A/N: I'm back again but with a different names. shortielocks was getting too young, madcon is similar to my actual name so I'm keeping it. I hope there is no confusion.

I also hope I don't confuse anybody with where I'm at in the story. It's their seventh year. Unlike other stories, I'm stating this year off as the first time Voldemort has effected them and the war is now starting to seem real. There will be flashback eps. All three (relevant) Marauders have already been allocated chapters - maybe I'll do the girls too.

Chapter 4 - 'Someone told me I girl I liked…" - Jake Bugg

(Nurse Lily)

The Hospital Wing was a cold and uninviting place. Lily found herself walking through the enormous oak doors as soon as the sun rose above the mountain tops. Some would wonder if she'd gone mad or turned into an insomniac but she had planned to enter the hospital wing early that morning.

The matron of Hogwarts, Madam Pomfrey, was potting about the room, in the far left corner, where the only cloth partition was pulled across. She didn't notice the Head Girl until Lily rounded the divider to see her friend in a deep slumber. "Miss Evans, what are you doing here?" The school nurse inquired, shocked.

"I've come to see Remus."

"He won't be awake for at least an or two hour, dear."

"It's a good thing I've come at six then." Lily smiled, sitting down at the chair beside the bed. Remus looked very peacefully and at rest. Even though the scaring on his face were a bright red, the colour of his skin was going back to his normal shade of pale. She had only seen him like this once before, and it pained her to see him like this once more. "Can I do anything to help him?"

"You just being here will be enough."

Madam Pomfrey kept working on Remus' injuries. She incanted various healing spells across his body causing him to whine in his sleep. Lily held his hand, at some point, which seemed to relax him as the matron continued her work. The scarring on his face had started to fade into a more subtle, but still obvious, colour by the time Madan Pomfrey finished.

Still holding his hand, Lily opened her bag and began reading her potions book from sixth year, as the book didn't need changing for seventh year. As she flicked through the pages, she ticked off, in her mind, the potions she had already learnt and she saw old squiggles of Severus'. She had almost forgot that Slughorn liked to pair to two together. With a sigh she agreed with herself to be civil to Snape because she had to trust him to do the right thing when the time came.

Her mind then wondered onto the Prefect duties. The best time to have a meeting would be tomorrow for it gave her enough time to sort everything out. Carefully, she reached into her bag and found the timetabled parchment she'd acquired from the Prefect's Meeting Room, earlier that morning.

It wasn't until the clock tower bonged seven thirty did Remus wake. "Lily?" He speak quietly and sleepily. "What are you doing here?"

"Go back to sleep. You need your rest." Lily smiled, squeezing his hand and not looking up from her sheet.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Would you believe me if I said you were dreaming?"

Remus laughed and then winced in pain. "Are you doing the duties?"

"Yeah, I've already done half of it."

"James told me and I can help, if you want."

"I can't believe him." Lily looked at him, quite irritated. "It's not your job. I can manage on my own. It's just putting names together."

"Gore and Fawley broke up over the summer."

Lily scribbled that pairing out. She'd tried to pair prefects together who weren't the same gender or in the same House or year, except for Slytherin. "I'm going to put you with Leonora and I'll be with him. Anybody else I should know about?"

Remus hesitated, pondering. "I don't think it would be wise for you to be with him."

"Mooney, are you talking to yourse—" Sirius began to ask, with a humorous in his tone, but when he saw Lily he stopped and looked at her quizzically. "Lily, what you doing?"

James and Peter rounded the corner and asked her the same thing.

"Trying to sort out the Prefect schedule's."

"Who am I with?" James asked, trying to peer at the parchment from the other side of the bed.

"Miraphora Mina." She replied looking down the list of pairs. All of the Marauders, except Lupin, looked at her as if they had no idea who the girl was. "She's a sixth year Hufflepuff…Likes Ancient Runes…Arty."

"Is she the girl who always has charcoal or ink on her face?"

Lily nodded. "It was either her or Sylvia Jones and I didn't think you'd want to be talking to the seeker of the opposition."

James grumbled under his breath agreeing with her decision. The Gryffindor Captain had a strange relationship with any player of the opposition. He'd be his usual self to them, joking and jovial, but he'd physically choose to not speak to them, just incase a game strategy was revealed. "Who are you with?"

"Eustace Faw—."

"Seriously?! Why are you with him? Mooney, why didn't you say anything?"

"I was about to and then you walked in." Lupin muttered.

"What's a matter with Eustace?"

Potter held his tongue trying to figure out the best way to play this without sounding possessive.

"Get over it, Prongs." Sirius said, mischievously and fed up of waiting for his best friend to say something. "Thats beside the point, what are you doing here, Evans?"

"I thought I'd come watch over Remus." Lily replied, honestly.

"Isn't that what Pomfrey's for?" Peter inquired.

"This is the only way I can be here for him."

"What does that mean?" James said, confused.

"I'm not an animagus like you guys. I can't help Remus when he's transformed but I can help, and be there for him, afterwards. That's what friends do." Lily muttered. The guys looked at her puzzled.

Remus spoke first. "Lily you don't have—"

"Yes, I do." She said determinedly and authoritative, looking in Remus' eyes. "This is my way of showing you, you are no different to me now that I know what you are. You are still my friend and I still love you." She heard Sirius snicker behind her, so she stood up and turned to face him with a fierce expression. "Shouldn't you guys be getting sleep?"

"We've had like two hours, we're good." Sirius brushed it off. "Is holding his hand part of the helping?"

"It's just something you do to comfort someone in hospital." Lily replied, smiling.

"Maybe we should injure ourselves, ay Prongs, and then we'd get nurse Lily."

"Wouldn't you want your girlfriend?" She glared at him.

"Eh."

"Already bored, Padfoot?" Peter asked, snickering.

Lily exploded, thinking of Mary. "Are you fucking kidding me, Black?! Let's be honest, you could have had anybody in Hogwarts — don't look so smug, Sirius — but you pick a girl you, obviously, had no idea about. It's been two days and have you even given her a chance? Why are you dating her in the first place?"

"Er, because she's attractive."

"Clearly not that attractive to keep you interested."

"What do you want me to do, Evans?"

Lily exhaled, feeling the heat from her face subside. "Invite Fenella to join us for breakfast, lunch, dinner or all three. At the moment, she's probably trying to keep you interested by complimenting you all the time and being pretty. You've got to try to get to know her."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then I swear to Merlin, I will join the 'Black is the scum of the Earth' club and help them do whatever they want."

"Is it a girls exclusive club or can anyone join?" Remus smiled, trying to relive the tension.

(Straightening Mary Out)

Madam Pomfrey soon ushered the 'healthy' out of the Hospital Wing, after Lily lost her temper, because they were disturbing the patient. It was a quiet walk down to the Great Hall for the four of them. Sirius hadn't spoken to Lily since she had 'threatened' him and she didn't see why she needed to apologise for speaking her mind.

As soon as they entered the busy hall, Sirius sat down next to Fenella, grumbling under his breath. She seemed worried that he was late and quickly added toast and other breakfast items onto his plate. Lily couldn't help but smile at how cute they looked, and to herself for making it happen. James and Peter both joined Sirius at his new group. All the other sixth year girls, except Sage Kelleen, adjusted their posture and flirtatiously flipped their hair. The monster inside Lily grumbled in anger at the sight of this but she just thought it was a hunger pain and continued to walk down the table towards her girl friends.

"You've had mail." Mary said in an irritable mood. Cressida, and Harriet, were sitting next to the blonde happily chatting away to a McKinnon, who was more interested in her cereal, and a Vance, who had her nose pressed against a book.

Lily took the letter from her friends hand and saw her name scribbled in her mothers handwriting. "Thank you," The redhead sighed, feeling relieved at just seeing the envelope. It didn't matter what was written inside because just a sent letter meant that her family were alive.

"Ah, Lily." Fleming said, "You're good at potions, right?"

Evans nodded, wirily. Cressida and Mary, plus Harriet, were the only seventh year Gryffindor girls to not take Potions N.E.W.T..

"Have you ever made a love potion?"

Lily had fully expected one of the 'Black is the scum of the Earth' group to suggest a love potion. She couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Cress smiled, falsely. "We can't all have our one true love at our beck and call. Some of us have to…"

"Forcing someone to love you isn't right. It's idiotic and dangerous." Lily whispered, aggressively. "If he found out, do you think he'd want to be your friend anymore? Do you think he'd want to be anywhere near you?"

"I told you she wouldn't understand." Cress glared.

"Maybe if you opened your eyes, Flem, you'd see there are other people than Black. And if you are so set on him, which one of you is getting him?"

The two coconspirators looked at each other as if they hadn't figured it out, but behind both of their eyes it was obvious they had both thought of a plan to get rid of the other girl, if needed.

Lily looked at her one of her closest friends and said, straight into her eyes. "There are other ways to get a guy than altering his, or his current girlfriend's, mind or body to get what you want."

"What do you suggest?"

"Keep talking to him like nothing has happened. Keep being his support so he knows who to turn to when things go south. Make him jealous - you've still got that Ravenclaw bloke….Patience."

"Not all of us have time on our side." Cress scoffed, getting up from her seat. "I'll see you losers later. Green."

They didn't leave the Great Hall. They sat down next to a happy Sirius and spoke to him as if they hadn't seen each other for months. Fenella, nor the other girls, seemed pleased by the blatantly obvious intruders. "Or you can seem desperate." Marlene snickered, as the four girls watched the fiasco happen.

"Do you guy's know why there is a matter with me being partnered up with Fawley?" Lily asked, as the group turned back to eat their breakfast.

"Because he fancies you." McKinnon said, in an obvious tone. "Who has a problem with it?"

"I'd guess Leonora does." Vance commented, looking for from her book.

Lily said, softly and contemplatively. "James didn't seem too happy."

(The Rose Tinted Glasses Have Broken)

There was a loud high pitch noise that erupted in the Great Hall, causing the whole room to go silent. It came from further down the Gryffindor table. James looked to see Mary pulling Lily by the scruff of her shirt collar to begin a conversation in whispers. Vance and McKinnon joined in too. Lily looked confused and angry at whatever MacDonald was talking to her about.

When people realised that no one was in danger, the Hall filled up again with voices. "We were talking about Quidditch, Potter." Sage Kelleen inquired, nudging him in the arm to get him to face her again. She was very much the Marlene McKinnon of the sixth girls because she didn't really fit into place with the others but could tolerate them enough to be friendly with them. "I know McGonagall wants tryouts and I think we need to have a reserve on the seeker position."

"Why?" James asked quickly and authoritatively, "Where you going?"

"No where." She laughed. Her amber eyes sparkled with merriment. "Its just in case I get injured."

"If that's so, you can tryout and choose the seeker."

"Really?"

"Yes." He smiled and flung his arm over her shoulder. Sage laughed, again, and flattened down some of her baby hair that James had, accidentally, brushed out of style. "You know a seeker plays their own game on the pitch. I trust you because you could be Captain next year and you're the second best flyer in the school."

"Who's the first?"

"Me."

"What can I do to help?" Peter asked, who was the other side to James.

"You know what to do."

There had been an issue, a few years back, with Captains sending younger students, from their retrospective house, to spy on the opposition during training and tryouts. All the Captains did it but they never thought that it was happening to them, so when they all caught a house surveilling them, there was uproar. By the time James got to be Captain, there was a rule set in place to prevent any form of espionage. However, Peter's 'rattish' abilities can be useful for Quidditch. No one would expect a rat to be wizard. Did Potter feel guilty about the spying? No.

"I'm going to be there when you have Quidditch tryouts." Fenella smiled, sweetly at Sirius. Lily had once described Abercrombie as a muggle fairytale princess. James couldn't work out if being called 'Snow White' was a good or bad thing, but remembering the tone of her voice, Evans wasn't too keen.

"We can come to," Fleming beamed and Harriet nodded. The two of them had been ignored for the whole of the time they'd sat down. James got on with both of them but he didn't appreciate what they were trying to do. He'd never fallen under the spell of Cressida's, nor had Black.

"I'm already on the team." He said, looking at Abercrombie. (This was the last straw for Cress. She stormed out of the Hall and soon joined arms with the first guy she saw at the door, knowing full well that his attention would be good enough, for the time being.) "You don't have to—"

"No, I'm coming." She said affirmatively. "I'd want you to be there when I'm performing."

"Oh yeah." Padfoot smirked. James could see a mischievous knowing in his friends eyes as he knew that she was falling into his paws. "What do you do?"

"I'm in the frog choir."

Sirius didn't smile after that. He hadn't smiled when he invited her to have dinner tonight with the rest of the group nor when she gave him a longing kiss before she had to leave for her first morning class.

"I'd have thought that would have cheered you up, Padfoot." Wormtail snickered, watching the sixth year girls leave the Great Hall. "Or is she a bad kisser as well as a bore?"

"I'm dating the lamest person in the world." He moaned, hitting his head with his own palm. "For Merlin sake, the girl looks like she could be on the front of Witch Weekly."

"I don't think anybody knew about the frog choir thing." James said, trying not to laugh.

"There is no coming back from this discovery. Argh, I invited her to eat with us for dinner."

"If you don't want to see her later, get out of it."

"How?"

"I don't know," James shrugged. "Break up with her. Get a detention. Jump off the Astronomy tower."

"Would you mourn my passing?" Black asked, frowning up at James with his, irritating, puppy dog eyes.

Potter replied, deadpan. "No."

"Liar." Sirius pouted. "The only option is detention but we've done everything."

"Do one we've already done." Peter grinned, "They were always the best."

"You guys can't be seen though. I just need to get the blame."

"I think Lily would disapprove even more if you were dishonest to Fenella and leading her on." James said, assertively.

"So I'm going to have to be the bad guy anyway." Sirius sighed. "Is this how it feels after Evans' has had a go at you?"

Prongs nodded.

"Does that mean I'm in love with Lily Evans?" Sirius grinned, evilly. "Oh no, wait, I can't be because I would have told her why she couldn't have been partnered up with Fawley without getting tongue twisted."

"What was I supposed to do without sounding like a moron?"

"I'm sure the ridiculous questions helped." Padfoot snickered. He coughed twice and tried to imitate James with a high pitched voice. "'OMG, Moons! Why didn't you stop her from writing a name down on a piece of paper that can easily be changed with ink?'"

"That does sound like you, Prongs." Peter chortled, getting out of his seat ready for the lesson ahead.

(Pine Trees)

Lily waved to Mary as she made her way to the dungeons and MacDonald made her way to the Divination classroom. Emmeline strode next to Lily and said, "You don't have to pay attention to Mary."

"I know."

After Mary's squeal and a very hushed conversation, Lily only got two things out of it. 1) Eustace Fawley had a crush on Lily which people had become apparent about, and 2) she should swap her name with someone else's if she wanted something in the future. Those were Mary's exact words. Lily was, still, a little bit confused, and vague, on what the second point meant.

"Do you think I should change it?"

"Honestly, no." Vance pondered. "But if you don't, then Fawley might get the wrong idea."

"I don't want that."

"I'll change it then." Marlene smiled and grabbed Lily's satchel. McKinnon found the parchment and started to inspect the duties. "Now, lets see….Why are Slytherin the only house to be paired with each other?"

Lily sighed, "There's a lot of arguing otherwise."

"If you go with Snape, Remus can then be partnered with Finch, Gore can go with Peakes and, that then means, Fawley can be with Sophia Dippet." McKinnon said, confidently, and began scribbling this pairings down without a second opinion. "You're the only one that gets on with Snape and Remus will do anything to be helpful, and who doesn't love Dippet."

She sighed even harder. It was true. The past Head Boys and Girls had paired her up with Snape on several occasions because she was the only one that gets on with him outside of the Slytherin house. She would discuss it with him outside, or during, the Potions lesson.

"Lily." Snape said as they came into view of each other. He didn't look great; his hair was longer and even more unkept, plus his skin looked whiter than ever. "I hope we can talk before class."

She nodded. Her two Gryffindor friends understood and walked ahead while herself and Snape stayed further back, walking at a slower pace. "There is to be a Prefect's meeting tomorrow night. Can you tell your House, and any other prefects you may see today, to meet up just after dinner?"

"Sure." He replied, seeming to relax.

"I was doing the schedule for the duties and, if we can both agree, I've put us down as a pair for this term."

Severus smiled. "I concur."

Lily nodded again. She was unsure on what to say to Severus now that professional matters were done with. They walked in an uncomfortable silence further into the dungeons and walked into the classroom together.

"Miss Evans. Mr Snape." Professor Slughorn delighted that his two favourite students were 'talking' to one another again. "You two know where to sit."

The fellow Slytherins weren't too happy by the reconciled pairing. Some whispered to Snape, in inaudible murmurs, as he walked past. Lily tried not to look at her friends either for she knew they had the same reaction to the Slytherin House. Her usual table was situated in the middle and the nearest to the ingredients cabinet. The other three students, who also occupied the table, and Snape were all seated and ready for the lesson before Lily even got her book out.

At the front of the classroom, there were a variety of cauldrons bubbling. It was a teaching method most loved by the Professor as he could show off his potion making skills and to inform his students of the potions they'd be making in the year. When the class begins, Slughorn will inevitable produce a vile of some potion to give to the lucky winner of the day.

"Class." He clapped, smiling at his seventh year students. "If you could all walk to the cauldrons."

The class obeyed the orders and proceeded to edge closer. The strong smell three simultaneous smells wafted to her unsuspecting nostrils: treacle tart, old books and a faint smell that reminded her of the forest. Lily couldn't help but recall breakfast and smiled a little. "Professor, we've already looked at Amortentia."

"You've looked at it but you haven't made it. Unless you have in your free time." Slughorn tittered. "Miss Evans is correct. There is a Amortentia potion on the table and you will be starting to make one today. As you already know it has a mother of pearl sheen and it has an aroma that is unique to the one smelling it. Would anyone be kind enough to say what they smell? Mr Potter, how about you?"

"Erm," The Head Boy began, breathing in the deeply for his own unique smells. "I smell the wood of a broomstick, treacle tart and—", James stopped and inhaled some more before twitching his neck, an indication of lying, "—and pine trees."

Pine trees. Her third smell was pine trees. It was clear now. She could imagine herself prancing through the woods on a cool morning, the morning dew had just lifted giving rise to the smell of the pine trees. The monster inside of her shifted and pushed her towards James, recognising the scent. She stumbled a little bit. Sirius seemed to have noticed and smiled at her, knowingly.

Lily didn't pay attention to the following three potions. She was too worried about what the last smell meant.

"Miss Evans, are you okay?" asked Professor Slughorn.

Everyone looked at her. She could feel redness spread across her face. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, everyone, the Amortentia will not be completed by the time this lesson finishes. It needs to rest and mature. We are going to create only half of what the recipe suggests so that by tomorrow's lesson we will find out who's won, and what they will win." The Professor stated. "As this is a very strong love potion, I do not want this potion to leave this room to be used upon anybody - there can be nasty side effects to even the most perfect potion. Class, lets begin."

"Are you sure you alright?" Snape asked, when they reached their table.

She nodded.

Evans opened her book to the correct page and reread the potion. She had read it many times last year. She knew all of the ingredients off by heart and had used them all before in different potions. Ashwinder eggs, rose thorns, moonstone and Pear Dust were in all love potions, but they were all very tricky to get correct as they were delicate ingredients. Lily opened the required jar for a fairy wing but had noticed that Snape had point in one and a half. "Why have you put in an extra half? We're trying to make the recipe smaller."

"It's alright. It's only fairy wings."

"I don't think you should be experimenting on this potion, Sev."

"The making of the potion is the easiest part." Snape commented, self-assured. Lily had to admit, from just looking at the instruction closely, that it was one of the easiest ones to make for a potion to be in an advanced potions book.

"What makes it hard then?"

"Did you not hear what Slughorn said?"

"I blanked out." She said honestly. "I don't even know what were in the other cauldrons."

Severus hesitated for a minute. She could tell her was purposely not looking at her when he spoke. "At each stage, of the ingredients being added and mixed, the colour will change dependent on how much the maker is loved by friends and family or how much the maker loves them. It's only at the maturing stage will it be obvious who is in pure, true love because the potion will have its mother of pearl characteristic."

"Does the maker have to know that they are in love for it to work?"

"No. It's like the Patronus. The potion will represent the makers true feelings, even if they are hidden and unknown."

Lily wasn't too sure on how to respond to this news. She didn't want to see her Amortentia perfect, in tomorrow's class, because that would mean she was in love with someone. The monster inside curled around her heart at the thought. But her brain was having none of it. How was she supposed to decipher who her love interest was?

The room became quiet near the end of the lessons. Lily added a few drips of morning dew and honeywater before stirring the liquid four times clockwise to three times anticlockwise. She watched it change from a crystal clear solution to an iridescent shimmer. It started to smell intoxicating.

"Don't forget the unicorn hair." Snape muttered, next to her. "You can't put it in if the potions been over mixed."

She did as he said.

"Class, you have five minutes left." Slughorn said. "You should now be placing into your cauldrons the cut lovage and star grass, in the correct order. When you believe you are finished, pour your potions into a small vial and place them on my desk, with your names on."

Lily did as the Professor instructed. She'd finely chopped the leaves of both plants and carefully sprinkled them, in a constant circle, into the cauldron. The book hadn't suggested this but, Lily had found, aeration of plant ingredients helps with flavour.

When she believed the potion was finished, she cautiously filled a small vial, wrote her name on a brown label and wrapped it, precisely, around the neck of the bottle.

"Don't you just love the smell of the forest?" Sirius teased as he joined her at the Professor's table. "Especially pine trees."

"I don't know what you mean." Lily replied, unconvincingly.

"You can't fool these eyes, Evans. I saw you."

"So? I just lost my balance."

"Oh, Lily." He smiled. "We've got a lot of talking to do."

"I thought you weren't talking to me."

"I've always got time to help a damsel in distress."

"I'm not in distress."

"Matters of the heart, Lily dearest, can cause the worst suffering of all."

(Gryffindor Seventh Year Boys Dorm)

"What the hell did you say to her?" James asked, opening the door to his old room.

"I told her what you actually smelt." Sirius snickered, running into his room and belly flopping onto his comfy bed.

"He's lying, James." Marlene smiled, touched his arm and walked into the room to sit on the floor next to Sirius. It was after break and they were only ones who had a free period; Mary and Peter also had the same free period but they were both else where at the present time. McKinnon was often found in the boys dormitory, when the other girls still had lessons or were busy elsewhere in the castle. To begin with it was because she was bored with being on her own, then it was due to her being part of the Quidditch team and then, for the last two years, it was to be the informant of the workings of Lily Evans. "Does your room get worse every year?"

"It's Remus," Black smiled, leaning his head on her shoulder. "He's so unorganised and messy."

Potter sat down, opposite the other two, and rested against Remus' bed. "What did you say to her?"

"Nothing much." His best friend replied. He had rolled onto his back and looked at James upside down trying to figure out what to say. "I just joked with her."

"About?"

"Pine trees."

"Pine trees?"

"Someone in the class smelt it and it wasn't you."

Marlene whipped her head to stare at Sirius. She too had noticed Lily's stagger. Both of them had gossiped, for years, about how Lily felt towards James and, during the summer holidays and just before breaking up for the summer, they had seen a change in Evans that made their predictions come to light. Neither of them wanted to lead James on unless they were positively certain, for they knew, Lily didn't even suspect her own feelings yet. "Don't." Marlene mouthed, knowing full well that Black was about to break that promise.

His grey eyes shimmered with knowledge. Sirius looked back at James and smiled, evilly. "Oh, how wonderfully aromatic a lily is; I don't think I'd get that mixed up with a forest."

"Don't be a prick, Padfoot" James glared. "It would have been too obvious if I said what I actually smelt."

"Would that have been a bad thing?"

"Yes, it would be a terrible thing. I'd be back to square one." Prongs sighed, "I don't know if I could do it all over again. I'd have to be a bachelor forever with you, Pads."

"You say it likes its a bad thing." Sirius laughed.

Marlene looked at James, carefully thinking over her words. "What if Lily makes a true Amortentia?"

"It just proves that she loves someone. Doesn't mean its me."

"Are you fucking stupid, Prongs?" Sirius snapped and stood up on his bed.

"Sirius, no." Marlene whispered.

He didn't listen. "Of course it means she does. Who else could it be? She doesn't hang around with anybody but us lot, and it's certainly not me. Marlene and me—"

"Don't bring me into this, Black."

"—and I'm sure Mary and the other see it, that the two of you are becoming inseparable. You freaked out after she said you guys were friends. For fucks sake, she sent you a note yesterday with bloody kisses on it. Merlin, you even know where to find each other without even looking at the stupid map."

"Hey, don't insult the map." James said, abruptly.

"Hey." Sirius said, louder. "Don't get off topic and don't pretend you haven't noticed these things either. I've seen those secretive smiles you do."

"I don't have secret smiles."

"Bullshit."

Marlene laughed, "You two are ridiculous. James, listen, Sirius is right. We have noticed that Lily has changed the way she is around you and, if her potions changes tomorrow, it has to be because of you."

Potter began to speak but his brain had only just started to process the information. As soon as he realised what it would mean, he started to splutter out random, nonsensical words.

"I think we've broken him." Sirius commented and got off his bed to give his best friend a shove. "Snap out of it, you idiot. So what if she loves you?"

"But you can't push her." Marlene pointed out. "If you want to work things out with Lily you need her to realise it on her own and let her sort it out."

"But you can't be ignoring her either."

"And you've got to try not to bicker."

"McKinnon, thats like telling them they can't breathe. Do you think we should obliviate what we've just told him?"

"I didn't want to tell him in the first place."

"It's okay, it's okay." James sighed, pushing Sirius into a seating position next to him. "I'm glad you've told me."

"Lily, at the moment, is pushing everything down, including her feelings for you." Marlene began, calmly. "You can't bring anything up and you can't pester her about it. You've just got to be yourself."

"That's worked well in the past." Potter exhaled, resting his head on his hand.

"It's working at the moment." Sirius grinned and sat down next to his friend in a reassuring manner.

The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't awkward or deafening; it was pleasant and humbling. "What shall we do about my problem?" Sirius muttered, resting his head backwards onto the mattress.

James joined him and turned his face to see worry in his best friends eyes. "The gentlemanly thing to do would be to break up with her."

"You're going to break up with Abercrombie?" Marlene asked, irritably.

"Don't start, Mar. I've already had it off Lily this morning."

"Why do you want to break up with her?"

"She's part of the frog choir."

McKinnon roared with laughter. Tears were streaming down her face before she could try to speak. "Is she one of the losers at the back or is she one of the losers that holds a frog? Ha, who cares they are all bad options. Black, you've got to break up with her."

(To my youngest flower)

History of Magic class finished ten minutes later than its supposed to. Lily and Emmeline exited the room together but parted ways at the stairs. Vance was heading off to start the homework Professor Binns had just set, while Evans was wondering to her usual bench to read her letter. Her spot was on the Charms corridor and was the nearest one to the staircase, on the east side. She can't remember the first time she sat there but it has become a place of sanctity for her.

By the time she got to her bench, the corridor was quiet and peaceful. That was until she rounded the corner and saw someone sitting at her bench. "You're late, Evans." Potter said as he spotted her walking over to him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, sitting next to him. The creature inside of her growled at the closeness of the two of them. To be honest, she didn't mind him being here. When he first found out this was her favourite space, no thanks to that map, he would constantly be there pestering her and wearing her down to letting him nap on her lap. Now, it was quite a pleasant welcoming. Nonetheless, she was still conscience of him and what he could do unexpectedly.

He replied, honestly. "I've come to distract you."

"Why did you lie about the third smell?" Lily questioned as she rummaged through her bag to find the letter her mother had written.

"I didn't."

"I saw your neck twitch. That's one of your give aways, Potter."

"So what if I lied? I like the smell of pine trees."

"Why?"

"It reminds me of being a stag."

"No, I got that part." She laughed. "Why lie in the first place?"

"A man has to keep some secrets." He winked. "What did you smell?"

"A lady has to keep some secrets." Lily glared and found her letter. "Don't you have to somewhere else to be."

"Is that a letter from your mom?" James asked, clearly ignoring what she said.

She nodded and replied back sarcastically. "I thought I'd let you read it first."

"No, its cool. I'll just have a nap." He yawned and lay down next to her, his head resting on her leg.

Lily huffed in annoyance but opened the letter anyway and began to read:

To my youngest flower,

I am sorry for the late response but there is no need to send your owl back with your vengeance. We've had to bandage up your poor father's arm after Inch clawed it to death. You and that bird are a bad influence on each other.

The letter to James was written on the way back home from London and was picked up by Inch before we even knew he'd been in the house. He must have believed that it was your letter. I hope you don't mind me sending him one. (I've also been sending your friend, Remus, letters too.) Your father and I didn't get chance to know James after you ran off, which is why I wrote him the letter. We do not appreciate being pushed away, Lily. Are you embarrassed that your parents aren't magical? We would like you to bring him over one day so that we can be better acquainted over a slice of treacle tart.

We are currently moving your sister into her new house, much to your fathers disapproval. "My daughter shouldn't be living in a house with an unmarried man". Drove me and your sister up the wall chuntering at himself about it. It's 1977 for Christ sake, it's the normal thing to do, and it's not like they aren't getting married soon. So we are staying in their new house - 4 Privet Drive, Surrey - for a week to help out. Lily, Surrey, can you believe it. Your father isn't happy with the distance but Surrey! Petunia is going to have such a wonderful life where she doesn't have to worry about money.

I hope you are enjoying your time at school, Lily. I can't wait to hear about it.

Love you lots, Jelly Tots.

Mom & Dad

xxxxxxxxxx

It wasn't an overly long letter which she had to admit upset her. Or was her sadness due to Lily not knowing that her sister's wedding was soon. Petunia had been engaged to Vernon for over a year, Lily had gone to the party, but she didn't realise they had set a date. She hadn't been told. Lily reread the part over and over again to make sure she hadn't missed a date or even an invite, but there was none. Petunia was getting married soon and Lily, her sister, wasn't invited.

Hot tears started to prick her eyes as the information sunk in. In her head, the phrase 'You are not a part of your sisters wedding' kept repeating, like a broken record, and it stung. What was worse was her parents keeping it a secret from her and, clearly, not making an attempt to make Petunia invite her to the wedding. That's what hurt the most.

"Are you alright, Lily?" James asked, looking up at her.

"Yeah." She whispered, trying to keep back the tears. "I didn't mean to wake up."

He sat back up very swiftly and edged closer to her. He rested his left arm, on the back of the bench, behind her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Lily was tempted to. James seemed caring and understanding but it scared her at the same time. He didn't need to know the problems she was facing and she didn't want to admit any time of feeling, because once it's said out loud the more real it becomes. Yet looking into his chocolate eyes, she felt a confidence to share this with him. "My sister is getting married."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"It would be if I was invited." Lily mumbled, looking away from James. He didn't need to see the sadness in her eyes.

"You can always crash it."

She looked, once agin, into his eyes and laughed, halfheartedly. "I don't know the date."

Lily watched him carefully. James was looking at her strangely, as if he was holding back on something but, she saw, him change his mind instantly. She didn't even realise he was hugging her until she wrapped her arms around his neck and she was hugging him back.

A strange, but pleasant, feeling soothed her body as they stayed in each others arms. The monster inside walked all over her body at every place James touched her, as if taking in his smell and warmth. "I'm sorry." She heard him whisper to her. Lily couldn't help but nestle into the crook of his neck as his arms pulled her in closer, around the waist.

"Doesn't this look…repulsive?"

She slowly eased her way out of James' embrace and faced the person, her hand ready at her wand. "The same could be said when looking at you, Rabastan." Lily glared. She looked at the other members of the motley crew and saw the usual Slytherins who hung around with Lestrange. "And the same goes for your friends too."

"The mudblood thinks she's funny, eh?" Rosier smiled, "You won't be cracking jokes for long, Evans."

James jumped up from his seat and pointed his wand straight between Evan Rosier's eyes. "Apologise."

"I won't be taking orders from a filthy blood traitor either."

Lily carefully stood up and had her wand at her side. She was unsure on how James would play this out but wanted to be ready for what might happen. In her mind, she half casted a spell and was just waiting incase it needed to be used.

No one moved. James placed his free hand to his mouth, licked it and then, slowly, wiped it onto Rosier's face. "Wash that off." He said through gritted teeth.

"Protego." Lily mumbled, pointing her wand between James and the other Slytherins, who were now seething at what had just happened. Out the corner of her eye, she could see Miller, a fifth year, raise his wand. He didn't get chance to use it because she incanted, in a whisper, "Redactum Skullus."

His head began to decrease in size. It gradually made him look like the Headless Horseman as his head shrunk below his shirt collar, causing him to scream in panic, in a very high pitched noise. It confused the other Slytherins at what was going on and they rushed over to help their 'fallen' comrade. Miller was making so much noise that students, who were being taught in the classrooms, were making their way out to see what all the ruckus was. Lily and James automatically saw this as their queue to leave and started to run away towards the Great Hall, hysterically laughing at the situation.

They'd reached the entrance to the Great Hall and rested against a wall, trying to get their breath back. "Where did you learn that spell from?" James smiled, looking down at her.

"Probably read it somewhere." She giggled, feeling the rush ebb a little but still loved the feeling it was spreading through her body. "Lunch?"

James nodded and pushed himself off the wall. "There's a little Marauder in you, Evans."

"Nah, I think you're rubbing off on me."

They sat down, next to each other, high up on the Gryffindor table. "There could be worser things."

Lily smiled, up at him. "True."

"Ergh, guys, stop having a moment." They heard Sirius groan and pushed the two of them apart by squeezing himself into the space. Marlene and Peter, who had walked in with Black, sat opposite. "Let your best friend in."

"You're not my—"

"I don't want to hear it, Evans. A man can only take so much heartbreak today."

She looked at him puzzled.

"I broke things off with Abercrombie." He stated, plainly. Lily was about to retort but he noticed this and began to speak again. "She's part of the frog choir, Lily, the frog choir. I had no choice. I knew I was going to break up with her so what was the point in keeping her hopes up? That would be most unfair to Fenella."

Lily glared at him, "I bet you feel awful. Poor Sirius, having to have dated a loser."

"It's alright," Sirius sniffed. "I'll get over it."

"Yeah, he's seeing Sophia Dippet later." Peter snickered and then realised he wasn't supposed to say anything because he got a punch from McKinnon. "Oops. Sorry, Padfoot."

"Why does everyone love Sophia fucking Dippet?" Lily sighing, rhetorically. Of course everyone loved Sophia Dippet. She was the Cressida Fleming of the Ravenclaw house but with ash blonde hair and a better personality.

Her eyes wondered to the archway of the Hall and saw Mary flirtatiously talking to a Ravenclaw. Lily tapped Marlene to make her look at the scenario. They both smiled at each other because they knew why MacDonald was making a show of her new boyfriend - she had, obviously, listened to Lily's advice. Mary kissed him and walked over smiling to herself.

"I thought you were dating Bo—"

"Don't speak his name." Mary interrupted.

"Get over yourself." Marlene said. "Boot's best friend."

"Inglebee is. He's on the Quidditch team."

McKinnon laughed, "He's the worst player ever."

"Hang on." James said, having listened to the conversation. "Are you dating someone from the Ravenclaw team?"

Mary nodded.

"You can't sit with us."

"James!" Lily gasped, hitting him in the arm from behind Sirius. "You can't say that."

"Look at Boot." He retorted and glared over towards the Ravenclaw table. Everyone on the table followed orders and peered at the table. Inglebee had just sat by his Quidditch team mates and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "He's practically jumping up and down at the thought of Inglebee having information on us."

"You're just paranoid, Potter. You don't tell Sirius off for seeing Sophia Dippet."

"You're dating Dippet now?" Mary asked, quietly to Sirius.

(Straightening Mary Out part. 2)

"You alright, Mary?" Lily asked as the girls entered her room.

Mary hadn't spoken much after Lily spilled the magic beans. Lunch, Transfiguration and dinner had been tense as MacDonald's mood seemed to envelope anybody that was near her into a deadly silence. Evans didn't blame the guys for eating with Remus but it didn't help the situation either. It made Sirius appear a tad cowardly.

"At least you know for definite that he doesn't like you." Marlene bluntly stated.

"Not helpful, McKinnon."

"She does have a point." Mary sighed, sitting down on Lily's bed, dispirited. "Now, I know that I'll always be just friends with Black."

"You've got Inglebee." Emmeline smiled and sat next to Mary in a comforting manner.

"Oh, please. The guy is boring."

"Maybe him and Fenella should get together." Marlene snickered.

Lily tried not to laugh. "Do your usual and just date some other guy, then."

"There aren't that many left." Mary giggled.

"Maybe instead of rushing into a new relationship, you need to figure out what you actually want."

"Lily's right." Emmeline agreed. "Whats the longest time you've gone without having a boyfriend?"

Mary gave it some thought for a long time. "A month."

"Slut." Marlene coughed, which earned her three sharp glares. "Its true. You don't see the rest of us in Mary's problem. We've managed to figure out who we are and have you, MacDonald? No because you haven't given yourself enough time. 'I'm Mary and I've got to have a man on my arm to feel special and noticeable'."

"I'm Marlene and I've got no emotions." Mary said, mimicking Marlene and her mockery.

"'I'm Mary and I don't let my friends have opinions or give them a chance to express their feelings because I'm too important in my own self pity to give a shit.'" McKinnon snapped. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and work out who the hell you are."

Everyone became silent after Marlene's outburst. Lily looked down at her hands to try and not look at the Mary's face. The blonde asked, "Is that what you all think?"

Lily and Emmeline took awhile to agree but they both believed that honesty was needed.

MacDonald hiccoughed, "I see." Lily looked up to see her friend to find her standing up and marching her way over to the door. "Excuse me while I go and wallow in my own self importance."

"That is not what I said." Marlene interjected and stood in front of her path.

"But it's what you meant."

(Outside the Patronus Lesson)

"Who the fuck broke MacDonald?" James asked as the three girls exited Lily's room and were walking into the common room.

"I did." Marlene muttered, feeling ashamed of herself and how she had handled it.

"No, we all did." Lily stated the fact. "Have you seen her?"

He replied, "Yes. She came walking down here, crying. What the hell did you say to her?"

"The truth." McKinnon glared, crossing her arms. "Sometimes it hurts, Potter."

James wasn't too sure on what to say but could see that all three girls were upset by their actions. He didn't need to make them feel guilty because they were already there. "She's gone with Padfoot and Wormtail to the Patronus lesson."

Lily walked past him and said, "Why's Sirius gone with her? He's the reason for all this."

"Mary wanted to talk to him." He responded, keeping in tow with her fast pace. "I made Peter go to keep peace."

It didn't take them long to walk to their Charms classroom. There was a crowd of their fellow seventh years waiting in an excited anticipation. It was hard for Lily to see where Mary was but she followed James and hoped, that with his height, he had managed to locate her.

Lily's guilt doubled when she saw the bloodshot eyes of Mary MacDonald's. She rushed over to her friend and gave her much needed hug. "I'm—"

"Look at this guys, two mudbloods—"

"Fuck off, Rabastan." Lily interrupted him, angrily, and pushed Mary to the side while she drew her wand up to his face.

"Cowering behind your friends, MacDonald, are we?"

"Leave Mary out of this."

"Or what?"

"Would you like me to remind you of what I did to your friend?" Lily smiled, feeling an anger rise within herself. "I was wondering why I hadn't got a detention for that. Are you too embarrassed that a dirty little mudblood—"

"Don't call yourself that, Lily." She heard James say by the side of her.

"—out bested you and your pureblood elitist buddies?" Lily questioned. She looked around her and saw the other Slytherins move closer towards Lestrange. Snape wasn't in view but, she secretly hoped, he wasn't anywhere near this to be a part of it.

Rabastan stood there for a few seconds, clearly, trying to figure out what the best option was here. There were more students on her side than there was earlier in the day. He was out numbered but it didn't stop him from pulling out his wand and producing a non-verbal spell.

Lily was ready with a defensive spell. It pushed all her friends, and the other students, backwards at the force of the spell. If no one had noticed the confrontation beforehand, they will have now. "Alarte Ascendare." Lily shouted at Rabastan. It hit its target, perfectly in the chest. She didn't wait to see him fly upwards and crash into the ceiling , she had to cast another spell swiftly to protect herself and the others.

"Marry me, Evans." Lily heard Sirius whisper in admiration.

Red sparks flew in all direction. They ricochetted off of the walls and the various statutes that lined the corridor. She had no idea if anyone else was trying to help because her eyes stayed trained on the Slytherins ahead of her.

Lily had managed to deflect all of the spells coming her way but was struggling to find a way to get an attack spell through, and if she did, it was only to disarm the witch or wizard. When she did get a chance, Slytherin's numbers started to dwindle the more her spells hit their mark. Parkinson had run off screaming about her nose turning into a pigs snout causing the other Slytherin girls to follow after her to try and fix it back to normal, Augustus Rockwood had managed to knock himself out with a backfired spell and Bulstrode was currently stuck in the floor.

"Miss Evans!" Professor McGonagall shouted, coming out of the Charms room with the fellow Heads of House. "What do you think you are doing?"

In the mean time, Lestrange had gained consciousness and hadn't noticed that the teachers had walked out into the corridor. He raised his wand and, gradually, crept forward. Lily had noticed and sent him flying back into the same ceiling, while she turned to face the Professor. "Defending myself, Professor."

"Defensive spells do not cause a student to get stuck in the floor or crash into the ceiling." McGonagall stated.

"They had called her a mudblood twice today, Professor." James said, stepping forward to be next to Lily.

Head of Gryffindor House looked at her for a second. "Professor Slughorn, I suggest you take your House back to their common room and figure out a punishment for them. We do not tolerate any student being called such a word."

"Yes, Minevra." Slughorn agreed and faced Lily, apologetically. "I won't allow this type of behaviour to go unpunished, especially to a member of my club."

"Lily, if you'll come with me." McGonagall requested. "Everyone else go into the class to start your lesson."

"Professor—"

"No, Potter. Go into class."

Lily watched her year walk into Flitwick's room. They all looked guilty and sorry when they glanced her way. If it had been a normal lesson, Lily wouldn't have cared, but, because it was the first Patronus lesson, she felt like she was going to miss out on too much. The adrenaline had receded by the time she came to this conclusion.

Slughorn had managed to revive, unstuck and shepherd his House out of the corridor before Professor McGonagall faced Lily. "Miss Evans, do you realise that you can't go unpunished when you have hurt a student in this school?"

"Yes, Professor, but Lestrange attacked first."

"I'm deducting fifty points from Gryffindor and you are missing this workshop." McGonagall said. Lily stayed there, watching her Transfiguration Professor, waiting for more punishments. "That's all, Evans."

"Oh," Lily frowned, "Thank you, Professor."

She did as she was ordered but sulked around the castle grounds. Lily wasn't remorseful for what she had just done, in fact she was proud of herself, but it did hurt that she had managed to get kicked out of one of the most important lessons of the year. What if this one lesson pulled her back?

Eventually, after a half hour of moping, she made up her mind on where to go and proceeded to the Hospital Wing. Remus had made his way out of bed and was seated on a plumb armchair when she arrived. The closer she got to him, the more excruciatingly tired he looked.

"Shouldn't you be—" He began to ask when he saw her walking over to him.

Lily sat down on the seat next to him, sighed and recalled the days even to him

Remus laughed, looking brighter and healthier. "Are you worried that you've missed the Patronus lesson?"

"Just a little."

"I've been reading up on them, and from what Flitwick said yesterday, I'm sure me and you can figure it out together."

Lily smiled and touched his arm. "I'd like that."