Imbroglio

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I swear. Not even my sanity.

Chapter One- The Challenge and the Train Ride.

Lily said good-bye to her parents before she walked through the brick wall that would lead her onto Platform 9 ¾. She would be going back to school. Into her fourth year, as matter of fact. She smiled when she turned around and walked through. Lily's red hair was in a hair tie on the back of her head and her green eyes were sparkling with excitement. She breathed in the air of the train and smiled even wider.

"Lily! Lily Evans is that you?" a voice called out from across the crowded platform. It was September first, which meant that all students would be heading back to Hogwarts.

"Claudia Smith! I hardly recognized you!" Lily Evans yelled to her friend. Dropping her trunk where she stood, Lily ran through all of the students, new and old. She saw a few that she recognized but would say hi to them later. Right now she was going to talk to her best friend. Once Lily and Claudia met, somewhat in the middle of Platform 9 ¾ they hugged each other.

"Merlin, Claudia! Is it possible that you grew?" Lily teased. Although, Claudia did look a bit taller, if only by a couple of inches. She had long dark brown hair and eyes to match. She wore glasses and had a heart shaped face. Her skin was pale and she had a small amount of freckles along her nose. Claudia was very hyper, especially when given excessive amounts of sugar quills or chocolate frogs. Lily would open them to get the cards and Claudia would say that it was a waste of chocolate.

"A half an inch," Claudia said proudly, putting her hands on her hips and standing up straight. "Plus a couple pairs of socks but we can just ignore those, can't we?"

"Whatever you say, Claudia," Lily said as she hugged her friend again. "How was your summer?"

Claudia thought for a moment, and then said, "It was alright, but blimey does it get hot. Staying with Mum is torture in the summer!"

Claudia's parents, though married, lived separately. Claudia's mum lived in France and her dad in London on business. Her dad was a muggle so of course he would at least have a fan but her mum was a witch who hardly used electricity.

"What about you, eh?" Claudia said. Gently elbowing Lily's side. "How was your summer with the muggles? And Petunia?"

Lily laughed and rolled her eyes. Her parents were fine, of course, asking about school and acting concerned (Lily really found it quite hilarious when they pretended to know what she was talking about, like the one time with the bogarts) but it was Petunia she was bothered by. Petunia hated the fact that Lily was a witch. It annoyed her to no end.

"It was alright. I ate a ton of ice cream of course. But it was nothing compared to the fests that you come up with," Lily explained. Claudia smiled broadly but it vanished in almost a second.

"Erlack," she said. She was looking over Lily's shoulder at a group of people who just came onto the platform. Lily turned to see what she was "erlack"ing.

"Ew, gross," Lily said. It was the Marauders. "Popular" to everyone else, but as annoying as a mosquito to those two. "Is it possible that Potter got even more arrogant over the summer?" James Potter was standing broadly with his shoulders back and a huge, cocky smile on his face.

"I don't know," Claudia said, her face twisted into a disgusted expression. "But I wouldn't put it passed him."

"Oh bugger," Lily said with a frown as she looked at the ground by the Marauders feet. Claudia gave Lily a questioning look. "I've left my trunk over there. Ugh. Why? I need a better memory. Give me yours, Claudia, please!"

Claudia ignored the pleading and said, "Aw, you're going to have to face the wrath of the Marauders." She sneered as she said it, a mocking tone in her voice. "So annoying…. But I've got to get my trunk, too. I've left it by the Falls sisters. So do you want to meet in our usual compartment?"

Lily sighed but agreed and started walking towards her enemy.

"Well, boys, we're off to a whole new year!" Sirius Black exclaimed as he, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew (also known as the Marauders) made their way through the brick barrier onto Platform 9 ¾. Sirius put a lazy arm around James's shoulders and said, "Another year of mischief, and marauding, and… stuff."

James flung Sirius's arm away.

"Really poetic, Sirius," Remus said with a smirk. "Seriously, it was great." Remus rolled his eyes.

"Well, Sirius is my na—" Sirius started but was cut off by James who said, "No more Sirius is serious jokes this year, okay Padfoot?"

Sirius pouted a bit and said, "But those are my biggest hit! The ladies love them! They always get a laugh!"

"Of course they do. You just keep telling yourself that, Sirius," Remus said with mock sympathy in his voice. He patted Sirius's shoulder.

"I will!" Sirius said, crossing his arms and stomping his foot.

"Really, mature, Sirius," Remus said, rolling his eyes again.

James ignored them. "Speaking of ladies," he said, trying his best to ignore the first years that were ogling him, "what's Evans doing, coming this way?"

"Well, judging by the face that the trunk next to your right leg his the initials L.E. on it, I'm assuming she's going to get it, Prongs," Remus said with a smile as her pointed the trunk out to James.

James didn't show any sign of being embarrassed. He just lifted the trunk up. "All right, Evans?" he said to her as she got closer, his free handing rushing to his hair. It didn't matter who the girl was, but if there was one, James's hand immediately went up to the back of his head to mess up his hair, a habit that started after he joined the Quidditch team last year.

Lily didn't say anything. She just took her trunk and glared at James. Then she noticed the younger students who were ogling him. She raised an eyebrow.

He noticed what she was looking at, as well, and he smirked. "No one can ignore my manly… um… manness," James said with a crooked little smile.

Lily raised an eyebrow, laughed, and said, "Manly manness? Just watch me, Potter." She dragged her trunk away from them after rolling her eyes.

Once Lily was out of earshot, Remus burst out into laughter.

"Prongs, you could be a poet, too. I mean, between you and Padfoot here," Remus said, practically doubled over in laughter.

"Funny, Moony," James said.

"My manly manness," Remus laughed. "Honestly."

"Yeah, you keep laughing," said James but he smirked too.

"You know, Jamesy," Sirius said, putting another lazy arm around James's shoulders.

"Sirius, if you put your arm around me one more time," James threatened. He threw Sirius's arm off of his shoulders and turned to face his friend.

"You know, Jamesy," Sirius repeated, ignoring James, "I think I smell—" he sniffed the air like a dog (or just one in training) – "a challenge."

"And what would that be, Padfoot?" James asked, looking at his friend.

"Yes, Sirius," Remus said. "Humor us."

"Okay, okay, listen, boys," Sirius said. "In case you haven't noticed, the ladies here have been ogling Jamsey." Remus rolled his eyes. James laughed and nodded his head. "Ah, yes. All but one that is." Sirius smiled wide. "Lily Evans here appears to despise you, Prongsie."

"Oh really, Sirius? What brought on that idea?" Remus said sarcastically, rolling his eyes once more.

Sirius ignored Remus.

"And what is this challenge, Padfoot?" James asked.

"You, James Potter, need to make Lily Evans fall madly in love with you!" Sirius said with a satisfied smile on his face. He was obviously proud of his little plan. James, Remus, and Peter (who had been oddly quiet this whole time) however all burst out into laughter. "What?" Sirius asked, completely perplexed.

Throughout his laughter, Remus managed to sputter, "Love? Sirius, have you gone completely insane?"

"Hey! My sanity is not in question, here. We can talk about that later. This is about James's challenge."

"Yes, he's definitely lost it," James said to Remus and Peter. "Want to get on the train now? We have about five minutes before it leaves."

"Yes," Remus said.

"But, but my challenge!"

"Tell us later, Padfoot."

"But I have to tell you now!"

"Sirius, grab your trunk."

Sirius gave in and did as told with a sigh. Of course he was going to be overdramatic about it.

"How were the Marauders?" Claudia asked with a slight smirk. She was putting her trunk onto the wrack about their heads.

"Erlack."

"Enough said."

"You know," Lily started, wincing as the wrack shuddered a bit under the weight of Claudia's trunk. "I always get paranoid that the stupid wrack is going to fall on our heads and kill us all. Maybe even blow up the world."

Claudia raised an eyebrow at Lily and said, "Really optimistic, Lils. And a little bit of an over exaggeration?"

"Have you heard the way it creaks?"

"It's held up with magic, Lily," Claudia said with a laugh at her friend's new phobia.

"Yes, well, you never know. It could spontaneously combust or something," Lily said defensively. "Erlack. That reminds of what Potter said to me when I was getting my trunk."

"Something completely mental, I'm sure," Claudia said. She was helping Lily heave her trunk up onto the wrack, next to her own.

"Bingo. He was, of course, being arrogant James Potter. He said," she lowered her voice, "'No one can ignore my manly… manness.' It was completely mental."

"Manly manness? I wouldn't call a fourteen year old a man," Claudia said. "More so of a crackly voiced, arrogant, pig-headed child… thing."

"I agree."

The train started pulling out of the station.

"You have to listen to the challenge now!" Sirius said the moment the four of them got into their compartment. They had to kick out some first years first. It all went pretty well except for when the little redheaded one kicked Peter in the shin, but no one really took notice to that.

"Okay, Sirius, you can continue ranting about the challenge that you've set for James," Remus said calmly.

"Okay, good, so as I was saying before," Sirius started, "James, you have to make Lily fall madly in love with you!"

"Cliché enough?" Peter asked from the corner.

Sirius, not as baffled as the other two at Peter's knowing of what cliché means, babbled on. "Okay, so maybe not madly in love but you have to get her to like you. You must ask the lady out and she must say yes."

"Easy," James said smugly. He crossed his arms and put on a smile.

"Easy? Prongs, are you mad?" Remus asked, astonished. "Did you not see the death glare she was giving you when you mentioned your manly manness?"

"I thought we only questioned Sirius's sanity around here?" James said with an arched eyebrow. "Anyway, with my charm and good looks I could get her to like me within two days!"

"You bet!" James agreed eagerly. He wasn't afraid of losing the bet, of course. "What are the wages?"

"Okay, if you can get Lily to like you by… your birthday, than I will… I don't know… erm…"

"Not shower for a week?" Peter offered.

"Urgh, Pete, who thinks of that?" Sirius asked, partially disgusted. And it took a lot to disgust Sirius.

"Repulsive," Remus said.

James, however, thought differently. "Brilliant!" he shouted. "Peter's brilliant! You won't shower for a week, Padfoot!"

"Ew! Gross, Prongs! That's disgusting!" Sirius shouted.

"Not to mention a danger to the whole bloody school," Remus inputted. He did have a point though.

"Well, we can risk that," James said happily as if the thought of Sirius not showering for a week was like fifteen days of Christmas.

"Well, that still leaves you for something," Sirius said mischievously. "Lets see. What could Prongsie do? Wear a dress all day? Nah, too typical. Oh! I've got it! Prongsie, you would have to walk around for an entire day with a frog in your pants! And admit that I am the king of getting girls!"

James considered it for a moment and then said, "Deal. But if I have to admit that then you have to ask out Narcissa!" Sirius thought about it and then agreed.

"Did you finish the essay for McGonagal, Lils?" Claudia asked Lily about half way through their journey.

"What essay for McGonagal?" Lily asked. She jerked her head up from the book that she was reading and looked at Claudia.

"The one about some… spell…" Claudia said slowly.

"Oh, very descriptive. I don't remember doing that! Can I copy yours, Claud?" Lily asked desperately. She might not have been the brightest crayon in the box when it comes to common sense, but she really did care about her schoolwork and at least attempted to do well.

"Lily, be reasonable. Do you honestly think I did it yet? I'm like… the Queen Procrastinator! I'm doing it tonight of course!"

"Smart!" Lily said, laughing. She climbed on her seat and pulled out some parchment and a quill and tried to ignore the creaking sound that bloody wrack was making. Lily tried to start her essay but all she had down was her name. "So… um. What's it supposed to be about?"

Claudia laughed and said," Gullible, gullible Lily, I was just messing with you. There was no essay."

"Oy! Are you bloody kidding me?" Lily asked, tossing her quill into the air. It landed and got stuck into the seat about a foot away from where Claudia was sitting.

"Oh, that's really safe," Claudia said as she eyed the quill. "You trying to kill me, Lils?"

"Only by accident," Lily said with an innocent smile. "I'm bored."

"Me too…"

"What should we do?"

"We could… scare the first years!" Claudia said happily.

"That'd be fun… but how?"

"Isn't it about time for the snack lady to come?" Claudia asked. She had another mischievous smile and a twinkle in her eyes. "Because if it is… if it is than I can hide under the cart and jump out at them and scare them while you distract the fat lady who pushes it!"

"You know, if you put that much effort into school work as you do with pranking little first years, you'd be the best in our year," Lily pointed out with a smirk. She unstuck her quill from the seat and chucked it back into her trunk.

"Hey! I did pretty well last year, thank you very much!" Claudia said, now in defense mode.

"Yes, well, I don't think we should be scaring the ickle firsties just yet anyway," Lily said thoughtfully. "We should let them pretend that they're safe first. You know? A false sense of security?"

"Very courteous, Lily Evans," came a deep voice from their compartment door.

Lily and Claudia jumped up and ran to the door. They hugged the figure that was standing there. His name was Joel Landic, better known as the peacemaker in a way. He was a friend to both Lily and Claudia and the Marauders. Joel was tall and quite skinny. He was very pale but had freckles sprinkled over his nose and forehead. His bright red, curly hair stood out from a mile away and clashed with just about everything. Joel wore thick black-rimmed glasses over his light, and always full of laugher, eyes. Being six foot three, he towered over the two girls easily and when they hugged him their arms wrapped around his waiste.

"Ew! Gross! Cooties!" Joel said, lightly fighting to get them off. He was a year older than them yet slightly more immature.

"Funny," Claudia said as the three made their way to go sit down. "Where have you been this while ride, you prat?"

"Such a great way to welcome me after such a long, lonely, lonely summer," Joel said melodramatically.

"Is this better?" Lily asked. She pretty much jumped onto him, engulfing him into a bear hug. "Oh, Joel! I've missed you so much! Tell me, how was your summer? Was it absolutely marvelous? I bet it was!"

"Lily, you spazz," Joel said, pushing Lily off of him. Lily and Claudia were in fits of laughter. "But since you asked, my summer was brilliant. There was this one time when I was walking in my woods and there was this pond. I just sort of stared at it and then this thing jumps out. It looked a lot like a unicorn but I couldn't tell for sure and then—"

"You're such a liar," Claudia said, cutting him off from his unicorn story.

"Such a story teller," Lily agreed.

"Well, to the untrained ear I'm quite good at it, wouldn't you say?" Joel asked with a smug smile.

"Yes, of course," Claudia said sarcastically.

Joel looked at his watch and said, "Well, ladies, I'd really love to stay and talk but I have some… er… business to attend to if you will. But have no fear, for I shall be back in a jiffy. Although if I'm not, wait for me after the feast." Joel was in Ravenclaw and therefore not able to sit at the dinner table with them.

He walked out of the compartment and slid the door shut behind him.

"He's such a prat," Claudia said with a laugh once he was gone.

"Yes, but he's our prat," Lily said.

"Not just ours, though," Claudia clarified. "We have to share him, too, you know."

"Do you think that's where he went? To the prick compartment?" Lily asked glumly.

"No doubt about it, Lils," Claudia said slightly sadly. "But hey, cheer up! He's our friend, too, you know. Want to play Exploding Snap? Mum bought me a whole new deck of cards! My cousin burnt mine when she was making dinner one night. Ironic, eh?"

Lily laughed and nodded.

"Padfoot, I'm telling you! Candle wax is not a food! I know. I know. They make it smell like pie but that does not make it edible," Remus was explaining to Sirius when Joel walked into their compartment.

"Hello there, lads," Joel said. He plopped down in the empty space next to Peter and took one of his Pumpkin Pastries.

"Hello, mate," Sirius said. A smile flashed on his face. "Wouldn't you say that candle wax was a food?"

"Er, no, I wouldn't. Sorry, mate," Joel said. He turned to James and said, "So, what have you been up to?"

"Jamesy here has a challenge," Sirius sang. It wasn't very pleasant. His voice screeched a bit, whether purposefully or not, it was quite loud. Joel looked questioningly over at James and raised an eyebrow. "He has to make Lily Evans fall madly in love with him."

"Like," James said with emphasis. "Fall in like. Sirius is just a bit insane."

"Lets see what you've got, then," Joel challenged.

Shocked, James looked over at him. "What?" he practically sputtered out. "What do you mean?"

"Well, how are you going to do that?" Joel asked calmly, leaning forwards with his hands folded in his lap. "I mean Lily is my friend. She's my good friend as a matter of fact. You'd better do it right at least."

"It's alright, mate," James said. "No one is going to get hurt."

"Show me, then," Joel said with a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"W-what?"

"I want a demonstration."

"Well… okay then. Honestly, what lady could resist this?" James asked cockily, flexing his arm muscles.

Joel and James walked to Lily and Claudia's compartment. The two were playing Exploding Snap. Unknowingly, Claudia's sleeve was smoking. It looked like a small fire was just put out on it.

James opened the door and strutted in. "Hello Lily. Claudia," he said with a smile. "A lily for the Flower." James spun his wand a couple of times and about four dead roses fell out.

"Classic," Claudia muttered under her breath.

Lily just raised an eyebrow at him.

"Potter, what are you doing here?" Lily growled her hands clamped around her hand of cards.

"Well, I'm dazzling you, aren't I?" James asked, another cocky smile on his face.

Claudia glared at him and said, "We could get you arrested for harassment, you know, Potter." Her voice was cool and stern.

"Get out," Lily said in a weary voice, pointing to the door.

"But, wait! Watch what I can do to this first year!" James said, stalling for more time. He grabbed a random first year that was walking by at an unfortunate time. The first year looked horrified as James put the tickling charm on him, as did Lily.

"James Potter! Stop that this instant!" Lily bellowed. James grinned as Lily jumped up. She threw her cards at him and they exploded once they hit his chest on impact.

Joel ran a hand down his face and sighed at how pathetic and, well, stupid James was acting.

Lily pulled out her wand, as did Claudia. "James Potter, if you don't get out of here right now I swear I'll jinx you into next year!" Claudia bellowed, waving her wand threateningly.

Lily walked over to the first year and undid the spell. "Sorry about that. Just ignore him. I'll make sure he doesn't do it again," she said, glaring at James. The frightened first year scurried out of their compartment. "Potter, what the hell is wrong with you?! That was a first year! Are you so bloody arrogant not to care how much you just traumatized him?!" She was furious. Her face was red and her wand was pointed at him.

"Bloody hell, Evans," James said, holding both of his hands out in front of him. "He was probably a Slytherin anyway!" His hand immediately went up to the back of his head, messing up his already unruly hair.

"Does it matter, Potter? Merlin, you're intolerable!" Claudia said, walking closer to him. She was shaking a finger in his face. "You don't care, do you? Just get out!"

Joel was laughing silently to himself as James walked out. "Well done," he said, clapping.

"What?" James asked. "It's obvious she loves me!"

"Right, mate, right," said Joel. He put a hand on James's shoulder and steered him back to their compartment.

Lily and Claudia sat back down, both of them fuming.

"He's completely mental!" Claudia said, glaring out the window.

"Ugh! A jerk!" Lily spat out. She put her wand down next to her. "And, despite knowing how he really acts, all the girls here practically worship him! Are they blind? What could they possibly see in him?"

"Well, he's handsome," Claudia said miserably, "and occasionally smart."

"But besides that! He's like… a bloody mosquito! I just want to squash him!" Lily said. Claudia laughed. "What?"

"Sorry, Lils, I just got the visual. You know, a little bug with Potter's face on it. And then you stepping on it," Claudia explained with a smirk.

Lily laughed. "If I could draw… I would draw that."

"Well," Joel said when him and James made it back to the compartment. Sirius, Remus, and Peter were sitting around, making random things float such as schoolbooks, quills, shoes, and Peter's watch, for example. "I'm not going to lie, James. That was the worst bloody effort I've ever seen in my life."

"Why thank-hey!" James said. He turned back to Joel. "I thought it was a very good attempt. She'll like me any day now!"

Joel laughed. Peter looked up and said, "She probably will, though. Everyone else does." There was a hint of jealousy and a hint of worshipping ness in his voice.

"See! I've got Peter on my side!" James said, crossing his arms.

"Because that's a real accomplishment, Prongsie," Sirius said with a bark of laughter.

Peter and James glared at Sirius.

"Well, boys, we're getting closer," Joel said after looking out the window. "I'm going to go get changed. See you lot later."

Lily and Claudia got changed into their school robes. They had just closed their trunks when the train turned into the Hogsmade Station. They dragged their trunks to the nearest door, which was a couple of compartments down.

"Merlin, I can't wait for the feast. I'm starving," Lily said as she tried to avoid a mud puddle. It didn't work. She tripped. Her trunk, of course, stayed mud free but up to her knees was covered. Claudia was roaring with laughter.

"Lily, Lily, are you alright?" Claudia asked, still laughing but at least trying to keep a straight face. "Here, grab my hand." Claudia pulled Lily out of the mud.

"Smooth, Evans," James called out. "Really graceful."

Lily glared at him. "Shove off, Potter."

"I was just commenting on your gracefulness, Evans. Learn to take a compliment."

Lily glared at him again and grabbed her trunk, dragging it to the nearest carriage. Her and Claudia jumped in with about three other Hufflepuff second years. They stared as Lily sat down.

"Pardon, but do you know that you've got mud up to your knees?" one little blond, rather pudgy boy asked Lily.

"No, I'm completely oblivious to the fact that water and muck is seeping through my socks, freezing my legs up," Lily snapped back.

"Ignore her," Claudia said with a smirk. "She's got a tempter that you don't want to mess with."

Joel caught up to the Marauders as they were getting a carriage and jumped in with them.

"Lesson number one," he said, slightly out of breath from dodging people to catch up to them, "is to never make fun of a girl when they do something embarrassing. Don't laugh or make a comment, no matter how nice you think you're being. Just pretend as if you didn't see it. She'll feel batter, you won't die."

"She wouldn't kill me," James said with a laugh. "No one would want to kill me. Thousands of girls would die from lack of James Potter. They'd throw themselves off of rooftops. It'd be a national disaster."

Remus put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. Joel clapped James on the shoulder. "There is much you need to learn, grasshopper."

James stumbled on his words for a second before saying, "Well… I uh… I don't see you with any girl at the moment. So… uh… how can I trust your advice?"

"I'm a ladies man, Potter. Besides, I've got my eye on one specific girl at the moment," Joel said with a smug little smile.

"Mildred, I'm slightly frightened," whispered a little Hufflepuff girl with ringlets of dark brown hair. The three had crammed themselves to one side of the carriage after Lily had snapped at them.

"Me, too, Kathy," Mildred replied.

"Good job, Lily," Claudia said with a proud smile. "You terrified them! Brilliant!"

Lily glared and said, "Do you remember that charm? The one to clean things? I can't remember it for the life of me!"

"Scourgify, I think." Claudia waved her wand and said the charm. Lily's legs were back to normal.

Lily smiled a grateful smile. "Thanks!"

Eventually the carriages pulled in front of the school and the students all jumped out, eager to get the sorting over with and to have a feast.

As all of the students (minus the first years) made their way into the Great Hall, pent up energy kicked in, causing some to run in circles in order to stretch their legs. Sirius, of course, was part of this group. You just can't keep him locked up in a carriage all day with out some consequences.

He was running in between people, hopping up and down, and smacking James in the back of the head. "Bloody hell, mate! Do you ever stop?" James asked. Rubbing his head after the most frequent whack.

"Only occasionally," Sirius replied with a grin and another bounce.

"Yes, when there's food in front of him," Remus whispered to Peter, causing him to snigger.

A tall, blond Ravenclaw girl who was just walked by then caught Sirius's attention.

"Or a girl," Peter added.

"Do we have everything ready for the prank?" James asked, his voice down to a whisper. He was trying his best to ignore Sirius tugging at his sleeve going "Oy, oy Prongs! Look at that one! Look at her legs!"

"I think so," Remus agreed, doing the trademark eye roll but he had a smirk on his face due to what was about to happen.

"Is this the one with the watermelons? Or the spiders?" Petered asked, slightly confused. But then again, when was he not?

"This is the one where we pretty much make all of the Slytherins hallucinate," Remus explained. "Don't you remember, Pete?"

"Not really…"

Remus slapped his palm to his forehead.

A/n: All right. That was chapter one of Imbroglio. Imbroglio is a confused, often embarrassing, state of affairs, in case you were wondering. I thought it was a good title. So this is my Lily/James story. It's going to be a little on the different side, so be warned.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!

-Snuffles