Only A Matter of Time

Chapter 1

Alice Longbottom and James Potter were practically forced to be friends from birth. Yet, neither of them seemed to mind.

They soon became best friends.

At four years old the two would chase gnomes out of the garden together until the moon hung over the Burrow, and the stars twinkled down upon them.

At age seven, they ran as fast as their skinny, little legs could take them, towards the willow tree between their houses. Alice and James would catch frogs and set them free under the shade of the tree, into the ripples of the cool pond. James would then begin to splash Alice with water. She would then begin to splash him back and the two would trudge home, soaking wet with infuriated parents.

Now, at age ten, they were still best friends as they ran back from the pond, now frozen over and covered in snow. They could see the multicolor lights twinkling in the distance that lit up the Burrow. Alice squealed as James tossed snow at her back and she raced to the door.

"James stop it! James!" Alice grasped the knob and put her back to the door. "That snowball is going to go through the door and into the house James Potter, and you're Grandmum is not going to be happy with you."

He dropped the snowball and offered Alice his crooked grin, following her into the warm house. Their parents rolled their eyes as they tracked snow into the house. Alice and James ignored them and sat among James' other cousins for Christmas dinner.

The two of them scoffed down Grandmum Molly's turkey, mince pies, and pudding. The rest of the cousins, as well as Teddy and Alice designated their spots around the tree once finished. Alice and James had chosen to be right under the tree, their eyes taking in the lights flickering to the top.

By the time it was midnight, the rest of the house was asleep, though Alice and James still laughed softly under the tree, trying to make one another grin.

"Alice, I have an idea." James whispered in her ear. She rolled her eyes,

"Anytime you say that it always turns out horribly."

She continued to listen intently anyway.

"Follow me." He got up and stuck his hand out to help Alice. She shook her head.

"I can get up myself, thank you very much."

He retracted his hand and stepped over his cousins towards the front door. Alice tiptoed behind him. A floor board creaked. Fred rolled over. Alice winced and James stifled a laugh as Fred was lulled back into his sleep. They continued to and out the door.

"James it's freezing, what are you thinking?" Alice sat beside him on the porch. James shushed her,

"Look at the sun, Alice." He pointed over the evergreen trees that surrounded the Burrow. Alice scoffed.

"You want to watch the sunrise? That's why you wanted to come out in the cold on Christmas morning?" She began to get up and saw James grin at her, that stupid grin. She sighed and sat back down beside him, their skinny legs side by side in flannel pajamas.

The golden streams of light began to pour over the trees and Alice saw the reflection of the sun rise in James' glasses. It made her smile.

"Alice?" James asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah?" She responded nonchalantly, keeping her eyes locked on the sun.

"Are you worried about going to Hogwarts next year?" He asked in a meek voice. Alice turned to face him.

"I dunno, I guess so. But, Hogwarts is supposed to be amazing." She reassured her best friend. "James Potter, are you nervous?" She laughed a little. He scoffed and put a hand through his messy, unkempt hair.

"What, no!" James defended himself at first. "I dunno, I guess I'm more scared that we'll be in different houses."

"Well, let's see. If you're in Hufflepuff, don't make that face James, you'll be with Teddy. If you're in Ravenclaw you'll be with Desmond Shacklebolt. If you're in Gryffindor you'll literally be with you're whole family."

"What if I get into Slytherin, huh?" His face was riddled with concern.

"You won't be in Slytherin." She said simply.

"How do you know?"

"Because I'm smart and I know everything." Alice responded. James let out an exasperated sigh.

"Exactly! You're going to be in Ravenclaw and that's going to be awful." He put his head in his hands.

"So what if I'm in Ravenclaw? If we're friends we'll stay friends. We'll make a pact." Alice stuck her hand out. James eyed it suspiciously, but shook it all the same.

"We'll stay friends, no matter what." He spoke assertively, trying to convince himself. She laughed at his concern and turned her attention back to the sunrise.

"Alice?" James said again. Alice sighed with frustration.

"What now, James?" She turned to face him as he planted a rushed, but soft kiss on her lips. It was quick, innocent, naive, and over in the blink of an eye.

Alice opened her eyes and saw that James had bolted inside. She grinned to herself and put a hand to her lips.

It would be a while before Alice Longbottom would forget that moment on the morning of her tenth Christmas at the Burrow.