A.N: Written by NeonDomino and Screaming Faeries for Round 2 of Capture the Flag.

Prompts used:

[Object] Necklace [Object] Books [Emotion] flustered [Dialogue] "A good first impression works wonders" [Dialogue] "It'll all be over soon"

Lily Evans watched the new first years walk through the portrait entrance. She turned to Remus and smiled. "See," she began. "A good first impression works wonders. They need to know there is someone who can help them when they meet Potter and Black." She frowned at the thought of the troublesome Marauders and ignored the smirk on Remus' face at the mention of them.

"Are they planning something already?" She pushed, narrowing her eyes. "Because you need to let me know, the poor first years—"

"—It's not the first years that the focus is on," Remus said. "Don't you worry, it's nothing dangerous, I promise."

Lily grumbled and pursed her lips at Remus. "Well, you should never have mentioned it to me, if you're not going to tell me what it is. I have a duty—we have a duty to make sure they aren't going to get up to any of their... shenanigans." Lily forced her face into a smile as one particularly tiny first year beamed up at her on their way into the Gryffindor common room. "Anyway," she continued, facing Remus once again. "It's not like you to be so active when it comes to their pranks. What's in it for you?"

Remus mused over her question for a moment. "Nothing," he finally said, with a shrug. "It's just - they are my friends and they need my help. I mean, can you imagine Sirius or James or even Peter for that matter cracking open a book and researching the spells?" He smiled and gestured to the books he was carrying. "And I like doing my part. James and Sirius are the masterminds who come up with the plan—"

"And you're the brains that make it work," Lily finished.

Remus grinned. "Well, if you put it like that. Sirius said something similar, so—"

"—oh, Sirius said, did he?" repeated Lily. It was her turn to smirk this time. "So is this really why you're getting involved with their prank? Because Sirius asked you too?" Lily reached across and jabbed Remus in the side, causing him to flush and flinch away from her.

"N-no!" he spluttered, looking flustered. "That's not what I meant—Lily, get off!" Lily was continuing to poke Remus repetitively in the ribs, laughing in his face as he squirmed around. "You're one to talk," he continued, defensively. "I see the way you play with your hair when James starts talking to you. Even the mention of his name…" He trailed off, grinning triumphantly as her fingers moved to her necklace, twisting it around her fingers. "You can pretend all you want, but I can see through your act."

"Well, at least I'm not dropping to my knees to do anything Sirius wants me to do!" Lily shot back, sounding fairly confident despite the fact that her face was glowing crimson. "Oh, Sirius, I'll carry those bags for you, yes please Sirius—want me to follow you to the toilet, Sirius? Need a hand in there, Sirius? Want me to help you bathe, Sirius?" Lily continued in a sing-song voice, flapping her hands around wildly as she spoke.

"I… I do not sound like that," Remus replied, looking around to make sure there was no-one listening. I especially do not drop to my knees…" His hands went to his face as he blushed deeply. "As for the bathing… that was because he was hurt and couldn't manage alone. He seemed to appreciate the offer!"

Lily looked slightly taken aback. "What?" she yelled. "I was joking!"

"So was I," he quickly said, looking horrified at his own words, and refusing to meet her gaze.

"No you weren't," Lily was suddenly howling with laughter. "You got in the bath with Sirius! You had a sexy little love bath together!" she was almost bent double, clutching her stomach as she spluttered with laughter. "I'm sure he told you he was...injured. Which leg was it that was injured again? The left, right or the middle?"

"It's not my fault he gets hurt so often," Remus muttered. "And it was the left one the first time. You know what, I don't need to stand here and take this. He plays Quidditch and it's a dangerous sport! It's not like I even see everything, we always have bubbles!"

"Yes, but I imagine James has never asked you to jump in the bath with him," Lily sneered, prodding Remus once again.

Remus continued to flush, glaring over at his friend. "Are you quite finished?"

"Oh no, give me a minute, I'm sure I can think of some more gags," Lily continued, racking her brain. "Don't worry, it'll all be over soon."

"Thank Merlin," grumbled Remus, folding his arms and staring straight ahead. "So, are we going to do this outside the Common room?"

"Would you rather do this inside?" Lily asked, looking towards the portrait. "Now, tell me—how many times have you washed Sirius? Have you rubbed healing cream into his body."

"Jealous?" Remus quipped. "Or is it James you want to be rubbing cream into?"

The pair bickered, unaware that their conversation had been overheard by two Marauders hiding under a cloak heading back to the Common Room. Sirius sniggered at Remus' line, but before he could comment, James had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off the pair of them, exposing themselves to Lily and Remus.

Lily shrieked as James Potter's bespectacled face materialised out of thin air. He was grinning wildly—a sight that was generally always a bad sign.

"Is that true, Lily? Because I have a pretty nifty set of creams upstairs," he told the red-headed prefect, smirking.

Lily glared at James before turning to the portrait and heading into the common room. James rushed after her, leaving Sirius and Remus alone in the hallway. Remus kept his gaze on the floor, afraid to open his mouth and say anything at all.

He listened as Sirius approached him, and waited with bated breath to hear what his friend had to say.

"So," Sirius began after a few moments of silence. Remus glanced at him, and noticed his friend was stretching lazily, with his arms above his head. "I injured one of my legs today at Quidditch practice…" he smirked, and stepped closer towards Remus, lowering his voice seductively. "Care to lend me an extra hand getting into the tub?"

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