Wandering Romance, Unwavering *A Lily and James Fan Fiction*

Both were from completely different worlds. One was from the world of magic and the other from the realm of muggles. But both attended the same school: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Their story is a long one that ends where it also began: Platform 9 ¾.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Harry Potter series or memorabilia. This is purely fictional. Anything that sounds familiar most likely belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Author's Note: Hello, my lovely readers. Sorry for the delay. This would have been posted sooner, but yesterday, my computer wouldn't load a page for anything. I had homework, and even then it wouldn't load. But it is up now! Never fear!

Still, I am sorry this took so long. If it makes you feel better, I am also mad at myself. I had to rewrite the disclaimer and up, whereas before it just rolled over from the last chapter because I cheat and copy and paste the updated chapter using the stuff from before. And I also had something really cute prepped up for this section. So I am just as upset that this took forever as you are.

Chapter Eight

"Lemon pop, dear?" Lily blinked before looking at the man. Wearily, she took a candy from the bowl he indicated on his desk and slipped it into her mouth, the sour candy causing her to pucker her lips and squint with its potent taste. Dumbledore smiled ruefully as he studied the young girl. A knock on the door drew his attention to the door. The door opened to admit the person, and the messy-haired boy stumbled in, glaring at both the caretaker and her ferret as well as his friend, and obvious partner-in-crime.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. I was hoping that I wouldn't be seeing you so quickly. Though you have beaten your father's record. I believe it took him all of five weeks to finally acquire enough trouble to land himself in this office." The messy haired boy blinked owlishly at the older man.

"I thought they had a different headmaster," he said slowly. "Headmaster… Headmaster… Dimple," he finished lamely. The portrait behind the desk sputtered as the others laughed.

"That boy should be expelled. A Potter, you are! Bloody idiots! And they really know how to pick that one nerve! Oh, how they know how to find it! They poke and prod—"

"Enough, Professor Dippet."

"—and pick and push and jab and —"

"Armando!" the headmaster said in a sterner tone, and Lily gulped, hoping that the candy meant he wasn't mad at her. The portrait, however, went silent in an instant. She glanced at James again and wondered how terrible his father was. Clearly the man terrorized the headmaster when he attended school here.

"Sorry, Professor. It is just that that is what my father called you whenever he mentioned you…"

The portrait blinked. James merely shrunk back, careful to avoid the caretaker behind him. The woman was sending the first year death glares, though he was determined not to take the blame for this. His mother would murder him via howler.

"Oh, hell, the boy has charm. I feel sorry for the people of this school." The portrait continued to mutter in a low voice, obviously not caring what the room's occupants thought of the babbling old fool. James was slowly beginning to understand why his father messed with the babbling bat. He took everything far too seriously. The thought sent him right back to what was at hand. He glared at Peter. If the fool hadn't tripped over the steps, no one would have been the wiser about the broken bust. But no. The oaf had to trip on thin air. Never mind that he broke the one article in the castle that couldn't be fixed with a wave of a wand.

"Irene, I do believe that Mr. Potter and Mr. Pettigrew are completely content to wait in my office while I speak to Ms. Evans. You may continue with your duties." The woman behind James finally let up on the death glare as she shuffled out of the room. As soon as he heard the door slam behind him, James sighed.

"Oh, thank Merlin. I thought she was going to burn a hole in my robes." Peter laughed. James sent the boy a glare. When he didn't sober up, James just assumed the boy was retarded.

Lily gave Peter the same look James was giving him.

"Ms. Evans." Lily turned immediately to look at the headmaster.

"I swear, Professor! I don't understand how her robes became acid! They just…"

"Did?" he inquired, his voice neutral, though she could have sworn she saw a twinkle in his eye. She heard James laugh behind her and she flushed.

"Oh! That was bloody brilliant! Best part of class. No one can blame you, Evans! She really was racking on the heat with you. It's not your fault you have never met a Lovegood before!" Lily spun out of the chair and stomped right up to James. He backed into the wall, gulping as she got right in his face, hand posed to punch him in the jaw. The only thing restraining her was that the school's headmaster was right behind her. She lowered her fist, slowly backing up, turning around to look at the headmaster, whose eyes were twinkling, though she had no idea what he found so humorous.

"Ms. Evans. You are not in trouble. I will warn you to better control your temper, however. Because the next time a teacher sends you to me, I am afraid I will have to put you in detention." Lily gulped, glad she held back her punch. "You may leave." With that, Lily nodded and walked out the door. She slipped outside the door, closing it silently. She heard Peter laugh, and, quickly and not thinking, decided to lurk by the door.

The boys weren't very long, and the moment they had stepped out the door, Lily planned to pounce on Peter Pettigrew. She was about to speak, but it seemed that James had beat her to it, with the added benefit of punching the boy in the arm repeatedly.

"We were in the headmaster's office, you dimwit! At least pretend you aren't an idiot for once in your life." With that James stormed off, muttering about narrow escapes from detention. Peter blinked as he looked after the boy.

"Who spilt dragon pee in his cereal this morning?"

Lily merely rolled her eyes. "You did, I'm afraid." With that, she moved forward, ignoring the look on the boy's face. Apparently, she was a brisk walker, as she caught up to the boy much too quickly.

"You didn't have to be so mean to Pettigrew." She shrunk only for a second at the glare he sent her way.

"You don't need to get in our business. Now if you would?" he asked, his words not making him sound polite at all, in spite of the verbage. She glared before storming ahead of him and off to the Great Hall for dinner.

James felt angry and horrible at the same time. He hadn't actually meant to make the red head mad. He had rather only meant to get her to buzz off for a moment so he could think. But being a boy who had not real female influence at all – and being only eleven, no matter how mature he was for the age – he went about it all wrong. He paused long enough in the corridor for a teacher to walk by. The professor stopped next to him, looking in the direction James was.

"You look very confused, Mr. Potter." James looked up at Professor McGonagall.

"Is it a bad idea to make a red head mad?" he asked innocently, and the woman smirked.

"Mr. Potter, it might be a wise idea for you to not make conversation with Miss Evans for a bit. You may just end up dead in the Gryffindor common room." With that, the professor left James alone in the corridor.

Lily stormed into the dormitory and Kimberly, who had been lounging on her bed, jumped slightly and looked up at the outburst from the redhead. Lily ignored the girl when she asked if her shepherd's pie had been burnt, choosing instead to flop onto her bed, groaning into her pillow. She didn't hear Kimberly stand and move towards her.

"Lily," the girl asked, tentatively sitting on the edge of Lily's bed. "Are you okay?" Lily propped herself up onto her elbows, hair ruffled as she blinked a couple times. Finally she looked up at the girl.

"What is it about boys?" she asked, not sure how the fellow first year would react to the question.

Kimberly pulled up the chair next to Lily's bed. She grinned cheekily. "Depends on the boy," she said, her giggle escaping. Lily rolled her eyes as she sat up, facing Kimberly.

"James Potter. He defends me only to yell at me five minutes later."

"I wouldn't take that to heart. Boys, especially ones who grew up isolated, tend to be idiotic around girls. Plus, it probably had something to do with that Peter boy that has taken to following him around. You should hear him ramble about it." Lily gave Kimberly a weird look.

"How do you and Mary know him so well?"

"I don't know him at all outside of who his parents are. None of us do, really. He is really sheltered. His parents are older, too. They were in their seventies when he was born." Lily blinked.

"That isn't possible." Kimberly chuckled.

"They may be old even by wizard standards, but they really were that old when he was born. They actually have bad health. He and either his mum or dad would constantly be in the apothecary my aunt runs for potion ingredients. They are brilliant with transfiguration, though! They helped my mum and dad with posters one time. Changed the colour from white to bright blue for my party! When we invited James to it, though…well, he never actually showed up. Though he did get me a book. It was about Roman and Greek gods. The card said that he loved reading and he figured this would be something a girl wouldn't mind reading, according to his mum anyway." Lily watched Kimberly.

"You like James Potter." Kimberly flushed.

"No. I just think he is really sweet. Besides, you would be more suited for him." Lily was the one to go red this time.

"I am not looking forward to potions," she said, changing the subject.

"You just say that because that professor has a soft spot for you. And you are partnered with Severus Snape. You have the smart guy with you in that class."

"Sev is really smart when it comes to potions," Lily said, smiling. "I don't get why no one likes him. He is really a sweet guy." She grabbed Mama Doe, holding the stuffed animal in her lap.

Kimberly hesitated before speaking. "It isn't so much him as it is his…manner. He seems a little stand-offish, to be honest. No one really wants to figure out what he is really like. You two seem to know each other already, though, so he at least has one friend." Lily frowned at that, but decided not to pursue the remark.

"So…when is quickitch? No. That isn't how you pronounce it…"

"Quidditch?" she asked.

"Yeah! When do those games start?" Kimberly shrugged.

"I think they start somewhere around October 1st. You would have to ask Wood. Adrian Wood is the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain. Actually, we should go watch the try outs! I think that would be fun, and I can explain everything to you!" Before Lily could make an argument otherwise, she was being dragged out of the dorm and down to the common room. She barely managed to keep herself upright as Kimberly proceeded to drag the eleven year old down the stairs and outside to a large stadium. Once they were up the stairs and in the wooden bleachers, Lily gasped. She stared in amazement at the people on the lawn below.

"This is amazing!" she exclaimed and Kimberly laughed.

"Welcome to the Quidditch Pitch." She sat down and looked at the people on the field. A noise behind them caused both girls to turn.

"Hello, Remus!" Lily said, and the boy smiled slightly. "Here to watch the sports try outs? Kimberly says this is supposed to be fun. I have no idea what I am about to watch."

"I am just here to watch James try out for chaser. He is probably not going to make the team, but that is only because he is a first year. First years never make the team." Lily thought about that.

"Well that is rather. If they are good enough, they should be able to make the team."

"And here I thought your first question would be what is a chaser," Sirius Black said, coming up behind Remus.

"I figured I would figure out that as try outs went on. But if you would like to explain, you are more than welcome to." Lily tried to be cordial. At the moment, her dislike was directed at Peter Pettigrew. The boy was an idiot. And he acted like a fool in the headmaster's office.

James hovered close to the walls of the pitch, not sure if this was such a good idea. There was no rule against him trying out, but it was common knowledge to everyone that first years never made the team. He was about to turn and leave when a boy called out to him. He froze at the Scottish voice.

"Oi! You plan on trying out?" he demanded.

"Adrian! Be nice to the boy! He is only a first year!" another Scottish voice called out, this one a girl.

"Do you?" he asked, ignoring the girl. James gulped. "If you do, you better get in the air. Seekers are right now."

"I-I…I am not trying out for chaser." James shrunk at the boy's scrutinizing gaze.

"Huh. I would have thought you would be, considering your build. More build for a seeker than a chaser."

"Just like you are more built for a beater than a chaser?" the girl asked, looking at James similarly. "Though you do have a point. Either way, if the boy wants to be a chaser, let him try out for chaser." Adrian Wood rolled his eyes before blowing his whistle, signalling everyone trying out for seeker to get up into the air. James watched as the teen threw little white balls at the players, some flailing, others speeding at the balls, getting hit in the eyes.

"What are you lot? A bunch of pidgeons? Catch the golf ball with your hands, ya idiots!" James blinked, not sure if joining the team was such a good idea anymore. Someone sat next to him.

"He is such a sweetheart," the girl from earlier said, staring at who James now assumed was the captain of the Gryffindor team. He felt his stomach lurch. The girl laughed at his disgusted face.

"Uh…I can't really say I see that." James swallowed as the girl patted him on the head.

"Of course you wouldn't. You are a boy. And eleven. Mostly, though, it is that you are a boy." James looked at her weird before he decided to look at the tryouts. Wood looked like he was trying to pick the best of the worst at this point. James didn't think the lot was half bad once you took out the people that flew into the ball. It took a few more tries before the teen said he would think about it and moved onto the beaters. The girl sitting next to him hopped up and grabbed her broom. James blinked before he realized that the captain looked pissed as hell.

"Cort! What the hell are you doing in the air?"

"Trying out for Beater, you dim-witted troll!" With that, she proceeded to grab a bat and prepared for the Bludgers. The captain hesitated before releasing the balls. The girl expertly batted every bludger that came at her. James was impressed. The captain looked pissed. Again, though, he didn't say anything about anyone making the team and just called for chasers, glancing at James, who at this point, unable to escape, was forced to get into the air.

Lily blinked, mesmerized. James was brilliant. While it was obvious that he could use some practice – the captain had managed to block him several times – James was obviously talented in this sport. He seemed to not notice anything but the game in front of him.

"He's amazing," Lily breathed. She didn't notice Kimberly, Remus, and Sirius watching her watch James. "How long does a quidditch match usually last?" Lily asked, finally looking way from the pitch, unimpressed by the other people on the pitch. James was the one outside of the captain and his teammate who had any real talent in throwing around and catching the red ball. Remus quickly pulled up his poker face as he answered.

"Until someone catches the snitch, which is the little golden ball that the Seeker catches."

"Do you think James made the team?" Lily asked. Sirius frowned before shaking his head.

"No matter that James is brilliant, he is easily pushed around because he is so small. Honestly, he has a seeker's build, not a chaser's. But even I can tell that while he may make a good seeker, he would be better at chasing. Just his personality. Seekers observe, but chasers go after things. James tends to prefer to go after things. I mean, look at his attitude in class. He clowns around, but he is a genius in getting his homework done quickly because he is good at chasing down the information." Lily tried to understand the spillage that occurred but she just let it be.

"So basically you are telling me that he didn't make the team." Remus, Kimberly, and Sirius all nodded.

"That is so dumb!" Lily stormed away, not noticing the looks of the three behind her.

"Does she realize that she just defended him? When she was just ranting about him not even an hour ago in our dormitory?"

Remus laughed. "No!"

"So weird. Why are girls so weird?"

Sirius was promptly smacked for his remark.

Author's Note: I rather like this chapter. I wish it didn't take me so long to figure it out, though. I actually didn't realize that I hadn't updated this since October 2013. I am so sorry to all of you beautiful people who are hanging in there. You have no idea how much I love you guys. I never thought that people would actually like What I was writing on here. I always thought it would merely be taking up space. Readers are so special to the writers. Never forget that!