Heyy guys! This is my first ever fanfic and I hope you like it.
It's a bit different because Lily and James are actually friends and James hasn't been after Lily for all those years.
Just wanted to say thank you to Corvis, my BETA for helping out with my first ever chapter.
Enjoy!
There is a room in the Ministry of Magic that very few know about. It contains three very simple things: an inkbottle, a quill and an everlasting roll of parchment, which are all floating in midair as if held by invisible strings.
Everything has been still for a decade.
Until now. Suddenly, the quill moves, dips into the ink bottle, and writes quickly and precisely a few small words onto the parchment. And then everything goes back to how it was before.
"Morning Lily, Caitlyn"
"Morning James," they chorused.
It was 8.30am and the girls were sitting at the Gryffindor table having breakfast. James Potter dropped onto a seat opposite them and grabbed the plate of toast.
"What do we have now?" he asked yawning.
"Transfiguration."
"Was there homework?"
"Yes. You had to right a two foot essay on Animagi."
James' eyes opened wide, "Oops."
"James! Don't tell me you didn't do it! We'll be having our NEWTs in like, four months! You can't just not do your homework!" Lily admonished.
"I know, I know… I was doing the Potions essay and then I forgot. Slughorn would positively kill me if I didn't do it!" James argued back.
Lily didn't say anything but instead proceeded to open the letter that her owl Osatsore had just dropped neatly beside her plate.
Miss Lily Evans,
If it were possible, I would like to meet you and Mr. James Potter in my office at 8, after dinner.
Regards,
Albus Dumbledore
P.S. It might help you to know that I am rather fond of Pepper Imps.
Lily Evans raised her eyebrow in surprise. She turned to James, "Professor Dumbledore wants us in his office tonight at 8. He didn't say why."
"It's probably just something about our Head duties. Don't worry about it."
Lily nodded slowly, not taking her eyes of the letter, grabbed her bag and went off to Transfiguration.
"James, it's almost eight. Maybe we should get going."
Lily and James were in there small Head's common room. They walked through the portrait that led to the Gryffindor common room and then out through the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Once at the gargoyle leading to Dumbledore's office, Lily took a deep breath and said firmly, "Pepper Imps."
Immediately, the gargoyle jumped aside and Lily stepped on to the spiral staircase, James close behind her. She was about to knock when she heard a calm voice say, "Come in."
James and Lily entered the office. James looked very casual but Lily was instantly attracted by the large red and gold phoenix close to the headmaster's desk. "Please, sit down. I am about to tell you something that will change your lives."
Lily raised her eyebrows but said nothing but instead sat next to James on a rather comfortable looking couch. Dumbledore studied them over his half-moon glasses, his electric blue eyes disturbingly bright.
"There is a room in the Ministry of Magic that not many people know about. I only know about it because I accidentally ran upon it about 20 years ago while on my way to attending a trial. It binds people in a most peculiar way. Every 10 or 20 years the quill will choose two people and record their names on a roll of parchment. No one knows how the people are selected or how to break the charm set on the quill. Those who have tried have ended up quite unwell. These two people are destined to marry. It so happens that your names were recorded. You two either get married or… suffer the consequences."
"W-What? I can't get married to James!" Lily said, her tone desperate.
"I'm sorry Miss Evans. If you decide to follow with the wedding, there are some things that need to be taken into consideration."
"What are they, professor?" James asked, his face in his hands.
"The marriage should take place within a month of the woman's 18th birthday and it should be consummated within 24 hours, counting from the time the second person signs the document. A child must be born within 3 years of the wedding and the couple are to remain faithful to each other or..."
"What are the consequences, professor?"
"They are random. Some have been unable to reproduce, others were driven into insanity, some have been physically harmed, some have seen no effects at all and others were reported dead."
Neither Lily nor James said anything and Dumbledore simply added, "I suggest you take sometime to think about what you will do. This should be a decision made by the two of you. You are both excused from classes tomorrow."
"Professor? Can Lily and I go? We have to talk about this."
"Certainly Mr. Potter. I really am very sorry about all this."
James nodded regretfully and helped Lily up. She seemed to still be in shock, not able to say or do anything.
Quietly, they went down the staircase and walked back to their Common Room. About half-way, James touched Lily softly on the shoulder, "I'm sorry, Lily."
At this, Lily burst into tears. James enveloped her in a light hug and they slowly kept walking. Once they had entered the Gryffindor common room, Lily rushed past Caitlyn who had just been about to ask how it had gone with Dumbledore. James muttered a quick sorry and went in after her.
James found Lily lying on the couch crying her eyes out. He approached her and took her into a hug.
"Lily, it's going to be alright. We'll work it out somehow. Don't cry. Let's talk about it!"
"I'm too young to get married, James! I'll just barely be 18! And then I'm supposed to have a kid in three years. How can I not be upset about this! You're my friend, not my fiancée!" Lily half-shrieked, tears pouring freely down her cheeks.
"This isn't my fault Lily! Don't just start screaming at me! How do you think I feel about this! I don't want to die! I don't want this to happen either! Do you really think I'm enjoying it? Trust me, the idea of getting you pregnant is not appealing!"
Lily stopped crying all of a sudden and looked at James with a shocked, hurt look on her face.
"W-What?"
"Oh God, Lily! I didn't mean it that way, I swear I didn't! You're very pretty, I wasn't saying your not!" James said, desperately trying to cover up his mistake.
"Whatever James. We're friends. I'm glad you don't think about me that way, it would just mess everything up. More than it already is messed up."
"Lily… what do you want to do? Like, what do you really want to do? Do you want to go through with this? If you do, I'll go through with it too. I just don't want to force you into anything."
"It's not like we have much of a choice, is it? I'll get married to you if that's what you're asking. But it'll be ever so hard… we'll only be 18 and we don't have any feelings for each other. How are we supposed to go through with this? I really don't want our friendship to get messed up. God James, what're we going to do!"
"We'll work it out. Somehow. We will, I know we will. We'll get a house and live there together and then you'll get pregnant and everything will be fine. I'll make sure nothing happens to you r the baby. I promise."
Lily nodded feebly.
"James…"
"Hmm?"
"I don't really want to make a big deal about the marriage. We'll just get dressed up a little and go down to the Ministry to sign the papers. And then we'll er… consummate the marriage. I don't want to attract attention towards it. Don't want a big celebration and a party. Just something quiet. You don't mind do you?"
"No Lily, that's fine. It'll be alright."
"Right. Are you going to classes tomorrow?"
"Don't think so. Maybe we could talk about stuff a bit more. I don't want to rush you but I think it'd be best if we got it over and done with."
"Yeah. Definitely. Anyways, I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow."
"Night. Sweet dreams, Lily."
He watched sadly as Lily walked away and went into her room. It wasn't supposed to be this way.
Ok guys, that was chapter one. Please review and tell me what you thought of it!