"You're ENGAGED?"

By jegan

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, themes, places, names, etc., from JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Last Chapter:

Selene pushed open the doors to the Great Hall. All eyes focused upon them.

Chapter 4 – The Rivalry Begins

All conversation in the Great Hall ceased as the gaggle of muggles made their way to the front of the hall between the long rows of students. Cameras flashed incessantly accompanied by many awed ooh's and aah's. Their eyes jumped from sight to sight, often glimpsing the floating candles and banners speculatively, but lingering upon the enchanted ceiling. The purplish pillows of clouds that had drifted across the velvet the night before now blanketed the ceiling.

The hall was decked in red and gold in celebration of the Gryffindors winning the quidditch the week before. Scenes from the game of the team making dives and goals and catching the snitch were in action on the banners. Cameron watched jealously as James scored goal after goal on the banner display. He tightened his grip on Lily's hand.

James smirked. James 1; Cameron 0.

"You'll have to come see the next game. It'll be the match of the season: Gryffindor verses Slytherin," Sirius commented, noticing Cameron's gaze.

Dumbledore descended from the head table to greet them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. We hope you find your stay rewarding," He courteously took Mrs Grunnings' and Mrs Evans' hands and kissed them. He firmly shook the men's hands.

"Students of Hogwarts, please make welcome the Grunnings and the Evans. Their work towards better muggle wizard relations has been incalculable. Over the next few weeks they will be staying here. I trust you will make their stay a pleasant one," he stared pointedly at Sirius, warning him with his piercing blue eyes not to overstep the mark. "I have the great pleasure to announce the engagement of Head Girl Lily Evans, to Cameron Edward Grunnings." He raised their coupled hands.

There was stunned silence.

Professors Flitwick and McGonagall began to clap and slowly the applause began to swell, but it was awkward. The Slytherin table in particular looked on with barely masked disgust. A muggle wedding was being announced at Hogwarts. Some were openly derisive, making snide comments:

"A muggle and a mudblood, how quaint."

These were met with deadening looks from the head table.

The applause shortly subsided to be replaced with fervent gossiping. They sat down at the Gryffindor table. Lily was trapped between her fiancé and Catherine. Her family sat opposite her. Selene and the Marauders were pushed further down the table, with Sirius placed next to Petunia Evans.

"So Lily," Catherine began, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. "What kind of things do they teach you here?"

"Charms, potions, history of magic, divination," Lily listed uncertainly.

"Ah I see, divination, well I'll have to get you to read my palm sometime, scry into the mystic depths of a crystal ball, what do you say?"

"It's a very imprecise form of magic. If you were interested in what is taught at Hogwarts perhaps it would be best to start somewhere else… charms for instance,"

"Ah yes, charms indeed, they could be very handy for our business," she winked conspicuously at Mr and Mrs Evans who smiled saccharinely back.

Lily felt sick. She stared miserably into her plate, hiding behind a mask of smiles. Cameron tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned into her. His other hand rested on her thigh beneath the table.

"I could think of some interesting uses for charms,"

His hot breath pressed against her ear. She pushed his hands off of her, but could do no more. The entire school was watching their every move. As were their parents. One wrong move and she could land herself out of Hogwarts and without a family.

Dinner passed by with little hiccup. Cameron spent the evening advancing upon Lily, who continually passed him aside, and Catherine made small chat with everyone including Remus whose extensive knowledge of the British stock market came as a surprise to everyone.

James bristled all through dinner at the sight of Cameron's arm around Lily, his hand upon hers, upon her thigh, and his head buried against her ear and neck. He tried to relieve the agony by transforming his slice of pork into a semblance of Cameron and stabbing it violently with his knife. It was all James could do to stop himself from throwing something at him. He got small satisfaction from noticing Cameron warily glancing at the quidditch banners now and then.

With dinner over, Lily led them up to Gryffindor house. She whispered the password lovebirds to the portrait of the witch with the purplish green wart on her chin. The wart wobbled from her first chin to her second then third before getting lost in the rolls as the witch gave a highly exaggerated wink at Lily. Despite Lily's efforts, Cameron had heard the password. He pressed his mouth against her neck and his hands on her waist.

Lily pushed forcefully through the portrait door. Their common room was decorated in red and gold, much like Gryffindor, but with several doors leading to bedrooms. The fire kindled brightly in its stone placing giving light and warmth to the room. The house elves had already brought up the Evans and Grunnings' luggage and turned the sheets down on the beds. Instead of mints on the pillow, there were chocolate frogs. Lily stifled a giggle as she thought of what Catherine's reaction would be like later that night.

"I'm just opposite the hall if you need me. The portrait of the fat lady. The password is…" Lily faltered.

"Cockroach cluster," James supplied from the door. Mrs Evans winced. Catherine gave James a withering look.

"Well Lily, I shall see you in the morning, up bright and early. You should get an early night tonight so you look fresh for tomorrow. We'll start the photo shoot right away. And try and do something about those bags under the eyes…and that," she rubbed Lily's chin where a small pimple had emerged. "I'm sure your wizard friends have something better than cucumber and cream. What ever it is, let me know, I spend a fortune as it is. God did not make me look this good."

Lily grimaced. "Good night Catherine, good night Mother, Father, Petunia," she kissed them each on the cheek.

Cameron grabbed her arm and pulled her up close against him. His body was firm against hers. His hand pressed gently against the small of her back. He looked down into her emerald eyes and soft pink lips.

"It's good to see you again Lily. I'm going to enjoy the next few weeks. It'll be good to catch up again," he leaned down and kissed her lips gently. "I love you, Lily."

She closed her eyes. "Goodnight Cameron," she left his embrace and the common room.

James stood at the door for a smoldering moment staring spitefully at Cameron who held his gaze. It had begun. James closed the door and made it back to the Gryffindor dorms where he went straight to bed. He did not pass go and he did not collect $200, though he very well could of (some second years had acquired a game of wizard monopoly – where instead of jail, you go to a dungeon in Azkaban and the pieces you move talk back).

Remus watched him go worriedly. Sirius picked up a screaming tin boot and mimicked swallowing it to an impressed group of second years and an awed Peter. Selene went up to the girls dorms where Lily had disappeared just moments ago.

"I'm gonna go check on him said Remus,"

…

James pulled the red curtains round his four poster bed. He had his favourite pyjamas on; the ones with the quaffle looping through the three hoops, the marauders had got it for him for Christmas. He pulled from under the mattress his special stash of butter beer. He took a swig and began the countdown.

"5 4 3 2 1 - "

"Prongs?"

The curtain to his bed was pushed aside.

"Moony, come share," he handed him the flask of butter beer. Remus downed a mouthful and passed it back.

"How you doing? That couldn't have been the greatest evening for you…"

James grimaced. "It sure wasn't. But, it wasn't so bad."

Remus looked at him incredulously. "Did you or did you not just see Cameron all over Lily,"

James scowled. "Thanks for reminding me, yes I did see. But you know what, we can take him, she doesn't like him."

"You mean a Marauder war."

"Exactly."

"We couldn't. Dumbledore would know it was us. He'd kick us out for sure this time."

"One: he always knows it's us; and two: he won't kick us out."

"James…"

"Moony, relax. I'm going to do this with or without the Marauders. This is between me and Cameron and it's already begun."

Remus gave him a calculating look, "Already begun…?"

"You'll see…"

Author's note:

Hey thanks for reviewing so fast, it was a pleasant surprise. I know I haven't updated in a long time. It's not my strong point. I lead a busy life. I realize this is short, but the plan is to write more over the next week. But don't hold me to it. The story is starting to pick up…hopefully this chappie gives you a few things to chew over. Hope you're enjoying the tale so far.