Disclaimer: How many times do I have to say this? Do I look like JKR? Oh, right, you don't know what I look like, you've never seen me... uh... Anyways, I don't own it, any of it. I don't really even own the plot, seeing as it's so cliched. I wish I did own it - I'd certainly like to be that rich, not to mention to have the glory of having written such a masterpiece... but we underlings don't compare. Time to accept it.

Author's Note: So, I'm not dead after all! I've updated! The plot bunnies were, quite annoying, absent from my head for quite a while, but finally returned last night. Unfortunately for Core of Power fans, they came bearing no news of that, which truly is my main priority... but when the plot bunnies have zipped their lips, their isn't much you can do. (And yes, that's just my retarded way of saying I've had writer's block. I'm weird. Get over it). Anyway, without further ado, on with the story!

Chapter One

Sunset stained the sky with the shifting hues of fire as Lily stood upon the Astronomy Tower, willing the omnipresent storm clouds to release their heavy burden upon her. Rain, she mused, would reflect upon her mood perfectly.

It couldn't be true… it just couldn't. Lily closed her eyes against both the stinging wind and her oncoming headache, unable to wrap her head around the events of the past two to three hours. Not long ago, she had been an ordinary girl with a lingering, persistent crush; now, a bizarre future book proclaimed that she was to be the wife of this crush, that they would have a child…

That they would die. Voldemort… The war was already brewing; she'd heard the stories, seen the articles in the newspaper… known the kids withdrawn from Hogwarts and known of the people whose brutal murder stories covered the pages of the Prophet… it was terrifying. She hadn't read the rest of the sentence – couldn't get past the "Lily and James Potter" part – but she knew how it would end. She and James wouldn't survive the encounter. It was that simple.

What was this crazy future book anyway? Could it all be just some cruel joke? This… this book knew how to get straight to her strongest desires and deepest fears… To be with James… To die just when your life was truly beginning, your loved ones' lives snuffed out along with yours… How? It couldn't be true; it couldn't be real. No.

No, it couldn't be true. James and she would never get married, for Merlin's sake. She knew he'd never marry her. It was, to her, quite plain; James was James. Courageous, charming, and bursting at the seams with talent, if his Quidditch prowess and alarmingly powerful spellwork were any indication… James had big things in store for him. And Lily was… well, just Lily. Just ordinary. Yeah, she was a straight-O student and a Gryffindor to the end, but other than that she was remarkably unremarkable. A hot temper and sharp tongue that was constantly running away with her and heaping up the trouble… this didn't exactly make for the most pleasant company. Add to that her appearance; the hair and eyes made it look like Christmas was coming with all that red and green, and she was small and scrawny and straight-up-and-down, the absence of curves making her look almost childlike.

So it couldn't be true, then. The book was just a work of fiction, taunting her, mocking her. She'd pretty much made up her mind on this when, for the fourth time in a few short hours, that distinctive baritone voice woke her from her reverie.

"Lily?" His voice was soft, cautious… almost nervous. She couldn't imagine what he could be nervous about, unless it was breaking the truth to her that the book couldn't really be true. But he didn't even know she liked him, so it wouldn't really be breaking the truth to him, would it? He'd see it almost as reassuring her that it wasn't true.

She took a deep breath, composing herself, steeling herself for the heartbreak sure to come. "Yeah?" Her voice was small, pathetic, but at the very least it didn't crack.

"Um… hey." The book was clutched in his hands; his knuckles were white. Why would he be clutching the book so tightly if he weren't nervous? But he couldn't be nervous. There was no reason for him to be nervous.

"Uh… hi." Lily's heart was pounding, and she resisted the urge to squeeze her eyes shut and rub her temples. Her heart was wrenching; the feeling was more than a little distracting. She gritted her teeth, then loosened her jaw… she didn't want to betray her feelings with even the slightest movement. James didn't know how she felt… she wanted to keep it that way.

"I'm sorry!" he blurted, suddenly, jolting her out of her reverie but this time it wasn't gently. Oh, Merlin. Oh, shit. He's apologizing. There would only be one reason for him to be apologizing. He knows. Her heart sank like a stone, wrenching all the way. She'd never be able to look him in the eyes again…

She didn't say anything, preferring to simply stare at her feet, trying to keep her expression composed and failing miserably. Her face twisted, and she struggled to hold back the pricking in her eyes.

"I'm so, so sorry," he continued, voice the softest whisper. "It… it's like this book has taken away all your choices. But maybe it's not true… you can go now, if you want. Or I can. It doesn't have to be this way for you… and…"

What? Lily's head snapped up, and she stared at him, confusion shining in her tear-filled eyes. She voiced the thought out loud. "What?" He wasn't making any sense… any sense whatsoever. Well, except for the maybe it's not true part. She could see why he didn't want that, but everything else he'd said was complete gibberish.

"I mean… well, you've got your whole life ahead of you, and obviously you wouldn't want a book dictating what happens in it, you know, telling you you've got to be with a guy you don't like… I can deal with that."

Lily's head was spinning. What he was saying… it was beyond her comprehension. "Huh?"

The book slid from James' hands onto the ground, its soft thunk unnoticed by the both of them. "Let's just forget about it then. Pretend it never happened… you can go on with your life, you know? Be with whoever you want to be with." His expression was anguished. His voice died to a soft murmur, but Lily heard it as clearly as if he were shouting. "I can deal with it. I can deal with it." His soft murmur faded into oppressive silence.

Lily spoke numbly, not quite comprehending what she was saying. "You think… you think I want to forget about it…?" She trailed off, confusion colouring her voice.

"Well, yeah, of course," he said, somehow sounding both certain and uncertain simultaneously. "What else would you want to do?"

"You don't want to forget about it?" Lily said, trying to hold back from the dawning comprehension. Her head throbbed.

James stared unbelievingly at her. "No…" he said slowly. "But you know that."

"Know what?" Lily challenged. She still didn't realize… couldn't realize…

James looked away, staring at the ground. "Do you have to make me say it? I've already said it a thousand times… okay, granted, not in the nicest ways… but, still, you must know."

Lily didn't even try to speak. She thought she might well be incapable of that right now.

James wasn't looking at her… he was suddenly very fixated on the spectacular sunset behind her. "Lily, I like you. A lot. I have pretty much since I first saw you and haven't really looked at another girl since then…"

Lily's jaw dropped. Her head spun. Her first instinct was to think of it as a cruel joke, but something in the sincerity of James' voice stopped her. She found herself unable to say a word.

"Oh shit… sorry. I didn't mean to, er, creep you out."

The silence was deafening. Lily and James both studiously avoided looking at each other, staring instead at the dawning twilight, until Lily finally chanced a glance at James. His jaw was set, his eyes closed, his expression one of regretful resolve… she was still in shock. She knew what he said was genuine… but it was still beyond the realm of what she could accept. She had spent the past six, almost seven, years training herself for eventual, inevitable disappointment… that was all gone now. She didn't know what to think.

And then he spoke again. "Why are you so surprised? You must have known… I was always really obvious…" He looked sort of confused, but still resigned, as he waited for her answer.

Lily licked her lips, her mouth dry as sandpaper. This is it. She had kept her secret… the secret of her feelings for him… for so long now, and divulging it now was sort of draining.

Eager to prolong the big reveal of her feelings, still too uncertain despite James' conviction, still not allowing the flicker of hope deep within her to flare, she decided to first answer his question. "I… I always kind of thought you were mocking me," she said finally.

"Huh?" It was James' turn to look perplexed.

She took a deep breath. This is it.

"I… James, I've liked you for a long time… I just… I always assumed that you chasing me was an inadvertent form of mocking me or something…" Her voice was nearly inaudible, shaky and wavering… Where the hell has my Gryffindor courage gone?

James closed his eyes then. Quite simply, he looked disbelieving, kind of detached. She was sure this was how she had looked a moment ago.

Gathering up the vestiges of her Gryffindor courage, and relieved that it hadn't completely deserted her now, she doggedly pushed on. As much as it hurt to explain it all, she knew she had to.

"I… it pretty much started in first year. I was always attracted to you, but for the first few years… I felt guilty over it…" This hurt to explain. She didn't want to dredge up harsh memories, but she owed James an explanation, and so she continued, resisting the urge to grit her teeth. "I… back then, I was friends with… well, you know who I'm talking about. And he hated you… so I hated myself, then, for being so helpless. But then, in fifth year…" she bit back the bitter laugh bubbling at her lips, and said, "that was how I found the Room, you know. That was what I was angry about, when I was pacing." She stopped herself from the temptation of going off on a tangent, and continued with what she was supposed to be saying. "And then I still hated myself for liking you, but it wasn't because he hated you anymore. He didn't affect me anymore. But I still found myself helpless, because of… well, because for I while there I thought you knew, and that you were mocking me."

She swallowed, taking a breath, steeling herself. "But then, this year, it all changed. You changed. And I found I had no reason not to like you, anymore. So the feelings deepened.

"But, of course, I still found a reason to regret liking you. You'd stopped chasing me, but you didn't act as though you knew I liked you, so I convinced myself what you used to do was still mocking me, but… I dunno, inadvertent or something. It didn't really make sense…" she trailed off. James had opened his eyes again, and his mouth, and was about to speak.

"No, you're right, it doesn't…" he said. "I can understand why you used to feel… bad for liking me…" his eyes widened as he said, this, and he looked sort of incredulous… she knew how that felt. But something in the sincerity of her voice must have opened his eyes the way that had done for her with him. He kept talking, rushing on. "But I still don't understand how you were so damn oblivious…" He looked baffled.

Lily stared at the floor. "It still made more sense than you liking me did," she muttered.

James' confusion deepened, the little furrow between his brows that she loved – loved? – deepening with it. "Huh?" he said, again. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about?"

Lily raised her eyebrows. "Come on, James. Why do you like me?"

James frowned at her, still not seeing where she was going. "Why wouldn't I?" he asked. "I mean, Lily, you're – you're you. You're beautiful, you're smart, you're brave, you're strong… you have such spirit," he said, before stopping suddenly. To Lily's astonishment, he was blushing.

Lily stared at him. "Okay, I always thought you must have hit your head as a baby, but that proves it," she said adamantly.

James stared at her. "Huh?" he said. "No offence, Lily, but I have no clue what you're talking about. You're making no sense."

Lily glared at him. "Oh, make me say it, why don't you?" she snapped, but then stopped. "See, there's proof of the first part. Strong – yeah, right. I have a crazy temper… not many people would construe that as strong.

"And then there's the brave part. Yeah, I guess I was brave enough to be sorted into Gryffindor, but I'm not really that brave. Not like you." She flushed as she said this, and glanced away.

James sighed. He had that look on his face, the look he got in classes or in Quidditch when the score was close and he had the Quaffle. That look of brazen determination. "Lily…" he said. "Why do you think you were named Head Girl?"

Lily looked quizzically at him. What was he getting at? "Uh, I don't know," she said. "Maybe because I'm a straight-O student?"

James sighed exasperatedly. "Then answer me this: why didn't Dumbledore just pick a random Ravenclaw girl to be Head? They're all straight-O students too."

Lily frowned. Yeah, that was true… she'd never really thought about why Dumbledore had picked her as Head. James had been obvious to her, once she'd seen how he'd changed. He had fantastic leadership skills and anyone who wasn't a Slytherin accepted his authority. But she'd never really questioned her own appointment to the role… she'd just simply accepted her duties and fulfilled them accordingly.

Seeing her reaction, James continued, excited to see she was considering it. "people look up to you, Lily," he said. "I don't know how you can't see it. You're strong and smart and independent, someone that people always respect. In fact, some of the Slytherins even respect you as a leader."

Lily's mouth popped open. "No way," she said. "No Slytherin would ever listen to me. I'm a Muggleborn." She said this quite matter-of-factly; she knew it to be true.

James shook his head. "And, yeah, a lot of the Slytherins look to both of us with derision; you for being a Muggleborn, me for being a supposed 'blood traitor'. But, as much as it pains me to admit – " he smiled to show it was a joke, and Lily smiled tentatively back " – not every Slytherin spouts all that vitriol. Yeah, it's about one percent, but that one percent still don't like me because of what I used to be like…" he paused, then, gathering himself, and continued. "But, as much as it pains me to admit it - " this time he gave no indication of it being a joke " – and as much as it pains you to remember… you were friends with a Slytherin once. You don't put stock in prejudice against them, which a very small amount of them notice and appreciate. So you're contributing to the whole house unity thing, which Dumbledore holds in high regard, so you were an obvious choice for him."

Lily blinked. What he said did make sense… at least, the part about house unity made sense. And she was really quite touched that he'd read into the situation so much. It really was quite flattering. But still… "That still doesn't explain your attraction to me…" She just didn't get it.

James groaned. "How do I make you see?" he said softly. "Lily… you're beautiful. Inside and out. I truly can't see how you don't see it."

Lily stared incredulously at him. "You need your glasses checked. I think the prescription is all wrong for you," she said, baffled at how he could see her as beautiful. "I look like an eleven-year-old who's an advocate for Christmas!"

James' jaw dropped. "My glasses are perfectly fine! You're the one who needs them!" He shook his head disbelievingly. "Lily… your hair is like fire, except soft and lustrous. Your eyes… they are enchanting, captivating…" he closed his eyes and swallowed. Lily's mouth went dry. "Yeah, they're red and green, but that doesn't mean people think of Christmas when they look at you." He paused then, frowning, and said, "I don't know how to say this without seeming like a stupid hormonal teenager, but I'll try to be as tactful as possible. Not every guy cares if a girl has, oh, I don't know, D-cup breasts or whatever. I personally like the petite look. And trust me, Lily, just because you're not – you know – uh, gigantic… doesn't mean you look like a first-year either." He smiled ruefully. "I hope I didn't sound too rude saying that…"

Lily's head was spinning. She still stood by the he-needs-new-glasses theory, but the sentiment was nice… she felt like she was floating on air, just taking into consideration the notion that he night think she was beautiful… before she could stop it, the tiny spark of hope festering within her flared up, almost consuming her. She wetted her lips, staring at him, trying to call up the power of speech, and eventually succeeding long enough to say, "Thanks, James," in a quiet, tremulous voice.

James smiled softly at her. "Anytime," he answered, smiling gently at her.

She moved as if waking from a dream, stepping slowly toward him, savouring the moment of sweet anticipation. His hand moved to cup her face, gently, when she moved within arm's reach of him. Lily closed her eyes, reveling in his tender touch as it sent as feeling not unlike raging wildfire through her, jolting her senses. This… it couldn't be true, but it was too vivid to be a dream… how could it be? Could she really be getting her happy ending?

And that thought jolted her out of sweet bliss. Her eyes flew open, meeting James', tears threatening to spill over, as the perfect moment was shattered.

"What is it?" James asked, concerned, caring. She took a deep, shaky breath.

"Do you remember what the book was saying when it said 'Lily and James Potter?'" she queried.

James frowned, trying to remember. Lily drank in the sight of him. His hand still lingered on her cheek.

And then his eyes widened, and realization dawned. "Oh, no," he said. "Oh, Merlin…"

They stared at one another, horrified, until James broke the silence once more. "What about Harry?"

Lily stared at him, and as she did, she realized the same thing that must have occurred to him. "The book is about him, about his Hogwarts schooling… so that must mean he doesn't die…"

James nodded. "Come on," he said. "Let's go back to the… the Room of Requirement, did you call it?"

Lily nodded too, agreeing immediately. "We've got to read this book."

* * *

The walk back to the Room of Requirement was filled with a companionable silence – Lily and James had both revealed so much to one another

that words, at that moment, did not seem necessary. The only sound was their quiet, albeit rushed, footsteps echoing in Hogwarts' empty halls. They didn't want to waste any time – both were eager to see the contents of that strange, strange book.

The dark, silent corridors were deserted – it was past curfew now. No doubt James' friends were wondering where he was, waiting up for him in the seventh year boys' dorm, but Lily couldn't find it in herself to care. At that moment, she held James' undivided attention; that thought sparkled as it entered her head, and she allowed herself to be immersed in it. She was still stunned by the discovery she had made that night, but now found herself quite at a loss what to do.

She'd never been here before; there had never really been anyone else she was romantically interested in, and since she'd been so focused on trying not to like James for the past… well, however many units of time, she'd never really been together with anyone. It simply hadn't been a priority to her. It was another one of the many reasons she hadn't related to other girls, hadn't really clicked with anyone, because girls were sort of gossipy creatures by nature. The only friend she had met who didn't seem to be bothered by Lily's reluctance to involve herself with anyone had been Alice… but Alice had Frank, so Lily had always felt like she hadn't understood, even if she'd tried to. And he had always been a little shifty about the relationship thing… she tried not to let herself think the name.

But now, Lily was painfully aware of her inexperience. James' hand swung beside his hip, and the temptation she had to slip her own hand into his was almost overwhelming, but she had no idea how to go about it. So she and James walked on ahead, close together but not quite touching, until they reached the seventh floor corridor. James stood still while Lily paced, focusing on that little room with the other six books upon the table, and that two-seater sofa resting beside the table. She would have liked to envision a single armchair, but although she now knew that her feelings were requited, she wasn't really sure what James' reaction would be. Just because she was brave in trying situations, didn't mean that courage translated to occurrences like this.

James stepped forward and reached that little brown door before she could, swinging it forward and holding it open for Lily. Lily ducked her head as she slipped into the Room before him, her fiery hair sliding forward to hide her similarly-coloured cheeks.

Settling down side-by-side on the armchair, once again close but not quite touching, Lily announced, "I'll read. Pass me the book." James obliged, and so shaky hands flipped through the pages to page number 14. Lily cleared her throat and began to read.

"The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're dead."

That was it, then. Trembling, Lily placed the opened book onto her lap, bringing her hands to her temples and rubbing in a circular motion. A lump worked its way up her throat to press against her tongue, and she swallowed, not really trying to expel it but still wishing it wouldn't impair her breathing so. But maybe the fact she couldn't breathe was a separate thing entirely; she didn't know nor care. Her eyes pricked, but she'd shed enough tears today, so she closed them before any could fall.

And then she felt James' arm slide around her, sending thrills of pleasure through her, that raging wildfire threatening to consume her. James didn't say anything, just scooped the book from her lap and flipped it open. Holding it one-handed, he began to read, his deep, irresistible baritone filling the room. Relieved, Lily sank into his embrace, keeping her eyes closed, allowing him to take the burden of reading away from her. She knew that reading it herself would be too draining for her to accomplish – James seemed to have known this too. It made her feel… well, she didn't know how it made her feel. It was certainly not an unwelcome feeling, though.

Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.

"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"

Dumbledore reached out and patted her shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.

Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy."

Lily couldn't hold back the tears this time… but this time, the pricking in her eyes was not caused from sorrow, but from relief. She felt that relief so much more strongly, and so the tears streamed freely down her face.

"Oh, thank Merlin…" James breathed. "He's alive." Lily turned her head in the crook of his arm, and their eyes met. Smiling, James continued reading, and as he did so, Lily continued to stare at him, drinking in his face. It was strange… even knowing that they would die, what… precious years from now? Even in knowing that, Lily could still feel those cliché feelings spoken about in romance novels, that blissful, floating-on-air feeling.

If they had only these precious years ahead of them… well then, those years would have to be savoured.

"No one know why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone."

Stunned, James' eyes dropped from the book. "Shit…" he whispered.

Lily half-smiled. "My sentiments exactly. How…?"

Jams shrugged, beaming at her. "A miracle child?" he suggested.

Lily laughed softly. "Maybe… keep reading."

James continued without interruption for the next paragraph, until…

"No!" Lily cried. "Harry is not going to live with my sister! She hates magic – Merlin only knows what she'll do to Harry."

James nodded. "I agree… I don't know them, but the book has been clear enough on that. Who will he live with, then?"

"Do you have any siblings?" Lily asked.

James shook his head, the little furrow appearing between his brows again.

Lily paused, contemplating, both of them rebelling against the idea of having to find their son another place to live in the first place… and also reveling in the being able to think 'our son'. It was a strange concept for the two, who had been quite convinced that their feelings were unrequited only a few short hours ago.

James broke the silence tentatively, saying, "I don't have siblings… not blood ones…" Lily glanced at him, not getting what he meant, when the realization suddenly dawned.

"Oh," she said quietly. The ache of loneliness threatened to start up again, but it didn't last long when she was – still – snuggled into James' side.

James laughed quietly. "I know you're not overly fond of them, but… well, they're the closest thing we've got. And Sirius may seem a little immature sometimes, but once I have a kid, I know he'll love it like his own." His convinction of was enough for Lily, and so she acquiesced with a nod and a "Keep reading." James obliged. He read without interruption but for a few frowns and tutting noises from the pair. The furrow in James' brow was becoming a permanent fixture. Then…

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

James' frown and brow furrow deepened. "Sirius wouldn't have stood for this," he muttered. "He would've come over here and begged to take Harry himself, even if it meant leaving the wizarding world for ten years. I know he would've." He shook his head and kept reading.

Lily glared at the book with gritted teeth, and James read with an undertone of anger to his voice, as Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, along with Hagrid, left Harry at the Dursleys'. It wasn't something either of them could reconcile with. When Hagrid said, 'I'll be taking Sirius his bike back,' James shook his head and said, "Not a chance. Sirius wouldn't let this happen."

He kept reading, right to the last line of the chapter, before he closed the book and set it down on the armrest. "It's late," he whispered, "and we've got classes tomorrow…"

Lily glanced up at him, surprised. "Since when has James Potter, serial rule-breaker and rogue prankster, held any stock with the time of classes?"

Again shocking her, James blushed for the second time that day. "Well for a start, he now has the responsibility of Head Boy to uphold," he said. "And…"

"And?" Lily pressed.

"And… and he now has a lady with whom he would like to stay in the good books of," he said, grinning roguishly and speaking in mock pretention to hide the fact that what he said was clearly true. Lily found herself blushing in response and grinning madly.

"Oh?" she said. "Well, well, well…"

James grinned at her, and she grinned back. "Well, at present I honestly couldn't care less if we skipped class…"

James blinked, and said mockingly, "Since when has Lily Evans, advocate of the rules, pronounced that she couldn't care less about skipping class?"

Lily giggled. "Since the discovery of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," she said. "I want to grab it right now and devour it with my eyes."

James laughed at her. "Nice metaphor," he said. Then he paused and, looking at Lily uncertainly, he said, "What do I tell my friends?"

Lily took a deep breath. If she was to be perfectly honest, she was kind of enjoying the prospect of this being she and James' little secret. But they were his friends, and so it was ultimately his decision. She told him as much.

"Um… well, how about we just read this privately for a little while?" he asked uncertainly.

Lily shrugged. "If that's what you want," she said.

James nodded, seeming to mull this over, before he blurted, "I kind of like it, that this is our secret," he said. "I want to tell them soon, but a few days won't hurt."

Lily nodded. She supposed she'd expected as much… she'd just have to enjoy the next couple of days as much as possible, before the rest of the Marauders joined them. But she supposed it wouldn't be too bad… she'd have to get used to them, if things between her and James continued the way they were going.

James stood up, unfurling his body and stretching. The absence of his arm around Lily's shoulders made her feel strangely empty. But when he extended his hand to her to help her up and didn't release that hand once she was standing, the warm feeling returned.

It was something she could get used to, that feeling. And it was then that she realized it… that whatever happened, in this book and in the future… she and James would face it together.

Author's Note: So. That was probably the hardest chapter I've written thus far - for both this and Core of Power - simply because of my relative inexperience with the whole romance thing. I apologise if it seemed dreadfully naive... feel free to let me know if it did. The plot bunnies and the story were conspiring against me, they wouldn't let me write the chapter without all of that... okay, okay... I didn't know what else to do with it, so to me it was a one-option thing. I'd really appreciate a review for this chapter in particular, simply to see some feedback on how I did in uncharted (for me) territory. Or flame me if you want, if you though it was dreadful... Anyways, adios!