If and Only If . . . Jily

The Extendable Box

"Thank you, James," Lily said sincerely, looking back up to her best friend in gratitude.

He flushed, scratching the back of his neck.

An awkward pause followed where neither of them knew what to do.

"Oh! I forgot the other surprise." James blurted out hurriedly.

"Great!" Lily quickly responded, too loud.

Rummaging around in the tiny gray box some more, it gave Lily time to inspect her best friend's appearance. It was still slightly abnormal to see him in thick square frames but you could still read the emotion in his sparkling, hazel eyes. She just noticed he had a small freckle right above his right eyebrow and how it moved with it when he furrowed his brows in concentration.

"I got it!" James declared, startling Lily from her examination.

"What?" he asked confusedly at her distracted state and she turned red.

"Nothing," she mumbled.

Shooting her a puzzled glance, James extracted the object he'd been searching for from its container. A flowing, silvery substance was clenched in his hand.

Lily stared at it, perplexed. Seeing her bafflement, James explained.

"It's an invisibility cloak," he stated knowledgeably. "When you put it on, you are completely invisible," he gestured mysteriously with his hands. Not believing him, Lily regarded him doubtfully.

"Prove it," she dared. Shrugging, he stood up and wrapped the cloak around his shoulders and immediately, his body flickered clear and only his floating head remained.

Lily, not expecting him to disappear so suddenly, let out a small shriek.

"Shhh!" James's disembodied head urged her. The disillusionment charm only camouflaged them, it didn't mute their sound so anything over a normal voice was very audible to anyone near the Secret Spot. In fact, a couple that was walking past them paused. Through the foliage, Lily and James watched them stand there listening for a few moments before they moved on.

"Can I try?" Lily whispered, intrigued.

Handing the cloak to her, James gazed as she stared at it for a couple seconds. Inspired by an idea, Lily stood up and smoothly threw the cloak over her entire frame, becoming completely unseen.

Lily saw the world through a slightly wrinkled view.

Come by a new notion, she asked James, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Amused by the incredibility in her voice, he responded breezily, "I haven't the faintest idea, Evans."

Slipping the cloak off of her and messing her hair all to the humor of James, Lily gave him bemused look.

"Evans?" she questioned.

"Oh," he admitted. "Just a nickname I sometimes use in my head. Sounds kinda cool." James felt his face heat up at his confession.

Nodding with the still rumpled hair, Lily replied casually, "It is pretty cool. I guess you can use it, y'know, whatever."

Still partly red, James cleared his throat. "Anyways . . . "

"Yeah, uh, cool cloak," Lily blinked, a strange fogginess in her mind.

"So what's your middle name?" James said blurting out the first question that came to mind to end the silence that had been ensured.

Blinking again, Lily was slow to respond to him.

"Um, Jade. Yours?"

James returned to his usual personality with confidence, "Ugh, don't make me tell you - it's awful!" he cried dramatically falling back onto the ground.

Back to the Lily Evans with clever comments, she bantered back, "Uh-uh, you're telling me this, now."

Surrendering, "Okay, fine. It's Fleamont . . . " he relented embarrassed.

"Why are you ashamed? It's your dad's name," Lily scolded.

Sitting up, James looked at Lily seriously. "If you have a kid, is your definition of a good name Fleamont?"

"Maybe . . . not," she admitted, flushing pink.

Laying back down comfortably again, "Well, there you go," James replied.

They resumed their main topic of conversations, magic, because Lily had new curiosities about photos and invisibility cloaks and huge tiny boxes.

Hey, I don't really know what to write in these things but whatever. Hi, I guess. Thank you for reading, this is my first book but believe me, I have read plenty. Love these characters so I decided to write about them! Thanks again.

(1263 words)

-willow