I was excited to get the next chapter up, don't be afraid to leave me your opinion! ~May Reach

Chapter 1

2 YEARS LATER

"Aw come on Evans!" James called down the table as Lily sat down with a couple of friends.

"Ugh, he's so annoying." Lily said loud enough for him to hear before yelling, "NO!"

This caused almost every student in the Great Hall burst into laughter. 7 years of trying to get her to go out with him and you'd think they'd have progressed farther than this. Yet, here they were, still asking the other out with a firm "no" right behind it. Perhaps it was about time for James to give up, move on, and mature.

"Cheer up Prongs; it's not as if you can't see her." Remus told him in a half-way there voice. Tonight was another transformation night and it was really wearing on the teen.

"Moony's right, you have a whole common room with her!" Sirius patted his back and James bit back a smile.

"Yeah, if Lily will ever do anything more than glare at me from across the room," He told the three and Sirius chuckled, Remus smiled, and Peter's eyes widened at something behind his friend. A soft hand touched his shoulder and red hair slipped into his side view. James made a loud noise from his throat, causing tinkling laughter to echo around in his ear. He turned ever so slightly, already knowing who it was.

"If you ever stop acting like a complete idiot then maybe I wouldn't glare at you so much." Lily's voice said floating down over his head.

"Well hello there Lily, what are you up to this fine morning?"

"As if the four of you don't know already," Lily responded before walking away. James watched her retreating form and as he turned back to his friends, he saw Severus watching her also.

"Guys, look at Snivellus, I do believe he's reached a new level of pathetic." He whispered to his mates, they all turned in the direction of the Slytherin; he was turning away from watching the direction in which Lily had disappeared.

"Wonder he's just feeling sorry?" Peter put in, thinking about the day just over a year before.

"Doubt it, probably wondering what she'd do to him if he did it again." Sirius said.

"Whatever the reason I will not lose to Snape, I will do anything to protect Lily." James smashed his fist into his own outstretched hand. "I'm going to go grab my stuff from the common room before heading to class. See you guys."

He ran up the marble steps and took several hidden passage ways before reaching the head common rooms. James was required to open the portrait by saying the love tainted password. The painting was one of a lady with adulterate tendencies; she loved to pair various students together when they would pass. If James however, knew he quite liked the name combination password. They could be fun and silly, but it was definitely a lot more fun when they annoyed Lily so much. The months' password just happened to be "Jily," which sounds a lot like Jelly Bean. James would wonder what type of Bertie Botts Every Flavored Bean Lily enjoyed the most, or what she would taste like as the small candy. It was an idea he wouldn't put past the wizarding company to make them. James happened to open the door just as Lily was leaving with her bag swinging over her shoulder.

"Evans, this must be fate, will you accompany me on a date?" He asked her as politely as possible; even going to as much trouble to make it rhyme on such short notice.

"No."

"Come on Lily, what is the harm of one date?" James was way past the point of caring about whether or not he was begging.

"No harm, at least that I know of. We are not having this conversation right now either Potter." Then she was gone and James was left alone, pondering how he could change to attract her attention.

James Potter would forever be the man to always pull at Lily's nerves in the wrong way. It was with this thought in mind where she had the perfect epiphany and was able to formulate her plan. A way to finally get back at James for all the humiliation and annoyance over six years. Lily had become so involved in her thoughts all sense of direction and sight were lost. As would be expected in a situation like this, she tripped magnificently down the stairs leading to the potions classroom. Regaining her balance was a futile effort, she plummeted down the stone steps, but instead of hitting the hard floor she had landed on something soft and a little squishy. Lily's face was pressed up against something warm, which was giving off a very steady beat in her ear. The thing she had landed on gave off a soft moan, causing her to scream and jump off. Realizing it was a live person she had unwittingly taken out. Gaining composure, she bent over the man to make sure he was okay and she had caused no lasting damage.

"Come on Evans, I'm not that scary am I?" James Potter said from the floor. He groaned and peeled himself up; his friends were laughing their heads off at him. Even some of the class was laughing.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked the head boy, then thought of another question which wasn't nearly as pressing. "How'd you get down here so fast?"

"When I told Sirius I wouldn't mind having you jump in my arms I didn't mean it like this. That floor hurts when you land on it, you know?" James said stretching out his spine, "As for the second question, secret passage ways."

His hazel eyes pierced Lily's, making her breath leave her momentarily.

"Prongs – you – should – have – seen – that – look – on – your - face!" Sirius was choking over his words, trying to stop laughing.

"Yeah!" Peter wheezed.

"Man first you thought she was going to tell you she loved you, suddenly you realized she was falling! It was so good, your expressions, they were perfect!" Remus told the group, gaining control over his laughing and continued to smile. The only person not laughing or smiling was Severus, he was glaring at James.

"So what say ye pretty lady, go out with me, your hero?" James asked with a little bow.

"No." Lily swung herself around to lean against the brick wall nearby.

"Come on Evans, what do I have to do to get you to go out with me?" James asked putting his hand on her shoulder.

Lily grabbed his hand and squeezed it as hard as she could. James let out a small gasp of pain. "You want to know what you can do? You can-"

Just then Slughorn stepped out of the classroom.

"Oho, what do we have here?" he asked and she dropped James' hand quickly.

"Nothing." She told him at the same time James said:

"I wish it was something."

"Well everyone in. Oho! Severus how are you today?"

"Good sir." His voice replied-it had turned oily; it had never been oily towards Lily until their 5th year. Lily almost started crying, it was still such a raw and painful memory; she buried her head into her book bag, attempting to hide the emotions playing across her face.

James heard a few sniffles from Lily at the next table over. Her head was buried in her book bag and Sirius gave his best friend a strange look.

"Hey Padfoot-" Remus began.

"Yes Moony?" Sirius said cutting him off, for some odd reason only he knew.

"What are you planning on doing after we pass our N.E.W.T.'s?"

"I'm planning on becoming a teacher here at Hogwarts." Sirius replied not caring in his voice.

"Really?" Remus asked a surprised look on his face.

"No, I'm really going to be put in Azkaban for 12 years because I unsuccessfully tried to kill Peter; who chops off his finger and turns into a rat, disappearing into the sewers." Sirius told him and Peter cowered back in his seat, scared Sirius might actually kill him. The man shook his head at Peter and pulled him into a brotherly hug, a smile across his face.

"He's going to be a chaser for Falmouth Falcons Remus." James told him rolling his eyes at Sirius for thinking up such a ridiculous idea. Where he got half the ideas in his head was a complete mystery to the Marauders.

"Isn't that the team with the motto: 'Let us win, but if we cannot win, let us break a few heads'?" Remus asked, but Sirius answered before James could form the words.

"No, the Holyhead Harpies!" Sirius exclaimed, waving his hands in front of him.

"That's an all girls team!" Peter squeaked from his chair.

"Not to mention all their names have to start with G."

"Today class we will try making Amortentia and Draught of Peace" Slughorn announced to the class, Sirius tipped a little too far back on his chair and there was a loud "bang!" as he fell backwards and hit the stone floor. Several students began laughing at Sirius and many were talking about the potions.

"Lily, are you okay?" Slughorn asked her head was still buried in the bag; the class fell silent.

"Yes sir." Lily responded her voice muffled.

"Are you sure Lily, dear?" He checked.

"Yes, Professor Slughorn." Her voice came from the bag.

"If you're sure," The bag went up and down a few times, "then I'll get on with the lesson. Each of these potions take minimal time to stew, the same actually; what we're going to do, is half of the class will be making Amortentia for 3 days and the other half will be making the Draught of Peace for 3 days. Then at the end of those 3 days we'll switch. It should take 6 days to complete this assignment. We'll also be working in pairs; I have already assigned them out, so no cheering yet. Miss Evans, are you sure that you're alright?"

"Yes sir, just give me a moment." There was a splash of water and James realized she had slipped under the table.

"Well then I shall start giving out the pairs; for those making Amortentia: Mr. Black and Miss Fortescue, Mr. Gideon Prewett and Miss Vance, Mr. Snape and Mr. Bones, Mr. Pettigrew and Miss Prewett, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans-"

"What?" Lily screeched from under the table and as she stood up her head hit the table. "Ouch!"

She came out from under the table and stood up rubbing her head, her face completely red.

"Yes, Mr. Potter and Miss Evans. For the Draught of Peace: Mr. Moody and Miss McKinnon, Mr. Longbottom and Miss Fig, Mr. Weasley and Miss Bones, Mr. Podmore and Mr. Lupin. Now get to it!"

"Don't even dare think about giving me an Amortentia when were done with it." Lily told James as he approached the table, storming off to gather the ingredients.

Edited January 24, 2014- First POV removal, third person put into place. Plot structure, grammar, spelling, and other edits made to original story line.