Rumtreiber Oneshots/ HP

Reasons why Lily gradually decided she liked James Potter

Third year at Hogwarts, 1973

After a long summer, Lily Evans, a muggleborn student at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, finally returned to her beloved second home. The first school week always was an adventure itself - tiny First-years running around in the corridors, everyone catching up over what they did in the summer and a lot of new subjects and teachers. All in all, there always was something to do. 

It was a Wednesday morning and Lily Evans waited for her best friend, Severus Snape, to go and attend their first class of the day: Transfiguration. As they walked through the corridors, chatting and updating each other about their summer, she found herself looking at an unusual scene. Three tiny first years looked through the corridors helplessly and Lily already wanted to approach them, to ask whether she could help them. But in the moment she wanted to speak up, the three children already had turned to two other boys, clearly desperate for help. Lily looked up and recognized the two people, who she thought were going to be the least useful in this situation: James Potter and Sirius Black. 

James Potter and Sirius Black, the two self-proclaimed kings of Hogwarts, and leaders of the Marauders were a lot of things, but not helpful. They were famous for pulling new pranks every other day: On teachers, on students, on the staff or on the whole school at once. In conclusion: They weren't really the ones to ask if you'd like to receive detailled and correct information about how to get to your class.

She felt Severus tense beside her at the sight of the two boys, as he himself was a victim of their jokes several times, and he already wanted to go on, but through a signal with her hand she stopped him. In case the First Years still needed help, when these two idiots were gone, Lily wanted to be there.  

As the young girl, who seemed to be Hufflepuff, tucked on James' sleeve, he turned around from his chat with Sirius and looked at her. 

"Uhm...I'm sorry to interrupt, but we are kind of lost...Could you tell me where the classroom for Defense against the Dark Arts is lockated?" 

Lily waited for a witty reply from James and the loud, barking laugh which should come from Sirius, but to her surprise, they both smiled at the girl. 

"'Course, no problem. Look, we'll even escort you there. Peeves is in a difficult phase at the time - you know, maybe living through ghost-puberty." 

And before Lily had time to think about what had just happened, she saw the three kids happily chatting away with James Potter and Sirius Black, both smiling fondly at the enthusiuasm of the new generation of Hogwarts students. 

As later on McGonagall wanted to give James and Sirius detention for coming too late to their Transfiguration lesson, Lily found herself defending the two, still absent, boys and telling her what happened. Snape looked at her surprised, but McGonagall only smiled fondly and nodded. 

Fourth year at Hogwarts, 1976

Lily was sitting in the library peacefully, finishing her Defense against the dark arts homework. She had the books laid out in front of her and was fully occupied, as she heard two people take place on the other side of her table. As she quickly wanted to check who it was, her chin dropped. 

There they were sitting, James Potter and Sirius Black. In. The. Library. 
In four years, she had never seen those two in the library before, and therefore was, rightfully, gobsmacked. 

But the two boys didn't even seem to notice her presence. While Sirius Black was busy researching on the topic and telling Potter what to write, Potter furiously scribbled on the piece of parchment he held, summarizing what Sirius had just told him. Lily recognized the subject and homework they were doing and couldn't help but wonder. She could have sworn, that she already saw them doing this essay in the common room this afternoon. After some more time passed and they still hadn't said anything to Lily, she decided to ask them about it. 
As she cleared her throat to get their attention, both looked up.