The Rise and Fall of James Potter

Disclaimer: None of the characters, places, etc. that you recognize are mine. They belong to J. K. Rowling. The title, the title of each chapter, and the inspiration for this story are all from David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. So every chapter will be named for each song on the CD. Which belongs to David Bowie, not me. Now that we're clear on who owns what, read on.

Chapter One: Five Years

Five Years.

That was how long it had been. Five whole years.

My friends were quite surprised that my attention span was so long. Truth be told, so was I. Nothing, and I mean nothing, had ever held my attention that long.

Except quidditch.

But she wasn't quidditch. She was Lily Evans. And I'd been in love with her for five years.

Five Years.

That was how long James Potter had been annoying me.

By our seventh year I was quite used to it, him asking me out. It still bothered me, but I'd learned to deal with it. I'd even managed to block him out at times. But he still kept coming back.

My friends told me he was in love with me.

I told them he couldn't be, because James Potter did not fall in love. Especially with girls like me.

Okay, quite honestly, I don't fall in love. It just doesn't happen. I'm a seventeen year old wizard, I should be having the time of my life, experiencing lots of different girls, right?

No way in hell.

Lily Evans is the only girl for me. I decided that five years ago. Back when I was young, stupid, and love struck.

Nowadays, I'm just stupid and love struck.

Lily is a radiant creature, with gorgeous green eyes, lovely red hair, excellent body that would probably look really nice next to mine...

I'm not terribly pretty. I mean, I'm not horrid looking, but you wouldn't have to look far to find someone prettier than me.

My friends tell me I'm being modest and/or self-deprecating.

But how the hell can you be both?

If your modest, you just don't like to brag about yourself, but you do realize there is good stuff. When your self-deprecating, you just don't see the good stuff at all.

I think that's right.

Anyway, why would James be stuck on me for five years?

I have two theories:

1. He thinks it's funny to pick on me, because I'm not a very popular person.

OR

2. Because I'm the only girl to ever turn him down. He only wants me because he can't have me.

I may or may not have started to drool. I'm not willing to disclose that information.

Now, I know what you're thinking. I've known Lily for longer than five years, so why have I only been in love with her for five years?

Either that or "What the hell is wrong with this guy?"

I'm going to answer the first one, and pretend nobody thought the second one.

Five years ago was the summer break between first and second year. I was in Diagon Alley one day in July with my best friend Sirius Black, when I saw her.

She was with some friends outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. She was drinking a milkshake, and smiling at something her friend had said. She turned and waved at someone she knew, and I realized Lily Evans was the most beautiful girl on the face of the planet.

And that is when I fell in love with her.

Who really cares what the reason is. I know I don't care.

Really. I don't.

Believe what you will. Whatever the case, James Potter has been a perpetual thorn in my side for the past five years.

I realize I've taken a few backwards steps since then. Back then, at least she was civil to me.

Now, she seems to hate my guts.

Oddly enough, this only seems to have increased the attraction.

As I said, I haven't made much progress in the past five years. But that hasn't deterred me yet. Now, if you'll all excuse me, it's 10:30 on a Sunday morning. I always ask Lily out at this time.

Oh shit, it's 10:30. I have to go hide from Potter.
A/N: So this is the only other chaptered story I'm working on, but I've never done two at once before. I really hope it works. I've already got this about half written, and hopefully posting it will help me write the rest!

Okay, you know the drill. BTW- I know I got the definitions for modesty and self-deprecating wrong, but it was done on purpose. Deal.

The story was inspired by the CD, but mostly by the line in the song "Ziggy Stardust" that goes "making love with his ego." It should make more sense soon.