If you recognize it, it's not mine. Characters belong to JKR.
"I just don't know how well this prank is going to work," Remus reasoned over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs. "It's not as if we can say, 'Hi, Professor! We're skipping class now. Bye!'"
"I think that's a bit or an understatement, Remus," James called from behind, "Skipping class versus going MIA for two days. But Moony is right," he looked towards Sirius, "we'll have to find some way to get some type of permission."
"Well, how are we going to do that?" cried Peter, his usual alacrity eluding him for once.
"It's palpable, isn't it? James will be his usual winsome self." Sirius shrugged nonchalantly
"Because that's all it takes to woo McGonagall. But Lily could vouch for us!" James's visage became luminous as he anticipated talking to the girl he had been obsessed with for nearly six years.
"Assuming you don't vex her to the point of hexing you into next week, shouting about how you're a bombastic prat, and fatally maiming you." Sirius supplied helpfully.
"What? Is she Beowulf now? And for your information, while you lot have been prattling about in the common room, Lily and I have had several conversations that have moved us, at least, to the point of 'friends-maybe.'" James defended. Remus led the way around the corner and rolled his eyes at the paradox that was the James-Lily relationship. Peter, whose concern had been placated, began to blithely think of what would be for lunch. "And anyway," James continued, "I could always let her believe we're helping Remus with his affliction."
"'Oh, I'll just beguile her,'" Remus paraphrased, "You know, that may be why you're still on the 'friends-maybe' level. And won't she assume something iniquitous is going on, since it's you?"
"We'll stow the supplies away before we ask her," Sirius dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
"Better be quick; here she comes." James ran ahead of them to catch her in the hallway. "Oh, Great Lily Evans, I beseech you! Lend me your ear...Other Shakespeare inspired words! I request a conference with Your Majesty!" James finished with a bow. The other Marauders walked up behind him. Remus had always had a deep reverence for James's ability for impromptu, grandiose scenes with no apparent embarrassment.
"James Potter, only you could conjure every emotion from disgust, to embarrassment, to amusement in three sentences." Lily sighed smiling, "What do you want?"