Hello, my dear readers! This sort of popped into my head last night, and I couldn't sleep until I started it. So, now I've finished the first chapter. I don't know how long this will be, but probably at least 3 more chapters... Let me know what you think of it so far. While you do that, I'll work on The Man Behind The Mask, so that you don't kill me...

- Lorraine

The Marauders shuffled into the Great Hall for breakfast, taking their usual seats in the middle of the Gryffindor table. As they loaded their plates, Sirius Black was the first to strike up a conversation.

"Well lads, would anyone like to wager on the number of date offers I get today?" At his friends' annoyed looks, the speaker only smiled wider. "No takers? Statistically speaking, this week I've averaged four per day. However, with the Hogsmeade weekend coming up, the numbers can only go up…"

"Would you shove it, Pads?" Sirius' best mate, James Potter, interjected irritably. "We know you're a devilishly charming bastard—"

"Bastard being the operative word," muttered Peter Pettigrew.

"What was that, Wormtail?" asked Sirius cheerfully.

"—but you don't have to mention it every hour on the hour," James ploughed on.

"Are we feeling insecure, mate?" Sirius responded agreeably. "Didn't I catch you snogging Leona Spinnet just on Tuesday last? Granted, it's been a few days, but one shouldn't be greedy." James rolled his eyes.

Ever the peacemaker, and the only one really able to reason with Sirius, Remus Lupin set down his copy of The Daily Prophet and tried his luck. "I think what Prongs is saying is that, while we realize your ego's enormity is impossible to deflate, it would be nice if you could rein it in occasionally."

"Thanks, Moony, I'll Siriusly consider what you've said," said Sirius, barely keeping a straight face. At the pun, the Marauders groaned audibly, with one notable exception.

The reason for James' distraction came in the form of one Lily Evans. While Remus and Sirius had been speaking, that particular girl had entered the Great Hall. Though in fact she marched in squinting at the sun and looking agitated, James Potter would have said that the daylight bathed her in a celestial glow, emphasizing her brilliant peridot eyes and copper hair.

As she passed their place at the table, James softly said "Good morning, Lily," to which she responded with a confused look and a quickened pace.

"Cor, Prongs, that one's really got you groveling. Pull yourself together, man, she can't be all that wonderful. She's just a bird, after all," Sirius said with a smirk. Remus looked at him reproachfully but refrained from commenting. Sirius continued: "Honestly, mate, how can you go from that row you had in the common room last night to staring at her like a lovesick puppy? You've got dozens of girls falling at your feet—admittedly, less than my current forty-seven admirers, but who's counting?—and you choose that one to devote yourself to? I don't get it."

"That's because you are far too attached to your image," James said simply.

"Pah! That's the understatement of the year," said Peter.

"I'm surprised people don't call you Narcissus," contributed Remus. The other three gave him confused looks. "Well, I guess that's why."

"The great thing about Lily," James explained, "is that she's the only one who's never fallen for my supposed charm, and I love her for it, because that really isn't me. It's you, Padfoot. The charm is all you." Sirius began to protest. "No, I don't mean that I envy you or resent you for it, because admittedly it works with every other girl." Sirius looked appeased at this. "But it's an empty strategy, mate. You can't build a lasting relationship on charm and ego."

"Well, cheers, then, 'cause I'd never last in a lasting relationship, and I wouldn't want to," Sirius declared.

"Yeah, bully for you. But for me, it's refreshing to be taken down a peg, to be treated as a normal bloke whom others expect something of—something like common sense and courtesy, not just pranks and sexual conquests. The fact that Lily gets indignant when I act like a stupid prat means that she knows I can be better, and frankly that's encouraging. You're my best mates, but you lot are so used to my stupidity—not to mention that I inherited half of it from Sirius—that you've ceased to try and stop it."

Sirius was scandalized. "What do you mean, try and stop it? That would be criminal! It would be a waste of talent!" When James did not laugh, as he had expected, Sirius became indignant. "We're the Marauders! We live for pranks and sexual conquests. By Merlin, Prongs, I think that Head Boy badge has finally tricked you into thinking that you're no fun."

"Look, I'm not saying that there's no room for pranking or girls. I just mean that it's nice to not always have to put on a show. Sometimes it's nice to relax and just be myself, be Prongs, not James Potter, Hogwarts' resident ladykiller. Since Lily refuses to deal with me as the latter, I'll try to win her over with the former."

"So that you can eventually shag her and move on to the next one, yes?"

"No!" said James, exasperatedly. "Padfoot, I know you're not looking for any real human connection, but do you have to be so crude?"

"The short answer would be 'Yes.'" James rolled his eyes. Sirius continued: "See, the thing is that I have all the human connection I need with you three. I'm satisfied with that. I don't really believe in love; I don't think romance can make one a better person. Friendship can, but you obviously want more than that with Evans. I just don't see why it's worth it to change yourself so much for one bloody dame."

"I'd have to agree that the way you do 'romance' probably isn't the fastest way to self-improvement," James responded.

"Do you refer to the fact that he spells 'romantic' as 'P-R-O-M-I-S-C-U-O-U-S?'" Remus' comment earned a snigger from Peter and an offended look from Sirius.

James, however, was still trying to explain the concept of love to Sirius, and he was beginning to fully grasp the fact that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. "Yeah, Moony, that is what I mean. You can't become a better person without having some sort of commitment to someone else. As the Marauders, we're all committed to each other, right?" Sirius nodded, gradually beginning to understand. "Right. So I'm trying to do the same with Lily now. I'm committed to making her see that I'm not just an arrogant arse, but a genuinely nice bloke."

"And a good looking one at that!" Sirius, uncomfortable with the gravity of this conversation, attempted to lighten the mood. James ignored him and kept talking.

"Of course I want more than friendship with Lily, but I'd take just being her mate over being her enemy or her acquaintance. Even being those things has inspired some changes for the better. It seems like, as I get to know her, I get to know myself, and I want to show her that I'm not so bad. Honestly, Padfoot, it would probably do you some good to try and get on Lily's good side."

This comment earned a scoff from Sirius, and a thoughtful look from Remus. James stood up. "Right, well, I believe I've had enough of your pigheadedness for the moment. I'm off to owl a letter to Mum. You lot keep out of trouble 'til I get back; can't have you besmirching my Head Boy title without letting me join in the fun. S'later." James sauntered out of the Great Hall with an easy grace, attracting at least thirty pairs of eyes, as usual, but never the pair he wanted.

"He's no fun anymore. Honestly, when Prongs—idiot that he is—thought the best way to get Evans' attention was to prank her and insult her and pick on Snivellus, then I wholeheartedly supported his obsession with her. Now, though, it's like she's sucked the Marauder out of him, and he's not even getting anything out of it!" While Sirius ranted and Peter chewed his bacon, Remus was lost in thought. "Really, I mean, when was the last time he bragged about a good shag, let alone had a good shag? This whole prove-to-Evans-that-he's-a-decent-bloke thing… it's not healthy. We know he's a decent bloke, what else could possibly be important? Right, Wormtail?"

Peter grunted in response.

"Right! He just cares too much what she thinks. The only way I could be persuaded to care what she thinks is if there was some sort of…rendezvous in the bargain, if you catch my drift." He winked at Peter, who smiled, having tuned out long ago. "She is a fair lass, I'll give him that. I'd probably be willing to change a bit if I could consistently get a piece of that. Beauty and brains, and she does have a sense of humor. She's probably the closest they come to a female Marauder," Sirius mused.

Suddenly, Remus jumped up, knocking his pumpkin juice onto Sirius' plate with his newspaper in the process. "I've got to go talk to Lily," he said distractedly, and quickly strode down the table towards the redhead.

"Oy!" came from a disgruntled Sirius, attempting to mop the juice from his sausage. He gave up, and plopped one in his mouth. "What's with him?" he asked around the sausage. Peter shrugged, as usual, and went back to his breakfast.

So, what do you think? Does anyone think they know where Remus is going with this? Don't spoil it for anyone else, but please review! More soon, hopefully.