Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was in the late fall early winter season. The grounds were lightly dusted with snow. The Great Hall ceiling had begun snowing earlier in the week, and breakfast had been extra chilly. The school days had gone slowly and the weekend was upon the students of Hogwarts. The classrooms were closed and the sounds of quills and rustled parchment had ceased in all but one part of the school. The courtyard was inhabited by two girls in their last year of schooling. Although friends the two still found things to argue about.

"Lily, you cant actually be falling for James!" Amethyst rebutted, "He and his no good friends are so terrible to Severus!" she refused to give Lily any eye contact, instead she stared at her shoes. As the wind picked up auburn hair flew into her face. Although Amethyst refused to look at Lily, Lily watched as she tried and failed to manage her locks.

"James only did that as a prank." she gave a wistful look out into the snowy fields. James had won her heart in their fifth year. After Severus had called her a 'mudblood' her support of him faltered and ended. A few months after James had approached Lily with a smile and a butter beer. They had struck up a conversation immediately and their friendship had begun. James always had a sweet spot for Lily and they began spending all of their time together. Soon enough they were the newest couple at Hogwarts. Lily had found that James was sweet and caring. She looked over his younger years of bullying and focused on who he was today.

As she gazed into the far edges of the fields, her eyes confirmed that James was playing quiditch with Sirius, while Remus refereed from the side. The season was beginning and that was all James could talk about. Without looking away from the quiditch practice Lily continued, "He didn't mean anything by it." her attention quickly changed to another matter, "and weren't you just the other day going on about how cute Sirius was?"

Elizabeth's porcelain features turned to a bright red, that greatly contrasted the blue of her scarf "I merely stated that his dark features were emitted from his black soul." quickly composing herself, Amethystbent over her potions worksheet and dabbed her quill.

The boys soon lost interest in their game. Picking up scattered brooms and misplaced quaffles the boys began moving towards the courtyard. "Don't look now Amey but here they come." A silent gasp came from Elizabeth, she quickly gathered up her books, ink and quills. "Yes don't make it obvious that you are leaving because of them." Lily rolled her eyes and watched her best friend scramble to find some misplaced paper.

"I'm not." her voice jumped an octave, "I simply remembered I have a herbology review I left in my common room." If she didn't slow her breathing she would hyperventilate.

"Herbology test isn't for another month, and I'm sure you've already studied for it." Sirius' deep voice echoed in the empty courtyard. Her blue eyes widened and the color drained from her face. "Anyway Elizabeth, well you know how the Yule ball is coming up?" He was still talking to her back. She was fiddling with several different quills. Lily kicked her shin, causing Amey's head to jerk upward. Sirius took this chance to establish eye contact.

"Yes I'm helping with the decorations." she replied silently. Her voice had returned to normal but that wasn't helping her breathing.

"Well, I am a man," James and Remus snickered at this remark and both received swift jabs to the abdomen. Although he still looked confident, a blush had formed on his cheekbones, "and it's customary to take girls to balls, and well I didn't know if someone had already asked you or not and" Sirius had trailed off and was looking around the courtyard.

"Sirius Black, are you asking me to Yule Ball?" her eyes lit up with the similar flair of getting extra points for her house.

Turning an even deeper shade of red, Sirius shook his head up and down confirming her suspicions. Amethyst smiled and scooted down on the bench to make room for the boys to sit down. Sirius took his place next her and they began whispering together.

James knelt next to Lily, grabbed her hand, and kissed it gently. "My dear, sweet tiger Lily. The apple of my eye. The one who makes every waking minute a joy!" at this point his hand swept a stray hair out of her face. "Oh my sweet Lily, please accompany me to the Yule Ball?"

Lily's face had turned a deep shade of orange that almost matched her hair. Finally her gaze shifted to James and a smile confirmed her answer. "And that my dear gents is how it is done." Lily's face turned from ecstatic to disgust as she came to a realization that she had been the easy prey. James had used her to show how easily he could play her. "Lily! I didn't mean that. I meant that "

Lily's hand shot up and silenced James, "James Potter, you need to find a girl that can accept your stupid whims. I am not a person that you can easily con. You just reminded me why we never spoke before! You are an immature little boy." Lily turned to Elizabeth, "We are leaving."

"Now?" her lower lip protruded and her eyes begged to stay. Amethyst knew she should go with Lily but she needed to give James a piece of her mind.

"Well then I guess only I am leaving." Lily grabbed her things. She turned and gave James the dirtiest look she could muster. She left and soon her footsteps dissipated down the corridor.

Elizabeth's eyes darted around the table as she looked from face to face. Her eyes finally rested on James, "You know, she really likes you! I can't believe you said that in front of her. That was low even for you!" her bright blue eyes were icy as she looked to Sirius, "Thank you for your invitation to the ball but unless things patch up between Lily and James I don't believe I will be in attendance."

"Elizabeth, I am so sorry." Sirius turned to her, "I completely understand though." she quickly gathered her things, and left the three boys sitting girl-less. A low growl started Sirius' next sentence, "Prongs I am going to murder you, and I will go to Azkaban for it too." Sirius spoke to James without looking at him. He was straining against turning into his animagus form.

"Moony back me up here!" James turned to his thin friend. The three friends had resorted to using their Marauder names.

"I'm sorry Prongs, but I am going to have to take Padfoots' side on this matter." Remus turned to Sirius, "You need to speak to Lily and talk her into having a half way civil conversation with James here." Remus was the level headed friend of the group. Except of course during a full moon, then he became a 'furry little problem'.

"Did you not see how she left? She was willing to kill him. I would have better chance asking a professor to ball than getting her to talk to him." Sirius let out a huge sigh. "I really need to go and study for potions." Sirius, as the other two before him, left the courtyard.

James turned away from the school and looked out to the quiditch fields. "What am I going to do?" he directed his question to the only living thing left in the courtyard, "Remus I truly believe she is the 'one' I am so close to losing her! She is the only thing I think of more than quiditch."

"I think you should talk to her, tell her what you just told me. That's what she wants to hear." Remus nudged him. What James had said was true, Remus had heard all about the redness of Lily's hair, and the way her green eyes flared when she learned new things. Remus was almost sick of his obsession. But Lily was the best thing that had ever happened to James, and she kept him out of trouble.

"Alright I will try. Could you try and get her to talk to me?" a simple nod of the head was all Remus needed to do.