DISCLAIMER: Characters and world belong to J K Rowling.


"Good mornin, lovely," chirped Marlene sarcastically as she saw a groggy looking Lily Evans stumble over the side table and frown.

Lily grunted in response.

"Hey, Marlene?"

Marlene looked up and raised her eyebrows at Mary.

"Guess what the latest style in Witch Weekly is? It's this new thing called Bed hair. I mean it's just so stunningly beauti-"

Lily groaned, as she glared at her best friends and pressed her hair down. She plonked on the couch, her feet up, and sighed.

Marlene and Mary knew her mood swings just too well. They chose to remain quiet.

"What's with elfie over here?" asked Dorcas Meadowes as she entered the common room.

Marlene looked confused at the question, so Mary mouthed 'Muggle fairy tale' to her. The colour in Lily's cheeks rose, and for a moment they all thought she would explode, but instead she sighed again and said,

"It is such a bad day today."

Marlene raised her eyebrow.

"First, we have double potions, meaning double Slughorn."

"I thought you liked Potions," said Mary.

"Yeah, I do. Only problem is, I cannot deal with Slughorn today. He's always going on about how perfect my potion is and how Severus and I should open an apothecary together. I can't do that today," Lily whined while moving her hands in an elaborate manner.

"And then, I realized I haven't done my transfiguration essay, and we have it before Lunch."

Marlene rolled here eyes as Lily continued. "And then, to make matters worse, I have this Doge boy in my tail."

"The Ravenclaw?"

Lily nodded, and waved her hand like that was inconsequential. "He's been asking me out for ages, and I just got so tired of ignoring him, I said yes by mistake, so now I have to find an easy way to let him off."

"How did you say yes by mistake?" asked Marlene amusedly.

"Ughhhh...I was tired and sleepy, I had just read a nasty letter from Petunia, and I was doing that dratted Herbology essay and….."

"Well, I think you've made your point. Herbology can ruin the best of us," said Dorcas.

"That's not true," protested Mary.

Lily smiled apologetically at her and continued, "and then to top it all off, Potter is not being Potter."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Dorcas.

"He's not being Potter. He hasn't asked me out, flirted with me, or even talked to me. He's like the only constant thing in my life. Persistently annoying, but constant. And now he's changed to…."

As if on cue, the tall messy haired boy rushed down the stairs and out of the common room without even a glance at the girls.

"See what I mean?"

"And you're complaining?" asked Marlene.

"No, not complaining. But something is up. Something is wrong."

"Maybe he just got tired of chasing you," said Mary.

"Not bloody likely," exclaimed Dorcas.

Lily sighed again and threw her hands up "It's like the universe has conspired against me."

Marlene nodded, somewhat confusedly and then got up. "Right, so I'm headed to breakfast, anyone coming?"

Dorcas and Mary nodded and headed towards the door, but Lily didn't move.

"You're supposed to help me in my hour of need," Lily said indignantly.

"Honey, right now, it's my tummy's hour of need. We're going down for breakfast, you too. Potter and Doge can wait," said Marlene seriously.

"Fine," said Lily grumpily as she headed down to breakfast with the rest of them.


"Hey Kin!" said Remus brightly as the girls sat down for lunch.

She frowned and sat down next to him, Lily sitting beside her.

Remus shrugged his shoulders and continued eating.

A pale white girl, with short black hair came into the hall, her face annoyed as she dumped a pile of books on the table.

"I'm telling you, kids, enjoy your sixth year while you can. Seventh year sucks," she said grumpily.

Marlene and Lily looked at each other grimly and gulped.

"So, you guys got dates?" asked Frank cheerily, trying to ease the awkwardness his girlfriend had created.

Mary nodded happily and pointed to an ash blonde boy sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

Dorcas shrugged " S'ppose so."

Alice looked at her questioningly but Dorcas didn't seem to find the need to elaborate.

"I'm going with Melanie," said Peter casually.

Sirius made an impressed face and shot Peter a wink.

"What about you, mate?" Frank asked Remus.

"Nobody," said Remus plainly.

"You mean you still haven't asked Dorea?" asked Lily clearly shocked.

Remus paled "Oh- oh right."

Frank asked "Yeah what's with the Dorea thing? I've never even seen you guys talk."

Remus wasn't sure what to say. "Oh we talk. We talk all the time. Talk the talk, talking , talking..."

Everyone sitting around Remus looked at him curiously and he just became redder and redder.

Sirius realized Remus was in an awkward position and tried to help him out. "What about you, Evans?"

Lily nodded sullenly.

"What? Doge? I thought you said you talked to him." said Marlene, clearly shocked.

"Well, it's only three days to Hogesmeade, I can't ditch him now."

Marlene mumbled something in response but Lily couldn't be sure, because she was in her own world. Lily found it strange that James hadn't reacted. It made her feel weird, by now he would have exploded and sworn to hex the guy, but instead, he sat there, his head bent, not saying a word. It scared her. No, it didn't. It annoyed her. But why? She didn't want him to care. Or did she?

"Evans to Earth. Evans to Earth." said Frank.

Lily shook her head and mumbled an apology.

Alice asked "Marlene?"

"Well, I was planning on going with Lily but since she has plans," Marlene threw up her hands in defeat," guess that leaves me with Potter"

"I thought you were going with Black," said Mary.

"Well, apparently, someone is too busy for me," said Marlene in a sickly sweet voice as she looked directly at Sirius.

Sirius smiled apologetically at Marlene and glared at James who mouthed a sorry back to him.

Lily didn't know why, but her stomach was doing turns. Marlene was going with James. It didn't bother her. Well, it shouldn't bother her. Marlene didn't like James and James didn't like her. Whoa, back up. Why did it matter? She didn't like James, it shouldn't bother her. She was watching James the whole time the thoughts were running through her mind. The arch of his neck, the messy mop of hair, and the outline of his jaw. He looked up, and caught her staring, she turned a violent shade of red and looked away.

She quickly got up. "Uh...I should be going. I have this transfig essay to do."

"You did that already," said Mary.

"I mean Potions."

"We don't have one," said Marlene.

Lily said thought gritted teeth, " Slughorn gave me one to do."

Marlene shrugged her shoulders and was about to reply but Lily was gone, her skirt flying behind her, her red ponytail bouncing as she ran.

Mary looked quizzically at Marlene who gave her the 'I have no idea look.'


The Marauders knew Severus had fallen for their plan. Or at least they hoped. So, Sirius, or rather Gizelle, sat at the small table in the library where they would usually meet, waiting for Severus to appear. James had concealed himself with his cloak, standing behind the book shelf situated close by.

Severus walked into the library, throwing looks behind him, hoping nobody was following him. When he saw the slender figure of Gizelle crouched over the table, peering at a fat book, his lips curled slightly upwards.

"Hello," he said plainly.

Gizelle looked up at him and smiled, a bit falsely. Luckily, Snape didn't notice this.

"Do you mind if I sit down?

Sirius almost grunted in response, but remembering where he was, rapidly fluttered his eyelids before saying in a sweet voice. "Of course, Sevvvvyyyy."

Severus sat down, and smiled at Gizelle.

"I never got a chance to thank you for the book. It was incredible."

Gizelle giggled and said "I thought you'd like it."

They sat there in silence for some time before there was a loud cough from behind Severus. Severus turned, but there was no one around. It confused him. Sirius took the opportunity to take a deep breath and brace himself as he reached across the table and gently lay his hand on Severus'.

Severus turned a dark shade of violet on the contact and quickly retracted his hand. For a moment, he thought he saw relief on Gizelle's face before it turned into a grin. That grin, he'd seen it before. Not on Gizelle, though. He couldn't place it. He was sure it reminded him of someone.

His reverie was broken by Gizelle's sweet voice "Sevyyyy, I was wondering if we could...we could go to Hogesmeade together this weekend."

Severus' face betrayed shock and nervousness, and he stuttered " I...I don't — what?"

Gizelle winked at him and smiled.

Severus took a moment to react, before getting up and gathering his things in his arms. "I'm sorry- I can't go with you."

"Why not?"

Severus didn't reply, he had turned around, walking rapidly away from the, his cloak flapping behind him.

Sirius stood up, his face looking both shocked and insulted, when James came out from under his cloak.

"What the hell was that?" asked James.

"That...That was like so rude," said Sirius jerking his thumb in the direction Snape had left.

"How did he say no?"

"You were right there."

"Why?"

"Exactly! Why would anyone say no to this?"

"Hogesmeade is in three days. How are you gonna convince him?"

"He said no."

"I mean, 72 hours is hardly enough."

"He said no," repeated Sirius.

"What are we going to do?"

Sirius shook James shoulders "No. What am I going to do? No one...I repeat, no one has ever said no to this. I must be losing my charm. Merlin, James, I'm losing it."

There was a rattle and James heard a familiar voice ask a second year something.

"Sirius, its Lily! Hide."

Sirius ducked under the table, the cloak wasn't close enough to reach.

"Potter?"

James stood rather ungracefully,his body weirdly arched as his elbow leaned on the table, trying desperately to cover Sirius.

"I was wondering," started Lily but abruptly stopped when she saw a flash of red under the table.

"What's that?"

"What's what?" James replied casually.

"Under the table."

"Oh, that. Ummmm. That's my dog. My dog."

Sirius rolled his eyes and quickly turned into his animagus form, hardly fitting under the tiny table. He really hoped he hadn't made any noise, and Lily hadn't seen too much. Apparently, she hadn't because she didn't seem to retort.

James moved aside to let the dog out.

"Your...your dog?" asked Lily incredulously.

"Yeah, ummm…, Elvendork."

"Right. Why is it wearing a red skirt?"

"Because it's a girl?" answered James uncertainly.

Lily raised her eyebrow.

'Elvendork is unisex, okay?"

"What's it doing here?"

"She likes...she likes when I – er - read to her."

"Smart dog," said Lily sceptically and the dog yelped happily, but softly. James grinned.

"I didn't know you were allowed dogs in the castle."

"Yeah, that's right. Shhhhh...don't tell anyone."

"I don't remember you having a dog."

"I don't...it's my cousin's."

"Your cousin was here?"

"Yeah, he had to meet Dumbledore."

Lily opened her mouth to ask another question when James cut her off.

"Look, Evans, I have to get her up to my dorm. So if you don't mind."

Lily moved aside to let him pass. James threw the cloak over the dog and said quietly, "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Lily nodded uncertainly and James was out of the library, the dog close at his heels, or so she thought.


A/N: A review per chapter keeps me happy thereafter. ;)

If you're ever in the mood for an amazing next-gen drabble collection, read Underneath the Tree by knutforyourthoughts. I assure you, you will not be dissapointed. (: