Here Comes The Sun

Chapter 11: Jealousy

October 9th, 1975

The Three Broomsticks was full of Hogwarts students and their chatter. As James walked in with Sirius, James overheard bits and pieces of conversation, but his attention turned to a booth in the corner; the table where Lily sat across from Michael. Sirius looked over to a group of girls of all different houses where a few of them were flirtatiously waving at him. He gave the girls a pursed-lipped smile then returned his attention to James, ignoring the girls who were trying to get his attention.

"What are we doing here again?" Sirius asked.

James ignored him and waved over to the group of girls―the one that Sirius had just attempted to avoid―with a big smile.

"Why don't you go over to them?" James said, nudging his friend and pointing to the girls.

"Alright, I guess," Sirius replied. "I thought we were hanging out though."

"We are," James said. It wasn't technically a lie. He did plan to hang out with Sirius, just not yet. "I just have something to take care of first, alright?"

"Yeah, okay," Sirius said, heading over to the table of girls that were now calling him over while James walked over to the table in the corner right up to Michael.

"Carr!" he called, greeting the Hufflepuff boy.

"Potter!" Michael replied, standing up from his seat.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked through her teeth, trying to keep a smile going to not show her feelings of unease as Michael sat back down.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Evans, is this a date?" James asked, pretending he had no idea about the situation. Lily saw through his false smile but couldn't understand why he would be interrupting her date. "I just wanted to say hello to Michael here," James continued.

"Well, you've said hello now. Best be on your way now, yeah?" Lily replied, trying to move him along as fast as possible.

James ignored this and Lily exhaled sharply through her nose in annoyance. "So, Michael, how are you? How's quidditch?" he asked, sitting down next to Lily.

"Quidditch is great," Michael replied. By now, he had almost forgotten that he was on a date with Lily, as his attention was now focused on James. "We're going to kick Gryffindor's arse this year, you know."

"Yeah, you wish," James replied with a chuckle.

Lily cleared her throat to get both boys' attention. "James, what are you doing here?"

"I told you before," James laughed, "I'm saying hello to my friend."

Lily sighed and got up from her seat and began to walk away from the boys. "I'll be right back," she said. Not that you'd even notice I was gone, she added in her head.

"So, you're going out with Evans then?" James asked the boy.

"I guess." Michael shrugged. "I dunno if I want her to be my girlfriend."

"Why not?" James asked, trying to sound as casual as possible and not seem too pushy to know why.

"Well, she's fit and everything but the girl is pretty annoying," Michael began to explain. "I mean, practically all she's done today is talk about school."

James laughed a little. "That's Evans for you. I'm sure it can't be that bad though."

"You have no idea," Michael responded. "I only went out with her 'cause I wanted to see if she was such a prude like everyone says she is or if she'd... well, you know what I mean." He grinned suggestively.