The next morning Lily woke up on her own. Now to most that wouldn't seem like much of an accomplishment, however for one miss Lily Evans it was. You see Lily was never one for waking up before ten in the morning, in fact ten was wasn't that fun either. She had to set her alarm to go off at seven, ten minutes before she absolutely had to get up. Getting up was a whole other task that took at least ten minutes. On this fall day however, Lily woke up at 6:55, this was a highly rare occurrence, In fact Lily could not remember the last time she hadn't wanted to kill herself getting up for school. This was even more odd due to the amount of sleep she had gotten, or lack their of, the night before. Lily rose from her crimson fourposter bed and decided to pop into the shower, fully intending to milk the extra time she had got herself. She had time today to dry her hair (magically) and even apply a little makeup. Lily had never greeted a tuesday like this before, usually she resembled the creature from the black lagoon in the mornings. All in all Lily was enjoying the new development.

Entering the great hall for breakfast she immediately spotted the long wavy blonde hair of her best friend Marlene McKinnon and the and the curly brown hair of her gangly friend Eddy Bones. She did not fail to notice that the Marauders were sitting with them as well. Sirius Black with his long black hair that showed off his brown eyes and had girls swooning was trying to avoid Eddy's gaze while cracking some joke or another with James. Remus's shaggy blonde hair was covering his blue eyes while he was shaking his head at something Sirius had said and Peter was watching them and laughing along, his blonde hair lying flat showing off his watery blue eyes. Sitting down on Marlene's left they all looked up. Lily was desperately trying to avoid James's gaze, feeling her cheeks flush she looked down.

"Lily, you're up early! I didn't even have to threaten to steal all your books." Marlene stated looking at her with surprise and suspicion.

"Well i've hidden my books so that won't work anymore, but i'm sure regular Lily will be back tomorrow don't worry". Lily gave her a look that clearly said the hade no clue.

"Well Evans it's so nice you graced us with your presence one morning eh? I was beginning to think you didn't love me anymore." Sirius said with a wink.

"Shh Black don't give away our secret, you know I can't have your little third year fan girls chasing me" Lily laughed and picked up a few pieces of toast and some sausages glanced at what James and Sirius were eating.

"You two are right disgusting you know that?" James cocked one eyebrow that would have sent shivers down her back and made her flush puce if it hadn't been for the little piece of egg stuck to his chin. Lily snorted into her Pumpkin juice. Marlene looked up and matched her snort.
"You've got egg right there you know that?" Lily pointed out.

James ducked his head clearing off his chin, his ears turning a brilliant shade of red.

He was about to open his mouth and say something witty,or at least what he thought would be witty, when he was interrupted by a parliament of owls entering the great hall to deliver the morning post. Lily was surprised to se her tawny owl, Arthur, flying towards he with a letter tied to her leg. Lily did not get post often because her sister, Petunia, hated owls and everything else "freakish" including Lily on most occasions. Her mum was none too fond of owls either, this was more due to a general fear of birds she developed after being scratched by one as a girl. Her mum would write her occasionally anyways despite her fear since it was her only way of contacting her daughter. Opening her letter she was surprised to see her sisters hand writing and not her mothers.

Lily,

I'm writing to tell you that Vernon and I are getting married. Yes I know its all very exciting, however mum has informed me that you have to be a bridesmaid. This was not my idea. You will however, have to come for a dress fitting over the holidays so none of this staying at school nonsense, why you would want to stay at that freak place for longer is beyond me. I am going to be informing Vernon of your condition soon. It would be best for you not to speak with him over the holidays, I don't want you screwing it up like you usually do.

Your sister,

Petunia

P.S. i've inclosed a picture of the dress i've chosen, incase you can't tell, its pink.

P.P.S. Please don't reply i've had to deal with this horrid creature enough for a life time.

Glancing down at the picture Lily recoiled in disgust, it was worse than she thought it would be. The dress went below the knees to mid calf, had off the shoulder sleeves and was covered in bows and frills with one giant bow in the back. She's just doing this to torture me, she thought to herself. She was going to look like a giant cotton candy, not only was it fluffy but of course it was pink.

"What you got there Evans?" Sirius nosily asked while trying to look over her shoulder.
"My sister's getting married."

"Well thats good isn't it?" James interjected.

"Yes it's good if it wasn't my sister and she wasn't marrying a walrus." That had everyone snorting into their food.
"Isn't that beastiality or something? I heard that was illegal."

"Oh ha ha Sirius Black your wit is truly astounding." Lily was now starting to worry about being back for Christmas, she and her sister didn't last long in a room together.

Sirius was about to reply when he was interrupted by James' declaration that he was heading to potions.

"Care to join me Evans?"

"If it will get that nutter out of my sights then bloody well yes." Lily scrambled to her feet and was looking for her bag when she noticed it slung around James' shoulder.
"I believe you've got something of mine," Lily accused.

"Do I now?" James looked down at the bags around his shoulders, "I suppose I do, to potions then?" James took off down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff table not looking back to see if Lily was following. Lily huffed and muttered to herself about a few places James could stick his damn chivalry.

"James wait up!" Stopping James looked back annoyingly quirking his eyebrow, "I've been thinking about what you asked..." Lily started.
"Yeah so you've decided?"
"No I just wanted to say i've been thinking about what you asked." Smirking at his expression she quickly slipped her bag off of his shoulder and sauntered down the hall, smirking all the while.

"You little minx" James exclaimed sliding into the seat beside her in the potions. Lily just smirked to herself, "It's not my fault that you get so easily flustered."

"That was not flustered that was blatant dumbstruck, who knew you were a mischievous one Evans". Lily was a little startled by this, she had never actually considered herself mischievous, perhaps wished she was, but never really thought she was.

"If I didn't know better I would think you were flirting." Realizing he had gained the upper hand in the conversation James smirked down at Lily. He enjoyed ruffling her feathers and making her face go red, that was most of the reason why she hated him for most of their years at Hogwarts. She was about to retort when she was interrupted by Professor Slughorn entering the room. "Today class we are going to be making our first attempt of the Erumpent Potion, be warned this is a highly dangerous potion and I will not tolerate any misbehaviour," He paused to glance in the Marauders directions, "You will be working in pairs, who you are sitting with at the moment is fine. Now the instructions are on the board so hop to it then". With that Slughorn sat at his desk and pulled out some papers.

Lily deflated a little, she liked James but she hoped he wouldn't ruin er chances for a good potion. Hopping to her feet went to the supply closet, she was unaware that James was behind her so when he said her name she started.

"Mighty jumpy aren't you? so do you want to grab the powdered Erumpent tail and essence of Displosio and i'll grab the fire salamander parts and powder of Erumpent horn?" James asked referring to the textbook.

"Yeah that sounds good". Lily was about to reach for the powdered tail when she was pushed into the cupboard door by Jack Nott, who was notorious for being an arse and viewed muggles and muggleborns similarly to how he viewed gum on his shoes.

"Move it mudblood you're contaminating the ingredients with your filth." He sneered at her in a way he probably thought Darla Avery would find attractive.

"Oh stuff it why don't you." Lily tried to push past him but he resisted.
"Why don't you respect your superiors, do us all a favor and stick to cooking like the other muggle women," he grinned triumphantly, "we don't need filth like you littering our hallways." Lily was growing more angry at the second, she saw Jack glance back at Darla and give her a wink, obviously this was a game for them or something.
"Well at least I don't have to put others down to make up for what I have, or should I say lack." Lily managed to push past him and grab her ingredients before he figured out what she said and reacted.

Slamming her materials down next to James she sat down in a huff. "Is it just me or do the Slytherins get more idiotic as the years progress?"

"Its not just you, I think its all that interbreeding, nasty stuff." He managed to get a half smile out of Lily with that. Together they worked slowly through the instructions without a hitch until-"Lily get down!". James managed to pull Lily down fast enough after he saw something whizz into their cauldron. With an almighty bang the potion exploded sending the green grey contents all over the class. Fortunately no one was hurt, unfortunately Lily and James were covered head to toe in the solution, and it was hot, burning hot.

Looking in the bottom of the cauldron James saw what he had expected. Sitting on the bottom was the charred remains of a wet start firecracker.

"Fuck. Bloody hell! who did that?" James exclaimed, he was not calm, he was far from calm. Usually it was him covering others in potions not them covering him. Sludge was dripping from both of their heads and looks of disgust was present on both of their faces.

"Mr. Potter why don't you and Miss Evans go to the hospital wing, i'm sure your friends will inform your next professor of this little...debacle". He looked up from them to the rest of the class, "Unless someone confesses to this you all will be here cleaning for detention," The whole class groaned, "so I suggest that whoever do this come foreword". Lily was shocked, she had never seen professor Slughorn be so strict, usually he would never dole out such a large punishment. One student, a Slytherin, yelled out "But they don't have to clean up!" .

"Somehow I doubt they covered themselves in erumpent potion, especially since it does tend to develop a smell."

James and Lily packed up their things and headed to the hospital wing, wincing all the way. Their skin was covered in blisters and red blotches caused by the scalding Erumpent potion.

When the entered the hospital wing Lily dropped her things by one bed and flopped onto it only to recoil at the feeling of the linen against her raw skin. She looked up the see James laughing at her.

"You could be nicer you know, I am not going to be sympathetic when you try to lie down." She gave him her best glare, that if he didn't know her so well would have scared him.

"Oh woe is me Lily Evans is not sympathizing with me, that has never happened before" He shot her a cheeky grin in return.

"Why are you so happy, we just had boiling hot potion dumped on us and now there are burns all over both of us".

"Be that as it may, I try to look on the bright side of things and the bright side of this situation is that I can miss Binns boring the pants off of everyone and get to spend time with you". Lily glowered, but at the last thing turned a very tomato like colour. She was saved from commenting by Madame Pomfrey entering and exclaiming over their injuries.

"Mr. Potter what did you do?" She gave him a stern look worthy of professor McGonnagall. "Why do people always assume I've done something?" James argued.

"Perhaps because 9 times out of 10 you have," Lily interjected. James sneered at her in a joking manner.

"Well then how did the two of you get burned all over then?" Madam Pomfrey asked impatiently.

"Someone threw a wet start fire cracker into our Erumpent potion." Madame Pomfrey winced. "Well you two just stand here while I get the burn salve". She left the room and went into the supply closet.

Before the hospital matron could return Lily spoke up, "Who do you think did it?"

"I dunno but it was probably one of those Slytherin bastards, Probably Nott he's an idiot." Lily thought for a second "Its weird though, I didn't even see the person throw it," nodding James added "Well when I find out murder there arse." Lily had an amused look on her face, "I was waiting for that, it's not James without some sort of revenge plot." Just then Madam Pomfrey came back with the jar of salve, "How about we start with you Mr. Potter, you will have to remove your shirt." At this a blush immediately took Lily's face, quickly and carefully she sat on a bed and tried not to look. Avoiding looking at Lily, James took off his shirt. There was a hiss from next to him, his chest and back was covered in red welts and blisters.

"Well Mr. Potter you will not have a very comfortable night tonight, the salve takes 12 hours to work". He groaned. Lily winced. She started rubbing the salve in to his skin while he grimaced. Lily tried not to look but couldn't help it, he really had grown up, behind the red was well muscled boy, no man. Lily's experience with guys, especially attractive ones was pretty minimal, actually there was no experience. Lily had been asked out once, but it had turned out he had just wanted to make a girl was 17 and had never kissed anyone,no big deal she knew lots of people who hadn't. She couldn't name any, but they were there. Madam Pomfrey said her name shaking her out of her stupor.

"Hmm yes?" she said stupidly. "I said its your turn Miss Evans, but how about we go behind the curtain," she shot a look at James. Lily turned to close the curtains around the bed but then looked back at James. He gave her a wink, she scowled.

The salve stung, it covered her arms, back, chest, stomach and neck. Luckily because of her bra her breasts weren't burnt also due to the properties of the potion it did not burn her clothes."Your burns should be gone by tomorrow morning and if there are scars come see me." She said this while opening the curtain after Lily was dressed again. "I want the two of you back to your dormitory, usually I would insist you stay but since yours are individual…I don't want you to leave all of today, I will send house elves with your dinner and you friends should have your homework so I will send them up".

They walked back to there dorm trying to walk normally.

"On the bright side, no history of magic."