Prongs skipped down the corridor. She may not have said yes but at least he had gotten her to crack a smile. She was his soul mate, he knew it, with her long auburn hair and stunning emerald eyes how could any fifth year resist her. But everyone knew lily Evans belonged to James, even if she didn't know it yet.
"Oi potter, turned gay have ya, lily denied you again?" snickered Severus Snape and his slytherin friends or as James and his friends liked to call him, snivellus.
James was just about to reach for his wand and turn around but he remembered he had to make it to the hall before breakfast was over. He had to retell of his recent victory over Evans. He rounded a corner and entered the great hall to find only a few student left finishing off their pumpkin juice before making their way down to the quidditch stadium.
"Woohoo prongs, what took you so long, you'll make us late for the game!" called Sirius from the gyrffindor table. Sirius Black also known as padfoot by his best friends, the marauders, could be described as tall, dark and handsome. He had shoulder length black hair, dark grey eyes and nearly always a smirk on his face. He had his legs stretched in front of him and his feet crossed and his arms behind his head, giving him a casual, cool stance. On his left was Remus lupin also known as moony hovering over a book as usual. The teachers had awarded the pale, light haired boy with shabby robes, a prefect to watch over his trouble making friends. This decision had no affect at all. On Sirius's right was Peter Pettigrew but they knew him as wormtail. He was extremely short and quite pudgy and his friends liked to tease him that he was no taller than a third year. He had small watery eyes, a pointed nose and mousy brown hair. Wormtail was more a tag-a-long than anything else. He idolised James and Sirius, them being more talented and popular students and would usually take the blame for the things they got up to.
"Good day my fellow marauders, how fair thee this beautiful morning." said James smiling widely and putting on some theatrics.
"Ahhh, I see why our friend prongs is in such a good mood, perhaps you have had a run in with Lily?" Sirius muttered to Remus and Peter.
"Dam you Sirius, how do you always know?"
"Some call it intuition, others a sixth sense, I call it awesomeness!" They all chuckled at that.
"So you going to tell us what happened, or are we missing out on the quidditch final for nothing?" Remus sighed finally putting away his book. James happened to catch the title of the aging book.
"Dark arts? Your not going to turn into snivellus on us are you!"
"Just thought it would be a good read, anyway stop changing the subject and get on with it."
"She smiled!" James beamed. "Lily Evans smiled, when I was trying to get her to go out with me..."
"Again" the marauders cried.
"Yes again, anyway and I stuck out my foot out of habit when snivellus was walking.. I mean skulking pass, and she smiled!"
"Must of gotten into a fight, You never see Evans without snivellus or her gaggle of giggling girls!" mused Sirius.
"Too true, my dear friend, too true, now let us be off, to the quidditch field!" James cried trotting weirdly through the doors. Peter hurried off after him and attempting to copy his exit but not looking as cool.
"If you hadn't gotten us into trouble we could be playing as well prongs" Sirius murmured under his breath, when he had caught up with James and Peter.
"Hey it was your idea to tell peeves that the Grey lady wanted to meet him in the storage cupboard for a date. Just because you weren't completely straight forward with me about the plan doesn't mean it was my fault." said James. As they were walking down the corridor a group of girls huddled to the side, giggled and waved as Sirius strode past.
"Oh I wish they wouldn't do that" sighed Sirius. "I know I'm completely irresistible and gorgeous looking but really it isn't fair on you guys."
"Hey I'm not that bad looking" replied James ruffling up his already messy hair and checking his reflection in a window.
"Yeah, I know mate, but next to me, well lets just say your not up to standards." Sirius draped a arm around James shoulders.
"Hey" peter called stopping in the middle of the corridor, "Where's Moony?" They all suddenly stopped realising that Remus had not been following them.
"Oh leave him, he's probably off somewhere reading a book or something, he'll catch up later with us to watch the game." Sirius shook his head muttering at their bookworm of a friend.
When they arrived at the stadium it was packed. There were silver and green and scarlet and gold banners waving enthusiastically everywhere. It was sytherins verses gyrffindor and with the house rivalry the game was sure to be intense. They met Alice Mixon and Frank Longbottom making out behind the stands.
"Gosh, those two at it again, at this rate they'll be married before the end of term." Sniggered Sirius soon joined by Peter and James. They found a seat, by chance very close to where Lily and her friends, Emmeline Vance, Marlene McKinnon, Molly Prewett and surprisingly a slytherin girl by the name of Andromeda Lestrange, Sirius's favorite cousin.
"Hey ladies, by any chance you happen to find yourself needing some luuurve during the game, you can always come down to station Black, except for you Lily, I don't go for the promised to my best friend type oh and ew Andromeda you stay up their." Sirius called to the group of girls behind him who giggled all except Lily. "Arrogant git" She muttered under her breath.
"Hey Evans." James smiled charmingly. Lily faltered only for a second.
"Oh go away, Potter, I happen to be interested in this game and I don't need you and your bunch of blustering baboon friends to ruin it for me!"
"Oh come off you high horse Evans, we won't ruin the game, we make it more fun." Sirius said winking. "And we'll keep away that git Snivellus."
"Hey Sniv...I mean Severus happens to be my best friend! There is nothing wrong with him except that you guys are always on his back!"
"Nothing wrong with him, peerrrleeease, he practically worships the dark arts and you should see the people he hangs out with. It doesn't leave a very good impression when you hang out with people like Lucius Malfoy, Evan Rosier, Narcissa and Bellatrix Lestrange, Crabbe, Goyle, Avery and Mulciber, no offense of course padfoot!" Exclaimed James.
"Plus he's in slytherin." added Peter quietly.
"Well said Wormtail. An all together bad egg I must agree." Sirius praised making Peter beam.
"Talking about me I see." They all turned to where Severus Snape had joined them fortunately not accompanied by his slytherin friends. Severus was a thin boy with sallow skin and a large, hooked nose. He had shoulder-length, greasy black hair and cold, black eyes. He had a thin-lipped, sneering mouth and often spoke in a soft voice.
"Hey Sev." Lily Smiled up at him causing to Snape to stutter a greeting back. Awkwardly he sat next to Lily and started up a conversation about the match.
"I hate him." James muttered to Sirius and Peter. "Look at him fawn over her and she just accepts him and when I try to talk to her she totally ignores me! Can't she tell he's evil, pure evil!"
"Cheer up mate, its about to begin!"
They made them selves comfortable and prepared to watch the game, oohhing and aahhing when ever their team got a goal and booing and shouting insults when the other team did.
About half way through the game James heard giggling coming from behind him. He looked over his shoulder and saw Snape whispering something in Lily's ear causing her to laugh.
"That's it snivellus!" James shouted standing up and turning towards him. "Your not welcome here, this is gyrffindor territory, go back to the slime ball slytherins, where maybe you just might be liked!" But before James had reached for his own wand Snape had already recovered his.
"CONFRINGO!" He shouted causing Jame's robes to catch fire. Lily screamed but quickly managed to produce her own spell.
"Aguamenti!" she called producing a jet of water to put out the flames enveloping Jame's robes.
"Sev, I can't believe you just did that!"
"Lily you heard him insult me! I can't just stand there and take that from scum like him! I think I'll go sit with Lucius for a while." And with that Snape stalked off not paying attention to the match happening around him. Lily scrambled over to James, where Sirius and Peter were half laughing at the ridiculous sight of a soaked James and fuming over the retreating Severus.
"Merlin's beard, Potter, are you okay?" Professor McGonagall asked looking over from her position beside the other members of staff.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Professor."
"James, James, I'm so sorry about Severus, he can be a real idiot some times." babbled Lily. James smiled.
"So your talking to me are you then?"
"Well no....I just wanted to see if your okay! Geez your a real arrogant, attention seeking piece of work you know that!" And with that she stormed off.
"Well prongs, I think your really getting somewhere with her, she didn't look at you with hatred this time, more like utter dislike." Sirius teased. James sat up.
"Snivellus will pay for that."
"Oh he will, trust me he will." Sirius agreed but then turned his attention back to the match.
A little while later they were joined by Arthur Weasley, the head boy, Frank longbottom and Remus.
"Hey Moony, what took you so long?" Lupin blushed but said nothing and distracted them all by pointing out something on the field.
"It looks like someones trying to hex the gyrffindor keeper's broom!"
"Oh and look who it is with their wand out, our friend snivellus, let's go pay him a visit, shall we boys?"
The marauders joined by Frank and Arthur made their way into slytherin territory leaving the girls behind looking confused.
"What do you think your doing Snivellus?" Sirius had already taken his wand out.
"Have to use a bit of magic just so that your team has a small chance of winning, and I mean very small chance, look we're already fifty points ahead!" The sudden appearance of the gyrffindors distracted Snape long enough for the keeper to get back on his broom and catch a passing quaffle. Snape's supposed friends hadn't noticed the intrusion yet and kept talking amongst themselves, though Snape had risen his wand at the ready.
"Boys, BOYS! What do you think you are doing!" Professor Slughorn cried marching over to where the boys were attempting to start a duel.
"Sirius, Peter, James, Arthur, Frank and Remus, I expect better of you! and being a member of my own house, Severus, I would expect you to be more well behaved. Now boys go back to your house and I don't want to see any more of a commotion you hear me!" The marauders slumped away grudgingly swearing under their breath.
The match was over and everyone was making their way back to the grounds to spend the rest of their Saturday lazing around or studying for the upcoming O. that were to be taken next week.
James, Sirius, Remus and Peter strode down to the lake, their usual spot and talked of quidditch, classes and snivellus to pass the time.
"What I really don't understand..." At this Remus looked up at James.
"Is what she sees in Snivellus, seriously he's a no good rotten git, with greasy hair and a nose that could take over the world." after hearing it wasn't a intellectual question Remus returned to studying for O..
Sirius and Peter were in hysterics after thinking about what would happen if Snape's nose were to take over the world. They mused over that thought for a moment and then were soon, all in hysterics, holding their stomachs and rolling on the grass, occasionally blurting out things like snot town and boogie central. James only looked up when Lily walked pass, his eyes followed her until she came to rest upon the edge of the lake and sat down with her friends. He made a move to get up and follow her and the marauders sighing got up to follow also.
"Hey ladies, mind if we join you?" Sirius put on his most charming voice.
"Of course not." Molly replied, batting her eyelashes at the handsome figure standing above her. Somewhere near by Arthur Weasley was scowling at this all too friendly interaction. Lily elbowed her for inviting them to join, when obviously they were not wanted.
"Hi Evans, fancy a snog then?" Beamed James giving her a wink.
"Smooth prongs smooth, you have to bring it on gradual, you see." He was laughing at the sight of the furious Lily. Lily didn't even offer a witty reply, she just got up, brushed the grass off her skirt and retreated to where Snape was reading a book alone.
James looked mortified. This was the thing he dreaded, Lily choosing Snivellus over him. Of course Lily was not actually his but he felt very possessive over her.
He alone got up out of his friends who were too busy flirting with the girls, apart from Peter who was just awkwardly stammering.
"Evans, wait....please." Lily turned around, a scowl on her lips but still looking as breathtaking as ever.
"Oh the almighty James saying please to someone, how thoughtful! Get it through your brain Potter, ..you! Your an arrogant, selfish, attention seeking bully! Can't you just leave me alone!" James looked crestfallen. He looked so miserable it stopped Lily in her tracks.
"Lily, I really like you and don't expect me to be giving up on you anytime soon, I like a challenge and your the best prize I can get."
"Is that what I am to you just a prize! Something to look at! I can't believe you sometimes!" And with that she stormed off though not looking as angry as she was before.
James returned to his peers. "Hey what happened prongs?" asked Remus.
"I don't want talk about it." But cheering up a bit he asked "So how long till your next fury little problem Moony?" Remus chuckled at the name they had given to his monthly routine.
"Furry little problem?" Molly questioned the boys.
"Yeah didn't we tell you, Remus is actually a werewolf and we can all turn ourselves into an animal to keep him company once a month." James quickly replied with a joking air but still causing Sirius and Remus to look at him with a shocked expression.
"Yeah sure and I'm a muggle." she snorted and turned away to start a conversation with Alice and Frank.
"I can't believe you just did that!" whispered Remus furiously.
"Well she didn't believe me did she? Come on who's going to believe that they actually built the shrieking shack just for you and connected it to an underground passage from the whomping willow for you to turn into a werewolf once a month?"
"Yeah" agreed Sirius. "And who's going to believe that we spent three years studying transfiguration and now can turn ourselves into an animal by will?" Sirius Laughed heartily.
"I still think we should be careful you know, You guys are illegal animagus." Remus said but they could tell it was the end of the conversation.
Next week was already upon them and before they knew it, it was time to take their O.