Gateway to Heaven - James and Lily Potter (Jily) #Wattys2016

Starry Skies - James

James' part is up!  Are you guys enjoying the summer?

Thanks again for reading, and don't forget to leave a vote and/or comment (I keep saying that, I sound like some thirsty self-absorbed writer, but I promise I'm not, I'm not obliging you to do anything, it's just that I appreciate them a lot and you  guys should feel welcome to leave a comment if you like. No obligations.)

"Prongsie, my boy, why are you grinning like that?" Sirius looks at me from across the room, holding at least fifty empty flasks for him to wash - no magic allowed, Slughorn knows how to give decent detentions, even if it's for one of his favorite students - while I sweep the floors, not even minding the putrid smell that is still hanging around.

"I got myself a date with Evans," I reply, trying to hide my giddiness,"and she's not even angry."

"Angry!?" my friend exclaims, dropping the flasks into a massive, water-filled cauldron,"Prongs, she must be ecstatic! You're raving, she's crazy about you! Completely bonkers! I swear if-"

"Okay, okay, that's enough, Black," I interrupt but the innocent smirk is still plastered on his face,"You don't know that for sure. Last time we were close - as in, romantically close - as in homecoming last September - she got fuming at me. But then I made it right with Snivellus,"

"Sort of," Sirius adds,

"Yes, sort of. But it was sort of the best I could do at that time, and she was content with it."

"I guess so."

A week after that disastrous ball I approached Severus during breakfast. He was sitting alone, as usual, and while I tried being as discreet as possible, I knew at least half the Slytherin table was suspiciously eyeing me. "Severus -" I started, my throat burning from the nerves. He looked around, brushing his pathetically greasy hair out of his face. "James," he replied curtly.

"Severus, I know we're not on good terms -"

"Nor will we ever be -"

"I know, and that's not going to change, but I want to call a truce."

He looked surprised at that statement and, while clearly expressing his distrust, asked me what I meant.

"How about we improve both our lives by just totally ignoring each other? Look, both of us care about Lily -"

"How dare you compare your feelings to mine..." he grumbled but I ignored him. Severus Snape had lost his chance of competing against me from the moment he stood at the lake and called her a Mudblood. Given the choice, she'd choose me. For sure. I could feel it already. 

"And it's only making her dreadfully unhappy to see us fighting like that. So how about we stop? I'm not implying we should be friends -"

"Because that will obviously never happen,"

"Most probably not, but we can ignore each other. Act neutral. Pretend we do not have a long history behind us. And Severus, I'm sorry for bullying you so, I really am. I was an idiot -"

"You still are." he was still muttering under his breath.

"Fine, have it your way. I take my apology back. But can we call it a truce?"

What choice did he have? A dozen or so Slytherins were staring at us. I could feel Lily's gaze burning from the Gryffindor tables.

"Truce," he said, and I held out my head, which he shook reluctantly.

Triumphantly, I headed back to my house table, winked at Lily, and finished my breakfast.

"Sirius, I can't say I didn't try," I say, looking over towards my friend who's frantically scrubbing the flasks with a bubbly, soapy lotion,"I called it a truce and we've both kept quiet."