Turning Tables

Chapter 2 - Potter

Disclaimer which I completely forgot about on the last chapter - the Harry Potter universe and all characters belong to JKR!

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Two and a half hours later, Lily was pacing up and down in the kitchen, wishing she'd resisted drinking coffee at that hour of the morning, since it had increased her agitation to record levels. She'd showered and dressed in record time, flung some clothes and essentials into her trunk – Merlin only knew what she'd packed, she'd probably be wandering around James Potter's house in a bloody party dress – and shrunk said trunk down to the size of a backpack with a shrinking charm. Now she could do nothing but wait. And wait for James sodding Potter of all people! James Potter, the most infuriating, unreliable person she could think of, and she had to depend on him. Not only that, she was going to have to see him repeatedly over the next week - and they'd presumably be spending it in extremely close quarters - and possibly even be grateful to him for his thoughtfulness in inviting her and his kindness towards Marly. This could be the longest week of her life.

With that, her thoughts turned to Marlene, and she immediately felt guilty; worrying over her –admittedly somewhat strained and difficult – relationship with Potter when one of her closest friends had woken up an orphan. She was berating herself out loud for this thoughtlessness when a deep, amused-sounding voice came from behind her.

'Talking to yourself Evans? I'd be worried if it was anyone else, but I've always thought you must spend a lot of time in conversation with yourself – after all, you never listen to anyone else, and when you really get going, none of us can get a word in edgeways anyway.'

She closed her eyes, muttered a silent prayer for patience to whatever gods might be listening, and then turned around to face James Potter, Marauder-in-Chief.

He stood leaning against the door frame, bright sunlight streaming in from the garden behind him, the light breeze rustling his already messy hair. Some boys, Lily knew, spent hours messing around with potions and hair products to get that 'just-rolled-out-of-bed-I-don't-care-how-my-hair-l ooks' image, but James Potter just naturally looked that way. Everything came naturally to James Potter. It was – probably – the most annoying thing about him. Although, if pressed, Lily could have written a list of things about James Potter that just wound her up for some inexplicable reason. He just always got to her somehow.

'Talking to myself is usually the easiest way to avoid having to have a conversation with you or any of your friends Potter, so I perfected it a long time ago. It's the only way I hear a sensible voice sometimes.'

James' face broke into a wide, slightly crooked grin at that. Unfortunately for Lily's already shaky frame of mind, it just enhanced the good looks that had so many of the girls at Hogwarts melting as he walked past. Thankfully she was immune. Obviously. Noticing it didn't count.

'Aww Evans, I've missed you! Sirius is nowhere near as good at insulting me as you are. And Marly...'

His voice trailed off as the name left his lips, and the smile fell from his face as quickly as it had arrived. His hand came up to run through his hair, and the sparkle that was usually present in his hazel eyes dimmed. He looked, in that moment, an incredibly different person.