Lily, Jess and Phoebe headed in to Charms and took their seats at the front of the class. Lily was slightly preoccupied, wondering what prank the Marauders would play on them this year.

"I dunno, maybe they've matured over the summer?" Phoebe suggested hopefully. Jess snorted.

"Mature? The Marauders? Are you kidding? They will be mature when Lily gets bottom marks in a potions essay!" she spluttered.

"Oh no..." whispered Lily. The girls looked at her questioningly. "I think I've found their prank." she said, pulling out her charms book. Except it wasn't her charms textbook. It was a copy of 'Pleasure for Pleasure'.

"The inside's just a textbook. It seems the cover has just been replaced." Jess said, cringing as she pulled out 'Bella Andre: Ecstasy'

"Girls!" Squeaked Professor Flitwick, "Why have you bought such books into my classroom? There better be a good explanation for this!" And so the day went by, every lesson the girls would find their textbooks covered in new covers, and every lesson the girls would have to explain why they carried round erotic novels in their bags.

"Why Evans, I never knew you liked that kind of book! Well at least we all know what to get you for Christmas now eh?" James laughed during DADA. Lily just glowered.

"Ugh! I mean, who has these kind of books anyway?" Lily cried during lunch.

"I don't know! The covers are so...raunchy! I've never read any...romance novel like that. What about you, Jess?" Phoebe exclaimed. Jess didn't reply and seemed absorbed in her chicken soup. The girls may have thought she had not heard them. Except for the fact that she was bright red.

"Jess? Don't tell me you actually read these?" Lily asked, wide eyed.

"You should try it. You might enjoy them." Jess whispered.

"How come we never knew this? We must have seen you reading them?" Phoebe was shocked, and a tiny bit curious.

"Well that's just it. You did see me read them. I just changed the covers so they appeared...ordinary. You could borrow one if you like. I have about ten under my bed..." Jess trailed off.

"Gosh..." The girls sat in a stunned silence before being interrupted by the boys.

"YOU!" Shrieked Lily at James as the boys sat down.

"Hey don't look at me!" James held his hands up, "Sirius was the mastermind behind this operation!"

"Well I just stumbled across one in the hands of a certain young female as she slept on the couch in the common room late one night." Sirius winked roguishly. Jess, who had just returned to her usual colour turned vibrant red again.

"Oh no..." She groaned, holding her head in her hands. All eyes turned on her. "I was so careful!"

"Jess? Wow. Sirius never told us who it was..." Remus mused. Jess looked up, shocked. Why had he not told them? She caught Sirius' eye but he blushed and looked away. Maybe they were maturing...

"Okay girls. That was WAY too embarrassing to let them off lightly. Remember what Phoebe said in second year? We should do that." Lily said marching up and down between their beds like an army general.

"What? The McGonagall love potion? Are you serious?" Jess asked.

"No, Mr. Black is Sirius! But I am being sincere if that's what you mean." Lily giggled as the others rolled their eyes.

"I have some love potion my mum sent me for my birthday...she's desperate for grandchildren..." Phoebe mentioned.

"Perfect." Lily purred.

"I'm in love!" It hit James first.

"I have to see her!" Remus seemed dazed.

"Oh, Professor McGonagall!" Sirius exclaimed in the middle of the common room. Laughter broke out around the room.

"But where is she?" James panicked.

"Don't worry! We shall take you to your beloved!" Lily volunteered the girls. Each escorting a boy to prevent the breakout of a fight ("I love her more!" "No I do!")

Knocking on the staffroom door Lily found herself faced with Professor Flitwick.

"Ah Miss Evans, how may I be of assistance?"

"Could I speak to Professor McGonagall? Love potion!" Lily whispered the last part so the boys did not hear.

"Is she in there? Can I see her? When's she coming?" Sirius was difficult to contain.

"What is this Miss Evans? It's barely eight o'clock!" Professor McGonagall asked. Lily did not get a chance to reply.

"Oh Minerva! You have put me under your spell with your bewitching beauty! I can not survive without seeing your gorgeous face! I must know if you love me as I love you! Tell me, my sweet Aphrodite-"Sirius could contain himself no longer. McGonagall cut through his tirade.

"Love potion is it? All of them? Right...I am unsure whether we have any antidote right now so could you just try and keep them under control for today?" McGonagall seemed unconcerned by this development and soon shut the door on the three love struck boys.

"Right you three, you must show the Professor how much you love her and prove yourself worthy." Somehow Jess managed to keep a straight face.

At breakfast that morning Sirius decided to expose himself and show how he had written 'I love you, Minerva' all over his body. He was escorted to the hospital wing by a laughing Jess.

During Transfiguration Remus began singing a song of his own composition in front of Professor McGonagall's desk. The Professor valiantly struggled on with her lecture, but when Remus began to add actions to his lyrics McGonagall found that she could ignore it no longer.

"Miss Young will you please take Mr. Lupin to the hospital wing?" she said, exasperated.

Little happened until dinner when James began to express his feelings. Through the medium of dance. It also involved vast quantities of flowers sent cascading over McGonagall as she tried, unsuccessfully, to eat her supper.

"Oh somebody take pity on the boy and deliver him to Madam Pomfrey?" McGonagall cried. Lily stood up and obediently led James from the hall.

"Another one for you, I'm afraid." Lily said when depositing her charge. "Got a little overexcited." She continued, handing over James' trousers which seemed to have left his legs at some point during the dancing.

"Are we to be overrun with lovesick boys?" Madam Pomfrey muttered to herself.

The boys weren't allowed to leave the infirmary for a full week. After that the boys gave the girls the Silent Treatment. Not that the girls were complaining. For once they were not badgered about upcoming Hogsmead weekends. The boys knew the love potion was from the girls. Half the school knew! But there was no evidence against the girls. Hadn't they been the ones taking them to Madam Pomfrey? Hadn't they visited them every day? Hadn't they taken notes for the boys so they wouldn't fall behind in class? They were the perfect criminals. Untraceable.

It was Christmas morning and Jess was awake as soon and the sun rose over the mountains. Knowing better than to wake the other girls (and face the Redhead's wrath) she set about opening the pile of presents at the foot of her bed. From sugar quills to a miniature phoenix Jess fought her way through the pile until she was left with just one rectangular parcel. On the label all it said was 'Saw this and thought of you. Merry Christmas, Darling.'

Curious, Jess unwrapped the present carefully and smiled at the result. Then, hearing the girls stirring, she slid 'The Nymph King' under her bed.

That night, while everyone else was sleeping, Jess slipped a note under the boys' door. All it said was 'Thank you, Sirius.'