Lily really didn't know why she was still here. What in the world possessed her to even agree to meet him here? Hadn't she already agreed that he was an arrogant toerag? Well in actual fact Lupin had convinced her to come. She trusted him. They had been friends since year five. Before she could contemplate leaving a magnificent stag rounded the corner.
"Prongs?" she whispered. The stag bowed its head. Everyone knew about Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs; the four marauders who wrecked mischief at Hogwarts and never got caught. No-one knew who they were, though Lily had shrewd idea. The stag transformed into James Potter and Lily glared at him. She hated that this arrogant toerag was a beautiful stag.
"What?" she snarled.
"Easy! I just wanted to tell you that Severus and his gang are planning to torture some first year muggle borns tomorrow night." He sounded wary.
"You're a liar! You hate Severus! You're framing him, I know. I'm not stupid Potter." She spat the last word. James looked wretched.
"Please I'm telling the truth-"
"No you're not!"
"Well if you change your mind take this," and with that he thrust his invisibility cloak into her hands and disappeared around the corner. Lily stared at the cloak for a long time, before heading back to the Gryffindor common room.
"All right class!" called Professor Zulpo, "Today we will be doing patronuses!"
An excited whisper went around the class. James turned to grin at three other boys. Only Sirius returned the smile. Peter was sweating and Remus was still listening to Professor Zulpo.
"Come on Wormy we've done Patronuses before! They're easy." James said.
"Yeah but my patronus has only ever been a mist," squeaked back Peter. Sirius opened his mouth to comment but was interrupted by Remus.
"Shut up all of you!" James and Sirius shared mocking grins but didn't speak.
"I don't expect any of you to be able to conjure a corporeal Patronus on your first go so don't be disappointed if nothing happens at first. Remember, think of happy thoughts." Before long the class was full of shouts of "EXPECTO PATRONUM" but the most anyone got was silver mist.
"Shall we shake things up a bit?" asked Sirius laughingly. Remus had moved over to Lily Evans, so not to be distracted by his friends and Peter had his tongue between his teeth, his face going slowly red, as he concentrated on his spell. Sirius looked around for James but James was busy looking at Lily. He really wanted to see what Lily's Patronus was. He had read that Patronuses can change and take the form of another under certain circumstances. Sirius sighed and stared longingly at the dungbombs in his pockets. James meanwhile was trying to sidle closer to Lily so he could get a better look at her Patronus.
"Where are you going Potter?" James whirled around to see Severus' hooked nose inches from his own.
"Snivellus keep your abnormally large nose away from my face please, or I will curse it."
"Will you now Potter?" he sneered. James raised his wand but before he could utter a word, there were gasps and James and Severus both turned to see a silver doe standing in the middle of the room. Out of the corner of James' eye, he saw Severus sag. Imagining Lily marrying him, James conjured his own Patronus and urged his Stag over to her doe. He heard Severus hiss. Then two other Patronuses joined his and Lily's. A great, big dog and a rabbit came over. James glared at his two friends. Remus and Sirius waved from the corner grinning from ear to ear. Lily's doe vanished and she stared, aghast at his stag. Then she turned and left the room. James' stag disappeared and he went after her but not before seeing the satisfaction creep up on Severus' face.
"Lily! Wait!" panted James.
"Why do our Patronuses match?" She stopped so abruptly that James walked into her.
"Uh because, well because-"
"James Potter, lost for words? Now I've seen it all!" Her scorning tone made James flush.
"It must be because you like me!" At the last minute he had changed from love to like. He wouldn't embarrass Lily further. As it was a dull flush crept across her cheeks.
"How do you know- No! Did Remus tell you?" James was so startled that she hadn't defied him that he nearly missed what she said next.
"Listen, Potter, you leave me alone. I don't want anything to do with you. You, always hexing students in the corridors, trying to make yourself look cool! I hate it and I hate y-"
"I haven't hexed anyone since that day by the lake!" interrupted James pleadingly. Lily opened her mouth, and then closed it again. He was right, he hadn't. In fact he had been downright nice to everyone and had hardly pranked anyone, much to Sirius' disappointment. Except he still hexed Snape, but Lily hadn't really cared as much since Snape had called her a Mudblood. She stared at James for a long time and then sighed. James using her silence as an advantage opened his mouth to speak again.
"If you're lying about Severus, Potter, I will never speak to you again. If you're right, well it pains me to say this, but I really have started liking you." And hiding her grin Lily left, leaving an opened mouthed James in her wake.