The Londoner Marauder☆Jily AU

《ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ #01》

3rd January 1976, Beauxbatons, France

We meet again. I suppose you are not happy with what happened? And this new phase stuff? Understandable. But did I not tell you that acceptance is the key to moving on? Of course, it has been a while since you heard that.

Things were pretty much the same in Lily Evans's life. She was still a prefect, she still attended her classes, she still laughed with her friends, she was still dating Xavier Smith and she was still in love with James Potter.

It was wrong, she knew that. It was wrong to play with two boys at once. But if James did not like her, why should she swoon over him? Xavier was the practical choice. He was smart, good-looking and funny. Then again, practical choices were not made from your heart.

Mark Twain once said that, “If one has to fish love, the bait should not be the brain, but the heart instead.”  I agree, of course. It is said that everything but love should be decided by the choices of the brain. Love is something different, you know? Tell me, say that you have to marry one of two men. The first one is poor, but is happy and satisfied. The other one is affluent, but is also querolous and greedy. Who do you choose?

Your brain will, of course, go for the rich one. Why? Because he will provide you with comfort and luxury! But your heart will go for the poor one, because it knows that as long as you have your partner supporting you, you can face any hardships in life.

"She's in Potter Land." Marlene McKinnon's voice brought Lily back to Earth and she stared at her feet, her gaze sad and guilty.

"Or possibly in guilt land," Mary MacDonald sighed.

For Lily, she was in both lands. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~

4th January 1976, Hogwarts, Scotland

Remember when I said that love breaks people? Has a drastic and incredible effect on them? That was exactly what happened to James Potter. No one knew what happened in Paris apart from him, and he did not want to remember it.

James was known for dating girls in a perfectly casual way, like he did not care about them and was only dating for fun. But, recently, he had become a player to rival Sirius Orion Black The Third.

Ever since returning from Christmas, he had been caught in five different broom cupboards, with three different girls. He flirted with every girl that came across him and even got a little carried off with a bartender in Hogsmead. It was not typical of him to do that, as James was usually a chivalrous boy and treated women with respect, but Heaven only knows what was happening to him.

"Mister Potter, kindly pay attention to my lesson, you could hang out with your girlfriend later," Slughorn said, frowning.

James smirked as he flicked Brianna Martinez's hair over her shoulder and whispered something to the Hufflepuff, making her giggle and blush. Alice Prewett exchanged a concerned look with Isadora Donnell at this.

"What's up with him?" Dorcas whispered to Sirius, her eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully.

"He's going insane. Looks doleful everytime I mention Evans," Sirius reported, his moon grey eyes staring sternly at James.

"Like he wants to jump from a cliff," added Emmeline with a deep sigh.

"Let's not go there," advised Dorcas. They had a tacit agreement over this and the class continued, as if this conversation had never, ever happened.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

5th January 1976, Beauxbatons, France

Dear Frank,

I haven't been able to write from some time, and I'm very sorry for that sweetie. It's just that James is behaving very oddly since Christmas. He isn't telling us what's bothering him, but it's surely having a strong effect on him. Anyway, how are you and the others? Boarding school as boring as ever, I guess. My own isn't much better either. I love you and miss you loads. Please write back soon.

Love,
Ali

"Is it a coincidence that Lily too is behaving oddly since Christmas?" Frank wondered aloud.

I hate to say this, but it is no coincidence. Their fates are entwined.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

6th January 1976, Hogwarts, Scotland

"Prongs."

"Padfoot."

The two Marauders stared at each other, eyes hard and stern. The winter wind chilled their bones, but right now they were only focused on each other.

"You've been behaving oddly," Sirius said bluntly.

"Such as?" James raised his eyebrows, making Sirius narrow his eyes, so they looked like two grey steel rods.

"Such as kissing Integra Towler, your beloved ex-lover," said Sirius darkly.

"There's no rule against kissing your exes," said James smoothly as he continued his lazy stroll through the streets of Hogsmead. Sirius jogged to keep us with the quidditch captain. Reaching him, Sirius pulled roughly on James's shoulder and turned the taller boy to face him.

"Is is related to Evans?" Sirius said sharply. His suspicions were confirmed when James's face clouded over and different emotions passed over his features. First sadness, then longing, anger and them sadness again. Then the stoic face mask was back.

"What happened?" Sirius asked James, his voice even and dangerously calm. A moment of silence. Then James stepped back, shrugging off Sirius's hand and resuming his jog towards Hogwarts.

"James Fleamont Potter! You are not running away from me!" Sirius shouted angrily, running after him and silently cursing his shorter legs.

"Nothing happened!" James snapped back, not stopping at all.

"So, why are you so fucking doleful and not gushing over her?" Sirius demanded.

"Maybe because she does not control my life!" James said, running his hands through his hair. "She does not own me. My life is not about her. Why the fuck should I waste my teenage life for her?"

"She does," Sirius said quitely. "You love her, which is why she could evoke these emotions from you. Don't be insane, Prongs. What did you ever think? Did you expect that if you snogged other girls, she would be out of your brain and your heart? She's a drug, Prongs. A drug you need to survive."

And, as much as James hated to admit it, Sirius was not wrong.

A/N: hello again babes! I'm terribly sorry for putting James, Lily and you people through this, but believe me, writing this makes ME emotional. You've got to understand that James is a fucking teenage boy and TEENAGE is an era in every person's life where they face MILLIONS of problems. School, friends, relationships, fucked up families and hormones. What do you fucking expect? Take care and stay safe.

Love,
~Aurora♡

Written on: 4th July