Dig A Hole [James]

[Lily Potter]

Lily was bored. She had taken to just kind of staying in here room most of the days and nights during the summer. She didn't really hang around her dad as much as she used to. She felt like she was trying to become less shy, but it wasn't working completely. She knew she should try to get out there more, but it hurt her to do that.

She had grabbed a few books from the library and was flipping through them aimlessly. She didn't have anyone to really hang out with or anything and it made her incredibly lonely. She had her books, she supposed, so it wasn't that bad. She just chilled around in her pajama's, asked house elves to bring her food and drinks. It was the life fit for a queen. Minus all the people that wanted to come and talk to her of course.

[James Potter]

James was bored. He knew Al was doing something somewhere but his brother wasn't the one he was looking for. James wanted to check up on his little sister. He had noticed that she hasn't been coming out of her room much this summer. He hoped everything was okay with her.

He knocked on her door, hoping that she would actually answer it. He wasn't sure what the two would do today but he thought they could hang out a bit. He missed spending time with her. He tried, but, he didn't know, she just didn't seem interested.

[Lily Potter]

Lily's eyebrow's burrowed when she heard a knock at her door. She didn't know who it was, but she was pretty sure it was either James or her father. Getting off her bed with a big bounce, she bounded to the door and opened it, finding James. "Hey, James." Lily greeted before going back and plopping on her bed where a stack of books were. The House Elves had been bringing her books as well.

"What brings you to my room?"Lily asked with a small smile. She was fine by herself in her room alone. Wasn't she? Of course... there wasn't any reason she had to come out and talk to people, was there? Not in Lily's mind at least. She was perfectly fine with being a loner for the rest of her miserable life.

[James Potter]

James smiled at his sister. When he walked into her room he realized just how many books she had in there. "Hey Lils. Been reading a lot lately? That seems to be all you do lately." He walked over to her bed and sat on it.

He studied her. She looked fine and wasn't acting like a hermit. Maybe he was just imagining things... "Hey, you wanna go do something? I'm bored and who knows where Al is. Please? Come fly with me."

[Lily Potter]

Lily smiled at him. So what if she had read a lot of books lately. "Well... you know. New library and all. Gotta read all the books. That's what they're there for." Lily told her brother with a laugh. So what if she was working on a third of their gigantic library right now. She liked books. She liked being smart. They would help her somehow, she was sure.

Go out... flying? Without their dad? Lily didn't like flying without her dad, but she supposed she could make an exception for James. After all, he had been nicer to her lately. "Sure... I guess I could go for a fly with you." Lily said with a small smile. Remembering the conversation they had back in the common room about her needing to be less shy. This counted as being shy right? Not wanting to flying because her dad wouldn't be there? She went flying with Teddy... but maybe that was being Teddy was kind of like a dad in a way too.

[James Potter]

James held up his hands. "Woah Lils. I have nothing against you reading a lot. I was sinply making an observation. Who knows what this new library has in it. I'm sure there are some good books in there somewhere."

He smiled at his sister. He was happy she agreed to go flying with him. He meant what he said at school. She needed to break out of her shell a bit more. He knew that even with the family she sometimes never interacted with people. Well, except for their dad that is. Lily seemed to spend a lot of time with him.

He turned his attention to her. "Come on. Maybe dad will come join us or something."

[Lily Potter]

"There's a lot of good books!" Lily defended with her eyebrows burrowed. There were probably a lot more bad books than good one, but that was beside the point. Lily just loved to read, it kept her busy when she didn't have anything else to do.

Lily gave him a smile when he mentioned dad. "No... Just you and me." She said before surprising herself and wrapping her arms around her brother's torso. "I really have missed you James. And I've been trying to become less shy. But it's still really hard..." Lily blubbered out, trying to stop the tears that were trying to form. She wanted to have friends. She didn't want to be such a nerd. She didn't understand why she was sorted in Gryffindor when all she did was sit in the back of the classroom and not say a word.

[James Potter]

James was surprised when lily said she just wanted it to be the two of them. She usually jumped at the chance of spending more time with their dad. What surprised him even more was the hug. Oh don't get him wrong, Lily gave him hugs. They usually just weren't so...he wasn't sure how to deceive it.

He hugged her tight and didn't let go. "Oh Lils. I've missed you too. I misses my silly little sister who couldn't wait to go flying or hang out with her big brother. I know that you are trying and I promise to keep helping you. I love you little sis. I'll make sure that you are ready to face the world, or at least Hogswarts, by yourself before I leave there. And if anything, you always have Al." He kissed the top of her head. "I will always be here for you Lils. Never doubt that."

[Lily Potter]

Lily felt safe in her brothers arms and she loved that feeling. It was the feeling her dad gave her. It was why she loved her dad so much, but then again. She never even knew if he was going to come back alive half the time. After the divorce... everything got horrible for Lily. She was never herself.

"I want that Lily back too... but I've always been shy, Jamie... You know that." Lily mumbled into her brother. "What if I'm never ready. You're leaving me... Al never talks to me. I'm going to be completely alone. I won't have anyone at Hogwarts that will be there for me. I'll just end up reading all night like I've done all summer because I'm too scared to break out of my shell and too scared to tell you that." Lily told him honestly. "I know you'll always be there for me. But you won't always be there with me. None of you guys will. Dad's with Mr. Malfoy... and he's happy but not with us. Mom is mom... and Al is Al. I'm scared."

[James Potter]

James felt like he should never let her go. At that moment he was reminded why he was always so protective over her. He knew his dad cared but he was hardly ever there. It was one of the reasons James was distant from his dad. He had taken on the 'safe haven' and the 'protector' for his two siblings. It gave him split feelings. He loved that his brother and sister had him to run to but he hated that it was necessary to the extent it was.

He sighed and put his head on top of hers. "Don't worry Lils. I meant what I said. I will always be there for you, always. By the end of the year if you still aren't ready, we will think of something. Who knows, maybe I'll stick around Hogwarts. I still am not sure what I want to do after school. Maybe I'll decide to apprentice. No matter what, I'll always be an owl away. Say the word and I'm there." This talk gave him a good idea. He would need to talk to his dad but maybe he had the perfect present for his sister. "Don't worry Lils. Someone will always be there for and with you. I'll make sure of it."

[Lily Potter]

Lily honestly didn't know what she would do without James. He had helped her so much within the past year and she was grateful for that. She hoped all the help was going to work and wouldn't be for nothing. "You'd stay at Hogwarts just for me, Jamie?" Lily asked as a single tear escaped her eye. It was a good thing James wouldn't be able to see it because of their embrace.

"Have I ever mentioned how awesome you are, Jamie?" Lily told him with a small smile. He was the best big brother anyone could possibly want or ask for. He was amazing in a lot of ways and Lily was lucky to have him, even if she didn't have both parents or a parent that stuck around all the time. She had her big brother there with her. Always.

[James Potter]

James' heart sunk at his sister's words. Did she really think he wouldn't. James was sure that he would even get an apprenticeship in a field he wasn't fond of just to take care of his sister. "Yes, Lils, I would really do that. I would do anything for you and Al. You two are my little brother and sister. My job as the oldest is to take care of you two. That's a job I take seriously."

James chuckled a bit and smiled. "You may have mentioned it once or twice. Always good though to inflate my ego a bit more." He loosened his hold on her but didn't end the hug all the way. "Have I ever mentioned that you are the best little sister a guy could ever ask for?"

[Lily Potter]

Lily couldn't say anything. Her brother would take a job because it meant they would be together just for her, yet her father left and didn't know when he was going to be back half the time. Lily was lucky to have an older brother like James.

"I live to boost your ego, Jamie" Lily laughed and joked with her brother. She was glad he came in her room to probably find her because she disappeared almost the moment she had gotten home from Hogwarts. She didn't feel like coming out of her room. She felt like burying herself in a mountain of books and never coming out. "Hmm. Dont' think you have." She joked. "But thanks. It means a lot coming from you, Jamie."