A/N: Thanks to a reviewer, I noticed this chapter was formatted kind of wackly, so I redid it.

Before James.

Disclaimer: No characters which you recognize from JK Rowling's Harry Potter books belong to me. Just having a little fun with my imagination.

A/N: This is my third story and those of you have read my other stories are probably wondering why I'm starting a whole new one instead of finishing the other two… well, I need some inspiration, and I really liked my idea for this one: Lily has to go through another Marauder before she realises who is the real one for her.

"Before Lily Evans gave James a chance, she liked someone else. Some one we and James knew very well." LE/SB and eventually LE/JP

Seriously?

Lily Evans was bored. She was sitting in the sunshine with her friends Emma and Carly and trying to study. The only problem was the usual problem, James Potter and Sirius Black were at their antics again.

"Seriously…for once, could they just…give…it…a rest!?" Lily sighed, putting her head in her hands.

"Oh come on Lily, they're only havin' a laugh…it is Saturday after all…we're not all studying" Carly said with a pointed look.

Lily looked at Emma who was dozing on her back with a copy of Witch Weekly propped on her stomach and Carly was clearly just enjoying the sun.

"Oh well, I suppose I don't really need to study for Charms today…" Lily said grudgingly closing her book and stretching out.

"Yeah, we're in that nice, coasting stage Lils, just before end of year exams!" Carly shot a smile at Sirius who was now on his back, propped up by his elbows.

"Carly…for Merlin's sake…we are in our Sixth Year!" Lily began, but shut up when Emma sat up and glared at her.

"Will you two stop your bickering? I've got a headache."

"Too much sun.." Carly muttered before smiling sweetly as Sirius approached them.

"Alright girls?" he asked as he stood in front of them.

Lily looked back at her book, feeling a warm blush rush to her cheeks. Sirius Black was ridiculously good-looking, and although she wasn't actually interested, she did find it much more difficult to speak to him than most boys, and so…avoided it completely.

"Yeah, how's it goin' Sirius?" Carly asked with a grin.

Sirius smiled at her politely and glanced at Lily's bowed red head. A hint of a smirk appeared on his face. The same smirk which always appeared when he knew he was making someone nervous. He cast his eyes back at Carly and replied, "Oh not bad…I just had a question for Evans."

"Tough luck getting her nose out of that book…" Emma said with a snort and returned to lying back.

"Wow Gray, I didn't think you were capable of words!" Sirius said to Emma with a larger grin.

"I save them" she replied not looking at him. They had been Potions partners for almost two months and she still wasn't a fan. After he rolled his eyes at Carly, Sirius turned his attention back to Lily.

"Evans?" he said softly, almost crooning.

"Yeah?" she said looking up, her ears growing warm.

"I was sent here to ask you…"

She raised an eyebrow, her ears starting to regain their regular temperature and said, "Oh no…"

"Will you go out with James?" he asked trying not to laugh.

"Maybe when pigs fly…"

Sirius opened his mouth to talk.

"Without magic Black!" she said. Then, she couldn't help it. She smiled at him. Sirius was proof that the Marauders weren't quite the mischievous, immature prats they were last year – they were actually kind of funny. If only they'd just stop trying to get her to go out with James. She might even like them.

'Well…I hate to say I told you so Prongs, but…I told you so." Sirius said over his shoulder to no one.

"What?" Lily said confused.

Emma sat up and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Uh…Sirius mate…James isn—AHHHHHHHHH!" Carly couldn't finish her sentence because she had the shock of her life. James Potter had of course, appeared out of thin air.

Sirius was laughing now as James tried to keep a straight face but failing miserably.

"Honestly Monroe!" James said between laughter. "Haven't you ever heard of an invisibility cloak?"

"You have an Invisibility Cloak?" Lily asked despite herself.

James winked at her. "Yeah love…what d'you say - you and me go…disappear?"

Sirius scoffed and laughed a little harder when he saw Emma's expression.

Lily rolled her eyes, all her previous nervousness demolished. "How about you disappear Potter?" She stood up and grabbed her book before heading towards the castle. Then, cheeks a little warm, she couldn't believe her guts when she turned and said to Sirius, "Next time you decide to have a conversation which might not be all about Potter…come find me Black". And with that, whipped her head around and started towards the castle.

"Well, while that was thoroughly entertaining….I want dinner" Emma said standing up and stretching. Carly nodded and started to follow her.

"Tough break lads…" she said apologetically.

"Now…if only Lily had the same attitude towards us as Monroe does!!" James said throwing up his hands in defeat.

"Well…I'm pretty sure she does towards the rest of us mate…" Sirius said in a low, amused voice.

"Oh shut up. Just cos you're better looking and Moony is calmer and Petey…well - what do you care anyway…are you interested in Evans?" James made a very serious face.

Sirius laughed and nodded as Moony and Wormtail approached them.

"Merlin James, don't look like I just betrayed you, I didn't say anything…she's just a pretty girl who's a good laugh."

"You are!" James said eyes wide.

"Mate, the point is…while I might flirt, I wouldn't do that to you" Sirius said impatiently as they started to walk towards the Great Hall. He clearly was rapidly losing interest in this entire argument.

James looked thoughtful. "Well, you should know mate…if she's interested in you, you could go for it. I mean…it would suck at first, but maybe then I wouldn't be so crazy."

Sirus, Remus and Peter all looked at him with wide eyes.

"James….did you just…" Sirius started

"Admit that you're crazy?" Remus finished, incredulously.

Sirius laughed. "Well I was gonna say, did you just say something reasonable…but that works too Moony".

"Look all I'm saying is, she's a great girl…and if I can't get her…I wouldn't mind it if it were my best mate she chose" James looked away as he said this.

"My, my…we are very soppy today aren't we?" Remus said with laughing eyes and a glance at Sirius.

"Very soppy….but alright mate…thanks for the go ahead. Not that I'm going to be particularly active about it though…I just don't care enough."

James looked at him with an awkward smile.

"Oh bugger off and look relieved mate!!" Sirius said shoving his friend.

"Oh thank Merlin!!" James said sighing with relief.

The Marauders laughed together and all headed towards Dinner.

"So Lily…did I detect some serious flirting with someone not named James Potter?" Emma asked with a pointed look.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"I thought he always made you nervous Lils…where did that come from?" Carly asked.

Lily shrugged, "I don't know, I was feeling adventurous!" She was trying to play it off like she didn't care, the problem was she knew the moment the Marauders walked into the Hall, she'd melt in to a pool of frogspawn.

"Oh shit…" Lily muttered as the boys walked in. Her eyes met Sirius' across the room and she smiled before turning away, too nervous to see his reaction.

Sirius smiled to himself. That Lily Evans. Funny he never noticed how pretty she was before James had. And funny he was suddenly really attracted to her when James had given him the so-called 'go-ahead'. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he was positive James wouldn't be thrilled if he actually went through with it. Funny…that definitely looked like an interested smile from her. He might just test the waters...for fun.

James was eating extremely quickly.

"What's the rush mate?" Sirius asked with an amused expression on his handsome face.

"DIFENSHUN" he replied through a full mouth.

Remus flicked a piece of sprayed pumpkin pie off his face with a disgusted look before saying to Sirius, "Detention".

Sirius nodded trying not to laugh and looked at James with a twinkle in his eye, "How come Jamesie?"

James' eyes also twinkled and he spoke with a full mouth again, deliberately spraying Remus. He and Sirius then burst out laughing at their friend's furious expression as he wiped away the food.

"I hate you" Remus said with a glare.

"MOONY – do you really!?" Peter asked in distress.

Remus now looked from James and Sirius who had expression of mock distress on their faces too and couldn't keep a straight face. The three of them laughed as Peter looked away, disgruntled.

"Alright chaps, must be off…Slughorn will have my head" James got up and looked over at Lily who was looking in their general direction. He smirked and with a knowing look at Sirius said, "Yeah…see that? Can't keep her eyes off me…"

Sirius nodded soberly as Remus covered his smile.

"Bye bye Flower!" James yelled embarrassingly at Lily along the table. And then with another giant smirk and a high five to Sirius, he sauntered out to detention.

"Well…we all know she wasn't actually looking at James don't we?" Remus said with a knowing smile.

Sirius smiled slightly as he stared idly at Peter trying to fit a grotesque amount of pie into his mouth.

"Well…are you going to do anything about it?" Remus asked in a suddenly serious voice.

Sirius looked at him as if he'd just distracted him from watching his favourite Quidditch match. "About what?"

"Lily...clearly being interested in you!" Remus exclaimed in an exasperated tone.

"Oh…well I might have some fun" Sirius replied in a blank voice.

"Careful Sirius! James might put up a front, but he's very sensitive."

Peter nodded in agreement even though he had no idea what Remus meant.

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh. "Remus…I think I know my best mate. Are we actually saying our arrogant prick slash loveable clown is sensitive? Bah – I'd be disappointed!"

Lupin looked away and muttered, "You'd be surprised.."

But Sirius hadn't heard. His eyes had now met Lily's again and she was going a delightful shade of pink as he cocked a slightly confused smile at her.

Remus shook his head, amused and pulled out a book to read.

"Moony! Can you help me with Herbology…I didn't pay any attention last lesson!" Peter whined.

Remus looked up at him over the top of his book and sighed. "I remember, you were too busy encouraging James and Sirius at their game of 'hit the toadstool'….but, I suppose so" he said with a kind smile and beckoned for his friend to join him on his side of the table.

"I'm gonna go chat to someone" Sirius said without turning to them. Lily was now obviously trying to ignore him, but was twirling her auburn hair around her little finger as she chatted to Emma and Carly. She snuck a quick glance at Sirius who was now thoroughly amused.

"Be careful!" Remus warned in a stern voice.

"It's ok Remus, I always carry protection" Sirius joked, with a wink before he headed toward where Lily and her friends were sitting.

"Oh shit…he's coming over" Lily said under her breath, quickly looked down at the Witch Weekly article Carly was showing her.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Honestly, when did this obsession come about? And why on earth is it happening so quickly!?"

Carly, who was sitting next to her, giggled. "Oh Emma, must you always be so angry!?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, yes I must!" Emma said furiously.

"Yes you must what?" Sirius asked as he plopped himself down next to Lily who noticeably stiffened and widened her eyes at Carly.

Emma sighed. "I was just saying I must always be angry, because what on earth is worth being happy about!?"

Sirius smiled, still refusing to look at Lily. "I suppose your right Emma…I mean, the fact your not dead, you have lovely friends, you can eat, you're a witch, love exists? All wonderful reasons to be happy don't you think?"

Carly laughed and nodded while Emma rolled her eyes.

"What do you think about that?" Sirius asked finally turning and looking Lily straight in the eyes.

Lily raised her eyebrow and laughed shortly. "In complete agreement…those are wonderful reasons."

"Ugh, I'm going to nap." Emma said getting up. "all this sunshine is making me sick."

"Wait? What sunshine?" Carly said as she also got up. "I was just going out to get some cool air…"

"Merlin…"Emma muttered walking away.

Lily looked towards them helplessly but they were bickering as they left and didn't even notice her. She then looked back at Sirius with a big, awkward smile.

"Well, Evans…I guess it's just you and me" Sirius said with an amused smile.

"I guess so."

Peter was finally getting the material into his head when Sirius strolled back to them forty minutes later. Remus was rubbing him temples tiredly and Peter sat staring blankly at a page, obviously in deep, hard thought. Remus raised his head to acknowledge Sirius and noticed that as he walked away from Lily who was heading toward the exit, she was looking over her shoulder at his back.

"How's the Herb Pete?" Sirius asked casually, sitting down and ignoring Remus' alarmed look.

"Well??" Remus demanded.

"Mate…you are such a girl. Sorry there's no gossip, we just talked."

"And flirted right mate?" Peter asked in a sly voice.

"Pete – did you memorize that yet?" Remus snapped as Sirius chuckled.

Peter turned red and returned to studying his textbook.

"Well Moony, since I know your just dying to know…yes there was some harmless flirting…but no need to get your panties in a twist…you'll always be my number one lady…" He then drew a heart in the air, cocked his head to the side and pushed out his lower lip as he looked at Remus who was not amused.

"Well…as long as you believe it…don't go complaining to me when you and James fight about it."

Sirius scoffed. "Yeah, like that's gonna happen. You can shave an effin' heart into my sideburns if that ever happens mate!"

"And ruin your fabulous hair? You're on!" Remus said extending his hand.

Sirius laughed and swatted the hand away.

"IT'S A TROLL!!" Peter said excitedly.

"Where!?" Remus said looking around in alarm.

Sirus continued to laugh as Peter shook his head and said "No…no…the answer is troll right?"

Remus looked at Sirius in private disbelief before he turned to Peter and sadly shook his head no.

"Let's go back to the common room. James'll be out of detention by now." Sirius said a few minutes later, clearly overcome by boredom.

A/N: please review!