The next morning, Lily steeled herself for James' advances before she left to go down to breakfast. As expected, he was waiting for her in the common room.

"Lily, can I talk to you?" James asked jumping up out of the armchair he was sitting in, waiting for her.

"You don't have anything to say that I want to hear, Potter," Lily said briskly as she continued her path toward the portrait hole.

"Won't you let me explain?" James pleaded.

"What is there to explain?" Lily demanded, finally stopping to face him. "He pulled a nasty prank on you and, rather than being the bigger man and leaving it alone, you had to turn around and pull one right back."

"Yeah, so," James said hotly. "What's so wrong with that?"

"I thought maybe you were growing up, maturing. I hoped you were over the childish habit of pulling pranks," Lily explained angrily.

"I just don't understand why this is such a big deal to you," James said. "We were getting along so well; why should my jinxing Snape have any effect on you."

"It just annoys me," Lily said. "Just because the prank was not played on me, doesn't mean I have to agree with it."

"But we were getting him back for hurting you," James protested.

"I didn't ask you to," Lily shouted. "Besides, as I recall Snape wasn't trying to trip me, I was just a casualty."

"All the more reason for me to jinx him," James shouted back. "He tripped me, hurting you in the process; of course I'm going to get him back."

"I don't need you to fight battles on my behalf," Lily shouted.

"Is that what this is really all about?" James yelled, "You don't want some guy standing up for you? You're an independent woman? Well, fine! Next time, I will leave you to your own devices."

"Fine," Lily yelled back.

"Are the two of you quite done?" Professor McGonagall asked sternly as she burst through the portrait hole. "I can hear you yelling two floors down."

"Sorry, Professor," both said together.

"Lily, I expect better from you as a prefect. Both of you will come to my office this evening at seven for detention," Professor McGonagall said as she turned to leave the room. The crowd that had gathered in the common room to watch started to disperse as people headed down to breakfast.

Lily stamped her foot as angry tears sprang into her eyes. Before James could even apologize for landing her in detention again, she turned and ran back up the girl's staircase and slammed her dorm room door. James' shoulders slumped; things had been going so well between them and suddenly they were right back where they had started, James doing and saying the wrong things and Lily hating him for it.

"Breakfast, Prongs?" Sirius asked quietly beside him.

"I suppose," James said sullenly.

"There's nothing you can do right now anyway," Remus said. "Come on."

James picked at his breakfast and thought over how things had gone wrong so quickly. Now that he had seen how things could be between them, James vowed that he would work to change his ways. If becoming a more mature version of himself was what it took to get Lily, he would do it. He loved her that much.

When their first class was just ten minutes from starting, James stacked some toast and bacon into a napkin before picking up his bag. Lily was already sitting at their table when he entered the classroom. Quietly, he settled into the seat beside her and whispered, "I'm sorry." She didn't even show that she'd heard him but he continued anyway, "I brought a peace offering." He slid the napkin across the table toward her. She ignored it at first but then her stomach growled loudly and softly she said, "Thank you."

James spent the rest of the day trying to make up with Lily but she wasn't budging an inch. He wasn't giving up though. He would never give up.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

That evening, at ten to seven, James left the common room to go to McGonagall's office for detention. He sighed heavily; this detention wouldn't be as pleasant as the one they had shared two evenings ago. If Lily was still stubbornly angry with him, it was bound to be a truly miserable experience.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said as he entered the room. "Please take a seat." Lily walked into the room a few minutes later and was directed into the seat beside him. "Tonight, the two of you will be polishing the contents of the trophy room, without magic," Professor McGonagall said. "Please hand over your wands and proceed to the trophy room. I will come by in a few hours to check on your progress."

James led the way to the trophy room and, when they arrived, handed Lily a rag and tin of polish from where they were stored.

"Done this before, have you?" Lily asked dryly.

"A few times," James said with a chuckle.

"I don't see how that is anything to be proud of," Lily said acidly.

James didn't respond, simply got to work polishing a large silver cup. Lily shrugged, surprised that he didn't have a come back, and picked up a plaque to polish. For the first hour, they worked in complete silence. After an hour and a half, Sirius appeared in the room and asked James in an undertone, "Almost done?"

"No," James said.

"Well, pick up the pace, we need you tonight," Sirius said.

"You think I'm not aware of that?" James hissed. "I didn't plan on getting chucked in detention."

Lily listened with interest to their conversation and wondered if their plans tonight had anything to do with Remus' condition. Being the clever witch she was, Lily had figured out back in her third year that Remus' monthly disappearance always coincided with the full moon. It didn't take long for her to realize what that meant; Remus was a werewolf. She'd also noticed that the other Marauders always disappeared too; with Remus in that condition, she couldn't imagine how much help they could be to him. She supposed they might be employing some pretty serious magic to keep him from harming others. They were either remarkably brave or remarkably stupid; she wasn't sure which. With a few mental calculations, she realized that the full moon was tonight.

James and Sirius were still furiously whispering behind her. Without thinking, she spun around and asked, "How do you guys help him?" She repressed a smile as shock registered on both their faces.

"What are you talking about?" James asked, trying to sound casual.

"Oh, give it up," Lily said. "I've known since third year that Remus is a werewolf. Anyone who is observant enough could figure it out."

"You haven't told anyone have you?" Sirius asked panicked.

"No, why would I? Clearly, Dumbledore knows and feels that the situation is under control. I trust his judgment. Besides, it isn't my secret to tell," Lily said. "I just don't understand how you two and Peter fit into the equation."

"What do you mean?" James asked, playing dumb.

"Well, the three of you always disappear with him," Lily said. "You must be helping him somehow but I just haven't figured out how, yet," she finished with a determined look and James knew, somehow, that she would.

"That's ridiculous," Sirius said. "You really think any of us could survive against a werewolf?"

"Don't play dumb, Sirius," Lily said. "I'm not stupid enough to fall for it."

James and Sirius exchanged a long look, silently communicating with each other and trying to decide how to proceed. Finally, James turned back to Lily and said, "Fine, you're right, we help him. But don't ask us how because we can't tell you."

"What, don't you trust me?" Lily asked.

"I do," James said. "But Sirius doesn't and I can't speak for Peter."

"Sirius," Lily said silkily, "come on. You know you can trust me."

"Lily, Lily, Lily. Flirting won't work on me," Sirius said. "That trick only works on James."

James ruffled his hair and shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, "Padfoot, don't tell her that. She'll not leave me alone if she thinks she can find out our secret if she flirts with me."

"I thought you'd rather enjoy Lily flirting with you, Prongs," Sirius said,

"Only if it was flirting that wasn't designed to get secrets out of me," James said. "I'd rather she flirt with me because she was actually interested."

"How much do you want to know?" Sirius asked suddenly.

"A lot. Why?" Lily replied.

"What if we offered you a trade?" Sirius asked, ignoring the searching look James was shooting at him.

"Depends on what we're trading for?" Lily replied.

"You agree to go out on one date with James and we'll tell you our secret," Sirius offered.

"Not in a million years," Lily said with a laugh, as she turned back to her work. "Ridiculous."

"Don't decide so quickly," Sirius said. "Take a day or two to think it over. You might find that its a good trade."

"Doubtful," Lily scoffed.

Behind Lily's back, James and Sirius exchanged a shrug. "It was worth a shot," Sirius said.

James smiled sadly and said, "Thanks for trying."

"We're going to be here all night if you don't get back to work," Lily warned.

"How about if we speed this up so you can both get out of here," Sirius said as he brandished his wand. He quickly walked around the room pointing his wand and saying, "Scourgify."

"McGonagall is going to come check on us in a little while," Lily said. "What about that?"

"We'll keep working until she comes and, when she releases us, I'll catch up with the guys," James said. "Okay?"

"Fine," Lily agreed. "But I don't like it and I'm going to find out what you're doing. I'm sure that whatever it is, it's unsafe."

"I can't believe you're going along with this," James said gratefully.

"Me neither," Lily admitted. "Part of me wants to turn you in for whatever rules you're breaking, but another part of can't help but be impressed with how loyal you are to your friend."

"Maybe I'm more mature that you thought?" James asked leadingly.

"Maybe," Lily agreed.

"Maybe we could try being friends again?" James asked.

"Don't push your luck," Lily said.

They went back to working in silence. When Professor McGonagall returned, she looked around the room and said, "Very nice work. You two do make a good team. You may go after you finish the pieces you are working on. Please try not to have such loud and raucous fights in the common room in the future."

As soon as she'd left the room, they replaced the pieces they were polishing, returned their rags and polish to a drawer, and left the room. As they hurried back to the Gryffindor common room, Lily thought about ways she could convince James to tell her their secret.

"James," Lily called.

"Oh, it's James again, is it?" he replied, slightly irritated.

"Please tell me what you are up to?" Lily coaxed. "Is it dangerous?"

"Why do you care?" James asked.

"As much as I'm not interested in dating you, it doesn't mean that I want anything to happen to you," Lily said. "I need to know that what you are doing is safe."

"So, you do have feelings for me after all," James said cockily.

"Yes, friendly feelings, not romantic feelings," Lily reminded him. "What can I do to convince you to tell me?"

"You heard Sirius' offer," James said.

"You really want me to go on a date with you for one answer?" Lily asked. "Wouldn't a date with me mean more if you'd gotten me to agree because I had true feelings for you?"

"Yes," James said, "but maybe if I convinced you to go on one date with me, you would realize that you do have feelings for me after all."

"And if I didn't realize I had feelings for you? Then what?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," James confessed.

"Would you be able to give up on me if, after one date, I didn't have feelings for you? Or do you enjoy the hunt too much?" Lily asked.

"I think you enjoy the hunt," James shot back.

"Right," Lily chuckled darkly. "I love anticipating the new and embarrassing ways you will find to ask me out everyday and the childish pranks you plan to try and win my attention."

As they approached the portrait hole, James pulled Lily aside and said, "Lily, I promise that what we're doing is very safe. You don't need to worry. If you want to know, go on a date with me and I'll tell you."

"You wouldn't settle for anything less than a date would you?" Lily asked hopefully.

"What did you have in mind?" James asked.

"A kiss," Lily offered.

James blew out a breath and said, "As bloody tempting as that offer is, no. A date or nothing. But, how about I kiss you anyway?"

Lily smacked James arm and said, "You are impossible."

"I had to try," James said with a grin. "Listen, I know I screwed up last night, but could we try being friends again? I would really like it if we could."

"We do make a pretty good team," Lily admitted. "I'm not sure that whatever you, Sirius, and Peter are up to tonight helps your case, but I will consider it."

"Thanks Lily," James said happily, as he pulled her into a hug.

"James," she squealed against his chest, "I did not say you could hug me."

"Sorry," James said, not looking at all sorry. "I have to prance along now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, James," Lily said.

"Goodnight, Lily," James replied.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

As Lily got ready for bed in her dorm room, she had to admit that she was once again confused. James could be so infuriatingly immature and obnoxious, but then, on the other hand, he could be so charming and irresistible. Why couldn't she sort out her feelings for him? Just last night she had been angry enough to promise herself that she would never fall for James Potter. Tonight, he had her reconsidering that promise. As she thought back over their conversation, she wondered, "Do I enjoy the hunt?" If James stopped asking her out and pulling pranks on her tomorrow, how would she feel? The rational part of her screamed, "Brilliant!" But the part of her that was attracted by James' charm and warmth knew that she would be upset if he stopped chasing her. She was starting to feel like there were two Lilys. She flopped onto her bed and growled with frustration into her pillow. It was infuriating to feel this out of control, what was she going to do?

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

When James met up with his fellow Marauders near the entrance hall, he was smiling.

"You look happy," Sirius said. "Did she agree to go on a date with you for the answer?"

"Not yet, but I'm wearing her down," James said. "I asked if we could be friends again and she said she'd consider it."

"I don't understand how you can be so bloody happy after an entire evening of bickering with Evans," Sirius growled.

"The fact that she is even speaking to me again is cause to celebrate," James said. "As mad as she was last night, the old Lily wouldn't have talked to me for weeks. I've got her talking to me again less than 24 hours later. I'm starting to get to her."

"You may just be right," Remus said. "Now, can we get outside?"

Author's Note: Lots of thanks to my beta, Terra Ferme, for taking the time to edit this chapter for me. I've been giving you a lot of work this week and you're still keeping up with me. You are the best!

Thanks for reading! Let me know how I'm doing or if you have ideas for me!