The Marauder Chronicles: Revisited

by C.K. Talons

A cookie I wrote months ago and finally uploaded here for Marauder fans. It's just a light cookie meant for a few laughs; written out of love for the Marauders. Book Five information included.

This was a cookie I wrote for my group members way back in December fir Christmas. There are things I would like to have changed, but I couldn't find anything specific! Anyway, it's really light and humorous and I wrote it because I really missed my boys. It's not meant to win any awards or advance my writing style. It's just meant for fun, so please take it as just that. Thanks and enjoy.

Twenty years or more ago,

During the Dark Lord's first reign,

There lived six wizards of small renown,

Who's fates now belong to fame.

Severus Snape, the target,

Whose heart was as cold as stone;

Peter Pettigrew, the shrewdest,

Who would never be alone;

Remus Lupin, the kindest,

Who valued wisdom and friend;

Sirius Black, the loyalist,

Who would protect to the bitter end;

James Potter, the leader,

The noblest of them all;

And Lily Evans, a true angel,

Who would cause the Dark Lord's fall…

The Marauder Chronicles: Revisited

Prelude to a Kiss

C.K. Talons

No one could hear the squeaking of the small rubber covered wheels over the regular hustle and bustle of the train station. Nobody saw, or I should say, took great notice of the two luggage carts which approached an imaginary starting line. And there wasn't a single person who heard the silent count to three. But even though no one cared of the activities of these two young gentlemen…well, they didn't care about them either…

"Three!" one of them bellowed, and the race began. The start was a bit shaky, but one of them pulled ahead of the other, a fact he couldn't let by without plenty of boasting. He channeled all his energy into that cart, racing it down the platform. Inconsiderate families and diligent business people kept crossing over into the invisible and imaginary race track, only to leap out of the way with rising tempers.

Then the barrier came into view. A grin broke out on the leader's face and he turned around to sneer at his friend. But as he cranked his neck around to see his comrade, the comrade began to pass. The contented beam that occupied the once leader's face quickly teleported to his opponent.

By the edge of the trunk, a winner was declared. The finish line--a vanishing barrier separating magic from reality.

Pulling back to hinder a collision, the winner continued to flash his prideful grin at the loser.

"Why do you insist on entering a competition you know you'll lose?" the young man asked. He was a tall boy, but not too tall that one would have to raise their head contract a neck cramp. He was also a bit on the thin side, though he had been working all summer long in hopes of changing that. Over the past summer he achieved a modest physique which he frequently examined when a mirror was close. But he wasn't physically perfect. He was constantly reminded by his peers that his hair left much to be desired.

"You cheat," the other boy said. He was, as many girls and young women had noticed, visually flawless. He had a "megawatt" smile which had the power to light a room. He could stare you in the face with honey brown eyes, probably with a shiny lock of black hair falling across his forehead, and melt your heart. Mind you, your neck might be a bit sore from having to look up at that face, but I'm quite positive most of his admirers didn't care much.

"That's what all losers say, Sirius. You're not man enough to admit you're a slug, are you? Can't admit that you lost, again, to Prongs the powerful," he boasted.

"Don't you mean Prongs the prideful?" a different boy asked. He reached the same height as Prongs, but he appeared weaker in some sense. He had a faded brown color for his hair, pale eyes, and a tired smile, though it was constantly in working mode.

"Well," Sirius said, flashing his grin, "only some people think that, Remus. Not everyone has taken issue to it."

"And by some people are we referring to a girl?" Remus asked Sirius, who winked obviously.

"It's only a temporary opinion that she has of me," Prongs said somewhat defensively, though his superior air from his recent win was diminishing.

"When an opinion lasts for over six years, is that temporary, James?" Remus asked. He didn't allow James to respond, instead he looked back at the carts, shook his head thoughtfully, and smiled. "Didn't want to Apparate?" he asked.

"And just where's the fun in that?" Sirius asked. He wheeled his cart to a train attendant then boyishly hopped on the train as Remus and James followed.

"I got us a compartment and left Peter there to guard it," Remus said as he led them along the hallway of the train.

"That's a big job for the little man," Sirius said as he peeked his head into some compartments.

"Here it is," Remus said and he walked inside.

The fourth boy was sitting by the window, his feet two inches above the ground and swinging. Once James and Sirius entered, his face broke out into admiration and happiness. He had very light hair, watery blue eyes, and a round face with a stomach to match.

"Another year," James said as he sat down across from Peter, who was happy with the seating arrangements.

"The last year," Sirius corrected him. "Then it's the real world, mate. Jobs, making money, responsibilities… I'm not sure I'm looking forward to it so much."

"I can't wait," James said with a grin, folding his hands on the back of his head.

Then the train began to roll out of the station and clip along the English country side. Mountains and rivers passed by as the four friends discussed their plans for the evening. But they were interrupted.

The compartment door slid open to reveal a very lovely girl of their age. She had thick, dark red hair which fell just below her shoulders. Her bangs were slightly longer than she probably would have liked, as they fell into her emerald green eyes, but it added to her mysterious beauty. Flanking her was another young girl of Asian decent, who was, as it appeared, only their for support.

"Remus," the red head girl said, looking directly at him, "we have to talk to the new prefects, remember?" she said.

James, who had stopped breathing for a very short moment, beamed at her.

"Hello, Evans," he said kindly in a much deeper voice than he had used previously.

Lily rolled her eyes to him, glared, then rolled them back to Remus. "Coming?" she asked him.

"I thought the new Head Boy and Girl did that?" Remus said to her.

"Aren't you Head Boy?" she asked him, frowning slightly.

Remus shook his head. "No."

"Well who is, then?" she asked him, still purposefully avoiding James's constant smiles and the clearing of his throat. "Because I've asked around and he's not in the other three houses."

Remus shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, Lily," he said.

"I knew you would get the appointment, Evans," James said to her, still grinning. "You have everything the job requires."

Lily's friend smiled to herself, but Lily bit her tongue and glared at him again. "There's no point in trying," she told him.

"Why not?" he asked. "I always get what I want," he said, tilting his head to the side.

"I would be afraid," she started, "if I were you. Cocking your head might throw off the equilibrium of your overly swollen head, and it might fall off. But that would be an improvement in many ways." She turned to her friend, nodded, and left.

James worked hard to keep up his smile. Once she was gone, he slowly let it drop and looked out the window.

"So the new Head Boy is a Gryffindor?" Peter asked, looking to James and Sirius.

"Great deduction skills, mate," Sirius said to him. "So it's not me," he continued with a knowing smile, "and it's not Remus. I wonder who's left…"

James looked back at them. "It should have been you, Remus," he said unceremoniously. "You were the one who worked the hardest for it."

Remus made his lips go thin. "It's all right," he said, though he did let a disappointed sigh escape his lips. "Lily can be bossy. Not that you'll mind. Why didn't you tell us?" he asked.

This time James shrugged. "I dunno," he mumbled. Then he took in a breath, stood up, stretched, and hitched up a smile. "I guess I have to go and tame the shrew, eh?" he asked.

"Make sure she doesn't bite you," Sirius said as he stood up. He pulled James around to face him and started to fiddle with his tie. "You look nice, honey. Make sure you're home for dinner," he said playfully. He opened the compartment door and pushed James out. "Good luck," added.

"Good luck, Prongs," Remus and Peter added.

James nodded confidently then wheeled around to begin his journey to the prefect's compartment. He dipped his hand into his pocket and felt his badge, but he didn't remove it. He pretended back in the compartment that he didn't know why he was appointed, but he did.

As he approached his destination, he could clearly hear the muffled voice of Lily speaking to the prefects. James took in a deep breath, shut his eyes, and exhaled slowly. Then he slid open the door.

"Is this the prefects compartment?" he asked Lily with a smirk and a gleam in his eyes.

"No," Lily said sarcastically, giving him a disdainful look. "It's a mere coincidence that all the prefects are in here. What do you want?" she asked, crossing her arms and hiking up one eyebrow.

"Ew," James said with a playful shake of his head, "sharp tongue, Evans. Be careful with that weapon."

"Get out," she said, pointing. The other prefects simply watched.

James crossed his arms to emulate her, then cast his eyes toward the ceiling as if deep in thought. "No," he said slowly, tapping his chin with his finger, "can't do that."

"Why not?" she asked.

James reached down into his pocket, drew out his badge, then tossed it at her, which she barely caught. When she looked down at it, she showed no sign of surprise.

"You stole this?" she asked, throwing it back at him.

"Don't be so kind, Evans. Tell me how you really feel. Of course I didn't steal it. It came with a nice little letter, too. Care to see it?" he asked whipping out the letter of his other pocket, unfolded it, and held it up for her to see.

Lily took a quick but careful look at it, then frowned at James. "Dumbledore's made a mistake," she said, sounding violated.

"Not likely. Apparently I was the best candidate for the job." James sat down and passed his hands through his hair, which made a disgusted expression flash across Lily's face. "So what are your instructions for the wee little ones?" he asked.

Lily broke her eyes away from him and looked back to a sixth year Gryffindor prefect. "You know the routine, don't you Clarissa?" she asked. "Every few minutes just go out and patrol the corridors. I have the house passwords in these envelopes," she said, handing out the corresponding notes to each prefect. "Make sure you memorize them and pass it along to your house mates. Are there any questions?" she asked.

James rose his hand but she ignored him.

"Very well. You can all go now. Remember that if you have any problems you can come to me," she said, still deliberately ignoring James's raised and waving hand. The prefects filed out of the compartment. James got up and shut the door before Lily could leave.

"Get out of my face," she said to him.

"Why all the harsh words?" he asked. "And why did you ignore me when I wanted to ask you something?"

"What did you want to ask?" She impatiently tapped her fingers on the wall.

"How was your summer?" he asked kindly.

"Wonderful," she said with a smile.

"Oh yeah," he asked, "what did you do?"

"I shagged my neighbor seven times a month on my kitchen floor, sometimes against the refrigerator. One time we were so loud the police came," she said with a grin.

James's smile faded. "Oh?" he said. "'Cause me and my neighbor did it eight times a month on the balcony for the whole street to see. She's twenty-five."

Lily shook her head. "You disgust me. This will be the longest year of my life because the very thought of having to look at your face for more than five minutes churns my stomach."

"You've never shagged anyone," he said. "I bet you haven't even kissed anyone," James said.

"Maybe not but at least I don't blow kisses to my own reflection," she snapped back.

"You could use a good kiss, Evans," he said, leaning his hand on the wall just above her shoulder.

"And I suppose you're going to be a gentleman and donate your puffed up lips?" she asked. "I'd rather smooch a hipo's ass than consider you."

"Nice imagery," he said. "I'd pay plenty of gold to see you do just that," he said, pushing off the wall and backing away from her. Lily beamed and she slid the door open.

"Tell Remus I said hello," Lily said in a light voice, then she departed.

James walked after her. "So I guess it's just you and me tonight, eh Evans? Patrolling the corridor. Alone?" he said, walking backwards in front of her.

"Bring Remus with you," Lily said with a smile, then she sidestepped him and walked off. James gave her a dirty grimace that she couldn't see, then returned to his own corridor.

"What's the damage?" Sirius asked routinely when he came back in.

"Something's wrong with her," James said as he fidgeted around on his seat. "I don't want to talk about that girl."

So he didn't. By the time they had exhausted all other topics to discuss, the train pulled into Hogsmeade. Sirius made sure to pin James's Head Boy badge to his chest, though he wasn't sure he wanted it there. Then the four of them got off the train and clambered into one of the horseless carriages which carried them up to the castle.

"So what does a Head of house do, anyway?" Sirius asked.

James pulled his eyes away from the window to face him. "Walk around, boss people around, listen to prefects whine, deduct points from Slytherin, patrol the corridors to make sure no one's snogging, and above all 'serve as a role model to your fellow classmates.'"

"Sounds thrilling," Sirius said flatly.

"Yeah I can't wait," he replied.

"I assume you were appointed because of last year's events?" Remus asked somewhat tentatively.

"I assume," James responded, shrugging his shoulders.

"That would also explain why Sirius didn't get it," Remus continued.

"So it's not that you deserved it, Prongs," Sirius said to him with a grin, "it's because there was no one left to choose from."

"I'm still in the carriage," Remus said to Sirius. "I suppose Dumbledore thinks that you're a better leader than I am."

"Well that and look at the other three houses. Since when is a Slytherin selected for Head Boy? And that Hufflepuff prefect has that shrill voice that makes my spine crack, and Ravenclaw's involved in all those clubs."

The carriage came to a halt and the doors flew open. James stepped out and held the door open for his friends. Then he glanced around… But as he didn't see anyone he wanted to, he started up to the castle with his friends by his side. A few people came up and clapped James and Sirius on the shoulders as if they were all part of the mafia. James frequently turned around to catch a view of someone, but he missed her.

The Great Hall was decked out in magnificence like usual. Thousands of lit candles floated above their heads; the night sky, mimicked by the spell on the ceiling, showed a dark but very starry sky.

"There I am," Sirius said, pointing to the brightest star.

"And the youngest?" James asked, giving him a skeptical look.

Sirius shook his head in disgust and looked down from the sky. "Don't talk to me about that git, especially this close to a meal."

James walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down, Sirius on his right and Remus sat on his left, while Peter stuck it out next to Sirius.

"Don't you and Lily have to receive some instructions of some kind?" Remus asked him.

"I have no idea," James said lightly, watching the front of the Hall, where McGonagall was setting up the stool and the Sorting Hat. James always liked to watch the sorting for some reason. He couldn't imagine, however, that he was never that young. The new first years were all short, their faces round, and eyes as huge as saucers as McGonagall told them what to do. But the Hat hadn't said what it wanted, and it would never let that go by. The seam in the brim tore open and the hat began to sing.

And so a new year has begun,

With which I must greet

Hogwarts newest students,

Who need to take their seats.

But where do you sit?

Where to go, you ask.

Fear not, my young ones,

For that is my own task.

If you are loyal, true, and strong,

Then Hufflepuff welcomes you,

With cheers loud and long.

If learned thinking and wit

Is the way you greatly shine,

Ravenclaw is your perfect fit,

And you must call it 'mine.'

If you are cunning and clever,

Bent on abilities of your own,

Tis Slytherin you will owe forever;

A house you will come to call home.

But if you value bravery and courage

Above all virtues and great deeds,

Gryffindors will want you,

For you have all they need.

So now that your nerves have increased,

And my descriptions are completed,

Come here, sit awhile

And I'll make sure you're seated.

James put his hands together just as everyone else did. He beamed and looked around at his other house mates. "That was good," he said with a smile. Once everyone calmed down a bit, McGonagall called the first years forward to be sorted.

"Look who's getting cozy with Snivelly," Sirius said, elbowing James and pointing. James looked to see Snape attempting a conversation with a rather harsh looking girl with black frizzy hair, thick eyebrows, and a rather long nose. She appeared interested in what he was saying, which made James smirk.

"Is he flirting with his sister?" he asked.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter as Hufflepuff applauded its newest house member.

"Why would his parents continue to reproduce after such an abysmal failure? No, I think that's a legitimate girl. Maybe it's a girl. Kinda looks like a troll, though," Sirius said thoughtfully.

James drew out his wand, checked his left and right sides, then rest it on the table. Sirius laughed and did the same.

"Make sure Evans isn't looking," James whispered to Sirius. Lily happened to be sitting five seats down from them, very much enthralled by the sorting ceremony.

Remus, however, gave each of them a stern look of warning and a comment to follow it. "Aren't the two of you getting a bit old for picking on Snape?" he asked.

"Nah," James said casually, lifting his wand a little and aiming it like one might a rifle.

"You're a Head of House now, James," Remus continued. "It wouldn't hurt to show a little responsibility and morality."

James sighed. "I can't get a good shot from here," he said sadly.

"Did you hear what I said?" Remus asked.

James turned to him and frowned. "You'll have to speak up a little, all this clapping, you know," he said.

Remus shook his head and turned back to the sorting.

James and Sirius exchanged expressions. "What's with him?" James whispered.

"Jealous you got the badge, I suspect," Sirius said. "It is an amazing feat, if I can say so," Sirius said with mock impression.

"Well it does greatly enhance my personal agenda," James said with a guilty smile as he nodded toward Lily.

Sirius beamed at him and raised his empty glass to James. "And you need all the help you can get, my friend," he said.

James also raised his empty glass and bumped it with Sirius's. Soon the sorting had ended and the new Gryffindors were sitting down at the end of the table nearest the staff's. Dumbledore gave a brief and routine speech about start of term notices, Quidditch try-outs, and the new number of items that were not allowed in the corridors. Though most of the students were paying close attention to what was being said, James continued to move around in hopes of getting a good aim on Snape, which Sirius encouraged.

Once James acquired a good lock, he squint his eyes and uttered the curse under his breath. The dull flash of pink light shot out of his wand, flew past many faces, and hit Snape dead in the face. Instantly Snape's face broke out with warts. Each wart sprouted long, black hairs.

James and Sirius bent over their plates pretending as if nothing happened, though their guts might burst as they held in their laughter. When the food appeared, James chanced a quick glance and saw that the girl who'd been chatting with Snivelly was now repulsed by his horrid appearance. Sirius stuffed half a chicken into his mouth to keep from bursting with the giggles.

"What are you two laughing about?" Lily asked from five seats down.

"Nothing," they both answered then continued to eat. James chanced another look at Snape, who was frantically searching for his spell book.

"What did you do to him, now?" Lily asked again.

"For someone who hates me so much, you sure love talking to me," James said.

"If you keep hexing him, Potter, so help me God I'll report you to the Headmaster and hopefully he'll expel you and your fat head," she said acidly, then continued to talk with her friends.

Sirius shook his head and made a funny face. "And you're sure you like that girl?" he asked.

James left Snape alone for the rest of the evening, as Lily had requested, and focused on his dinner and conversations with Remus and Sirius. But when the feast had ended and the plates had cleared, James found that a nervous squirm had taken residence in the pit of his stomach.

"Do you have to do anything tonight?" Sirius asked him as they stood up and took their leave of the Great Hall. "You know, with the shrew?" he asked.

James looked back at her and saw that Lily wasn't walking with the rest of her classmates, but toward the staff table.

"I have no idea," James admitted as he watched her move. Her hair bounced and shimmered, and the squirm moved again. "I suppose I should check it out. Better safe than sorry, I guess."

Remus caught up with the two of them with a disappointed face.

"Oh don't go and lecture us about Snivellus," Sirius said to him. "I'm terribly sorry about it and I won't do it again," he said sarcastically.

"You're a seventh year, now. We all are. We need to grow up and become adults like we're expected to," he said to James and Sirius.

"Thanks for that, mum," James said to him as he clapped Remus's shoulder. "Do I have to go up there with her?" he asked, pointing to Lily who was now conversing with the Headmaster.

"I'm not sure," he replied. "It couldn't hurt."

James nodded confidently to his friends then marched up to the front of the Hall, which was now vacant save some straggling first years. Lily was talking quite rapidly to Dumbledore as if she had been upset by something. James held back a little and tried to hear what they were saying, but Dumbledore hushed her by raising his hand, then noticed James.

"James," he said pleasantly as a smile spread on his face. "Can you hold on just a moment while Lily and I discuss something?"

"Oh," James said as Lily rounded her green eyes on him. "Oh, I thought there was some kind of meeting. If it's not then I'll just go," he said, pointing back toward the doors.

"I would like a quick word with you as well," Dumbledore said, then turned back to Lily. James walked up to a table and sat down. He picked up a gold goblet and stared at his distorted reflection, then he twirled it around in his fingers. He rumpled his hair once and set the goblet down and watched Lily end her conversation. He wished he could've heard them, but they had spoken so quietly.

Lily thanked Dumbledore, smiled at him, then turned and walked toward James as she exited. James started to smile at her, then broke his eyes away from her. He'd had enough insults from her this evening. She passed him without a word and he rose to speak with Dumbledore.

"Miss Evans has some concerns regarding your appointment," Dumbledore said straight out. "I made you Head Boy because I see supreme leadership capabilities in you. Many students look up to you and admire you, so I thought you would be a good Head Boy. Having said that, I also selected you because you showed valor, courage, and such bravery last year when you rescued Mr. Snape that I couldn't ignore you. But, I did and still do have some concerns, which Lily shares," he said soberly, looking over his half-moon spectacles at James. "I don't think I need to tell you what our main concern is?"

James could have gone without this lecture, but now that it was staring him right in the face, he didn't see how he could avoid it.

"Yes," he said.

"Good. Don't make me regret this appointment, James," he said firmly.

James nodded his head like a good boy, smiled, then turned around and left. He couldn't help but think if Dumbledore distrusted him that much, then why not make Lupin Head Boy? He shook his head of the thought and walked up to Gryffindor tower, when he soon discovered he didn't know the password. In all his years he had never not known the password.

"Bugger," he said to himself as the Fat Lady looked down upon him with mounting skepticism.

"Password?" she asked him.

"Don't you know by now that I'm in Gryffindor?" he asked her.

The Fat Lady did nothing.

"This is my seventh year," he explained to her. "You've seen my face thousands of times. Come on, Lady!" he pleaded with her.

The portrait swung open, not because she allowed him passage, but because Lily emerged from the hole and nearly ran into him, which he would not have minded.

"Coming in, are you?" she asked.

"What's the password?" he asked her.

"Gargoyle," she told him flatly.

"That's nice to know. Why didn't you tell me back on the train?" he asked her. James walked toward the hole as she went inside.

"You were too busy telling me about your fake sexual conquests," she said. "Now," she said, turning around to face him and drawing out a chart, "patrolling. I've arranged a schedule for all the prefects, you, and I to follow. On Monday nights I will patrol until ten o'clock. You will patrol every Wednesday night until the same time. On Fridays, because people get a little crazy, we both patrol but," she said quickly, "I've drawn out a map so we can spread out. The prefects can take the rest of the time. Clear?" she asked.

A few strands of her hair were blocking her eyes and he wanted so badly to wipe them out of the way. He didn't, though. She would kill him dead if he did.

"Like the London sky right after it rains," he said with a small smirk.

Lily looked like she was going to smile, perhaps laugh, but she bit her lip at the last second and left him there. James grinned to himself as he turned around to watch her go. He loved watching her go up the stairs when she wasn't wearing her cloak. Skirts looked so wonderful on her.

Sirius came up and clapped in his face.

"Stop drooling, lover boy," he said. "We have a mission."

James pulled his eyes away as Lily's ankles disappeared from view.

"Mission?" James said. "Really, what kind?"

"Sabotage mostly," Sirius answered. "Some artillery involved, as well."

James eyebrows shot up his face. "Oh really?"

"Quite," Sirius said with half a smile. "Feeling up to it, Romeo?"

Five minutes later James was in an empty corridor. His invisibility cloak was strewn over him a bit carelessly, but he didn't mind. He had his wand in his right hand, a mirror in his left.

"Keeeech," came a fake static like noise from the mirror.

James brought it up so he could see it.

"What the hell is that kind of noise?" James whispered to it.

"Muggles do it," Sirius said on the other end.

"That's stupid," James replied with a smirk. "What's the word?"

The small image of Sirius on the mirror looked left and right. "We are go for launch," Sirius said with a nod.

James smirked to himself and readied his wand. "Roger that. The eagle is landing," he said quietly.

"The eagle is landing?" Sirius questioned. "What does that mean?"

"I'm going to set up--- you're the one who wanted to use code words. I'm working on the suits of armor."

"Great. Station them around you know where, but you'll probably shift them all around so you can impress herself. Don't do that."

"That would give us away," James whispered. "I'm putting this mirror in my pocket now, so only warn me if someone's coming." He slipped the mirror back into his pocket and opened a spell book. He could here Sirius singing into the mirror.

James waved his wand over three suits of armor as he mumbled a number of incantations under his breath. Once he was finished, he stuffed the book away and walked back down the empty corridor to meet up with Sirius.

Sirius waved him down like an incoming plane then walked to him. "Success?" he asked.

"I do believe so," James said, pulling off the invisibility cloak. "It'll be a nice welcome tomorrow morning. Did you do your part?" he asked.

"Owls are ready and the Great Hall is prepped," Sirius told him.

James nodded thoughtfully and started to head back to Gryffindor tower. "We'll have to watch for Lily's prefects on the prowl. She's got them patrolling tonight until some time. Do you really think she---" James paused as Sirius looked at him.

"What?" Sirius asked. "Do I think she what?"

James shook his head and continued on walking. "Make sure you're checking the map," he said dully.

Sirius sighed and tugged at James's shoulders. "Oh, do I think she hates you?" he asked.

"She doesn't hate me," James said to himself. "How can she hate me? Why would she hate me?" he asked. Then he considered Sirius's face for a while and squinted his eyes. "She hates me, doesn't she?"

Sirius shrugged as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "It's hard to say, Prongs. She has frequently voiced her opinion that you're a bit on the arrogant side. Perhaps, if you're really in love with her, you should try not to be so big headed. And she hates it when you attack Snivelly."

"I hate that bastard," James said.

"Right, well try not to mention that around her. Gargoyle," he said to the Fat Lady. She swung open and the two clambered in through the hole. Most of the students were in bed, except a few girls who sat in front of the fireplace playing exploding snap, Lily who was deeply immersed in a book titled Rebecca, obviously Muggle, and Jade, her best friend, who was busy doing a sketch.

James came to a halt to look at Lily, who did not raise her gaze to meet his. Her eyes zoomed across the pages in a rather smooth fashion. Her hair was pulled back into a braid, and her bangs were unsuccessfully stuffed behind her ears. James saw the gentle rise of her chest as she breathed silently, and the delicate turn of the page, which she did soundlessly. But she soon realized that she was being examined, so she looked up. James dropped his head and continued on up the stairs without looking back down at her, Sirius following behind him.

"You can't stalk her," Sirius whispered to him as they entered their own dormitory room.

"Lily again?" Remus asked, peeking above his book as he lay in bed.

"I'm not stalking her," James responded to Sirius.

"Must be Lily," Remus said to himself. "I heard her talking about you, actually."

James and Sirius's heads snapped around to stare at him. "What did she say?" they both asked.

Remus shook his head and lay his book down as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "I'm not really sure. I just heard her mention your name and it wasn't dripping with disdain."

"Really?" James said, his face alight. "There's hope?"

"Hope is a bit of a stretch. But I think you might have a slight chance if you change your behavior a bit."

James nodded continually, even when no one was talking. He turned to his trunk, which had been brought up to their dorm, and lift it. He extracted his pajamas and tossed them on his bed. He stared at them for a while, then finally changed into them and lay in bed, thinking about what tomorrow would bring.

He and Sirius knew what some of the morning would bring, of course. That morning, after a shower and quickly dressing, Sirius and James walked at an Olympic pace to the Great Hall so they could acquire the best of seats for this morning's events.

"This will be good," Sirius said as he buttered some toast.

Remus and Peter joined them quickly and also sat down beside them.

"What did you guys do last night?" Peter asked excitedly.

Sirius struck his chest. "Peter," he said in a scandalized note. "How could you suspect Prongs and I of any wrong doing?"

"Probably because you are frequently doing wrong," said Professor McGonagall who was handing out the schedules to them.

"It wounds me that you would say such a thing, Professor," Sirius continued.

"I do so hope that we shall have your class today," James joined in. "It is my favorite," he added in a sweet yet nauseating way, which brought a hint of a smirk to her lips.

She shook her head and continued to hand out the schedules as they examined their own.

"Potions, Charms, and double Defense Against the Dark Arts," Sirius said as he examined his own. His, Remus's, and James's were all the same. Peter, however, did not qualify for NEWT potions, so he had Care of Magical Creatures instead, which the other three had dropped after receiving Outstanding Owls in that class.

"That's not too bad. I expect potions will be a bit boring, but we'll get past that," Remus said. He was just about ready to take a bite of his toast, when there was a very loud explosion, followed by the shaking of the ground. James and Sirius dropped their breakfast and snapped their heads up to look at the great double doors of the Great Hall.

Out in the entrance hall the suits of armor, like knights, were clashing swords as if in battle, while several other knights had shot sparks and great poofs of smoke from their lances, which was so strong the ground quaked. Several younger students were frightened by the armor which had become animated with life, but the vast majority of the student body applauded the spectacle, especially when the suits of armor clanked into the Great Hall and shot streams of candy into the air over the house tables.

Just at that moment the owls flew in to deliver the mail, except as they flew inside the Great Hall they didn't drop parcels or letters, but chocolate éclairs, cakes, and other delicious confections. James stood up and caught one, then sat back down as if this happened frequently.

"Let me guess," Remus said with a cockeyed grin as he surveyed James and Sirius.

"What?" Sirius said as he grabbed a pastry. "You thought we would have pulled something on Snivellus?"

Peter tried to catch an éclair, but he missed it so it landed right on his face.

"That's one way to eat it," James laughed. He then turned his attention to the doors and watched Lily enter with Jade. They were both smiling as they entered the highly colored Hall which was literally raining sweets. They both walked along until McGonagall, who did not look quite as pleased as the students, handed them their schedules. Then they both, sniggering to each other, walked closer to James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. James held his breath hoping they would come and talk, but they sat down just before getting within ear shot. James released his breath.

"You'll be the number one suspects in this," Remus told Sirius and James. "But I'm sure you were fully aware of that when you engaged in this."

"Yes, mother," James said. "Just leave us alone about it and enjoy the results while they last."

"I'm only saying. I would like, and I hope you do to, that this year you won't get a detention on your first day," Remus said as he went back to his toast.

"Why break old habits?" Sirius said through his second éclair.

Jade, who had been talking animatedly with Lily, suddenly looked over to Sirius and James. "Is this your doing?" she asked them, pointing upwards.

Sirius wiped chocolate from his mouth and smirked. "Well," he began in an offhand voice, "we're not saying that it's not us."

"But we're not admitting to anything yet," James added.

"People should really be careful about admitting to things," said Sirius.

Jade laughed. "When will you two grow up?" she asked with a grin.

Sirius looked back at James as if pondering the question, then they both faced her again.

"Oh," James started with a fake expression of contemplation, "I'd say in a few years or so, at least."

"Yeah, five or six years maybe," Sirius agreed with a head nod. "Certainly not anytime soon, though. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering," she said, smiling mostly at Sirius.

Sirius pivoted himself to face her more and grinned. "You look lovely today," he said sweetly.

James smiled at Remus and rolled his eyes, then looked back at Lily who, as it turned out, had smiled as well. She glanced quickly at James then swiveled her eyes back to Jade.

"Ah," Jade said with a giggle, "so do you."

"Well I try," Sirius said to her. There wasn't much seriousness in his tone, however. "It's hard work, as I'm sure you know, to be so good looking."

"It can be a burden," Jade said playfully. "I pity those who can't understand it."

Sirius barked out a laugh and Jade followed along. James rolled his eyes once more then tried getting a peek of Lily without her noticing. He flickered his eyes on her, saw her flickering on him, then looked away again to find Remus now growing sick.

"I hope the bell rings soon," Remus whispered under his breath to James. "All this flirting is making me ill."

"Lighten up, Moony. Your aura is all brown or something," James said to him.

"My what is brown?" Remus asked.

"Your aura. It's the first day of class, be happy about it. I'll let you wear my badge if you'll lighten up," he said, tempting it.

A corner of Remus's mouth drew upwards. "How kind of you. Your badge."

James shined it with his sleeve and looked at Lily as he stood to leave. She was now concentrating on her breakfast instead of the foreplay of Jade and Sirius.

And as if rehearsed, Professor McGonagall found her way to James and Sirius with a fixed frown.

"I'll lessen the sentence if you just admit to it," she said to them, pointing her finger at James then at Sirius.

"Admit to what?" James asked.

"Don't play games, Potter," she replied.

Sirius stood up next to James. "It was me. It was my idea and my doing, Professor," he said. "James didn't want to because he's a goodie-to-shoes now. He's really cleaned up his act. Yep," he said, though it didn't look as if McGonagall was buying it.

Then Lily stood from across the table. "I saw them both leaving last night and return at the same time, Professor McGonagall."

"How could you see us leave together if you were upstairs?" James asked her.

Lily opened her mouth to say something, closed it, opened again, and closed it once more.

"I know it had to be the two of you," McGonagall said. "The House elves downstairs told me it was you who requested the food. Now do you want to tell me the truth?" she asked sternly.

James saw Lily smirking to herself.

"It might have been us," Sirius said. "Yeah, now that I think about it, I'm sure it was us."

"But we didn't want to do it, Professor," James started. "We were forced to think about it."

"That's right," Sirius picked up. "We wanted to give a proper welcome one last time. It's our last year here, professor. We're going to miss this place," he said with a fake sad smile.

"A lot," James added.

McGonagall had her arms crossed, her lips thinner than the thinnest of lines, and one eyebrow very near to her hair line, which was saying something considering it was pulled back into a tight bun.

"Put everything back to how it was," she said to the pair of them. "You're both seventh years, now. Behave like them." She gave them one more harsh look, then walked away.

Lily made a disgruntled choking sound as if in protest. "No detention?" she asked. "You do all that and no punishment?"

But James was far from caring what she said about punishment. He picked up his bag, grinning like a fool, and walked out of the Great Hall when the bell rang.

"That is so wrong," Lily kept saying to herself. "Not even deduction of points or a lecture," she said to Remus.

James glanced backwards and noticed Jade and Sirius deep in conversation. He held back and allowed Lily to catch up with him, who was so preoccupied with the injustice of it all that she didn't even notice him.

"So Evans was watching me leave with Sirius last night," he said to her. "Isn't that interesting?"

Lily scoffed.

"Please," she said with an expression of contempt, "don't flatter yourself. The two of you always leave together."

"So you were trying to get me into trouble, were you?" he asked. "Why would you do that? I thought you were a just person."

Lily glared at him, then twist her neck to get a glimpse of Jade with Sirius. "I was right, so what does it matter?" she asked him.

"Do you really hate me so much?" he asked her seriously as the marched downstairs for Potions.

"I don't hate anyone," she said plainly.

"Then what is your deal with me?" he asked her in a low and more mature voice. "Why do you always treat me so bad?"

Lily appeared taken aback at his bluntness and frowned at him pensively.

"Because," she stammered. "Because I--I don't like bullies or people who think they're better than everyone else."

James felt a massive amount of air leave his lungs after that pronouncement. "Oh," he said, unable to conceal his disappointment. "Right."

They had reached the Potion's classroom. Lily waited for Jade then they both took their seats while Sirius and Remus caught up with James and found a table. James sat down quietly and pulled out a parchment pad to write down the instructions given to him.

The Potions Professor came out of her office with a folder stuffed under her arms. She sat down in her chair, waved her wand at the black board, and began her class.

"I will assume," she said, still looking down at her notes, "that because this is a NEWT level class you don't need a syllabus. I am going to jump right in and start you all off on the," she waved her wand at the board again, "Mimicry Persona potion which is used primarily alongside the Switching Charm. This potion, when mixed properly, is highly dangerous. It is only meant to be used with the Switching Charm, so if this potion is spilled, the entire class is in danger. I am instructing all of you to leave your cumbersome manners at the door and pay attention. I will not be merciless if you spill it. Is that clear?" she asked her class.

There were occasional nods from the class and they all began to copy down the ingredients and instructions that she waved onto the board.

"So I saw you chatting with the shrew," Sirius said.

"Yes I got another lecture from her," James sighed.

"Jade had some interesting commentary about the entire ordeal. You might want to consider a heart to heart conversation with Jade. She knows a lot about the shrew."

James ceased his writing and looked over at Sirius. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Lily isn't as sharp and aggressive as she puts on. Apparently one needs the 'trained eye,' as Jade said it. Don't give up on Lily just yet."

James felt himself smirking. He copied down the last of the ingredients and began to shorthand the preparation instructions while Remus and Sirius went to get the ingredients so they could start brewing the potion. Every so often James chanced a glance of Lily, who was sitting four rows behind him with Jade. As he turned his head back, he noted Snape already hard at work on his potion in the far back corner of the room.

Instinctively, James reached for his wand to hex him, but Remus came back and sat next to him.

"Be good," he told him.

"Why are you bossing me around so much?" James asked him as he replaced his wand in his robes.

"I wish I didn't have to, believe me," he said with a wry smile. Sirius returned with the remaining items and the three of them began work. Professor Carosella hardly checked on her class except to look up from her desk every few minutes to, as everyone assumed, see the color of the rising steam from the cauldrons. James turned in his seat to see Lily again; her steam was the same color as everyone else's, including his own.

As the end of class approached, Carosella requested for a sample to be bottled, labeled, and taken to her desk while the rest of the potion was poured into a specialized container in the back of the room.

James kept a close eye on Lily so he could take his potion back the same moment she did and maybe give her a hand like a gentleman. He smiled to himself as he considered his own idea. Lily didn't come out of her seat until most of the class had already disposed of their potion. But when there was only a small line left, she raised herself up, grabbed onto her cauldron very carefully, and began her journey back.

"All right," James said excitedly, though he wasn't quite sure why--- Lily always rejected and insulted him even if he breathed too loudly. He rumpled his hair then took his potion and began his journey over.

Lily stood just in front of him, waiting patiently for her turn. James said nothing as he waited, though he wanted to say something witty and clever that would make her laugh. He had heard her laugh with her friends at meal times and when she was studying, and he wished more than anything that he could make her laugh.

He barely heard the bell ring or all his classmates filing out as he was lost in his own thoughts, and he didn't see Snape cut right in front of Lily and jostle her just enough that she nearly lost her balance.

"Excuse me," she said acidly to him.

"You're excused," he replied snidely, his lip curled.

James came back to earth when he heard that voice.

"Hey," he said to Snape, "don't cut you snot ridden git. Apologize to her."

Lily looked back at him and narrowed her eyes.

"I can take care of myself, thanks." She advanced on Snape. "You'll have wait in the back of the line just like everyone else."

Snape didn't turn around to argue, but went up on ahead and dumped his potion into the safety vat, where it disappeared in a 'fissshh.'

"After you," James said politely to Lily, in hopes that anything she said to him would keep him from transfiguring Snape into a warty toad.

But Lily said nothing and instead turned around to perhaps make a face at him, or thank him, maybe say something rude, or on the off chance she might have said something funny or charming, maybe an "I love you." But she didn't. She didn't say anything other than "oh." Lily had slipped on some kind of oil on the floor which caused her to slip backwards a little, then she overbalanced herself and fell forward, the potion flew with her movement and spilled all over the floor, the sink, and even on the wall. Luckily none of it touched her or James, the only two remaining people in the classroom.

James set his cauldron down on a table and immediately rushed forward to make sure Lily was all right.

"Are you okay?" he asked her panicked. "Did any of it get on you?"

Lily's eyes were swollen with fear, her hands shaking, and her mouth was hung open by shock.

"Are you all right?" James asked, clasping her shoulders. "Lily?" he asked her.

She looked back into his eyes, pulling her hair out of her face frantically.

"I dropped it," she uttered, her voice trembling. "I---I dropped it. I dropped it. I dropped it---"

James looked around at the potion. The stone floor was slowly turning purple and eroding, while the steam went from a pleasant pink to a dark and putrid black.

"It's okay," James said to her. "I'll take care of it."

"She'll expel me," Lily continued, now crying. "I'll be expelled."

James shook his head at her. "They don't expel people for spilling potion. Just go and I'll clean it up. Go on," he told her, pushing her toward the door. "Go quick before Carosella comes back."

"But I did it," Lily said, leaning down as if to mop up the potion by hand.

"I know," James said, now escorting her to the door. "Let me take care of it, okay? Do me a favor and tell Sirius to take notes for me for the next class."

"Wh-what?" she said, looking so confused James was now growing worried about her sanity.

"Notes. Have Sirius take my notes in the next class. Now go, Lily," he told her, pushing her out of the door and closing it behind her. Then he dashed down to the scene of the crime and looked at it. His cauldron was still sitting on the table. He picked it up, looked for the professor, then dashed it into the container where it disappeared. He drew out his wand so he could clean up the mess, but he was quite sure that if the students were not allowed to clean the cauldrons with magic, then he probably shouldn't clean up the mess with it either. There had to be a reason why there was a special container for it…

"Dear God!" Professor Carosella yelled, her kinky gray hair flying as she ran to the mess. She ran over to the cabinet and drew out a vial of yellow potion and began pouring it all over the eroding stone. "What happened?" she asked James viciously.

"It was an accident," he said.

"Obviously!" she yelled shrilly. "Didn't I tell the lot of you to pay attention and be careful?" she asked.

James nodded. "I'm sorry."

"You bet you are," she continued, cleaning up the mess with the potion, which was combating the Mimicry Persona Draught. "What kind of clumsy idiot does this?"

"Me apparently," he said with a smile, hoping she would lighten up. She was a fair person in most cases.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?" she continued. "Do you?"

"It was eating through the stone floor," he said. "It's toxic, I know. I'm so sorry, Professor."

"How did this happen?" she asked.

"I slipped on something. I was distracted and I slipped. I promise it will never happen again. I've learned my lesson."

"Evans, was it?" she asked as she cleaned the wall. "You were staring at her again?"

"No," James said. "She had nothing to do with this. It was completely my fault and I'm sorry for it. I didn't do it on purpose."

Carosella only seemed to become more agitated as she kept on her potion. There were now several holes in the wall and the air in the classroom was becoming thick and musty.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor," she said. "And I want this room clean by tomorrow morning."

James clenched his teeth and fists but did not protest.

"Fine," he forced out. "Thank you," he added to ensure the punishment wasn't increased.

"You may go to your next class. And thank you for being honest," she added as he grabbed his bag. She was just being nice to him so she didn't feel guilty later on, he told himself as he stepped out of the room.

Lily, as it turned out, did not run up ahead to the next class but was waiting in the hall way.

"Am I expelled?" she asked, clutching her hands.

"Of course not," he said solemnly. He was not looking forward to cleaning on his first day of classes. "They'd never expel you, Evans."

"Well what happened?" she asked. James started up for class which he was sure he'd be late for.

"Twenty points were deducted from Gryffindor and I have to clean the potions classroom tonight," he said to her as if it were no big deal to him. He increased his rate up the stairs, which she matched.

"Why are you being punished?" she asked him. "I did it."

James laughed at her. "No. I told you I'd take care of it. C'mon, Evans, use your head," he said to her.

Lily stopped in her tracks and threw her fists down. "Oh you're a piece of work!" she yelled. "You took the fall for me in hopes I would go out with you!"

James turned to face her but this time he thought before speaking. "That wasn't my first thought," he admitted. "But I won't deny it didn't enter my mind."

"I'll tell her that I did it," Lily said, poking herself in the chest. "And then you can't be the hero. I should've known you had an ulterior motive behind it all."

"Fine," James said. "Do it. Tell her you fled from the crime and let that arrogant bully Potter take the fall for you so you wouldn't get your first detention. I wonder how well she'll take that. Be my guest, Evans. Only please get a photo of her face before and after, will you?"

Lily crossed her arms at him.

"Believe it or not," James went on, "I was only trying to be nice. Is that so bad?"

"It is when it's you," she said. "Since when have you done anything nice for someone without a purpose to it?"

"I guess it would be the last time you were kind to me," he replied. "Oh, I forgot, there wasn't a time. Who's the bully, Evans?" He hiked up his bag, nodded curtly to her, satisfied to see she looked slightly abashed, and continued up to class, unable to contain a slight smirk.

"You said that to Lily?" Sirius asked as they left Charms and made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. "You actually stood up to the shrew?"

Remus slapped James on the back and grinned at him. "That's one way to go, I suppose. I'm sure she wasn't too happy about it, was she?"

"I knew she wouldn't be. Why should I always be nice to her when she treats me like a slug? You should have seen how embarrassed she looked. It was worth it. Maybe she'll treat me better."

"Speak of the devil," Remus said as he nodded at Lily who was walking in the opposite direction.

"Hello Evans," James said to her.

This time she didn't even look at him. She walked past him, surrounded by a gaggle of girls, as if he'd said nothing at all, or that he was even there.

Sirius slung his arm around James's shoulder and sighed. "You were saying?"

"Oh sod off," he said. "I'm through with that girl. There's nothing I can do to make her see how much I care. If it wasn't for me she'd have her first detention ever for being a clumsy, big-footed troll. But I had to be a gentleman about it."

Sirius and Remus exchanged winks and kept on walking.

"I saw that," James said. "You two probably just think that I saved her so I could earn points."

"Are we wrong about that?" Remus asked.

James tried to keep his face plain, but the corners of his mouth were betraying him. "Not too much, but come on! What's left for me in this? I had to do something."

"Try not to think about her," Sirius suggested as he watched a girl walk away from him. "Focus on something else."

"Like what?" James asked. They entered the Great Hall but James didn't feel much like eating. Everyone was having a good time and talking to each other about new hair cuts, their classes, Quidditch tryouts, and everything else they found joy in.

"Like hexing Snape or Regulus," Sirius said under his breath as he jabbed James in the ribs with his elbow. James took a gander at the Slytherin table. Regulus, Sirius's younger brother, was deep in conversation with a younger Slytherin girl who wasn't as harsh in appearance as the others.

"If I hexed Snape," James started, "she'd know I was the one."

"So we'll put a little spell on my brother," Sirius said with a malicious grin. "Something repulsive."

"And he'll know it was you," James said.

"Your point being?" he said.

James turned to him and nodded. "Okay. But I'm cleaning tonight, so I can't do much, and tomorrow night will be dedicated to work for classes. I think it's Friday that I have to patrol the corridors with Evans. That should be interesting."

…Friday evening…

"You will stay on the other side of the castle and I will remain on this side. You will not under any circumstances hex, curse, sneer at, or insult any member of any house, especially someone in Slytherin. If someone is out of their house when they're not supposed to be, you deduct points, send them back to their bed, and maybe, depending on the circumstance which, unfortunately is up for you to decide, contact their head of house. If I even get a hint from anyone, including your snide and smirky smile, that you abused your position I swear I'll go straight to the Headmaster and Remus can be Head Boy instead of you." Lily had one hand on her hip the other shaking at James.

James nodded when she had finished and, once again, wished he could brush some bangs out her face.

"Are you listening to me?" she asked.

"Yes," he said to her in a low voice.

"Good. Be back here by ten. Filch takes care of the rest of the night."

"Yes ma'am. Until ten, then."

"Right," she said. They both started for the door, then Lily stopped. "Go on," she said.

"No," James said, holding out his hand toward the portrait hole, "I insist. Ladies first."

Lily heaved a sigh and walked out first.

"Have fun Prongs!" Sirius yelled from the comfort of his chintz armchair in front of the fire. He was reading from a spell book in hopes of finding something to use against certain relations of his. Jade, who had been sitting across from him with her sketchbook, jumped up and nearly threw herself at James before he followed Lily.

"Wait," she said to him, holding him back, "I need to tell you something about her."

James perked up his ears. "Okay. I'm listening," he told her.

"I know that to the untrained eye it appears as if Lily hates your guts to the point of nausea," she started.

"This is making me feel so much better," James said sarcastically.

"But I don't think she does. In fact, I'm quite sure she doesn't hate you, or even dislike you."

"Is there a point to this?" James asked.

"She talks about you all the time," Jade said finally.

"What does she say?" he asked eagerly.

"It's not really the content that's important," she said distractedly.

"Jade," James said, taking her shoulders. "Just tell me what she says."

Jade shifted from side to side and bit her lip. "She tells me you make her so sick she wants to kill your face. But that's not the point. She hates you too much to really hate you."

James dropped his shoulders and felt a whole lot of wind escape him. "Right," he said, failing to sound unconcerned.

"No, don't you get it. She talks about you all the time. Look," she said, taking his arms, "do you hate Snape?"

"Like poison," he replied.

"Do you spend every waking minute talking about how much you hate Snape?" she asked.

"No way. He's not worth my time…" James trailed off in thought then looked down to see Jade's smile.

"Now he gets it. What you did in Potions, impressed her. And she says she hates how you talked to her right after, which is a good thing. Lily gets a little too much of her own way. It's getting to her head. Now if you want my advice, I suggest that you don't follow her tonight. Just keep your distance and let her find you."

"What if she doesn't?" James asked.

Jade smiled at him and walked away without another word.

Feeling much lighter than he did all week, James skipped out of the common room and dashed into the silent corridor.

"About time," Lily said rudely, though James did notice her lips twitch. "Now be on your way," she ordered, waving her hand in the direction she felt he should be traveling.

"And you," he said back to her as he made his way down the corridor. Lily had drawn out a map of where he should go. He noticed that she took all the interesting places like the Astronomy tower. He was tempted to ditch the map, claim that he'd lost it, and make his way up there. The Astronomy tower was a secret yet famous location for couples seeking privacy. Apparently, this according to Sirius, those who wished to "snog under the stars," would have to sign up on a secret waiting list to ensure privacy. James had had many a dream about his name on the list with Lily's right beside it. Well, more honestly, he dreamed about the "snogging under the stars" rather than being on the list with her. It was something to think about.

But Jade told him not to follow her but let her find him. He found it rather hard to believe that a girl like Lily would secretly have a crush on him. Still, it brought a rosy hue to his face and added a skip to his step. But then he didn't want to jump to conclusions. Jade had said that Lily probably didn't hate him, or even dislike him… that didn't mean she was ready for a marriage proposal. 'Course he never thought that far ahead in his plans. Well maybe he did once. It was only once, though. He was sure. Just once.

Patrolling the corridors wasn't what he expected. He was hoping that he could at least catch a couple going at it in a crevice or classroom. But the only people he ran into were two lost first years who were being tortured by Peeves.

"Ickle firsties out of bed!" he sang. "All alone and scared in the head. What should you do but cry and moan!"

"Cut it Peeves," James said as he came up to them. "Go pick on someone your own size."

The two first years, a boy and girl, looked very grateful but still frightened.

"Potter, wee Potter, a lonely wee lad. No Evans to kiss him and make him feel glad!" Peeves sang as he blew a giant raspberry in James's face.

James smirked at him then back to the first years. "Ravenclaw?" he asked them. "Are you lost?"

They nodded nervously, still eying Peeves.

"I'll take you back to your dorms. Follow me."

Peeves seemed disappointed for he began a new rhyme once James departed with the two eleven year olds.

"Kissing her, kissing her, that Evans girl! Could make you so sick you'd want to hurl! Loony, loony, Lupin with lips so fine! Kissing that Evans and makes her shine!"

James whirled around. "Aquae et ignis interdicio!" he yelled, and a ice blue flame shot out of his wand, struck Peeves on the chest, and sent him speeding down the corridor and through the walls, all the while screaming. James smiled to himself and set his wand back in his pocket.

"Wow," the young first year boy said. "What was that?"

"Poltergeist ala banishment charm. You'll learn it someday," he said with a grin. "Now let's find your dormitory."

James led the two of them down to the Ravenclaw secret wall.

"Try not to get lost again. I'd hate it if you'd wind up with someone worse that Peeves."

"Who would that be?" the young girl asked shakenly.

"I'm sure you'll find out one day. Sleep tight," he said to them, then made sure they made it inside before continuing the patrol. James glanced at his watch. It was nine o'clock. Nine and so far Lily was still missing in action. He jogged up a few stairs and drew out his wand again. If he was going to be alone, he was going to have some fun.

"Need some company?" Sirius asked suddenly as he stepped out of a dark crevice with his wand raised.

"Hell yes," James said with a grin. "You know this Head Boy thing really isn't what it's cracked up to be. It's actually a little bit boring. Though I did use my banishment charm. Finally."

"And where's Red?" he asked.

"Probably cracking down on happy couples in the Astronomy tower. Why did you fancy a walk?" James asked.

"I was bored stiff."

"Join the club."

"So I was thinking that you and I could use the cloak and perhaps construct a little destruction of the Slytherin kind. This is our last year, so we've got to get it all out of our systems," Sirius said with a grin.

"Does Moony know that you're here?" he asked.

"I don't know where he is, actually," Sirius said casually. "He's been a bit mysterious and sneaky of late. Perhaps he's got a secret girlfriend," Sirius sang.

James froze. Sirius stopped and frowned at him.

"Peeves tells nothing but lies, right?" James asked.

"Well," Sirius said thoughtfully, "I suppose. But he does tell the truth quite a bit, if he thinks he can get a rise out of someone. Why?"

James began to breathe deeply. "Peeves told me that Lily and Remus were snogging."

"What?" Sirius asked in a high pitch but unconvinced voice. "That's lunacy. Remus would never do something stupid like that. He knows that if anything male that moves gets remotely close to her you'd kill it. He's a lot of things but he's not suicidal."

"Lily told me on the train that she wanted me to say hello to him for her."

"She just said that to make you jealous. Mission accomplished."

"What--- she wants to make me jealous now? How do I feel about this? No---" he said, shaking his head. "What if Moony's two timing?"

"What if you're being paranoid?" Sirius asked.

"What if she really hates me and wants to marry Moony and make werewolf babies!" he asked panicked.

Sirius grabbed James by the shoulders and shook him a little. "That is totally ridiculous. It's actually quite laughable. How about we whip out the map," he whispered, doing as he suggested, "and have a little looksie. I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good," he said, tapping his wand on the parchment.

"Well," James said eagerly, looking at the map over Sirius shoulders.

"She's in the Astronomy tower," Sirius said routinely. "And Remus is in our common room like a good boy. I must not have seen him when I left. See, no worries."

"Is there anyone else in the tower with her?" James asked, still trying to see over Sirius's shoulder.

"Just a gang of tall sweaty Quidditch players, mostly Slytherins," Sirius said as he shoved the map in James's arms. "She's there all alone, mate."

James scanned the map and focused on the small moving dot with "Lily Evans" as the label. "What's she doing up there alone? I thought she was supposed to be patrolling the corridors like a good Head Girl. So why's she up there?"

"We could find out," Sirius said teasingly. "There's plenty of time to get up there, spy on the woman of your dreams, and get back to Gryffindor tower. Come on. Lets get to it."

James bit his lip.

"Just a peek," Sirius kept on. "One innocent little look to quench your curiosity…"

"That's it," James said, wagging his finger. "Just a little peek. I'm not her stalker."

"Of course not."

"Curiosity is not a bad thing."

"It's a natural human emotion," Sirius said.

"And who knows, she might be up to something really not good," James continued.

"Evil Evans," Sirius replied playfully. "We must stop her."

James nodded. "Right. Well. We better stop her before she hurts herself."

"Absolutely," Sirius said. He cleared the map and stuffed it back in his pocket. "Lead the way," he told James.

James forced a straight face out of himself and jogged down several corridors with Sirius behind him. When James reached the spiral staircase that led to the tower, he paused and waited for Sirius to egg him on.

"If she knew I was spying on her---" James started.

"And she doesn't. I'll never tell her," Sirius said. "One step at a time," he said, nodding to the stairs.

James took a deep breath, grabbed the invisibility cloak, and walked up the stairs, Sirius one step behind him.

"This is wrong," James whispered before they reached the door.

"No," Sirius said dismissively with the wave of his hand. "You're just making sure she's doing her job. If the shoe were on the other foot, she'd spy on you. Go on, Prongs, take a peek."

James nodded and slipped the cloak over their heads and slowly pushed the door open. At first neither of them could see Lily. The only things visible were all the telescopes and random tables. Then Sirius elbowed James and pointed toward a wall. The Astronomy tower was ready for battle, complete with battlements and strategic height. Lily sat on the wall, one leg dangling over the side, the other secure on the tower floor. She had some kind of journal on her lap which she was writing in with a long feather quill. She slowly brought her writing to a stop to lean back against a battlement and stare at the sky.

James and Sirius exchanged a slight confused look, then focused on her again.

Lily pulled a few strands of hair behind her ears and then continued to write. As she sat there she began to swing her leg, the one outside dangling hundreds of feet above the ground, and hum. It was an uncommon tune, but it was a pretty one. James let out a sigh as he watched her. But it was loud enough to break Lily's concentration. She stopped humming and lay down her journal.

"Hello?" she called.

James sealed his lips shut and checked Sirius in the corner of his eye.

Lily closed her journal and stuffed it away in her cloak pocket but she sat back down and gazed out at the stars.

Sirius jostled James a little then signaled for them to leave. James broke his eyes away from her and quietly walked down the stairs with Sirius by his side. Once they were out of earshot they began talking.

"See," Sirius said. "She wasn't snogging or doing anything wrong with a boy or gang of sweaty Quidditch players."

"She wanted privacy," James said with a sweet smile. "She's deep."

"You know Jade thinks you have a chance with her. Yeah, she was telling me about it a few days ago. Apparently Lily talks about you all the time. I'd say that's a good sign."

"The content isn't the best," James added.

"Well you can change that. She needs a really good kiss. That's what she needs."

James smiled. "I told her that, you know."

"Why?" Sirius asked with an awkward smile. "Why would you tell her something like that?"

"Because," James said uncomfortably. "That was stupid wasn't it?"

"Probably lessened the small number of points you have now. Maybe you made up for it by saving her from detention."

"So I broke even. My points stand at zero."

"And the only place you can go at this point in time is up." He clapped James on the shoulder as they continued back to the common room, which was losing students to the dorms rather slowly.

"Friday nights always bring out the energy in people," Sirius said as they entered.

"Do you think she writes about me?" James asked. "Could that entire journal be about me?"

Sirius shrugged as he headed upstairs. "Probably some of it. Who knows. The female mind is a complex thing. I'm man enough to admit I haven't got a bloody clue about it."

"Yeah," James said absentmindedly. "I suppose it is. I think I'm going to crash for the night."

"Me too," Sirius said.

James pulled on his pajamas and fell into bed without another word. The only thing he could see was Lily sitting on that wall, spilling her most intimate thoughts into a simple journal under the night sky.

The next morning he had a different view of her, however. James got up late like most everyone else and moseyed on down to the common room. He collapsed in his favorite chair by the fire and tried waking up.

A few minutes later Lily came down the stairs in a hurried manner and collapsed on one of the sofa's while she waited for a few of her friends. James looked over to her and gave her a feeble smile.

"Did you catch anyone last night?" she asked him, tossing back her hair.

James smiled at her. He couldn't help it. He loved her pretty hair and the way she tossed it back.

Lily's eyes crinkled a little as if she intended on smiling back, but she didn't. "Is that a yes?" she asked him.

"I blasted Peeves with a banishment charm. He was taunting some first years," he explained then yawned.

"That must have been fulfilling," she said to him. "He's such a jerk."

"Yeah," James said, smiling because he suddenly realized that he was actually having a conversation which didn't involve her throwing insults at him. "He has good rhymes, though."

Lily laughed shortly then stopped herself as if ashamed. She coughed then cleared her throat as if this was a good cover up, then looked down at her hands.

"What about you?" he asked her. "Did you catch anyone?"

Lily made a funny shape with her lips then looked up at him. "Not exactly," she said.

James heard someone whistling as they came down the stairs, then Sirius leapt off the last few and clapped his hands together as he surveyed James in the chair.

"There's his Head Boyness. Oh," he said noticing Lily. "And there is her Head Girlness. Don't you look lovely this morning."

James gave Sirius a stern look but saw that Lily was blushing. He decided it was a good time to make a comment.

"She looks lovely all the time," he corrected Sirius but did not see what Lily did. It must have had some kind of effect, however, for she fidgeted a little.

"So," Sirius said after some moments of what he considered uncomfortable silence. "Two of the Heads of the school in one house. When was the last time that happened?" Sirius asked no one in particular.

"Oh it's happened before," Jade said as she descended the stairs. Lily got off the sofa and walked over to her. "Last time it was two Ravenclaws."

"Fascinating," Sirius said. "You look lovely this morning," he said to her with a smile.

Now Lily laughed with Jade and they quickly departed for breakfast.

James leapt out of his chair and grabbed Sirius by the shoulders and shook him excitedly. "I talked to her!" he said. "We had a civil conversation!"

"Great," Sirius said. "You think I should ask out Jade?"

"I had hoped we could have a conversation for so long, and we did it! The last time I tried talking to her I messed up and brought the conversation back on me, but this time she asked about me and then I asked about her and we just talked like it was a normal and usual thing."

"I'm so happy for you," Sirius told him. "I think Jade likes me. Do you?"

"It wouldn't be the first time your overflowing charm would ensnare another girl." James paced around the common room with a growing grin. "You think I should ask her out again?"

"Not so fast, loverboy. You should have some more of these conversations before you do that again. You have a very bad track record on these date requests. I, on the other hand, am well equip to ask girls out, having done it numerous times without flaws. If you want," he said, "you can watch me ask out Jade."

"You think you're so wonderful, don't you?" James asked.

"Prongs, you and I both do. Now we're still waiting for Moony, aren't we?"

"Actually I think he's already down for breakfast. It's eight o'clock and Moony's an early riser."

"Oh. Peter?"

"No idea. If he's not around us I'm not sure where he is to be honest. I figure he'll show up any minute now."

And soon enough, Peter came tripping down the steps looking eager and happy to see James and Sirius.

"How was last night with Lily?" Peter asked eagerly.

"It was fine. Actually, to be honest, it was really great."

Remus was at breakfast already with his head buried in a book. Surprisingly Lily was sitting right across from him with Jade. James rubbed his eyes and looked again. No, she was still there sitting across from Remus but not talking to him. James's heart skipped a few beats. He tugged at Sirius with excitement.

"I see, I see," he said. "Don't let it go to your head, though. Remember, Lily may like you but she hates your love of you. The more you hate you, the more she likes you. Get it?"

"Right," James said to himself. "I get that. Don't be me."

"Exactly. Let's go."

James tried avoiding Lily's eyes as he sat down across from her. But she didn't look up at him. She also had a book out like Remus. It was Rebecca still.

"Good book?" James asked her.

"Much better when I can read it," she said looking up at him.

James bit his lip to keep from retorting. He looked over at Jade who mouthed something so Lily couldn't see, but James couldn't understand it.

"So Jade," Sirius started, "about the Hogsmeade weekend. What are you doing?"

"Are you asking her out?" Lily asked with a wry smirk.

"Lily!" Jade said with a flushed face.

"What?" she asked her. "So are you?" she asked Sirius again.

"I was just wondering what she was doing that day. Is that a crime, Evans? Are you going to give me a detention or deduct points?"

Lily smiled at him. "Nah. I was actually trying to cut through the foreplay."

James laughed.

"That's so nice of you," Sirius said to her sarcastically. "Cutting through the foreplay…"

"She's not busy. We were going to do a little shopping, but I'm sure she'd be happy to go with you."

"I can handle this Lily," Jade said, but laughing. "If you wanted to do something, Sirius, I'd go with you."

"Great," Sirius said to her. "Speaking of foreplay," he said, changing subjects and looking back at Lily. "You know that I heard fighting is like flirting. Supposedly it's like a frustration people have when they can't express their true feelings. Who, I wonder, fights with someone else. Constantly. He asks you if it's a good book and you snap at him. You could cut the sexual tension with a dull fork."

"It's a knife, Sirius," Jade whispered.

"Sexual tension?" Lily asked, closing her book. "Sexual tension? With him?" she asked, pointing but not looking at James.

"Lily," Jade said, "please don't."

"That's what I said," Sirius replied. "You're always going at him. Secretly you want him badly."

"Ew," Lily replied.

James dropped his smile.

"Come on, Evans. You don't fool us. Why don't you cut through the foreplay yourself and treat James like he deserves."

"Sirius, for God's sake shut up," Jade told him sternly.

Remus had been staring at them but not saying a word. He looked over at James, who's head was in his hands staring down at the table.

"Perhaps we should change the subject matter," Remus suggested.

"Fine by me," Lily replied, giving Sirius a scathing look, which was returned.

James looked between them and frowned. "Excuse me," he said, stepping out of the bench and walking away from the table and out into the entrance hall.

"Bad luck, Potter?" a familiar voice said to him from the shadows. James whirled around and drew out his wand.

"Snivellus. I suggest you stay out of my way."

Snape withdrew his wand and took a few steps closer. "Oh really," he said coldly.

"Need I remind you that it was I who saved your life last year? Come now Snivelly, get a brain and a clue and don't get in my way."

James pointed the wand at his chest and held him in his eyes with a fixed gaze.

Sirius came running into the hall and pulled out his wand in an instant.

"Oh yes," Snape said with a satisfied expression, "can't go anywhere without each other. How sweet."

Then, like a badly written play, Lily came running into the scene and pulled out her wand. "Of course. Get a little bit angry and find someone to bully around, Potter."

"That's it," James said, but not to Snape, but to Lily. "I've had enough of you."

Lily's eyebrows shot up. "Pardon me?"

"You heard me. I'm tired of your sharp tongue. I'm tired of the way your flip your hair. If you really hate me as much as you claim, fine. I'll stay out of your way. Just do me one favor and stay out of mine." James extracted himself from the argument and walked down the corridor alone.

Sirius looked from Lily, who appeared shocked, to Snape, who seemed relieved yet disappointed.

"You're such an ugly git. I hate it when he's mad and it's all your fault," Sirius said to Snape. He waved his wand, even when Lily commanded him to stop, and hexed him. Snape was on the floor with boils popping all over his face.

"Sirius!" Lily yelled.

"Oh just can it!" he yelled at her. "You have no idea, do you? You treat everyone else with great dignity, like you're some angel, but you treat James like he's nothing but mud on your shoes. He's right on this one. I'm tired of it to. He has never said anything but glowing praise about you, and you treat him like this? Why do you always have to put him down? You know what?" he said raising his hands. "I don't care. I don't care anymore. He deserves much better than you. And he thinks you're so beautiful," he added as he began walking away. "You're not, Evans."

James was sitting in the same chair he had occupied that morning, staring into the fire. Sirius pulled a chair up next to him and sat in it. Five minutes later Peter came in and did the same, and Remus came in last and sat on the sofa.

"So," Sirius started as he looked out the window. "Nice day for a game of Quidditch. Maybe we could practice."

James said nothing.

"Or," Remus started, "if I pretended that I was deaf and blind, you could hex Sirius's brother or Snape. Just this once."

James made a disgusted sound.

"Or not," Sirius said.

"Was she upset when you yelled at her?" he asked Sirius.

"Looked like it," he answered. "Why?"

"No reason," he said sullenly. "I'll go and get my broom."

That evening, after some Quidditch practice between James, Sirius and some other players, they walked back to their own common rooms with their brooms slung over their shoulders.

When James and Sirius approached the Fat Lady, however, Lily stopped them from going inside.

"What is it now?" James asked her.

"Let me guess," Sirius started, "you told on me to Dumbledore for hexing Snape."

Lily fiddled with her hands. "No. We need to patrol the corridors," she said to the floor.

"I thought the prefects handled that?" James asked. "You said we only had to do it Friday nights."

"I know I did," she said. "Can you just come with me?" she asked.

James looked at Sirius, who tried to keep his face even and un-bias.

"Why?" James asked her.

"I want to talk to you," she said.

"About what?" he pushed, though he had a good idea what it was about.

"This morning," she mumbled, now looking directly into his eyes.

James knew he was enjoying this too much, but he couldn't help it. "What about this morning?"

Lily rolled her head and eyes. "I wanted to apologize for my inexcusable, abhorrent behavior toward you, okay?" she said.

James wanted to smile, but didn't of course. That would give him away.

"Oh," he said. He looked over at Sirius. "She wanted to apologize."

"That's nice of her," Sirius said to him.

"Isn't it though?" James asked.

"Darling. Maybe I should say something to her."

"You could do that."

Lily's lips were trembling and her eyes appeared brighter than usual.

"Evans," Sirius began kindly, "I apologize for my abhorrent behavior."

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

"There," James said. "Done. Do we still need to patrol?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so," she said.

Sirius grinned and he set down his broom and stepped in front of James. "You look great, honey. Let me fix this shirt," he said, pretending to dust off his sweater. "You're a bit dirty on the face," he continued. He took his sleeve of his sweater and went to wipe James's face, but James pulled away and slapped his hand down.

"Sod off," he said.

Sirius glanced over at Lily, who was fighting a smile. "I want him back before the sun rises."

Lily nodded. "Okay."

"Good luck Prongs," Sirius whispered then picked up his broom and walked into Gryffindor tower.

James nervously turned to see Lily waiting for him.

"I really am sorry for the way I acted," she said. "I started this morning."

"Started what?" he asked.

Lily blushed. "You know…"

James shook his head.

"Do you live with your mother? Hasn't anyone told you about the birds and the bees."

It took a while, but James's face suddenly lit up with understanding. "Oh, that. Is that why all you women get so cranky?"

"It's a contributing factor," Lily said with a smile. "It's a miserable day, really. Be glad you're a man and don't ever have to experience it. Jade thinks that all men would die if they had to go through it just once."

"Nice," James said with a benign face. "So are we going to split up again?"

"Um," she said, sealing her lips. "Actually, because tonight was the first non school night back I was thinking that there would be tons of serious couples in certain towers."

"And you want to bust their bubbles of happiness?" he asked.

"It could prove enjoyable," she said.

"You know," James said, walking a bit closer to her, "there's a list that floats around for who gets to use the tower on what weekend."

"Oh I know," she said, flipping her hair back.

James froze again. "You do?"

"Certainly."

"Because you've been up their before?"

"I have some friends who have been," she said with a smile.

James didn't understand it. One minute she hated him with the passion of a thousand suns, and now here she was smiling at him.

Girls. Go figure.

"I see."

"You know you really have changed a lot since I first met you," she said to him, folding her hands behind her back as she walked.

"Well I am much taller," he said seriously. "And I grow facial hair now."

Lily giggled a little, but not too much.

"That's not what I meant," she said.

"I figured. The height thing is pretty obvious. But I never let my facial hair grow out too much so you might not have known that. You're referring to a personality transplant of some kind?"

"The love of only you?" she corrected him.

James sobered and frowned. "Believe it or not," he said to her, "I do have emotions."

Lily scrunched her eyebrows together and bit her lip. "Yes I know."

"Why do you do that, then? Why do you always insult me? I've never once done it to you, but you're always attacking me, even when I'm not a jerk."

Lily picked up the pace to her walking. "I can be over critical of people," she said. "I don't mean to be."

"Well I don't like it," he said, hoping he sounded wounded, though he wasn't.

"Well I don't really like the fact that you bully people. Or that in the past you have been a tad bit on the arrogant side," she said calmly.

James stopped walking so he could face her. "Why are you talking to me?" he asked. "Why, Evans?"

Lily cleared her throat and backed up a little. "Because. For the first time I've seen you've broken down and shown some human emotions."

"And you find that surprising?" he asked, advancing on her by one small step.

"Yes, frankly," she said. "James, criticism bounces off of you. But you were upset this morning. I've never seen you that upset."

"You were trying to get a rise out of me?" he asked.

"Of course not," she said, now against the wall. James took one more step forward so now he was close to her. "Look, I apologized to you. I just don't like that you think you're the greatest thing in the world."

"I don't," he said calmly. He could see her shade of green in her eyes.

Lily blinked three times in a quick succession. "And I suppose you think I am?" she asked.

James smiled. "That's a bit egotistical of you."

"It's not a secret that you have feelings for me," she said off handedly. "The entire school knows. It's not like I don't notice the way you look at me and how frequently you look at me."

James tilt his head to one side and kept smiling at her, though she stared at him with a straight face. "So you do see me?" he asked.

"It's hard not to," she laughed. "And I don't mean that in a good way. Well I'm not insulting you either. It's just that you're always around me, ruffling your hair, which I don't like may I add," she said, raising a finger at him as he leaned in closer to her. "It's called a comb, James. You know you'll go bald if you keep messing with it all the time."

"I could have had just as many girls as Sirius has," James said.

Lily made a choking sound. "There's your ego again. You're not even close to his looks. He's incredibly handsome and charming, and you---"

James smiled at her. "I'm what?" he asked.

Lily shook her head and frowned at him again. "If you think you're the greatest man in the world, then why haven't you had a concubine?" she asked.

"Because," he said with a grin, "I have high standards."

Lily laughed as if amused by his statement. "Are you trying to earn points with me?" she asked.

"Yes, actually," he said. "I've tried everything. But if you want me to stop flattering you and telling you how beautiful I think you are, then just let me know and I'll quit. Do you want me to stop?" he asked.

Lily opened her mouth but shut it very quickly as if she feared he would enter it.

"Answer me something," she whispered to him now, for the corridor they were in became silent.

"Anything for you, Evans," he said.

"Great," she said. "Potions class. Did you drop the oil that made me slip?"

James stepped back and furrowed his brow. "No," he said.

"Okay," she said. "Did you help me out because you would have helped anyone, or because you wanted to impress me so I would go out with you?" she asked. She crossed her arms thoughtfully.

James thought a while for the best answer. He sighed and shook his head. "I suppose you've figured me out. Touché, Lily. I'm not sure I would have done it for anyone else. Yes, I did want to impress you. I took the fall because I wanted you to be impressed with me. It wasn't planned out, I swear, but that's why I did it. Not because I'm some gentleman, not because I'm a great guy, but because I wanted you to be impressed by me."

Lily slowly uncrossed her arms and allowed her hands to fall to her sides.

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?" he asked.

"I just wanted to know the truth," she said.

"Great," James said. "Well it's out of the bag. Now if you don't mind, I think I'll be going now."

"I've had three handsome young men ask me out," she said suddenly as he turned around to walk away. "I turned them all down."

James slowly swung his body around and concentrated on her face, looking for any sign that she was doing this to make him jealous. He was going to ask who asked her out, because he would hex them as soon as he found them, but what came out instead was, "Why?"

Lily laughed. "I don't like it that you bully Severus Snape."

James leaned closer to her again. He could see his reflection in her emerald green eyes. "Why turn them all down?" he asked eagerly.

"But you didn't today," she said as if she hadn't heard him.

"Evans?" he said.

"And the other day I realized how much I like it when you say my first name," she continued fluttering her eyes.

James shook his head. "I can't understand you women at all. I wish you would make up your mind whether you hate me or like me. It's really confusing me. What are you telling me?"

She giggled again. "You know how much bravery it takes to tell the truth like you just did? I thought for sure you would claim you were just being chivalrous, but you told me the truth. Sometimes I can't figure you out, James."

He smiled at her and felt a huge balloon of happiness welling up inside him.

"I still can't break your mystery."

"I think we should reevaluate our current standing, if you know what I'm saying?"

"Meaning you don't want to be mortal enemies with me. I was never your enemy, though. I guess that wouldn't work like that." He brushed some hair out of her eyes and bent his head closer to hers.

"Small steps, James," she said to him. "Small baby steps."

James gazed into her eyes, but she wasn't looking back. "Are you saying you have a crush on me?" he asked with a smirk. "Is Evans finally caving in?"

"I never cave in," she corrected him, but he was so close now that he couldn't see her lips move. "I always do what I want, James. You need to remember that." He could feel her hands around his neck, holding him back. "Small steps," she repeated.

"Right," he whispered to her. He rest his hands on her hips and was pleased when she didn't try to remove them. "Small steps," he said with a smirk.

"It'll be our secret," she whispered.

"I just have to say," he began silently, "that I think it was destiny that brought us here."

Lily smiled. "That's the oldest line in the books."

"There's a reason it's old," he said.

She grinned up at him and covered his hands with hers. "Let's do as Sirius said. Let's cut through the foreplay."

"Okay," he said, getting closer still. "This does mean that I have to kiss you now. You need a good kiss, after all."

Lily smiled but didn't show her teeth. "And are you going to donate your puffed up lips?" she asked.

"Out of the goodness of my heart," he said. "I don't want you to kiss a hippo's ass instead, you know."

"Neither do I. No more talking. It's killing the moment."

James leaned his head in to kiss her. He closed his eyes, like he was supposed to, and felt the softness of her lips. Loud trumpets were playing in his head and he smiled.

Someone was running down the corridor, he and Lily heard, and she pushed him back.

"What? Who was it?" he asked frantically, drawing out his wand.

Running ungracefully the opposite way, was a tall boy with elbow length, greasy black hair.

"Snivellus!" James cried, and he shot a spell at him, striking Snape in the small of his back which knocked him to the floor.

"James!" Lily yelled angrily.

"He was spying on us!"

"You jackass!" she yelled. She glared at him then stomped off in the opposite direction and didn't look back at him.

James threw up his hands and wanted to kick himself and Snape, the selfish git! "Women!" James said exasperatedly to himself. "I can never do anything right!" He looked back at Snape, who was struggling to get off the floor, and back to Lily who was still marching angrily down the corridor. "Lily!" he cried. "I'm sorry, okay?"

She didn't turn back.

"Bloody hell, James," he said to himself. He stuffed his wand in his robes, then ran after her, cursing himself under his own breath. Why were they so fickle and complicated? Why couldn't she just understand? Why did Snape have to ruin the kiss? The stupid bastard, he thought. Damn git ruins everything.