1: Explosions

Lily tensed as Potter reached his long arm towards her and touched her shoulder.

"Got a little something on your uniform, Lily," he said, picking up the invisible lint and flicking it away. "Our Head Girl can't be going around in that sort of state, now can she?" he said, winking and tapping the badge on her chest with a satisfying clink clink. "Bad form."

She crossed her arms over her chest, flicking his finger away as easily as he had flicked off the lint from his. "Don't trouble yourself with my appearance, Potter. Worry about your own," she said, looking him once up and down, and realizing sadly that he looked pristine. She huffed to herself and turned away.

"I'm just trying to be helpful, Lily," he said with an easy laugh. "Isn't that what Co-Heads are for?"

"What's this 'Lily' business you're playing at, anyhow? Since when have I been 'Lily' to you, Potter?" She made air-quotations around her name is if it was something foreign to her.

She turned around again to look at his face, but it betrayed nothing. Instead, he shrugged carelessly as if discussing the possibility of it raining this weekend. "Thought it was time for a change."

She glared at him. "What kind of change?" she asked suspiciously.

Potter sighed dramatically, ruffling up his hair, making Lily's fingers itch. "Like I said before, we're Co-Heads now, aren't we? Shouldn't we be at least on a first name basis?"

She scoffed. "Don't mess with me, Potter. There's something else happening here and I want to know what. You've never had an interest in being first name basis before, so what's the point in changing now?" she said, almost giving in to the urge to point an accusing finger at him, but resisting the childish action. Instead, she stuck him with a menacing glare, which was far less satisfying as wagging a finger in his face.

He turned his head and looked out the window of their shared Heads Common Room.

She was expecting some sort of sly comment about the length of her skirt, or something else equally inappropriate, but instead, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned his back to her. He looked moody, a strange expression passing over his face. It caught her off guard and she let her wall inch down. Could it be like that time when…?

He turned around, and almost immediately, Lily regretted her moment of weakness. His face was masked with that grin of his that made her heart rate increase—out of attraction or rage, she wasn't sure—and said, arrogantly, "If you really hate it, just one peck and it will be back to 'Evans' permanently, I promise," he said with a wink and an extended hand.

"Ugh," she groaned, slamming the door shut to her room with the sound of his laughs echoing in her head.

Why did she always have to fall for his tricks? There had been moments like that before, when she believed he was being a more 'real' Potter than his regular, obnoxious self, but it would be gone within a second, replaced with his ridiculous teasing. It was so frustrating because she thought that maybe he could be someone she could be friends with, but he covered it up with all this false bravado that had her clawing her eyes out instead.

Lily sat on her bed and thought back to King's Cross Station on the last day of fifth year when he had approached her and apologized for the scene he'd caused after the Defense O.W.L. He had looked almost vulnerable standing in front of her, thumbs in his pockets and hair standing on end. She was about to start yelling again, but his timid smile had stopped her from opening her mouth and instead she just listened, which was new for both of them.

"Evans, I'm just here to say I'm sorry," he said with that same timid half-smile, half-grimace. She had no reaction because she had no previous encounters with this James Potter. "For, you know, Sniv—Snape. I didn't mean to gaud him like that, and I'm sorry for pushing him to call you a—that word. It was wrong of me and I apologize," he finished with a hesitant readjustment of his glasses.

All she could do was nod numbly as he smiled again, without a hint of impending prank anxiousness, and waved briefly. "Have a good summer then, yeah? See you in the fall."

Lily couldn't deny that her summer had been tainted with a flicker of hope for the end of his constant teasing and flirting, and that maybe she could replace the spot Sev had left with something a bit different than her current ring of friends.

That hope was squished like a mere ember under a heavy boot as soon as she arrived on the platform the first day of sixth year. The entire length of the train bore a terrifying banner that made Lily's heart twist and scream. The words read, "Evans, Hogsmeade?" with James Potter's face winking at her, both in person and in moving-picture form. She had been mortified because of that humiliating poster, but also because she had fostered the naïve hope that maybe he had changed. She had masked her anger and hurt like a pro however, and maintained that mask of indifference and coolness until she reached the train's bathroom and stayed there until her tears would no longer come.

She sighed, thinking back on that day and how she refused to never again underestimate Potter's potential for cruelty, despite those moments where she thought there was a glimmer of goodness in him.

He was so infuriating that Lily had forgotten the main reason why she had called him out there in the first place. She took a deep breath and gathered all the patience and strength she had in her, left her room and knocked on his door.

"Potter, I forgot to say that we have a—"

Potter opened the door wearing nothing but his trousers and a grin of confidence as Lily paused to examine the scene in front of her. She had seen Potter without a shirt before (as he was keen on stripping his shirt after winning a Quidditch match), but never up close, which was very shocking. He was muscled, but lean, and quite frankly, very attractive.

"Try not to stare, Evans. It's rude," he said, his eyebrow rising suggestively at her. He leaned very casually on the doorframe and Lily found herself momentarily distracted.

Lily blushed, but tried to maintain her dignity. "We have a meeting with Dumbledore at 8. Don't be late," she said, turning to walk away. "Oh, and you have something on your shoulder," she added, reaching up to place her fingers on his shoulder and swiping the invisible dirt away. Potter looked at her in surprise. She grinned at him, then dragged her fingers down his chest, tapping lightly where his badge would have been, had he been wearing his robes. "Can't have our Head Boy looking anything less than perfect, can we?" she said, laughing lightly at his expression and walking back to her room.

Lily hid in her room, not knowing how she could ever face anyone again after what she had just pulled. Never in her life had she done anything so—so flirtatious with James Potter; it was as if someone else had temporarily taken over her mind and mouth. She didn't know how well this year would turn out if there was someone backseat-driving her actions. She pulled on her hair and looked at the clock. 7:43. Ugh.

She went out to the Common Room and found James sitting on the couch reading a book. He didn't notice her come in so she just stood in the hallway and watched him. His hand came up slowly and rubbed the back of his head, and Lily realized that, yes, James Potter would be quite easy to like if he weren't so covered up. Metaphorically, Lily thought to herself, I meant metaphorically. Obviously, he would have to be wearing clothes. Or, you know—no, I meant metaphorically and personality-wise 'covered up'. He was emotionally unavailable.

Lily cleared her throat and James turned his head with a small smile. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just got here. Come on. Dumbledore's meeting," she said, walking past him and moving to open the door. "After you."

He smirked and walked through the door she held open.

"Did he say what he wanted?" he asked as they walked through the hallway to Dumbledore's office.

She shook her head. "Well it's been a week since term started. I'm assuming he wants to remind us of our duties."

"So did you have a good summer then?" he asked suddenly.

Lily turned her head in his direction with a confused expression at his abrupt change in conversation.

"Why?"

He laughed, putting on that false grin again. "I'm just trying to be friendly."

She rolled her eyes. "It was fine, how was yours?"

"Why?" he mocked. She glared. "It was fine, too."

"Great."

They fell silent for the next couple minutes, neither one particularly comfortable, but neither one too uncomfortable to break it.

"Aren't you going to ask me how I made Head Boy?"

She shrugged. "It's not that surprising," she admitted, although everyone else besides his friends seemed to be shocked at the appointment.

"It's not?" he said, a similar look on his face from earlier when Lily had teased him. She blushed at the freshness of the memory.

"Not really."

"Can I ask why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Fishing, Potter?"

"No," he said, unconvincingly. "Just curious why you, of all people, are not surprised by Dumbledore's choice."

"And what is that supposed to mean? You, of all people?"

He shrugged this time. "You aren't exactly my greatest fan. Shouldn't you be surprised I was made Head Boy over, say Remus, or Diggory, even?"

She laughed. "Diggory as Head Boy? Don't make jokes like that, they're really not funny."

He smiled. "Why, Lily, if I'm not mistaken, I think that sounded a bit like a snide remark."

She shook her head. "Just the truth. He would make a terrible Head Boy."

"So what differentiates him and me, then?"

"I never said you wouldn't be a terrible Head Boy, just that I wasn't surprised by your appointment."

"Care to expand?" he drawled, seeming unaffected by her sly insult.

"Teachers love you, you have high grades, you're respected by your peers. Typical Head Boy material."

"Still doesn't differentiate me from Diggory or Remus."

"So you are fishing for compliments then."

"Never. Just curiosity, as I said."

"We're here," she said, grateful for the opportunity not to answer him. "Acid pops."

They made their way up the staircase and Lily knocked on the door.

"Enter," said Dumbledore's voice from inside.

Lily had been in his office once before, but it still amazed her at the absolute mess, yet still organized, state of the Headmasters office. She strived to attain the balance between chaos and order in her own life, but thought she was perpetually leaning more towards the chaotic end.

"Ah, Miss Evans and Mr. Potter. Please have a seat. Thank you for being prompt."

They sat down and listened to all the formalities Dumbledore went through, hearing this all before from McGonagall and the previous Heads.

"How are you two faring with one another? No fighting, I hope," Dumbledore asked, a knowing glint in his eyes that made Lily squirm.

"Swimmingly, Professor," James responded with his trademark-speaking-to-Professor smile. If Dumbledore could smirk, he would be right now. Lily wanted to roll her eyes, but resisted, as it would come off as unprofessional and ungrateful.

Instead, Lily gave her own version of his smile and added in a pleasant laugh. "It's going very well, Professor. Much better than expected."

"Glad to hear it. It wouldn't bode well for the school if our Heads weren't getting along. We've had those sorts of problems in the past, but most of them ended up married to each other! What a situation, don't you agree?" said Dumbledore, standing from his desk with his arms spread wide.

Lily wondered if Dumbledore wasn't a little crazy.

"You are both dismissed. Thank you for taking the time from your schedule to meet with me. I'm sure you've both been lectured quite enough since you've gotten here."

They left Dumbledore's office together and unfortunately for Lily, walked back to their dorm area together.

"You never answered the question," he said after leaving the vicinity of Dumbledore's office.

"Which question?"

"Of why you're not surprised," he said, smiling.

She rolled her eyes. "Didn't I?"

"You think you did, but that was just a superficial answer. I know there's more to it than you said," he said, walking away from her.

"Where are you going?" she asked, sounding more irritated than she intended.

"Gryffindor Common Room. Care to join?" he asked pleasantly.

She had only gone to the Gryffindor Tower maybe twice since she got here, and she had felt guilty that she had only seen Mary and Alice in classes, but she shook her head. "No, thanks," she said, walking away to the Heads' dorms.

"Suit yourself," he said, walking up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower.

.

"James, is that you?" said Sirius' voice when he entered the room. "Couldn't recognize you with your badge on," he said snidely as James walked over to his friends on the armchairs.

"Shut up, Sirius, not really in the mood," he said, throwing himself in a seat and closing his eyes. Lily Evans was draining the life out of him and he had no idea how he was going to live through his year.

"What's up, Prongs?" Peter asked.

"Lily?" Remus asked, peeking his eyes up from behind the book he was reading.

"She's driving me crazy," he said, thinking back to when she had touched his bare chest with that impish smile. He'd nearly catapulted himself at her in that moment, but he had resisted with all the strength he had in his body. She was purposely teasing him and making him lose his mind. He hadn't even been able to focus on what Dumbledore had been saying the entire time until he asked how they were getting along.

"Good-crazy though, right?" Peter asked.

"There's no such thing, Pete," James said, opening an eye to his small friend. "There's only bad-crazy."

"Wrong, Prongs," said Sirius. "There's my-family crazy, which is the bad, do-what-I-say-or-I'll-disown-you crazy, then there is the good-ish-crazy feeling accompanied with sexual frustration—"

"Shut up, Sirius," James said, closing his eyes again and massaging his temples.

Sirius laughed. "That's what Peter meant by the 'good' crazy. Right, Wormy?"

"Sure," said Peter.

"Just work through it, James. I'm sure it'll get better," Remus supplied as neutrally as Remus was known to do.

James didn't answer, but he was highly doubtful. He had first thought that living with her might make her change her attitude towards him, but now he was doubting that that would happen before he spontaneously combusted. Everything she did had him constantly on edge, so much so that he was instantly aware of whenever she walked into a room.

Like right before they'd left for Dumbledore's office, he'd noticed when she'd first entered the room and when she had actually cleared her throat, claiming to have just arrived. She'd lied, but why? It was moments like those that James hoped, but then would toss aside as soon as she made those snarky remarks again, with that impenetrable mask of hers.

"Hogsmeade?" Sirius asked, tossing the book on his lap aside and standing.

Peter stood and so did Remus, leaving James sitting on his armchair. They all looked at him expectantly. James looked at Remus uncertainly, who nodded in understanding, and James stood. "Fine."

"Merlin, I thought you'd been scared straight there, for a second," said Sirius, clapping James on the shoulder. "Is she that terrifying?"

"It's not 'cause of her, Padfoot."

"Right. It's because of the other shrew you're living with."

"She's not a shrew," Remus said tiredly. At least James wasn't the only one who thought that.

"Whatever, Moony. She'll always be a shrew in my eyes."

"A hot shrew, though," said Peter. James whacked him upside the head. "Ow." Again, James wasn't alone in his thinking.

"Can we just talk about something else, please," said James, checking the map before opening the statue. "I spend enough time with Lily already, I don't want to spend my time away from her talking about her too, you know?"

"Whatever you say, Head Boy," said Sirius, saluting him.

"Er, have you finished the Potions assignment yet, James?" Remus asked him.

"Seriously, that's the best you can come up with?" he asked, leading them through the dark tunnel.

"You know that's all Remus thinks about," Sirius answered behind him. "Even when he's sleeping."

"It's not," attempted Remus, but not convincingly. "But it is due in two days."

"Don't ruin the moment, Moony. It's our first outing to Hogsmeade since James' tainting by the badge. It's a time for celebrating, not for homework due dates."

"And tomorrow night won't be the time to come running to me for help either."

"Moment officially ruined, Remus."

"Shut up, both of you. We're here," said James, pushing up the floorboard into Honeydukes' basement.

They quickly made their ways to the Three Broomsticks and Rosmerta tsk-ed them as they sat down.

"On a weekday, lads?" she said, smiling despite herself at the four boys. "Butterbeers all round?"

"Something stronger, maybe?"

"Firewhiskeys, it is."

"Butterbeer is fine for me," Remus replied. "I have to finish my paper tonight," he added, to which Sirius rolled his eyes.

Rosmerta left to get their drinks as Sirius and Pete chatted pointlessly about Quidditch.

"Remus, were you surprised I made Head Boy?" James asked.

Remus looked surprised by his question, then smiled. "No."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Makes sense."

James frowned. "Please elaborate."

Remus rolled his eyes. "You can be an ass sometimes, but you're still a good leader. Dumbledore needs someone who people are willing to follow and especially with You-Know-Who, he needs someone that can be trusted to do what was best for the school."

"And I'm that person, then?"

"You're getting there," Remus said, taking a sip of his drink that Rosmerta had just brought them.

"Do you think Lily thinks that too?"

"Why don't you ask?"

"I did. She wouldn't give me a straight answer."

Remus shrugged. "Don't know, mate. Thought you didn't want to talk about Lily, anyway."

"I don't."

They had a couple more rounds until Remus was the only one sober enough to guide them back through the hidden passage. They parted at the fifth floor, where James went to his dorm and the rest went up to Gryffindor Tower.

James stumbled into the Common Room, saw that Lily's light was still on, then went to his own room and fell asleep as soon as he fell on the bed.

.

She heard James come in around ten to midnight and breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately wondered why she had been worried in the first place. It wasn't her job to account for his safety, nor did she want it. He'd probably been out to Hogsmeade with the Marauders, as she had learned from Rosmerta last year, occurred quite frequently. She had no idea how they were doing it, but she never asked, liking that she knew something about him that he didn't know she knew.

She finished the last line of her paper and turned out the light, changing into her pajamas and climbing into bed. She wrapped the blankets around her and fell asleep with the image of shirtless-James standing in his doorway plaguing her thoughts.

She woke up the next morning and got ready as usual. Class started in 15 minutes, but James was still not awake. She knocked on his door.

"Potter, class starts in 15!" she yelled, not knowing why she was even bothering. Like she said before, she wasn't his keeper.

He opened the door after Lily's excessive knocking, wearing only his boxers, his eyes half closed and no glasses. "What?" he said, sleepily.

She couldn't help but laugh. "Class starts in 15 minutes. You're going to be late."

"Oh, right, thanks," he said, with a groggy smile and closed the door. Lily smiled to herself, then immediately shook it away, not knowing what was coming over her.

She sat with Mary and Alice in class, and surprisingly, Potter came in on time, looking his usual perfect self despite waking up 15 minutes prior. She envied him.

"Saw James in Gryffindor Tower last night," Mary whispered as he walked in. "Why didn't you come?"

"I was beat, and I had to finish Slughorn's paper," she said, watching as he sat down with Black and laughed perfectly. "Did he stay there long?"

"No, the four of them left almost as soon as he arrived. Don't know where they went though."

So, Hogsmeade it was then. "I'll come by tonight," she said, smiling at her friend and focusing as Slughorn addressed the class.

Severus, her former best friend, slinked into class late and Lily avoided his usual gaze. She hadn't spoken to him since the summer after fifth year, but it still hurt to think about it. She put on her brave face and looked past him as he sat down behind her.

Slughorn frowned at Sev's back, but continued his lecture. Just as he was about to write the textbook pages on the chalkboard, there was a huge bang from the hallway, and the door exploded inward, letting in a fume of smoke. Mary screamed from beside her as Lily dashed forward to help Professor Slughorn up from the ground where he had fallen due to the force of the explosion. She glanced up and found Potter moving towards her, then another bang as the second explosion came. The force of it pushed Lily to the ground next to Slughorn and a fresh cloud of foul-smelling dark smoke engulfed her, displacing the air in her lungs with the unbreathable smog. Her eyes were watering and she was coughing with Slughorn, who was on all fours.

"Lily!" said Potter's voice from the cloud of smoke above her. "You okay?" he said blasting a stream of air through the cloud and giving her a fresh gulp of air that she used to shout at him, "Help Slughorn!" as she jumped up from the ground and ran head first into the hallway, using James' spell to clear a path in front of her.

.

James swore as Lily ran into the hallway. That girl would be the death of him, he knew it. He helped the Professor to his feet, cleared the room the best he could and followed Lily out into the dungeons. He couldn't see her, but he could see where she'd been with the stream of clean air forming a path in front of him. He followed it until he found the source of the explosion, with Lily standing with her wand pointed at the two figures on the ground.

"They're out cold," she called back to him, as he approached, clearing the air as he went.

"Who is it?"

"Looks like Avery and Black," she said, procuring stretchers and levitating them onto it. "Mind bringing that to Pomfrey?" she said, pointing to the cauldrons that had caused the explosion, still smoking, and emitting the smell of rotting beetles and the burnt inside of dying animals. He levitated them beside Avery and Reg, following her out of the smoke and up to the Hospital Wing.

"What happened?!" Filch screeched, pacing at the border of the smoke cloud and the clean air.

"Mr. Filch, we have the ones responsible and we're taking them to the Hospital Wing. If you could be so kind as to get Professor Dumbledore and tell him that James Potter and Lily Evans have brought Regulus Black and Thomas Avery to Madam Pomfrey, it would be very much appreciated."

Filch stared at Lily incredulously, then turned his ugly glare to James. "You!" he screamed.

"I'm innocent," James said, raising his free hand. Filch glared and hissed, Mrs. Norris at his heels and stalked off in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

James watched Lily, and was surprised to see that her wand hand was as still as a lake at night. He peeked a look at her face. It was set in a calm manner, her lips forming a straight, unmoving line across her face, her eyebrows puckered slightly, her fierce eyes turned forward. James gulped.

"Hey, watch it!" she said, as one of the cauldrons bumped into Avery's stretcher and almost caused Lily to drop him.

"Sorry," said James, giving her a grin. "Distracted."

She glared and looked forward. "By what?"

"Smoke in my eyes."

She turned back to look at him skeptically, and he gave her a sheepish grin, making sure the cauldron stayed steady this time.

"What's happened?" Pomfrey said when they entered the Wing. "I heard an explosion—"

"It was caused by these two," Lily said, expertly placing each culprit on empty beds. James placed the cauldrons on the side table in between them.

"They were playing with this little potion here, it seems," James added.

Pomfrey huffed in frustration and began her work. "And Professor Slughorn asked you two to bring them here out of class—"

"They aren't in our Potions class, Madam Pomfrey."

"Excuse me? Aren't in your Potions class? Then what on Earth are they doing with a cauldron? Irresponsible—"

"Madam Pomfrey," said Dumbledore's firm voice from the Wing. "What has happened?" he said, turning his attention to the bedded students. "Mr. Filch has informed me that James Potter has been involved in some sort of incident—"

James scoffed.

"Regulus Black and Thomas Avery were the ones found with the cauldrons that caused the explosion, Professor," Lily said. "James was helping to bring them here," she said.

"I see," said Dumbledore, moving past the Head students to inspect the cauldrons in between their beds. "Hm. I don't believe they are in the N.E.W.T. Potions class?" Dumbledore asked them. Lily shook her head. "Well, thank you, Ms. Evans and Mr. Potter. You may return to your class now. I've sent Professors Flitwick and McGonagall to help with the cleanup in the dungeons, so classes will be proceeding as usual. Thank you," he said, turning his back. Lily and James were dismissed.

.

They walked back in the general direction of the dungeons together, without saying a word.

"Whoa," said Lily, putting a hand to her head and another out to steady herself.

"All right?" Potter asked, grabbing her arm.

"Didn't know Hogwarts had moving floors too," she said, closing her eyes. James laughed and quickly magicked a chair for her to sit on. She sat down and put her head in her hands.

"That's what you call an adrenaline rush, then crash," he said from somewhere beside her. Lily's entire body felt weak, so she didn't look up to check where his voice was coming from.

"Ah," she said, taking deep breaths. "I feel like I'm going to faint."

"Do you want to go back to Pomfrey?"

"No, I'll be fine in a second, just…"

She kept taking deep breaths and James laughed.

"This is funny to you, eh?" she said, irritated that she was falling apart in front of him.

"No, sorry. Just glad to know you're human, is all," he said, magicking his own chair and sitting beside her.

"What do you mean?" she said, offended and looking up at him, his form a perfect picture of self-assuredness beside her.

"Not in a bad way. What I meant was, you were so calm earlier, I thought you were some sort of superhuman who couldn't feel any emotion."

"Wow, thanks," she said, returning her head to her hands. "What about you? You weren't exactly shrieking in fear either."

He shrugged. "I'm used to the adrenaline rush. Quidditch, remember? But, I've never seen you in any sort of stressful situation like that. I was surprised by your reaction."

"I was just doing what a Head Girl should," she said, muffled slightly by her hands.

"Which is why Dumbledore picked you. As for his reasons for picking me—"

"Oh, don't start, Potter," she said, sighing and lifting her head. "Not now, of all times."

He laughed. "Here," he said, giving her a glass of water he had procured. "Drink."

She took the glass with a small smile and drank the entire thing. "Thanks," she said, wiping her mouth. "I don't feel like going back to class now. Mary is going to be a complete mess—"

"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting, Lily Evans?" he asked, with a surprised grin on his face. She stood from her seat—a comfortable armchair from Gryffindor Tower—and it vanished with a flick of her wand. James did the same with his.

"I'm not suggesting anything, Potter."

He sighed dramatically. "Back to Potter, are we?"

"Pardon?"

"You called me James earlier. Thought I was dreaming."

"I did not—"

"Yes, you did. In front of Dumbledore."

"Oh, well then that was because we're supposed to be getting along, remember? If I called you Potter in front of him, it wouldn't exactly seem like we're friends, now would it?" she said, walking towards the dungeons. She could still smell the terrible odor of the explosion smoke, but she wasn't sure if it was the actual smoke, or simply her memory.

"Right," he said, disbelievingly. "Whatever you say, Evans."

She scowled at him and ignored the name reversion.

"So we're actually going back to class, then?" he said dejectedly.

Lily paused. She really didn't want to, but Professor Dumbledore had said that McGonagall and Flitwick were cleaning up, and they would probably notice if she and James never returned to Slughorn's class. The Slug wouldn't mind though. She doubted he would even be in the mood to teach at this point. And Mary, Lily cringed at the amount of over-theatrics she would get if she returned now. Mary would be a crying, blubbering mess, and Lily did not want to deal with that at the moment.

"Do you know how to get to the Kitchens?" she said, as Potter watched her impatiently.

"The Kitchens? Me? Preposterous."

"Both of us missed breakfast," she said, ignoring his grin and walking in the opposite direction, where she assumed the Kitchens were.

"You're going the wrong way," he said, sighing and pulling her arm downstairs.

She smiled at her success and walked beside him slowly. Her knees still didn't feel completely stable, so she grabbed the side rail for support.

"What do you think they were doing down there?" she asked.

"Who?"

"Black and Avery," she said, rolling her eyes. "The ones who caused the explosion, not 15 minutes ago? Have you forgotten already?"

"Short-term memory," James said, tapping his temple and grinning. He shrugged. "Any number of things, I reckon. But nothing pleasant. It's best to just drop it and forget it ever happened."

"My hair is going to smell terrible for the next week and I know I'll have a bruise from where I landed on the ground earlier. I'm not just going to drop it and forget it happened."

He shrugged again. "You're on your own then, Evans."

She huffed.

"You know, I didn't know his name was Thomas," James said, still leading them towards the Kitchens.

"Who?"

"Avery? The one who caused the explosion? Ring any bells?" he said, throwing her words back at her.

She rolled her eyes, then laughed. "I didn't either, frankly. Thomas Avery sounded right though, don't you think? And no one corrected me, so I guess that is his name."

"You mean you just made it up?"

"More or less," she said, with a careless shrug.

James laughed and stopped at the first unmoving picture she'd ever seen in Hogwarts, a bowl of fruit. He ticked the green pear, which then began to move, and laugh and transform into a door handle.

"Amazing," she said, following James through the door.

"I know I have a nice arse, Evans. No need to ogle it though. I'm not an object," he said, turning around and facing her.

She ignored his comment and greeted the house elves that gathered around her knees. They all asked what she wanted and so she ordered from the menu hastily. James did the same and they sat at the Gryffindor table as their meals appeared before them.

Their breakfast was actually pleasant, but Lily wasn't sure if it was the company, the adrenaline crash, or the food that was calming her nerves with every bite she took. James took the time to explain how the Kitchen-Great Hall system worked, but refused to tell her how he'd managed to find it in the first place.

"Secrets are secrets because they aren't told, Evans," he said, stuffing a bite of his third waffle into his mouth.

"What's done is done, Potter," she said, stressing the name. "I'm not going to reprimand you now for something in the past."

He looked skeptical. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Why wouldn't I keep it?"

He rolled his eyes, taking another bite of his breakfast. "It's in your nature to reprimand, Evans. It's like telling house elves not to serve."

"That's not true," she said, eating a grape and hiding her hurt at his statement.

"It's all you've ever done," James said. "Can't just change like that now."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "It would go against the nature of all things magical."

"That makes no sense, Potter. Magic is change itself."

"Whatever, Evans. It would be the opposite of magic then, whatever that is. Anti-magic muggles."

They stopped talking, an uncomfortable silence surrounding them as they finished eating.

"Thanks for breakfast," she said, standing and smoothing her skirt out for something for her hands to do.

"Anytime, Evans."

"What, have you switched back to Evans permanently then?" she asked as he stood.

He looked confused. "I thought first names were only for the Headmaster," he said, basically mocking her lame excuse earlier.

She narrowed her eyes. "I'm trying to be civil, Potter, but if you're just going to tease me about it—"

"Being civil, Lily?" he said, angry. "You can't even admit to calling me by my first name without cringing, never mind being civil."

Lily was shocked by his anger, but recovered soon enough. "Oh, like you don't have some sort of ulterior motive for being so nice to me?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You can't just pretend like the last six years didn't happen, just like you said! All those years of teasing, asking me out—"

"You think that's what this is about?!" he said with a bitter laugh. "A bloke can't even call a girl by her first name without being accused of hitting on her. Merlin, what has the world come to?" he said, shaking his hands in mock outrage.

"That's not what I meant, Potter!"

"Explain it then!"

She glared at him, breathing heavily, her pulse pounding in her head. "I knew this was going to be difficult, but I didn't think it would be impossible—"

"Who's making it impossible, Lily? You won't even call me by my first name, for Merlin's sake!" he said, storming away and leaving her with cowering house-elves and her embarrassment.

Author's Note: WOW, it's been awhile, eh? I started this when I was bored, and then continued adding chapters until I decided that maybe I should post it. It's looking like a long one. I haven't finished, nor do I know how or when I will finish it, but I'm planning for it. Hope you've enjoyed reading, and sorry for it to take me so long to post another story! I've missed this!

Be sure to leave a comment if you liked/didn't like it. Next chapter should be up soon. Also, if there are any typos/sentences that didn't make sense, let me know, and I'll update it.