Days Go By by Jack Mason Potter

Standard Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter series.

Please read the author's notes at the end.

Chapter 1:

August was one of Lily Evan's favorite time of year ever since she got her acceptance letter from Hogwarts. It was still summer, she had had time to relax since the end of term, and now it was time to go to Diagon Alley for school supplies as she anticipated going back. Lily remembered fondly that it was her first real glimpse of the magical world. The experience was amazing; from seeing Gringotts, the apothecary, and the wondrous bookshop that was Florish and Blotts.

Lily walked around her favorite bookshop, gathering what she needed from her list for her sixth year. She sighed as she walked past the potion making section and was reminded of what was different this year. Severus was no longer accompanying her on these trips, or any trips ever again for that matter. After the awful incident during O.W.L.s week, Lily has declared their friendship forever finished. She tried to cheer up, thinking of all the new books she can buy now that she has passed her exams. Ten O.W.L.s most of them Outstandings including Potions and Charms. Then she saw something past the shelves that made her frown.

There was a mop of unruly jet black hair sticking out past the shelves in the Quidditch section. James Potter was not something that she did not want to deal with before school has even started. She figured that she can just leave the store and come back later, rather than risk him spotting her and asking her out again for the umpteenth time. Keeping an eye on the head of hair she made towards the exit and almost collided into someone.

"Ow. Sorry about that. Are you ok?" Lily said softly, hoping to not catch the attention of the mop of hair behind her. She looked up to see who she had collided with and it was James Potter?

"I'm fine, better now that you're here actually." James grinned at Lily's look of utter befuddlement. Lily ignored his flirtatious remarked and turned around and still saw the same original mop of hair still in the Quidditch section.

"Oi, James, is that you?" A voice from the Quidditch section rang out. The owner of the voice strode out and revealed another boy. Same messy hair, height and build as James, but that's where it stopped. Dark brown eyes instead of hazel, rectangular glasses instead of round, a smaller nose, along with slightly softer features instead of James sharper ones.

"Evans, have you met my cousin, Maxwell, before?"

"No, I haven't." Lily said with an apologetic tone. "I thought I had met all the Gryffindors. I'm Lily Evans."

"Oh, that's because I'm in Hufflepuff." Max beamed. "My fourth year in it, actually. I'm Max Potter." He held his hand out for a handshake.

Lily returned the gesture and they shook hands. "That explains it; I missed your sorting that year when I got sick before the feast." And by sick, Lily meant that she fell out of a carriage and into the lake after James tried to prank Serverus by charming some fireworks to go off next to him. Unfortunately, they malfunctioned, with Lily next to him, and both her and Severus jumped into the lake, robes on fire and carriage blown open. Lily began having her face fall again, after remembering another moment that James Potter managed to provide a catalyst for unhappy moments with Sev. They could never prove it was him that put the fireworks there, but it was definitely him.

While James really wanted to talk to Lily, and really wanted to apologize for the incident after the O.W.L.s, he saw her face fall, and didn't know what to do, especially with his cousin right there.

"Well, Evans, it was nice catching up with you." James interrupted. "But I promised Max here, that we'd hit Quality Quidditch Supplies, and treat him to some birthday presents." James smiled and turned to Max. "My mum and dad told me to pick you up a new broomstick as a present to their favorite nephew. And I want to get you a new beater's bat as a present for my favorite cousin."

"I'm their only nephew and your only cousin, but that is still an awesome surprise." Max chuckled.

"Either way. You're going to be a shoe in this year, for the Hufflepuff team. You should have been in last year, but the captain for the past two years was always reluctant to try new people, and kept the same old faces. No one got to try out for any spots, regardless of how mediocre the old players were, Hufflepuff's biggest downfall."

"Oh, he just didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and besides, we younger folks have plenty of time to play once the others have graduated."

"In any case, new captain this year, and between the mega growth spurt, new broom and pure Potter talent, I expect to be facing off against you in a few months, Maxy, m'boy."

And here it was, Lily thought, let James Potter be around too long and he will go on and on about Quidditch and be arrogant about how great he was. Or in this case, his family. "Pure Potter talent?" Really. Lily had nothing against Max, he seemed well enough, and perhaps being in Hufflepuff meant that he was a touch more modest, but she's still irritated by James.

Max, sensing Lily becoming a little disconnected, decided to quicken the goodbye. "Thanks, James. We don't want to be keeping Lily here for too long. Let's get going. It was really nice meeting you." He shook her hand again.

"You too, Max. Happy Birthday, by the way. Goodbye Potters." Lily turned and walked away.

"Bye, Evans." James said with fake confidence as he and Max turned and started walking. "Thanks for the save back there, Maxy."

"You're welcome, Jamesy, but why did you have to go on and on like that. I thought you told me that she thought you were, and I quote, 'an arrogant bullying toe rag."

James sighed. "Yes, I know, and I have been trying to fix that, but- argg." James tilted his head back towards the ceiling as they were walking. "I just lose half of my senses when she's around, and I start using my reflexes to talk, and can't seem to think things through... I just say what comes naturally to me and Quidditch and off handed comments are pretty natural."

"While I understand that, I think I could see where she could misinterpret your actions as 'pompous' instead of 'nervous. Maybe you should just not talk to her for a while?"

"You think?" James said disheartened as they walked into the Quidditch store.

"I'm sorry, James. I'm no expert; you don't have to listen to me. I wish I could help you more, but I have even less experience with birds than you do. I really wish I could help, especially with you and your parents helping me out this summer." His voice became a bit saddened.

James shoulders picked up and he waved his hand. "Please, you're family. It's nothing. Now c'mon, Let's look at the new Nimbus 1500."

Back at the bookstore, Lily began looking at her book list, and tried to calm down. "Damn it, Potter." She thought to herself. "It's supposed to be one of my favorite days, and you had to be here." She took Standard Book of Spells: Grade Six, and moved along, getting the rest of her books. Although, he hadn't asked her out this time, that was a relief. It was also quite pleasant to see him hanging out with someone out with someone who wasn't another Gryffindor boy in his year, ok it was his cousin, but it was something...at least it was until he fouled it all up by going on about being a Potter. He also managed to get even a few inches taller in two months, and was extra great to look at... if he wasn't such a toe rag... She would not tell James Potter any of this, lest she wanted to be continually harassed by him.

She was ready to leave after paying for her books when she spotted another familiar face walking past the windows. Sirius Black continued on his way, not even bothering to look into the shop as he was heading in the same direction Lily saw the two Potter boys going. Thank goodness too, because Lily did not want to deal with this person either. "I am never going to get my shopping done at all! Are they all scampering all the corners Diagon Alley, causing mischief and civil unrest?"

"Are you ok there, Lily?" Remus said from behind her, and caused her to fall over.

"Damn it, Remus." Lily began to get up.

"Sorry, Lily." He helped her up. "I just wanted to say hello. I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"It's ok. I needed to work on my prat falls anyways." Lily was trying hard not to sigh again. She liked Remus, but again, he was another reminder of James Potter, and she just wanted to get her bloody shopping done. "I have to get going, see you at the start of terms."

"Bye, Lily." Remus said as she walked out the door.

Meanwhile, Sirius Black made it to where James and Max were walking out with their arms full of Quidditch supplies.

"Blimey, you blokes know that we came here to buy school supplies, not the entire stock of Quality Quidditch Supplies?" He exclaimed.

"Yes, well, it's Max's birthday, and I want to make sure he has everything he needs for tryouts. Ok, so maybe I went a bit overboard with the broomstick kit, gloves, jersey along with everything else..." James replied. "Besides, we can come back tomorrow. I really want him to try out all his new equipment. We gotta get him all spiffed up for this term."

Max chuckled. "You really are way too excited to put another opponent on the field that will hit speeding bludgers at you."

"I like the challenge, why bother with a sport if you're going to have a cake walk winning? Besides, it is one of my goals in life to ensure that every Potter is an excellent addition to a Hogwarts House team... even if the house isn't Gryffindor." He said with a fake glare.

"You know that while it is a Potter tradition to be in Gryffindor, I have another whole side of the family to take after."

"Mama's boy." James retorted. And with that statement, Max hit a realization and his happy demeanor reversed.

James demeanor also changed as he realized that he managed to steer his cousin into a reminder he was trying so hard to avoid that day. "C'mon mate, let's get going, and you can practice knocking the wind out of me. Sirius, get Remus and Peter and tell them to meet up with us at the mansion. Stay over if they want, we'll do school supplies tomorrow." With that, he started towards the Leaky Cauldron to use the floo to get home. He really done it today, managed to tick off Lily again without trying AND managed to upset his cousin on his birthday.

Weeks later, term began uneventfully as much of it could have. Lily was happy to boarding the train, go to her prefect's meeting and get to see her friends Alice and Frank afterwards. Franks looked exhausted as he was napping as he used Alice's lap as a pillow. She was happy to not have run into James Potter and was ready to have some more Potter free moments.

"Hey Lily, did you see James today?" Alice asked. Lily had obviously spoken to soon to herself.

"No, why?" She replied with mild annoyance.

"Well, he's gotten even taller this summer. I thought you might have noticed."

"Why, WHY would I notice or care?"

"Oh come off it, Lily. You know he's handsome, and he is going to ask you out again, might as well try it once, worst that will happen is that he'll stop afterwards."

"Or so you think. Knowing Potter, he'll then try even harder for a second date."

"Maybe, or maybe you'll have a good time and want a second date."

"Or, we'll end up hexing each other and getting arrested in Hogsmeade."

"Or you'll have a good time."

"Or maybe we'll accidently set the village on fire. Knowing Potter, he might do it on purpose."

"Or maybe you'll find that he's a nice guy, and worth your while."

"That is not happening. The only things he talks about are Quidditch, pranks, and himself."

"While some of this may be true. I have made an observation, you know. He's really only like that when you're around. He's more laid back when I've seen him in the common room when it's quiet."

"And exactly how is that helping with me wanting to say yes?"

"The point is that he's probably nervous when he's around you. It means he really fancies you." Alice winked.

"Please, Alice. He just likes the thrill of the chase. The star Quidditch player thing works on every other girl, and he's too daft to realize it won't work here." Lily pulled out her new potions book and began reading it, in hopes that Alice will stop talking about Potter.

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading the first chapter of my story. I have more written, but I am still trying to work some stuff out and would like to get some help and beta readers. This is my first fanfic in my adult life, in which case, probably counts for my first fanfic of any quality.

I had hoped to incorporate my top fave things: more promotion of non-duffer Hufflepuff (they really are underrated), Diagon Alley, Quidditch, and canon couples.I hope I didn't overdo any of it.