Second Year:
"Hey there, Carrot Top!" James yelled, a grin spreading slowly across his boyish features. Lily wasn't looking forward to this. It was her very first Christmas staying at Hogwarts, but now it was going to be ruined by his sharp jibes and teasing. She tried to concentrate on the book that she was reading and kept eating her breakfast.
"Check it out Sirius, Orange Peel over here matches the Christmas tree!" James continued.
"Well would you look at that, so she does." Sirius sneered as they sauntered arrogantly over to where Lily was seated.
"I do not!" Lily replied vehemently, snapping her book shut on the table, all thoughts of reading gone from her head and her breakfast forgotten in front of her.
"With your smashing red hair and shiny green eyes, pretty sure you do!" James said, his grin still firmly in place.
"Go bother someone else with your enchanting sense of humour Potter." Lily spat sarcastically.
"I'm so glad you find it enchanting, my Christmas elf." James replied placing his hands on the table and leaning over to her slightly.
"What do you actually want Potter? If it's not important, then you can kindly sod off." Lily bit out through her annoyance.
"Oh look Siri, kitty's got claws!" James said, his eyes lighting up and his grin turning into a smirk. "are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked, turning to his best friend.
"I believe I am James old pal." Sirius replied, his smirk now matching James'. Both boys grabbed their wands at the same time and before Lily could process what was happening, she was being lifted into the air and floated across the great hall.
"Put me down this instant you… you… PRAT!" Lily squealed. There were very few people left in the hall as it was around 11:30 in the morning and breakfast was almost to be cleared away. The teachers had all left, hence James' and Sirius' daring.
"not quite yet my fiery little bauble!" James yelled across the hall. Lily could tell where she was headed now. The only thing in the corner of the room was the giant Christmas tree. Realising what they were going to do, Lily started to scream again.
"Don't you dare James Tristan Potter!" Yelled Lily who was by now, turning a delicate scarlet with suppressed anger.
"Ah deary, don't do that, you'll clash with your hair." Sirius warned, "James how'd she know your middle name?" He continued thoughtfully.
"Ah, she just loves me that much Sirius." James sighed with a grin. They two boys proceeded to ignore Lily's shouts to put her down and managed to get her all the way up the top where the angel was.
"Just kick the angel off, my firecracker, then you can take her place!" James yelled up to Lily who was currently floating above the offending angel.
"Like this?" She asked with a smirk, before delivering a hefty kick to the angel's back which sent it tumbling over the edge.
"That's the ticket!" James replied, completely unaware of the chaos about to ensue.
"Uhh James, move man. Move now!" Sirius shouted after James didn't hear him. The boys dove out of the way just as angel came crashing down to bounce off the floor right where they had been standing.
"Duuude. Close stuff!" James breathed from his spot on the floor. "My dearest red capsicum, you must warm me in the future before you attempt to kill me." He finished looking up to where Lily was still floating in the air, supported by their charm.
"Ah, but that would suck the fun out of it glasses boy. Get me down from here right now!" She said beginning to raise her voice again.
"No can do I'm afraid." Sirius answered as he and James proceeded to attach Lily to the top of the huge Christmas tree with a few pieces of tinsel.
"All she needs now are her halo and wings. James, if you will do the honours?" Sirius said as he handed James a piece of gold wire hurriedly twisted into a circle and two bunches of white feathers that were in a roundabout wing-ish shape. James levitated the circlet up and placed it upon Lily's head, followed by the wings which were attached to her back by some more tinsel.
"Fabulous! Have a wonderful day my pink post-it note!" James called out as Lily had one again tuned pink with anger.
"Potter! Get back here this instant! You too Black!" She screamed. "Ugghhhh! How does he even know what a post it note is anyway?" She fumed. It was about half an hour later, when Professor McGonagall came into the hall to retrieve some notes that she had left at her place when Lily was let down. After she had sincerely thanked her professor, she went in search of those two boys. Oh they were in for it.
"POTTER! BLACK!" She screamed when she found them outside by the lake. Scared looks crossed their faces as they took off towards the forest. "GET BACK HERE!" She continued.
"No way my little fire engine! See you!" James called over his shoulder as they took off, gaining speed as Lily attempted to chase them down. Once they had reached the forest, James and Sirius took shelter behind a rock.
"I think Jamesie has a cruuuusssshhhhhhh!" Sirius sang with a manic grin on his face. James blushed a brilliant pink.
"As if! Evans? Pfft, no way! Anyway, she hates me…" He trailed off looking at the ground.
"Sure sure. Anyway, I'm sure if you do like her, she'll come around." Sirius said patting James on the back, having decided that he shouldn't tease his friend who was so obviously embarrassed. "Just give her time."
And that was how the chase began.
(A/N: Hello all! Hopes you liked it :o) It was fun to write. Had a bit of an issue thinking up names for Lily though. If you have any ideas please review and tell me so I can use them in future chapters! R&R please :D Harriet)