"I've got it, this time I've really got it." James said as he paced in the 6th year dormitory.
Remus didn't look up from his books, "Prongs…we've heard that before."
"And not to be, you know, beating the same bluger or anything but your last twelve 'I got it's were shite."
"Pure and simple." said Peter.
"Like the banner in the Great Hall at breakfast…" Sirius said, while flipping through a muggle magazine on motorcycles.
"Yeah I remember," James said, scuffing his shoe along the wood floor, and taking a nervous hand to his already messy hair.
"She didn't even blink before setting the whole thing on fire." Sirius laughed, "And then it fell onto the staff table…And then Slughorn was so impressed with her silent incendio we got ten points."
James laughed, looking pleased at the memory.
"Then McGonagal took fifty points away for 'inappropriate use of the great hall' 'offensive language' and 'stalkery'." Remus turned a page in his book.
Sirius and James stopped laughing. "I can't understand how the woman takes points from her own bloody house like that. It's unbelievable, is she even a Gryffendor?"
"I've often wondered that myself, but you've seen the old bat at quidditch matches…"
"Your new plan James?" Remus prompted.
"Right!" James began pacing again, "So the problem with Lily is that she doesn't know me, the real, loveable me. The me with the charm and the wit and the sensitivity—"
"Modesty?" Remus turned another page in his book.
"Right…so I need to show her."
"Show her the modest, sensitive, charming, witty, loveable you…? The you that only exists in front of your mum?"
"That's the you that only exists in front of my Mum, Padfoot."
Sirius shrugged.
"The plan is to not be a total arse in front of her…I'm going to stop pranking third years—No I mean it, Padfoot, and I'm quitting—I'm going to stop showing off in class, and here's the big one fellas…no more picking on Snivellus."
"When Evans is there, of course we'll all be on our best behavior, but when she's gone?" Sirius asked.
"No, it's all or nothing on this one."
"But James sometimes its just self defense." Peter said.
"I agree with Peter, Prongs, Snape is not exactly an innocent…and his spells of late have shown a particular propensity for hurting."
"I can take whatever he's dishing and be the bigger man, because here's the best part—anything he does will just reveal him to be a great big tosser, while I look better and better by comparison."
James beamed at his friends.
"This plan is full proof! I'm going to start now, go carry her books or something. See you all in Charms!"
"I give it a week, tops." Sirius said throwing his magazine across the room.
"I give it a day." Remus said, "Snape will sense James's change, and take advantage…James's pride won't stand for that, for any length of time."
"So what you're saying is, Snape should be eliminated...?"
Remus squinted at Sirius, "Remember the last time you tried that? James almost died. You would have made me responsible for the death of one of my best friends. I still haven't forgiven you, even if James has."
"Oh come off it, Moony! I never woulda let anything happen to Prongs."
"And he never would have let an innocent person die, Sirius."
Sirius's eyes narrowed dangerously for a moment, "You said it yourself Remus, Snape is no innocent."
"I'm not sure anyone is innocent anymore." Peter said. It was so uncharacteristic for Peter to say anything remotely profound, that both Remus and Sirius blinked at him, mouths slightly agape. Peter shrugged, "I saw it in the Daily Prophet." He said quickly, "Seems true enough."
"Well it's not, Pete, there are plenty of innocent blighters out there, totally unprepared for the likes of Snape and his miniature Death Eaters. It's our job to protect the blighters."
Remus turned another page in his book; worry lines creasing his brow.
Two weeks later
"Hey Remus?"
Remus turned around and smiled at Lily, for the first time in their long friendship she looked hesitant. Remus smiled again.
"Can I help you with something?"
Lily put her bag down at her feet and carefully crossed her arms, "I'm gonna need you to be honest, Remus, I need you to swear on your honor as a perfect that you'll answer me honestly…"
Remus broke into a cold sweat. The set of Lily's shoulders was tense, her fingers lightly brushing the wand in her skirt pocket. Did she know his secret? Was she confronting him here in the abandoned section of the library? He coughed, swallowed, and nodded as causally as he could. If Lily knew, there was no way he could lie to her about it.
"Do Black and Potter have a bet going or something?"
Remus let his breath go in a loud puff of air.
"What?"
"Be honest," she said, lightly fingering her wand again. "Is this some sort of sick game? Are they lulling the school into a false sense of security—before unleashing some Merlin cursed prank?"
Remus laughed, really laughed for what felt like the first time in weeks.
"I don't think this is funny." Lily said.
"It is, trust me." He looked into her distinctive green eyes and wished, not for the first time, that James hadn't seen her first. He shook his head as though to dislodge the thought, "Sirius and James have no bet concerning their behavior. They are planning no such mega-prank…they're, James at least, is turning over a new leaf."
Lily quirked her left eye brow in disbelief.
"Truly, James is trying to reform his character…and by association, may actually reform Sirius, a little…maybe."
"I caught Sirius in the third floor broom cupboard with a fifth year—this morning."
"Right. James is really trying." Remus smiled again, "Hasn't been annoying you has he?"
Lily picked up her bag and shrugged it onto her shoulder, "Hasn't asked me out in two whole weeks." She smiled, but Remus noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Walk me to Charms?"
Remus grabbed his bag. "Having trouble with the Slytherins?"
"Not just them," she sighed, "It's everything. I don't even like leaving the common room by myself anymore. I don't really even feel comfortable wearing muggle clothes on the weekends." She sighed again, "Terrible Gryffendor I'm turning out to be."
"What happened to Hestia wasn't your fault, Lily."
"Yeah, but if she wasn't defending me she wouldn't be at St. Mungos either."
"She didn't go there alone, you handled more than six seventh years—and according to everyone you practically saved Hestia. If you hadn't gotten her to the hospital wing in time—"
"Stop." She said.
Remus nodded. The story was pretty gruesome. Some seventh year Slytherin boys had been hanging outside the library waiting for Lily (or any unwary muggle born) and their intentions were decidedly depraved. Hestia saw Lily battling for her life, or at the very least the last shreds of her cloak and skirt, and jumped into the fray. At the end Lily was the only one able to stand, she ran through the halls screaming for professors, dragging Hestia with her.
When the whole story came out, three students were expelled, and four were still at St. Mungos. Hestia included. Lily had stopped wearing pleated skirts. And the Gryffendors had all silently agreed not to let Lily wander alone anymore. Most muggleborns were escorted everywhere by their friends now, the war, it seemed, was already raging.
James had been incensed of course. But it was clear that as much as Lily didn't like to be alone in the halls, she hated being coddled more. So when she and Remus reached the door to Flitwick'ss classroom and saw James and Sirius waiting by the door, wands in hand Lily was a little miffed.
"Looking for trouble boys?"
James and Sirius turned in her direction, watching some Ravenclaws shuffle past.
"Not looking Evans, just waiting." Sirius said.
Lily rolled her eyes and slipped into the classroom.
"Thanks for getting her here Moony, there was no way I could make it from the astronomy tower down to arthimancy…unless I had my broom."
Remus just smiled and shook his head, "She's on to you—she thinks something is up."
"Yeah?" James ruffled his hair.
"Yeah."
"That's good right? She's noticed something different and asked my friend about it—that's like a tacit declaration of missing me right?"
"That's not even troll logic, Prongs, you can do better."
Someone coughed loudly, the three boys looked down, Professor Flitwick was standing right there in the middle of them, he flicked his wand, and the three boys felt the stones beneath their feet move several inches inside the classroom. Just enough to let Flitwick close the door.
"Today we'll continue our work on silent spells. Charming unmoveable objects to move." He flicked his wand again and three empty desks approached the Marauders. "If you'd like to join us?"
"Sure Professor, if you've got the space and all." Sirius said flopping into the nearest desk.