The Wrong Evans

Prologue: The Party Scene

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was no stranger to the party scene, for centuries students had found the most creative ways of both celebrating- for no apparent reason at times- and not getting caught.

That particular evening the Gryffindor common room was filled up to the brim with students from almost all houses; the sixth and seventh-year students had ushered the youngers to bed with the excuse of celebrating their first day back to the castle and in a matter of minutes, one could hardly walk without colliding with another body. The music was loud and at the same time unaidable from the chitchat going around the room; some were dancing widely, others were catching up as they drank a suspicious-looking punch and others were already tipsy and playing drinking games—how they hadn't been caught was a mystery to them all.

None of this was unusual of course, everyone knew how wild things got whenever the Marauders threw parties; no one knew exactly what spells they used to block the sound or how they managed to get the alcohol, but no one truly cared. 

What was unusual that night was the sight of the four most popular people standing in the quietest corner of the room, not drinking, not plotting, just standing as the people around them enjoyed their party.

Three of them were exchanging looks, clearly having mastered the art of conversation without words, but the fourth was just staring at the crowd with a vacant look on his hazel eyes ignoring both his best mates and the world around him; at that moment, James Potter was the personalization of defeat.

"Come on Prongs!" Sirius Black all but whined, finally breaking the silence that had fallen upon the group of friends the moment James had appeared with what smelled like Gillywater all over his shirt. Ignoring the warning look the tallest of the Marauders was sending him, the grey-eyed wizard grabbed his best friend by the back of his neck and gave him a small shake- "Forget Evans, mate!" no one had to ask what had happened, sadly everyone had seen the pitiful scene of Evans once again embarrassing James before storming off. 

If there was something James was known for was his positivity, no matter how tough and gloomy things got, the Potter heir could always be seen with a wild grin on his face and cracking jokes, but that night the newly appointed Head Boy had an untouched drink in his hand and his whole body resting on the wall as if he was too weak to even stand up- "This is our party mate, our last first party of our Hogwarts years!" Sirius kept going emphasizing his words with wild hand gestures as the other two Marauders watched James quietly. 

"Get that frown out your face, people are going to think you're Moaning Myrtle" his friends couldn't remember the last time he looked so dejected so no one could blame Sirius for trying, even if he was acting so tactlessly. James for his part could only sigh and turn to the three pair of eyes watching him— he was well aware of the fact that he was acting like a pitiful idiot, but he couldn't help it, after his latest interaction with Lily the only thing he wanted was to eat a ton of chocolate and cry. 

He had been so sure this would be the year she would give him a chance, but she still hated the sight of him. No matter what he said or did, she would never give him a chance.

As if knowing the dark turn his thoughts were taking, Padfoot groaned and shook him again, but this time before he could open his mouth the voice of reason of their quartet spoke up. 

"Leave him alone,"- Remus told off his long-haired friend before tipping his glass, finishing off his glass of fire whiskey, even the werewolf was letting lose tonight- "Can't you see he needs a moment to process the argument" he explained softly giving James a soft pat on the shoulder. Remus had only managed to catch the last of Lily's rant before she threw her drink at him and stormed off; at times Moony couldn't understand how James hadn't given up already and truly felt for him, to be so in love with someone who understood him so little. Lily might've been a great girl, just maybe not the girl for James.