"Lils...I just wish you'd put yourself out there a little more...Like, when's the last time you had an actual, real date?!"
Lily Evans, instead of responding, absently stirred her tea and looked out the window into the busy street of Hogsmeade Village. It was a snowy, cold day, but any chance to get out of school was taken by the students of Hogwarts. Students bundled in hats and scarves hustled around the streets, either amusing themselves at Zonko's Joke Shop, visiting Honeyduke's Sweet Shop for a candy restock, or stopping by the warm and busy Three Broomsticks for drinks. Lily and friend Arabella Frell had decided on the latter, along with some other fellow seventh-years, whom had decided a change of scenery and butterbeer would create the motivation to finish their extensive homework assignments. The two girls had chosen the quietest table in the corner and set out their textbooks, parchment, and quills needed for their Charms project...However the only progress they had made so far was their names written on the top of the paper, considering Arabella's sudden deep feelings about Lily's love life.
"You know what," Lily broke her gaze away from the window and rolled her eyes. "Every single boy at this school is shady. So why should I waste my time dating guys who are either assholes, idiots, or cowards?"
Arabella unexpectedly set her drink down with a thud, spilling coffee across the table and causing the waitress, Madam Rosmerta, to send a death glare in their direction. "Okay. That's not fair," she protested, her brown eyes widened. "Not every guy at Hogwarts is like that...You just have to give them a chance...I mean, look at Sirius!"
"Sirius is different," Lily muttered, whirling her wand to suction up the spilled coffee.
Arabella was at least right about Sirius Black, who she had recently started dating. Sirius was notorious at Hogwarts for his striking good looks and reputation for being a player. However, despite Lily's doubts, Sirius had proven to be adorably smitten with Arabella and hadn't been an asshole, idiot, or coward, (at least so far) and she had actually made close friends with her best friends' boyfriend.
Arabella sniffed and took another sip of her drink, although a small smile played on her lips. "He is not. He's just like every other boy who would die to go out with you. If you gave them a chance, that is."
Lily decided to keep quiet at this, not wanting to argue about this subject any longer.
The truth was, it seemed like even if she thought someone was remotely cute, something bad was just as quickly revealed about them. (He has a really nice smile...oh, nevermind. He just hexed a first year. For no reason. Oh but this guy seems like an absolute sweetheart...or not since he just got caught trying to sneak cameras into the Girls' Lavatory, etc. etc.) So what was the point in dating when there was no one good to date anyways?
Suddenly, the door swung open and three tall boys stepped out of the cold and into The Three Broomsticks. Although the small pub was filled with numerous other boys, these three attracted stares from almost every girl in the room. Beyond all being extremely attractive, something about them gave off an aura of coolness, alluring the people around them to stop and look.
The boy in the back, although not as physically built as the two in front, was very handsome, and had an intelligent and thoughtful face. His features were very well-proportioned; with long eyelashes that any girl would die for, which gave him a natural pretty-boy look. The two boys in front appeared to be taller and more athletic, but equally, if not more, good looking. The one in front had long black hair and a dreamy smile, and was turning around in a circle, seemingly looking around the room for a particular someone.
Arabella gasped and waved excitedly. "Speaking of Sirius! There he is! SIRIUS! Over here!"
Lily, happily surprised, turned around in her seat, expecting to see Sirius bounding over, except he wasn't alone...Oh no...of course…
Sirius Black and best friends James Potter and Remus Lupin traipsed over to the girls' table, shrugging off their cloaks and scarves. Having just stepping in from the cold outside, this was obviously a perfectly normal action to perform. But, after throwing off their hats and outerwear, they didn't stop there. Shocked gasps came from around the room as the three randomly threw their flannels away,(a group of second-years squealed and grasped them in the air), and continued to pull off their shirts and undershirts until they were completely half-naked. Older boys, irritated, rolled their eyes, but girls of all age could be seen excitedly sneaking out their phones to snap a picture.
"Oh my gosh…" Arabella giggled, covering her mouth. Lily just folded her arms and glowered.
"Hey babe," Sirius said, bending down to kiss Arabella on the cheek (which was simultaneous with the fifty jealous sighs from onlookers) before pulling up a chair with the other boys.
"Ahhh," James grinned and rubbed his hands together, evidently unaware of the many eyes ogling his bare chest. Having just come in from the cold, snowflakes stuck to his curly eyelashes and his lips were bright red. He eyed the two girls' papers and asked, "How are my favorite ladies? Evans? Makin' good progress on Charms I see."
Lily scowled and inched her chair against the wall as far away from the shirtless boys as possible, however soon realized their small table for two would not accommodate such a feat.
Even if Lily hated most boys at Hogwarts, James Potter had to be the worst. With messy black hair, a pair of striking hazel eyes, and ruggedly-built body from endless hours on the Quidditch field, James was one of the best looking boys at Hogwarts, and boy did he know it. James annoyingly used his charm and popularity as Gryffindor Quidditch captain to go out with as many girls as possible (and dropping them as soon as he got bored). He constantly got out of punishments for fighting Slytherins, and also bossed first-years around, who just happened to worship the ground he walked on. Not only this, but he was extremely cocky and had made it his mission since first year to torture Lily, probably because of the fact she was the only girl who wouldn't go out with him.
All this was done alongside James' best friends, Sirius and Remus Lupin, who had earned themselves the title as the 'Hogwarts Heart-throbs' because of their never ending admirers and renowned pranks. Most girls would die to be able to hang out with the popular trio, but Lily and Arabella, who had known the boys since first year, thought the obsession was rather dumb. Lily got along great with Sirius' jokester personality and infectious happiness, and Remus was an absolute sweetheart whom she had worked in class with a thousand times...but James Potter...well she couldn't stand him and probably never would.
"Okay really," said Lily in an annoyed tone, "I know you all constantly need your egos re-boosted, but did you really have to take your shirts off?"
James gaped and gestured to Arabella, whose boyfriend had wrapped his arm around and were currently snuggling. "What about her? She likes it just fine," he said defensively.
"Sorry Lily," Remus winced. He, being the most polite of the three, was the only one who was uncomfortable at the moment. "We had to go visit Madam Pomfrey because I'm sick...and she said we could only go to Hogsmeade if we were sure to -"
"Get circulation in our arms and fingers as soon as we got there," James cut in, him and Sirius deviously smiling at each other. "So she obviously meant-"
"That we had to get significantly warm by removing our shirts," Sirius proudly finished. He looked down at Arabella meaningfully. "You know, body heat is the quickest way to get warm."
"Boys, boys, boys." The curvy and attractive Madam Rosmerta stepped to their table, placing a hand on her hip. "What did I say last time about the half-nakedness in my bar?"
"Medical purposes only, Rose," James smiled dashingly. "And we brought a nurse's report just for you, of course!"
After rummaging through his bag, James produced a slip of paper which had obviously just been written-on and produced before entering into the pub. He handed it to Madam Rosmerta, whom upon reading, quickly blushed and laid a flirtatious hand onto James' firm shoulder.
"Oh you boys are too much," she giggled, and eyed down the boys, amused. "I really am not the most beautiful waitress in the world, you flatter me..."
Ignoring Lily and Arabella's presence, Madam Rosmerta gestured the boys in close (her boobs very obviously brushing against all three of them), and suggestively asked,"How about a nice warm butterbeer on the house. You know, to get those juices and circulation flowin'?"
The boys grinned and laughed in agreement, thanking Rosmerta as she sauntered off back towards the bar. Lily was disgusted.
"Ew," Arabella wrinkled her nose. "Madam Rosmerta was totally hitting on you guys."
"Nah...she just has a thing for well-mannered men," Sirius winked and high-fived his friends, all who suddenly felt the need to stretch and flex their arms (A girl in the corner dreamily whispered to her friends,"I think I might faint,").
"That is ridiculous." Lily said to no one in general, tension rising in her body.
Who did James Potter think he was, all cocky and arrogant and show-offy? All she wanted was some peace and quiet to work on her homework, but of course James Potter had to come around and flirt with the waitress while she was trying to concentrate -
A loud squeak came when Lily abruptly stood up from her chair; the noise surprising the tables around her and causing them to jump. "Alright well if you're gonna flirt with Madam Rosmerta while I'm trying to be productive Potter," Lily huffed, roughly gathering her things, "Then I'm going to leave before I get sick."
And just as quickly, Lily tossed her long, auburn hair out of the way, said a quick goodbye to Arabella, Sirius, and Remus, and stormed out of The Three Broomsticks, slamming the door behind her and leaving James Potter gawking in her direction.
A moment of awkward silence occurred amongst the group; James' best friends sheepishly smiling at him with raised eyebrows, but James didn't say a word. People inside The Three Broomsticks whispered to each other dramatically, intrigued by the suddenness of Lily's exit, and curious about James' reaction, yet James still remained straight-faced.
Three butterbeers finally clunked onto the table in front of them. James shook his head in disbelief, took a big swig from his mug, and set it back down onto the table. "Dammit she's hot when she's mad."