Chapter Text
Every summer since they were eleven, Peter, James, and Marlene went to Camp Womping Willows. Their summers were spent under the trees, laughing, crying, not throwing up… Well, Marlene did throw up in the lake once, but that's irrelevant if you ask her.
Camp Womping Willows Summer 1971
Peter, though timid, got placed into the Hippogriff cabin, where he unknowingly met a friend he’d keep for a lifetime, James Potter, but that would not be the only friend they made. Peter's family owned the camp, and he was able to show Potter where the opening day, ‘Capture the Flag’ tournament was being held. There, they met a girl who stood out with her sleeves rolled up and her blonde and pink-streaked hair in a high ponytail.
“You boys just gonna stand there in awe, or are y'all gonna help me win?” the girl said.
Peter, not very athletic, decided to stay back. Before he could ask James to do the same, he was already halfway across the field, running to catch the girl. You could see from a mile away the smile that spread across her face when he put on the red vest matching her own.
Her name was Marlene, and she was placed in the Phoenix Cabin. She was just recently allowed to dye her hair, and her brother, Grant McKinnon, was basically a camp legend. It was obvious that the boys agreed she was the coolest. And that summer, they were inseparable.
They did everything together, and everything was a competition, which included getting to the dining hall at 6:30 in the morning. Though it hardly felt like a competition since the Phoenix cabin was right there, but that wasn’t their main focus. They also competed in the actual camp competitions. James had gotten rather good at Archery while Peter dominated the board game rivalry, and Marlene took the lead on basically everything else.
“Bloody hell, you're good at everything, McKinnon,” James started, trying to catch his breath after they decided to race. “Is there a single thing you're bad at?”
“What? Can you not handle someone being better than you, Potter?” the girl asked, almost in a challenging demeanor. She had been great at everything. She couldn't let her brother be the only McKinnon who had a legacy.
“Is that... a challenge? You're so on.” James exclaimed, before laughing it off while sipping on a lukewarm Cherry Gatorade.
Peter and Marlene quickly realised that, everywhere they’d go, there was always a White Gatorade in the pocket of his obviously well-loved Spiderman backpack.
From the moment they crossed paths, something just clicked between the three of them. What started as a simple summer friendship quickly blossomed into something special, filled with shared adventures, late-night conversations, fits of laughter, and the kind of bond that only summer camp can create.
James’ neighborhood August 1971
When James returned from his first year at Camp Womping Willows, he talked about it for days. His friends, Lily Evans, Mary Macdonald, and Evan Rosier, had probably heard the same stories thousands of times. He grew up with those three, and he couldn’t imagine life without them.
James met his soulmate at four years old, well, he thought he did. He loved Lily, her bold green eyes, auburn red hair, and the way she stood her ground. He was going to make her his girlfriend, better yet, his wife. Fleamont Potter, James’ father, still brings up when they got engaged in primary school. James had stolen a ring out of his mother's jewelery box and got down on one knee, and everything at seven years old.
Evan and Mary found the whole thing stupid. He was ridiculous, always trying to impress her. She mentioned one time how cherry was her favorite flavor, and he took it and ran. James hated cherry-flavored things; however, he could get by with the sweet but slight notes of it in Cherry Gatorades. They quickly became his favorite drink ever. But eventually, He grew out of their childish ways.
And, you can say James wasn't the only one who wanted Lily's attention. While much more subtle, Mary was in love with Lily. Love from a distance, but definitely love. She didn't know how to come to terms with it. They were both girls, was this allowed? How would Lily feel? Would this ruin everything? She didn’t like to think things like that. She loved Lily; just having her in her life was enough. She promised herself she would tell her before they graduate, but they were still eleven. Would she even feel this way in a few years?
While she was struggling with her feelings, they had a bigger problem. Evan was being sent to boarding school, and no one knew the reason.
Evan knew his parents had found out he was gay. His parents were extremely religious, specifically Catholic. They’d disown any son of theirs for being a homosexual. He was being sent to the state's boarding school, Durmstrang. He couldn't bear it. He had always gone to school with Lily, Mary, and James; what was Evan going to do? He wasn't exactly sure.
Durmstrang August 1971
Evan did eventually figure it out once he got to boarding school. He was almost instantly popular, so he inevitably met some new people. His new friends included Regulus Black, Barty Crouch, and Pandora Greengrass. He had met a good number of people. Being popular meant girls were attracted to him, but he only had eyes for one person. Barty Crouch. He was conventionally attractive, with green streaks in his messy black hair, tattoos and piercings he had done himself.
Barty Crouch was the team leader. He got sent to the school by his father, hoping discipline might fix what he saw as his son's flaws. Though Evan never saw them as flaws. He thinks maybe his dad's words do affect Barty, and the boy just would never let you notice. Evan looked up to Barty. Barty was so confident and protective, and everyone respected him.
He also looked up to Pandora; she was a little different, but genuinely so sweet. She skipped through the hallways, not because she was weird, but because she genuinely enjoyed being there. She loved all of her friends, but especially Evan. Not romantically, but in a long-lost sibling way. She genuinely wanted to be at Durmstrang.
And then there's Regulus. He’s kind of everything and nothing at the same time. He’s the kind of person who would dye your hair if you asked him to. In their first week there, Barty pierced Regulus’ septum, and in return, he helped Barty maintain the crisp green color in his hair. He also read a lot of Shakespeare, and one time Evan saw what looked like a small black bear under his blanket. Regulus and his brother Sirius were sent to Durmstrang by their mother.
Sirius was like no other; he literally had a walkout song. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, he never actually played the song. That’s what would get you, though; it was everyone’s thought. Sirius was smart; he could be unstoppable, but he still held onto teen angst, always pranking people. Sirius had also gotten extremely popular among the girls his age and even some older. Sirius had gorgeous curly jet black hair that fell just below his shoulders, and he was loyal, like a dog. But it wasn’t his walkout song, or his pranking, or even his beautiful hair. It was his posture; he never slouched. He did, however, relax like he was lounging, but he was so confident you could swear he owned the place.
And when you found Sirius, you also always found a tall figure. Remus Lupin had light brown hair and a scar that spread from the corner of his right eye over his nose and down his left cheek. He also had a cane due to a hip injury he had suffered. He was kind, liked to read, wander around corridors, and he enjoyed pranking people alongside Sirius. He was always with Sirius. If Remus was the moon, then Sirius was the stars, shining with or without Remus.
And for years it stayed the same. The three would go to summer camp, talk about it for the next month, and Evan would inevitably get sent to boarding school. It was always the same until they were 16.
Durmstrang September 1976
It was a regular day at Durmstrang until chemistry. Evan and Barty had the class 3rd period and were finding their seats when Professor Dumbledore announced they had a new student. She walked through the door, proud but not too cocky. Evan felt as if he almost recognized the face he’d never seen, and it was obvious the girl felt the same. Then the words left the professor’s mouth,
“Class, meet our new student, Marlene McKinnon.”
The shock was almost obvious on Evans' face, but not as much as when the professor told her to take the seat next to him. Was this the girl that James never shut up about? Before he could think any longer on it, he heard a voice, it was quick, sure, and laced with trouble.
“So… what’s your name?” Marlene started. Over the years, pink became her normal hair, often containing such vibrant streaks.
“Oh, me? My name's Evan.”
“My friend from summer camp has a friend named Evan.”
“My friend from back home has a friend from camp named Marlene.”
“That’s a coincidence.”
“Maybe not.. Do you know James Potter?”
The look on Marlene’s face was unmatchable, like she’d seen a ghost. How did this stranger know one of her closet friends? The thoughts came like floods.
Ring
Saved by the bell.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Later that day, some of the group's friends were talking in the common room. Marlene was fitting in nicely; she befriended Pandora, Remus, and Sirius. The four of them were sitting at one of the tables when just talking about their summers.
“So what did you do this summer?” Marlene asked the ravenheaded boy, still thinking about the conversation from earlier that day. Could they know the same James Potter?
“Oh, well, my family and I went to the mountains, a beautiful sight, I must say.” A slight look crossed the boy's face, as if he was questioning whether or not to tell the girl something. After quickly deciding it was okay he continued, “And my boyfriend and I went on a few dates, it was nice.” The look of worry crossed the boy's face once more, cautiously waiting for her response.
Did he say boyfriend? Marlene wondered, I mean, yeah, she’d known about homosexuality, hell, sometimes she questions herself if she’s a homosexual. I mean, yeah, she liked men, but something about the idea of being with a woman just hit perfectly, like it was meant to be. Before she let herself wonder any longer, she decided she must respond.
“Oh yeah, where did y'all go?”
To her surprise, it wasn't Sirius who responded, but instead it was Remus, “Well, we went to a David Bowie concert,” he started, as if he’d been dying to tell someone about their summer. “And we spent a night camped out below the stars.” A quick pause as if he was remembering what else they did. “And we did a thrift shop treasure hunt, which was just us shopping, but being competitive is fun. And we must have gone to the library a thousand times.” He finished as if he’d been dying to tell someone.
“When did you two get together?” Marlene asked. They’d always been close, but she never would have suspected them of being a couple; was this a new development?
“The end of last year,” Pandora chimed in, “Sirius had been bugging me on how to ask him out. In all honesty, it was adorable.”
“Aww, cute! How was your summer, Pandora?” Marlene asked.
“Oh, you know, spent time with my family and hung out with some friends, but anyways, enough about us, your new how was your summer?” The blonde asked Marlene as if she were dying to know.
Before Marlene could start, Evan had approached behind her, but Marlene, however, hadn't noticed. “Oh, it was nothing special, I went to the summer camp I go to each year, it's Camp Womping Willows if any of you have heard of that. It was my last year as a camper. Next year, my friends and I from camp will get to be counselors. We need to recruit more; say you'll join us! James, Peter, and I are loads of fun, I promise.”
“Camp Womping Willow huh, so you definitely know my James” Evan started shocking Marlene who still hadn’t noticed the figure standing there.
“How long have you been there?!” she asked startled
“Just a few minutes, but anyways working this summer? Sounds fun i’m in.”
“Oh, okay! I’m surprised James hasn’t asked you.”
“Yeah, he was too caught up reliving memories he’ll probably invite the others back home and invite me whenever I get back for holiday.”
“How many counselors per dorm?” Remus asked, genuinely excited about the idea.
“Two!” she responded.
“Great we’re in.” The raven haired boy responded after giving Remus a look of agreement.
“I will too! I would love to meet new people!” Pandora exclaimed!
Hearing the commotion and excitement, Barty Crouch and Regulus Black walk over to figure out what’s going on.
“Whats all this commotion about?” the younger Black brother asked.
“ We’re working summer camp this summer, and I’m dragging you into it.” the older responded.
“If Reg is being pulled into, I'll do it I guess.” Barty said, grabbing onto Regulus’ shoulder and squeezing.
“Great! I’ll get the information for everyone this weekend!” Marlene exclaimed, she was though nervous overall more excited about her new school friends joining her and her first year as a camp counselor.
Peter’s House Halloween 1976
“Hey Dorcas!” Peter said meeting up with the girl he’s known since they were 13, over the school year they both worked at the library.
“Hey Pete, what’s…” a quick pause, “What are you— supposed.. to.. be?”
“I’m a rat.” A long pause, seemingly caused by embarrassment. “I went to the store really late and this is all they had.. what are you.”
“I’m a cat,” the girl responded. Dorcas Meadows was gorgeous, she was dark skinned with locs, she also had a silver nose ring and big silver hoops. Today specifically she was in a black tank top and black leather pants with whiskers drawn onto her face and two of her locs pinned up to look like cat ears. “Isn’t that obvious Pete?”
“You’re right, anyways you know my summer camp?”
“ The one your parents own that you never shut up about?”
“ Yes that one!”
“ Yes Pete, I know your summer camp what about it.”
“ Right okay so we need counselors this year and I was hoping you would do it with me.”
“ Is this you finally inviting me to go to camp with you, to work? You have gone here for years and I’m just now getting invited to the year you have to work?”
“ Oh I’m sorry I didn’t know you wanted to go in the past,” he said, kind of ashamed that he never realized.
“ Pete I’m kidding, I would love to come and work with you.”
“ OK great, I'll have my parents send you the information!”
Back home in James neighborhood, January 1977
“Hey Lils, I have a question for you and Mary.” James started, it was the weekend and they had gone to the lake for the weekend.
Laying on her back watching the clouds she responded, “Yes James, what do you need?”
Mary, also lying on her back, couldn’t watch the clouds. Her eyes were focused on something much prettier, Lily Evans, the feelings for when they were 11 never faded but only grew stronger. They were 16 now and only getting older, growing closer and closer to that deadline she set for herself. “Yea Potter what’s up?”
“Okay, so you know how this was my last year being a camper. Basically, each year they get new staff and they have requested me and my camp friends to be on that staff. They also requested that we have our friends work with us so that we can set a good example for the campers of healthy friendships. So basically what I’m getting at is would y’all like to work with me at camp this summer.”
“ Doesn’t camp start in June, is this not a little bit late notice?” the girl with fiery red hair responded.
“Lils, you have known me since we were young. Everything with me is late notice, also workers get there late May.”
“ I’ll have to check, there’s a chance I get an art internship this summer.” Mary added, she still couldn’t take her eyes away from Lily.
“ I definitely can do it! You’re gonna have to give me the information soon though Potter, I can’t believe it took you so long to tell us.” Lily responded.
Was this gonna be her moment? Worst case scenario she tells Lily right before camp and if she doesn’t feel the same then she can do the art internship. It felt like the perfect opportunity, the only downside is what if she doesn’t feel the same. They would still be friends right? They’ve been friends for years.
The Strawberry Farm April 1977
The field stretched wide and low beneath a honey-colored sky. The strawberries were ripe — almost too ripe — soft and swollen under the weight of a day too long. Lily knelt in the soil, hands stained red, the juice sticky on her palms.
Mary crouched nearby, basket half-full, dirt under her nails and silence sitting between them.
“I used to come here every summer,” Mary said, voice low, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “With my mom. She always said the best berries are the ones hidden under the leaves. The ones you don’t notice right away.”
Lily smiled, gently. “That sounds like her.”
They kept picking.
The air smelled like sugar and heat. Bees hovered, disinterested. The hum of life continued, even as the earth tilted slightly, as if knowing what was about to be undone.
“I thought maybe…” Mary’s voice trailed. She was staring at her hands now, not the berries. “I thought I could keep this in. Just keep pretending. But I can’t, Lils.”
Lily’s hand froze mid-reach.
Mary set her basket down slowly. She wasn’t looking at the strawberries anymore. She was only looking at Lily.
“I love you,” she said.
The words were soft, but final.
Like a match struck. Like a door closing.
Lily’s breath caught in her throat. The sunlight danced on her face, but it no longer warmed her.
“Mary…”
“I know,” Mary said quickly, too quickly. “I know you don’t feel the same. I’m not stupid. I just — I couldn’t keep lying about it.”
Lily stood slowly, brushing the dirt from her skirt, heart ringing in her ears. She looked down at Mary — brave, beautiful Mary — with her flushed cheeks and trembling hands and all that hope, held out like a gift Lily couldn’t take.
“I wish I did,” Lily said, barely audible. “God, I wish I did.”
Mary stood, too, but didn’t meet her eyes.
“I kept thinking,” she whispered, “that maybe those moments… when you held my hand after James got hurt, or when we danced together at that party, or when you stayed up with me after I had that nightmare… I thought maybe those moments meant something. Not everything. Just something.”
“They did,” Lily said. “They do. Just… not in the way that you deserve, Mars.”
Mary gave her a hollow little laugh and wiped the back of her hand across her cheek. “You know, I told myself I’d be okay no matter what. But this still feels like drowning.”
Lily reached out, touched her wrist. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You already have,” Mary confessed, softly. “Just not the way you think.”
They stood in silence, the wind rippling through rows of berries, sweet and red and rotting quietly in the sun.
Mary picked one last strawberry, overripe and bruised, and set it gently in Lily’s palm.
“For you,” she said. “Even if I’m not.”
Then she turned and walked away, the basket forgotten, the field stretching behind her like something they’d never return to.
Lily watched her go, strawberry bleeding into her skin.
The sun dipped below the horizon. And the field, once golden, faded into shadow.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
“James, I—” she took a long breath before continuing, “can’t… work this summer.” Fighting tears that were threatening to fall. She couldn’t break down. Not here. Not now. Not with him.
“Mary, why..” He could see the pain on her face. It was obvious. She had lost her love, even if not completely.
“I just… James, you know I want to — I just can’t” A single tear stained her right cheek; it fell all the way down to her green sweater. She didn’t dare wipe it; there was no use, more would fall.
“Mars,” before he could continue he was cut off.
“Don’t.” The tears won’t stop. Nothing could stop it. Maybe her soft touch. No. She couldn’t think of her right now.
“Mary, what is it?”
“She didn’t love me back. I told her everything and yet she still couldn’t love me back. And God. I still can’t stop loving her”