"Tell me why, Remus," James asked as he paced back and forth at the foot of one of his closest friend's bed. "Why on Earth would someone like Lily Evans fall for a rat like Severus Snape?" He spat the very words "Severus Snape" as though they themselves were poisonous.
"Funny," Remus murmured as he stared at the top of his fourposter bed. "It seems like she called you the same thing this afternoon."
"Very clever Lupin," he snorted. "Why though? Why would she call me that? I've done nothing but be nice to her!" He glanced out the frosted window at the three-quarters moon and remembered why Remus was being so haughty.
"Maybe it's not how nice you are to her," Lupin mumbled. "Maybe it's how you treat everyone else that turns her away."
"Again, Remus?" Sirius called in his low, slow voice from where he lie, two beds down. "Must you always scold us like children?"
"Must you act like them?" Remus shot, without his usual passion.
"Those eyes," James continued as though neither of his friends had spoke. "Did you hear Slughorn's having a Christmas party for that Slug Club of his? I'm sure she'll go. . .she's his absolute favorite student. Do you think if I asked her, she'd take me as her guest?"
"It would be odd to ask her to take you, James," Sirius said. "Don't you think Snape would be there anyway, as in love with Potions as he is?"
"And her," Peter Petigrew piped up from Remus's other side.
"Snape!" James shouted, stopping his pacing just to kick his trunk with rage. "I bet they're out in the halls this minute, just -"
"Not according to the map," Peter whispered.
The Marauder's Map. No wonder Peter was keeping so quiet. He was lying silently under the covers, studying the four friends' greatest creation by the light of his wand. Still a work in progress, they had made the map themselves. It gave them the ability to see where almost every person inside Hogwarts was at any given time, which could be incredibly valuable (and dangerous, if fallen into the wrong hands).
"Put the map away, Peter," Sirius said slowly.
"There's no one in here but us, S-Sirius," Peter said with his usual nervous stutter. "I just thought -"
"Where is she?" James asked.
"Li-Lily Evans," Peter mumbled. "Just leaving Proffesor Slughorn's office."
"Heading where?"
"Here," Peter said. "It would seem."
Without another word to his friends, James rushed out of the boys' dormitory, down the stairs, and into the Gryffindor common room. Most of the other Gryffindors were here, or out roaming the halls, enjoying free time after dinner. James positioned himself in a comfy leather chair on the left of the main door and waited for Lily to enter. Lily was her flowing red locks. Lily with her gentle disposition. Lily with her striking emerald eyes. James was so lost in thoughts of her that he barely noticed Lily enter.
"Lily," he said, reaching out to grab her arm. He clasped her smooth, porceilan skin in his rough palm, and she let out a loud gasp.
"Potter," she spat, narrowing her eyes as she looked down at him. Hearing her say his name like a curse was like having a knife stabbed in his spine.
"Lily, please," he said, imploring her to stay. "Just listen to me."
"No," she said. "You listen to me -"
"Lily, you're being ridiculous. Please, isn't there somewhere we can talk out our differences?"
"I'm being ridiculous? And don't you dare cut me off, you toad! What makes you think what you have to say is so much more important than what I have to say, huh? What gave you the authority, Mr. Potter, to talk over me like I'm some insolent schoolgirl?!"
"Well that's exactly what you're being!" As soon as James said it, he knew it was the wrong thing to say, because Lily's lovely eyes widened to twice their size.
"Well!"
"Lily, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Please. All I want is to talk to you, to prove that I'm not some monster!"
"A fine job you've done. . ." she trailed off. James knew he'd won her over, because the corners of her eyes and mouth softened.
"You have twenty minutes," she said quietly.
