Chapter Text
Hogwarts - The Library
Lily Evans was no stranger to the complexities of friendship. But right now, the situation with her best friend and admirer, James Potter and Severus Snape, was proving to be far more complicated than she had ever imagined.
It all started innocently enough. Lily was walking down the corridor, heading to the library, when she caught sight of James Potter. As usual, he was leaning against the wall, smirking at something Sirius had just said. Lily rolled her eyes; typical James. But what wasn’t typical was the way his gaze lingered on Severus Snape, who stood a few feet away, lost in his own world, completely unaware of the attention.
James had been staring at Severus for several minutes, his eyes fixed on him as if he were observing a particularly fascinating specimen. It wasn’t the sort of look one usually gave their rival. No, it was more like a... lingering gaze. Lily felt the uncomfortable tension rise in her chest.
"Potter!" she snapped, striding over to him.
James jumped, looking like a deer caught in headlights. "What? Me? I wasn’t doing anything!"
Lily raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "You’ve been staring at Severus like you’re about to eat him for lunch."
James quickly shifted his gaze away, flashing her his usual mischievous grin. "Oh, come on, Evans. You know I don’t stare at Snivellus—I mean Snape. It’s just, uh, something caught my eye, yeah?"
Lily narrowed her eyes. "You were glaring at him, Potter. You’re lucky you didn’t set him on fire with that look."
James sputtered in mock offense, but Lily didn’t miss the way he glanced back at Severus, only to immediately look away again when their eyes met.
"I wasn’t glaring," James protested, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I just... you know, admire his ability to brood for hours on end. Very impressive."
Lily rolled her eyes. "If you admire him so much, why don’t you just go tell him?" she teased, a small smile tugging at her lips.
James instantly stiffened, and for a brief moment, he looked... uncomfortable. "What? Pfft, no way. It’s just... we’re rivals, Evans. That’s all it is."
"Right," Lily replied, though she wasn’t convinced.
Before James could respond, Lily was already walking away, her mind whirling. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about the way James had been acting around Severus.
It was like he was just admiring him. Like the way he should look like when he was trying to flirt with me.
But Lily realised that, that was the reason why he never believed James’ feelings even now. The local Gryffindor idiot was never into it in the first place.
Although those affections seemed to be directed at her bestfriend. Or was she mistaken?
Whatever the answer, Lily was determined to find out the truth.
Hogwarts - Potions Class
It happened again in Potions, as all terribly inconvenient things did.
Lily was meticulously chopping valerian roots, her cauldron bubbling with the telltale fizz of a well-brewed Calming Draught. She wasn’t really paying attention to James Potter, who was seated a few rows back. That is, until she felt it—the weight of his gaze.
Now, James did tend to stare. But usually when he asks James, he openly admits it was at her. Or a Quidditch play unfolding in his head. Or Sirius, when they were trying to communicate telepathically during class.
But from what she sees, he wasn’t looking at her. Not even a glance.
He was staring at Severus.
Lily’s hand paused mid-slice.
Severus was scribbling notes furiously in his small, neat handwriting, completely oblivious to the eyes drilling into the side of his face. His fringe was falling into his eyes again, and he kept brushing it back with ink-stained fingers.
James looked like he was watching a Niffler hunt gold.
Then, as if some internal radar went off, Severus looked up—directly at James.
For a solid two seconds, they locked eyes.
James’ expression froze. Severus blinked, then immediately looked back at his parchment with the practiced indifference of someone who was Not At All Bothered.
Lily would have believed it too—if his ears weren’t pink.
She gaped. Pink ears. Pink. Ears.
“Lils,” came Mary’s voice beside her, “you’re going to slice your thumb.”
Lily jolted, refocusing on the valerian, but her mind was already a mile away.
Later, as class ended and Severus packed up his things, Lily slid beside him.
“You all right?” she asked casually, eyes scanning his profile for more clues.
“Mhm,” he murmured. “Why?”
“No reason. You just looked a little…” she trailed off, watching the way his ears still had a faint flush. “…distracted.”
He gave her a sideways look. “I wasn’t.”
“You made eye contact with James Potter for a full two seconds.”
Severus stiffened. “…So?”
“And your ears were pink.”
“They were not.”
Lily gave him a long, pointed look.
Severus scowled. “He probably just thought I’d messed up the potion. Maybe he’s planning another prank”
“Right. That’s why he was staring at you for ten minutes straight like he was enchanted.”
He let out a soft huff. “Potter likes you, Lily.”
Lily blinked. “What?”
Severus was already walking faster down the corridor. “He flirts with you constantly. Everyone knows it.”
Lily jogged to catch up. “Yeah, because he’s an idiot and that’s his default personality. But he wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at you.”
“Sure.”
“Sev—”
“It doesn’t matter,” he snapped, then sighed, gentler. “I’m not… reading into that. He’s always had it out for me.”
Lily slowed her pace beside him, frustration prickling behind her eyes.
Because he really didn’t see it. He didn’t see the way James Potter’s gaze softened when Severus wasn’t looking. How he smiled when Severus said something smart. Or how, when they made eye contact, James panicked like a boy who had been caught.
No, Severus saw what he expected to see—James Potter, the annoying Chaser who made his life hell. Not James Potter, the lovesick idiot who couldn’t stop staring at him in Potions.
They stepped outside the dungeons. The wind whipped around them, crisp and cold, sending a shiver down Lily’s spine. Severus pulled his robe tighter and muttered something about the library before vanishing into the crowd.
Lily stood still in the hallway, staring after him.
That was the third time she tried to explain this to him. The third time he’d refused to believe her.
He thought James liked her? That James was teasing him for fun?
That James Potter, who was absolutely terrible at hiding his feelings and even worse at pretending not to care, was faking all of it?
She scoffed to herself, half amused, half exasperated.
“Well,” she muttered, eyes narrowing with determination, “if you’re both too thick to do anything about it…”
She swung her satchel over her shoulder.
“…then I guess it’s up to me to do it for you.”
And with that, Lily Evans officially declared war.
A war on obliviousness. A war on unresolved tension. A war on two boys who clearly wanted to snog each other but couldn’t string together a sentence without someone glaring.
She was going to get James Potter and Severus Snape together if it killed her.
And honestly, with the way things were going, it just might.
Hogwarts - The Gryffindor Common Room
Seated at a corner table, Lily tried to focus on her homework, but every few minutes her mind kept drifting back to the ridiculous scene with James. She didn’t know why it bothered her so much. He was always flirting with her—his usual antics never fazed her. But this... this was different. James was acting too strange around Severus.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. She glanced up and saw Severus striding into the common room, his eyes immediately scanning the space for a seat. As usual, he found her and gave her a curt nod before sitting down at the table.
"You look like you’re plotting something," Severus said, raising an eyebrow as he pulled out his books.
Lily hesitated for a moment before leaning forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I’m plotting to get you and James together."
Severus blinked, his face unreadable. "What?"
Lily couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his dramatic response. "You heard me."
"I really don’t know where you get these ridiculous ideas," Severus muttered, crossing his arms defensively. "Potter doesn’t like me. He’s an insufferable, arrogant prat who spends all his time trying to make my life miserable. He’d never—"
Lily cut him off before he could go on. "Exactly, Severus. That’s what he wants you to think."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I’ve seen the way he looks at you," Lily continued, her voice firm. "It’s not the way he looks at me, or anyone else. There’s something there. He’s... flirting with you."
Severus scoffed. "You’ve got it all wrong, Evans. He doesn’t flirt with me. He just... insults me, like he does everyone else."
Lily’s frustration boiled over. "Severus, I’ve been trying to tell you this for weeks. I know James. I know how he behaves. And he’s definitely not behaving like that just to annoy you. He’s... into you. But you’re too stubborn to see it."
Severus glared at her, his lips tightening. "I’m not interested in his attention. Or yours, for that matter."
Lily bit back a laugh. "You say that now, but trust me, you’re both completely oblivious."
She sighed dramatically and leaned back in her chair. "This is getting us nowhere. I’ve had enough of you two acting like this isn’t happening. So, I’m going to do something about it."
Severus’ eyes narrowed. "What are you going to do?"
Lily smiled wickedly. "I’m going to make sure you two spend some time together. You’re going to see for yourself just how interested he is."
There was no denying it now—James liked Severus, or the other way around. Maybe both rounds. And Severus, as usual, was blissfully unaware of the U-turn. Or at least, that’s what he would tell her if she ever brought it up.
Lily had tried to get Severus to admit it for weeks, tried to explain the situation to him, but he refused to listen. No matter how many times Lily pointed out how James watched him in class or at meals, Severus was adamant that it wasn’t his fault that James liked Lily.
Lily sighed and leaned against the stone wall. This wasn’t going to be easy.
END OF CHAPTER