#jily week 2022

[ifyouknowmenahyoudontt]

i genuinely think that the shift from the old marauders to the new one where every straight ship even the canon and most important one (i.e jily) and that whole jegulus/all the other made up ships that make no sense come from a place of fetish. yall LOVE to turn characters into little stereotypes and that whole constant obsession w homosexuality is not helping any cause. most of view view homosexual/queer relationships as more angsty or interesting in a way that’s so strange to me. ships could follow the most standard plot line but still be considered angsty cus they’re queer and why is that? this fandom has taken such a strange turn.

you are making sexuality such a strong and central point in a character importance more than any other trait of their character. and those head canons just end up erasing the most important things about these characters

james potter was a strong and good man. he developed from his arrogant teenage self into a good man fighting for a good cause. but now you made him into a twink that is in love with a death eater/ a member of the family that abused his best friend all his life. james and sirius’s relationship was a central point of their characters. and james’s love for lily is a central point as well??????

sirius being turned into a overly feminine gay drama queen, even though what WAS important about him was his loyalty his strength and his honor??? but all of that was forgotten. HE CAN BE GAY WITHOUT ERASING HIS ORIGINAL PERSONALITY. stop painting him into a stereotype of a gay man.

regulus black is getting the recognition that is to be given to sirius. his character was not some brave rebel vigilante that fought for justice. he was a pureblood supremacist.he was a deatheater. yes he is important to the story but he was not what you made him.

lily evans is the most important character of the series. she’s the reason it exists. her and james’s love is the center point. but it was pushed away by you people to focus on your strange fetishized view of gay men. this MAJOR character whose love for her son and husband literally MADE the story got cast away as a secondary character.

important topics like sirius’sabusive family, lily and james’s courage and love….was remplaced by ridiculized view of characters

make characters gay cus we don’t know anything about them yes okay that’s why wolf star was a major part of the fandom. but the complete shift of every single characters identity is just bullshit.

[jilyism]

NEVER LEAVE

a summer one-shot for jily "week"— day 7: the inevitability of change

Thinking about him always comes to her in absolutes, he’s very rarely any of the maybes in her head, or the almosts.

READ on AO3

[oyprongs]

BARRY, BOND, AND THE BLUES (a jily week fic) day 4: the magic in a first touch // muggle summer job au

He and his friends beeline for the rock section, which is strategically placed up front, directly in her eye line. She gets a closer look at him, this way. Messy hair, a strand or two curling behind his specs. The lean shoulders of a boy still in the midst of filling out his frame. Long fingers flicking through the bin of records, the light snick sound filtering through the hum of the fan blowing by her ear.

PLAYLIST // AO3

[loverscrossmp3]

happy belated, lily. hope you make ur bf laugh a billion times more in the afterlife

[luxuriousmalfoy]

As I'm prepping for Jegulily Week (which I will be posting the prompts for on Friday), I am feeling a cohesive timeline coming on for the continuity of one shots... which is making me want to place other little stories throughout as well. Sooooo I might be doing some overposting for Jegulily Week lolll

[hssrarepairs]

🎄 HSS Rare Pairs 2024: FAQ 🎄

Find more info in our Rules!

🎁 What is HSS Rare Pairs? 🎁

HSS Rare Pairs, or HSS, stands for HP Secret Santa Rare Pairs. We are an anon, multi-ship, multimedia gift exchange focused on HP rare pairs run as a collaboration between the HP Rare Pairs (@hp-rarepairs) and HP Saffics (@hpsaffics) Discord servers. This fest is not self-posting. The mods will post your gifts all through December.

🎁 What is the 2024 Schedule? 🎁

Sign-ups: Aug 13-Sep 3 Gift Submissions Due: Nov 15 Gift Giving: Dec 1-Dec 25 Creator Reveals: Dec 30

🎁 What counts as a HP rare pair? 🎁

Any ships besides these common ships (LITERALLY ANY OTHER SHIP IS OKAY):

Dramione - Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

Drarry - Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

Harmony - Hermione Granger/Harry Potter

Harrymort/Tomarry - Harry Potter/Voldemort (Tom Riddle)

Hinny - Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley

Jegulus - Regulus Black/James Potter

Jily - James Potter/Lily Evans Potter

Romione - Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley

Snamione - Hermione Granger/Severus Snape

Snarry - Severus Snape/Harry Potter

Wolfstar - Sirius Black/Remus Lupin

🎁 How is the list of common ships determined? 🎁

Any ship with less than 10K results in an unfiltered AO3 Relationship tag search AND less than 3K results in an “otp: true” filtered Relationship tag AO3 search is considered a rare pair!

🎁 What about polyamorous ships? 🎁

Polyamorous ships (triads, vees, quads, polycules, etc.) are always considered rare and are VERY welcome (ex: Hermione/Harry/Ron is allowed even if Hermione/Harry and Hermione/Ron are on the list of common ships)!

🎁 What about a common ship in the background of a work? 🎁

Yes, background common ships are totally allowed as long as the main focus is a rare pair (ex: A Pansy/Ginny story with background Draco/Harry).

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OCs may appear in the background of a work, but the main ship should involve only established characters from the HP universe.

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Anyone aged 18+ can participate with an AO3 account. We also encourage you to be part of the HP Rare Pairs Discord Server, although it is not required.

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No, we will be sharing gifts on our Discord and Tumblr, but you do not need to be on either platform to participate. What you do need: an active email address and an AO3 account.

🎁 Is there a limit to the number of participants? 🎁

The 2022 round had 66 sign-ups which was quite impressive. We are tentatively setting a limit of 75 sign-ups for the 2024 round.

🎁 What is on the sign-up form? 🎁

The Sign-up Form is long and thorough. Please make sure to fill out all required sections in order for the mods to make the best possible matches and for you to receive the best possible gifts. This year the sign-up form has 5 sections:

Participant Information (required - for mod use only)

Character and Ship Preferences (required - shared with gifters)

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Bonus Questions (optional - for mod use only)

🎁 I don’t like the username I signed up with. Can I change my AO3/Discord/Tumblr username in the middle of the exchange? 🎁

Please don’t. This is confusing for your gifters and makes more work for the mods.

🎁 I messed up on my sign-up form. Can I go back and make changes? 🎁

Yes, you will be able to edit your sign-up form until Sep 3 when sign-ups close. A link to edit should be sent to your email. If you do not see it, please check your spam folder.

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We aim to have all participants matched within a week of sign-ups closing. However, it will depend on the mods’ schedules and number of sign-ups.

🎁 What kind of gifts can I create? 🎁

Any type of HP rare pair fanwork that can be uploaded to AO3 are accepted! Here are some examples:

Creative writing (fic, drabble, poetry, epistolary, screenplay, etc.)

Other writing (meta analysis, ship manifesto, recipe, tutorial, stats, etc.)

Art (traditional mediums, digital art, comic, photography, calligraphy, etc.)

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Multimedia (fanvid, videogame, animation, stop motion, music video, etc.)

Translation

🎁 Is there a word limit for written gifts or gifts based on written works? 🎁

Yes, the minimum is 200 words. There is no maximum. What this means is:

All written works (drabbles, fics, meta analysis, ship manifesto, etc.) must be at least 200 words. If the gift is less than 200 words (a poem, recipe, etc.), the remaining words may be filled by commentary (character analysis, explanation of imagery/themes/word choice, extra description, etc.).

All podfics must be based on a fic that is at least 200 words.

All translations must be at least 200 words when complete.

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We accept all content! This includes graphic violence, MCD, rape/noncon, underage, incest, abuse, and dark or triggering themes as long as they are tagged appropriately. The mods will be tag-checking all works. The only restriction is we will not accept NSFW art containing underage characters (which is illegal by US law). If you need help with tagging, you may reference this Comprehensive List of Triggers, Tags & Squicks or ask a mod. 

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No, gifts must be new and created exclusively for the exchange and specifically for your giftee.

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No, AI-generated works are not allowed. If we find you have submitted an AI-generated work, you will be kicked from the exchange.

🎁 Does my gift need to be X-mas/winter themed? 🎁

No, it can be any theme as long as it includes a rare pair.

🎁 How many gifts will I get? 🎁

Every participant will receive at least 2 gifts. They may be small gifts and they may not be exactly what you wished for but they will be made with love and enthusiasm <3

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You must submit at least 1 gift in order for Santa (aka the mods) to deliver your gifts. Participants are implored encouraged to submit more than one gift. If we have enough gifts, we may be able to give everyone 3 gifts instead of 2!

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Yes, you may choose to submit your gifts anonymously. In this case you will not be named as a giftmaker in the Creator Reveals on Dec 30. Please tell the mods your preference when submitting your gift. We will contact you about any additional steps.

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Gifts should be uploaded to the AO3 Collection. Then, please complete the Submission Form, one for each gift submitted. The mods will deliver gifts on AO3, Discord, and Tumblr Dec 1-25.

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We get it. Life happens. If you need an extension or need to drop, please email us ASAP. It’s okay, we understand. Just, please don’t ghost us!

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If you are on Discord or Tumblr, we will tag you when your gifts are delivered. Otherwise, your gifts will be delivered directly through AO3. Please make sure you have "Allow anyone to gift me works" checked in your Preferences. When you receive your gifts, don't forget to leave a comment to thank your gifters. We want to make sure they feel appreciated!

🎁 Can I send/receive physical gifts in the mail? 🎁

We are not doing physical gifts as part of the exchange, but you are welcome to coordinate with your gifter/recipient after the fest ends and send physical gifts granted you are both comfortable sharing your IRL addresses.

🎁 Who are the mods? 🎁

@lumosatnight, @nanneramma, @schmem14, @mischiefmandied, @venom0usbarbie and other wonderful helpers from Discord and Tumblr!

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Message us through email, Tumblr, or Discord! We are always open to chat, answer questions, or flail about rare pairs 🍐

Email: hssrarepairs@gmail.com

Tumblr: @hssrarepairs

Discord: HP Rare Pairs

[theesteemedladydebourgh]

well, i started this for the great, wonderful @clare-with-no-i​’s birthday last year (and also as a combination of two prompt’s from @efkgirldetective​‘s summer of jily 2022!) and it is officially almost a year late...

let’s see if i can finish this extremely self-indulgent, illustrator-James, author-Lily who clings to self-control like a barnacle, high-powered best friends, co-worker duo buys a house in the countryside and then slowly implode from repressed feelings and heartbreak over the course of several years (also berry picking! and swimming in the ocean! and a cat named Eclair!) fic over the next week! (w caution set aside for unforeseen calamity ofc, but i’m optimistic)

little snippet below!

Spring

It’s an odd story, how Lily buys a house with her illustrator.

A hand brushes along the back of her head, warm and soft.

She jolts, then glances back. Feels the hand fall away.

James is standing there, chest still a bit sunburned from the beach. His fingers still hover slightly, before settling back at his side.

She stares up at him for a second, a silent question. Her instinct is to tense, to turn to stone, to demand recompense. She wouldn’t let just anyone touch her.

“Your clip was crooked,” he murmurs after a second.

Lily swallows. Sweat presses against the nape of her neck, but somehow not as warm as his touch was. She can still feel the salt and sand clinging to her toes, pressed against the warm stone of the garden path.

“I like it,” he adds, then shrugs. As if he’s guilty of something, but can’t be bothered to apologize for it.

Her eyes fall to his chest, stained pink.

“I don’t,” she remembers to say after far too long has passed. Her fingers curl around the armrest of the hot metal chair.

James tilts his head, then shrugs again. He steps backwards, towards the house. His shirt is untucked, sunburned chest slipping through like a violent sunset. “Then wear your hair down.”

Her laugh is crackly, dry, warm in her throat. The thought flashes through her head, lightning fast: So you can run your fingers through it?

It doesn’t make it past her lips.

[jilychallenge]

Hi everyone,

As we are nearing the last month of the year we would like to inform you about the December Jilychallenge.

We loved seeing all your Jily messages, art, moodboards and holiday inspired fics, as well as the heartwarming full tree at the end of the month!!

We are excited to do something like last year again and we hope you are as well. (for a little taste and to see the tree fill up, check the tag #djac 2022) Our starting date this year depends on how many of you will want to participate, we plan to finish on the 31st!

Instructions :

To sign up, please fill out this google form before the first of December. In the form you'll find the deadlines for your works to be finished. We'll be in touch as soon through here or Discord, never hesitate to let us know if you need more time or if there's a special date you'd like your work to be released on. Everyone can pick from the prompt list, you can have as many as you like, combine them, ignore them, follow them to the letter. We welcome any festive jily fics so if you've got a holiday end of year tale you want to tell, don't hesitate if your exact idea has no prompt to fit it ;-)

This is not about rules but about having fun!

That being said if you’re writing a fic, the minimum words must be 100, and should only be a one shot. (or finished multi-chapter (for multichaps please contact us so we can figure out the best way to post them!)

If it’s an artwork/playlist/moodboard then… anything goes!

Week 1 (due before the 25th of November) Week 2 (due before the 3rd of December) Week 3 (due before the 10th of December) Week 4 (due before the 17th of December)

You can submit your work earlier, but since it will take us a bit of time to organise the calendar we ask you try not to submit later, don't hesitate to contact us should you need more time or if you think you want to do more than one creation in a certain week.

Please note that the sign up weeks could be very different from when your fic or artwork will be revealed.

The fics can be posted to the December Jily Calendar 2023 collection on AO3. For any help with posting don't hesitate to contact us. Once you've posted to the collection it might take a little while for your work to be accepted (we don't live on AO3... 😘 you can always let us know you posted. NB we can't reveal a draft, so please be sure your work is posted before the date of reveal) If you don't have an ao3 account please tell us so we can post your work as a part of the Calendar here on Tumblr. (send us a DM or ask) .

This got long... DLDR come join the fun in December!!

[chierafied]

Crossroads

Written for @jilychallenge August 2022. | Partner @wearingaberetinparis

Prompt: “One of the things your parents warned you about: Never pick up a hitchhiker. But she/he looked so lost and also a bit familiar so I did it anyway.”

Also for @gobletofweasleys' Jily week 2023 Meet Cute AU.

Thanks to @siriuslychessi for helping me out with this. 💖

Also on AO3

*

Tears burned in Lily’s eyes and choked sobs rattled in her throat. She paced the narrow shoulder of the four-lane motorway and kicked at the innocent grass. Her mind was whirling with stinging swearwords while in her heart the gut-twisting anger warred with the stranglehold of loss and grief. Her suitcase sat neatly near her feet while Lily walked a tight circle, stuck in the torrent of emotion.

Stuck here, on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, with nothing in sight but trees, grass, and the cars and lorries hurrying past. With nothing but her dark thoughts and hurt feelings to keep her company.

Lily’s breath stuttered in her throat as the enormity of her predicament crashed down on her and the tears finally tore free, rolling down her cheeks.

*

It hadn’t even been two hours and James was already bored. Even the guitar riffs of the classic rock playlist blasting in his car didn’t quite pump him up anymore. His restless fingers drummed at the steering wheel and he shifted in his seat. Maybe he should have stopped in Glasgow, after all. Taken a break. Stretched his legs. Got himself a big cup of coffee.

There was nothing in front of him now but hours and hours of driving south along the motorway stretching before him. There wouldn’t even be any big cities on the way for the next hundred miles or two. The mere thought of all the miles still ahead of him was enough to make him lose his bloody mind. How was he going to be able to keep himself occupied for so many hours on end?

He’d ring Sirius but that blighter was probably already on his way to Greece right now. Off to his stupid romantic holiday with his stupid boyfriend. Blowing off a road trip with his best mate like the right sod he was.

The long trip back home from uni was a complete snooze fest now that he was forced to drive through the day alone.

Although it took the whole day to drive to James’ parents’ place, back in June when they had gone back for the summer holidays the miles had flown by. They’d taken turns driving. Taken breaks in some of the towns and rest stops along the way. And all the while, the car had been filled with talk and laughter. Not James’ lonely playlist and frustrated sighs.

Maybe it was time to play a game. It wouldn’t be much fun by himself, but if it was a choice between a boring road trip game and the general boring everything, he’d rather pick the option that wouldn’t slowly turn his brain into mush.

“I spy with my little eye…” James muttered under his breath.

His gaze swept the scenery before him. There was the grey, endless road. Grass. The railing between the lanes. Trees lining the road. Cars of all makes, models and colours, interspersed with lorries.

Ah! Now there was something to break the monotony. An overhead bridge. That perked James up briefly, but as soon as he drove under it, the boredom started to creep back in.

More of the stretching road, more cars, more trees, and more inertia eating his brain until all that would remain was mush.

Hold on, what was that?

James switched lanes.

A person standing by the side of the road? In the middle of nowhere?

That was unboring. James started to slow down.

Their arm was outstretched. His parents had always warned him against hitchhikers — though James wasn’t sure why since he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d seen one — but any company would do right now.

Slowly, James pulled to a stop by the side of the road.

As he turned to look at the red-haired woman through the passenger-side window, a jolt of recognition jittered down his spine.

He knew that face. It was red and splotchy right now, but he knew he’d seen it, more than once. He just couldn’t place it, didn’t know who she was.

The woman hesitated for a moment longer. Then, she reached out and opened the door.

"Hi," she said and sniffed.

"Hi," James replied, offering her a smile he hoped was reassuring. "Need a lift?"

"Yes, please."

"Hop on in."

The woman picked up her suitcase and hoisted it into the backseat before climbing into the passenger seat next to James.

"Where are you headed?" James asked as he steered back into the traffic.

"Just drop me off at the nearest town with a train station."

James slanted her a quick glance. She was looking out of the window, turned away from him. Disappointment pressed tight around his throat.

"Ok, just tell me where. Don't have the railway map in my head."

"I'll have to look that up, too," she admitted. "Give me a moment."

While she fumbled with her phone, James turned down his music. Drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. Second-guessed himself at least four times.

Then, finally, he couldn't hold back the words anymore.

"It's too bad, though. I really could have used the company."

She looked up from her phone and frowned at him.

Great, now he'd probably come across as some kind of a creep.

"Just, it's a long drive home for me and in the previous years we've made a whole road trip out of it with my friend but this time it's just me and at this rate, I'm pretty sure the boredom will rot my brain before I reach Manchester."

"You're driving all the way to Manchester?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"No, I'm driving all the way to Devon."

She blinked. Stared at him. Slowly tilted her head.

"Are you crazy?"

"Yes," James readily replied. "But not the homicidal kind. I promise."

That startled a laugh out of her.

And that piece that had been puzzling and nagging at him at the back of his mind clicked into place. The red hair. The bright eyes. That easily recognisable voice. The laugh.

“You’re Lily, right? Remus Lupin’s friend?”

Her eyebrows rose sharply in surprise.

"Yeah. We have a lot of classes together. Are you a friend of Remus, too?"

"Yeah. I'm best mates with Remus' boyfriend. He also happens to be my flatmate so I see Remus around. A lot."

A smile tugged at Lily’s lips. "I can only imagine."

"I'm James, by the way. James Potter. I don’t think we've ever officially met though I've seen you around the campus."

"Nice to meet you, James. Officially." Her voice was warm and light with her smile.

Hearing it lifted his heart and made him smile at the road in front of them.

"Likewise. And it's nice to have someone to talk with. The time's already flying by," James told her.

"Well, I guess keeping your brain rot away is the least I can do," Lily quipped.

"That would be much appreciated," he said. "I also really appreciate this opportunity of playing a knight in shining armour. It’s doing good things for my ego."

"Nurturing male egos is the primary focus of any woman’s life," Lily spoke in a wry tone.

James burst into laughter.

"I can see why you're friends with Remus," he said 

"Yeah, we have a similar sense of humour." Lily shrugged.

"You have a brilliant sense of humour," James replied.

"Thanks."

For a moment, a silence settled over them. Then, Lily asked: "So what's in Devon?"

And so the conversation took root again. They talked about their plans for the autumn break, about their studies, about university life. They complained about their assignments and exams. They shared anecdotes of their professors and classes and the antics of their friends. They confessed where all their favourite spots on the campus were.

They chatted so easily with one another that before either of them realised it, more than an hour had passed.

It wasn’t until James saw the signpost of Gretna Green that he jolted back to reality.

“Should we stop at Gretna Green?” he asked Lily, his genial mood starting to deflate.

He could feel the weight of Lily’s long stare.

“What for, an obliging blacksmith? You seem like a nice enough guy, James, but I’d like to get to know you a bit better before we put marriage on the table.”

James’ surprise burst out in a wild guffaw.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Lily,” he told her, trying to match her joking tone. “I’m the grand gestures type. When the marriage is on the table, you’ll know.”

He shot her a glance and winked, before turning his attention back to the road. “What I was actually after was, I’m pretty sure Gretna fits your definition of the nearest town with a train station. If I drop you off there, I’m sure you can get a train or a coach to take you home.”

While Lily stayed silent, James held his breath.

“I don’t want to be a bother,” she said slowly, after a long moment, “but if you’re really driving all the way to Devon, it wouldn’t be a huge detour to swing by Derby, would it?”

“Not at all, it’s practically on the way,” James said, perking up and breathing easy once again.

“I’m just concerned about the state of your brain,” she continued, deadpan. “We should keep it as rot-free as possible.”

“Definitely.” James nodded. “And seriously, I would appreciate the company.”

“Well then, looks like you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”

James grinned. And though he’d only just met her, he was starting to think that he wouldn’t mind being stuck with her for the rest of his life.

*

Lily was laughing so hard her cheeks were hurting. She wasn’t sure she’d stopped laughing since they’d crossed over to Lancashire. How strange it was that in the span of only two odd hours, her mood had taken such a complete and abrupt turn, from the bleakest, darkest pit into bright, boundless joy.

Really, it was all thanks to James. James, who was funny and nice and sweet and friendly and more than easy on the eyes.

And maybe a little crazy, yes, but definitely in a good way.

It was weird that their paths hadn’t crossed much on campus before. Sure, the campus was big and they studied in different faculties and had no classes in common. But Lily didn’t shy away from parties or pub quizzes or any of the varied events peppering the social calendar of student life. So they well could have—should have—met before today. Especially given the Remus-Sirius connection. James probably spent more time in the social scene of the campus than in class, too, Lily mused. Judging by their short acquaintance, James seemed even more outgoing than she was. After all, he’d been starved enough for company to pick up a stranger from the side of the road.

Which had been fortunate for her and very decent of him. A smile playing on her lips, Lily slanted a glance at James, wondering. Really, he was a decent bloke.

That thought combined with her returned good humour and the congenial mood in the car—as well as all the many miles still ahead of them—spurred her to speak before her brain had fully caught up with her tongue.

“Aren’t you going to ask?”

His eyebrows shot up. “Ask what?”

“How I ended up hitchhiking by the side of the road.”

James kept his eyes on the road and his voice even. “I figured you’d have a good reason for that and I didn’t want to pry. Felt like there was a story there and you seemed upset enough so I decided you needed space, not questions.”

Warmth bloomed in Lily’s chest even as a mirthless chuckle left her lips. “Oh, there’s a story all right. A long one.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“I know. But I think I want to.”

He gave her a slow nod, still looking at the road ahead, and muted the rock music that had been faintly playing in the background.

Lily glanced out of the window and took a deep, fortifying breath. “I was heading back home with a friend. He’s from my hometown; we’ve actually been friends since primary school.”

“Wow, that’s a long time,” James said.

“Yeah, it is. Which makes it all the more wretched.” She sighed. “We wanted to go to the same uni, though we have different majors. We haven’t actually seen each other much in the past year or two, which is why I hadn’t realised how much he’s changed.”

“People grow apart,” James murmured.

“We did. Since I started uni, I’ve been so busy trying to figure out who I am and who I want to be.”

“I know what you mean. It’s been the same for me. Living across the entire country from my parents has made me glad to at least have Sirius. I like my major and I feel like I’m on the right path but it definitely has me thinking about myself as a person in a way I haven’t needed to before.”

Lily nodded. His words resonated a lot with her, reassuring her once again that James, unlike Severus, understood. “I feel so, too. Except that for me, I’ve been exploring this side of myself more that I haven’t fully even realised was there before.” Lily had to pause then because her breath painfully caught in her throat. “I suppose I’m the one who’s changed. Or maybe just becoming more of myself, if that makes sense?”

“Makes perfect sense to me,” James replied.

“So maybe that’s true for him, too,” Lily mused, more to herself than to James. Her stomach churned as she finally fully faced the possibility she’d been shying away from since this morning. “Maybe he hasn’t actually changed for the worse. Maybe I just haven’t been paying attention and this is who he’s always been.”

As the awful certainty pummeled her heart, James’ fingers tapped against the steering wheel in a lulling pattern as he waited, silent and patient, for Lily to continue. She took a deep breath and steeled her mind. She’d be going over her and Severus’ fight several times in the near future, but right now she didn’t want to dwell on it. He’d ruined enough of her day and she wasn’t going to let him get the best of her. So she took back control of the narrative. Literally.

“Last November,” Lily said, her heartbeat kicking up as her nerves made their appearance, “I was at this party. Dancing with this girl. A few drinks in. She kissed me.”

Lily paused, but James’ fingers still kept tapping. His face showed nothing but curiosity.

“Did you kiss her back?” he asked.

That was it. A simple question, lacking any kind of judgement. Lily felt like crying and beaming at the same time but chose to go on with her story instead.

“I did,” she replied. “And it was like I was seeing in colour for the first time in my life.”

“I felt that way, too, when I had my first kiss,” James said. “Though I haven’t tried kissing blokes. I’ll leave them to Sirius.”

Lily laughed. “Well, long story short, I’ve been pretty openly bisexual since then. To the point that I forgot I hadn’t actually told my childhood friend about it. And today, we were driving back home together, as we’ve done a few times before. I don’t even remember what we were initially talking about but he made a really homophobic comment which I of course immediately called him out on but the whole thing escalated and I couldn’t deal with it, couldn’t deal with him anymore. So I had him drop me off by the side of the road.”

Lily had to swallow against the knot of bitter fury in her throat. It was too soon for recollections. She needed distance right now, both from Severus and her own emotions. With a grimace, she shoved Severus into a box and slammed the lid shut. It was time to wrap this story up and move on.

“I was pretty much a mess at that point,” Lily said, her voice neutral now. “His comments and beliefs hurt, the argument had been super draining. I was riding on the anger. It was easier being angry than admitting that I’d just lost a friend.”

“I’m sorry,” James murmured in a soft voice. “Sounds like you’ve had a really shitty day.”

“I have,” she answered, “but thankfully it’s looking up now. At this rate, I might be able to end this day on a good note.”

“I hope you will.” James spared her a quick glance. “And if I can help with that, let me know.”

She managed a small smile. “Oh, you already have. You picked me up from the side of the road. Offered to drive me all the way home. You made me laugh when I wasn’t sure I had any laughter left in me. And now you’re just sitting there, listening and letting me dump this whole sordid story of my life on you like some absolute madwoman.”

“Well, we’ve already established that I’m crazy, so you’re in good company,” James joked.

“I really am,” Lily agreed wholeheartedly. “Thank you, James. For everything.”

“You’re welcome. And honestly, I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to confide in me. I mean,” James fumbled. “I, at least, think better out loud. Helps me process. And when you keep something like this in for too long, it starts to fester. So I think it’s better for you to let it out.”

“You’re right.” Lily wasn’t all right yet. She probably wouldn’t be all right for a while yet. But she was in a much better place than she had been just a few short hours ago, and she couldn’t have got here without James.

“Also, the way I see it…” James paused, his ears growing a little pink. “You’ve also gained a new friend today. If you want one.”

“The way I see it,” Lily said, “I could really use a friend like you right now. Thanks, James.”

He grinned.

She smiled back and let her head fall to rest against the window. For the next mile or two, they sat in companionable silence.

*

The clock was slowly nearing six in the evening and they were getting closer to Derby. They’d taken a few breaks on the way, for food and coffee as well as rest. And while James was getting tired, it hadn’t really felt like a 350-mile drive. All thanks to Lily, who’d turned out to be the best company. She’d really saved the whole trip and he was already growing a bit gloomy and fidgety at the prospect of parting ways.

For more reasons than one, if he was honest with himself. But no matter how he felt about her, he was not gonna make it weird and be the creep making moves on a woman while he had her entrapped in a vehicle with him and while she was probably still in a vulnerable place emotionally speaking.

“Oh, I love this song,” Lily breathed out suddenly. “Turn it up.”

James did, and to his delight, Lily started singing along. He grinned at the road ahead, absolutely delighted with her and hoping he could imprint this moment on himself so he could always return to it. Speeding down the motorway, her presence beside him warm and bright like the sun, the song intertwining with her lovely voice swelling in the car and filling his heart.

“You sing really well,” he told her as the song came to an end.

“Thanks.”

A while later, they turned off the motorway. Lily started to give James instructions and to point out familiar places and while it was fascinating to get these additional glimpses into her life, the bottom of James’ stomach was sinking.

The end was getting near.

And then they were driving along a quiet residential street and Lily spoke up, her voice subdued, “It’s the third house on the right.”

A minute later, James pulled the car to a stop. They both stared at the ordinary-looking house in silence.

Lily turned to him. “Well, here we are.”

“Here we are,” James echoed.

“Thank you again for everything, James. You’ve been great.”

“So have you. My brain has remained fully rot-free thanks to you.”

Lily smiled. “I’m glad. Are you gonna be fine for the rest of the trip?”

James shrugged a shoulder. “I’ll manage, it’s only a couple more hours.”

Lily glanced back at the house. “Yeah… I’d invite you in, for tea or coffee or a bathroom break or whatever but it’s my parents’ house and I just don’t want to deal with all the questions they’d have.”

“I get it. It’s fine. I should get going anyway so it won’t be too late when I get home.”

“Right. This is a goodbye then.” Lily’s lips twitched into a small smile.

“For now.” James winked. “You agreed to be my friend so you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Lily laughed. If James could bottle the sound he’d always carry it around in his pocket.

“Fine with me.”

She opened the car door and James got out to help her with her luggage.

They stood by the side of the street, staring at one another, each of them seemingly unwilling to move. Finally, James held out his hand.

“Can I get your phone?”

Lily raised her eyebrow. “Why?”

He opted for humour. It was always so easy to hide behind. “If you get too concerned about the status of my poor brain which will surely start to rot in your absence, you could ring me. Or text me. If you had my number.”

Lily’s green eyes sparked. She unlocked her phone and handed it over to James. “I guess it would be good to have your number. I might stay up all night worrying about your rotting brain otherwise.”

James beamed like an idiot as he put in his number, then handed Lily’s phone back.

“There you go.”

“Thanks.” Lily tapped at the number and after a brief moment, James’ phone started to ring in the car. “Just checking that it works.”

“Never hurts to check,” James said, both comforted and giddy about the fact that he now had Lily’s number, too.

“Goodbye, James. For now. Drive safe.”

“Thanks. Take care, Lily.”

She nodded, smiled, and turned to leave. But after just a few steps, she was back, abruptly pulling James into a hug.

He held her close, barely having time to register the warm weight of her body against his and the softness of her hair under his hand and just the utter perfection of her before she had backed away again.

“Sorry. I guess I needed to get that out of my system.”

“No need to apologise. For the record, I love hugs.”

“Good to know. Ok. Bye. For real now.”

“Bye.”

He stood by the car, hands stuffed in his pockets. When Lily reached the door, she turned back to wave. And before James could help himself, he called out to her: “You know, after the break, I’m gonna drive back to Scotland to uni. If you need a ride, I could use the company.”

Lily’s smile was so wide it lit up her face. She tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

“Sure,” she replied. “It’s a date.”

[kay-elle-cee]

Hello, do you know if there is any tips on finding Jily fics on A03, without being lead into a trap by the fake tags? I opened one Jily fic but I had to closer the browser because it wasn’t Jily it was of James and Hermione 🤢 🤢literally the line was like “I love you, Hermes. Lily only cares about Harry she doesn’t think of me, your the one I love”. So I just couldn’t, do you have any recommendations on Jily fic authors that actually show James and Lily?

😵‍💫 Oh yeah that's....a bait and switch for sure!

Hi there! I will be totally honest, I get most of my fic recs on Tumblr for exactly the reason you've stated above...every now and then I'll find a good one through ao3 tags but often it's a total shot in the dark!

BUT recs? I can do recs! For starters, here's a roundup of some of my favorite fics I read last year! And I would highly recommend checking out the other works of any authors on that list. In addition to folks there, here are some other great accounts to follow: @jilymicrofics, @jilymicro-oops, @thegobletofweasleys, @athenasparrow, @charmsandtealeaves, @nodirectionhome-ao3, @mppmaraudergirl, @uncertainwallflower, @jamesunderwater, @abihastastybeans, @startanewdream, and @suzyq31 (who's just starting to write Jily, and we're very excited!).

And I know I'm missed some people but checking out these folks and the ones from my 2022 fic rec lists will definitely get you in the orbit of what you want! And a special plug for @jilytoberfest, which starts in a week and will have lots of Jily content!

Hope this was helpful, Anon!

Oops! Editing to add the links to the Jilymicrofics, Jilytober, and Jilyweek AO3 collections in case you don't have a Tumblr to follow these accounts!

Jilymicrofics on Ao3 Jilymicro-oops on Ao3 Jily Week 2022 & Jily Week 2023 Jilytober 2022 & Jilytober 2023

[jilyawards]

Welcome back for another year of Jily awards! 

I’m very excited to see the fics and art you have been enjoying this year. Like last year, I’ll be running Jily Awards on Airtable.

Timeline: 

Nominations: Nov 1 through Nov 21

Nominations will be released beginning on Nov 14, and on a rolling basis after that.

Week 1 voting: Dec 1-7

Week 2 voting: Dec 10-17

Finalists and the final round of voting will be announced after Round 2 is completed. 

Rules: 

All works must have been posted in some amount between November 1, 2022 and November 1, 2023. This can be a chapter or an entire fic. Each category has specific requirements, so keep an eye out for those posts to come!

All votes must be confirmed by Tumblr message in order to be counted. This means you must have a Tumblr in order to vote. Votes were lost last year because people failed to confirm votes. Please check the Week 1 Voting post for more info when it is released. 

Any opt outs from last year do not carry over. If you would like to exclude your works from consideration for Jily Awards 2023, you must send me a message. You will receive a response to confirm you were removed. You must opt out before the Nominations are released, or you will not be permitted to exclude yourself. 

At this time, there are no limitations on the type or trope of fic that can be submitted. If you have concerns about this, please send me a message so that we can discuss your concerns further. Asks will not be responded to on this subject. 

Categories:

There are a few changes to the categories this year. More information on each category will be released soon, but the categories are as follows: 

Favorite Canon Complaint, Favorite Magical AU, Favorite Muggle AU, Favorite Fluff, Favorite Humor/Crack, Favorite Angst, Favorite Smut, Favorite Microfic, Favorite James Characterization, Favorite Lily Characterization, Favorite Fic of the Year, Favorite Reviewer, Favorite New Author, Favorite Artist, Favorite Author

Nominations:

Looking to make some nominations? Find out more information here.

💞Ava

[ifyouknowmenahyoudontt]

coming out as an og marauders girly: i HATE jegulus.it makes no sense.james would NEVER.regulus wasn’t the rebel you make him to be.he didn’t do it out of a feeling of justice.it was ego.you all make out regulus what sirius actually was.this ship legit ruined this fandom.jily forever.james and lily are soulmates.its okay to have a straight ship relax.lily being a wife and a mother doesn’t make her less of a strong woman.enough of this bullshit.i get that this fandom is based on imagination and headcannons but they need to make a little bit of sense tho. james would never date a death eater.or someone from his brother’s abusive horrible family.jily my beloved you will live.

[ginemrys]

look at the stars

jily challenge | November 2022 | @jilychallenge

Theme: Tropefest!

Trope: Fake Dating

Partner: the incredible @petalstofish

Prompt: "just so you know, I don't like you"

“Potter, I need your help…” Lily said as she grabbed his wrist, stopping him from heading up to the bar. The group of friends had gathered, as they did every Thursday night, for the weekly quiz at their local pub. She and James had an odd relationship, they’d hated each other throughout school but had mutual friends that had led to them hanging out regularly. It had led to them becoming sort of friends, though they were by no means as close as the rest of the group. 

“Really?” James’ eyebrows shot up his forehead as he looked down at her, his hand flying into the messy curls that sat atop his head. “How?”

Lily sighed, letting go of his arm to chew on her thumbnail as she peered up at him. When had he gotten so tall? “I made a drunken bet with Marlene a while ago that I’d be dating someone by the end of the month and…” 

“And you haven’t succeeded…” James finished for her, looking confused. “And I come in, how?”

Lily sucked in a deep breath. “Will you fake date me for a little while, just to get her off my back?” 

James blinked in shock, his mouth hanging open just a little before letting it snap shut. “Sure…” 

continue reading on ao3 or below the cut

It had taken some convincing to prove to the group that James and Lily had fallen for each other, they all knew that their friendship had been strained. But Lily had claimed over and over that it was only because they had always harboured feelings for each other that had prevented them from ever getting too close until one too many drinks after the pub quiz had led to newfound happiness. James played his part well, always keeping an arm around her shoulders or her waist, pressing soft kisses to her hair or cheek and the way he looked at her sometimes, Lily could have sworn he was genuinely gazing at her with affection. 

So the ploy worked, Marlene seemed moderately convinced by their relationship and the group returned to their happy normality except that now Lily tended to sit beside James or sometimes half on him when squashed onto a sofa with Sirius, who liked to spread out his legs. She found that she actually rather enjoyed spending time with the boys alone, originally heading over to hang out had seemed like a chore but over a few weeks she sometimes ended up inviting herself over. 

“Oh, Prongs, I told Mum that I’d need to share a tent with someone else next week, since you’ll be sharing with Lily.” Sirius said one evening at his and James’ flat as the three of them watched some corny American reality show on Netflix. 

“What?” James glanced at Lily with wide eyes before looking over at Sirius. “What are you talking about?”

“The annual camping weekend?” Sirius said slowly, frowning at his best friend. “With the boys and your parents? I… I assumed that Evans would be joining given how loved up you have been recently.” 

“Oh…” James replied, having shot another glance in Lily’s direction, who had simply shrugged. “That…” 

“Yeah, well, Pete can’t make it because as usual he couldn’t get the weekend off work. So I’ll bunk with Moony and you two can share.” Sirius rolled his eyes as he got up from the sofa stretching his arms above his head with a yawn. “Mum’s very excited, she practically cried with joy when I told her the two of you were dating, she always hoped that Lily would fancy you back someday given how obsessed you were with her in school. Anyway, I’m off to bed. Night!”

James had turned bright red in the dimly lit living room, the TV still projecting different colours onto his face. He very slowly turned his head to look at Lily, who was sitting with her arms crossed, a hard to read expression on her face. 

“Uh-”

“Well, that’s that then.”

“What?” James blinked at her a few times, he seemed as though he’d been expecting her to yell at him. 

“We’re going camping then, right? If your family has heard that we’re ‘dating’,” she raised her fingers in quotation marks as she spoke, “then we can’t exactly upset your mum with me deciding to turn down the offer of meeting them and spending the weekend.” 

“You’ll come?” James looked as surprised as he had when she’d first asked him to agree to her strange plan. 

“Do I really have a choice?” She answered, tilting her head to the side. 

“Of course you do, Evans, I-”

“I’ll do it.” Lily interrupted as she got to her feet, grabbing her jacket from the back of the sofa and pulled it on. “One weekend can’t be that bad, but, Potter?”

His head snapped up, his eyes meeting hers. 

“Just so you know, this doesn’t mean that I like you.” 

"Right."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lily was pretty quiet on the drive down to Cornwall, her eyes fixed on the window at the view. Sirius had of course called shotgun the second he'd stepped out of the front door of their building, jumping into the front seat so that Lily and Remus were delegated into the back with some of their bags.

She had her airpods tucked into her ears as she watched the countryside pass by, mostly to drown out her nervousness rather than shut herself out from the conversation in the car. She knew James had noticed her face light up when she spotted the ocean peaking over the horizon, their eyes meeting for a second in the rear view mirror before she looked away, her cheeks a little pink. 

Sirius chatted away happily, audible over Lily’s music but he seemed to be keeping James from getting too bored as he drove for a few hours. But finally, just as the sky was starting to darken slightly, they pulled into the campsite. Two figures were settled in camp chairs between three tents, mugs in their hands. James jumped from the car once he had parked up, rushing over to hug his parents. 

"Nervous?" Remus asked Lily, a soft smile on his face as they watched James' mother cup his face and kiss his cheek affectionately.

"I… Yeah…" Lily blushed, deciding to actually be honest. "It's funny because I've met them before but-"

"But not as James' girlfriend." Remus nodded knowingly. "They'll love you, don't worry."

Lily nodded, chewing on her lip nervously before opening the door and climbing out of the car. She hovered next to Remus as Sirius hugged James’ parents as well before the four of them turned to the other two.

“Lily! My dear, you look wonderful.” Euphemia Potter smiled warmly, giving Lily a gentle hug and a kiss on the cheek. “It’s so lovely to see you again.” 

“You too, Mrs Potter, thank you for inviting me.” Lily replied, her voice wavering only a little.

“Please, call me Mia, Mrs Potter was my mother-in-law.” Euphemia teased, waving Lily’s gratitude away. Her husband stepped forward to shake Lily’s hand in greeting as Euphemia embraced Remus. 

Once everyone had reunited, James’ hand slipped into Lily’s. He gave her a soft smile which she mirrored. Ever since they had begun their false relationship, Lily had been unable to admit to anyone, perhaps even herself, just how perfectly her hand fit into James’. She’d been trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach every time he wrapped an arm around her, and had attempted to hide the small smile that appeared on her lips anytime he kissed her hair or cheek.

“Doing okay?” He asked quietly as Sirius chatted away to the others. 

“Yeah, I’m alright.” Lily looked up at James, her traitorous heart catching in her throat as she gazed into his eyes. The gently setting sun had turned them into molten gold, the colours shining so beautifully Lily thought that she would be comfortable dying there and then so long as the colour of his eyes was her last ever sight. 

“Are you sure?” He replied, his eyebrow raising curiously. Shit . She’d let herself stare for too long, her cheeks flushing pink as she averted her gaze. She nodded before letting go of his hand and started to grab bags from the back of the car to distract herself from the burning of her blush and the intensity of his eyes. 

The group eventually settled into camp chairs around a small makeshift fire that James and Sirius had built, mugs of booze cradled in their hands. Bacon sandwiches had already been dished out, Lily felt as though she would be eternally grateful to James for making sure she ate a big lunch when they stopped on the drive down. He sat beside her, their two chairs nestled close together to make sure that they kept up appearances. 

The two older Potters were so welcoming to Lily, Euphemia seemed over the moon that James had found himself ‘such a nice girl’. It was rather cute the way that James’ cheeks had burned pink as his mother fawned over him and Lily, his eyes only meeting Lily’s for the briefest second before he looked away. 

The sky had faded from gold, to purple, to deep navy. Lily let out a tiny gasp when she looked up, seeing the stars poking through the blue. Living in cities her whole life had meant that stars were usually covered by a thick sheen of smog, pollution and light. But down here in the country, the stars were brighter than she had ever seen them. 

“See those three super bright stars up there?” James said to her softly, his finger pointing up into the sky. “That’s the Summer Triangle. They’re all a part of different constellations.”

“Really?” Lily tore her gaze from the stars to look at him, her eyes wide in wonder. Beside them, Euphemia and Fleamont quietly excused themselves to their tent, having grown tired. Lily hardly noticed, her eyes once again returning to the sky to find where James was pointing. 

“Yeah, the one at the leftmost point is Deneb, part of Cygnus the Swan.” James explained, leaning a little closer to her so that they were looking at the same point. “The top one is Vega that’s in Lyra the Harp and the bottom one is Altair in Aquila, which is the Eagle constellation.” 

Out of the corner of Lily’s peripheral vision, she noticed Remus lightly hit Sirius on the arm and the two of them also moved into their tent, leaving James and Lily quite alone. She was unsure if James had even realised, he was so intent on making sure she saw the constellations. Quietly he murmured to her about the stars, his fingers tracing patterns against the sky to show her the constellations. 

“How do you know so much about the stars? I thought I was well informed knowing that Sirius was named after the Dog star…” Lily asked after a short while, her eyes once again returning to James’ features. She wasn’t sure if they’d ever sat so close before, the firelight making his tanned skin glow golden. He looked as though he had been sculpted, his features pulled straight from the men she read about in books and dreamed about. It hit her like a ton of bricks all at once, James Potter was beautiful. And he was exactly her type. 

How had it taken so long to realise? Maybe he had been hidden behind the arrogance and bravado that she’d hated in school. Maybe because she had known him before puberty had melded him into this adonis before her that she’d never noticed it before. His jawline could cut glass…

Just as Lily was coming to the realisation that maybe she fancied him, James looked at her. And Lily would swear at a later date that she’d melted under the sudden heat that his gaze sent coursing through her. She would also claim that one minute they were looking at each other and the next they were kissing, that she had no idea who had leaned in first despite James’ laughter filled retorts that she had lunged at him. 

If Lily thought that James Potter was well informed about stars, that was nothing compared to how well informed he was at kissing. His lips on hers just felt right. His hands moved to cradle her face as he kissed her back, almost hesitant at first. But when Lily’s hand moved to brush through his hair, a soft sigh escaped him and the kiss deepened. James Potter kissed as he did everything in life, by throwing himself into it with all of his emotion worn plain as day. 

When the kiss broke and Lily pulled away, she couldn’t help the smile on her lips that was mirrored on James’ face. She knew that they both agreed, they had been idiotic to wait so long to do that. And neither of them were about to waste anymore time, their hands immediately reaching for the other again, their lips meeting in another kiss. 

It was like she was flying, his arms around her were so strong that she knew she did not need to hold herself up as he could support her. So Lily let herself melt into his touch, her fingers tangling in his messy hair, hair that she only now realised she had been aching to touch for so many years. A soft moan escaped her lips, the sound pressing into his mouth that made him respond in kind. 

Lily pulled away to look at him, his eyes slowly opening to reveal only a hint of hazel remaining around the deep blackness of his pupils. He looked utterly wrecked and by god she knew she felt the same. “We should… We should get some sleep…” She whispered, trailing her fingers down his face to rest her hands on his chest. 

He nodded, his expression almost dumbstruck as he blinked at her a few times slowly. Lily couldn’t help but giggle at the effect she’d had on him, her hand moving to take his as she gently pulled him towards their tent. They crawled inside and Lily settled back against the air bed as James tugged the zip closed. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So… So you were faking it the whole time to not lose the bet but then finally realised you two actually have the hots for each other and banged it out in a tent feet away from his parents?” Marlene asked over the shot of tequila that Lily had shoved into her hand before making her admission. 

“Yeah, that’s about right.” Lily replied, glancing over at her boyfriend who was standing with Sirius at the drinks table, fixing her a drink. As if he felt her gaze on him, James turned his head, their eyes meeting. He smiled at her warmly, just one look instantly soothing her nervousness about finally being truthful with her best friend. 

“Well, fuck me.” Marlene said, downing the shot. She made a disgusted face and shivered slightly as the alcohol coursed through her. “If I had my doubts before, I certainly don’t now. You two are so cute for each other.” 

“I know.” Lily blushed, her face growing suddenly warmer. “And it’s all thanks to you for coming up with that bet, without it, I don’t think I would have ever realised that I fancied him all this time.”

“I can agree with that,” James’ deep voice said as he pressed a kiss to the top of Lily’s head. He passed her a drink before settling down beside her on the sofa, “cheers, McKinnon.” 

Marlene grinned, looking at the two of them as Lily settled herself against James’ side, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. “Was all a part of my plan, Potter. But you’re welcome. Though I am going to leave you two alone now because you are a bit sickening and I’ve drunk a lot of tequila!” She bounced to her feet, saluting at them both with two fingers moving away from her brow before she screeched at Sirius to fix her a drink. 

Lily looked at James, smiling happily. “She’s not mad.” 

“I knew she wouldn’t be, she loves you.” James replied simply, his fingers tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “How could she not?” 

Lily giggled as she leaned in to kiss him, leaving it soft and tender. They had all the time in the world for deep and meaningful kisses, she knew that she wasn’t going to let this boy go any time soon. How could she? They were made for each other. 

[emeralddoeadeer]

Fic Author Self-Rec Tag

thanks for the tag @kay-elle-cee

When you get this, reply with your 5 favourite fics that you’ve written. Then pass it on to five other writers. Spread some self-love.

I don't play favourites, but here are five fics.

1. Class of '78  - 38k words, rated M, Canon Divergent

Five years after graduating from Hogwarts the class of 1978 return for a weekend. This is their chance to reconnect, to come together as a team to face a weekend of trials. They soon find out that while many things have changed, some things never will.

2. this time I'll remember - 24k words, rated T, Modern au

Frank and Alice, due to wed at the end of summer, invite their wedding party to Frank’s aunt's house on the Norfolk coast for a weekend of getting to know each other before the big day. Follow the group through to the I do's. (for summer of jily 2022)

3. you don't know me (but I know you) 3.6k words T, Modern au

Lily has a crush, she knows his face well but can only imagine his name; until they meet that is. (your field au for jily week 2023)

4. the days are bright and filled with pain 1.5k words, rated T Canon Divergent

A small glimpse of the Potters and friends on Christmas Eve of 1981.

5. Everlong || Times Like These 274k + 6.5k words, Modern au

(it had to make the list, it's the big one. an emotional rollercoaster of a slow burn)

A group of twenty-somethings face challenges as they navigate through difficult times. A journey through pain, miscommunications and complexities of the heart.

tagging if you fancy it - @theesteemedladydebourgh @sunshinemarauder @joyseuphoria @emerqldv @arianatwycross

[all-things-jily]

Totally agree with the ATYD tagging post! The fandom has totally changed from that point. In your opinion, when exactly did the marauders fandom change into this new modern version? I ask because I took a bit of a marauders social media break from 2022 to mid 2023 and when I downloaded tumblr for the first time after that, I was suddenly bombarded with the slytherin skittles and ships I hadn’t heard of. I still get so confused sometimes!

Love your page by the way, Jily will always be the best ship!

Hi! Thank you 🥰

You know, I don't exactly remember when this happened, though I'd guess around the end of 2021, but what I do remember is how SUDDEN and all-encompassing it was! I also vividly remember the first time I got the ~hint~ of what may be happening when a fic had Regulus as a minor antagonist with an unrequited crush on James and I was like

'Huh? Where did this idea come from? But ok ig'

And then like 2 weeks later the tags were just overrun and I knew 😂

The initial wave was caused by Choices. Since it was canon compliant-ishhhh they were still making attempts to know the characters and where they stood. But once CR hit, which was a complete AU in every sense, they weren't making attempts to even acknowledge canon anymore and I think that's when the skittles thing and so many other ships came afloat.

[thethreebroomsticksficfest]

Roundup: Week Three

The penultimate week of the 2022 Yule Bash has wrapped up, which can only mean one thing: time to catch up on this week’s fics before the final few are revealed. Read on for a roundup of all the festive submissions from week 3.

The full masterlist is available right here. 🎄

Week Three Fics:

💚 In The Bleak Midwinter – a heart-wrenching missing moment from DH, featuring Dean Thomas, gorgeous imagery, and plentiful pining, all courtesy of @floreatcastellumposts

💚 Never To Be Forgotten – spend Christmas of 2022 with the Potters, the first one without a beloved character. You’re guaranteed to shed a tear (or ten) while reading this one by @pottermum

💚 A Christmas Debacle – don your best dress robes and join the Black family for their annual Christmas argument dinner in this outstanding fic by none other than @ashesandhackles

💚 Jumper – exploring the relationship between Hermione Granger and Molly Weasley, this fic is sure to break your heart and heal it at the same time, all thanks to @turanga4

💚 Let It Linger – *sings* all I want for Christmas is.... a glorious Jily fic set during their time at Hogwarts, complete with all the pining and top-notch banter, by the one and only @starlingflight

💚 Just Not Home – a sweet Romione moment full of festive cheer (+ a dash of angst). The perfect recipe for a fic that’ll leave you feeling oh-so-cozy and make you want to reread it, brought to you by @heartstopping-waves

💚 An Unexpected Surprise – visit Cokeworth this Christmas to catch an insightful look at the friendship between Lily Evans and Severus Snape, courtesy of @indihpblog

💚 Loneliest Time of the Year – navigate Christmases and complicated relationships in an engrossing fic told from the perspective of Percy Weasley, written by @ala-baguette 

💚 Twelve Fail-Safe Ways – run and get some last-minute shopping done with Romione! By the time you finish reading it, you’ll have way more than 12 reasons to love this wholesome fic from @lanaturnergetup

💚 How Teddy Lupin Got His Christmas Stocking – a heartbreaking portrayal of Andromeda’s first Christmas after the war, featuring baby Teddy Lupin and some very significant memories, by @celestemagnoliathewriter

That’s it for now. We will see you again on Monday to kick off the last week of the Yule Bash. Merry Christmas! 🎄✨