Prompt: sharing favourite books
James Potter had watched curiously as Lily Evans hadn’t moved other than to turn a page in close to two hours. Whatever she was reading had her throughly engrossed in the tale.
“Leave her. She’ll be there til she’s finished” Marlene had said stifling a yawn as the other girls drifted upwards to their dormitories for bed.
The exit of her friends seemed to unphase Lily. If anything she was still unaware of anything going on around her. James tilted his head at a slight angle to see if he could get a glimpse at the front cover, but it was to no avail the way the book was propped up in Lily’s lap.
“She only got it this morning. I saw it turn up in the post.” Remus remarked. “Must be good.”
“She’s always getting bloody book in the post.” added Sirius.
It was true, at least once a fortnight a flurry of owls would drop several books onto the table at breakfast.
“Her dad sends them. He reads them and if he thinks they’re good he posts them on.” replied Remus.
“How’d you know that?” James asked.
“I think you sometimes forget we’re friends. She told me. She’s also leant me a few.” Remus chuckled.
James stared back across at Lily again. He was curious to know what had taken her fancy so much. But it was also likely that if he disturbed her immersion she’d be likely to jinx him again. So he waited. And waited. Until finally his friends had given up on him and gone to bed themselves, and the fireplace dimmed to small amber flames. Lily turned the final page and sat up stiffly, stretching out her limbs that had remained in place for so long.
“Good book?” He asked. Lily jumped, slightly startled.
“Bloody hell!” Lily squeaked, “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“But yes it was quite good. I didn’t realise it had gotten so late.” She checked her watch and tutted at the time displayed.
“What’s it about?” He asked.
“Hmm? Oh it’s a new one by an American author. Apparently it’s doing quite good at the moment so dad bought it and said it’s a must read. I have to say I quite agree. It’s a murder mystery.” Lily stood and handed him the novel.
The cover was white, the authors name in red and the title in black, The Thomas Berryman Number. James turned it over in his hand and gave the blurb a quick once over. Three terrifying murders in the South culminate in a relentless manhunt in the North that centers on a ruthless assassin, the woman he loves, and the beloved leader he is hired to kill with extreme prejudice.
“I didn’t know you liked crime thrillers” James commented. “You ever read Miles Milton’s works?”
“Can’t say I have.” Lily answered.
“I’ve got a copy of the first in the series upstairs if you wanted to borrow it. It’s about an auror who goes around catching dark wizards and solving riddles.” James offered.
“Oh go on then. I’ll need something new to sink my teeth into after that. I’ll loan you that one in exchange.”
“Sounds like a deal Evans. I’ll bring it down to breakfast.” From then on it became fairly standard for the pair to trade novels. Peter even started joking they’d be making their own book club soon. Not that James much cared. Their shared love of thriller mystery novels opened a new avenue for him to venture down when it came to Lily. Discussing the books after they’d each read them made for an easy conversation that could last for hours without bickering or jinxing. It made it much easier for them to befriend one another and start to have common ground. There was also the added benefit that their new “book club” seemed to somehow unintentionally cause a front to Severus Snape.
“It’s because she sometimes lets you read them first.” Remus explained.
“She never loans books to anyone without having read them herself first.”
“Is it really that easy to get his knickers in a twist?” James asked.
