The Broken Locket

This chapter begins with James the day after they arrive at Hogwarts for their 6^th year.

Ch 2 -Unexpected Events

James looked at himself in the mirror, examining his bold features; black, unruly and unmanageable hair that always looked messy and stuck up in the back. His brown eyes shone with excitement behind his glasses, and his fair complexion was flushed. His looks attracted many female admirers. His intelligence, wit, and skill at Quidditch made many boys envious.

His reflection was suddenly distorted as a face emerged, and it spoke, "You know kid, I've been watching you for the past five years and I believe you're just as conceited, but a little less arrogant, judging from previous years."

James raised his eyebrows in surprise. 'Just what I need-- a mirror who gives a blow by blow of what's NOT on the surface.' James mentally rolled his eyes.

"Now, lad, I know it's not on top of your priorities to listen to an old mirror when so much is happening in your life but humor me for a while would you?"

James looks at the mirror, appalled and the mirror laughs. "There's a lad, this won't take too long. I've been here for as long as I remember and I need something to amuse me."

James loses the appalled looks, yet his eyebrows draw together in concentration.

"Well, I see you're interested," said the mirror. 'No, not really but go ahead,' thought James.

With a voice bubbling with mirth the mirror continued, "You're a nice kid, you know that? Must be because you've matured since I last saw you, I can see it in your eyes. Let me tell you, any time last year you'd have only cared about what's on the outside but now... now, I don't think that's all that matters any more. There's someone you've just begun to see properly; it's in your eyes."

James eyebrows shot up in surprise. The mirror laughed again. "You know laddie, your eyes are a dead giveaway, too many emotions beyond the arrogant façade. The problem lies in you admitting they exist. I suppose you'd work all that on your own," said the mirror with a last laugh and disappeared.

And once again, the surface of the mirror looked as it should- smooth and clear.

"Arrogant?" James thought, a frown on his face. "I wonder what he meant by that? And what was meant by that comment on outside and inside and... my eyes? I guess I can't be expected to understand mirrors," thought James with a shrug but the reflective frown on his face belied his true feelings towards the situation.

He left the Prefect's bathroom and headed for the Gryffindor common room. It had been a long day for the sixth years. Professor McGonagall had handed out their new class schedules which were full of classes. He had Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy, Divination, Charms, and Transfiguration to top it all off. Plus, the Quidditch tryouts are coming up... That was what he looked forward to most every year. He loved being a Chaser; loved the thrill of the game.

He was walking along the corridor to the entrance of the Gryffindor tower, lost in his thoughts, which was why he walked right into a person carrying an armful of books that were stacked to their nose.

"Look out!" a female voice gasped.

Too late.

The books went flying, as did their owner, James just caught his balance by grabbing the frame of a painting on the wall. He hurried to help the owner of the books get up.

"Good job, Potter. Is this payback for yesterday?" demanded a cool female voice.

"Evans. What a pleasant surprise. I should have known it'd be you, not paying attention to where you're going," James remarked in a sarcastic voice while a smirk played on his lips. He stood by her as she stood up, brushing dust from her robes.

Lily's nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed in response. "Me not watching where I'm going?! You're always walking around with your nose up in the air. I'm sure it hurts to bend your neck down these days, or maybe it's because your head is so inflated with your ego you'd tip over if you tried."

"For your information my ego is a normal size compared to yours. Who exactly do you wish to impress carrying those books around? Consider getting a life sometime, Evans." James said this with malice in his voice.

"Well, Potter, you haven't changed one bit since last year. Not that I'm surprised. Although the fact that you still have any friends is a surprise. I would've thought they would have been bored with your non-existent personality and ridiculous arrogance," Lily sneered. She picked up her books and stalked furiously in the opposite direction.

Before she could walk out of ear-shot she heard Potter laugh. "Jealous, are we? At least all my friends aren't imaginary book characters! You're pathetic Evans."

Lily ignored the nasty comments and kept walking.

'Probably going to her precious library.' James thought with a snort.

* * *

Lily could not bear him. She could not stand that... that little...She wanted to rip her hair out of her scalp from frustration. She had hoped he'd changed. She had hoped that they could be a little more civil to each other.

What an idiot I was! What an imbecile to even hope Potter changed, that we could at least be on normal speaking terms.

She arrived at the library flushed from anger and her brisk pace, which had almost been a jog. She dumped the books on the nearest library table and slumped on a chair. Suddenly, Madam Parley, the snobby librarian, appeared out of nowhere, looking like a vulture with her long crooked nose, a pouty, stern mouth, and her hair in a twist so tight it seemed to be pulling back the skin on her face.

"Well, young lady! What do you think you're doing?! You may not simply dump library property wherever you like however you like, as if it were common trash. Also, making loud noises, slouching, and vandalizing school property are strictly prohibited while you are in my library! Not to mention that you are a prefect! I should report your appalling behavior to Headmaster Dumbledore--" She opened her mouth to further reprimand Lily in her shrill voice when a very loud crash from the back of the library made her jump and run in that direction.

Lily glared after Madam Parley, her mind racing, thoughts tumbling over each other. 'Potter. I am DONE trying and hoping to fix things between us. I guess we'll never get over what happened last year with--' But her thoughts were interrupted as a voice called her name.

"Lily! I thought I'd find you here." Seath clenched his jaw. "We need to talk."

* * *

James slouched on an overstuffed couch in the common room, in a gloomy mood.

'Evans...she was never able to provoke me in the past as well as she can now. Well it can't help that it's a turn-on for me, either. A feisty girl, that one. Although picking on her isn't nearly as much fun as it used to be; now it seems to have turned into hatred (at least on her part)...probably because of what happened last year. Damn! Why was I so stupid? I should've never made that bet.'

But then Sirius, James' best mate came in through the common room entrance and clapped James on the back, interrupting his jumbled thoughts.

"Prongs! Why so moody?" Sirius inquired curiously. He wasn't used to seeing James brood like this, except on the anniversary of his parents' deaths.

"I'm fine mate, just tired..." He trailed off, not knowing if he should make further excuses for his mood. "So where were you? I haven't seen you all day."

Sirius gave James a satisfied look and laughed. "None of your business, Potter. I was busy...with stuff. You know how it is." He smirked.

James smirked in return, seeing through his best friends bluff. "So, I gather Ruby is still as good at snogging as last year then?"

Sirius grinned. "Indeed she is. Lovely tongue."

* * *

Seath grabbed Lily's arm and marched her into an empty Transfiguration classroom next to the library.

"What is this about Seath? Can't it wait?" Lily demanded angrily. She did not appreciate being dragged away by her so-called boyfriend.

Seath became rather red in the face and his eyes flashed with fury. "I've had enough, Lily! You...this... I..." he stuttered, his anger interfering with his ability for speech. "You always brush me away, just like you did all summer, and I am SICK of it!" he burst out, yelling in Lily's face. He had felt like a volcano about to explode, and now it felt good to just let it all out.

"Your bloody books are more important than your boyfriend! What kind of relationship is this? Do you care about me in any way? Do you?" he searched her eyes with a hard stare, hoping for an honest answer.

Lily didn't know what to say. Of course she cared about him, but did she care for him? Well, this certainly isn't love. She snorted at that thought. Unfortunately, Seath took that as the answer to his question.

"I should have known better. All you care about is your ridiculous books and stupid classes. I was an imbecile to think that you ever cared about me!"

"Seath, no! That's not what I meant when I--" Lily tried to fix her mistake, but it was too late.

"Shut up! I've heard enough. I'm done with your excuses." He pointed his finger at her face with those words and then stood breathing heavily, with his fists clenched by his side. Well-built and tall, he could intimidate most people with his presence, but Lily didn't look impressed by his outburst.

She looked him in the eye and calmly said, "Fine. We're done. Goodbye, Seath."

She walked out of the classroom, leaving him standing alone, looking deflated. He had not expected those words to come from her.

Lily walked back to the library in shock. Those words...they just slipped right out of her mouth... She had had no intention of dumping him. She couldn't believe how cool her last words to him sounded-- detached, even.

She started gathering her books as quickly as possible from the table, not wanting to attract any more attention from Madam Parley. Lily picked up a small pile of books when something golden fell from between Hogwarts: A History and Advanced Charms: Beyond the Swish-and-Flick, and tumbled to the floor. Lily bent down to pick it up.

It was a golden, heart-shaped locket the size of a galleon, hanging on a very delicate gold chain. Examining it closely Lily saw intricate curvy designs on the front and back. 'How did this get between my books? It's certainly not mine, and I've never seen any girl in Gryffindor wear something like this.'

Despite the fact that the locket looked delicate, it also looked old and expensive. 'I wouldn't be surprised if this is goblin gold, and a family heirloom at that.' She frowned. She still couldn't think of how it could have come to be between two of her books. 'Surely no one would be stupid enough to hide something this valuable between abandoned library books?' In her thorough examination of her new find she noticed a tiny indentation the left side of the locket. 'Is this how you open it? Surely there is a way to open it. But how? Magic?'

She frowned in concentration, intent on her new mystery. Lily tried every opening spell and unlocking charm she knew, but to no avail. The locket remained tightly sealed. 'Perhaps it doesn't open after all. Maybe it's just what it looks like--an expensive pendant.' But something told Lily otherwise. In all her experience with wizarding objects there was always more than met the eye. In any case, she had been hoping there was a picture or name of the owner inside so she could return the necklace to whoever had lost it.

She dropped the locket into a pocket of her school robes, gathered her books and walked in the direction of the Gryffindor tower. She felt exhausted after all that had happened today; getting ready for school tomorrow, figuring out her new schedule for the year, breaking up with Seath, the fight with James Potter. The whole day was nothing but frustration, anger, and emotion gathering in the pit of her stomach. Lily couldn't wait to get to her bed and just let it out--in the form of tears. 'Why the hell is all this happening to me on the first day back to school? As if last year wasn't enough. And Potter is always here to make it all so much better...' Lily thought sarcastically.

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Author's Note: A HUGE THANK YOU to Carla (a.k.a. the_corner_stone), my beta, for all the help she'd given me with the mirror scene and all her other editing. Her help is invaluable.

Please leave a review so I know how I'm doing! Thank you all my readers.