The Snapshot

It's unbelievable, right? They hated each other so much for so long, but in the end, discovered something much, much more important than that loathing, Dumbledore though, a small, melancholy smile flitting across his face for just a moment. It disappeared instantly, so quickly that one would have though they were imagining it. He remembered very well, the first time he actually paid attention to the fact that both of them hated each other...yes, he remembered very well indeed...

"Potter, why are you so..."--"Dashing? Gorgeous? Amazingly brilliant? Well, I don't know, Evans. I think I was born with those gif..."--"No. I meant to say insufferable, rude, obnoxious, mean, bullyi..."--"What's wrong now, Evans?"--"I saw what you did, Potter! Now, thanks to you, I heard that he failed the assignment!"--"Relax, Evans. It was only Snape. And besides, it was just one Transfiguration assignment..."--"And you wonder why people hate you? Take a look at yourself and shape up!"

James had decided on that day, in his third year, to set Severus's Transfiguration assignment on fire. Severus had indeed failed the assignment (Minerva wasn't very forgiving), but that wasn't what caught Dumbledore's eye. He had never noticed before, until that day when the two of them had the loud argument just outside the Great Hall, that Lily and James had disliked each other. That was when he began to think a little more, notice them a little more.

And it only got worse, didn't it? Dumbledore chuckled slightly at the thought. By the time they were in their fifth year, Lily's hatred for him had only grown, while James decided something completely different. He smiled for just a second more, before thinking back to that day, in November, when James Potter had decided to make a mess of his already horrible relationship with Lily Evans...

"Oy! EVANS!"--"Shut up, Potter. Can't you see I'm studying?"--"Well..."--"Well what? You obviously need better glasses if you couldn't see that..."--"I didn't come here to interrupt your work, if that's what you were thinking, Evans."--"What is it, then? Hurry up with it...I need to revise my essay."--"Well, the Hogsmeade weekend is coming up, so..."--"No, Potter. Absolutely not."--"I didn't even finish the question!"--"I know what you were going to ask."--"But...how..."--"I'm not as stupid as you are, that's how. So, my answer is now."--"How come?"--"You haven't guessed yet? You've been horrible, always bullying the younger students and the weaker ones, flaunting your skills with that ridiculous golden ping-pong ball, showing off for every other girl in school...I'm not interested."--"C'mon, Evans! Just one date!"--"NO! Get it through you head! You'll just ruin my weekend."--"But..."--"I. Do. Not. Want. To. GO OUT WITH YOU!"

Unfortunately for Lily, her studying did get interrupted. She had been in the library, so when Madam Finn had heard the argument, she was more than just a little annoyed. She threw James out rather unceremoniously, while she simply told Lily to leave until she had calmed down enough to stay quiet. Lily blamed James for that, further fuelling her dislike for him, while also making him more determined to get her to go out with him.

Dumbledore was in the library that day, looking for a book on thestrals. They were both too loud not to hear.

He let out a small sigh. Poor James. Things went from bad to worse to completely horrible with him and Lily. The whole school had know about that, right after a certain even that took place after fifth year's Defense Against The Dark Arts O.W.L.s...Lily was just too loud. He smiled, before going back to the day right after the written part of the exam was complete...

"Come on, Evans! It was just a joke! Or, can't you take one? Just because you're a prefect, it doesn't mean..."--"I can take jokes very well. This one wasn't even a joke! It wasn't even funny! How could you have done something that horrible?"--"It was just a bit of fun..."--"Fun? You call that fun? He was hanging upside down, for God's sake!"--"Don't get your knickers in a twist. He's not dead...we just pulled a harmless prank. Besides, he deserved it...not only is he stupid and a slimy greasball, but he also called you a...a...Mud...you know! Anyway, the joke was nothing."--"You call that nothing? Ugh, I don't believe it. You not only bothered him when he was studying and doing absolutely nothing to you, but you publicly humiliated him!"--"Who cares? I certainly don't! By the way, Evans, I was wondering if you would..."--"Didn't you hear me outside? I said no! Leave him alone, leave me alone, and go away!"--"Whoa, calm down, Prefect Evans."--"Get it through your head. I will NOT go out with you."--"Why not?"--"You behave like such a prat, you conceited git! So, the answer's no. And that's final."--"Come on, if you're still going on about Snape, then..."--"It's not just Snape! Fooling around, showing off, flirting with every single girl, and Snape is what it is! Get your act together! Now leave!"--"Ok, then. Later, Evans."

Now, that had been an interesting argument. Lily was just too angered then, and James had made the mistake of making her even angrier. She had gone beyond hate with him on that day. Things were not looking up for James at all at that point. And, unfortunately for him, his determination for getting Lily to go out with him was making things even worse.

Lily Evans was normally a very calm person. But, there were two instances where she had completely lost her coolness, much more than the few times she had before. Once again, James was the fuel for her angriness.

"You've done it. You've really gone too far."--"Huh?"--"Potions class, you twit! You just had to throw the cracker into my potion!"--"What cracker?"--"Don't you dare play innocent with me, Potter. Not only did I get scalded by a Polyjuice, but I got in trouble with Professor Hanson, not to mention that I have a detention!"--"Detention's nothing, Evans. I've gotten loads of them."--"This will ruin my chance at Head Girl, you fool! You've messed up everything!"--"I did not mess up everything. Besides, your chance at Head Girl is not gone..."--"How would you know? You're not even a Prefect! Remus would, but I don't know how you would."--"You know? I really don't know...but I'm just taking a stab in the dark at this, so I don't think they would take away your chance at Head Girl."--"You still landed me a detention, you git!"

After that statement, Lily had completely lost her cool. She slapped James across the face. I suppose she needed to do that. Six years of being completely annoyed with him must've angered her. But, the slap showed how much she loathed him, Dumbledore thought. This was the point where nobody would have even dreamed of the two of them getting together, let alone getting married.

That was only the beginning. The Change had occurred in both of their 7^th years. Dumbledore closed his eyes, one more fast smile crossing his features, recollecting what had happened twenty years ago.

"Minerva, we still need to choose the Head students for this year. Do you have anybody in mind?"--"Of course I do, Dumbledore. Did you really think me to be so irresponsible and careless?"--"Well then, who is it?"--"I only have a Head Girl in mind...Lily. Lily Evans. Excellent student, topped her O.W.L.s, is in almost every available N.E.W.T. class, tutors some of the younger students in Charms, very helpful, and friendly with everybody. Well, that is, save James Potter."--"You noticed that as well, Minerva?"--"Of course. Who hasn't?"--"Well then, it's settled."--"What is, Albus?"--"We have our head students."--"What? How could you put Potter as Head Boy?"--"Well, he is also an excellent student, did extremely well on his O.W.L.s, is captain and lead chaser on the Quidditch team, and is very popular among students. Besides, he has to learn how to get along with Miss Evans sooner or later."--"But...bu--she hates the boy! He's been nothing but irritating to her ever since they first met!"--"All the more reason to have them both be the Heads. It should be rather amusing, don't you think?"

Dumbledore smiled. That had been an interesting decision to make. In fact, James probably would not have even been considered for Head Boy, because he wasn't a prefect, if Minerva hadn't brought his name up.

Right on September 1^st, I remember, Dumbledore mused, his fingertips touching as he sank into a deep thought. That was the second time that Miss Evans completely lost her temper...

"What? Are you joking again, Potter? Because if you are, I swear, I'll..."--"What, Evans? You're not happy to see me as Head Boy?"--"No, you bigheaded prick! I am not happy at all."--"I thought you'd be overjoyed."--"Think again, Potter! You will not ruin this year for me..."--"What makes you think I'll ruin the year for you?"--"Just by being there!"

This was something Dumbledore had not seen, but according to the whispers that were going around the student body by the time the reached school, it had all reached Dumbledore's ears. Lily had stormed out of the Head's compartment, seething. She had, apparently, hexed a second year who was talking about Quidditch, then shouted at a young first year for being too noisy.

Possibly one of the most interesting years I've ever experience as being Headmaster, Dumbledore smiled. The year of 1977. The year that The Change had actually occurred, the year which shocked every student in the school.