#commentariusquestions

[bcdaily]

1/2 In Comm it seems like Lily and James have a lot of communication issues? I don't mean this as a critique of your writing choices in any way, and maybe I've misinterpreted it. But they seem to have a lot of trouble saying what they really mean to each other, or they avoid talking about difficult things, and then there are misunderstandings? And I know that it can be difficult to tell what is really going on, since Lily is clearly a somewhat unreliable narrator.

2/2 But many of their relationship problems seem to stem from the fact that there are several things they aren't telling each other? And I was thinking that if it was your intention to convey that, that could pose some problems if they ended up married/in a long-term relationship? Will they get better at communicating as they mature? I really hope this doesn't come off as rude, I was just curious to know your take on this, or if I've completely misunderstood what's going on.

You’re not misinterpreting anything--communication is their problem. That’s the intent of the story and their dynamic. They’ve even talked about it a few times. And now have quite obviously reached a boiling point with it, which is naturally where things go when you’re not communicating.

But I think it’s a huge stretch to think that this is actually anything but completely normal? These are two seventeen-year-olds, neither one of them the healthiest communicator, with tons of shit roiled in their heads and hearts, and they’ve been skirting around having a relationship for a matter of weeks. Of course they’re not communicating perfectly, spilling all their secrets and insecurities for the other to see. It’d genuinely be unrealistic for them to do so. It’s too early and too much and they’re too new at this. But of course they’d get better. They have to learn. That’s what actually makes relationship. And it’s the intent of the story to delve into that. So yes, it’s all deliberate. I’m not just mindlessly making their dynamic strained and unhealthy with no intent to solve it. I will. You know, eventually. XD

[bcdaily]

Bee, you lovely you. I hope you’re well. I am here to join the Liz Saunders question club. I was wondering if you could tell us a bit about her relationship with the other Marauders. I get the feeling Sirius was not/is not very into her. Still, Sirius doesn’t seem to be very into anyone besides James, Remus and Peter.

I think their feelings are less about her as a person, and more about the fact that she was the one running down the destructive path with James when they were all so desperate to rein him back in. They never got to know her as an individual--James and Liz were very much off on their own when they were together, because no one else was supportive of their antics. So, more than anything, she represents that time for them, which naturally would have negative connotations. But I also think they’d be reasonable enough to all say, “It’s not about her, it was about everything.” In that way, Sirius’s initial feelings about Lily weren’t that different. 

[bcdaily]

Lovely Bee!! I hope you're not going too mental with all the quarantine shenanigans/impending doom etc. etc. Like everyone and their mother I've been rereading comm and two things: 1) thank you thank you thank you for writing it and for sticking with it 2) how can james be in love with lily? As far as I understand they haven't interacted favourably (and in 6th year not much at all it seems) prior to 7th year. I'm starting to give more credence to Sirius' paragon theory. Thoughts? Stay safe!

1) 😊

2) You can certainly have your own questions about James’s feelings and what Sirius believes—you’re meant to!—but I want to also make it clear that that initial “Infallible” scene is really important to this. In that moment, James is recognizing and vocalizing that Lily is NOT the perfect person he might have once had in his head. And yet...she’s still kind of magical to him. So while I think you can certainly hear Sirius’s thoughts on it and contemplate them, I don’t think it’s fair either to say that James is merely projecting on this Lily ideal he wants to now live up to. Whether he’s truly in love or not, he knows who she is, flaws and all. So that needs to be considered too.

[bcdaily]

Hi Bee! So I was re-reading Comm! (again!) and I noticed how Sirius suddenly starts acting bitter towards Lily (ch.13) without preamble. Now, I know it's because he's protective of James, but what caused the sudden hostile behavior? James has always been a dolt when it comes to Lily.

It’s not without preamble--around that time, Sirius suddenly realizes that this thing between Lily and James is actually sticking. James may have been a dolt before, but Lily has never responded to it. Now she is. Sirius’s fear is that James is bending himself to fit who Lily wants him to be, not who he truly is...and if the relationship sticks, that James sticks. That fear was groundless when Sirius thought it was just the usual James being a dolt over her. But when Lily starts to befriend James, and even inch toward something else...that’s when Sirius gets concerned. And handles it real maturely, by being a broody brat.

I think he explains this to her at some point--his issue has never really been with Lily. It’s who James is when he’s with Lily, and the fact that Sirius believes that James is a pandering, overcompensating fake. (Never mind that Sirius’s ideal James is pandering to him, and that James clearly is still figuring out who he is...etc etc u get it.)

[bcdaily]

Hey Bee, Thank you for Comm! I had a few random Comm questions that I would really appreciate if you could answer. What prank did James do to the rest of the Marauders to get back at them for the green slime incident? Also, what flavor fudge rice did James get Lily on their date? (I'm hoping he nailed it and got strawberry creme!) Is there a significance to Sirius changing the time on James watch in the last chapter? And when did Lily say her mums quote about the view from the ground?

1) If I’m remembering correctly, I don’t think he pranked them back. He just told them off in a really overblown way. That’s what Sirius was muttering about.

2) It was just regular fudge! The points were in the idea, so the flavor didn’t really matter at that point. 😉

3) The only significance was that it’s this little harmless fun prank of the sort that they’d play on each other all the time when they weren’t on the outs. So Sirius doing it to James at that moment was actually his version of an olive branch. 😂

4) We don’t know when James heard it. He didn’t say. But, as one is wont to do with parental sayings, one can assume Lily has used it numerous times throughout the years and he may have noticed.

[bcdaily]

I never really understood why it was so easy for Lily to dream about marrying Amos (whom she didn't even KNOW properly), but have to go through such slow stages and inner conflicts once she figured out she liked James (especially since she KNEW what an amazing bloke he was)? Also, please tell me she never liked Amos as much as she does James :P

Because her infatuation with Amos was never significant. It was the stuff of fun, girlish fantasies. She barely knew him, and that’s what made it easy.

With James, everything was complex and deep from the start. Even just as friends, there seemed to be eight-hundred strings attached. They grew close really quickly, and what she tells him in the common room that one night is true--she’s quite scared of losing him as a friend, as much as any of the rest of it. It’s all nine layers of defense mechanisms. So yes, she never liked Amos as much as she liked James because it’s two entirely different levels of feelings.

[bcdaily]

Hi Bee! 1st let me say that I’m not trying to steal your name, my middle name starts with a “B” and my family calls me that. 2nd I’m in TX and with everything going on rn I hope you’re doing well. I have ADHD and once I get hooked on something it is hard for me to stop obsessing-I’m hooked on Comm. I’ve got a couple questions, hope you don’t mind! If you never finished would you eventually tell us what happens? Why are James/lily so dishonest to each other? The lack of communication kills me

Ha, I’m fine to share! Alas, I do not own this name.

1) I guess I would, if people wanted?

2) I don’t think that they’re LYING to each other—or, at least, not since James and the forget the kissing thing. It’s more that they’re each playing into their own insecurities while TRYING to cater to the other in all the wrong ways, which, yes, creates this massive lack of communication that, as we saw, predictably blew up in the last chapter. So they’ve reached a tipping point with it. CLEARLY it can’t go on as it has been. What they decide to do on the other side of that tipping point, you’ll have to see. But there’s no avoiding it now.

[bcdaily]

Outside Dumbledore's office - that's where Lily asked James out on a date isn't it? Is that the "aha" moment James wanted her to remember?

That is where she asked, but that’s not what James is talking about.