LilyEvans

It was a long road, to be where they are now:

Lil and Sev were friends since they were hatchlings, making up adventures and recipes as they explored The Gladeveins together. James was a puckish imp (pun intended), whose idea of fun was to tag-along after Lily and Severus, splashing through their discoveries, and generally making light of their shared nerdiness.

James' intrusions could be likened to "pulling tails", misguided and over-energetic attempts to flirt and be noticed. But /with whom/ is unclear, even to him. The breeding-centric nature of life in the Flights convinced James, Lily and Severus that the only path forward for a young adult was as a hetero pair: 1 Male + 1 Female = Happily Ever After. The myriad of nuanced relationships actually experienced in the wider world was knowledge yet to be learned. At the time they came of age, Lily and Sev had begun to treat the evolution of their friendship into something more intimate as a foregone conclusion, their new "experiments" focused on each other. James' pranks became increasingly disruptive, flustering and frustrating. Eventually, Lily's exasperation melted into affection for James, while conversely, Sev squashed his confusing desires for the "rival male" by becoming increasingly aggressive.

Both James and Sev might have been guilty of trying to "duel the gay away", or maybe they were simply filing their young antlers and showing off for their strengths, but both boys battled frequently - be it for Lily's attentions, or each other's.

But the sparring matches, however they were intended, did NOT impress Lily. The constant show-boating, displays of violence, and general negativity, wore on her well-being. Her plumage paled and molted. And she was at her lowest around Severus, who couldn't seem to leave off the topic of James, ranting about him even when alone with Lily. For her own health, Lily distanced herself from both boys. Severus, too proud and confused to untangle his feelings or apologize to either friend, became sullen and solitary. While James, unable to right matters with Sev, attempted to comfort Lily. His surprising humility, and willingness to listen, moved Lily. They fell in love, each the other's source of strength and warmth.

For years that's how they remained to each other: James and Lily in the light, and Severus in the dark. New adventures took them each far from The Gladeveins. A threat to the peace of the Flights - an ancient spectral dragon known ominously as The Void - began to gain followers ((CONTINUE EDITING HERE ONCE TABLET HAS CHARGED.))

James and Lily had hatchlings of their own