A/N: I spent an entire hour writing this chapter only to close the page the moment it was finished. So this is me rewriting the entire thing from memory. Will include mainly the relationships between James and Lily and the Marauders with their significant others. I will stick to canon like white on rice until the need arises for something a little different.

Disclaimer: Of course this is all originally created by the Queen: JK Rowling. I do not own any of this, neither do I claim to or ever dream to. But if you steal my fic I will curse you into oblivion. Also the Fanart is not by me.

This is a very short chapter as far as I can tell but it's a test run so we shall see.

James & Lily

Sirius & Various & Amalthea Marie (made up character)

Remus & Character

Peter & We'll see if I'm feeling charitable to write some love up for him

James Potter looked at her from across the classroom. Her red hair glinted in the afternoon sun as though filled with tiny, golden sparkles. He knew he was meant to be taking notes, but he couldn't for the life of him bring himself to tear his eyes away from her hair, or her for that matter.

"Prongs?" came Sirius voice.

"What?" James replied, annoyed at the disruption from his habitual staring at Lily Evans.

"Nice tent," he said far more loudly than necessary.

He could practically hear the cricks in his classmates' necks as they turned to observe the source of this "tent". Even James himself felt himself look around searching for the whereabouts of a tent, although he soon realised it was just another of Sirius's jokes as he couldn't locate any tents in his vicinity...of any sort.

"You are such a berk," James muttered, scowling at his best friend and then flashed a grin at his audience, not unaware of Lily Evans' face among the sea of starers giving a stare equalling the one he had been so intensely busy at only a few minutes before. Her emerald eyes were alight with laughter, the ends of her blazing hair softly brushing the surface of her desk as she turned to look at him.

"As I was saying," came Professor McGonagall's firm voice, "your essays on the properties of transfiguring inanimate objects to animate objects and the problems that may arise are due on the 25th and" her voice grew louder as the bell rang, "remember that these will be graded according to NEWTs standards. And I would like to see Mr Potter and Mr Black at my desk for a moment."

James felt his shoulders droop and heard Sirius's snort of laughter. He packed his things and quickly glanced at the doorway to see if he could catch one last look at Lily but felt his disappointment added to as all he saw were the backs of classmates trying to get out of the classroom as quickly as possible and effectively blocking his view of the precious creature he so wished he could see.

He and Sirius spent a tedious couple of minutes listening to McGonagall give her weekly warning about the approaching NEWTs and reminders of how it was essential, especially in James' case as Head Boy to keep focus in class. Nothing they hadn't heard before or been reminded of by just about ever professor at Hogwarts, often more than once a day.

"...And for the love of Merlin, Potter, do something about that hair of yours." McGonagall ended off, giving James' untidy, black hair a disapproving look over her spectacles, "Stop trying to turn it into a bird's nest."

"Yes, Professor," James said nodding as Sirius smirked and they left, making their way towards the Gryffindor tower.

"What the hell?" James demanded as they walked hurriedly through the corridor and, forgetting the promise he had made not more than 5 minutes ago to McGonagall, ran his hand through his hair.

"I was just having a laugh," Sirius replied lightly, his voice still filled with laughter.

"Well, next time could you try doing it a bit more silently?" James said, frustrated, "I mean, Lily and I have only just become proper friends, and it's enough that she knows I fancy her, let alone that I-"

"Construct mile-high tents for her?" Sirius suggested, his laugh filling the corridor.

"Bloody hell, Sirius, do you take anything seriously?" James said loudly, not at all trying to hide the rising anger in his voice.

"You would think so, considering what his name is, but I guess you just can't teach an old dog new tricks," came Lily's voice as she joined them, the level of laughter in her voice matched that of Sirius'.

The comment Lily had just made unknowingly referenced Sirius and resulted in a loud bark of laughter from him and even James managed a chuckle as he hurriedly pushed a hand through his hair again at the sight of her. She frowned but the laughter in her voice wasn't affected, although James sensed something different in her tone when she spoke again.

"So what happened back there, Potter? Got a look too far up Belby's skirt?" she pressed him, the "something-different" becoming obviously loud.

"Oh but Evans, you know she's not the one who catches my fancy," James said and grasped one of Lily's hands, holding it firmly in both of his.

The action wasn't any different from his usual playful advances, but he couldn't help but feel his heart shudder and noted, happily, that Lily's posture had stiffened at his touch. Her voice wavered slightly but it grew in confidence as she spoke.

"So, are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" she asked.

"Well well well, Evans, how the tables have turned." Sirius remarked as they turned a corner.

"Are you asking me on a date?" James asked, grinning cockily and raising an eyebrow.

"I'm only asking for Amalthea," Lily said, rolling her eyes at him.

"Ah, Marie," Sirius said, feigning a dreamy expression, "The legs on that bird." James knew that Sirius had been eyeing Lily's friend, Amalthea Marie, for a couple of months now, but he also knew that it would end with one or two sessions in a broom cupboard somewhere and then they would both go back to being barely acquainted.

"Yeah, well she practically says the same of you every chance she gets," Lily continued, "So do us all a favour and give her a good shag so we can all get on with our lives." They all laughed at Lily's random statement and although James was used to outbursts of the sort from her, it still made him excited to hear her talk about things like those.

"I'll do my best," Sirius winked and patted Lily heavily on the shoulder. They were now in front of the tapestry which lead to the Gryffindor common room.

"Er...yeah," James said to the painting of the Fat Lady who glared at them reproachfully waiting for the password.

"Really? I thought Head Boy was meant to know these things," Lily said sighing in false disappointment, "Fugacious beauty," she added, giving the password.

"And have I told you what a fugacious beauty you are?" James asked Lily, grinning, as they stepped through the hole behind the painting.

"I should hope not," Lily said looking at him and smiling with a mischievous look in her eye, "Seeing as fugacious means 'fleeting'."

James' smile faltered and he felt his confidence dwindle momentarily, "Oh, I meant-"

"It's the thought that counts," Lily said, smirking, and then she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed James on the cheek, "See you at dinner."

"Yeah," James tried to pretend he wasn't completely short of breath as he felt his heart in his throat and he watched Lily walk away and disappear up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

"Nice," Sirius said, smacking him on the back of the head as they began walking to their own dorm.

"Yeah," James said in a daze.

They walked into their dormitory and waved lazily at Remus and Peter who had gotten there awhile before them. James threw himself down on his bed, loosening his tie.

"Do you think she-" he began but got cut off by Sirius.

"Yes."

"But-"

"Yes."

"How do you-"

"Prongs, the bird fancies you, all right? So tell her, snog her, shag her, whatever, so long as I don't have to hear you asking every living soul whether they think Lily Evans fancies you." Sirius said sounding bored.

"Rude," James remarked.

"I think it might be a bit early for shagging," Peter said from his bed.

"Please," Sirius said, propping himself up on his elbow, "He's only been after her for 40 years."

"Yeah, at this rate he'll grow old with his attempts at asking her out rather than her." Remus said grinning and he, Sirius and Peter collapsed in laughter that filled the room

"Thanks, that's very supportive," James said glumly, looking at the canopy of his bed, marvelling at the how the deep red of the hangings matched Lily's hair. God, he thought, everything about her is so...her.

"Prongs, look, I mean, you've already snogged and I mean...look just ask her out all right? You haven't in a while, I bet the answer will be different." Remus said consolingly.

"But...what if she's not ready? What if it's a bad time?" James questioned. It was true, they had snogged, but it had been a year ago, under the mistletoe and they'd never spoken of it. But the other part was also true, he hadn't asked her out in a while, he was trying to give her as much space as possible, he didn't want her to think that he was taking advantage of their friendship, which had only properly began after her falling out with that git, Snape, who had had the nerve to call her a...Mudblood, James wrinkled his face in disgust, as much as he loved her, he was sure that the circumstances under which they became friends would have some affect on when they started dating. If they started dating, whenever that was, he would wait. However long that turned out to be.

"Trust me, she spends most of her time talking to me asking me how you are and what you're doing and who you're doing it with." Remus continued.

"Talking to you?" James said, sitting up and looking suspiciously at him across the room.

"Don't get jealous with me," Remus said, ignoring James' look, "We're friends."

"Yeah, yeah," James replied lying back down. He knew he had to do it. He would do it, as much as the thought scared him. As much as the thought made his heart double, triple, quadruple in speed. He needed to do it, and although he was hesitant to admit it, even to himself, he felt that he already knew the answer.

A/N: Okay, first chapter rewritten. I'm feeling quite confident about it, I think it turned out okay after the second time writing it. Next chapter we'll see the grand spectacle of the asking out of Lily Evans by James Potter and there might be some...circumstances that arise ;)

Please review...if you want to. And feel free to tell me if you have any suggestions/ideas/anything/compliments/presents you know...things of the sort and I will put them to good use :)

If you read this, well done and thank you so much.

Gallons of love and milk and cookies

-I

Also, I am on twitter - stardustfawkes and tumblr BertieBottsLittleBean