Sunlight streamed into the Great Hall from a vivid blue sky spattered with puffy white clouds, but so far Lily was the only one up to enjoy it. She had been chased out of bed sometime around four am. If she had known she wouldn't sleep, she probably would have saved her homework for the morning. As it was, she was taking advantage of the time to get a head start on her reading.
A solitary step caught her attention and she looked up to find the Headmaster sauntering calmly into the room through the enormous double doors at the end of the Hall. Hands clasped behind his back and his brow furrowed in deep thought, he didn't seem to notice her until he had drawn up to her side.
"Good morning, Headmaster," she said softly, startling him out of his reverie.
His expression lightened the moment he saw her and he smiled kindly. "A very good morning to you, Miss Evans. I hope you're rising early out of preference rather than necessity."
Catching his meaning, Lily only shook her head. "Don't worry, Headmaster, James is behaving himself. I just had a little trouble sleeping."
Dumbledore nodded sympathetically. "Such a problem is all too common in these dark times. I fear this sleeplessness may be an epidemic."
Suddenly, Lily realized how childish she had sounded. Here she was a student at school with no more pressing concerns than homework and boys, complaining to the most well-respected wizard of the century. He was a figurehead of justice in the fight against You-Know-Who. Surely he had better things to think about than her nightmares.
Shaking herself impatiently, she gave him an encouraging smile. "I wanted to thank you again for helping me during the holidays, Headmaster."
"Think nothing of it," he replied easily, patting her shoulder in a grandfatherly fashion. "When it comes to the safety and well-being of my students, I assure you there is nothing more important in this world."
A warm bubble swelled in her chest as the first sleepy-eyed students entered the Great Hall. She thanked him again shyly and wished him a good day. He nodded in turn and began to move off, then paused. "In my experience, Miss Evans, pleasant dreams come easier when one enjoys something sweet before bed. I believe the Head Boy knows the way to the kitchens well enough. You might ask him if he could help you find a solution."
Lily knew very well that his mind was running more along the lines of biscuits or cake than anything else, but she couldn't help blushing as she nodded. She could only wonder what he guessed as he smiled enigmatically and moved off. There was only a short time for her to muse, however, as she was swiftly joined by Alice and Frank.
"Well? Any developments?" she asked eagerly.
Shaking his head, Frank shrugged as he loaded a bowl with porridge. "Not that I've seen. The lads didn't even notice you talking to him."
"It can't be just a coincidence," Alice insisted, patting his arm and giving him her patented "you did your best" smile.
"The air's a bit chummy around here, isn't it?" Annabelle Arden asked with a mocking sneer as she swaggered up amidst a gaggle of her friends. Tall, blonde, and perfect except for the sour expression on her face, she glared at the trio imperiously. "Having fun, Frank?"
"Why, Arden, are you allergic?" Alice shot back defensively.
The two girls couldn't be more different as they glared one another down. Whereas Annabelle was immaculate from her perfectly curled hair to her artful makeup, Alice's white-blonde hair hung in short braids and her skin was bare and fresh.
Snapping her fingers impatiently, Annabelle turned on her heel. "Come along, Frank."
"He's not a dog, Arden," Lily spoke up reluctantly, causing the affronted girl to pause. She liked Frank, but for the life of her she couldn't understand why he stayed with someone who treated him so poorly. Alice said she would understand if she met his mother.
"Actually, we're working on something right now," Frank told her with a smile. "I'll meet up with you later."
Not used to being put off, Annabelle scowled ferociously while the other girls tried not to giggle. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she stuck her hands on her skinny hips. "We need to have a talk."
Smiling, Frank reached up to touch her cheek. "We'll talk later, yeah? After you've calmed down a bit."
Furious, she spun like a top and stormed off, her friends scuttling in her petulant wake. Alice gave her friend an astonished smile. "Well done, Frank. Finally found your bollocks, have you?"
"I think he just took them back from Annabelle," Lily teased, making the bigger boy blush.
"Incoming," Frank said suddenly, his eyes riveted on the end of the hall where Dante and his friends were striding in.
After craning her neck to get a good look, Alice slumped down on her stool with a frustrated growl. "He looks fine."
Tilting her head to the side, Lily was forced to agree. "Only, he's got the hiccups."
Frank's head came up in surprise and he stared hard at the dark-haired boy. "He had them last night as well."
"He looks tired," Alice observed, feeling suddenly hopeful. She glanced around at her friends. "You don't think they'd-"
"They've done far worse," Lily mused thoughtfully. "There's O'Hara. Wish me luck."
Catching her hand, Alice pulled her up short. "Are you sure you want to do that here? I mean, after yesterday-"
"It's fine," Lily assured her with a smile. "The sooner we get to the bottom of this, yeah? Frank and I have potions with him first thing, so we'll know if something happens."
"Besides," Frank added quickly, "with all these people around, we know he won't do anything too outrageous."
Reluctantly, Alice released her and Lily hurried toward the Slytherin table with her nose buried in a book. Taking a page out of James's book, she managed to trip on a stray satchel and dropped to her knees just as she passed the gangly boy. Her skirt flew up and without hesitation, he cackled, "Nice legs Evans! How'd you fancy going halves on a bastard?"
It wasn't too far a stretch to feign deep mortification as she scrambled to pull her skirt down. Her face glowed a dull red as she collected her book and rose briskly to her feet to the sound of Professor Slughorn taking fifteen points from his own house for harassing the Head Girl. Lily gave him a weak, appreciative smile as she hurried off to the bathroom, Alice right on her heels.
"I knew that was a bad idea," Alice grumbled as the door slammed shut behind them and Lily rushed to the sink to splash cold water on her face.
"It was your idea," Lily spluttered.
"Yes, but I didn't want half the school to see you getting sexually harassed," Alice insisted, "again!"
Daubing her face with her handkerchief, Lily met her eyes in the mirror and smiled. "The worst is over, Alice. Now we just have to wait."
It wasn't long. O'Hara was late for Potions, but James and his friends were right on time. When the boy entered looking distinctly vague and stripped down to just his tie, socks, shoes, and underpants, the class burst into outraged laughter. The Marauders blended easily with their classmates by laughing just as heartily as anyone else.
"What? What?" he asked stupidly, looking around without comprehending.
Thirty more points were deducted from Slytherin and O'Hara, still completely befuddled, was sent to his dormitory to find some clothes. Glancing meaningfully at Frank, Lily shifted off her seat and turned toward the supply cupboard. She slowed when she spotted Severus Snape loitering, painstakingly measuring out a beaker of mallowsweet.
He didn't look at her. He never looked at her anymore. She wondered if it wasn't because he hadn't forgiven himself for that day at the lake. They'd been friends once, but that was all over now. Crushed in a moment of humiliation and anger. More's the pity. Severus would have loved this sort of intrigue.
Drawing up a friendly smile, she approached casually. "Excuse me, Severus."
His dark eyes were cool and vacant as he finished his business and turned away. He looked through her as though she were nothing. Less than vapor. Remembering his smile made her heart hurt so that she took an inadvertent step after him.
"It's not worth it, Lily," Frank murmured, moving to block her path.
"If I could just talk to him-" she reasoned softly.
"He hasn't listened before," he reminded her gently. "He won't listen now."
Biting her lip, Lily nodded. He was right. She should know that by now. Taking a breath, she fought to bring her mind back to the present. "Did you see anything?"
"I saw Sirius go into the bathroom after O'Hara," he said softly. "I was going to follow, but Remus stopped me to talk. It's not definite, but it's something."
Bobbing her head in understanding, the two parted to return to their work stations. She could hardly concentrate on her Ignisidio Potion, however, as she pondered what they would do next. She couldn't in good conscience continue testing them. It made no sense to keep putting innocent boys in danger to prove what they already knew: the Marauders were up to no good. Why they would go to such lengths was still a mystery.
Consumed with her thoughts, Lily added her crushed dittany too late. The potion was too hot and it flared up without warning. Before she could even react, she was dragged off her stool from behind.
"Not to worry!" Professor Slughorn called as he used his wand to extinguish the flames and clear up the mess. He gave Lily a sympathetic smile before turning to grin at the class. "Learn from your mistakes, I always say. Now, who can tell me what Miss Evans did wrong?"
Slowly overcoming her shock, Lily carefully straightened and turned to smile up at her savior. Sirius gingerly released his arm from around her waist and grinned, scratching self-consciously behind his ear. "Alright, Evans?"
"Thanks Sirius," she said sincerely.
"My pleasure," he said with a pleasant grin. "It's not like you to be so careless. Boy troubles?"
Lily caught herself just before giving him a sharp look. Instead, she laughed. "Actually, I think it's more a matter of sleep deprivation."
"Funny... Prongs didn't mention it," he chuckled wryly, shooting his friend a sly grin.
Struck by a sudden inspiration, Lily went up on tiptoe and pressed a grateful kiss to Sirius's lips. When she leaned back, his expression was one of abject surprise. Then he brought a hand up to demurely cover his mouth and giggled girlishly. "Why Lily Evans, I never thought I'd see the day..."
Blushing self-consciously, she turned away and spotted James watching them with an icy expression. As class was dismissed, he collected his things and walked past her without a word. He didn't even look at Sirius as he made his way out the door with Peter scurrying hurriedly behind.
Putting a hand on his head, Remus gave Sirius a weary look. "This will be interesting."
Taking a chance, Lily asked, "Why?"
Giving her a lopsided grin, Sirius explained, "James can be a little territorial. He never learned sharing as a kid."
"Even if he's not playing with the toy, he doesn't want anyone else to have it," Remus continued helpfully. After a moment, he grinned. "Still, it beats doing homework."
"Absolutely," Sirius agreed with a reckless smirk.
"So I'm just a thing to him?" Lily asked as she lifted her bag and shot Professor Slughorn an apologetic smile.
The boys exchanged looks as they flanked her out of the room. It was an obvious pause that made her all the more curious, but Remus eventually admitted, "You're special. He likes you."
"He likes the fact that he can mess with you and you don't get cross like other girls," Sirius added easily. "It's a nice trait, Evans."
"Plus you're not always flirting with him and trying to get him to ask you out," Remus continued. "Overall, you're a good mate."
"Is that what happened to O'Hara?" She didn't really expect them to answer, but it didn't hurt to ask.
Tilting his head curiously to the side, Sirius said, "Wait, what happened to O'Hara?"
"That naked bit?" Remus guessed with a slightly affronted look. "We were already in class when that happened."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he did it himself for attention," Sirius added blandly.
Their perfect facsimile of innocence couldn't help making her smile. That thin shaft of illumination they had afforded her was likely all she would get at this point. Besides, pressing harder would give the game away, and she wasn't quite sure she should do that just yet. But, if it were true that James was just possessive, it could provide the simplest explanation.
She was still pondering when they entered Defense Against the Dark Arts so it took her a moment to notice that Professor Beetle was not in attendance. Instead, James stood at the front of the class with his hands planted firmly on the desk, regarding his peers with an aggressive grin.
"Alright, alright, file in," he ordered as the bell rang for class. "We'll start out this morning learning dueling techniques. Black?"
"Oh, he's so good," Sirius grinned as he moved to face his friend.
"Hang on," Lily called. "What do you think you're doing, James? Where's Beetle? He had better not be unconscious in a cupboard somewhere."
Keeping his eyes to the front, he announced, "Since Professor Beetle didn't feel equipped to teach Advanced Defense, the Headmaster asked me to fill in until a suitable replacement has been located. Which means for now, everyone will address me as Professor Potter and I would appreciate it if you would raise your hand before speaking out of turn." His eyes shot meaningfully to her face and she flushed.
What followed was not pretty, but he and Sirius seemed to enjoy it as they took turns trying to blast each other, and half the room, apart. With the class huddled in the corner behind Remus's shielding charm for safety, James called out pointers as he viciously attacked his friend.
"Protecting yourself isn't a simple formula. You need to be aware of your surroundings," he advised as he crouched behind the desk. "Think on your feet and use whatever is available to your advantage. It could mean the difference between life and death. Even if it's not magic-" Catching up a chair, he hooked it at Sirius's head before shooting a stunning spell at him that left scorch marks on the wall. "If it's a Death Eater, they won't muck about. Outside possession, torture and murder are their only goals."
Nervously, a girl with long black hair called Miranda Crew raised her hand and Remus gave her a friendly grin. "Yes Crew?"
"Isn't this a little dangerous? I mean, who's gonna clean up the classroom?" she asked nervously.
"I... uh, wouldn't question Professor Potter's methods if I were you," Peter filled in anxiously as a window shattered.
Shooting Remus a worried frown, Lily muttered, "Are you sure this is all right, Remus?"
The handsome boy only grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Believe it or not, this is the best way for the two of them to communicate."
"It's a thing of beauty, really," Peter added, jumping a little as a book struck the shield in the empty air in front of him.
The classroom was demolished by the time they were finished with what was arguably the most interesting object lesson in Hogwarts history, but James and Sirius were once again thick as thieves. After assigning an essay on what they had learned, James dismissed them early in order to clean up before Professor Beetle returned. Staying back from lunch, Lily and his friends helped him.
"Did you have to set this many fires, Prongs?" Peter complained as he replaced the seventh charred chair from a storage classroom down the hall.
"I thought we agreed not to question his methods," Remus reminded him with a smile as he levitated a heavy bookshelf back upright.
Shaking her head as she gathered up a whirlwind of singed papers, Lily mumbled: "All this over one little kiss."
"Pardon?" James asked from directly behind her.
Sucking nervously on her upper lip, she turned her head and gave him a dubious look. "You threw a tantrum over me kissing Sirius when he rescued me."
Casting an amused glance at his friends, he rapped his knuckles leniently against her forehead. "Whatever would give you such a mad idea, Evans?"
"Your mates practically said as much to me on the way to class," she informed him impatiently. He wasn't going to wriggle his way out of this one. Not when they had the proof right in front of them. "You said Flynn was a prat for getting worked up over you kissing me."
"He is," he said simply, giving her a look that clearly communicated that he didn't know what she was getting at.
"It's the same thing!" she supplied incredulously.
"You're leaving out the fact that I don't really care who you snog, Evans," he told her impassively.
Stung, Lily retreated a step and looked away. What was this all about, anyway? Her throat was almost too tight for her to breathe, so she nodded and glanced back to give the boys a gentle smile. James's expression was still inscrutable, but his friends looked slightly pained. When she spoke, her voice was soft and hesitant. "I um... I'm real hungry, so I'm gonna go to lunch. You guys can finish up without me, yeah?"
She didn't wait for an answer. It took almost all her strength just to walk calmly out of the room without bursting into tears. A low murmur of voices she didn't care to listen to followed her out, then a lonely set of footsteps echoed in the corridor behind her. Clenching her fingers around the strap of her satchel, she tried to hurry, but couldn't escape the unrelenting pursuit.
"Don't follow me, James," she said in a strained voice. Turning her head slightly, she could just see him ambling after her with his hands in his pockets.
"How am I supposed to apologize for being a prat if I don't follow you?" he shot back sensibly. When she didn't respond, she heard him quicken his pace. "If I leave you alone, all you're going to do is find a corner to cry in and talk yourself out of being cross."
"Why is that such a bad thing?" she croaked, tears now thick in her throat.
"It'd be better if you'd let me hold you," he pointed out softly as he caught hold of her sleeve.
She continued walking, even as he got closer and took hold of her arm. She resisted as he tugged her toward an empty classroom, but she was no match for him. When she tried to keep walking, he wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her bodily. "James don't! Don't! I said no!"
Kicking the door closed behind them, he dropped her to her feet, spun her around to face him, and kissed her. She could feel the tension in his body. This kiss wasn't playful or passionate. It almost felt desperate.
Pressing her hands to his chest, she tried to turn away. He had hurt her feelings. She wasn't quite ready to forgive him yet. She didn't want him to kiss her. It would only serve to change her mind.
He didn't let her go. Dragging her closer with one arm, he caught her by the back of the head and held her still. His lips were hard and insistent. There was a sharp stab of pain as he bit her before plunging his tongue inside her mouth. He wasn't exploring. He was taking possession.
Then all at once, he was James again. Gentle. Friendly. Concerned. Oblivious to the tears leaking from her eyes, he ran his hands almost reverently over her hair and cheeks. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry."
"Why?" she gasped, her eyes filled with confusion. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I'm an idiot," he sighed, leaning his forehead against hers and closing his eyes.
"Why do you always say such terrible things?" she whimpered.
He seemed about to respond, then sighed and shook his head. The wall between them was almost palpable as he gingerly bonked his head against hers. "I don't mean to."
Her tears were slowing as she put her hands on his wrists and gave him a watery smile. Shaking her head at him, she let out a soft bubble of laughter. "You're impossible."
"I know," he agreed easily. "Feel free to slap me anytime."
Taking a step away from him, she wiped ineffectually at her face until he offered her his handkerchief. He laughed when she produced a soft honk while blowing her nose and she couldn't help but giggle as well. Once she was passably dry, she gave him a firm look. "Tell me something true, James."
Anxiety lit behind his eyes, but he smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets. Shrugging easily, he asked, "Like what?"
"You hurt my feelings and then said you didn't mean it," she pointed out softly. "Tell me what you meant to say."
He was already shaking his head, his hand moving habitually to his hair. She suddenly wondered if that were more a nervous habit than anything else as he rubbed his head agitatedly. At length, he sighed and leaned forward so that they were nose to nose. "I don't want you to kiss Sirius."
"There, now. Was that so painful?" she asked with a smile.
"Excruciating," he replied wearily, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses. After a moment, he chanced a peak at her. "Don't ask me why."
"I wasn't going to," she grinned.
"Good." He reached up to chuck his knuckles under her chin and smiled. "Good. So we're okay, yeah?"
The bell signaling the end of lunch rang, and she nodded as he swore. In one smooth motion, she caught his tie and jerked his head back around. Reeling him in by the thin strip of silk, she gave him an affectionate look. "You should learn to be a little more honest, James. It clears up misunderstandings much faster."
"I'll remember that," he murmured as he kissed her again. After a moment, he smiled. "Only, would you mind letting go now? We've got to get to class."
"How responsible of you," she sighed, releasing her grip and moving past him toward the door.
"What does that mean?" he asked suddenly, watching her sharp interest.
She smiled coyly over her shoulder as she paused in the doorway. "You're clever. Figure it out for yourself, Potter."
Feeling like a flirtatious minx, she rushed out the door and down the hall. What had ever possessed her to say something like that? He was going to think... What? That she fancied him? Did she? She swiftly realized she could do well to follow her own advice, but that train of thought only caused her to blush harder.
She didn't have long to get herself together. Charms was right after lunch and, as always, she had it with James. The only saving grace was that Alice was also in attendance. Sitting side by side, Alice kept shooting her curious glances as Professor Flitwick went through his lecture.
"Lily, what's wrong with you? You look like your head's about to explode," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
"Later," she mumbled, glancing toward the other end of the classroom where James and his friends were passing notes at a furious pace.
Frustrated, Alice grabbed her wand in her left hand and dropped it to her lap below the table. Lily couldn't guess what she was about until she felt a sharp tingle of magic. Blood burst instantaneously from her nose, gushing over her painstaking notes before she could cover it.
"Oh no!" Alice cried, surging to her feet and putting an arm around her friend's shoulders. "Don't worry, Professor, I'll see her to the infirmary."
She rushed the taller girl out of the room before anyone could react and kept pushing until they reached the bathroom. A wave of her wand stopped the flow and Lily glared at her irritably. "Was that really necessary?"
"Yes!" Alice snapped as she cleared up the blood.
"You could have waited until after class," Lily argued, turning to the mirror to check her appearance.
"No, I need to know what's going on now!" the smaller girl insisted aggressively. "You won't tell me what happened, but Potter's been staring holes through you all period. Something seems fishy to me and I want to know what it is!"
"It's him!" Lily blurted awkwardly, turning to stare at her friend anxiously. "It's James. I'm... absolutely mad for him and... and I think he might fancy me too."
Narrowing her eyes, Alice crossed her arms over her chest. "Lily... what?"
"I know!" she exclaimed, pacing the floor with frantic energy. "I didn't want to. I kept telling myself that I'm not going to be the girl who fancies the boy that bullies her. It's insane!"
"Yeah," Alice agreed obviously.
"But he..." she trailed off, not knowing how to explain.
Moving to block her furious pacing, Alice stepped in front of her and put her hands on her arms. Her smile was calm and understanding. "You said you think he fancies you. Why do you think so?"
Pressing her lips together against her tears, Lily's shoulders lifted helplessly. "He always finds excuses to be nice to me."
She could tell Alice was skeptical. It didn't make much sense to her either. What sane person would say horrible things to someone they cared for so that they could comfort them? Then again, maybe he did that because he was too embarrassed to say what he actually meant. After all, he didn't seem to like what he was doing. He was always sorry for making her cry. He always went after her to fix things. But he was one of the most popular boys in school. Shouldn't he know how to talk to girls?
"Alice," she said firmly, "I know what I need to do next."
Practically skipping to keep up with her as she turned to leave the bathroom, Alice searched her face anxiously. "What's that?"
"I'm gonna make James Potter admit he's in love with me," she announced boldly. She only made it a few steps down the hall when she fainted from loss of blood.
"Oops. Sorry," Alice apologized.