To say Lily had been completely surprised to see James was an understatement, she was even more surprised when it turned out he didn’t stalk her to her hometown just to torment her. And she was filled with jealousy at the fact that the absolute mongrel that was James Potter had such an amazing tutor. They stayed at the diner until closing, Harry answering every question she had. Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, Runes, even rituals, which was scary when she realized just how knowledgeable Harry was about them.

He was a fountain of knowledge and experience. The battle scars that littered his body proof. But he was so old too. To have been through Grindelwalds war at his age must have been a nightmare. And she felt a deep sadness when he had mentioned his past wives.

Somehow she doubted it was divorce that separated them.

“Harry- could you become our Defense teacher next year please,” Lily begged. “We get a new one every year and well, I think I’ve learned more from you today than I ever have from them.”

Harry smiled widely.

“That’s what I said. Man’s a genius,” Potter muttered, staring at the empty road with some trepidation.

“Thank you Lily, but I’m sorry to say I can’t.”

Lily deflated. Obviously it was a longshot. Tutors like Harry probably were way out of Hogwarts price range.

“Unfortunately I won’t be alive much longer.”

Lily’s head shot up, and tears began to pool in her eyes. Harry looked at her in shock.

“Sorry, probably shouldn’t have said anything. My bad,” he stuttered, panic in his face.

“Y-you’re dying?”

Harry grimaced.

“Yeah.”

It was true despite moving like a twenty year old Harry was old, like old old.

“Why are you teaching in your last… last months I guess,” Lily asked sadly.

She didn’t know why she was so emotional right then, she hadn’t been that distraught even when her own grandmother died last year. Not that she had been emotionless about that. But for some reason Harry dying just felt so unnatural and gut wrenching. Fucking periods.

“I’ve always enjoyed teaching, and quite honestly Lily, I don’t have family anymore. Everyone I know is dead.”

“K-kids?” she didn’t know why she was being so nosy, it was like she was scrambling to find some hope for Harry.

“Died in the war. Never had grandkids,” Harry said, voice kind and soft. “But I’ve made my peace with it Lily. Now I’m just doing what I can so the next generation can live full lives.”

And teaching James Potter was the way to do that? She bit back the words. They were unnecessarily mean. And it wasn’t like Lily had the connections or money to hire someone like Harry anyways.

James had actually been okay today, despite the surprise meetup.

“Hmm, one moment.”

Harry dashed around a corner into an alley, and Lily was surprised at how quick he was.

She looked to James, who looked just as shocked at the sudden disappearance as she was. He looked at her, then of course the fool had to go and grin, like this was all some joke. Potter ran a hand through his messy hair.

“Well, that was something huh? Guess he could feel the love in the air and wanted to give us some space.”

Lily groaned. Of course James had only acted decently because his tutor had been there.

She really couldn’t stand it when he did these things. Sure he was cute, but she didn’t like how he seemed to have some weird fascination with her. Like she was some rare animal rather than a girl.

“I can’t believe you're joking about your tutor's death.”

James flinched.

“I- I… damn. Sorry, I’ve gotten used to him talking about it and making jokes that I kinda forgot its not something others would find…”

“Tasteful? Funny? Something to bring up to a random girl?”

“Random?” James said looking confused.

Damn he was cute.

“Alrighty there here- What did James do?” Harry said, walking back around the corner with a small woman's purse in his hands.

Did he just mug someone?

“Did you just mug someone?” James asked incredulously.

“What?” Harry looked down, then barked out a laugh. “No no no. This was my late wife's.”

“Hermione or Luna?”

“Hermione, trust me, you don’t want to stick your hand into Luna’s purse, might lose your fingers, or have them turned into flobberworms. I remember freaking out because I couldn’t hold my wand properly to reverse the spell. Hmm maybe this is the wrong purse after all.”

Lily and James looked at Harry in horror and he let out a laugh.
“Kidding kidding… or am I?”

In sync both Lily and James put their hands on their hips and scowled at the old man. Whose eyes widened with surprise.

“You’re both so sassy.”

Lily was also surprised at the in sync movement, but didn’t want to comment on it.

“Anyways Lily, this is for you.”

“What?”

He was giving his wife's purse to her? Despite not even knowing her? Why a purse of all things?

“Hermione loved books, so much so that she hated that she couldn’t bring our library with us when we traveled. So of course, being the genius that she is, she put our library into her purse. Here, look inside.”

Harry opened the bag and both Lily and James got close together to look inside. Lily was surprised at the warmth radiating off of Potter. He smelled good too, like snow and pine.

Inside the purse was an entire giant library, when she focused on some of the distant words the image zoomed in closer.

“Hogwarts a History, seventh edition.”

“She had a hobby of collecting those. The first addition and misprinted ones are in display cases. Go ahead, reach in and grab it.”

Lily did so, the book was still small, while her hand was still normal, so she had to pull it back with her nail and grab it between two fingers, but once her had breached the opening of the purse the book grew to full size.

Lily gaped.

“You’re giving this to her?! Why not me?” James spluttered.

“She’s nicer, and you’re getting the benefit of my direct tutelage.”

Lily leafed through the book before putting it back in and then squealing as she saw a book about charms. Then she heard what they were talking about.

“I can’t take this! This is… well I honestly don’t know how much this would cost, and its your wifes!”

“Probably costs as much as the manor two times over,” James muttered.

Ignoring the reminder that mophead was a rich kid Lily looked to Harry, who only looked back with a kind smile.

“Meh I don’t use it that much anyways, and money means nothing to me. My wife would honestly rather have you take it then leave it with me to be buried. I will warn you though, I have cast several wards and charms on some of the more dangerous material. Once you turn seventeen most of it will be revealed, but the rest will have to wait until you have the skill to dismantle the wards. Also the first book on the top left shelf has instructions for the purses upkeep that my wife herself wrote. Unless it gets damaged it shouldn’t need refreshments spells for at least six years, and by then the spells should be easy for someone of your obvious talent in Charms.”

Lily blushed under the praise. Harry hadn’t even seen her cast a spell, but he had complete faith in her. Still she was hesitant to take it.

“Please Lily, I know you’ll put the knowledge to good use.”

If anything she blushed harder, but she took the purse, the bit her lip before giving the man a strong hug. It seemed to shock him, but eventually he returned it. His arms surprisingly strong, and very comforting. Like home.

“What a ponce,” James muttered.

Lily turned on him.

“Really? Do you have to ruin every moment of joy for me?”

James winced.

“Just saying, the old man is nothing but kind until he has you running through the snow for an hour at a time.”

Lily let out a breath, no she shouldn’t be angry after receiving such a gift, even if James was stone set on being a nuisance.

She saw Harry mouth something to James. Something “Magical Senses.” What?

James seemed to perk up, then deflate, then squirm before letting out his own heavy breath. He ran a hand through his hair and Lily knew he was about to say something stupid.

“Lily?”

Not Evans? Well not the first time but still.

“What?”

“Just wanted to say you look great today, and I’m super happy I got to see you, even if it was unplanned.”

His eyes were completely sincere, not hoping for her own compliment back, or seemingly follow up joke. Just a simple compliment.

Lily blushed heavily. What was that about? Yeah he’s said similar stuff before, but its always been either stupid or weirdly said. This was just.. Appreciation, and nothing more. Her blush deepened.

“Er, yeah, just don’t get into any trouble alright. I wouldn’t want to see you in the Prophet or anything-”

She cut off.

The Prophet… Hadn’t there already been something about James in the Prohpet for the past few issues. She had read it the first time, but had dismissed it as James doing something stupid like… running away with Remus or something.

It had been about… him missing? Possibly kidnapped?

Lily’s eyes widened as she stared at Harry, whose own eyes widened in understanding.

“James!” Harry yelled.

“Huh?” James asked, a goofy smile on his face.

“We gotta go. You know training and all that.”

“Aww, can I at least-”

“Nope.”

Harry grabbed James by the wrist and began to drag him away.

“Wait!” Lily yelled, chasing after them.

Harry saw this and picked up James in a bridal carry and sprinted off like an Olympic athlete, quickly disappearing around an alley.

Lily followed only to see it empty. They had disapparated, didn’t that make a sound? Then again with how skilled Harry seemed to be he might have been able to silence it. What the hell was going on?

Not really knowing what to do, Lily went back home. It was only when she went upstairs to her room that she remembered the purse in her hands. Squeaking, she tossed it onto her bed as if it was about to explode.

Was it dangerous? Was Harry? Was James in trouble? Why didn’t he seem scared? Was he Confunded? Or worse, Imperioused?

Lily dug through the trash bin, taking out that morning edition of The Daily Prophet. Turning to the page on James.

THE KIDNAPPING OF JAMES POTTER

James Fleamont Potter-

His middle name is Fleamont? Oh he was going to squirm like a worm when she brought that up.

James Fleamont Potter went missing three weeks ago the day he returned from his fourth year at Hogwarts. Sources say whatever happened destroyed the Potter Manor wards, but there was no sign of struggle from the boy. There have also been reports that James has been communicating with his parents, but has said nothing of his location or what happened. In return Lord Fleamont Potter has been very vocal in the recent Wizengamot meeting, Abraxas Malfoy states that he was “frothing like a rabid dog that needed to be put down.” a controversial statement to be sure in these times.

While they have been able to prove that James Potter has indeed been the one writing the letters, and not some cruel forgery, they do not know if he is actually safe, or why he disappeared. Even more worrying is the chance he could be Imperioused into writing these. Should you see James Potter alert the local authorities at once, and watch out for glazed eyes, strange behavior, and difficulty having normal conversations.

Lily groaned. What in Merlins name was she supposed to do now? How in the bloody hell was she supposed to contact the authorities anyways? Not like she had an owl. (When she was eleven she hadn’t wanted to deal with all their droppings.) and since then she just used her friends’ or the school’s.

Could she use underage magic to bring them to her home? What if instead they just expelled her instantly. And was James really kidnapped or did he just doing something Potter-like and run away with a dangerous, but good teacher?

She was surprised Severus never said anything about it. No doubt he would be gloating and hoping for the worst to happen to Potter. Then she remembered how his father beat him the first time he took her copy of The Daily Prophet home.

She really wished they would have gotten along, it would have been so much easier to look past all Potter’s annoying habits then.

“Just wanted to say you look great today, and I’m super happy I got to see you, even if it was unplanned.”

Her blush returned in full force. Stupid bed head Potter.

A silvery stag burst flowed through the wall and she yelped. Fists out as though she could punch harder than a gentle breeze.

“Er. Hi Lily, its Harry. I’m not going to question your intelligence by ignoring the fact that you probably know about James by now. What I can say is that no I am not hurting him or trying to turn him to the dark side. Yes his parents don’t know where or who he is with- Merlins balls James shut up I’m trying to concentrate. Anyways I can promise you that James is safe, and is doing nothing but learning from me. If you want I can start having him write to you like he does for his parents. Though I don’t know if you’d actually want that and you wouldn’t have a way to reply. Regardless, he'll be on the train with you. Lastly, please don’t throw out my wife's purse or give it to the Aurors. It was very dear to her, and quite frankly if someone with bad intentions got it they could get a lot of really useful information with some of those spells and rituals. I know in your hands it will be safe… you remind me so much of her it actually hurt to see.”

The stag disappeared in a puff of blue and silver mist, and Lily collapsed onto her bed, groaning into her pillow.

Well that didn’t help at all! Now there was no way she could throw out the bag. The image of a dead Harry, sad that she hadn’t kept it played in her mind, followed by James either being tied up like some James Bond movie or giving her that grin that he always had.

“Fucking bugger,” she mumbled into the pillow.

-

10 more Chapters up on my Pa treon

Pa tre on.c om/BronzeTurtle