Familiar Stranger

Chapter Three - Of Endings, New Beginnings and Familiar Strangers

That morning, when James Potter awoke, he found he was alone in his bed, his house silent as normal…but that wasn't supposed to be normal…not this morning. This morning Lily Evans was supposed to be lounging beside him, perhaps still sleeping, perhaps reading yesterday's Prophet to herself…he was not supposed to be staring at an empty space of crinkled sheets that smelt of her mingled with his shampoo.

He sat up and automatically slipped his glasses on his face, for the first time since he'd acquired them not glaring distastefully at the lens he relied too much upon. She had made him feel whole, and suddenly there seemed nothing to be ashamed of…suddenly it was okay to have a weakness; a flaw. He left the bedroom pulling on his dressing gown as he did so, the shards of the Whiskey bottle had been cleared away and a note resided on the surface. The surface which she'd sat upon and first tasted her lips. First seen her. Smelt her. Known her.

I return to my world, knowing it is acceptable for me not to be perfect.

Lily x

He hadn't known much about her, he couldn't tell you her favourite colour, or music, or food…but he knew her, because although she'd been a stranger she'd been just like him. Hiding the imperfections, slipping behind a smile or a drink. Finding solace in things that only distracted from the problem, never ridding them of it.

0x-

Lily sat in her Agent's office being congratulated on bring in another half a million.

"…we needed a bit of scandal with you," he smiled, "yes, you're a brilliant actress but you're always in the papers for positive reasons…a little bit more mystery with you is good. It'll help re-catch that feeling people had about you in the beginning - related to no one famous, from a Boarding school - in France, no less - beautiful…yes, yes this is definitely good."

Lily found herself simply nodding and agreeing, picking at the cuff of the baggy men's shirt she was wearing. It reminded her of him and that bought comfort, it was what was helping her thinking straight and concentrating on her plan. It was time she returned to her world. Her true world and embraced, once and for all, what she really was.

"Lily!"

"Hmm…?"

"This is Madame Jolis. She is to take you to and fit you for your dress at the BAFTAs."

Lily's emerald eyes flickered up to a tall, pin-thin, woman her hair was glossy and straight, a long ebony fringe almost obstructing her dusky brown eyes. She wore a pair of incredibly tight black jeans, a bright red Lycra top that could have substituted for a second skin, finished with a black neck scarf tied in a cute knot around her throat; she looked every inch celebrity and for once Lily didn't feel inadequate as she sat there in old faded jeans and an over-large shirt.

0x-

James sat in a café in Diagon Alley opposite a very tall, skinny man, decked in extravagant dark red and gold robes, his beard was long and turning white from the rich grey it had been for many years; he was having brunch with Albus Dumbledore.

"Now, James, I know you are no longer with the Auror force…"

"Please, Albus, there's no need to rub salt in the wound."

"But dear boy, salt in a wound helps to dry it out, helps it to heal...even if it does sting like a Bludger."

James smiled, there was no getting around it - the old man was wise…and by the little twinkle in his blue eyes, he knew it. The raven haired man took a swig of his coffee, savouring the heat of the smooth liquid on his tongue before swallowing and thinking how hard it would be giving up his evening Fire Whiskey's…but it had to be done. He wasn't damaged goods, he was a damn good Wizard, he was intelligent…he had what it took to be a key Order member, according to Dumbledore…whatever The Order was. . .

0x-

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.

"Miss Evans - where'd you go?"

"Any explanations, Lily?"

"Yo, Evans, what was with the disappearing act?"

"Lily, you look stunning! Whose dress are you wearing this evening - Dolce?"

Click. Click. Click. Click.

"Lily! Lily! Can I just have a word --"

"An autograph, Miss Evans!"

Click. Click. Click.

"How'd you feel about being up for Best Actress, again?"

"D'you think you stand a chance this year, Miss Evans?"

"Lily - you gonna run again?"

Click. Click.

She could hear the reporters yelling, hear the screams of the crowds and flash of many camera's shone in her eyes but she no longer felt blinded. She kept on walking down the red carpet, her Mother attached to her left arm and her Agent to her right. She was clothed in a black backless dress, it was a halter neck garment, the chest covered in vertical lines of onyx, around her thin waist was a thick waspie belt, held together with drawstring black lace, the skirt was long and fairly tight, allowing you to see the outline of her figure perfectly…it trailed down the carpet behind her at lest twelve inches. Her hair was straight and puffed up, her eyes were surrounded by dramatic kohl and her lips were a shiny cherry-red.

She was smiling, not a fake, pleasant smile, just beaming for tonight she felt whole…felt that she was doing what was right…something no one could take from her; James had lit a fire within her that wasn't to be easily doused.

"Over here, Miss Evans! Is it true you've been given the role of --"

"Lily! Just a few words…"

0x-

James sat in his home, Sirius - his best friend - beside him both of them having just left Dumbledore's company, both new members of the Order of the Phoenix - both ready and willing to fight the rising Dark Forces that were being led by, one, Voldemort. A pizza lay between them and another on the table, it was waiting for the other two members of their friendship group to arrive; Remus Lupin, werewolf and Healer for the Order and Peter Pettigrew, the least impressive corer of their square but necessary to them all the same, he too was a member of the Order.

Pop! Pop! Signified the entrance of the two said men who took their places opposite James and began to tuck into their food.

"I bought us bottle!" grinned Peter, producing a large glass vessel containing amber liquid. He popped off the cork, "Leaky Cauldron's best, to celebrate Padfoot and Prongs finally seeing sense and joining the Order."

He took a swig and passed the bottle to Remus who immediately shook his head and saw that the bottle was given to Sirius who too took a long draft - his eyes watering from the stinging - and handed it to James.

The black-haired man stared down at what was in his hand, the orange-y brown liquid swished and gurgled, it was tempting him - 'just take a sip'… 'one wouldn't hurt. . .'

"Er, Prongs?" Sirius' voice cut through his musings, he looked up to see his friend holding a gold taffeta dress, "something you're not telling us about."

"It's…Lily's"

"Lily?"

"Yeah…long story."

"We got a long night ahead then." smirked Peter.

And as James resolutely put the bottle on the table he began to tell his friends…from the beginning, starting with the fact he'd become slightly alcohol dependant after loosing his job.

0x-

Melinda Lucchini with her radiant smile and shimmering olive skin stood behind the podium, her red ball gown glittering beautifully, her back poised and her cheekbones high. Her long slender, bejewelled fingers, opened up the gold envelope and to the audience at large she announced the result.

"And the award for Best Actress goes to. . .Lillian Evans, for her leading role in --"

Lily's Mother beamed proudly and clapped ferociously loud along with the rest of the crowd. Lily set down her water, beaming, and stood, making her way down the long flight of stairs towards the gold bedecked stage. Before long she was beside the Italian beauty and holding the golden award in her hands.

"Well, this, this really is a shock. And I'd like to thank you all, it means so very much to me. . .but it has given me the perfect way to end something; I'm retiring."

A gasp echoed throughout the room then -- silence.

". . .I'm really sorry, Mum, I know this is something you wanted for me, and for a while I deluded myself I wanted it too. . .but acting has lost it's fun - I don't want to wear masks and have to look perfect all the time. . .I want a chance to find out who I really am, and that's not something I can do in this situation. And so I want to thank all of you who pushed me up to the top, but I'm going to bow out graceful, going leave this world before I'm pulled out of it ungracefully. . .and so, tonight is the last you'll see of Lily Evans in the spotlight, the last you'll read of me in the papers and the last time I have to be who you made me; I loved it for a while, but now I'm finding the view from my pedestal dull and lifeless. . ."

And with the parting words she kissed Melinda on the cheek and walked back up to her seat, many people standing and clapping her as she did so, her Mother looking furious and her agent looking as though Christmas were just cancelled. But for once she didn't care she'd disappointed anyone, for finally, at the age of twenty-four she knew what she wanted. . .and by Merlin, she was going to get it.

0x-

The Order meeting had been in session twenty minutes when a knock at the door signified a late member, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter all stopped their debates, as did the remainder of those in the room, Dumbledore smiled and said mildly "Do come in."

A woman wearing emerald green silk robes entered, her dark ruby, loosely curled hair falling out of the large bejewelled clip she wore, swinging in front of her only-just-visible brilliant green eyes, her skin was pale and she was smattered with a few beige freckles. . .

"Ah this is our new member, Lily Evans. . ."

James caught her gaze and both shared a smile ,for they needed no introduction, they were already Familiar Strangers.

Fin.

Author's Note: Finally, eh? Hehehe.

Well, it got here eventually. My beta is looking over it so I'll post the beta'd version at a later date, when I receive it.

I hope you like it. . .I know it doesn't finish like the advert but. . .I just didn't think that'd fit it. I much prefer this.

Review? For me? I'll. . .erm, love you for it?

Tasha x