure he could do it in a number of times without splinching near the end. The same went for using floo powder and port keys. Those were just part of the first task of five, traveling.

The second task was about transfiguring things into other forms, but trainees weren’t expected to get their animagus the first few times if one at all. Seamus hadn’t been one of those trainees to have passed successfully.


The third task was plant study. To make sure that they knew what they were dealing with if ever involved in a case with poison plants, or if it was needed right away for a healing plant. Which Seamus had been bitten by a plant and his instructor said that it was a perfect opportunity to find the right plant to heal himself.

The fourth task had been Charms. The hardest were the vanishing spells, since they were to hide a whole hut about the size of Hagrid’s, the gamekeeper, at Hogwarts. Now, Seamus was one of the twelve of the thirty-three who had started out in the beginning of the day.

The testing would have been so crucial if what he was trying to do didn’t expect it from him, but it would be great if he passed. Lily would be very surprised! Seamus wasn’t just trying to be an auror, but what he wanted most was to be an Unspeakable. The job would bring in loads of money for him and his new wife, and maybe even more plane tickets to take her anywhere in the world she wanted.

Now it was time for their final task, and when they would finish, only six of them would know if they were accepted or not. They were inside a small room with twelve doors, each, as they were instructed, leading into twelve separate rooms to which each of them would be assigned.

“All right,” the older man at the head of the group said, their instructor, to settle all of the men, and one woman down. If he did not make the cut, his memory would be obliviated, like anyone else who had failed, but if he passed, he would never learn his fellow employee’s names and wear blue hooded cloaks like their instructor. “Those of you that are still here have past the first four tasks, but now it is time for your fifth.

“Each room you see before you are different from the other, so don’t expect any special attention if you pass the same complexes of tests faster than anyone else. When you enter your room, you will be locked in and given one clue, and one only. How your clue is provided is up to you. You may find it right away, or you may spend forever staring at it in the face. It is not a matter of time, so do not rush, but do not take too long either.

“Now then, when I say, go, you may walk past your door and then each of you will be locked in until you have finished your trial.” Instructed the old man. Seamus could feel his insides tighten. He would rather face what the Triwizard Champions had to endure rather than this. At least they knew what they were about to walk into, he thought. His fingers tightened over his wand, even though they had been assured that magic did not work past the door.

“Go!” said the instructor, and although most of them ran into their rooms as if it were a race, others calmly took their journey slowly. Seamus, being one of them, only did it to make sure no one would scream once they entered their room.

The doors had opened automatically when the instructor let them free, but they also shut as soon as they stepped out to the room they had been assigned. He could hear the turning of the lock as he was being locked in, and just like any normal person, he tried unlocking it with his wand to see if what the instructor had said was true, and sure enough, it was.

Seamus turned to seek out his room, but realized that the only light in the room was from the bottom crack of the door. Cautiously, he walked out to feel his way through the room, but, he assumed was the middle, there was a desk, and a small chair. He ran his hand across the desk and felt something slightly slide around and he picked it up, knowing exactly what it was. There was a piece of paper weighted down by a key. Carefully putting the key in his pocket, he crawled down on all fours to get the light from the crack. He placed the paper upright and the light seeped through the paper, making it readable.

It wasn’t easy getting all the words in at once, but when he did, he read. . . .

You have been given the test of common sense. I would say fate likes you. You have been given a key to unlock only two doors in this very room. One will lead to your doom, and the other to safety. Just count yourself lucky and do what you think is right. So, go ahead and use the key.

And that was all there was. No names or anything, just his clue.

“I suppose the chair and desk is for me to sit and think?” he said aloud, knowing that no one was there to answer him. Without hesitating, he stood and started feeling the walls for a door, but to his shock, one of the spots where a wall should have been, there was a staircase. He tumbled down three steps, but with to real damage done, he stood again, feeling his way down with the wall.

The staircase seemed to go on forever, but finally he had reached a wall, but there were two tunnels, one on each side, that he didn’t know how far they went since it was still pitch black. “There must be a door at the end of each tunnel?” Seamus said aloud, not worried if anyone had heard him or not. “I’ll go left first,” and he felt to make sure that the wall was still there and made his way down the tunnel, but he needn’t go far. There was a door there with no trouble in the finding at all. He felt around for more doors, just incase there were more than two doors in the rooms, but this was the only one. He put his ear up to the door to listen if anything was behind it, but he couldn’t help wondering if there were more doors behind it, and just then, he heard a crackling sound. Like the sound of fire.

“Oh great, so if I fail, I get burned to a crisp!” he exclaimed. Before he went into the room, however, he decided to check the other tunnel out. If he had gone through the door, would the flames engulf him as soon as he opened the door, or would he just not be able to pass, or would there be more doors waiting for him to choose which door was the correct one to safety. No, that door had to be the one that led him to his doom. The sound of fire was after it after all.

The next tunnel was much longer than the last had been. Though, he did reach the end of it, but there was no door! He searched all over for a door, but could not find one, though the wall where there should have been a door was very smooth, unlike the rest of the stone. He searched for any sign of a secret hole for the key or any sort of knob, but there was nothing. He had no choice but to go back to the door that hissed with fire. Again he turned to make way for the door, feeling his way still, but again it came to a break between where the stairs where he had entered and the tunnel that went straight on.

The dark was beginning to give him a headache and he sat upon the bottom step and rested his head on one of his fists, but before he could even get a single thought out, there was a loud creaking noise from the left tunnel and then the room was illuminated with orange light, making his pupils shrivel and wanting him to close his eyelids over them to protect them. But Seamus knew better. The ministry would not make things such as light so easy to come by. He quickly ran up the stairs as the fire that had come through, what he had thought to be locked, the door and was spreading through the tunnels and up the stairs after him!

Seamus was running out of breath from running up the stairs so suddenly, remembering how long they were on his way down, and a new headache that was much more extreme than the one before had taken place from the sudden light.

********************************************

Lily had been waiting all afternoon for Seamus’ return. He had warned her that his test was not going to be a simple writing test, but of skill and physical movement. Although it would not be his last test, it would be his last of the year, he had started training very late in the year than he should have, and the two-month vacation would be great to spend time together finally until he had to start for a whole other year in January.

She had all of their bags packed and ready to go with the plane tickets in her coat pocket, waiting for him to come home. This would be their first chance of getting to do things the muggle way for a whole day. She had wanted to see what it was like for once. After what seemed like hours of pacing over the dusty wooden floor and badly sewn rug, which really had been ten minutes, there was a loud pop and a smiling Seamus returned to her arms with a wide smile spread across his face.

“I did it!” he hollered, lifting her into the air, “I’m in the last six, Lily, it was so simple! I realized that after the fire had not passed the barrier that I had went through to get down the stairs in the first place the only other door the note could be talking about was the same door I came through! How simple is that?” he said, but by the look of Lily’s look of confusion and fright of the word fire, he explained how his test had gone, but some reason it felt as though he had not told her everything, just the outlines of it. But he had told her that he would be returning in January for a few weeks to finish the other eleven rooms, for now they had to switch.

“You should have seen the girl that came from the room next to me. She had bad burns all over her arms, almost a tentacle like shape, but she made it out fine to pass.” Continued Seamus on their taxi trip to the airport. Lily hardly had time to fit a word in since they had left the apartment, and since they had said their goodbyes to her family yesterday, they were just heading straight for the airport and that was more unspoken time, but it was better, because after they realized that they only had twenty minutes until their flight left, Seamus snapped at the cab driver and they made it to the airport without a problem and onto the plane.


“I’m sorry, Lily dear, I’ve been going on and on about my day, but how was yours?” Seamus finally asked after he had placed both of their luggage away and sat on the right side of the plane, giving her the window seat as she had asked.

“Just fine. I finished the packing and then went out in town for another day before we left just for a bit of fun,” she answered. It was all true, but like him, she hadn’t told him everything. After she had finished packing, which hadn’t taken long at all, she had spent the rest of the day building a scrapbook of her childhood pictures, and she had been surprised at how many pictures she and James were together. The one at the graduation was the only one she had of Seamus. Her favorite was of one of the pictures of James trying to do his first slow dance on his mother’s feet.

After her day of scrap-booking, she had written a letter to James and since she had no owl of her own, Hedwig had passed away of old age three weeks after her father’s birthday, she went to Diagon Alley for its public post and sent it with a magnificent eagle-owl that had a speckled beak. Inside, she gave him a picture of herself, alone at first, but Seamus had just walked in as the picture snapped.

“Well, I’m glad you were able to go out. Did you get anything?” Seamus asked her after he had grabbed her hand as she was looking out the window.

“Yea, I think I gained an old friend.” She said, and then the two of them indulged themselves into an interesting conversation of how airplanes were able to fly. Lily had come up with very ridiculous thoughts, but Seamus had tried his best to make her laugh about how they were held up by a giant pop-sickle stick, the sort that a healer puts in your mouth, and that they all were really paper dolls.

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[ginnypotter19]

Chapter two, hot off the press.

Chapter 2: America

James had finished the day’s work reluctantly with no extra help at all. Mr. Thomas was wrong. The restaurant needed Amy as a waiter rather than the dishwasher. She was always one of the fastest people to go around taking orders. Without her, people had complained more than usual and left after only five minutes of waiting. But that wasn’t what had been bothering him all day. Instead, it was Lily’s absence. She had told him on the night of his birthday that she was going to America, even though she had said that it would the month after that she would be leaving, Seamus hadn’t gotten the plane tickets until later and then she never told him when she would be leaving. If anything, she had stopped talking to him the day after his birthday.

Now, he was waiting right before the abandoned hospital and waiting for the owner of the land to come and meet him for his first walk through. It was five-till six and he would be here any minute. As of now, James was imagining images for the building and fixing it up in his mind since it had been falling apart. The man had been very surprised when he had heard that someone had found his land. No one had made an offer for the twenty-five years he had been selling it, claiming that no one had been able to find it in the first place. James had, however, and he was willing to make a good deal with him.

“How long have you been waiting here?” asked a soft-spoken voice from behind him. He turned to see a young woman about his age standing there, admiring the hospital.

“Err, excuse me?” James pondered, wondering where she had come from, for there was no vehicle of any sort there. James himself had borrowed a ministry car, with special connections from his father, so he would not confuse any muggles, but this was a muggle woman which was confusing him. The voice on the telephone had been that of a much older man.

“Normally it is proper for the salesman to be here before their customer, but, as I can see, I am the late one and you are on time. Maybe we can work out a deal for this?” she said with a smile, and by the look of James’ confused face, she chuckled and explained. “I am Melanie Wright. I work in real-estate for my grandfather. It is he whom you heard on the phone, not me. He had other proposals for the evening and had sent me instead. I do hope that you do not mind. If you would rather reschedule the appointment for another day with my grandfather, I am sure that he would not mind,” she finished, once again smiling with perfectly wight, straight teeth.

Melanie had long, curly blond hair that had all been pushed over her right shoulder and had stopped just above her stomach. Her eyes were light blue with a much darker blue ring surrounding them and she was wearing a pink shirt with a baby-blue jacket, that only went halfway to her waist but was long-sleeved, zipped over it and white swirls of roses on her left shoulder to accent them. Her jeans were almost white but had the slightest tent of blue in them. She was actually, very pretty. As she smiled, her glossy lips shone and almost blinded her rosy cheeks, he noticed that she was hardly wearing any make up. Lily had never been big on makeup either, beauty had come naturally to her, just as it did to this girl.


“No, it’s okay. It doesn’t really matter who shows me around, just as long as I get to see it, right?” said James, adding a smile of his own. Melanie laughed and then unlocked the door to the hospital. “So,” said James, “this hospital belongs to your grandfather?”

“Yes,” replied Melanie. “It is one of the few that he actually owns. The others belong to his company.”

After nearly an hour and a half went by, they had finished looking at the hospital and were once again outside where they had started. It seemed, however, that Melanie was very smart in her history and had told James all about how it had gone through many different sicknesses and damages throughout the years, but she had never learned anything about him, because he was too engrossed in the rooms of the new school, and the stories she had been telling him.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” interrupted Melanie as James had been wondering how he could ever afford all of this, “but why are you so interested in this old place anyway?”

James was not surprised by the question, in fact, he had been waiting for it all day. “It is not for me.” He answered, and by Melanie’s expression, he had known that she had been hurt in his non interest in the run down building. “It is for a friend of mine. It will be her birthday present from me.”

“Oh, well I must say that your friend is very lucky to have a man like you around. Not many can find someone that will buy them a whole hospital for their own magical reasons.” And she smiled as James jumped in terror. She was, after all, a muggle and was not supposed to know that. “Don’t worry, only you and I can see it. That leaves the vanishing spells out of your hair. My grandfather said they are very difficult to do anyway.”

James couldn’t help but to stifle a laugh. She was a witch and had known that he was a wizard all this time, but by the lack of his questions, she had figured that he knew that she was one. “Yeah, well, she deserves it. She works hard and has had plenty of problems throughout her life.” Said James.

“Well, I hope she agrees with this, and if she doesn’t, I would leave her. If she can’t see all of the hard-”

“We are not going out, Melanie. She is just my friend that I have known since birth. It has been her dream to start a school of her own, like Hogwarts, but for children with special needs only.” James cut Melanie short, not being able to stand the words that came out of her mouth. Melanie merely blushed and then she checked her watch.


“Oh, well look at the time. I’ve missed my appointment with the Dowels’! I really must be going, James. Here, take my card just incase you have any questions. I’m new in the business, I’ve just graduated from Hogwarts myself, I was a Ravenclaw, so I should hardly ever be busy. But if I am, don’t hesitate to call and leave a message. This place needs selling, and I won’t be able to stand to watch my grandfather die and never be able to see his most precious land be sold. He’s been trying for years now.” Huffed Melanie. James felt bad for snapping at her, and he had wondered if there really had been a family called the Dowels’, but he bid her ado and watched her aparate in the blink of an eye, since the loud pop had made him flinch, and he drove away in the ministry car that he had been given permission to borrow.

************************************************** **

Lily was growing restless as the plane silently buzzed, vibrating the seats and causing Seamus to have fallen asleep a long time ago. They had payed for a one-way ticket and hadn’t left the plane since their takeoff. Lily glanced at her watch and smiled curtly, not liking how long she had been sitting there. They had been on the plane for nearly six hours, and the flight was over in an hour. By ten o’clock, she and Seamus would be on land again.

The stewardess had been very friendly toward Lily throughout the whole flight. She was American, so her accent was very different from her own. And since they were not in first class, the back of the plane was actually almost empty, besides the other twelve, small families scattered around the seats, the stewardess had found an empty seat in front of Lily, turned, and smiled.

“I’m on break,” said the stewardess, “and I thought you could use somebody to talk to since your brother there seemed to have fallen asleep.”

“Oh, he’s not my brother. This is Seamus, my fiancé, and I’m Lily,” said Lily, letting out a small chuckle. The stewardess had not been the first to mistake them as brother and sister, it was what most of the people presumed since they were so young.

“Oh, well I am truly sorry, Miss Lily. I don’t mean to offend you or anything,” said the stewardess again but she didn’t bother with blushing, she hardly looked embarrassed at all, unlike the others.

“Don’t bother. You’re not the first to say it. We’ve been dating for six months and we won’t be getting married until Christmas of next year,” said Lily, smiling sweetly. The stewardess had dark brown hair with very thick waves. Her skin was darker, like the girls back at Hogwarts who had tans, and she had brown eyes.

“What is an England girl like you traveling all the way to one of the most boring of states in America?” asked the stewardess as she was filing her red nails.

“I’m going to see his parents. I’ve known his father for years, but it is more for his mother. She works at home and isn’t like her son and husband, so she doesn’t get to come to London as much to see us.” Said Lily.

“Oh,” said the stewardess, “well, after you leave Kansas, you have to come to New York New York some time. Now that is where most of the excitement is. I’ve lived there for eight years now. If you ever want to look it up, just call me and I’ll give you the grand tour. My name is Rosy by the way,” said the stewardess, Rosy.

“I would like to see all of America, but I’m afraid that if I stay too long from home, I’ll forget what is most important.” Said Lily as she looked out the window.

“Oh no,” said Rosy, and a pure look of concern and a childish smile played on her face at the same time. “Honey, you’re in love with the wrong guy aren’t you? You’re leaving someone behind, hoping that they will forget you in the end. Well, let me tell you this sweetheart. It never works like that. Eventually, yes, they do move on with their lives and get married, but in the end, you are the one who has been left behind. Are you sure what you are doing is right?”

Lily looked at Rosy as if she was absolutely crazy, but in the same way she was awed by her curiosity. “Well, I was talking about my family. I suppose my father can remarry, but I highly doubt that he will forget about me,” Lily joked, as if she didn’t know what she was talking about, but Rosy didn’t look amused, instead, she stared at Lily until her own childish grin was gone. “All right, I will admit that there was another man, but I guess that he was too much of a friend to really be serious with. It only worked out for about two months and then it had to end. But I don’t still have feelings for him. In the end he left me without saying a word and as of now, he probably doesn’t even know that I’m gone.

“I did leave him a letter before I left though. I had too, or else he never would have spoken to me again.”

Rosy looked at Lily as if she were some sort of goddess of love or something and then smiled with satisfactory. “All right, I will say that you know what you are doing. I tried dating a friend of mine, I knew him for five years before he asked me out, and it definitely turned out wrong. I felt weird hanging around him, and I was angry with him for anything he did that I normally never would have cared for in the first place, but in the end, when I broke up with him for already asking out three different girls while he was still going out with me, I avoided talking to him. Soon I was beginning to be angry at myself for not talking to him anymore. He wanted to be my friend still, but I didn’t want to have anything to do with him. I moved away the next year and here I am now, determining between which guys are worthwhile and others need to hit the road.” Confessed Rosy.

“Wow, you don’t seem to have any troubles in the world, do you?” said Lily. Rosy snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Yeah,” she said, “but last I heard of him, he is married and has two little girls of his own. You were smart trying to start a fresh friendship with him. How long did the two of you know each other before he asked you out?”

Lily didn’t even have to think about this answer. James was three months exactly older than she and she could remember that when they were younger he would push in that fact every now and then. “Since I was born, I guess.” She answered as if it was normal for people to know people that long.


“Really?” cried Rosy, her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “No wonder you two of you didn’t last long. No offence, but that is just way too long!”

“Try telling him that. He’s been trying to ask me out since he was four. But still, he was a good boyfriend, he had his moments every now and then, but even before we started going out he took care of me, and most of the time I didn’t realize it.” And with each word Lily said, she grew steadily quiet as she thought about the times she had been in the hospital wing, and during the Triwizard Tournament, and the Yule Ball. All those times she had figured he was just being a good friend, and that was how she treated him, but was he trying even then?

“Oh my god, you are having second thoughts aren’t you? Do you have a picture of this guy? I think that I really have to see him.” Rosy laughed, grabbing for the book that was in Lily’s lap. Lily had been looking at her new scrapbook on the flight, a very careless thing to do if a muggle had spotted the moving pictures, they would have gone crazy. Well, it would have been a careless thing to do if she hadn’t put one of her own spells on it to make the pictures stop moving, just incase a muggle did just happen to stroll by and see it. She allowed Rosy to take the book and scan through the pictures.

“Did you go to some sort of private school? You’re all wearing these black uniforms.” Rosy asked, looking at the first picture of the book which was of her graduation. Lily nodded and saw Rosy’s eyes light up with joy.

“This is him, isn’t it? I can see Seamus beside you, but there is another boy next to you that is all smile.” Rosy pointed out the boy standing next to Lily and again, she nodded. Rosy flipped the page and then nearly dropped the book.

“Honey, if this is him then I must say, if you’re done with him can I have a piece? He is fine.” Rosy let the i in fine drag and go a little higher than the rest of the word. Lily looked and nearly burst out laughing. “The two of you look so happy together.”

“Yea, well, that’s my grandmother and grandfather,” said Lily. It was, she wasn’t lying, a picture of her grandma Lily and grandfather James dancing around. Since the picture had so much movement in it, it had been much harder to put a stand still on it. Rosy shrugged and then looked at the picture next to it.

“This has to be him though. He has the same smile as the school one, and the same crooked tooth. If that is you next to him, then the two of you don’t look that different from your grand parents.” Rosy said, the same look in her eyes as before. “James Longbottom, huh? Well, what did his mother and father look like, because I would hate to see you as one of those people that like their brother in an abnormal way, cause he looks too much like your, I think this is him, your father?” And Rosy was pointing at the picture beneath the dancing picture that had said Harry Potter and Ginny Potter underneath it.


“No, his father has dark hair and his mother has blue eyes, and if you mix them with his father’s, you get hazel. His figure comes from his mother, for his father is quiet plump though.” Said Lily hastily, almost as if she had been used to saying these things before. Truth was, she never saw the resemblance between James and his family at all, but now that she really thought about it, he was exactly like his family.

“I hope that you have a little girl or boy with blond hair or something then, because your family line is just freaky, and teach it to like a brunette or something,” chortled Rosy as she looked at each generation of children. It had never occurred to Lily that each of the redheaded women had fallen in love with a black-haired, hazel eyed, tall muscular man, with the exception of no glasses from James Longbottom. Lily watched as Rosy laughed at some of the pictures and asked questions about others, but as she finished it, Rosy’s laughter died and she asked Lily the same question that she had told herself earlier that day.

“Why do you only have just the one picture of Seamus?” but before she could even utter a word, the intercom burst over the back of the plane, and maybe even the front, with the captain’s voice.

“We are now ready to take landing. Please make sure that all seats are returned to normal and that your seatbelts are on properly.” And there was a loud clicking noise after-word as the captain tried to put the radio down.

“I better get going, I’ve been on break long enough,” said Rosy, handing the scrapbook back to Lily as she straightened her uniform and then smiled at Lily and winked. “Maybe I’ll come to London some time instead. I’ve always wanted to travel, and actually get to leave the plane. Hey, you! Wake up!” she shouted next to Seamus’ ear and she walked away laughing as Seamus jumped and nearly strangled himself with the seatbelt.

“What’s going on?” he mumbled, still tired. Lily sighed and then rested her head on his shoulder.

“We’re here.” She said.

*********************************************

James had finally made it home, after dropping off the car and aparating home, ready for a nice, long rest in his bed. He noticed that his apartment was still a mess, and he would have to clean it soon before its inspection, but right now he was too tired to lift his wand, but his bed was not welcoming him to sleep in it yet. There was a rather large owl sitting on his night-stand and resting on his alarm clock and leaving terrible scratches on the screen.

The bird was magnificent in size and beauty, but James was too tired to care what it was but more interested as into who could be sending him a letter? His mother and father had just written yesterday and wouldn’t be doing it again until next week, and they had their own owl, and this one was not it. He plopped onto his bed and pulled out three knuts and put them in a small pouch on the owl’s leg, and then the owl lifted its other leg and waited for him to untie the letter attached. The owl didn’t even wait for a treat, and left out the already opened window, which now had terrible chunks of wood missing from the shutters and broken glass.


“That’s one persistent owl,” James muttered to himself, and before he could forget, he pulled out his wand and pointed it toward the window and with two words the window had repaired itself. The letter did not have his number on it, but he knew it was his because of the name on it, with purple ink, was his. He opened it, curious as to what this letter was about, and then smiled as he read the familiar writing. He practically leapt from his bed and onto his feet as he paced the room with excitement.

The letter was from Lily, the first contact he had received from her since their childish spell. James couldn’t remember smiling this much in the past few months at all, not even today when he had talked to Melanie. The letter read,

Dear James,

I miss you so much. You are my only true friend that has been by my side since the beginning. We’ve tried things together, we’ve failed things together, we’ve even won things together. And throughout our lives people would always say that we’d end up together. There was a point in my life where I had hoped that they were right, but now I see that it never could have happened, for you are too much of a friend to me, and I want it to stay that way. You don’t need to shun yourself away from me because you are mad, just tell me what you think and I will understand, I promise. But right now, I want you to understand that I do love Seamus and that I am going to marry him.

I have left for America today, I’ve been doing research on the state that we will be going to, Kansas, but there has hardly been anything but stories of pain between wars, and trails. I just hope that there is more to do than what I’ve heard. The only great sights they have there are theme parks and buildings with a few fun things to do.

I will be gone for two months and will return the day after Christmas, so you will miss my birthday. I’ll try my best to get you something good for Christmas when it comes. Seamus said that America has some cool things every now and then. So I’ll look around while I’m down here. Could you say hello to my father for me? Oh, and make sure that you take care of Cory from now on. If the twins are the only ones there to babysit, I’d hate to see him in a cooking pot of bath water when I return. I want you to come back in our lives, James, and you have to come back instead of shunning yourself from the world. I want you to come to my wedding and be happy for me when I walk down that white carpet. I promise you that when your day comes, I’ll be just as happy for you.

Well, I really must be going. Seamus will be home any minute now and I still have to run this down to the owlery post. I’ll see you when I return, hopefully.

Your friend,
Lily


James couldn’t believe it. Lily actually still wanted to be his friend. It wasn’t that he had a problem with it, but she never mentioned as to why she was mad at him, and that was all he had been waiting for these past few months. Now he was still ignorant as to why she ever left him to leave her in the first place. He sat on his bed with the letter still in his hand. With everything that she had said in the letter, it had just dawned on him that she wouldn’t be here for her birthday. There would be no way for him to give her the certificate of ownership for the Hospital before she returned. She wouldn’t even be here for Christmas!

James fell backward on his bed and sighed. After all of the hard work he had been doing, it was all going to go to waist if she wasn’t here. And without changing out of his sweatshirt or jeans, he fell asleep, with the last thoughts in his mind thinking about Lily, and how they were friends again.

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[ginnypotter19]

Now this chapter isn't finished, but you guys deserve a chapter three. I'll post part two up tomorrow.

Chapter 3: Seamus’ Parents

Lily was so tired after the long trip that she was ready to get to the hotel. When they had landed, they walked out of the Wichita Airport and climbed into a taxi to spend the night at one of the closest hotels. They wouldn’t be staying in Wichita, which was actually a pretty big city, but instead they would be staying in El Dorado, a much smaller town that had thirteen to fifteen thousand people in it. The taxi driver had a much different accent than the flight attendant on the plane, Rosy, and the only thing his friendly conversation consisted of was “Where are you heading?” and “That will be six fifty.”

Seamus handed the cab driver the new bills, which one bill was a little over a pound, that he had transferred right before they left. Seamus made Lily wait with the luggage as he talked to the host behind the counter, and then paid him for the night’s stay. After ten minutes of making sure that he had paid with the right bills, the host gave them a key and told them that door number ten was theirs.

Tomorrow, Mr. and Mrs. Finnigan would come to pick them up and take them home, but right now it was time for them to sleep. Lily dropped the bags in front of the door and then, to her surprise, plopped on the second bed that was in the room. Seamus had made sure to get a room with two beds.

Seamus did the same thing, even though he had napped before they had arrived here, his day in training was very tiring, and he needed his rest. Lily couldn’t remember the last time she had so easily fallen asleep, but she did now, and she didn’t care that she could hear the footsteps next door. In fact, the hotel was just like home.

The next day when Lily had woke up, before Seamus as usual, she was extremely sticky and hot. The hotel was unconditioned, and even though October was only slightly chilly in Kansas, they had wanted to make sure that they had stayed warm. Even if it was too warm. She tried taking a shower in the small bathroom, but the water never came on, and as she brushed her hair in the mirror, she saw a small note card that said that it costs extra to have electricity and water. She let out a cry in frustration and went to wake Seamus, ready to leave the now rotting hot hotel. It had been one of the cheapest they could find, fifteen dollars a night, so she couldn’t expect much, but she had hoped for at least water.

“Lily, did you turn the air conditioner off?” Seamus asked, still groggy from the early hours of the morning.

“No,” she answered trying to get a rather large knot out of her hair, and from the humidity it wasn’t helping much. “We had to pay extra if we wanted electricity and water.” And she nearly cried as the tangle finally let lose, pulling out a few hairs. “I suppose we should’ve expected it since we were only staying one night.” Lily slipped on one of her silk tank-tops with see-through lace for the straps and put a black shrug over it with a flower-button. Her skirt was above her knees and flowed nicely. Mrs. Finnigan would be very proud of her soon-to-be-daughter in-law.

“They’ll be here any minute now, darling,” said Seamus as he himself was busy getting ready. Lily put the back of her earing in and then stepped outside, hoping for some cold air. Her wish had been granted, and she enjoyed it immensely as the morning chill bit at her ears.

“Excuse me? I’m looking for this beautiful young lady who will be marrying my son soon,” said a very familiar voice. Lily opened her eyes and smiled at the Irish Seamus Finnigan Sr. and his wife, Helen Finnigan who had given Lily’s Seamus a Scottish accent. Neither of the two looked like the sort of people you would find in the states at all, but Mrs. Finnigan had wanted to settle down in life and enjoy a small, quiet town, but it had to be somewhere different, and here was the place.

Mr. Finnigan wasn’t quiet forty yet, but there were gray hairs peeking out here and there, and he still had his morning stubble. Mrs. Finnigan, however, looked to be at least five years younger. She hadn’t shown any gray hairs yet, or any sign of aging since the last time Lily had seen her.

“Well, I know where you can find the lady, but I’m afraid to tell you that she has no idea of this son of yours.” Said Lily, hugging her father’s friend, her fiance’s father, and her soon to be father-in-law.

“I haven’t seen you since you were just a wee lass, Lily, but you have blossomed in your age.” Said Mrs. Finnigan and giving her a hug as well.

“I thought I’d be waiting for an elderly couple, and I’m glad you found me, our else I never would have found you!” said Lily, letting a small smile slip past her lips, of course she had just seen Mr. Finnigan, but the compliment was more meant for Mrs. Finnigan . Seamus came out from behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Mum! Dad! How have you been?” asked Seamus as they started walking toward the front desk to hand the key in.

“Just fine, son. I’ve missed you terribly, and I’ve made plans for this evening for the both of you as a welcoming gift. You haven’t been here all year and I hardly know what you like to eat now, but I’ve gone shopping yesterday and I’ll be making you a nice dinner.” Said Mrs. Finnigan, patting her son’s cheek. “Oh, and Lily dear, I’ve heard how much you’ve been longing to come to America, and that is why tonight’s dinner will be grand.”

Lily hadn’t expected any grand meals, Seamus had said that his mother wasn’t the type of woman to get too fancy so she hadn’t brought any of her dress robes. “Err, Mrs. Finnigan, I-”

“Don’t worry, its just a grill. We’ve invited all of the family and close friends so we can make you feel more at home.” Said Mrs. Finnigan, and then she climbed into the front seat of the mini van and Mr. Finnigan opened the side doors with, what Lily thought was magic, a press of a button on his key chain.

********************************************


James had woken up late on Sunday afternoon filled with joy. It was his day off today, and he finally had the chance to clean his apartment, which didn’t take as long as he thought, and go out to Flourish and Blotts for a new book. He would normally leave the things alone, but today he had an urge to read something while Lily was gone. Even if it was the most ridiculous romance story he had ever heard.

Again, wearing the blue sweatshirt with a hood, he aparated to the small back door at the Leaky Cauldron. He had grown so used to the pattern that the bricks made by his countless trips to Diagon Alley, and even with his bad memory, it was now hard to forget. Diagon Alley was packed today, mostly because a month has gone by since Hogwarts students had started school and were already running low on supplies.

Nothing had made him stop today. It was just a one way trip to Flourish and Blotts for a good book. As he reached the old book shop, however, he saw a very familiar curly blond searching for a book inside. Without thinking, he pulled off his sweatshirt and tied it around his waist, his gray T-shirt welcoming in the cold October breeze, which was un-welcoming to James, and he stormed inside. The Longbottom always had a history, of not just being forgetful, but also being very clumsy. So, of course, just as he walked in, he stumbled across a large amount of books that had been stacked high beside the door. Everyone stopped what they had been doing and stared at him and two women rushed to his aid. One of them, as he could see, was the women who had been standing behind the counter helping a customer just seconds before.

James quickly grabbed the nearest book and handed it to her as the other woman that came to his aid helped him up.

“That is what I will be buying. How much?” he asked, as though he had been looking for it the whole time. Truth was, he had no idea what he just bought.

“Five sickles, if you please.” said the older woman that now held his book. James handed her five sickles from his pants pocket and watched her hurry toward the counter. It wasn’t until he heard a light chuckle did he bother to see who the other woman was that had helped him.

“That is one of my favorites. Do you even know what you just bought?” said the woman. It was Melanie. James smiled shyly and shook his head. Surprising himself with his odd behavior, he suddenly coughed as though he had lost is voice and tried again.

“No, not really. Truth is, I just sort of fell into it.”

“Well I hope you have a sister-”

“Oh, no. I don’t.”

“- because you just bought ‘A Teenage Witch’s Guide to Love’. I thought it was rather wrong at most points, but it is great for a good laugh.” and indeed, Melanie did laugh. James had wished that he didn’t say anything.

“Here is your book, dearest. Try to be more careful next time won’t you?” the old witch handed him his book and walked away with a small chuckle of her own. James could feel his face turn slightly pink as the rest of the customers turned back to their shopping.

“You know, I can’t find anything really interesting, nothing I haven’t read at least, but I’ve been craving a cup of tea. Would you mind to join me?” Melanie asked. James nodded profoundly and opened the door for him. He had wished so much that he could put his sweater back on, but he didn't want her to know that he was still wearing the same thing as yesterday.

"What a gentelman, but I must go and see if my book order is in yet. I ordered it a week ago and have been dying to read it sense." Said Melanie and then she quickly walked up to the desk, asked for a book which the lady behind the counter was happy to recieve her pay, and walked back to James, where he was still holding the door open.

"So, where should we go next?" James asked casually as they strolled down Diagon Alley's streets and looking at all sorts of places to eat.

"I know this great place, that I bet you haven't even heard of!"

"I work here. I think it is safe to say that I know every building in Diagon Alley," said James, adding a touch of laughter to his voice.

"Really? Then you've heard of the small Cafe Grunelkin?" asked Melanie, impressed. James thought of this, but the more he did, the more he realized that he never had recalled seeing the place. Out of habbit, he shook his head and smiled, but Melanie's was even brighter.

"Great! Now I can show you something new!" and she lead the way to the small cafe. As they walked in, he recognized it as the same restauraunt that he and Lily had sang their songs to help them gain more custumors. He had never bothered with learning with what it was called. That was Lily's sort of thing.

"Oh look! I've never seen that before," pointed Melanie as they walked to the end where a two-seated table was placed. It was a contribuator's wall, and both Lily and James were on it.

"Is that you? What did you do?" Melanie asked, facanated that she had probably brought someone famous.

"We just sang a few songs to keep it running for fun. We didn't know that'd work." James answered before he could catch himself.

"We? Who else was with you?"

"You've seen Lily at school right? Well, there she is, and she sang the songs, I just ocompinied her," he said, pointing to Lily's picture next to his.

"Right, well, we should better order soon, I've got an appointment with the Bearsons' later this afternoon, and this is the third house they've looked at this week!" Melanie added quickly, and again James wondered if any of these families were real.

"Alright, then - What's that you're reading?" said James suddenly as he finally realized what Melanie had ordered at Flourish and Blotts. Melanie quickly blushed and tried hiding the book, but James stopped her and looked at it. "A Generation We Can't Forget? Is it a love story?" He asked, trying to sound interested. It must have worked, because she smiled and percked up.

"Yes, and it's absolutely amazing! Though, the girl has a few problems with listening to others, and she doesn't fall in love with the right man. . . You're not really interested in it are you?" and she laughed as the expression on James' face grew from cheerful to sickening. He laughed with her and handed the book back.

"Really kind of, er, un-realistic don't you think?" Melanie smiled and shook her head and then placed it in her brown bag.

A waiter came up to them and asked for thier order, but by the time he did, Melanie had claimed that she needed to leave. 'No wonder they were going out of busness!' Thought James after it had taken nearly fourty-five minutes for the waiter to come.

"I'm really sorry, James, but I must be off. It seems as though I am always busy doesn't it?" Melanie said, looking sad as she looked at her watch.

"No, not really. Actually, I was wondering if you would, like to. . ." whatever he was going to say next had been interupted by Melanie pulling out a remebral.

"It's already saying I've forgotten! Listen, if we could do this sometime. . ."

"How about tomorrow?"

"Yeah, that'd be fine," Melanie said, stopping in surprise. She hadn't been expecting him to ask her out again so fast, especially since she kept having to go. Her rememberal, which had been returning to it's normal color, was turning red again and Melanie tossed it in her bag and kissed his cheek.

"Tomorrow at eight then? We don't do appointments after five, unless it is a very special occation."

James couldn't answer, but instead, he stood there in shock and nodded. Melanie smiled and then walked quickly out the door. James sat at his small table, ordered some plain, hot coffee, and thought about tomorrow. Tomorrow he had a date with a girl, and it wasn't Lily.


Alright, I went ahead and finished it off for you guys. Tell me what you guys think! Feedback link is in very first post!
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[ginnypotter19]

Alright, here is the next post! Hope you like it, I worked really hard on it, and I nearly lost it, until I found the undo button! That thing comes in use!

Chapter 4: The Date


Lily’s trip was very eventful. Mrs. Finnigan was very eager to learn what was going on in the magical world and Mr. Finnigan was very interested in his old friend, Dean. When they arrived to their home they were welcomed by his relatives and friends, just as promised.

"Oh, you must be Lily? Seamus talks about you quite a lot in his letters. I'm Grettle, his cousin!" a young girl about the age of twelve said, running up to Lily and hugging her. Seamus walked in behind her and placed a hand on her soldure.

"So you're just going to forget about me, huh Gret?" Seamus said, holding out his arm to embrace his little cousin.

"Seamus, you're home at last!" A very large, perky woman came running up to him.

"Hello, Aunt Jade!" Seamus managed to let out as she smothered him with red kisses and a giant hug. Lily laughed and shook some of the other relative's hands.

Some were older and others much younger than Grettle, but others were, as Lily saw, on the Finnigan side. Each male practically looked like Seamus, all having their own looks of course, but the shape of their eyes and smile were the same.

Seamus had managed to get Lily away from everyone and into the guest room which they would be staying. She stopped as she laid her bags down and stared at the one, queen sized bed.

"I'm sorry, Lil. My mother never really looked at things the way you do..."

"Oh, no, um, I'll just sleep on the couch if need be."

"No-"

"No arguing, Seamus. This is your family and your home. You take the bed." Lily said, letting her hair down and wrapping the tie around her wrist.

"Lily! What on -" Mrs. Finnigan barged in and noticed the look on her face. "Is there something the matter, dear?"

Lily shook her head and started to unpack her things onto the oak dresser and examined her frizzy hair in the mirror.

"You don't have to unpack yet, dear. Come meet the rest of the family!" Mrs. Finnigan sang, forgetting that Lily had looked disappointed just moments before. Lily let a small smile spread across her face, and to her dismay, Seamus saw. He wasn't happy, and he looked very upset. Perhaps it was because she herself was upset? Her smile grew bigger and she made sure he saw. He noticed and sighed with relief. "Are you coming, Lily dear?"

"Oh, sorry! Erm, yes. I'll be on my way. Just give me a moment." Lily said, eyeing Seamus with a small twinkle in her own. Mrs. Finnigan understood and nodded, letting out a small, "Ahh," and leaving the two alone, shutting the door behind her.

The guest room wasn't that big, but Lily did find it quiet comfortable. She walked toward the middle of the room where Seamus stood and wrapped her hands around his neck. He laid his head onto hers and wrapped his arms around her waist, grinning ear to ear.

"Thank you." Said Lily, closing her eyes for a moment and then opening them slowly to look into his dazzling hazel eyes.

"Do you think you will like it here in America for a while?" Seamus asked, and out of no where, the two of them were turning in circles as if they were dancing. She nodded and hugged him tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder.

They stopped dancing. He pulled her away from him, looked into her eyes, and then pulled her chin to his mouth. He kissed her deeply, and she was glad to return it.

************************************************** *************

James was waiting with a terrible knawing feeling in his stomach the next day as he waited for the rest of this day to pass by. It wasn't going the way he wanted it to. It was only seven o'clock, and he was thinking about leaving already to pick her up. She sent him an owl last night, telling him where they should meet, and then they would go out. She lived with her grandfather as of now and wasn't ready to let him know that she was dating.

Could it really be called a date? James thought, thinking about how she was approaching this. This may just be one of those friend things. He wouldn't let himself think that. If anything, they were going out.

7:20. He really needed to go now. If he stayed any longer he'd be late, knowing his luck.

James found the Celtic Moon to be a muggle shop. A very interresting shop at that. It had green and red colors all over the room, and it selled things from a stuffed animal to a wedding ring at cheep prices. The original owners had used to only have two catigories when it first opened. They sold things that were moon related, and some things with Celtic music and clothing. It was actually, if he wasn't afraid to say it aloud, a very cute shop.

"Hello?" Someone asked, turning in from a corner which had phones of all colors on the shelves. It was, of course, Melanie.

James' breath had been taken away, and he could have sworn he would have fallen if his knees hadn't buckled underneath him. She was - was absolutely gorgous.

Her long, blond hair tied up in a loose, half bun and the rest of it fell past her shoulders, leaving a sort of gap between her hair, and she had a pencil in the bun. She was wearing a white color shirt and a blue skirt that went up to her knees. She almost looked as if she were in school, but very professional at the same. But, he couldn't help but notice, she looked very relaxed, and happy.

"You look. . .happy." James said, a smile growing over his face as he looked into her eyes. Stupid! He thought to himself, taking her hand. She giggled and stepped down from the small ledge that seperated the toy area from the busness area.

"Thank you." She said, returning the smile. "I'm sorry we had to meet here. My sister works here and she needed some help closing up."

James almost missed what she said, and he would have too if he didn't notice her lips moving.

"Yeah, uhuh." James said dumbly, still holding her hand. Is this the way you act around all girls? Stupid! No wonder you never last with one long!

"James?" Melanie questioned, looking at him with a concerned look.

"Sorry," he said, snapping out of his thoughts. "Right, um, can I meet your sister?"

Melanie giggled and shook her head, pointing to a sign by the window that said "closed" and she smirked at his confused look. "She's gone. I told her we'd leave as soon as you got here. Sorry."

James noticed for the first time that they were alone. He had read about the shop on a peice of parchement hanging just above the desk after all, but he hadn't really thought that it was empty. He threaded her hand with his and nodded, pulling her along out the door.

"Come now. I have the perfect evening planned."

************************************************

Lily and Seamus' day went as unplanned as anything could go yesterday. When they left the room everyone decided to come over and introduce themselves. The BBQ didn't go quiet as well as Mrs. Finnigan had hoped. Some of the meats burnned, and it took forever for anyone to realize that they could use magic to unburn them. By the time they had remembered, however, everyone was tired and ready for bed. Mostly, of course, Lily and Seamus.

Today was going to be different. The girls had planned to go to the lake as the boys would go boating. The lake wasn't too incredibly big, but it wasn't all that small either. First, however, they had to go to Wal*Mart for a swimsuit.

"I want Lily to drive, mommy!" Grett, as she pointed out that she likes being called, said, walking by Lily.

"I thik we'll take our time with that, dearest." Said Jade, patting her daughter on the head. Lily had also learned that Jade was Mrs. Finnigan's sister, so many years younger of course, but she had seven children, and Grett was the youngest.

"I think I'll take my time with that." Said Lily, chuckling softly. "A very long time."

"Oh come one, Lil. You know you want to get behind that wheel some day." Seamus encouraged her, placing his arm around her shoulders and squeezing her comfortably.

"Yeah, possibly in England, where we drive normally!" Lily retorted, noticing the look on Grett's face.

"We do drive normally! Don't we, mommy?" The little girl sounded confused, and Lily felt bad, but Jade explained everything to her in the van, which seated all six of them comfortably.

After another ten minutes of arguing with Lily about driving in America at least once, they finally arrived at the store and all walked in.

"What about this one, Lil? It's absolutely, err, adorable?" Seamus said, looking uncomfortable with using the word as he held up a yellow polkadot bakini by the hanger. Gret laughed and started a very catchy tune under her breath, which made Lily said no at once.

The next one was absolutely horrid. They tried getting her to wear a black one with a giant green stripe in the middle and a silky, shiny black and green flower bow in the back, and a matching one on her upper arm strap.

"Well, it will most certainly will keep all of the American guys away from you!" Seamus said, grabbing her from behind and tickling her waist.

In between fits of laughter and fighting to get away, she finally was able to get out, "All I have to do is speak to do that!"

"True. True, but so do I."

"Eh, no. You sound more Scottish." Lily said, sticking her tongue out at her fience.

Finally, after two hours of shopping, luckily they left earlier, knowing this would happen, they picked the most perfect match for her. It was a soft blue, like her Yule Ball dress once was, and it tied behind her neck with a metle ring in the middle of her top, and her bottoms had little bows on each side, making it look like they scrunched up on the sides.

Lily, figuring out the American muggle money system on her own, bought herself a pair of matching sunglasses that were two times bigger than her face, and some sunscreen, being warned that she would freckle in the sun.

She was glad that she had gained some weight, plenty of weight as a matter of fact, sense the Yule Ball, and hoped that Seamus hadn't told his parents about the inccodent. More than likely, he himself didn't know.

Mr. Finnigan let her open the door with the button this time, which made Grett giggle by Lily's expression as she pushed the wrong button and a loud alarm went off, making muggles stare. When she figured out how to work the complicated remote, they all gathered in one last time to go to the lake.

Her stomach was tightening up at the thought of it. Hopefully she would never have to touch the water and work on her tan. At least, she really, really hoped that she wouldn't.

************************************************** *******

James did something that Melanie wasn't expecting. He brought his Firebolt 260, a modle better than Lily's, and was excited that he was able to fly it again after a year.

Last year, when the Triwizard Tournament took place, Quidditch had been cancled, and he, along with Lily, weren't able to fly all year. He was so depressed that after a while, he forgot he even had a broom! He found it yesterday when he actually cleaned his appartment, wondering how he had missed it the first time he moved.

Melanie wasn't used to flying. As a matter of fact, she had never been on a broom in her life, and he was honored to be the first to give her the first ride. To be honest, it was what he had hoped.

"That was excillent! I feel so bad for never playing Quidditch now!" Melanie announced, wobbling once she touched the ground and stumbling into James' arms. He smiled and looked her in the eyes, wondering why they inspired him so much. In a way, almost, they reminded him of someone.

They are not green.

He sighed and laid his forehead onto hers. She blushed, and the moonlight showed it. She looked down away from his eyes and he lifted her chin automatically.

"What's the matter, Li- Melanie?" James said, wrapping his arms around her waist without thinking. His heart started to beat fast and he looked down at her, afraid she might have heard.

She didn't, thank God. Instead, she laid her head onto his chest and he rubbed her back.

"I used to see you all the time at school. Did you know?" Melanie asked, not looking up.

James stopped suddenly and smiled. She had noticed him? "Ah, find me that annoying?"

"No." She said bluntly, finally pulling away and looking up at him. James' smile faded and he stared at her with concern. He reached for her again but she pulled her arm back a bit.

"What's the matter?"

It took her a while to answer before she looked away to the full moon. "You still think about her, don't you?"

It took James a minute to realize who her was, but it dawned on him and he felt guitly right away.

"So you did hear me?" James asked, still not looking away from her. She looked so small, and helpless. Just like Lily once had before. This wasn't the Melanie he had met days before, when she was laughing and always saying jokes to him. This was the girl that reminded him too much of another girl he knew. This other girl also told him jokes one minute and then turned around and cried on him the next.

She nodded her head and crossed her arms. He had a feeling her voice was too weak to speak for her.

"I saw you in school with her," she said again, and he wanted to go and hold her, but she stepped back. She wasn't angry with him, she just wanted to get what she wanted to say out first. "I saw you with her all the time and you never left her sight. I saw you with her, and at times, I- I wished that I was her." She turned to look at him, and for the first time, he saw her eyes sparkleing with tears.

What. An. Idiot. You can't even go one day without making a girl cry!

He ran up to her and held her close to him, stroking her hair and letting her cry into his chest.

"You are that girl now. She moved on and - and so did I." James said. He finally let it out. He could breath again, knowing that it would have to be over between Lily and him, and he was just now realizing.

"You know, I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend tonight." Said James, pulling away and looking her in the eyes which were still glistening with unfallen tears. She smiled, and let out a small hiccup.

"Not right now. Not until both of us are ready to accept the fact that Lily isn't in your main thoughts. OK?" Melanie said, letting herself chuckle and wipe away her tears.

He nodded his head and turned to look at the moon with her.

That other girl would have to leave his thoughts. And soon.

***
Aren't I evil? . Well, took me all day, posting here, posting there, and everywhere! Well, finally got it up, and I'm quiet happy with it. Don't have time to edit it, but it is ready for reading! Please, pretty please, leave feedback.

[ginnypotter19]

I've done it! I've figured it out! In order to be a regular poster, I'm going to post every Tuesday and only once a week, it will be a long, long, LONG process, but that just makes the story enjoyable! I want to thank the ones that left feedback, I do miss all of my old friends, but anyone new is welcomed and great! Thank you! By the way, sorry about the complete randomness in the last bit, I got a bit carried away, . Well, I've seemed to do it again, I've rambled your ears *eyes* off, and I know you want to read the post. So I present to you. . .


Chapter 5: An Unwelcome Vistor

Camping?!

Lily had asked herself over and over again all night long. Not only had they gone to the lake for a swim yesterday, but they had decided to camp at the lake too! She had never gone before, and now she thought that she never wanted to go again! The ground was hard and lumpy, and her neck hurt from having no pillow. The only plus side of the whole thing was that she had gotten her tan yesterday. Lily didn't even touch the water!

Seamus begged for her to, of course, but she wouldn't budge on it. She did not swim in lakes. A swimming pool was one thing, but something so brown and murky that wouldn't even let you see the most shallowest end's floor couldn't be trusted. Lily didn't know what was in that lake and she wasn't planning on finding out any time soon.

Lily controlled herself from wining when she learned that they would be staying the night tonight as well, and wouldn't be leaving until tomorrow afternoon. Today, however, all of them would go boating. That was fine with her, just as long as she did not have to touch the water.

"C'mon, Lil! You have to come swimming, or else it won't be any fun!" Fifth year James Longbottom hollard from the lake shore to Lily, whom was keeping her distance by sitting at the old beach tree.

"No, that's alright, you two go ahead." Lily answered, trying to continue reading her book, but James, being the prat he was, had taken his shirt off leaving him in his 'trunks' in the freezing cold air. "You have got to be kidding me? You're going to swim in this weather? You'll freeze!"

"Not if I have your body to warm me up."

"Oi, keep it school apropriate, you two!" Seamus barked, wearing his blue jeans on but was shirtless, just like James. Lily smirked and continued to read Hogwarts, A History but before she could even advance onto the next chapter, which was turning out to be very interresting, she had been swooped up by a pair of strong arms and bobbing up and down in James' arms.

"Put me down, James Frank Longbottom!" Lily commanded, flailing her fists everywhere and dropping her book by the tree.

"Not until you have a swim with me." James answered, grinning at her. Lily's eyes buldged in fear as they neared the lake and she started kicking harder than ever.

"Put me down! Please! PUT ME DOWN!" She had given up her kicking and put all of her energy into screaming. James frantically placed her on her feet and embraced her as she reduced to tears. Daniel was still waiting by the shore and grunting impatiently as the two of them had a distant conversation from him.

"I'm sorry, Lil, I didn't know it was such a big deal-"

"I hate lakes! You can't see what's inside of them, and in case you haven't noticed, our lake just happens to have merpeople and giant squids roaming around in them!" Lily cried, clenching James' robes for dear life. They had neard the lake more than she would have liked. He placed his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head, nodding in agreement.

"Shh," he said, "everything's going to be all right. I won't make you do anything against your free will again. Promise."

Lily smirked in his robes, but somehow, she believed him.

Lily shuddered at the memmory. She absolutely hated lakes, and she had assumed that Seamus would have known by now, but she knew that she would have to grow up soon. This lake didn't have merpeople or giant squids in it. Or at least, she hoped it didn't.

************************************************** ************

James had enjoyed this past week with Melanie. She had proven that she wasn't all tears to him by showing him some of her favorite books, besides A Generation We Can't Forget, she actually liked comedy things, even strips of news that had funny cartoons. She even shared some of the funniest things her customers had done while looking at houses. Her favorite was when a child hadn't realized the house had no water and went to the bathroom just because it had a cool handle to the toilet.

Also, this past week, she had proven to be a lot less busy than she had been the first time they had met.

September was nearly over, and October was just around the corner. Melanie had offered James a deal on the hospital, but he refused and promised to pay full cash for it. The only flaw in Lily's birthday plan was he was wanting to present it to her on her birthday, and she would still be in America, but the most difficult hardship to live with was that he hadn't forgotten Lily yet. In fact, this past week he had practically thought of no one but Lily.

Melanie was at work, filing papers for her grandfather about old house records that had been sold, and he was waitering tables again when someone that wasn't welcome walked in.

"I'd like four butterbeers and a giant chocolate cake, please," said the unwelcome visitor, not realizing who James was at first.

"What are you doing here?" James asked, restraining himself from grabbing the guest by the shirt.

"Why, James, I hardly recognized you with an apron on. Isn't it Sirius' job to cook?" Daniel asked, raising his brow as he realized whom he was talking to. James didn't answer him, but instead of going on with what he was going to ask again, a tall girl walked up from behind Daniel and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Daniel, if you don't be nice, I'll tell Sirius you said that and you'll be eating Uncle Harry's cooking for a month!" Amber Lupin chimed in, winking at James. She had grown over the period of two months, and she was looking good too, for a fourth year that is. The Ravenclaw was always scolding her older brother, otherwise known as James' ex-best friend, and Lily's ex. "Don't you look spiffy?"

James raised his brow and smiled at his young friend. "Sense when do you start using the word 'spiffy', munchkin?"

"I'm not much of a munchkin anymore!" Amber retorted, prodding him in the chest with a rather sharp, manicured fingernail.

"I must say, you have grown, but you're still shorter than me!" James pointed out, rubbing his chest with the small notepad he held in his hand.

"Excuse me! I've been waiting for ten minutes!" An older woman exclaimed, turning back in her chair and stairing at James as if he were an irrisponsible dolt.

"Right, I'll be right with you, ma'am." James said, gave a quick hand gesture toward a table and left his friend for the older woman.

Twenty minutes later, after the woman had thouroghly explained how she liked her pepper on the right side of her green beans only and how her straw to her drink must be upsidedown in order for her to drink it. James had made sure that he put it upsideup when he gave it to her, and she didn't even notice.

When he reached the table Daniel and Amber had seated themselves at, he noticed the two extras in their party. Kelcy and Kiyla Potter, also fourth year twins for the Gryffindor house, were sitting next to the window across from one another.

"What mischiefe have you two been up to?" James asked, smiling at Lily's younger sisters as they faced him with a rather sad expression on their face, something rarely seen.

"Fine, now that you're here." Said Kiyla, sighing with relief that the tention in he air had died down between him and Daniel. In fact, James was trying his best to ignore the other boy.

"We're celebrating our birthday five days early because Daniel wanted to take us girls out for the day. He's been doing a pretty fine job, too. We've had our nails and hair done. He bought us tickets for the Prophettes playing later on today at the Dragon's Inn." Kelcy said excitedly. That was what the twins were normally like. Music lovers. If it wasn't one band, it was the next.

"Really? That's oddly kind of you, Lupin. What are you up to now?"

"Nothing, Longbottom, just taking my friends out for their birthday with my little sister as a tag along." Daniel said, and not a single line of his face made James suspect he was lying.

"Is the cake here as good as Sirius'?" Amber asked hopfully as another waitress came up with the four butterbeers and chocolate cake; James had called for an hour break.

"Are you kidding?" scoffed James. "No one is as good a cook as Sirius. Speaking of which, how is the ol' bloke?"

"Haven't been in touch with the Potters'? What a shame, some exciting things have been happening around the place." Daniel cut in, slicing the cake and giving each girl a piece. "He's proposed to that Mancy girl, and of course she's accepted. I thought you would have known, being a close, personal friend of Lily's."

"Shut it, Dan." Amber said, staring at her brother crossly. She had quiet a motherly voice, so unlike her mother, her hair, however, did turn bright red for a moment before Daniel held his hands up in defeat and winked at his sister, making it return to her normal blond self.

"Mancy Potter. It does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" James thought alloud, thinking of all that Mancy and Sirius had done for him. Sirius was a great cook, and she was a great actress. Two talants that normally didn't go together, but whoever said opposites attract was a genieus. The two of them were perfect for eachother.

"What, are you the love matcher now? Been trying out Lily Longbottom, have you?" Daniel asked, raising his brow as he bit into his cake.

"Well, it does sound better than Lily Lupin."

The whole table laughed. Even Daniel.

************************************************** ************************************************** ****

Lily rather enjoyed boating. In fact, it was one of the first things she planned on writing her family and James about. She missed them dearly after this past week of being stuck in the small town, but she was enjoying herself immensely! They had even made plans to get Lily driving behind the wheel at least once, though they hadn't convinced her yet, she had been giving it some strong thought.

"Lily? What are you planning on doing tomorrow?" Grett asked, her head laying on Lily's shoulder as they sat and watched her mother draw out plans for the wedding layout; she was a great artist.

"Mom was saying something about wedding gown shopping," said Dennis, Grett's older brother. He, along with two other children of Jade's, had come all the way down from California to celebrate their cousin and his soon to be wife's company in America. The nineteen year old was the oldest of his siblings and just happened to be the only wizard in the family. He had gone to an American wizarding school and didn't graduate until he was eighteen but Lily finally felt like she had something in common with Seamus' family. Considering Seamus Sr. was always away at work, or just plane busy.

The two of them had become good friends over the past few days and he never failed to make her laugh when she was feeling homesick. He was very handsome; dark, blue eyes with swept over brown hair that just permanently stayed because he had a very bad habbit of always jerking his head to the side so his hair would always stay on the same side. It actually looked wind-blown. He was, which wasn't a surprise to Lily, much taller than her and liked to prove the fact by leaning on her shoulder by his elbow.

"Wedding gown shopping?" Lily asked. As far as she knew, she was wearing her mother's wedding gown, along with her great, great aunt Murial's goblin made tiara.

"That is, if you want to." He added quickly, relaxing and sitting back in his chair, letting the back legs prop him up against the wall as he laid his feet to rest on a coffee table and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Don't fall, Dennis!" Gret cried, worried about her brother. Twelve years of babying sure had taken it's toll on Grettle.

"Oh, don't worry, if he falls it will be because he's jealous that I get a beautiful girl as a bride, and the farthest he's ever gotten with any girl is kissing his mum goodbye every year before he goes off to school." Seamus said, walking in the living room with three glassses of coffee and a cup of orange juice for Grettle.

"I don't go to school anymore!" Dennis replied smartly, adding, " And besides, I've got my own relationship going on. Sorry, Lils."

"With whom? My mother? She kissed you goodbye last year, mate. Sorry to say, but women related to you that smother your cheeks don't count."

"As a matter of fact, I'm going out with Lily."

Seamus spat some of his coffee out and Lily snorted loudly into her cup.

"Excuse me?!" Seamus jumped, Jade eyeing him before getting back to work on her drawing.

Dennis broke down laughing and placed his coffee onto the table, not worrying about coasters. "No. Not this Lily. Unless, of course, your name is Liliaunna?"

"Thank God, no." Lily laughed, pushing his shoulder lightly, making sure she didn't push him off his chair. "You scared me for a moment."

"Oh come one. You can't hide it anymore. You're mad in love with me and our relationship is soaring to the high heavens!"

"Oh, yes, my love. Let's elope in Vegas and have fourteen children together!" Lily played along, laughing at her own words.

"Tonight? Oh my love, do not torture me another moment with knowing that every second that passes is my dieing love going without you being my wife!"

"Lord help us all!" Seamus exclaimed, smacking his forhead, unable to cover the smile that his cousin deserved.

Jade looked over at the squaking group and eyed he daughter, hoping for answers, but no such luck came out of the beat red girl that was rolling on the floor.

"Why not make it an even fifteen?" Dennis asked, grabbing Lily's hands and looking her in the eyes with passion. Mancy would love him.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY FIENCE!" Seamus barked, laughing at his cousin's foolishness.

Lily nodded her head and wrapped her arms around Dennis' neck. He stood up and picked her up with one arm around her shoulders and the other under the buckle of her knee. He skidded to the door and kissed her squarely on the cheek.

"Welcome home darling!"

"Alright, that's enough you four! You've become a destraction!" Jade snapped, but Lily noticed that she couldn't help but stifle a laugh. Dennis set her down and ruffled her hair.

"Nah, you're too young for me. My Lily is a muggle and goes to one of the collages here. Sorry, Lils, you're just not my type." Dennis said trying hard not to laugh but failing.

"Darn, and I thought you two really had something going on." Seamus said sarcastically.

Dennis rolled his eyes and left the two of them alone with Grett. He'd bother them later, Lily knew that for sure.

After a moments' silence Lily coughed and said, "I think I'm going to go upstairs and write my family."

Seamus nodded, but as she turned away he cleared his throat and smiled shyly at her. "Lily, do you really want fifteen kids?"

Lily couldn't help herself. She smiled and shook her head.

"No. I think an even twenty should do fine." She winked at a shocked Seamus and ran upstairs to write her dad and James about her time in El Dorado.



Well, that was ... weird, . Please don't kill me for being totally random, and I'd love it if you leave Feedback.

[ginnypotter19]

Woopsie daisy, I guess every Tuesday didn't work either, but it's still nice to have a post today, don't you think? Though, out of no where I just felt like coming up with a whole bunch of stuff, I'm not even sure I was in the mood to actually write this until I clicked the link! OK, here is the post.

Chapter 6: Perhaps A Letter Will Change His Mind

After James had left work that afternoon, Daniel had promised to tell the Potters' to make a visit some time soon. James hated to admit it, but it almost seemed like Daniel was trying to befriend him again, and he was doing a good job. Everyone knew, of course, everyone that had enough brains that the only reason why Lily was with Seamus as of now, was because of Daniel. After he had realized that he couldn't have her, James couldn't either, and he'd prefer it to be someone, anyone! - else rather than James to be with Lily.

He and Seamus had planned to ask her to marry Seamus a little later in life, around Christmas time really, so they had the chance to get to know each other, but James had interfered with that and brought Mancy and Sirius into play, causing Seamus to ask Lily on his birthday. It was a rotten thing to do, for both boys, but there was no denying that Seamus had fallen in love with Lily.

Two days later James found himself with a nearly full money jar, and had planned on making some sort of down payment toward the hospital today, but a certain thunk and his plans had been delayed. The thunk had come from his outside window and had proven to be a brown barn owl. He let the poor creature in and smiled at the letter it had tied to its claw. In green, swooping letters was the name Lily.

James set the owl onto his already scratched nightstand that the last owl had ruined, (falling off of the alarm clock so much.) The brown owl hooted with thanks and it to had perched itself onto the badly scratched alarm clock.

"Looks like I'll be needing another one soon?" James asked the bird, stroking its head as it quickly fell asleep.

He tore the letter open and pulled out the note book paper that Lily had used and noticed she had written in green pen as well. It reminded him greatly of her eyes.

My dearest James,

You never contacted me from the last letter I left you, so I can only hope that you have forgiven me and will remember to write me back this time. You are a Longbottom after all. Anyway, I hope the owl wasn't too much of a klutz this time. Dennis, one of Seamus' cousins, he's a American wizard too, let me borrow her and when I was trying to give her the letter she fell right off the stand!

I'm writing you not only because I'm telling you about my great time in El Dorado, no, there isn't any gold here, but because I miss you as well. Do you have any idea how boring it can be without your crazy jokes? I've told Mrs. Finnigan how you are by the way she misses you as well. I went boating just the other day, on a three-day camping trip! Can you believe it? I was actually over a lake! I had the time of my life on that little yacht; little might be an understatement though. I thought of us by the way. You remember that time when you tried getting me into the lake? I remembered that and I want to say sorry if I over reacted, but I still really do hate lakes.

How are you? Sirius wrote to me just the other day, and though you probably already knew this, he and Mancy are getting married! Isn't that wonderful? They're waiting until I return too, which will be good. He also told me that you and Daniel had a little chat the other day? Is everything all right? He's not being a little prat is he?

Believe it or not, James, I need you here. I need a friend that I do know to talk to, but I guess you're all the way down in England while I'm down here, though, my birthday will be different this year, without anyone of my family to share it with. Though, Dennis might make it an interesting one. We were talking about wedding plans, I'm still having my wedding up there, but Jade, another one of Seamus' relatives, is drawing it out. It's so beautiful, James, it's everything I've ever dreamed of! - and Dennis was clowning around and picked me up. We plan on eloping in Vegas soon and having fifteen kids. Only joking, but it did give Seamus quiet a fright.

Well, I really must be going, I can hear Grettle coming up the stairs, more than likely she's going to ask me to play some sort of game with her or something, but anyway, I miss you, and write back soon.

As always,
Lily.

Before he had really thought of what he was doing, he smiled and started to write his reply. Twenty minutes later, after thinking hard of what to decide, he had woke the clumsy bird, tied the letter to its leg, and lead it to the window seal.

"I need you to deliver this to Lily Potter, the girl who sent you to me, and try not to get lost on your way there." James said to the owl, giving it one last stroke before letting it loose. She flew away and he hadn't bothered with watching her disappear into the golden sun, but instead, grabbed one of his jackets and headed out the door. He'd need to talk to Melanie soon, it was important.

He locked the door and, once again, apparated out of the house. He had returned normally last night after he had apparated and the lady behind the counter had been furious that he forgot to check out. He hated the apartments, Delaney, the lady behind the counter and the owner, was very old and treated it like a hotel. He had the feeling she still hadn’t cooled off, so he decided to apparate on the inside.

When he arrived in Diagon Alley three seconds later, his first sight had surprised him. He was inside a restaurant, and it wasn’t until he heard the lady whine that he recognized where he was.

“There you are!” said an elderly woman. “I’ve come back to tell you that you didn’t put my straw in right and I’ve cut my lip.”

James stared at the lady in disbelief. She had waited this long and had just now come to complain about it?

“I’m sorry ma’am, I’ll make sure to get it right next time. As for now this is not my shift and I really must be going.” James said hopping off the table she had been sitting at.

Before the lady could say another word, James left the restaurant and stumbled outside. He’d never apparated directly into Diagon Alley before and was taken aback. He was concentrating on the brick wall. How could he not have ended up there?

He decided it wasn’t really anything of great importance and continued going to where he had been going in the first place. He just needed to make one more stop before meeting Melanie.

************************************************** *************

Lily had been so impatient about Jade’s drawings that she had taken a liking to asking Jade if she could see them yet.

“Please, Jade? All of your other drawings are absolutely gorgeous! Why can’t I see this one?” Lily begged, causing Jade to lose her patience finally.

“Lily, dearest, all of the other drawings were finished. This one isn’t near done and you’ve asked me a hundred times!”

“Awe, you can’t really blame her, mom,” said Dennis wrapping his arm around Lily’s shoulder. “The girl is getting married after all! She wants to see everything.” Lily blushed aimlessly and the older woman rolled her eyes and flipped the picture over.

Dennis had, of course, a girlfriend named Lily as well, but her full name had been Lillian, and he would be bringing her over some time soon, and Lily was actually very excited to meet her. Dennis was absolutely crazy and she wanted to see what sort of girl could be as bonkers as him.

Seamus walked in yawning and kissed Lily on the top of the head. “Good morning, Lils.” He said, sitting next to her.

“Good afternoon to you, too. You slept all morning. I decided to let you sleep.” Lily said, and Dennis was curious as to why Seamus seemed a little disappointed that she had. At this rate, Lily would just start waking him up at three in the morning, perhaps that’ll make him happy.

James was always a morning person, but he’d always wait for her to wake up before going down to breakfast, even if that meant missing it.

Seamus mumbled and sat next to her. “What about the post, anything for me?” Seamus asked, trying to sneak a peak behind his Aunt Jade’s shoulder.

“You’re just as bad. The two of you need to get out and do something instead of pestering me.”

“Hi, mommy!” Grettle had come down stairs and hugged her mother tightly. When she had seen that she was drawing something she squealed. “Oh! Can I see, mommy please?”

“Bloody hell!” Jade snapped her drawing book shut and stormed out of the room. With a moment’s silence, Dennis was the first to say anything.

“You know? I think you’ve been a bad influence on her.” Dennis said, letting his arm drop.

“When is Lillian coming anyway?” Seamus asked. They had been crowding around a coffee table looking at the already finished wedding pictures Jade had drawn and Lily was absolutely gob smacked with what she was seeing. There were pictures of the rows in a church with white lace, and some with faded baby pink. Flowers were mounted in just about every corner and there were tables filled with little note cards.

“Mom is going with me to pick her up next week. She’s still in California. She’s been complaining this whole time that she misses me, and that being away from her kills her.”

Lily snickered and bit her lip quickly.

“May I ask what is so funny, Ms. Potter?” Dennis asked, actually looking quiet puzzled as to why Lily would laugh at all. It wasn’t as if it was something abnormal to hear from Lily.

She shrugged and looked away, uncomfortable with what she had to say. “It’s nothing really,” she said, “just that you two are too young to be in love that deep aren’t you?”

Dennis looked as if he could slap her, if he was that sort of person he just may have, too. Seamus elbowed her in the ribs and at first she looked puzzled, but once Dennis had cleared his throat it had suddenly cleared.

“Don’t you think that you’re the last person in the world to be telling me that I’m to young to fall in love? It’s not like I’m about to marry the girl any time soon!” Dennis shouted as he started to lean toward Lily. She leaned back, trying to avoid him, and Seamus put a protective embrace around her.

“She wasn’t thinking, Iz, please don’t shout at her.” Said Seamus. Dennis, Seamus had been the only one Lily had heard get away with calling his cousin Iz, looked at his cousin, smiled, and winked at Lily.

“Only joking. It’s almost as if you don’t know me at all, cuz. I’ve never been that serious in my life!”

Lily let out a longing sigh and slumped slightly in Seamus’ arms. He seemed tired, and by the way he had sighed, he didn’t sound as though he had very good news. They stood and stepped outside, where there was a large porch and a nice patio set where they could comfortably sit and relax in the nearly warm sun.

The next few days Seamus had been in the same mood as before, and he normally kept to himself. Lily wasn’t used to Seamus being quiet. Not at all, and she was starting to get worried.

“Are you sure it isn’t unusual?” Lily asked Mrs. Finnigan one day as they sat and looked at a book of wedding cakes. They all looked very delicious but they wouldn’t even think of one for a long time. By the time the wedding had come around they would be back in England, though, at times Lily had felt that they were trying to throw her a small, grand wedding right here in America. Mrs. Finnigan gave her a kind look and sighed.

“I’m sure he’s fine, dearest, he’s just a wee bit tired. I’ve heard he’s looking for a job at that ministry and they’ve been taking it hard on him. Perhaps you should ask him about it?”

“Yes, maybe that’s it. He was supposed to receive a letter about his training schedule soon, though, I thought they didn’t start until January.” Lily pondered aloud as she shut the book of wedding cakes and tasted Mrs. Finnigan’s own homemade cake. Which was very delicious. Lily placed her fork back onto her plate and let out a long sigh. Mrs. Finnigan looked at her curiously and dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

“What’s the matter, Lily dear?” she asked. Lily felt as if she was back home for a little bit before answering sullenly.

“Are you sure I’ll belong with this family?”

It had been a question Lily had been wondering for quiet a while now. She knew everyone back in England, and she had seen Mr. and Mrs. Finnigan a few times growing up, but she didn’t know them as well as anyone else’s family. She knew Mancy’s family better than this! Better yet, she knew James’ family better. She knew James.

‘No, Lily. You can’t be thinking that right now. He’s the last person you need to be reminding yourself of in this sort of situation!’ Lily scolded while she mentally slapped herself. Mrs. Finnigan gave her a concerned look and scooted closer to her.

“Lily, dear, I don’t know what could make you say such a thing. Of course you’ll belong!”

“Well,” started Lily, “it’s just that you’re all so perfect at something! Jade can draw. You can cook, and Mr. Finnigan is just so accomplished! Look at me. I’m a nothing.”

“Lily! If I hear one more thing come out of your mouth like that again you’ll no longer be welcome here! Look at yourself. You’re a very accomplished woman with high hopes, you’re very beautiful and smart, and not to mention you captured my son’s heart! Lily, you’re flawless.” Mrs. Finnigan was a little roused, but she smiled and lifted Lily’s chin. Lily returned the smile as a single tear slid down her cheek. “Now, what would you say to a spot of tea?”

“I’d love some.”

A few hours later Lily had gone up to her room with the wedding cake book still in her possession. Truth was, she had heard a rather loud thunk and was sure it was Dennis’ owl. When she had entered her room and placed the book on the bed that Seamus had so happily let himself sleep on for now, he apparently hadn’t made it to his own bedroom yet, she helped the owl that hadn’t managed to wake him onto a good perching place and took the letter away from it.

She sat at the foot of the bed and smiled as it was indeed from James.

So I’m your dearest now huh Lily,

Wow, it’s so great to hear from you again! Sorry that I forgot to reply to your last letter, I’ve been busy you know? But other than that it’s been semi boring. I have, however, made a new friend! I think you’ll like her. Her name is Melanie. You may even know her. She graduated with us as a Ravenclaw. She’s in Real state.

Everything is fine here. In fact, never better. I’m contacting your family for the first time in months next week, in case you haven’t noticed our little spat. Sirius has sent me an invitation to his wedding as well. About Daniel, however, it seems he’s trying to befriend me again, and to be quiet honest, I don’t see what it’ll hurt, seeing as it was a long time ago and we no longer have anything to be mad at him about anymore. Do we? You know, I may be a Longbottom, but I’m nowhere near as clumsy, nor forgetful, as that bird of that friend’s of yours! She ran right into my window!

What’s this I hear about a lake? You actually went over one? You? Wow, I’m missing a lot. I still want to be your friend, too, Lil, and I'm happy you don’t hate me. In fact, I’ve been thinking of you every day. I have your birthday present picked out and everything. I’ll be paying for it soon too, that is, if Melanie will actually accept the cash from me.

You’re letter has really taught me how much I miss you, and how distant the two of us have really become, so I began to wonder, before I ruin too much of your surprise in this letter, and thought of it as a good idea. Once I talk to Melanie this afternoon, I’ll be packing my bags and…

Lily stopped reading. Actually, she would have loved to go on, but there was no more of the letter. She flipped it over but there was no such luck. James had forgotten to put the second page of the letter in! She searched the inside of the envelope and around the floor but there wasn’t any such luck. She would just have to write him back and ask him what he was going to say.

“Lily, sweetie, what’s wrong?” Seamus had woken up and rubbed her back gently with his hand as he made his way to sit up. She gazed at him and smiled at his messy, sandy colored hair. It sort of reminded her of James.

“Nothing, darling. I’m just tired and you’re in my bed.”

“Oh. Right,” Seamus stood and walked out the door. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight.”

Seamus shut the door behind him and went to bed.

************************************************** *

James had been packed and ready to go. The whole entire room had been emptied and he had told Mr. Thomas that he was just right well done with working at the restaurant. He was in the process of making his bed for the first time since he had lived in the apartments when a few coins fell the floor, some candy wrappers, and a whole parchment. He decided that he would leave it all there for the housekeeper to get. Heck, she would get some extra change out of the job.

With one last look at the room, making sure he had everything, even his broom and trunk, he went downstairs.

“Are you sure she’ll appreciate this? I mean the two of you sort of, in your case, just broke up.” Said Melanie whom had been waiting down in the ‘lobby’ for James to come back down. James winked and handed over his key to Delaney without even saying goodbye.

“I’m sure. Her birthday is coming up soon, and I’m sure Lil will be mad if I don’t come. I sent her such a short letter that I’m not even sure that it made a whole lot of since. Besides, I bought the ticket and the…”

“Ah, but you haven’t got everything, Mr. Longbottom.” Melanie interrupted as she smiled and slowly walked toward him.

James raised his eyebrow and smiled his crooked tooth smile right back at her.

“And what is it that I have forgotten?”

Melanie handed him a rolled up parchment and without waiting for him to put it in his pocket she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Well, first off you can’t go without her present. You spent a lot of money on that little piece of parchment, and second… Well…” Melanie kissed him full pledged on the lips. James had been shocked, yes, but he couldn’t think of anything that had made him happier.

When she broke apart they were both breathing heavily, and receiving odd stares from the people in the lobby, even Delaney, when he was finally able to catch his breath.

“What was that for?”

“Oh, it was just a little farewell present. I’ve thought about your offer, and I’ve decided to accept.”

“Then why don’t you come with me?” James asked. Perhaps he seemed too eager because he had nearly fell right on top of her when he did so. Melanie laughed and shook her head.

“No. That wouldn’t be fair to Lily. You’re going to see her for her birthday and then you’re coming right back. I can’t keep you forever.” Melanie wrinkled her nose and then tapped his nose as if it were some sort of button with her manicured finger.

“You’ll see me off, right?” James asked, grabbing her by the waist and kissing her gently on the cheek.

“No.” Melanie said sadly and stepped back a bit to look at her watch. “I must get to work, or grandfather will be furious. I would love to see you off, James, believe me I would, but the Metsingers have been looking at this house for quiet a long time and I think they’re serious in this house.”

“Right.” James said, stone faced. She looked sadly down at her feet and he knew she was telling the truth. He lifted her chin and smiled. There was a twinkle in both of their eyes.

“Hey. Smile, blonde. I’ll be back soon.”

“Not soon enough.” Melanie pouted. He kissed her and she returned the favor. Though, time is a very cruel game. It was time for him to go and leave her behind to tell stories of old houses to other people.

An hour later, however, he had reached the plane and had put his luggage in the compartment with quiet a few stares as to why it looked so old. The lady at the desk, before he had gotten on the plane, had asked why he had needed a broom. His only excuse was that he was a cleaning man on vacation. He shared a row with a child about six years old that had seemed to have a loud of sugar before take off, and a pair of sleeping parents behind him. He couldn’t wait to take off.

He’d been on a plane before, to visit a relative of his in Australia, but not in a good class like this.

The takeoff had been a little rough and his compartment door had sprung open. He knew he should have put it down in with the rest of the cargo. It had threatened to break the door when he had put it in the first place.

It fell over the young child and onto James’ lap, causing him to let out a loud and unattractive “Umph!” It then fell sprang open and all of his things had been strung in many different directions. A saturates had come by and wasn’t all too happy when she had to help him pick up his junk, as she so nicely put it. James, however, had been the lucky one to pick up any jewelry he had, which he was surprised he had a few of Lily’s bracelets and earrings in an old wallet he had found. What had surprised him the most, however, was the golden, heart shaped locket he had given Lily last year for Christmas.

He didn’t dare open it, not now at least. The little kid had been trying to get everything his little hands could reach, but just before he had put it in the old, giant trunk, he could have sworn he saw the smallest sign of an engraved tulip. Just one, solitaire, faded tulip that had gone just as quickly as it had come.

James threw it in the trunk and sighed.

“Magic must be wearing out.” James said as he was locking his trunk and putting it back into the compartment. He had given the small boy a distraction, a piece of candy that he had in a knap sack, and magically locked it shut so there wouldn’t be any second accidents.

Several hours later, however, James had been shaken awake by the six year old boy.

“We’re here! We’re here!” he said, jumping on his knees and looking out the window. A voice on the intercom had blared over the small child’s voice and James rubbed his temples with aggravation. He was tired and shouldn’t be woken this late at night. It was in fact dark outside now; he could see the stars and the quarter moon. It was a clear, black night sky.

“Welcome to America!” The captain said, or at least, that’s who he always imagined to be welcoming them to their destination. James sighed and pulled the luggage out, distracting the boy again, and stumbled down the stairs.

“Great. A night in a smell hotel, another plane to catch in the morning, and a cab ride there, and then I’ll see Lily at last!”

He collapsed onto an airport chair and waited. He didn’t know what he was waiting for, but he knew for a fact he wasn’t going to get up. He was too numb and too tired.


Haha! I typed all of this hard work just so you can have a post, and I’m completely not happy with it! I feel I left too much out, but it is going as planned so far. . So, anyway, I would love some feedback if you think you’ve got any left!

[ginnypotter19]

Right'o, well, I feel really stupid. I worked hard on this chapter just to realize that James didn't even fit in it! I was having so much fun with Lily's pov that she took over six pages on Word, so I thought, well, I had three chapters of just James in A Generation We Can't Forget, so why not make it up to Lily now, huh? Well, anyway, this chapter doesn't have James' pov in it, but I hope you still enjoy! You know what to do in the end .


Chapter 7: Is it really all About James?

Lily was still very tired as she stumbled down the Finnigan’s stairs early in the morning with one of Seamus’ shirts as a nightshirt on. Her hair had been pulled back into a very frizzy ponytail and her emerald green eyes still showed signs of sleep. She had spent the whole night trying to think what James’ letter could possibly say, but she couldn’t think of anything. Seamus, however, was already awake and sitting outside with his mother. They both looked very happy.

“Good morning, Lily!” Mr. Finnigan greeted her in the kitchen. He had been making a fresh batch of coffee. “Would you like a cup?”

“No, thank you, Mr. Finnigan.”

“Please, Lily, you’re practically like my daughter now. Call me dad if you like.”

Lily smiled and sat at the island. “Mind if I have a cup?” she asked, bringing the sugar jar closer to herself. Mr. Finnigan slid a mug of coffee to her and she added two teaspoons to it. With one sip she nearly spit it out but instead she forced it down her throat. Mr. Finnigan laughed and took the mug away.

“You don’t like it either,” he asked and she shook her head, blushing slightly. “It’s alright. The wife says the same thing. I rather like it this way.”

“I’m afraid Grettle does, too,” said Lily. Grett tried making a batch the other day but failed miserably, but, being the kind-hearted person Lily was, she accepted it and drank the whole thing. Mr. Finnigan chuckled lightly and pulled out his wand, winking at her as he enchanted the coffee.

“I didn’t learn this until I successfully learned how to turn water into rum,” he added with a wink and handed her a new cup of coffee. Lily tried and it nearly melted in her mouth. For some reason, it tasted like chocolate. It was chocolate! He had made her hot chocolate.

She decided not to tell him, though she thought he knew anyway. She finished the rest of it in silence, preferring it over coffee anyway, and then washed the cup magically, giving her wand some practice. She felt like she hadn’t used it in forever. Truth was, she most likely hadn’t. “Thanks for the glass,” she said as she was putting it away on the bottom shelf of the cupboard, she couldn’t reach the others.

Mr. Finnigan winked and took a sip of his own ‘coffee’ and she quickly ran up the stairs to change into some clothes that were decent to talk to the rest of the family in. When she came back down twenty minutes later, she was surprised to see that everyone was still outside. She slid the sliding glass door open and strolled across the freshly mowed yard. Could October possibly look any more beautiful? It must be the enchantments, because the neighbor’s yard didn’t look at all healthy.

“Lily? What are you doing out here?” Seamus asked, noticing her in shorts and a tank top. She normally would never wear something like this, not even back at home in England, but it was the only thing she had left that actually matched. All of her other clothes, believe it or not, had been dirtied up by mice in the hotel. They had only staid one night!

“Just catching some sunlight,” said Lily, rubbing her arms as the breeze bit at her small frame and Seamus cuddled her in his arms. “So. What is everyone so happy about?” She tried changing the subject away from her. It was obvious that this was Seamus’ time to share his good news.

Seamus frowned a little, but Mrs. Finnigan encouraged him and he sighed.

“Now I know we have everything planned out, and believe me, nothing is going to happen for quiet a while…” He glanced at his mother with a pleading look. Lily raised her head to see what was going on. She wanted to go back to his nice warm chest, and perhaps sit in his lap at the patio set, but that would have to wait.

“Seamus?” Lily pressed. “What’s going on?”

“I received a letter this morning.”

“A letter? On Sunday?”

“No, our sort of letter. A post.”

“Oh,” Lily blushed and hid her face in his chest. He chuckled and lifted her chin to look at him.

“Don’t you want to know what it said?” Seamus smiled. She nodded and then he took her to sit in his lap at the table where it would be warmer. “Well, it was from the Ministry of Magic. They’ve contacted me to let me know I have to show up for my training in January, like we said.”

“Really,” Lily exclaimed and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh, Seamus, this is great news! You’ll finally become a- oh this is great!” She kissed his forehead and looked up at him like a child would at St. Nick. He brushed her hair with his fingers and stared at her emerald green eyes. He stared at them like James had many times before…

‘Oh no, not again! You can’t be thinking of James at a moment like this! You’re over him, you’re just friends with him now. He’s met someone else, and you’re not going to ruin this for him.’

“Lily?”

“Sorry. Go on.”

“Well, the training starts in January and I’ve already finished one of the twelve rooms. There are eleven of them left and six trainees, too. They only choose two entrants every three years, Lils, and they’re paying for me to stay -”

“Stay?” Lily had caught it. He was going to stay somewhere, and by the sound of it, she wasn’t allowed to stay with him. “Where are you staying?”

Seamus bit his lip and closed his eyes for a few seconds before answering her. “I have to stay with the Ministry of Magic for a few weeks so I can complete my training. If I don’t go, Lils, they won’t accept me.”

Lily couldn’t find her breath anymore. It was like she had inhaled and something was plugging her airway to let it all out. He would be going? For how long? Why couldn’t she come? She didn’t remember her father having to do these things when her mother was around. “How many weeks?”

“Just three, Lils. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“There’s a catch. Isn’t there?” Seamus’ voice had some sort of edge to it that she didn’t like. She didn’t like it at all. When he bit his lip again, she knew she was right. He sighed and let her go.

“I have to leave in December for two weeks for school. They’re going to load us until our brains fall out and we won’t be doing any tests like before, but actual book study. The say wizards and witches have lost that over the years. I’ll be back by Christmas.”

“Seamus, I -“

“Lils, please be happy for me,” Seamus pleaded. She looked down at him; she was standing now, and saw that his eyes were glistening. This is what he really wanted… “Please.” She sighed and looked away, not being able to look him in the face.

“I am proud of you, Seamus. Its just, if you were going to do all of this, why did we spend all of that money on coming down here? We should have staid home if you knew something like this was going to happen.”

“I couldn’t do that!”

“And why not?”

“Because You Know Who is there!” Seamus shouted, standing over her now. She smirked and rolled her eyes.

“In case you haven’t noticed, You Know Who has been dead for a very long time. My father killed him.”

“Ha. Ha. You’re hilarious, Lils. You know who I’m talking about.” Seamus was getting mad now but he was nowhere near as furious as she was.

“Actually,” she said, staring at him in the face now. “No, I don’t. Would you care telling me whom you are referring to?”

“I’m talking about James, Lily! I can’t leave you alone in England with James!” He finally confessed what he had wanted to say all along. Lily felt tears roll down her face and watched as Mrs. Finnigan gestured for everyone to go inside before she said anything else.

“S-so this whole trip – This whole trip was to keep me away from James while you went off to school?”

“No, I don’t mean it like that,” Seamus said, feeling guilty almost as soon as he had said anything. She crossed her arms and pursed her lips, a bad habit she had picked up from her father’s mother’s sister’s side apparently, and looked away once again.

“You took me away from my job, my family, and my friends just so you can go to school in peace, knowing that your fiancé isn’t sitting at home flirting with that James boy?”

“No -”

“I’m sorry, but if this is all this is about, I’m leaving,” Lily turned on her heel and ran for the screen door. When she had gone into the kitchen she learned that everyone had been enjoying the show from the inside and everyone stared at her in shock. She wanted to say something mean and horrible, but there seemed to be something caught in her throat. She covered he eyes with one hand and used the other to navigate her way through the house.

No one followed her up the stairs, at least she didn’t think so, but when she went to go into the guest room and start packing, someone had been standing in front of her doorway and grabbed her just in time before she fell into her door. She took her hand away from her eyes to see that it was Dennis who had saved her.

“Wow, gorgeous and in tears. Can you say drama queen much?” Lily let out a very watery laugh and Dennis opened the door for her and followed her in. She knew he didn’t need her to explain anything and instead of asking annoying questions, he started to do what she was doing. Packing.

Lily smiled as he started to fold her shirts recklessly and putting them in the suitcase. He was there for her now, and if there was anything Lily needed right now…

It was for someone to listen.

Dennis did exactly that, too. He listened to every word she had to say without interrupting her once. It wasn’t like him, but she supposed everyone wasn’t always as they seemed, they could have a good side, too. Dennis, however, hadn’t looked too happy.

“You don’t think I overreacted, do you?” she asked, still unsure of what she had done. As she had grown through the past years, she found that once she thought about what she had done, after she had already done it, that she felt much more guilt than she should.

Dennis didn’t answer at first but when he had placed the final blue turtleneck into the suitcase, and washed it with his wand, he let a heavy sigh pass his lips. “I don’t think that what you did was wrong,” he said. Lily’s heart felt as if it could fly away. “But I don’t agree with what you have done, either.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know Seamus. You know how protective of you he can be, and you going off on him like that when he has news that big to share… It just wasn’t right, Lils.” Dennis said, and Lily’s heart slowly sank to the bottom of her stomach again.

“I-I don’t understand. What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing really. It’s just that the two of you could have solved that much better than you did. Do you really want to leave this place and risk never seeing this handsome face ever again?”

“I think I could manage….”

“Maybe I shouldn’t have had you answer that,” Dennis had finally made her smile once again and he locked her trunk. “So, are you ready to leave?”

“I’m not su-” but she never had the chance to finish. The doorbell had rung and Dennis’ face had lit up. “You think it might be Lillian?” Dennis nodded his head like a small child and rand down the stairs. Lily laughed and threw her trunk on the springy bed, causing it to creak and bounce a few times on the flowered comforter. She had been waiting to meet Lillian. Dennis talked so much about her after all.

She never heard Dennis scream, or a stranger’s, like she would have thought when Dennis answered the door, but instead she heard Dennis yell for her.

“Hey, Lils, it’s for you!”

Lily stopped unpacking her clothes and froze. Who could possibly be here to see her?

“He says he has some sort of present for you, too, so hurry on down here!” Lily ran down the stairs and nearly screamed with joy once she saw who it was.



I really hoped that you liked that chapter and could only ever be so polite and find the time to leave Feedback just this once *puppy dog pout.* . Well, I enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you did to, so there is only one way to find out, and that is leaving some feedback people. Please and thank you!

[ginnypotter19]

Sorry it has taken me so long to post something that you can visually see that a change has been made, but I'm trying to be a regular poster now, so I hope you enjoy this awesome chapter! Feedback would be lovely .

Chapter 8: Caught In the Middle

James was so tired once he had left the last airport, but that still hadn't stopped him from getting Lily a present and then going to the Finnigan's place. However, when he had arrived he hadn't expected a complete stranger to answer the door. Dennis, the boy from Lily's letter, had answered and then called Lily down for him to see, but was cautious with letting him in.

Someone had run down the stairs and James recognized the legs right away, though he was ashamed that they were how he had recognized her. Lily came to the door and instead of jumping on James and giving him a hug like he had expected, she stared at him and blinked. He smiled unsurely and raised an eyebrow.

"James?" she asked, her voice watery. 'Had she been crying?' He nodded and she pushed past Dennis and threw her arms around James' neck. "What are you doing here?" she asked excitedly, her voice had no sign of tears now.

"I thought that I would surprise you for your birthday," said James as he picked her up and then placed her back down. She was still tiny, not that he had expected her to grow any, but they hadn't been paying any attention to one another lately. He needed every detail about her. She looked surprised and confused at the same time.

"My birthday isn't until the end of October," she said, her voice trailing off with every word, but she hugged him again anyway. "I haven't seen you in so long! What about that girl you were talking about?"

"She's waiting for me at home," James said, nearly dropping his entire luggage he had in his hands and tripping over a suitcase behind him. Both Lily and Dennis laughed and the older man held his hand out to help James up.

"I'll help you with all of this, if you suspect you're staying?" he said, raising a blond eyebrow. James nodded unsurely, he knew there was something he had forgotten, and it was perhaps the most important thing, was to ask if he could stay down here. If anything, he had brought some extra money just in case he would have to stay in a motel anyway.

"Oh, you know Mrs. Finnigan will love having him here, Dennis," Lily said, slapping him gently across the chest and then wrapping her arm around James' waist and leading him inside. "Be a dear and get that for us, Dennis," Lily asked as they left the luggage behind. He sighed and rolled his eyes. James tried to go back but Lily shook her head. "You have to let everyone know you're here," she said.

They had gone into the sitting room where, surprisingly, everyone had been. Everyone looked up and watched Lily carefully but didn't completely ignore James. Something had gone on before he had arrived, he could tell by their worried glances.

"Lily," said a rather large woman who had a younger child sitting next to her, "who is your friend here?"

"James, hello! I haven't seen you in a while," said a familiar woman and she stood, glancing at Lily as she passed, and then gave him a big hug. He looked around and noticed someone had been missing.

"Yeah, I missed you too," he said absently, "where's Seamus?" It was Lily's turn to look ashamed but confused at the same time. "What's going on?"

"Seamus and I kind of had a fight just a few minutes ago," she said shamefully, "but I don't know where he is," she admitted. Mrs. Finnigan let go of James and looked sadly at Lily, sighing deeply.

"Lily, dear, Seamus left," she said. Both Lily and James' eyes had widened. Had something terrible gone on? He hadn't wanted the two to be married in the first place, but he also wanted her to be happy. "He hasn't left here yet, dearest, he only left to go cool down. He left you a note," she said, handing the young girl a letter and she pocketed it to read for later.

Lily nodded and then looked away for a moment, James had a high suspicion that she may have cried. He wanted to comfort her like he used to, but he couldn't, and the others knew it, too.

************************************************** ***********

Lily hadn't expected James to visit, and most defiantly not at times like this, but with all of the excitement with James coming, she had felt bad about him coming like this but had planned on reading the note later.

"Where had you planned on staying?" Mr. Finnigan had decided to break the silence and then everyone else had returned to their daily lives by talking louder than they had.

"Oh, Seamus, you know that the boy can stay here, we have that extra room down in the basement he can have, it doesn't leak..." Mrs. Finnigan said. Lily chuckled and sat next to Grett. James smiled nervously and Lily winked in his direction, letting him know that it would be all right down there, it really didn't leak.

James looked in Lily's direction and she got the hint. "I think I'm going to help him unpack, now," and the two of them left downstairs where Dennis had left his luggage.

"What exactly went on with you and Seamus?" James asked curiously, and she could tell he had truly meant it. She shook her head and kissed his cheek.

"Can we talk about that some other time?" she asked. He nodded and then opened the first trunk. "What did you think you're doing, moving down here?" she laughed and then helped him unpack. James had told her all about Melanie and even about their kiss before their departure. ("Awwww," Lily squealed.) She told him more about the lake and what it had been like living in a house full of people.

"It's not that different, really," she said, "considering that we had so many parties at the house."

They had finished unpacking the first trunk and went onto the second when Lily had spotted it and stopped all of the unpacking. "You kept it?" she asked, lifting the golden locket up to her eye level. She smiled and handed it to him. He stared at her for a moment, deep in thought about something, and then took it, walked behind her, and swept her hair around her shoulder.

"You should have it," and he clasped it and put her hair back in place. "We should really finish unpacking," he said and the two continued their task in silence, but Lily could have sworn that James seemed to be thinking hard about something. Could he perhaps be thinking of Melanie?

Finally, when they had finished, she was called upstairs to 'let the boy have some rest' and that maybe she should get some too until super was ready. She quickly skipped the first step and ran upstairs to the guest room to lye on the one, solitaire bed that had been just for her.

She messed with the locked that had fallen behind her neck and inspected it carefully before remembering the note in her pocket. She pulled it out and unfolded it without knowing what it could possibly say except that he was sorry. She quickly read through it the first time but when she had noticed what he was trying to do she had read it again.

Lily,

I need to talk to you. Tonight. At the lake. Please come at seven to see me, I have a surprise for you.

Seamus

Did he really think he could make everything up to her by surprising her? After all, he hadn't known that James had come just moments after their fight. She decided to give it some thought before she finally drifted away to sleep.

************************************************** ***********

James had been lying in bed the whole day and thinking about what he had done. Was it right? Seamus would surely notice that she hadn't been wearing the one he had gotten her, but James also noticed that Lily hadn't been wearing Seamus' locket either. There was a knock on his door and he sat up to answer it.

"James, dear," said Mrs. Finnigan, a little girl no older than twelve standing behind her shyly. She pushed the child ahead of her and she blushed fiercely. "This is Grettle," she winked, "and she has something to say to you."

He looked down and waited for her to speak, he felt a blush come across his cheeks too, though, and he found it cute that she had a crush on him. "It's time for you to come upstairs and tell us all about your time in England," Grettle said and then she ran upstairs, curly hair bobbing behind her.

Both adults laughed and she winked at him. "See you soon," and she followed her niece up the basement stairs. He nodded and shut the door behind and followed as well, there was really no point in him staying down here.

Five minutes later he found himself upstairs and seated next to Lily, waiting as Mr. Finnigan piled his plate full of food that Jade had made. Lily, of course, had been the first one to question him about everything she had forgotten to ask in the first place.

"How is little Cory, I miss him so. And the twins, they must be growing, I already know how that brother of mine is doing, engaged and healthy."

"Cory is fine, Harry's feeding him too much and losing sleep because of it, and I just recently saw the twins with Amber, she's grown a lot. Daniel, by the way, has told me to make sure you are OK." She looked surprised at that last bit but shrugged, biting into her role.

"What about that puppy I bought you? OddButters," Lily said rolling her eyes at such a ridiculous name.

"He's living with my mum and dad, the apartments wouldn't let me keep him there, but he's doing just fine, getting big now though. Two months pass quickly, don't they?"

Everyone looked puzzled, had they known that they had a fight of their own before she had left? Probably not, but he wasn't going to say anything about it now, it was up to her if she wanted to tell the family the way their son had acted.

He bit into something that looked strangely like dumplings but cooked very badly, and they hadn't had a pleasant taste either, but he chewed it politely and pushed the rest to the side. Grettle caught his eye and she turned away frantically and when Lily had caught this she choked slightly on her soda and he patted her on the back as she continued to laugh.

The meal went on as such, Lily learned that James had just quit his job and planned on finding one when he returned and talked mostly about Melanie. Lily had talked all about her wedding plans and how everything was going to be decorated; he heard that Jade was an excellent artist twenty-six times. Finally, it had finished and everyone was tired.

"I think it's about time we all go into the living room and watch some television," said Dennis as he eyed the two of them and took their plates. James felt as if he had already made a bad impression, and he wasn't going to ask why. When they had been left alone Lily looked at her wristwatch and sighed.

"Listen," James said hastily. "I'm going to find a place to stay tomorrow, I really don't think that Dennis guy wants me here, and I don't blame him, you're supposed to be marrying his cousin, which you still haven't told me what's going on between you two by the way, and there simply isn't enough room for me here." James said.

Lily looked at him sympathetically and shook her head. "You know you're more than welcome here, and they have plenty of room, but if you feel that you must find a motel then I'll help you find one tomorrow, as of now, I really have to go to the lake." She said, grabbing a jacket from the back of her chair and leaving through the back screen door.

"Since when do you actually like going to the lake? First boating and now this?" James nearly fell when he had stood, again, the Longbottom history had come to haunt him, but this time over a cat. He saved himself and Lily giggled but that still didn't keep him from wanting to know what had happened to his friend while he was gone.

He looked at her sincerely and she stopped laughing and looked down at her feet. He walked up to her, lifted her chin, and looked deeply into her emerald green eyes. How he had missed looking at her that way and he could tell that she was nearly in tears.

Something inside of him was telling him to kiss her and let everything in the past go away, but there was something else jerking him away. It hadn't been until he realized that Lily was nearly in tears that he took in everything that had been happening around him. They were still very alone, but the night had been still.

"I really must be going, Seamus needs to see me," she said, breathing hard and pulling her chin from his grasp. He nodded and looked away, clearing his throat and putting his hands in his back pockets.

"Maybe I should go ask if I can borrow a car and give you a ride..."

"No, James, not right now. Right now I really need to talk to Seamus and I don't need you caught up in the middle of this. If anything this whole thing started because of you in the first place," and she left into the cold evening sun and James ran his hand through his hair viciously. He had nearly kissed Lily.

He knew she didn't want it, and he didn't either, it was just an old habit. 'Is that really true?' he asked himself and then slumped against the wall. He watched her apparate near the fence, but one quick movement and he could tell that she hadn't left before tucking her locket safely beneath her shirt.


Alright, I've been working on this for two days, quiet a bit of work. Tell me how you liked it over at the feedback are if you would please!