Here's the next chapter. I will update regularly now. I'm working on the next chapter as we speak. I also have a question. This is a long shot to the extreme, but I was wondering if anyone had a copy of I Bet You Can't? I sincerely doubt anyone does, but it was the first thing I wrote, and I lost it, and I'd love to be able to read it again. I know it was fairly popular, but I doubt it had staying power. Its been years. I'm just asking on the off-chance that someone has it lingering on their computer. Thanks anyway though. I hope you enjoy this installment.

000

Lily rushed down the stars and bolted into the common room, practically yelping the password at the fat lady. She could feel her cheeks burning.

The way he had looked at her…no, she couldn't think about that. But how could she not? He looked at her like he'd never seen anyone like her in his life, yet he knew everything about her. She felt totally naked, and that was humiliating. No one had ever looked at her like that.

Her defences shot up and her embarrassment slowly transformed into indignation. He had no right to look at her like that, to judge her!

"Stupid git!" she proclaimed, slightly satisfied.

"Pardon?"

She whipped around to see Remus Lupin sitting on one of the couches, looking up from his book with a quizzical expression on his face.

If Lily could have turned any redder, she would have.

"Not you," she mumbled. "Someone else."

"Has someone been bothering you, Lily? Because we can flex our Prefect powers and see if we can't land them in detention. Or I could just sic James and Sirius on them." Lupin grinned at her.

Lily smiled involuntarily.

"No, don't bother yourself about me, Remus, I was just…"

But Remus never found out what she was going to say because at that moment the portrait hole swung open and Lily let out a strangled yelp and scurried up the stairs to her room.

In walked Sirius and Julian. Sirius wore an amused expression while Julian was sporting a satisfied grin. Trailing behind them was James, in a bit of a daze.

He seemed to shake it off though, and he turned to Remus.

"Did a girl named Lily come through here? Red hair…"

A look of realization dawned on Remus. "Oh, so you're the stupid git?"

"I am not," said James, though without much conviction.

"Well, it rather depends on who you ask. Most would agree with your assertion, Moony."

"Sod off Sirius," James said good-naturedly.

He sat down and rested his head on the table. "Me mum thinks I'm quite charming," he mumbled, feeling suddenly drained.

After a moment, his head shot up sharply. "She called me a stupid git?"

Remus shrugged. "She wasn't too specific. What did you do to her, anyway?"

"Nothing! She just looked at me, and well, I've never seen anything like it…" he trailed off.

"Like what? Did you get a peek down her blouse?"

"No, no, nothing like that. It was…her eyes."

"Oh, is that what we're calling them now?"

"I'm serious Padfoot! I've never seen eyes that green. I felt like she knew all my secrets, that I could tell her all my secrets. And that she would understand."

Remus paled. "You better not…"

"I won't," James snapped. Then he sighed. "Oh, Merlin, I dunno."

"You reckon she charmed you?" Sirius asked.

"I reckon she bloody well did not!" Julian interjected.

The boys turned to look at him, having almost forgotten that Julian was there.

"Oh, is she your girlfriend, then?"

James stiffened slightly as he waited for a response.

Julian snorted. "Hardly. We've known each other ages. She lived down the street from me. We used to play when we were little."

"Ah. So you're a muggle born, then?"

"Sirius, we're cousins."

Sirius had the grace to look embarrassed. "Yeah, but like thrice removed really." He turned his attention to James.

"So, do you fancy her?"

"No! Why do you ask?" James said, a little too quickly.

Sirius grinned knowingly. "No reason then. You fancy we knick some bludgers from the Quidditch pitch and have a go at the Slytherins?"

James grinned and stood up. "Nah, I don't think so. I'm afraid I'm absolutely knackered." He stretched. "I think I fancy a nap."

Sirius shrugged. "Moony?"

Remus shook his head. "Not a chance. I still have six inches on the charms essay."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Suit yourself. What about you, Julian?"

Julian grinned. "Sorry mate. I've got detention with Slughorn in 10 minutes. As do you, if I recall correctly."

"Oh, right. Oy, James! Get up!"

James groaned from the couch. "Do I have to?"

" 'Fraid so. Let's go."

James reluctantly got up and trudged towards the door. Julian grinned and opened the portrait hole.

Sirius eyes Julian suspiciously. "Why are you so chipper?"

Julian's grin widened. "Let's just say, I don't plan on being in detention for very long."

The boys eyed him skeptically but didn't push the issue. as they continued their descent to the dungeons.

000

Slughorn was relaxing at his desk, nursing a bottle of firewhisky.

Sirius pounced in and shouted a greeting, startling Slughorn and nearly upsetting his drink.

"Oh well, hello boys. Here for the detention, are we?"

"Yes, sir."

"I hate to do this to you boys, I really do. But rules are rules. Maybe if you attended my parties I may be inclined to look the other way next time." Slughhorn smiled jovially and winked.

James grinned. "No problem sir, we thrive off punishment."

"Any punishment is better then the Slug Club," Sirius mumbled.

"What was that, boy?" He slurred.

"Nothing sir. I was just wondering what you would like us to do."

"Ah, yes. Well you can begin by taking inventory of my closet. Hurry along."

The boys headed over to the closet. Julian plopped down on the floor and began counting dungbeetles.

After about twenty minutes or so, they heard footsteps along the corridor.

"Finally," Julian grinned. "The cavalry has arrived."

James and Sirius looked at him quizzically, just as a figure snuck into the storage closet.

It was Lily Evans.

"Why do I always do this for you?" She whispered exasperatedly. She had not yet noticed that James and Sirius were in the closet.

"You always get yourself in trouble, and I always bail you out. Now if you would just behave yourself every once in a while..."

"Er...Lilly my love?" Julian whispered.

"What?" she sighed.

Julian simply pointed behind her. She spun around to see Sirius and James staring at her. She let out a yelp and backed into a shelf, nearly toppling a jar of dried flobberworms onto her head.

She then glared at Julian. "Them too? You want me to get them out, too?"

"Oh come on, Lils. It'll only be fair." Julian said sheepishly.

"Fair?" she hissed. "Fair? What I'm doing now is patently unfair. No one else I know gets out of..."

"Lily, I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Oh, bloody hell. Alright. Give me a minute to think." She stood still for a moment, tilting her head and biting her lip.

"Ok. Look amused."

"Amused how?" Sirius prodded.

"You know, those self-satisfied grins you all tend to sport." she snapped.

She sighed. "Ok, stay behind me." She grabbed Julian by his collar and then took James wrist. She froze momentarily, then dropped James' arm as if it were on fire. She stood still, composing herself and silently praying that no one could hear her heart thudding.

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to get going, because this is a tad bit uncomfortable."

She looked over at Julian and realised she still had him by the collar. "Oh, right. Sorry."

She grabbed Sirius this time and muttered, "Follow me." She then proceeded to storm out of the Potion's closet, dragging a startled Julian and Sirius behind her, with James trailing, equally bewildered.

"Professor Slughorn!" she nearly shrieked.

Slughorn, still enjoying his firewhisky, nearly fell out of his chair.

"Lily, dear, what is it?"

"Look who I found filching from the Potion's closet!"

"Oh them? No dear, they have detention."

"Detention, they bloody well deserve detention, the smarmy gits."

"Is something wrong, Ms. Evans?"

"Yes sir, there is. These three," she said turning around to face them, they had lined up like lambs to the slaughter. She pointed an accusing finger.

"These three," she repeated. "Have hexed my wand."

"Pardon?" Slughorn asked, drunken and bewildered.

"Yes sir, its true. Now I can't get anywhere near it and its spewing putrid gunk all over my room! It must have taken them hours to hex my wand, and I simply must make them turn it back."

"Ah, well, yes of course. You are naughty boys. I suppose we can reschedule the detention."

"Oh, there's no need sir, I will dole out punishment enough," she fumed. For good measure, she slapped Julian in the back of the head.

Slughorn roared with laughter.

"Very well then. Never anger a redhead, I always say."

"Thank you so much sir."

"Anything for my favorite student, run along, then."

Lily grabbed Julian and Sirius and marched out of the classroom, letting out a scream of frustration for good measure. When they reached the corridor, they could still hear Slughorn drunkenly chuckling.

It wasn't until they were out of the dungeons that Lily let go of them.

"That was brilliant," Sirius said, grinning in disbelief.

James murmured in agreement.

"Bloody hell, Lily, you wrinkled my shirt." Julian complained.

Lily drew her wand from her sleeve, where she'd been hiding it, and pointed it to Julian's throat.

"I can unwrinkle it, if you'd like," she growled.

Julian grinned. "Tsk tsk. Always so touchy after a jailbreak."

"Touchy? Of course I'm touchy! You just come up to me, all cocky and say..."

She was cut short by Sirius hoisting her up and sprinting out to the grounds.

James and Julian exchanged bewildered looks before bolting after him.

"What is he doing?" Julian asked.

"How the hell should I know?"

Sirius ran with Lily in tow, too shocked to say anything. They finally reached the Marauder's regular haunt, under a large tree, and he set her down on the grass. James and Julian followed slightly behind, panting for breath. Lily stared as Sirius plopped down in front of her, grinning. The other boys followed suit and collapsed on the ground.

Lily remained silent for a few more moments, until she finally spoke. "Now why did you go and do that?"

Sirius' grin widened. "I reckon I thought it would make you shut up."

Lily stared at him for a moment longer and a smile slowly spread on her face. "I reckon it worked," she said, and began laughing.

"Lily, you are my new favorite person," Sirius proclaimed.

"Oh really? I wonder how long that will last," she said wryly.

Sirius looked abashed. "Forever, I'm sure."

James snorted.

Sirius looked at him with mock indignation. "I will prove my devotion to you!"

"I'd really rather you didn't," Lily said.

"Nonsense," Sirius looked around for a moment, until he spotted a group of Hufflepuff girls giggling by the lake. He whistled at them.

The girls looked up and giggled even harder when they realised who was calling them.

"Oy!" he shouted. "I just want you to know, that I am undyingly devoted to this woman," he pointed to Lily. The girls stopped giggling and glared at Lily. Lily groaned and buried her head in her hands.

"Although," he called to them as an afterthought. "I wouldn't mind shagging you," he said, pointing vaguely in their direction. The girls began to blush and giggle again.

"He was pointing at me,"

"No he wasn't you hag! He was clearly pointing at me!"

Sirius grinned and sat back down.

Lily shook her head. "You are a dog, Sirius Black."

Sirius winked. "In more ways than one, darling."

000

There it is. Some kissing coming up in the next chapter, that's for sure.