Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Is everybody happy now?!
Chapter One
"JAMES POTTER!" screamed an extremely exasperated Lily Evans.
She had just stepped out of the shower that she and that good for nothing James Potter shared as Head Girl and Boy. Upon entering her room she had opened her drawer to get dressed in her uniform, only to find that all her underwear and bras had disappeared! There was only one logical explanation as to what had happened.
"JAMES POTTER!" she yelled again as she stormed out of her bedroom and into his. "What have you done with all my knickers?"
"I love the new look. Were you planning on wearing that to class?" he smirked.
"Where is all my underwear, Potter?" Lily asked again trying to restrain herself from throwing something at him.
"I don't know, dearest Lily," James replied coolly.
"I know you took them! GIVE THEM BACK!"
"Lily, you really should learn to control your temper." James said still smiling, but she noticed that he took a few steps backwards.
This made her smile too. She walked towards him looking him straight in the eye until they're noses were practically touching. Lily watched as James' smile faltered, unsure of what was happening. She smiled even wider, and moved in as if to kiss him. She heard his breath catch in his throat. She slid her arm around his waist and felt his wand in his back pocket. She moved her face even closer to his so that their lips were almost touching. James closed his eyes, and so did she. Then Lily pulled away triumphantly with James' wand in her hand.
"STUPIFY!" she yelled, hitting him right between the eyes.
James fell backwards onto his bed. Lily stood over him. Now it was her turn to smirk. She turned around and went back to her room.
***
When Lily got down to breakfast all her friends were already there.
"What took you so long, Lil?" asked Gwen.
"Oh, nothing," replied Lily airily. "Just settling some stuff with Potter."
She sat down carefully making sure her school skirt was secure around her. Although she had undoubtedly won her little argument with Potter, she had not succeeded in finding her underwear.
"Hey Lil, want some eggs?" asked Shayla. She served some onto Lily's plate without waiting for an answer.
"So, why are you wearing a sweater?" asked Gwen. "It's really nice outside, look at the ceiling. I heard it was warm too."
"Oh, I just...I'll tell you later," Lily scowled. She had also failed to find her bras, and she wasn't really enjoying the all natural approach to things this morning.
Just then James Potter walked into the Great Hall. Almost the entire female population at Hogwarts' focus turned to the extremely attractive boy standing in the entrance. Lily rolled her eyes. James sat down next to his best friend, Sirius Black, an equally popular and attractive young man at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unfortunately, Sirius happened to be sitting across from Lily, which meant that now her least favourite person in the world was doing the same. James grinned at Lily.
"Enjoying the breeze this morning?" he asked innocently.
"Oh, shut up," growled Lily. She was not in the mood for this.
"I was just thinking, you know, it makes us all feel a little more free," he smirked.
Bad choice, thought Lily. She smiled back at him and winked. Using her wand under the table she performed a nonverbal spell, sending a jug of pumpkin juice soaring down the table where it stopped right in front of James' face and dumped its contents on top of his head.
Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew burst into laughter. Sirius clutched his stomach and cackled loudly while he pointed his finger at James.
Lily took in the sight of James Potter. He was sopping wet, pumpkin juice was dripping off his robes onto the floor, his normally messy hair that stood up in all different directions was plastered to his head, and his glasses were smeared and dirty. He sat completely still in shock, a steady stream of juice dripped off his nose. His face wore an expression of utter confusion.
"W-wha..." He stuttered.
"Better luck next time, mate," Remus smiled, trying not to laugh anymore.
"You..." James pointed his finger at Lily. She smiled sweetly back at him. "Juice..." he pointed at himself. "WHAT?"
Lily went back to her breakfast, which she finished while Shayla ate her second. Then the three girls got up and left a slightly dazed James sitting next to a still hysterical Sirius.
****
"Alright class, today I will give you back your test papers," Professor McGonagall said. "Now remember, these tests will not be part of your final grade but instead think of them as a practice test before your next exam, which will be the N.E.W.T.s. at the end of the year, obviously."
She moved towards the drawer in her desk, which held the class's tests. While McGonagall did this, Lily looked nervous and bit her lip. Although she was a very good student usually, in Transfiguration she was a disaster! She got perfect marks in almost everything, especially potions. Professor Slughorn adored her and she never got anything below Outstanding.
She leaned over and whispered to her best friend Alex,
"What if I fail? What if I don't pass seventh? You'll graduate without me, and I'll be here forever…" Lily was quite paranoid sometimes.
Alex, fortunately, was used to this, and calmly interrupted Lily with,
"Don't worry, you'll do fine, and you heard McGonagall, it doesn't count. If you fail, you'll probably just get a tutor or something. And you know what, who cares anyways, it's only school. What does it matter?"
"That's easy for you to say, I'm sure you did well on the test..." Lily trailed off dismally.
"I don't know about that," replied Alex. "And anyways, no one can do better than James Potter," She said looking across the room to where he sat with Sirius Black. "He's so good at Transfiguration. Aren't the two of them just sooooo hot?"
Lily followed Alex's gaze. "Nope, not even remotely," said Lily sharply.
"Oh, come on! How can you say that? Look at those muscles... It is impossible for any girl not to think those two are attractive."
"No, it is not, because I don't," said Lily curtly.
"I think you are in denial, Lily. Or maybe you're just crazy," Alex said not taking her eyes off the pair.
"You see! This is why I'm failing Transfiguration! I spend the whole time listening to you go on about James Potter and Sirius Black," said Lily feeling exasperated at her friend.
"Well that's not true!" said Alex indignantly. "Mostly I just talk about Sirius. I prefer them less brainy."
"Alex, that's not my point!" Lily tried again.
"I would do him any day," Alex continued, not listening to Lily in the least.
"Oh, never mind," Lily said. She knew a lost cause when she saw one.
Professor McGonagall looked over and said: "Evans, Morgan, pay attention."
"Sorry, Professor," they chorused.
"But, James Potter," said Alex as soon as Professor McGonagall looked away again.
"Here we go," sighed Lily.
"That boy has got it for you bad," smiled Alex.
"Oh, be quiet," said Lily feeling annoyed. How many times had they been over this? "You know that's not true."
"Yes it is," said Alex knowingly. "And you know what the saddest part is?"
Lily chose to ignore her.
"Say what!" Alex told her.
"No!"
"Say it!"
"No!"
"Say it or I'll tell James you like him!"
"Fine! Sometimes you act like you're five! What?"
"You don't even realize."
"Ugh Alex, I am not in the mood for this."
"You always say that."
"Exactly."
On the other side of the room, James Potter was feeling very confident. He was an okay student usually, but he excelled in Transfiguration.
James confidently ran his hand through his untidy hair as his amber eyes sparkled. Sirius just rolled his dark eyes and sighed; he was bored.
James leaned over and whispered to Sirius, "Alex was just staring at you."
"Tell me something new. When is a girl not staring at me?" Sirius grinned.
It was James' turn to roll his eyes. "I wish Evans would stare at me," he sighed.
"Oh James, you good for nothing softie," said Sirius affectionately.
James just stared longingly across the classroom at Lily.
"Don't worry, she'll come around someday," Sirius tried to encourage his best friend.
"Someday..." James repeated rather gloomily, his good mood entirely crushed.
As McGonagall started walking down the middle of the desks, she continued her speech.
"Most of you did quite well, and I'm very pleased with you. Most of you," she added as she walked by Lily. She placed Lily's test in front of her, and continued walking. Lily looked down at her paper, nervously, and when she saw it, she let out a groan. In McGonagall's thick green quill, she saw a 'P' for poor.
"Miss Evans, I will need to see you after class."
"Yes, Professor."
When McGonagall reached James' desk, she smiled at him, which was not something she did often, and placed his test on his desk. James didn't even bother to look at it. So Sirius took the liberty of checking for him.
"Congratulations, mate! You got Outstanding!" Sirius said brightly.
But not even that could lift James' spirits. He continued to stare sadly across the room at Lily for the rest of the class.
At the end of class, everyone stood up and left.
"I'll wait for you, okay?" Alex told Lily.
"No, it's alright, you go on." Lily said trying to smile and not appear nervous while her stomach flipped over backwards.
Lily walked up to the front of the class where McGonagall's desk stood.
"You wanted to see me, Professor?"
"Yes, Miss Evans. I'm afraid that you will have great difficulty in passing your Transfiguration N.E.W.T.s without significant improvement. Your grades are less than satisfactory."
"I know. What should I do, Professor?" asked Lily, fearing the worst.
McGonagall looked thoughtful for a minute, and then said: "I suppose you must have a tutor. Go on now, but tonight, at 8 o'clock, please report to Dumbledore's office. The password is Jelly Slugs. We shall decide who your tutor will be then."
McGonagall dismissed her and she left.
As soon as Lily crossed the threshold of the classroom, Alex ran up to her.
"What happened??!" She asked.
"I'm failing Transfiguration," Lily moaned. "McGonagall thinks I might not pass the N.E.W.T.s!"
"Oh...well it's okay, Lily! You're brilliant in all the other subjects. Come on, how about a game of exploding snap to take your mind off of it?"
"Okay," agreed Lily.
The two girls walked back to the common room together.
"Hey Lily," Alex asked as they reached the head common room. "Are you wearing a bra?"
"No," replied Lily, feeling embarrassed. "I'm not wearing knickers either."
"Why not?" giggled Alex.
"James Potter."
"You mean you two...really?!"
"NO!!!!"
"Oh, what happened then?"
"I'll explain, come on."
Just then Sirius came around the corner.
"Am I correct, Evans, in hearing from what you two just said that you are not wearing any knickers?" he asked grinning.
"Go away, Black," said Lily.
"That's hot!" said Sirius, and ran off down the hall.
"He's such a pervert," said Lily.
"At least he's an attractive pervert," replied Alex.
***
At quarter to 8, Lily left the common room and went to Dumbledore.
"Jelly Slugs."
Lily had been to visit Dumbledore before, but was constantly amazed at what happened when she said the password; the stairs started moving, Lily hopped on, and was soon outside of the Headmaster's office. She could hear Dumbledore and McGonagall discussing what to do, so Lily politely knocked on the door.
"Come in!" called Dumbledore. Lily shyly walked in. "Hello, Miss Evans!"
"Hi, Professor. How are you?" Lily inquired.
"I seem to have a creak in my knee. Nothing to be concerned about, however! The real question is, how are you?" Dumbledore said kindly.
"Umm, fine I guess."
"Now, Miss Evans," he continued. "I understand that while you are doing extremely well in all of your other subjects, in Transfiguration, you, er, need some help."
Lily nodded her agreement.
"So, Professor McGonagall and I have decided to give you a tutor, someone who is doing very well in this subject. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, sir, of course."
"Good. You understand that we only do this because we believe you can succeed in your N.E.W.T.s and of course in your profession of choice."
"Thank you, professor. Do you know who my tutor will be yet?" Lily asked, praying for someone tolerable.
"Yes, yes I do, Miss Evans. I was thinking…James Potter."