"Love, Hatred, and Friendship…"
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Harry Potter or the characters in this fic...J.K Rowling owns them...
And I just wanted to say...that this is my first fic...so...please forgive any grammatical errors in it...
Chapter 1: A New Person…
"Jaaammeeesss…"
"Bloody hell?!" groaned James. He shifted in his bed and pulled the sheets over his head.
"PRONGS!!!" Sirius called out.
When he didn't answer, Sirius looked around the room. His eyes lit up and a grin spread across his face. He saw a glass of water just beside Remus' bed.
He picked it up and looked at his best friend. Whose grip on the blanket had weakened. Sirius carefully lowered the blanket and tipped the glass of water, causing the water to spill on James' face. "pfft! Pfft! (cough, cough)"
James was so shocked that he fell of his bed which caused Sirius to keel over in laughter. James looked at Sirius. "What the bloody hell did you do that for, huh?!" James shouted. He reached out for his wand which was on his bed side table. He pointed it at Sirius who was still laughing like a Maniac. Sirius looked at him, intending to see if he had done something 'cause…knowing James…he should've been shouting. Sirius noticed that James was pointing his wand at him. Sirius eyed it warily. He looked at James' wand and then at his…which was on his bed side table…a few meters away. "W-what are you gonna do with that?" he asked. "Why'd you wet me?" he countered. "Well…because you said that you were going to ask Lily out weren't you?" James opened his mouth to retaliate but Sirius continued. "Remus and Wormtail woke up extra early just to keep watch on Lily and wake you before she goes out of the Common Room." James slowly nodded. "And?" he asked, worriedly. "She's downstairs…finishing her homework on the couch in front of the fire." James stood up and changed his clothes, he combed his hair and hurried down. He saw Lily and slowed down. He put on his winning smile and walked over to her. "Good Morning! Lily!" he said in his most charming voice. Lily must've recognized the voice because she nearly broke the quill on her hand.
"James Potter." Lily said without looking at him. "How are you, Lily? Studying again, I see…" James said looking at her.
"I'm fine…" she replied, still not looking at him. "Before you came…" she added in an undertone.
"Anyways...umm…we've got a trip to Hogsmeade next weekend…so I was thinking that maybe we could go together…like on a date?" James asked her nervously. "Meaning you're asking me out on a date?" Lily said looking at him from the corner of her eye. "Yeah!" James shouted, glad to know that she wasn't yelling at him. 'hmm…he combed his hair…and he kinda looks cute now…Well…if he stops picking on Severus…and stop messing up his hair to look like he's just gotten of his broom, stops hexing ANYONE who annoys him, and stops…causing trouble…hmmm…I'll have to test him….since its two days till Saturday…' she thought. She considered him for a moment then gathered her stuff without answering James' question. She stood up and left. James frowned and was about to speak…but found that he was too disappointed to speak right now…He hung his head, his messy hair covering his face. Lily looked back at James and blinked. She wasn't intending to hurt him. "James..." James slowly looked up. He saw Lily looking at him. She was smiling sincerely. 'Is she going to say yes?' he thought.
"We'll see about that date…ok? I'll let you know on Friday…" then she walked away, this time she didn't look back. James' jaw dropped. His mouth opened and closed several times, making him look like he was chewing something in a rather impolite manner. Then suddenly there was a loud shout that came from the Boys' Dorm. But James didn't mind it, he was reviewing all Lily had said about "their date" in his head. 'We'll see about that date…ok? I'll let you know on Friday… We'll see about that date…ok? I'll let you know on Friday… We'll see about that date…ok? I'll let you know on Friday…' these words kept on repeating in his mind as flashes of Lily smiling at him crossed his mind. Then, he heard footsteps coming from the stairs. "Hey, Lover boy! What did she say?" Sirius asked walking to him with a smirk etched across his handsome features. "We'll see about that date…ok? I'll let you know on Friday…" James whispered. "Well… its better than a "NO" right?" Sirius said, reaching out to mess up James' hair. But from out of nowhere, James dodged Sirius hand without even looking at him. "Don't mess up my hair…"
Sirius blinked and shook his head. "Tsk, Tsk. You're going mental, mate."
"No, I'm not…" James said looking at him from the corner of his eye.
"Sirius…" Sirius turned around and saw Remus looking like he just came out of the shower but he was wearing his robes. Sirius smiled at him. "Yes? Moony?" He asked innocently. "You are so dead!!!" Remus said taking out his wand and pointing it at Sirius. Sirius eyed it warily. This was the second time this morning that someone pointed their wand at him. "Petrificus Totalus!" Sirius' arms snapped to the sides of his body and his legs snapped together. Sirius looked at Remus with surpise. "Sorry Sirius…but you're being totally annoying…James is trying to think about what he'll do when Lily doesn't say yes…oh, and because you wet my stuff…I understand if you wanted to wet me but…MY STUFF!!! Plus, you even wet my HOMEWORK!!!" Remus said, shaking with anger. James was finally able to turn his head around completely and blinked when he saw Sirius on the floor…bound by the Full-Body-Bind curse.
He smiled broadly and laughed. But soon stopped and turned to the fire. Remus went over to him and sat on the floor, just right in front of James. "So…What did she say?" he asked. James told him everything and from time to time he glanced at the portrait hole. "So…you're worried she'll say no?" Remus said, more to himself than to James. James nodded. "Why don't you try being nice to everyone you see? especially Snape? Remember there are rumors that they are best friends…we don't know if it's true or not but…isn't she always trying to stand up for Snape?" James opened his mouth to retaliate but Remus put up a hand, signaling for him to be quiet. "AND you should stop trying to show off…there's a Quidditch match tomorrow right? You should stop messing up your hair too…as she said…'you are just an arrogant bullying toerag Potter…showing of with that stupid snitch, messing up your hair to look like you've just gotten of your broomstick, walking down the corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can…I'm surprised your broom can get off the ground with that fat head on it…' '"
James blinked. "Wasn't that from when we were fifth year? Right after our Charms O.W.L.?"
Remus shrugged. "Yeah…it was...and so?"
"That was the time when Sirius-"he glanced at Sirius who was listening to their every word. "-and I were hexing him…and it was also the time when-" he gritted his teeth. "he called Lily…a-a-"he swallowed."-m-mudblood…" Shivers ran down his spine.
"Yeah…glad to see you still remember that!" Remus exclaimed.
James raised his eyebrows.
"Anyways…you have to change that attitude of yours…I'm sure she'll like you that way…"
James gulped. "I dunno… Snive-" Remus glared at him. "erm… fine. S-Snape… Happy? I can't do that…Its like becoming friends with him."
He shook his head and looked at James, clearly disappointed. "If you don't wanna get Lily…" he said standing up and starting to walk away. James immediately stood up.
"No!" Remus looked back at him, James had his head hung. "I-I'll do it."
Remus smiled and walked to him, placed his hand on James' shoulder and said, "I know you can!"
James smiled weakly and nodded. He sat back on the chair and immediately stood up.
"What?!" Remus exclaimed. "What is it?!"
James looked at his watch. "We're going to be late for class if we don't go now! I can't be late if I want to sit beside Lily!"
"WHAT!?!" Remus ran up to the boys' dorm to get his bag.
"Hey wait, Moony!!!"
Sirius was trying to shout but couldn't, after all a Full-Body-Bind curse never fails. James ignored him and ran up too. He met Remus at the door, with Peter at his wake. "Don't forget about SIRIUS!!!" he shouted at Remus. "I know! I know! I got his stuff! Peter got yours!" Remus replied, he too, was shouting. "Thanks, Wormtail!" They all ran down the stairs and Remus ran over to Sirius. He flicked his wand and Sirius' body relaxed.
"Thanks for remembering!" Sirius said, sarcastically.
"C'mon! We haven't got time for arguments!" James shouted from the portrait hole. "Even though a good argument would make my day!"
Sirius pushed him through the portrait hole by accident and James fell out. "Bloody hell, Padfoot!" He looked at Sirius who was right behind him.
"Are you trying to kill me!?!"
"Sorry, Prongs!" Sirius apologized.
He helped James stand up and they ran down the stairs.
"oh no…The stairs are changing again! C'mon lets jump!" Sirius said.
The four marauders jumped and reached the sixth floor.
"Two more floors till the short cut to potions class!" James said, consulting the Marauders map.
They went to a portrait and pushed it open. It was like a gigantic slide that led to the dungeons. The four of them jumped in. First was James, followed by Sirius, Remus and Peter. They fell with an "oof!" and wrestled their robes which were now tangled. After a while they had finally broke free of their robes.
"Phew! We were nearly late there…" Remus said, gasping for breath.
"Good thing for that secret passage…or we would've missed the lesson…" Peter sighed.
They walked out of the deserted classroom and walked to the Potions classroom which was just outside of the room they were in.
They opened the door and were greeted by a number of noisy students. The students' laughter filled the room.
The marauders looked around and James spotted Snape.
SNAPE. James' eyes narrowed and he fought the urge to go over to him and hex him.
"James!"
James recognized the voice and spun around. Lily was waving at him and was pointing at the vacant seat next to her. His face lit up and he went to Lily.
"Woah…He didn't mess his hair…" Peter whispered. He looked at James free hand and saw it twitch. "Hey! His hand twitched!"
Remus, Sirius and Peter laughed. They took the seat behind Alice…who was Lily's best friend.
And right beside her was Frank Longbottom. "Sooo….Frank…" Sirius placed his hand on Frank's shoulder. "How's your relationship with Alice? Hmmm?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Frank.
Frank raised an eyebrow at Sirius. "Nosy as usual, I see…" Frank replied.
And Sirius grinned. "Well?" Sirius asked, as Frank turned his back to face Alice and start a conversation with her. "Mind your own business, Sirius…"
Sirius scowled and sat down on his chair with his arms folded across his chest. "Hmph! After everything I did for you!"
Frank turned to face him again. "You've done nothing but to get me in trouble, Sirius…" Sirius grinned. "By the way…did you notice James and Lily? They're acting…very…strange today…" Frank said, looking at them. "Oh, it's nothing…they must've realized something…" Remus said, taking out his things for Potions. "Remus?" asked Alice, turning around to face him. "Yes, Alice?" Remus replied, thoughtfully. "Lily told me that James asked her out…again…" she said.
Remus blinked and smiled. He looked at James who was talking with Lily. "Yeah…they make a good couple together don't you think?"
Alice nodded.
"James…Did you study your lessons?" Lily asked him tentatively.
"Yup…I did! I couldn't let you fail, right?" James said lovingly. Lily looked at the dungeon door. "WHERE IS HE!?! Professor Slughorn isn't usually late isn't he? I think this is his first time…"
"Must've woken up late…" James said, taking out his book and started reading it. Lily looked at him suspiciously.
"Is something wrong with you? You don't usually study in class… Are you sick or something?" she placed her hand on James' forehead then on hers.
"You're not hot….strange… I thought you must be sick…." She shrugged and turned back to talk to Alice. "What do you think happened to Professor Slughorn?"
"I dunno, Lily…He must've-"Then, the door suddenly, opened revealing a very tired Slughorn.
"Good Morning Class…" He strode to the front of the class and smiled. "We are going to be talking about Potion ingredients."
Everyone took out their books and quills, then, turned to face Slughorn.
"Okay…Can anyone tell me what a bezoar is?" Lily's hand shot up into the air as usual. "Yes, Ms. Evans?"
"A bezoar is a small, shrivelled, kidney-shaped stone taken from the stomach of a goat. The name derives from the Persian word pâdzahr, which literally means 'protection from poison.' Bezoars are used by wizards as an antidote for most poisons." Lily explained, looking very proud of herself as usual.
"Very good, Ms. Evans! Well spoken! Twenty points to Gryffindor!" Slughorn shouted. "How about a...lets see…?" He glanced at Lily and smiled to himself, thinking that no one would notice. 'Idiot never changes…' Sirius thought, raising his eyebrows. "How about… Acromantula Venom?" Lily's hand shot up into the air once more, but this time she wasn't the only one. Slughorn looked surprised, it was the first time he raised his hand in Potions class. Lily looked perplexed. Slughorn would usually call her right away…he always predicted who was going to answer…and it was quite easy, seeing as the only one who would always answer was Lily. She followed Slughorn's gaze and saw that it ended on her seatmate…James.