As normal everything is J.K. Rowling's apart from the OCs or anything you don't recognise, thanks.

Please read and review, especially if you want me to write more =)

P.S. all credit for the title of Chapter One goes to my good friend TheMissMod, thanks a lot

Chapter Two - The List

The remaining train journey and carriage ride up to the castle passed in an unusual silence for the four boys, Sennin's question had alerted them to the major flaw of James' plan. The part that he himself had also forgotten about. James Potter's brilliant ideas always developed like this, he would have a sudden moment of divine inspiration about how to make the Slytherins suffer for beating them at Quidditch or how he could get revenge on Lily for attaching sequins to his clothes, he would plan it out but just when it seemed to him that nothing could go wrong someone, usually Sennin, pointed out the fundamental flaw in the plan. Sometimes James would admit defeat and call it off but not this one. He was convinced that as long as they picked the right girl nothing could go wrong, and the results would be spectacular. James knew how these things worked, he would be able to make Albus and the entire female population of Hogwarts jealous after one date, and then he could pick and choose. It was simply a matter of creating a short list of possible girls and picking one from that.

Entering the Great Hall for the first time that year dragged James out of his musings, the press of bodies on all sides and the immense noise of hundreds of students catching up after the summer made it impossible to concentrate. It did however provide a perfect chance to get an initial view of how the girls had changed over the holidays.

"Seen anyone good yet?" asked Sennin, voicing James' thoughts as they slid into seats at the Gryffindor table.

"What about...her, short hair, blond..." said Alex nodding his head towards a Huffelpuff girl who had just entered the hall. As one the four boys turned in their seats to asses the girl.

"No, that's Sophie Sanders, she's the one that threw up in the Three Broomsticks,"

"Urg, I remember that. She's not been out with anyone since,"

"I wonder why?" said Sennin sarcastically,

"Anyway that's a no. I can't go out with her."

"Ok...her, red head, Gryffindor, down the end of the table,"

"Lucas you idiot, that's Albus's ex!"

"Shush!" Interrupted Alex, "The sorting's about to start."

Sennin and James payed little attention to Alex's chiding and simply rolled their eyes at him and pulled out a scrap of parchment and continued to write and cross out names on it, passing it back and forth between them and Lucas. Alex ignored his friends knowing that it was pointless to try and stop them scheming. As the sorting continued the scribbling became more frantic and James found it harder and harder to stop himself from speaking aloud. Finally the sorting was over and instantly he exclaimed "But that can't be right!"

"Sorry mate it's the truth," replied Sennin with mock concern.

"What's happened?" asked Alex exasperatedly. Sennin turned to him with an expression of deepest sympathy, "Poor old Jamesy-boy has discovered that he will never get a date."

"We've run out of girls!" James cried, a look of horror on his face. If he couldn't find the right girl his plan would be ruined.

The boys didn't mention Hogwart's supposed lack of girls good enough to go out with James until the next morning. Lucas had been unwilling to contribute any more ideas after the harsh put downs he had received, Alex knew better to try and interfere in James' plan right now, the boy would overreact and then it would be impossible to calm him down. A distressed, overactive James was not a good thing, especially on the first day of term. And Sennin was too busy teasing James to be helpful. So James climbed into his four poster bed in Gryffindor tower going back over all the conversation from the feast wondering if in all the noise he had missed someone out.

The next morning however saw the return of James Potter's Brilliant Idea. As the four boys sat examining their new timetables James was able to voice the plan that he had spent most of the night working out.

"So I think we went about it the wrong way last night." he said taking a casual sip of pumpkin juice.

"Did what wrong?" questioned Lucas, his eyes still half closed.

"My Plan." said James, who was bouncing with energy in his eagerness to explain his developments, "We need a list. A proper list, of all the girls in the school from say fifth year up, with their pros and cons. Therefore, by the process of elimination, we will find my perfect date."

"Did you just say 'therefore'?" interrupted Sennin, "Bloody hell its Monday morning, don't go using long words like that James, my head can't take it."

"Ok, ok, I apologize for using such difficult words. But the Plan? It's genius isn't it?"

"I'm not sure about genius James but yeah its a start." admitted Alex. Lucas nodded his agreement and Sennin simply yawned but James took it to heart and with a huge grin plastered on his face set off for lessons and the discovery of his perfect future girlfriend.

Sorry its short but it felt like a good place to pause so that I can get into the real lists in the next chapter.

thanks for reading and please review.