Disclaimer: Not mine, pretty much everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Summary: Everyone has a reason to be the way they are and so does James Potter. What if pieces of his mask start slipping and a certain redhead sees beyond?

Behind The Prankster's Mask

Chapter 4

Lily was in a rather bad mood this morning and walking into the Great Hall, only to run into her two least favourite Marauders didn't help that mood in the very least. She had not been happy to wake up in her clothes and to be reminded this early in the morning of the reason for that wasn't what she had had in mind for the first day of class as Head Girl. Being Head Girl was supposed to be great, wonderful and basically the best year of her school career. Instead it was already starting out as hell.

'Good morning, Evans,' Sirius greeted jubilantly. 'Serena, Dorcas,' he nodded. 'Isn't it a lovely morning? We were just on our way to our way to enjoy a free period before heading off to a morning in the fresh air with Herbology and Care for Magical Creatures. You fair ladies will join us, won't you?'

With a wink Sirius walked on, dragging James behind him. Serena smiled as she watched them leave, but she heard her two friends sigh and groan behind her. 'Pray tell me why those Marauders have to keep taken the same classes as us?' Lily grumbled.

'Because, if you haven't noticed, both of them want to become Aurors and thus, have fairly the same classes you, as future Healer, will have to take. As for Care for Magical Creatures, well, they do love any excuse to enter the forbidden forest,' Serena answered. 'Now let's get some breakfast, I'm hungry.'

They had just sat down at Gryffindor table when the sounds of a large but far away explosion reached their ears. All First-years present in the Great Hall looked scared, the Second-years looked slightly alarmed, and all other students looked rather bored. Lily was glaring at the open doors as if the reason for the explosion would walk in. It was only now she realised James had been carrying a few sandwiches.

'Lily, just eat, they really aren't going to come back and take a bow, it's only the first day,' Serena sighed.

'For once I agree with her,' Dorcas commented. 'You could've known they would arrange something like this. It's a tradition and those Marauders never do let a tradition slip that easily.'

Lily huffed in reply and turned to her breakfast.

-Boys' dormitory, Gryffindor Tower-

'Wakey, wakey, Moony. The sun is shinning brightly, the fresh air is calling and breakfast is served,' Sirius sang, opening the hangings of Remus's bed so the sun would shine in his face.

'Gerroff,' Remus mumbled incoherently, turning over and pulling his pillow over his head.

James winked at Sirius as he handed him the sandwiches they brought for their friend and tip-toed over to the end of the bed. Carefully he opened the hangings there and took a gentle hold on the pile of blankets. One good tug had them come clear of the bed, effectively removing Remus's hiding place. The morning air was not at all unpleasant, but just cool enough to function as wake up, though given, not as effective as on a winter morning.

"I hate you,' Remus glared as he sat up, running a hand through his sleep-tussled hair. James glared right back when his friend's hair actually looked more presentable than before the hand had been introduced to it.

'Have no fear, the feelings are returned,' James mock grumbled.

'And here I was always thinking you liked the way your hair looked when tussled,' Remus yawned, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and slightly testing if they would cooperate in supporting him.

'I do not and never have,' James glared, for real this time.

'Then why…'

'Frustration, mostly,' Sirius interrupted before it even started. 'Half the time he doesn't even know why he's doing it. When girls are around, well, they do like how his hair looks when tussled and whatever gets you laid…' Both James and Remus were staring openly at their raven haired friend. 'What?' Sirius inquired.

'You… you… you've…' James sputtered.

'You used your brain,' Remus blurted, looking amazed. When Sirius glared at them the two dropped their act and fell on Remus's bed laughing.

'Go on, Moony,' James gasped. 'Go take a shower. We brought you food and your schedule. We're starting with a free period.'

Remus disappeared into the bathroom, still trying to contain his laughter. Just as he looked the door behind him, Peter finally rolled out of bed. 'Too late, Pete, bathroom's taken and you've got double Divination first period,' James informed the boy and Peter groaned audibly.

'Oh, have no fear, I can get you squeaky clean for your class without you ever needing to see the inside of a bathroom,' Sirius offered and Peter looked relieved.

Five minutes later he left the dormitory to go to his class, indeed he wassqueaky clean… literally. All the way down the stairs to the common room he was followed by the roaring laughter of the two brothers in arms, or rather, pranks, he had left behind.

-Herbology-

'Messrs Potter, Black and Lupin, you are serving an hour's detention tonight at six. You are to report to Mr. Filch,' Professor Sprout informed as she approached the group of students waiting in front of one of the greenhouses.

'That's during dinner,' Sirius protested.

'You seem to be perfectly capable of finding your way to the kitchens, so I don't see the problem,' Professor Sprout replied, opening the greenhouse. 'Everyone inside, we've got a lot to do today.'

James quickly slipped past her, followed by a still grumbling Sirius and a half amused Remus. They took their spot at the back of the class. Incidentally a certain redhead and her friends were right in front of them. Serena looked over her shoulder for a moment and Sirius winked at her, his detention during dinner momentarily forgotten as he managed to also make a dazzling smile appear in the same fleeting second.

Serena silently grinned to herself. Maybe when the time was right she would tell, but that wasn't right now. Lily would all but kill her if she spent time with the Marauders. If only she could truly see James Potter like Serena knew him to be. It was like asking for a miracle, though, James was too practised to let his mask slip and Lily was too blind and prejudged to see past it. But that didn't stop Serena from hoping.

A/N:Hope you liked it. Please review. I've been busy with school, so yeah, like I warned beforehand, that's what took me so long to update. But I'm sure you're all familiar with the concept of school. Please review!