Author's Note: Yes, this story involves a love potion. No, it is not a poorly carried out Marauder's prank; the instigator is someone else. There was some confusion. Enjoy!

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Love Cauldrons – Chapter One – An Anonymous Gift

Lily Evans plopped herself down at the Gryffindor table, a sigh escaping her lips. She was exhausted, and scowled in response to her friend Vivian's "good morning." It was a horrible morning as far as Lily was concerned. Grabbing the pitcher of pumpkin juice from a startled-looking second year, she didn't even feel an ounce of guilt.

Why should she, Lily mused to herself grumpily as the second year quickly scurried away from his seat at the force of Lily's glare. She was Head Girl. She had enough problems without worrying about being polite to some stupid second year. Like doing that double translation project for Ancient Runes, and finishing her potions essay, which was supposed to be 20 inches long (she didn't know what game Slughorn was playing, but she didn't like it)…and, of course, there was always the prefects' meeting to plan for tomorrow. Groaning, Lily stuffed her mouth with cold toast, and then promptly spat it back out.

"What's with you?" Vivian asked. She sat across from Lily and wrinkled her nose at the sight of the half-chewed piece of toast on Lily's plate.

"Nothing," Lily snapped. "I'm fine."

"Be careful, Lily's in one of her moods," a girl named Alice said, sitting down next to Vivian. She was smiling.

"I don't have 'moods'," Lily protested, scowling at the food on the table. Why was it that Hogwarts never had anything remotely edible for breakfast? And why were her two best friends always so cheerful? They should be sympathetic to her plight. They should be real friends and moan and groan and agree with her. Not tease her about 'moods'.

"Calm down, cranky-pants," Alice said, taking the pitcher of pumpkin juice. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." She and Vivian exchanged smirks.

"No I didn't," Lily said. "And I'm not cranky."

"Of course you're not," Vivian said at once. She turned to Alice. "Lily has to plan a prefects' meeting with you-know-who."

Vivian was not referring, as one might suspect, to You-Know-Who, the Dark Lord of the Wizarding World, who, as it happened, hadn't actually risen to full power yet, but to a different dark-haired boy. One who wore glasses, had messy hair, and was a mastermind at pranking unsuspecting people. One who was a prodigy at Transfiguration and seemingly never had to study for anything even though he was at the top of his class. One who had girls falling over his feet left and right. One boy who went by the name of James Potter.

"Ah, give it up, Lily. You've barely talked to him all year—it's not his fault he's Head Boy," Alice said.

Lily merely grunted in response. She was tired. Her vivid green eyes were rather dull; in fact, there were large purple smudges underneath them, shouting to anyone near enough to hear that Lily had gotten only four hours of sleep the night before. She'd stayed up nearly all night to make sure the arrangements for today's Hogsmeade trip, the first of the year, were all taken care of. She didn't need her best friends to start up on how 'Potter wasn't that bad'. It was the very last thing she needed.

"Are you going to Hogsmeade?" Vivian asked, thinking a change in subject was needed.

"Yes," Alice answered. She beamed. "Frank's meeting me there. I haven't seen him since the beginning of August." Alice had been going out with Frank Longbottom the year before, and the relationship was still going strong. The only problem was that Frank had graduated and was now entering the Auror program at the Ministry. Alice planned to join him there at the end of the year, but the long-distance relationship was hard on both of them.

"Where are you meeting?"

"The Three Broomsticks. When I told him a Hogsmeade trip was coming up he took off this weekend to see me." Alice smiled into her porridge. Lily couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. Alice was nice and smart and pretty and had a boyfriend who loved her. It was difficult not to want that too.

"What about you, Lil?" Vivian asked, finishing her eggs and kippers. "Are you going?"

"No," Lily replied flatly. She hated feeling jealous of her friends. "I haven't got time."

Alice and Vivian exchanged glances, but before either could say a word, a flurry of owls flew into the Great Hall with the morning post. Dipping over tables, multitudes of multi-colored owls landed and delivered letters, newspapers, and packages. Vivian hurriedly paid her owl and commenced to read Witch Weekly. Alice scanned the ceiling, but no large tawny owl greeted her.

"No mail," Alice said sadly. "I was sure Mum would have written back by now."

Just then a black owl landed between the three friends, carrying what looked like a small box of sweets.

"I think it's for you, Lily," Alice said. "Look, here's a note."

Lily eyed the owl warily. She'd been pranked before by those awful boys—Marauders, they called themselves—and she'd grown to distrust strange mail. However, she read the letter anyway, trying to ignore the unnerving stare of the owl.

Dear Contestant, we are pleased to inform you . . .

"Apparently I've won a free sample of Honeyduke's Chocolate Cauldrons," she said. Alice and Vivian looked heartened. "It says I was the thousandth customer on the tenth of June." Lily looked amused. "Want some?"

Vivian shook her head. "No, I'm too full for sweets."

Alice, who was allergic to chocolate, also shook her head. She peered at the box. "Aren't those filled with firewhiskey?"

The three girls scanned the box, confirming Alice's suspicions.

"That's a bit of a prize, for a thousandth customer: firewhiskey's strong stuff—"

"Oh, please," Lily cut her off. "I'm eighteen—legal in the wizarding and the Muggle world. They probably knew that and picked something special. And besides, a pick me up is just what I need today."

She grinned. She could have kissed the salesperson who'd sent this to her. Chocolate! Chocolate was just what she needed. She'd never really had a love of chocolate cauldrons (one required a certain taste for firewhiskey, it was true) but just then she didn't care. It was free, wasn't it? And it would make her feel better. Unwrapping the box and popping off the lid, Lily quickly grabbed a chocolate cauldron and shoved it, whole, into her mouth.

Sighing, she chewed happily. Chocolate would get her through the day. It would get her through the Head meeting with Potter, where they had to plan the prefects' meeting for tomorrow. Urgh, she needed all the chocolate she could get for that . . . Taking another cauldron, Lily propped her head up with her hand, elbow on the table, and looked down the table to the Marauders. Potter was sitting in the middle, laughing at something Remus had said. Yes, she needed all the chocolate she could get when it came to James Potter, be it at a Heads' meeting, in class, or even sitting at the same breakfast table.

Lily took another cauldron, licking the filling out first and then eating the chocolate, feeling it melt in her mouth. James Potter . . . Lily felt her stomach flip over, as if she'd just swerved on a broomstick. All the girls in her year thought he was handsome and smart. His hazel eyes could do things to a girl, it was true (though Lily would be the last to admit it) . . . and that smile . . .

Lily took another cauldron. Down the table, James ran a hand through his hair and Lily wasn't the least bit annoyed. In fact, (as she ate another cauldron) she watched, fascinated, as his hair took on a wind-blown appearance, as if he'd just gotten off a broom. She suddenly wished she was the one running her hands through his hair. He was smiling again and Lily felt her mouth drop open. A strange, warm feeling was spreading through her, making her stomach feel bubbly and her head full of soft, low lights. It felt like she'd just chugged five bottles of butterbeer. James smiled again and Lily blinked as astonishment rolled over her like a wave. He was so handsome it made her bones ache. She wished he was smiling at her with that toothy grin. She wished he was sitting next to her.

With that thought in mind, Lily ate another cauldron from the box and watched James eating his toast. Why wasn't he sitting next to her? Why wasn't she sitting next to him? She wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to hold his hand. She wanted to make him laugh and just gaze at him all day long. It wouldn't be very hard to gaze at James all day long; he was so interesting sometimes she couldn't even sleep at night for thinking of him. His room was right next to hers, after all. It was impossible to stop thinking about him, night or day. He was everywhere. In all her classes, in the Head Common Room, on the Quidditch field, in the library, at the Gryffindor table . . . In fact, she took all the closeness as a sign. Why else would their lives be so entwined if they weren't meant for each other? Lily knew she was meant for him.

Lily felt the warmth inside her increase as she thought these things and couldn't help but want it to fill up her like a balloon. In fact, it was filling her up like a balloon. She was as light as air! She was bubbly and happy and in love!

In love!

James frowned at something one of his friends said and Lily felt her heart almost burst. Even when he frowned he was beautiful! Oh, she loved him! She did!

Suddenly, James glanced up, as though he felt he was being watched. His head swiveled around and then his eyes locked on hers and Lily almost fainted when she saw him grin. Her mouth was dry, but she smiled back anyway. Was anyone in the world as lucky as she was? James Potter was smiling at her! The way his eyes crinkled up and his mouth opened, the way his teeth glinted in the light, the way she felt he was smiling for her, just for her, made her sigh with happiness. Then he stood up and started walking down the table towards her. Lily almost choked with happiness. He was walking to her!

The warmth enveloped her whole body and all she could think about was him. The rest of the Great Hall was blocked out. She didn't hear anything but the beating of her heart. She couldn't think about anything but him. How handsome he was, how smart, how kind, how wonderful, how brave, how good, how . . . how . . .

Trembling, Lily nervously popped another chocolate cauldron into her mouth. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him. He walked so gracefully, his steps even, his robe billowing out behind him.

And he was walking to her!

Her heart fluttered with anticipation. What would he do when he reached her? What would she do? She had to make him love her, she just had to. Her heart screamed it. But what to do?

Lily couldn't think. She couldn't think about anything but him; about James.

James! Even his name was wonderful! It was perfect. She could say it all day. The way she had to pucker her lips in order to say the 'J'; the way it rolled off her tongue! Was there any better name in existence? James! James, James, James, James, James!

Alice and Vivian, who were finished with breakfast, had been poring over a quiz in Witch Weekly (Which Flavor of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans Are You?) and consequently had missed all of Lily's strange behavior. They had missed the way she'd eaten almost all the chocolate cauldrons, and the way she'd been leaning on her elbow, gazing across the room. They'd missed all the sighs that passed her lips, and how she sat up suddenly, furiously running her hands through her hair in an attempt to tame it, as if to impress someone. They'd even missed the fact that she'd undone the top three buttons of her blouse. They only realized something peculiar was going on when suddenly James Potter was sitting next to their friend and Lily wasn't snidely telling him to leave.

In fact, Lily was gazing at him as if he was a tall, dark, handsome stranger.

In truth, James Potter was tall, dark, and—one couldn't deny it—handsome; but neither girl had ever heard Lily say so, or had ever gotten the impression that their friend even thought so. And he wasn't a stranger at all; they'd known him for six years.

"When do you want to plan the prefects' meeting?" James asked. He eyed the half-chewed toast on Lily's plate, but then ignored it with a shrug and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice, leaning over her in order to do so.

His arm brushed her shoulder.

Lily merely let out a strangled noise.

"Because I don't want it to be long, I've got other things to do today." James smiled at her and Lily smiled back, a dreamy look in her eyes. When had she ever looked at him like that? James noticed there was chocolate on the corner of her mouth.

"You've got something just there," he said, touching a corner of his mouth. Lily's eyes followed his finger and her lips parted, as if in surprise. "Is it chocolate?" he asked. He looked bewilderedly at Alice and Vivian. They gave him puzzled looks.

"Just where?" Lily asked breathlessly.

James pointed to her mouth.

Lily smiled and stuck out her tongue, licking the bit of chocolate that had escaped her mouth. Then, her gaze locked on James, she reached for the last cauldron and popped it into her mouth. The flavor spread and Lily's eyes brightened and her cheeks flushed. She couldn't help but notice James' eyes watching her lips. A pleasant shiver ran down her spine. She felt his gaze on her all the way to her toes.

"So, er…" James dragged his eyes up from her mouth. Hazel locked on green and James cleared his throat. "So, when's the meeting?"

"I don't know," Lily answered, again, breathlessly.

Alice and Vivian gave each other confused looks.

"Are you feeling alright, Lily?" Vivian asked.

Lily appeared not to have heard her. Her eyes were still locked with James'. She wanted him to smile at her again. She wanted him to reach over and grasp her hand. She wanted to reach over and grasp his hand. She wanted to run her hands through his wonderful, thick, dark hair and bring his face closer to hers. She wanted to hold him in her arms and tell him how much she loved him. She wanted to . . .

The rest of the Marauders wandered over, having finished with their breakfasts. Remus was impatient to leave, but Sirius and Peter were content to view the unfolding scene. Sirius had watched James walk over to the Head Girl and had smirked with rugged good-looking anticipation of an oncoming row. A James and Lily love/hate fest was always worth watching. They hadn't had a good row since the first day, when Lily had discovered James had miraculously been named Head Boy. She'd gone out of her way to avoid him ever since, sitting on the other side of the room during the classes they shared, shutting herself up in the library, or in her room. Sirius was certain there had to be a row brewing—life wouldn't be complete without it.

"Lily-love, I'm afraid we'll have to steal James away from you," Sirius said. "We have business to attend to, you know. Hogsmeade and all that."

James stood up, ready to leave, gulping the last of his pumpkin juice. Lily stood up too, her eyes fixed on James. But before she could open her mouth, James beat her to the punch.

"Look, just tell me when you want to have the meeting," he said. Glancing at Sirius he smirked. "Unless you want to have it in Hogsmeade?" He grinned toothily at her, a well-known look lighting his eyes. "Want to go out with me to Hogsmeade, Lily?" The earnestness of his heart and importance of the question to him were both masked by the 'I-have-nothing-better-to-do-and-don't-really-care-about-your-answer-because-I'm-so-freaking-handsome-and-popular smirk that it had taken him a year to develop when asking Lily Evans out. She sure knew how to reject a guy.

In fact, everyone present at the time fully expected to hear the same answer Lily always gave. She'd come up with several varied and creative ways of refusing. There was always the straight out and out 'No!'; the softly spoken 'Not again!'; the angry 'Go away'; the scathing 'Eat dung'; the annoyed 'Don't you remember my last answer?'; and of course the favorite of her two friends, the 'I'd rather go out with the giant squid!'. Once in sixth year he'd caught her under the mistletoe and tried to convince her that it was illegal to walk away without kissing, but Lily had just vanished the mistletoe and walked away smirking. When she ignored his query it tended to make matters worse. James seemed to think that no answer was equivalent to 'yes.' (She had discovered this delusion of his in fourth year, when, after ignoring his question, James had told everyone in their year how she was his girlfriend and was going to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day with him. A well delivered hex on her part had cleared him of any such thoughts ever since.)

In fact, as James uttered those words about Hogsmeade, Lily's friends and the Marauders were all slightly bored. Peter was even cleaning his fingernails, which still had frog guts under them from his detention the previous night.

So everyone, including James, was rather shocked when Lily opened her mouth and delivered a breathless answer.

"Yes."