Author's Note: otayz...so, this is my newfulest fic, In The News...it's an L/J, and it's 'bout...well, read it!
DISCLAIMER: I own whatever JK/WB doesn't own...
Chapter One:
The Top Story
"I do believe that Voldemort can and will be stopped, and the aurors in the Defense Against Evil Forces office are the ones to stop him." Said Mr. Patrick Beanmore, head of the Defense Against Evil Forces Office last Tuesday. He claims that the dark lord, Voldemort, more commonly known lately as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who will be stopped before he can commit anymore murders. We of the press can only hope that this is true.
Lily Evans put away her quill and sat back in her office chair. It was a pretty cowardice job, being a reporter. It wasn't anything like the job she'd wanted back in Hogwarts...
There was a knock at the door. "Lily Evans! Come out now! Are you finished your article yet? You promised you'd finish before lunch!" Came the voice of Lily's best friend, Arabella.
"Yeah, I'm done, Belle. Come in." Lily replied to her friend.
"Has anyone ever told you that you work way too much?"
"Yeah," Lily laughed, "You, a bazillion and twelve times."
"Is a bazillion even a number? I hope you don't put a bazillion in your articles. You need to check your facts." Bella joked
"Ok, well, let's go have lunch!" Lily said happily. She hadn't been out for lunch in months. In fact, she didn't think she'd gotten out of her office in weeks.
"How long do we have?" Asked Bella, knowing Lily they would have 2 minutes to eat lunch.
"Well...I have to interview someone from the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office about a mad sofa that killed a muggle at 1:00..." Lily started, but seeing the look of disappointment on Arabella's face added, "But, I can be a few minutes late, it won't kill me,"
Bella grinned, "That's the spirit! It feels like I haven't talked to you in months!"
"Bella! You share an apartment with me! Of course we've spoken in months!" Lily said, knowing that the apartment might as well have been Bella's for the amount of time Lily spent in it.
"Lily Evans, we both know that if you're lucky, you get home by 10, and leave at 5. It's insane, Lily. You take your job way too seriously!"
"What can I do, Belle? I have an-"
"I know, I know, you have an obligation to the public." Bella smiled at her overworked friend.
Lily and Bella walked inside a little café. "Go wait at that table, I'll go order." She said. As she walked back, carrying two bowls of soup, two sandwiches, and some drinks, a man crashed directly into her. Luckily, Lily didn't spill her soup or drinks, but she was completely annoyed. "Can't you watch where you're going?" She asked to the man, who had a head of messy black hair, and brown eyes.
"Why don't you?" The man snapped back
"Because I'm busy concentrating on not dropping my food!"
"Lily Evans?" The man asked, looking up at Lily.
"Yes, have we met?" Lily asked, glaring at the man
"You'd think you'd recognize me. James Potter ring a bell?" It did, and it wasn't a nice bell. Lily's glare on him didn't soften.
"Potter," She said with contempt. "You haven't gotten yourself blown up in the past year?"
"Lily! Come on!" Said Bella, agitated, "You have an interview at one, remember, we have to eat! I know this might be a new concept for you, seeing as I have no idea if you actually touch a grain of food at that god forsaken office of yours, but some of us are starved!"
"Coming, Belle!" Lily grabbed her tray, and walked over toward Bella. To Lily's disgust James sat down at the table next to theirs. "What are you doing? Stalking me?" Lily asked him.
"Yes, that and waiting for Sirius."
"I don't believe we've met," Arabella said to James. "I'm Arabella Figg, but everyone calls me Belle or Bella."
"Nice to meet you," James said rather politely, "James Potter, auror, and ex-quiddich chaser extraordinaire, I used to play for England," James' ego kicked in
"Oh my god! You're James Potter! I thought you looked like him, but I never guessed you'd actually be him! You're like...famous!" Arabella squealed delightfully, "Lily! You never told me you knew James Potter!"
"I was trying to forget." Lily muttered
James put on a face, "I'm hurt, Evans, you didn't talk about me? Well, I understand, I mean, you missed me so much that you tried to forget about me. Everyone knows you were crazy about me."
"HA!" Lily said so loudly a few people turned around to stare at her. "Me? Crazy about you? In your dreams, Potter. The day I'm crazy about you is the day Sirius Black decides to throw away all his dungbombs, and go be an accountant." Seeing the blank looks on Arabella and James' faces, she added, "It's a boring muggle job."
"Did someone say my name?" Came a voice.
Lily sighed, "Oh, joy. It's Sirius Black."
"Oh, look! It's Fireball!" Sirius said, grinning at Lily
Lily rolled her eyes, "Sirius Black. You'd think you'd have gotten more mature after Hogwarts."
"Well, speaking of maturity, and politeness, who's your friend?" Sirius grinned at Arabella
"Bella Figg, She went to a small wizarding school in Wales run by her parents, now she's an auror."
"An auror? Wow, it's funny we haven't run into each other. I'm an auror also. Me and James are the best of the best."
Lily rolled her eyes, "Sirius Black, you have an ego to fill all of Europe."
Sirius ignored her, "So, what are you doing, Fireball?"
Lily gave him a slight smile. "I have a sensible job. I'm a journalist for The Daily Prophet. It's quite fun, actually, except for the fact that I have to see that rat Rita Skeeter every day."
"She's a work-a-holic," Bella put in, "She works at least 12 hours a day." Bella rolled her eyes.
"I am not a work-a-holic." Lily said, "I have a respon-"
"A responsibility to the public, I know." Bella finished
Lily then looked at her watch and gasped. "It's 2 o'clock!" She shrieked, and disappeared on the spot.
"Wow...that girl does fly..." James said, laughing
"So, have you finally realized you're in love with her?" Sirius asked, grinning at his friend, who was still staring at the spot Lily had disappeared from.
"Am not!"
"You are too!"
Bella giggled, "I have to go, umm...see you later!" She flipped her hair and walked off.
"Wow..." Sirius stared at Bella walking off, dazed.
Lily didn't get home until late that night, but Bella was sitting up in bed waiting for her. "Hey, Lil!" She said
"Hi, Bella!"
"So...how was work?"
"Oh, it was ok. That priss Rita Skeeter keeps treating me like her secretary. Honestly! Just because she's been working there a year longer than me doesn't give her any right to tell me to get her coffee!" Lily rolled her eyes.
"Oh...so...nice whether we're having, isn't it?"
"Oh, just get on with it, Belle, I know that at some point your going to ask me something that you want to know, so, just shoot."
"Oh, fine...well...is Sirius single?"
Lily burst out laughing.
"What's so funny? I find nothing funny about it...I'm just asking...out of curiosity!"
Lily giggled, "Curiosity, my foot! And, yeah, he's single, I think. He's also the world's most egoistical, self-centered, annoying guy!"
"Well, I don't think so. He's nice. And funny. And cute! Really, Lily, I don't know how you could actually spend 7 years with Sirius and not like him. He has to be the most perfect person on the face of this planet..." Bella sighed.
Lily rolled her eyes, and laughed, "Trust me, not liking him was easy. Now, staying alive was the hard part." She giggled, "What with all those pranks he was always playing...he and James must've aged McGonagall about twenty years."
"You don't like him, do you, Lily? 'Cause if you do..."
"No! Of course not, Belle! He's all yours" She yawned. "I'm tired. G'night, Bella."
"'Night, Lil."
James lie on his bed, half-asleep when a pillow came flying at him. "James? Are you asleep?" Asked Sirius
James groaned, "I am now, Sirius. What is it?"
"Nothing. I just can't sleep."
"You woke me up to tell me you can't sleep?"
"Well, yeah. If I'm not going to sleep, neither are you."
"Ok, but, be quiet, you don't want to wake Peter and Remus in the other room also, do you?"
"Nope, I think I'll just annoy you tonight."
"Oh, joy." James said sarcastically
"So, what do you think of that Arabella Figg?"
"I think she's probably more your type."
"Is anyone not more my type than yours? I like Arabella, but you desperately need a girlfriend, James, you need to tell Lily that you like her, and lastly you need to get over Victoria."
"Firstly, I do not like Lily," James started, knowing this wasn't true, "Secondly; I do not need a girlfriend. I'm perfectly content," Another lie, "And, thirdly, I am over Victoria. She wasn't my type. Too ditzy, not nice, or smart, or funny. She was just into me because of quiddich."
"We all know that, but you still aren't over her."
"Yes, I am!" James said, although, part of him wasn't.
"Miss Evans, Mrs. Rimly left your new assignment on your desk, she said she's sorry it's a bit last minute, but she really wants this article in by Thursday."
"Ok, sure, thanks, Maria, oh, and could you get me up cup of coffee please, cream, no sugar."
"I'll see to it, Miss."
Lily sat back in her desk and skimmed the topic for her next article. "Aurors...what they do on a daily basis....spend a day at the auror office with an auror...at least five direct quotes...check your facts..." Lily sighed. She'd defiantly be working overtime for the next week. But, it was probably worth it. A cover story article wasn't a chance that came and went every day.
"You coffee, Miss, just how you like it"
Lily smiled, "Thank you, Maria, I'll be doing research all day, so if anyone comes to see me, or anything, tell me I'm at the Auror Office downtown, and am not to be bothered, unless it's important."
"I'll see to it, miss. Here's your coat. Have a nice day." Maria smiled, and Lily made her way out the door.
"Now, remember, Potter, this is important. We want the public to know that the auror office is being successful, and that death eaters don't stand a chance next to us. If there's anything that we don't want the press to know, try to gloss over it." Said Mr. Beanmore, a tall brown haired man, with dark eyes.
"Yes, Pat" James replied,
"I'm counting on you, Potter. Remember that we need our funding from the public, and if the public doesn't think we're doing what we need to, they're liable to shut us down. And no one here wants that. We have minimum wage salaries as is."
"Ok, Patrick, I'll see to it everything goes as planned."
"Good, Potter. Those reporters can be feisty. We just have to pray we don't get Rita Skeeter. If so, we're doomed."
"Oh, I think I'd rather spend a day with Rita Skeeter than..."
"Lily Evans?" His boss laughed, "She's a good reporter. She's done some very nice articles. I really liked that one about..." Just then, speak of the devil, Lily Evans walked through the office doors, and James groaned.
Lily saw him and glared, then turned to Mr. Beanmore and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Beanmore, It's nice seeing you again! I'm here to do my research on my auror article..."
"Yes, yes, of course. This is James Potter, I believe you've met. Have fun!" His boss chuckled, and strutted away whistling.
"Potter," Lily groaned, "Isn't once a year enough?"
"It is for me. It's not like I asked to be doing this. I could've spent the day fooling around with Sirius, but instead I'm here with an annoying reporter."
Lily grinned, "Can I quote you on that?"
"No! If you do, I'll spend the rest of my life making you pay,"
"Don't worry, Potter. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't quote you on that. You don't know the first thing about reporters."
"Well, you don't know the first thing about aurors, so let's get started."
"Get started with what? What do you aurors do in the morning?" Lily said, with her quill out, ready to take notes.
"We go get breakfast!"
"Breakfast?" Lily said, as if it were a foreign word.
"Yes, like Bella would tell you, just because reporters starve themselves all day doesn't mean aurors do. We actually eat three meals a day."
"Ok, fine, let's go have breakfast, but I'm not hungry. I already had my coffee."
James rolled his eyes, "Suit yourself. But, I guarantee you'll change your mind when you see the cinnibuns..." James licked his lips. (A/N: I'm not sure if they have cinnibuns back then, but, o well...)
They sat down at the table, and James ate his cinnibun. Lily found herself licking her lips. How log was it since she'd eaten solid food for breakfast? It must've been at least a year..."Let me have a piece." She complained, like an eight year old.
"No! It's mine! Get your own!" James said, sounding like a two year old. Just then, a blond, thin, girl walked in with a man. James opened his mouth in horror. "Hide me!" He muttered, trying to hide underneath the table.
"What? What're you doing, Potter?"
"It's my ex-girlfriend, Victoria." James muttered, "Maybe she won't recognize me." But, at that second, Victoria's head turned toward James.
"Oh, Jamsie? It that you? How nice to see you again! This is my fiancé, Roger." She gestured toward a man, who had a black suit on, and was obviously filthily rich.
"Your fiancé? We broke up five months ago, and you're already ENGAGED?" James was almost yelling at her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Jamsie. I understand that you might still be recovering from your loss of me, but I'm in love, Jamsie!"
"I am not still recovering!"
"Of course not, dear. Denial is to be expected." James' face was getting redder by the second.
"Oh, this is my girlfriend, Lily, how rude of me not to introduce you to her." James put an arm around Lily's shoulder and Lily opened her mouth to protest.
"Oh, hi there, doll! I'm Victoria Marygold Kameran Margaret Patricia Juliet Hemlocks the 5th. Soon to be: Victoria Marygold Kameran Margaret Patricia Juliet Martins."
Already Lily couldn't stand the girl, which was why she decided to play along with James' game. "Oh, that's nice. I'm Lily...Christina Annabelle Rebecca Nicole Serafina Kyla Evans...the 6th" She said, trying to outdo Victoria by making up middle names.
"It's so very nice to meet you. Why don't we sit down and have a little chat all together!" Victoria had on a sugary sweet smile, which made both Lily and James want to gag. "So, Jamsie? Still doing your little...what was it? Auror thing? Or have you moved on to bigger and greater jobs?"
James glared. "I'm an auror. It happens to be one of the most important jobs in the ministry at the moment."
"Oh, yes, of course, James. Roger here is a few positions down from the minister of magic himself. So, what do you do, Lila, is it?"
"Lily." She muttered, "I'm a reporter for the Daily Prophet."
"Oh, how...interesting..."
By then, James was quite fed up with Victoria Hemlocks the 5th. "Well, we'd better be going. Goodbye!" He dragged Lily out the door.
"That is the most impertinent, snobby, self-absorbed girl I have ever met."
"I know...and that guy...he just makes me mad..." James said
"He didn't even talk, James! Somebody's jealous..."
"Moi? Jealous of whoever is being forced to spend the rest of eternity with that witch with a b? Ha! I have nothing but pity for the poor man..."
Lily giggled, "Ok, so what do aurors do next?"
"We go back to the office and-Sirius?"
"Emergency! We've been called down to China. There's been an attack down there."
"Ok, come on Lily!" James said
"What? Aren't there aurors in China?"
"Yeah, but, like I said, we're the best of the best." Sirius said, "Let's go!"
The three immediately apparated into Hong Kong, China. There were screams and shouts all over the place. Lily was completely shocked. There was a crying little lost girl next to her, whom Sirius and James completely ignored as they ran off to find the Death Eaters. Lily picked up the little girl, although she didn't know one word of Chinese. Lily figured the girl would be too young to tell her where her parents were anyways. Then Lily saw what looked like a distressed mother. She brought the girl to the mother, who was in tears, hugging her child. The mother looked toward Lily, "Thank you." She said, seeing that she was British, the Lily rushed off.
"James? Sirius?" Lily ran through the chaos of the streets, looking for James or Sirius. Then, without warning, some one put their hand over her mouth. She was completely shocked, and punched the man in the ribs with her elbow. But, the man did not loosen his grip. He dragged her into a building.
"You stay here." The man said in a Chinese accent, "You our hostage."
A/N: tehehe...kinda cliffy, eh? Review, please!