Tales > Photo Hunt

Saturday morning at Hogwarts started with James waking up Remus in the boy's dormitory .

"Moony, wake up, mate," James shook Remus by the shoulders.

"Mmm...Oh. Morning, James." Remus woke up slowly.

"Listen, could you lend me your camera?" asked James.

"What will you want it for?" asked Remus.

James did not answer. He was pacing in circles, blushing, trying to say the words when came Sirius' voice from the opposite direction.

"Ahaaa---finally decide to do it, aren't you, Prongs?" he sniggered.

"Stop taunting me, Padfoot!" James reeled around at Sirius furiously, but his face blushed even redder at the same. Then he turned to Remus.

"It's like this: See, Frank has Alice's photo. And I thought..." James was about to went on when Remus made a sudden leap towards his own trunk and opened it.

"Say no more, my friend," said Remus, smiling, as he reached for the bottom of his trunk and pulled out a camera. He thrust it to James, who looked bewildered.

"You want to take a picture of Lily, right?" asked Remus, smiling even more calmly, as though he was expecting this to happen. James" bewildered looks turned to a broad smile.

'"Thanks, Moony! I"ll return it as soon as I get a picture!" said James happily, as he skip his way down to the Great Hall, with Remus" camera in his hands.

"Mmm...What's James so happy about?" asked Peter, who just woke up.

Sirius and Remus did not answer. They simply grinned at Peter, who looked puzzled.

James made his way to the Great Hall, and saw Lily Evans sitting at the Gryffindor table having her breakfast.

Heart pounding, James walk slowly behind her. His fingers tremble as he adjust Remus" camera with great difficulty as he ponders.

Should I ask her politely, or should I take a candid picture? He thought. Then, he made his choice. He gave it a go.

"Evans," he said.

Lily gave a sudden leap and spilt her orange juice. Furious, she reeled around and was about to make her comment, only to find herself, in split second, buried in a flash of light.

"What in the name of Merlin was that for, Potter?" she asked more furiously at him.

"Taking a picture, and may I say that you look stunningly beautiful today?" James replied with a grin.

But to his surprise, Lily swings her hand and slapped away Remus" camera with such a force, it fell on the floor so hard the lid broke loose, and the film was exposed to the sunlight and was damaged.

"Evans! That's Remus" camera!" said James.

"Well, perhaps you should buy your own camera instead of borrowing one. And next time if you want a picture of me, ask for it!" Lily snapped back at him. James stood dumbstruck. Lily seize this opportunity, swings her bag on her shoulders and left the Great Hall, knocking Sirius in the ribs as they passed each other by.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Sirius rubbed his ribs as he, Peter and Remus walk towards James.

"Evans was angry because I took a candid picture of her," James replied to Sirius, without looking at him. He was looking at Lily's direction, feeling stupid of himself. I should have asked her. He thought miserably. Sirius just gaped at James. Peter looking at Lily's direction and back at James. Remus sighed at his broken camera.

"Oh! That Potter's a nutcase!" Lily slumped herself to her bed after a whole day's visit to Hogsmeade Village.

"What is it this time?" Asked roommate Alice.

"How dare he, just taking a candid picture of me in the morning?" Lily blurted out furiously, without looking at Alice. "Think it's funny, must be."

"Oh, I don't know, not really," Alice said.

"What?" Lily looked at her.

"Well, I think to the boys, they think it's the most precious moments. They like that, candid moments. Of course, Frank prefers still pose when he asked for my photo," Alice explained, as her face starts to blush.

"Longbottom asked for your photo?" Lily asked, bewildered.

"Yes. And I gave him one--"

"Hmm..."

"—so that he won't bother me again."

Both girls laughed in the girls' dormitory.

"Achoo!" sneezed Frank Longbottom in the boy's dormitory.

"Whoa, caught a cold, mate?" Asked James.

"Nah, must be Alice talking about me," Frank replied sheepishly, as he took out Alice's photo from his Herbology book.

"You placed that in your Herbology book?" Sirius asked.

"So I won't lose it. Besides, it makes a good bookmark," Frank replied, face going red.

James looked at Frank. He made up his mind.

Sunday morning. And as students ate their breakfast in the Great Hall while waiting for owls to deliver their copy of Sunday Prophet, James walked towards Lily.

"Good morning, Evans," James greeted her.

"Oh, Good Morning, Potter," Lily replied without looking at him in the eye.

"About yesterday, well, I'm sorry about it," said James. 'I said it,' he thought.

"Well, I'm sorry too for breaking Lupin's camera," Lily replied again.

"So, er, may I have a picture of yours?" James asked. His heart gone beating fast at the upcoming reply.

"Well...I suppose to keep you away from interrupting me..."

James' heart gave a jolt.

"...why not?"

James looked beyond shock. He was grinning broadly, as Lily handed him a picture of herself to James.

"So, don't ever bother me for a picture again---" Lily was about to finish her sentence, only to find James" voice drowned hers.

"THANKS! EVANS!" James was jumping madly like a lunatic, and gave Lily, without warning, a kiss at the cheek. He then skidded off the Great Hall, screaming with joy. Heads were all turning at his direction as he passed the other students.

Lily stood there, dumbstruck. Alice looked equally bewildered. "Is he that crazy over you?" she asked.

Sirius sniggered and said, "He's way beyond sanity now."

"When is he going to repair my camera?" asked Remus.

Peter, who is now looking at James' plate, gave a longingly look.

"If he's not going to finish that, I will."