The Accidental Challenge by Wittyheroine

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

Chapter Three

Failing and Friends

James Potter's second try to ask Lily out took place when she was in her arithmancy class. She had been sitting in the front as was her habit with her friend Alice, intently taking notes as Professor Vector lectured. As Professor Vector lectured, there was a knock on the door.

"Ah, could someone please get that?" the Professor asked, and someone sitting in the back of the class got up and opened it.

When the door opened, a trembling, first year boy entered. "E-ex-excuse me," stammered the boy, "but is there someone named Lily Evans in here?"

Her professor looked at her with annoyance but then gestured for Lily to go see what the boy wanted which she did. "What is it?" she asked, smiling kindly at the first year who for some reason looked as if he were about to take on the giant squid.

"I-I-I've been told to come and tell you something," said the boy, "and you've got to let me tell it. You've simply got to!"

Lily was a bit confused by the young boy's actions but she decided to go with it. "Er-alright then, go ahead and tell me what it is you've got to tell me."

The boy smiled and straightened himself up. "It is requested that Miss Lillian Marie Evans meet one Mr. James Potter in the astronomy tower for a candlelit dinner for two at precisely seven o' clock p.m. tonight. And there was something else…oh yeah! Please wear something short, slinky, and red."

The whole of the classroom which had been watching the scene intently was quiet for about a moment and then the laughter came. Lily could feel the heat coming to her cheeks, and she wished that at that very moment the ground would swallow her up. She glared at the young boy in front of her.

"Where is he?" she demanded, trying to remain as composed as she possibly could and not grab the first year by his shoulders and shake him.

"I'm not supposed to tell you. He said he'd hex me if I did!"

"We'll see about that," said Lily, "now tell me where he is."

"He-well-he er-"

"Come on," said Lily, "I promise I won't hurt you um-"

"Thomas," he said, "Thomas Stoddard."

"Right then Thomas, if you would be so kind as to tell me where James Potter is I promise not to report this to your head of house and get you a detention. I also promise that I will keep James from even attempting to hex you."

Thomas looked wary. "Do you think you can get him to pay me those three galleons he promised?"

Lily smiled. "I'll do my best, Mr. Stoddard."

Thomas seemed very pleased by this answer. "He's right outside the door waiting for your answer!" Then he quickly ran outside and Lily followed after him ignoring the calls of Professor Vector demanding to know just where exactly she was going.

When Lily was outside the classroom, she saw not only James but Sirius as well standing not too far from the door. Sirius had hold of Thomas by his shirt collar and wasn't letting him go while James stood in front of him, his arms crossed over his chest, questioning him.

"Did you do it exactly like I asked?" James said.

"Ex-ex-exactly," said Thomas, who again looked terrified.

"Did she say yes?"

"Er…well, you see-"

"James Potter!" Lily called, appalled by what she was seeing. "How dare you."

James looked up then and smiled charmingly up at her. "Why, if it isn't the lovely Miss Evans, I must say that you do look ravishing today. Tell me, have you come to personally accept my invitation to dinner?"

"You've got a lot of nerve, Potter."

"So I've been told," said James, walking closer over to where she was, "now, about that answer?"

"Ugh! And to think, there you stand still asking me out after what you've just done," she said, "I really can't believe you. I used to think that you couldn't get any lower, but really, threatening some innocent little first year that you'll hex them if they don't ask me out for you well that's just pathetic."

"I thought it quite original actually," said James.

"Me too," said Sirius, "especially considering the fact that it was my brilliant idea in the first place. What's the matter Evans, don't you like being romanced? I thought girls loved that crap."

"Oh yes, there's nothing more romantic than knowing that some poor eleven year-old was scared to death because some prat wanted to ask me out," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "really, I'm swooning."

James's smile only widened. "I like a girl with fire in her. Come on Evans, just go out with me. I'll treat you like a queen and I'll show you things that you've never dreamed of before."

Lily rolled her eyes. "What like the inside of a broom closet?"

"I had other things in mind but you know I can make an exception if that's your desire."

"If you treat your fellow students like dirt, I don't even want to imagine how you would treat your girlfriends," said Lily, "and furthermore you can bet that I will be letting Professor McGonagall know of this little incident and I'll be taking ten points from Gryffindor each."

Sirius looked at her in surprise. "Come on now Evans, don't be a spoil sport. It was all in good fun. Prongs here just wanted to show you how much he liked you."

"If you want to show a girl that you like them, you buy them flowers like a normal person and you start acting like a decent human being. You certainly don't do this. Oh, and by the way, you owe young Thomas, well how much was it they said they'd pay you?"

Thomas smiled. "Three galleons."

Lily looked back at the two older boys. "You heard him."

"You've got to be kidding," said James, "I'm not paying that little runt! He did exactly what I told him not to do. He told you where I was."

"Pay him Potter, or I'll inform Filch that it was you who was responsible for charming his clothes to hang from the ceiling in the great hall and you'll probably get not only more points taken or detention as well."

He glared at her. "You are a cruel, cruel, woman."

"No, I just know what I want and I get it," Lily replied, "now come on. Pay the young man so I can get back to what's left of my class."

"Fine," said James with reluctance, and he took the money out of his pocket and gave it to Thomas. "There you are. Though you'd better stay out of my way, you scrawny, little, midget."

"Potter."

"What? That's what he is. Oh alright, don't get your knickers in a twist Evans and quite glaring at me. I apologize about the scrawny, little midget bit."

"That's alright. I'm just glad I've got my galleons," said Thomas, who went to pocket the money then realized that Sirius was still holding onto him. "Er, excuse me Mr. Black, but do you think you can let me go?"

"Huh-oh right," said Sirius, who let go of Thomas's collar.

Thomas pocketed the galleons and then ran off quickly before either James or Sirius could do anything else to him.

"So," said James, his attention again turned to Lily, "about our dinner. I was thinking maybe shrimp cocktails for appetizers, a salad and soup course, with steak and potatoes for the main entrée, and crem brulee for desert. I think I can even get the house elves to sneak into Professor Dumbledore's wine collection if I ask them politely enough. Sound good?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Go jump off a cliff Potter," she said, and then she turned and headed back into her classroom.

That left James and Sirius standing alone in the hallway together. "Bugger," said James, "I thought for sure that would work."

"Same here mate," said Sirius, "although I've never asked anyone out before myself. Usually girls just find me."

"What do you think I did wrong?"

"I reckon maybe that we shouldn't have interrupted her class. Evans is quite the serious bird you know and she's not likely to enjoy someone that interferes with her studies."

"I suppose your right," said James, "so next time I won't ask her out during class and she'll have to say yes."

"I wouldn't do it in the Great Hall either. Remember, she rejected you there too."

"What's left then?"

"Gryffindor common room?" Sirius suggested.

"Perfect," said James, "and I suppose I shouldn't threaten anymore first years to help me either."

"I suppose not. Maybe you should try the flower thing like she suggested? I mean if she mentioned it then it's got to be something that she'll actually like."

"That just seems a bit too normal. After all, I am trying to prove to the girl I'm good enough for her. It should be something special."

"We'll charm the flowers to change colors or something," said Sirius, "I'm certain between you, me, Peter and Remus we can come up with an idea that will make them slightly less ordinary."

"Right then," said James, "but we should probably go back to our divination class before we end up with detention."

"I second that."

The two of them then headed back to their class which they had managed to sneak out of just so James could ask out Lily, not that she would ever know that.

Later, Lily Evans had been finished with her classes for the day for about an hour and a half and was still fuming over the incident while sitting in the library with Emmeline, Alice, and Frank (the two of which were currently busy furiously kissing one another).

"Really," Lily said, "just where exactly does he get off? The whole thing was completely immature and not to mention rude."

"You're perfectly right Lily, as I've been saying for a while now, but can you please stop ranting about James and his immature prank and help me with my potions homework like you promised?" said Emmeline.

Lily sighed. "Oh, I'm so sorry Em. I've been completely distracted haven't I?"

"Very," said Emmeline, "but it's perfectly understandable. I'd be upset if someone had done something like that to me, especially in the middle of one of my classes. That'd be the last thing I need is for that to happen in potions!"

Alice, who had been in the middle of kissing Frank, pulled away from her boyfriend for a moment. "Actually if it hadn't been for the fact that James had threatened to hex the poor first year, or that comment about Lily wearing something red, short, and slinky to dinner I rather think it would have been quite cute."

Frank let out a groan. "Dear Merlin Alice, you're not going to expect me to start acting like my dorm mate are you? That's a bit too much pressure. Everyone knows there's only one James Potter and besides, I rather like being Frank Longbottom."

Alice laughed. "Don't you worry yourself Frank, I like you as well. I was only saying that James knows how to ask out a girl, that's all."

Lily looked at her friend incredulously. "How can you possibly say that? Poor Thomas Stoddard was practically shaking in fear not to mention the fact that the whole thing was completely humiliating."

"I think that you should give him a chance Lily," said Alice, "I've never seen James go through all of this trouble for a girl. He must really like you."

"Oh please, this isn't about how much he likes me. He's doing this as a means to aggravate not only me but Sev as well."

"What makes you think that?" Emmeline asked. "The last I saw Snape wasn't involved in either of these two incidents, although I wasn't there for the last one."

"Snape wasn't there," Alice assured her, "and I think you're just being stubborn Lily Evans. What harm could happen from giving James a chance? He's an alright bloke…most of the time."

"She does have a point you know," said Frank, "I don't hang out with James much but he's always been decent to me at least."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You're only saying that because you don't know what's brought about this whole incident. Potter was in the library the other day and wanted to know why I spent time with Sev, and I said it was because he understood me. Then we got into a little spat and Sev said something about Potter not being good enough."

Emmeline and Alice just looked at her blankly while Frank looked at her understandingly. "You're right. Snape saying that James wasn't good enough for something would irritate him, especially since it was concerning a girl. James is an only child and he's been brought up thinking that he's the best at everything because he hasn't had anyone to tell him otherwise."

"There," said Lily, "so you see he's not really interested in me. He's just doing this to be a pain."

Alice sighed. "Well, that's a shame. The two of you together would make an awfully nice couple in my opinion."

"Stunning, more like," said Emmeline, "but can we please stop talking about Lily's love life? I'd rather not fail potions class because of it."

Lily smiled at her friend. "Come along Emmeline. We'll go somewhere else to study to that the love birds can be left alone and we can get actual work done."

Alice laughed. "We're not that bad you know."

"Please," said Lily, "if we weren't here you'd probably be doing it."

"Hey! I resent that Lily Evans," said Frank, "I am a classy young man and would never do it with my lovely lady in the library. We'd find a broom closet like decent folk, thank you very much."

"Frank!" Alice exclaimed, turning bright red while he just grinned and pulled her in for another kiss.

Lily and Emmeline both shook their heads at the two of them and then went to go and find a table where they wouldn't have to watch the happy couples rather too affectionate display as they studied.

A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews everyone! I'm glad you're liking it so far. I haven't written much in the way of Harry Potter stories before so it's nice to know that you think I'm doing an okay job so far.

Loslote: I'm glad you like the characters. I'm a bit new to writing Lily and James fanfiction so I'm trying my best.

P.A. Faraway: Yep, James being a prick is intentional. He's kind of got spoiled-rich boy syndrome going on right now but that will change eventually.

ClockyEvans: Glad you like it!

Doctor Brittana Bannana Who: Glad you like it!

ParisienneDLP: Glad you liked it!

If you're enjoying The Accident Challenge, I've also got another Lily and James story going on right now called James Potter is a Dead Man as well as a Draco and Hermione story that I just started called Old Acquaintances. Thanks again!