Chapter one

Lily was sitting in the common room, reading a book. She felt someone sit beside her and looked up to see a messy haired, hazel eyed boy grinning at her.

"What do you want Potter?" she had received really bad marks in potions and was not in a mood to talk to James.

"Nothing, just seeing what you're doing" he said, with a cheesy smile.

"Nothing that concerns you, I assure" she snapped.

"Now, now, why are we in such a grumpy mood?"

"We are grumpy because you are currently sitting here"

"But that can't be helped, can it, love?"

"Don't call me that"

"Why not, sweetheart?"

"Not that either"

"Ok, none of them, honey"

Lily rolled her eyes "you're never going to change are you?"

"Nope" was the simple reply

They sat in silence for few moments, then-

"So what about going to Hogsmade with me?"

"What about just giving up on me?"

"What about saying yes just once?"

"What about accepting denial at once?"

James looked thoughtful for a few moments then said slowly and deliberately, "I have a feeling you will say yes this time"

"I think you didn't understand but I already said no" and with that lily picked up her book and headed towards the 7th year girls dormitory.

Lily climbed the marble steps and opened the wooden door at the first landing. Inside she could see her three friends- Marcy, Daphne and Kate sitting huddled together on the ground.

Marcy Brown had curly, shoulder length brown hair, light blue eyes and a slightly tanned athletic body. She was one of the best Gryffindor chaser there ever was and put her heart and soul into Quidditch. Her love for adventure usually got Lily and her friends in trouble, but they ended up discovering so many secret passages and hiding places, that they were a pretty tough competition for the Marauders. Marcy had barged into Lily's compartment in the train to Hogwarts, chasing her owl which had flown out of its cage. Lily had helped her catch her owl and they had been friends ever since.

Daphne Anderson had jet black waist length hair and deep blue eyes. She was the prettiest girl in the year and boys simply drooled over her. She took great care to dress herself and nobody knew more about clothes than her, she even managed to make her school robes look really good.

Kate Hamlyn had red hair and brown eyes. She loved reading books and preferred to stay inside. When Marcy, Daphne, and Lily had first met her she had been shy as a mouse, but 7 years with her friends, she had become more open and mostly liked to stay outdoors. The teachers said that they had spoilt Kate and she had been good when she came, but her friends paid no attention knowing that they were the best thing that ever happened to Kate.

Lily often wondered how she, Macy, Daphne and Kate, such different people, had become friends, but she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

"Hey", said Lily, dropping her book and herself on her bed.

The three girls started, they hadn't been expecting Lily to come. Lily looked at them suspiciously; it was evident from their faces they had been talking about her.

"What were you talking about?" she asked.

"Nothing, nothing very important, just the marauders, " Replied Marcy.

Lily still continued to look suspicious; she opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it. After all, they were always talking about how cute she and James look with each other, that might be what it was now.

"Don't you have anything else to talk about than those troublemakers?" she said.

"That's exactly what I tell them," said Kate. Lily sighed in relief; at least there was someone who didn't worship the marauders.

"But they're just so good looking!" cried Daphne, "especially Remus" she added, somewhat dreamily.

Lily, Marcy and Kate sighed exasperatedly. Daphne had recently started dating Remus, and couldn't keep quiet about his qualities.

"He's just the most talented guy there is" she said, looking dreamily out of the window. Marcy snorted, "last year you were ready to strangle anyone who disagreed with you about Frank Longbottom being the best boy at everything in the world."

Daphne ignored the comment and continued staring fixedly out of the window, though a blush could be seen creeping up on her face. Marcy opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted.

"Lily, can I borrow book on advanced transfiguration?" Said a voice from the doorway. Lily turned to see a fifth year girl standing on the floor landing.

"Of course, Gabriela" Lily said, "Just let me find my bag," and started moving aside things in order to find her bag. Marcy, Daphne and Kate tensed up and started fidgeting with their school robes. Lily opened her closet and quite a number of things, including a stuffed cat she had never before seen, fell out. She searched in her closet, but finding everything but her bag, looked up to see her friends' guilty faces. Then it dawned on her.

"Gabriela, I can't find my bag, can you go ask someone else?"

"Ok" she said, before sprinting down the stairs. Then Lily rounded on her friends.

"Ok, games up, give it back" she said somewhat sternly.

"Give what back?" said Daphne nervously.

"My bag, what else!" she was getting angrier by the second.

"We- we don't have it", said Kate, slightly stammering.

"Don't play games with me," and now Lily looked downright furious.

Marcy decided the game was up. "James transfigured it"

"JAMES WHAT?!" cried Lily not believing her ears.

"He transfigured it into that cat," confirmed Marcy, pointing to the stuffed cat which was lying on the floor. Lily didn't wait for an answer but rushed down to the common room. She saw James standing in the corner, playing with his wand.

"Change my bag back!" she cried furiously. James looked up with a mild look of surprise on his face. "Oh don't worry, I will, on one condition."

"And what will that be?"

"That you go out on a date with me" he replied simply. Lily seemed to be fighting an inward battle. James took the opportunity, "you wouldn't want to miss classes will you?"

"How did you get hold of my bag, anyway?"

"Oh, your friends are pretty helpful, you know" he said, grinning, "see you at the great hall, tomorrow twelve in the noon" and with that he went up to the boy's dormitory.

Lily trudged up to her dormitory, thinking hard. She walked up to the stuffed animal and started casting spells at it. All she achieved was to make herself angrier.

"It won't work" said Kate quietly, "he put really advanced spells on it, such that only he can break." Lily decided Kate was right and stopped trying to transfigure it back. She turned to her friends, instead. "Why don't you guys go and tell him to change my bag back? I know he forced you to give it to him but I'm sure he'll listen to you." Lily looked at their nervous faces for some time, then, "you didn't do this out of your own will, did you?"

"We're so sorry, Lils!" cried Marcy, "it's for the best, really, it is!"

Lily looked disbelievingly at their faces, "what kind of friends have I got?"

"Really, Lily, we're just so sorry, but it's going to be fun, believe me" said Daphne.

Kate nodded her head eagerly, "Just give that boy a chance, just one chance, it'll pay off in the end, you'll see."

"Whatever" said Lily flinging herself on her bed. She had had a very tiring day and was in no mood to argue.

Marcy smiled, relieved. "Go to sleep now, you'll wake up better in the morning."

"Let's see." And with that Lily went to sleep.