Delilah sat in her room, Lily flipping through a magazine from her perch on Delilah's desk. They had only gotten home from the concert an hour ago and Delilah's manager, Alan, had already called her to book and schedule the next day.

"Yes, thank you Alan. I know. Alright, twelve o'clock tomorrow. Then I'm off. School starts in two days. No, I have to go. Yes, I'm committed to my career. Fine, I'll go out tomorrow afternoon so the paparazzi can get a few shots before I leave. Yes, Alan. Of course, Alan. Alright, goodbye. Goodbye, Alan." Delilah slammed the phone down in the receiver.

"What a load of tripe," she muttered, throwing a pillow across the room.

"You can say that again." Lily closed the copy of Witch Weekly that she had been skimming through and sat up.

"So we're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow, right?" Lily tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Er, yes. I suppose. But first I've got an interview. Then, I need to be seen 'looking good and having fun'," she air quoted, "by the paparazzi. Or at least that's what Alan says. But I guess we could go after that. You don't mind coming along do you, Lily?"

"Well, I don't know. I mean I've got so much other stuff to…" She took one look at Delilah's pleading face and caved. "Alright, of course I'll come." Delilah laughed and climbed into her bed.

"Okay. Glad that's settled. Let's head to sleep. Big day tomorrow." Lily yawned and nodded, climbing into bed next to Delilah.

"So, you think Remus has gotten his wand out of a knot yet?" Delilah shrugged.

"I hope so. He was supposed to have called me by now…" she eyed her bedside clock with disdain. It was already midnight.

"I guess we'll see," Lily said through another yawn.

"Yeah, I suppose so." Delilah turned off the lights and sunk back into her pillow. "I really hope so."

Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter staggered in to Remus' room at a quarter to twelve.

"It took ages to get back!" Sirius complained loudly. Remus rounded on the other three.

"That's only because this one," he jerked his head towards James, "demanded on going backstage AGAIN to get a signed souvenir for Delilah. And when I said 'trust me mate, she really doesn't need one,' you went running off anyways!" James was about to protest vehemently but Remus plowed on.

"Then! Then, because we go out the backdoor, HORDES of girls mistake James for one of those Strapping Lads blokes, and then we're all the Strapping Lads, and we're running thirty bloody blocks through the streets of London, all the way to the east end! We started in the west end!" James and the rest started to eye him warily, wondering if he'd finally snapped. But Remus only continued.

"So, after the screaming girls, the traffic lights, the crosswalks, not to mention the gay prostitute and the drug pusher, the girls give up chase, and we're miles away from where we've started and even further away from home!" Remus was breathing heavily now as the other Marauders stared at him in silence.

"Am I the only one that sees a problem in this?!" Sirius raised his hand tentatively. Remus glared at him.

"What?" He snapped. Sirius looked to the other two, and shifted on his feet.

"You've got a bit of spittle in the corner of your mou–"But Sirius never had time to finish his sentence because Remus had pounced on him, yelling furiously. It wasn't much later that Peter too gave a war cry and joined the fray. James looked on with mild interest before he formulated a new course of action.

"Right, I'll just be going. Yeah," James said slowly, backing out of the room and turning to run as soon as he could be sure the others we're preoccupied. He had a phone call to make.

James held the phone in his hand, staring at the complicated grid of buttons. In the other hand, a crumpled piece of paper with a series of digits scrawled across it. What in the bollocks am I supposed to do with these, He thought.

He had to think hard back to what Remus had done the other day. He had pushed the buttons and then it had connected him to Delilah. How strange. Muggles had their own magic though, he supposed.

He put the phone to his ear and punched the numbered buttons on the paper just like Remus had done. There was a ringing in his ears and he almost slammed it back down into the receiver. But not before a confused sounding voice came on the phone.

"Hello?" James' breath hitched in his throat. It had to be Delilah. She had a sleepy quality to her voce. Bugger, he had probably woken her up. He mentally kicked himself. And there her voice was again, saying hello in that questioning tone. He almost felt queasy. But why?

Delilah was just falling asleep, Lily snoring lightly by her side. It was a moment later, as soon as her eyelids were beginning to grow heavy that the phone rang obnoxiously in her ear.

She rolled to her side and fumbled for it, finally picking it up off the receiver and cradling it to her ear.

"Hello?" No one answered her reply, but she thought she heard someone gasp in the background. Who the bloody bullocks was it?

"Hello?" She tried again. This time someone cleared their throat.

"Uh, hello Dee ." Delilah yawned.

"Oh, hello James," It took her a minute to register who it was. "James?" She yelled this time.

"Oh, shite, that hurt. Merlin, my eardrum –"Delilah rolled over quickly, and fell right out of bed with a thump.

"What was that?" Delilah looked around her room in a panic.

"Nothing! Everything's fine," She fixed her hair and straightened her pajamas; even though she knew James could not see her.

"Oh, that's good, then." His voice cracked at the end and Delilah almost fainted. He was bloody perfect.

"Er. Right then. Why the one in the morning phone call? Did Rem ask you to call me?" So hopeful that she could patch things up with Remus, that she had forgotten to feel nervous at all.

James widened his eyes in surprise. Her tone had become eager and friendly, something he had not heard from her yet. And it was a pleasant sound. The most pleasant in the world. But the same time, she was more excited to talk to Moony than to him. That put him off quite a bit. But he wasn't sure why.

"You mean you don't want to talk to me," he joked feebly, hiding his wounded pride well.

"What? Oh, of course I want to talk to you, James! I love talking to you. I'd like to talk to you every day –"Delilah groaned inwardly and thumped her head against her carpeted floor. How bloody stupid of her to say that. It was far more information and truth than James should ever know about her.

"Really, now?"

"No, I was just trying to make you feel better. Is your head back to its usual swollen state?" This was something Lily would say to him, but James found he liked it better coming from Delilah. Probably because he could tell by her voice that she didn't mean it.

"Come off it, my dear Dee ."

"Brilliant alliteration."

"Alliter-what?" Delilah laughed.

"Never mind. So is Remus there?" James found himself glaring at the floor.

"Why so intent on talking to Moons? You don't…fancy him do you? That would break up the group splendidly," he muttered darkly. Delilah laughed loudly.

"Fancy him? Merlin, no. He's my best mate, you git. Don't know why you would even insinuate –"

"I wasn't insinuating anything! Someone's defensive…you must really fancy him."

"I do not fancy Remus!" She replied shrilly, hitting the carpet with her fist for good measure.

"Stuff it, Baker!" Lily had awoken and thrown a pillow at her, hitting Delilah directly in the mouth.

James froze, hearing another voice on the other side of the line.

"Are you in bed with someone?" James' voice raised a few octaves. If she was, that would be catastrophic. Unbearable to imagine.

"As the leader of the group, the father of sorts, I refuse to let you in bed with anyone!" James had jumped from his seat and began pacing across the room. Delilah glared at the ceiling from her position on her bedroom floor.

"It isn't any of your business if I'm in bed with someone, James Potter!" Honestly, who did he think he was? He couldn't just invade her personal….but on the other hand. It was invigorating that he cared at all. She had to fight to stay mad.

"You are in bed with someone? Oh, the deception!" He threw himself down on a sofa in Remus' sitting room. Delilah had to hold back her laughter at his dramatics and try to keep her anger prominent.

"It's Lily, you tosser!"

"Shut up, Baker!" Lily screamed again, her voice cracking near the end, angry that her sleep had been disturbed.

"See? Those were her dulcet tones now." Delilah heard a series of strangled noises on the other side of the line. What? Had James attempted to swallow a chocolate frog when it still had its jump in it?

James himself was trying to breathe again, something that had become increasingly difficult in the past day. His need to protect Dee had something to do with it, he was certain.

"You and Evans? Together in the same room? Have you murdered each other yet?" Delilah smiled, completely forgetting her anger. He had that sort of effect on her.

"No, no homicide." James grinned on the other side of the line.

"There's about to be one!" Lily yelled into the sheets before leaping out of bed and pounding Delilah with her pillow.

"Get. Off. The. Bloody. Phone!" She said between each hit. Delilah yelled in protest.

"Lily, stop! Be reasonable! Evans you bi –"James sat dumbfounded on the phone as what sounded to be a brawl occurred on the other side of the phone. It was rather funny actually. Lily, the girl of his dreams, battling it out with one of his best mates. He took the time to issue a chuckle just as Sirius walked in, looking a little worse for wear.

"How'd the battle royale go?" He asked, turning the speaker away from his mouth. Sirius looked from James to the phone and back again.

"Fine. Pete and Rem are still at it. What in the name of Godric's arse are you doing?" James looked confused until Sirius gestured to the phone.

"Oh, this? You mean the telephone? Just talking to Dee –"Sirius rubbed his hands together.

" Dee ? Excellent! How's she doing?" James glared at his best mate.

"She's fine. Don't call her Dee . It's not proper."

"Proper? What are you on ab –"

"Oh, this pillow fight with Evans is taking forever! I still need to make her lau-"Sirius had made a grab for the phone.

"Pillow fight with two of Hogwarts' fittest girls? Give it here, Prongs. Come on, let me have a go!" James leaned back, keeping the phone from Sirius.

"Sirius, no! Don't talk about Dee like she's one of your lusted after conquests! And don't say anything about Lily-flower!" Sirius snorted.

"Dee and Lily-flower? Come on, mate. You can't keep them both to yourself. Lately you've gone a bit round the bend. I think I know why. And it's time to share the wealth. You can take out Evans and I can stay in with Dee –"James cut him off with a pained howl, bringing his knees to his chest, and shaking his head back and forth.

Sirius snickered. It was so easy to get a rise out of him. But he did want to hear this pillow fight before it was over…

"I'm sorry mate. You know I'm only taking the mick. Now, let me have a listen." It wasn't hard to coax the phone out of James' now limp grip. He places his ear to the muggle contraption, grinning.

James continued to rock back and forth, cursing Sirius and his libido in his mind. Had his best mate taken a liking to the token girl in their group? Impossible and utterly ridiculous. Besides, he wouldn't allow it. He simply wouldn't. It was time to clear his head and make sure Dee was protected from such scoundrels at all costs.

"Right, hand over the telephone, fiend." Sirius held up a hand as he grinned lecherously.

"Just a minute, Prongs. Dee just moaned it was brill –"

WHACK

James smacked Sirius against the back of the head hard enough to make him drop the phone.

"I thought I told you," James said as he picked up the phone, "don't call her that." Sirius grumbled something under his breath.

"Fine. But only because you asked nicely and didn't resort to the giant squid, some goblin oil, and a pitchfork, like last time."

"Fair enough," James conceded before putting his ear back to the receiver.

"Dee, you there?"

"What did you do with a pitchfork?" Her voice sounded amused.

"Did you win against Lily?" Delilah shook her head on her side of the phone.

"No, she just went back to sleep." James raised an eyebrow.

"That doesn't really sound like her. Usually violent to the very end."

"Well, I said I wouldn't go to Diagon Alley with her tomorrow if she kept it up, and that I would say goodbye as soon as I got back on." Delilah added as an afterthought. She was quite exhausted after everything, and talking to James was putting stress on her already cracked nerves.

"Oh, so you're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow? I'll round up the rest of our lot and we'll head over. We can look in the quidditch supply store and then go to the ice cream parlor to get some chocolate chunk because last time I didn't get to finish mine and –"

"James! I have to go." Delilah smiled, a bit apprehensively, knowing that Lily was listening.

"You, have to go?" James asked, sounding disappointed. He hadn't even made her laugh yet. Only gotten her to yell at him a bit.

"Yes, but I expect I'll be seeing you tomorrow, so don't fret." He could tell she was mocking his apparent neediness.

"James Potter does not fret! James Potter laughs in the face of meekness and…and separation anxiety!" Delilah snickered lightly before laughing loudly.

"You are the most ridiculous boy I have ever had the misfortune to meet." James punched the air. It had been accomplished. His Dee had laughed because of something witty he said. And it felt brilliant.

Delilah hung up the phone smiling. After a few snippy remarks from Lily she climbed back into bed. She felt giddy, the same way she always felt around James. This was the perfect end to her day.

She still needed to talk to Remus and the fact that he hadn't called was rather unsettling. But no matter. She would see him tomorrow and everything would be fixed. It had to be.

James hung up the phone and grinned, turning towards Sirius.

"She laughed, mate." Sirius smirked before slapping his back.

"Good for you, Prongs." Remus walked in next, holding Peter by his tail, as he had transformed into a rat.

"Did you win, Moons?" Sirius asked encouragingly. Remus nodded.

"Sure did. He should be able to transform back in a minute or two. Scamper off now, Wormtail." Peter squirmed around a bit and ran to sit on the arm of the sofa that James had been occupying.

"What are you two doing in here anyways? You know we only use this room when company's over."

"Then what are we?" Sirius asked defensively.

"Oh, excuse me; let me rephrase that, important company." Remus grinned at them, his sense of humor back after the previous scuffle. Sirius and James turned away from him, arms crossed in mock anger.

"Well, if that's how you really feel –"Sirius began.

"I suppose we could just leave!" James finished, and Peter added an indignant squeak. Remus rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Honestly, I don't know why I put up with you lot. Tell me, now, Prongs, why you turned tail from a good fight and ran in here? Scared Potter?" James uncrossed his arms to ruffle his hair in a superior motion.

"You wish." Sirius was the next to step forward arrogantly.

"Besides he was speaking to his fair maiden." Remus eyebrows shot up in interest.

"Really? Lily actually agreed to speak with you? Did she hex you over the phone? I don't know if that's actually possible, but if anyone could, it would be Lily. Did she at least call you an arrogant prat? Or maybe a big-headed –"

"Actually," Sirius interrupted slyly, "he was on the phone with Dee . And he made her laugh." Remus grinned impishly, and turned to James.

"Well now, this is good news. Quite good news." He threw a knowing look in James' direction. Sirius and Peter, who had now returned to his human form, were grinning madly.

"What? Why are you all standing there like a bleeding bunch of poufs?" He demanded, and glaring at them crossly.

"Don't worry about it, Prongs, my lad. Don't even worry about it."

"Remus, I swear to Merlin if you don't –"

"Well what do you know, it's quite late. And I still have to make a phone call to Delilah. Off with you three now." Remus made to shoo them out of the room. James threw a worried glance at the phone and remembered Lily's angry screams and vicious beating via pillow.

"Er, Rem, mate? I wouldn't do that if I were you…" He tapered off nervously.

"And why ever not? We've got a few things to work out. Head to bed children and let the men take care of business," he replied snippily. James snorted.

"Well, never mind then. Let it be on your own head. After all, you're such a man."

"What is that supposed to mean, Prongs?" Remus challenged.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing in the slightest." He replied innocently enough. "Do say hello won't you?" With that James ushered Peter and Sirius out of the room, the latter going more grudgingly, convinced another pillow fight would ensue.

Delilah was once again falling asleep, her eyes becoming heavier. Lily was snoring again and muttering a few choice phrases such as "all O's on my NEWTs" and "Potter's dead? Fabulous." Dee rolled her eyes before turning over on her side once more. She glanced up at the bedside clock, it's green numbers glaring in the dark. It was nearly one in the morning. Tomorrow, she thought as her eyes finally closed, would be hell.

It was then that the phone rang again, loudly in her ear. She made frantic movements to try and grab it before Lily could be awoken, along with her rage.

"Hello?" She whispered loudly into the receiver. Someone coughed on the other side of the line.

"Remus?" She asked, hopefully.

"How'd you guess?" was his shaky reply.

"I'd know that awkward cough anywhere, nerd." She could practically see him fiddling with something and moving uncomfortably in his seat.

"Oh, well. Yes. Look, the reason I called was to, er, smooth things over a bit I guess and I just wanted to say –"

"Wait, shhhh! Don't say anything." He heard Delilah's voice whisper furiously.

"Um, okay? But Delilah –"

"Shhhh!" She hissed again. He heard some movement on the other side of the line and a few thumps.

"Delilah what is going on –"

"Remus be qui –"It was then that Remus threw the phone away from his ear as a horrible scream pierced his eardrums and jostled his brains.

"BAKER, IF YOU ARE ON THAT TELEPHONE I WILL MURDER YOU!" Remus pressed a hand to his ear, nursing it.

"Merlin, what the bloody –"he muttered before Delilah voice could be heard.

"Really, now Lily. Be reasonable. It's only Remus. He said he would call, remember? Remember Lily? Lily, remember!" A large crash and other horrible noises began to filter through the receiver.

He held the phone far away from himself as if it might jinx him. The brawl seemed to continue as he stared at the telephone in disbelief. It grew quiet and he tentatively brought the receiver back to his ear.

"Delilah," he whispered, "Delilah are you there?"

"REMUS LUPIN! How dare you call at such an hour you bloody inconsiderate pompous bigot! I will never forgive you for this. Ever. Do you comprehend? You will rue the day you crossed me!" Lily finished screaming and Remus was practically shaking. "Oh, and Delilah says goodbye and she'll see you tomorrow. That reminds me; tomorrow you and Potter are dead. Tootles."

Click.

Remus climbed the stairs up to his room warily. He slowly opened the door, staring vacantly at a spot on the floor. James, Sirius and Peter let out a few snickers.

"So, how'd it go?" James asked with feigned nonchalance.

"Potter, you bloody prat."

"Please and thank you, Rem. Please, and thank you."

Delilah and Lily stood in front of a wall of bricks, staring up at it expectantly.

"Do you remember the pattern?" Delilah asked in concern.

"Of course I do. I've been coming here for six years now," she replied testily from her disrupted sleep, "It's quite simple really…" She muttered as she began tapping bricks with her wand in a complicated fashion.

"And…there. That should do it!" But the wall remained sedentary.

"Brilliant wand work, Evans." Delilah drawled.

"Oh, stuff it Baker. I'd like to see you manage to do half as well as –"

"Trouble, ladies?" A debonair voice rang through the air. Lily and Delilah were about to turn and snap a vicious "no" at the intruder, but stopped when the saw who it was.

"Amos! Good to see you!" Delilah squealed as she threw her arms around his neck. Lily raised an eyebrow at the grinning Hufflepuff.

"Diggory," she nodded once, grinning at him.

"Evans," he replied bowing slightly, making both girls laugh.

"I was going to give you a ring last night, but then I remembered how Lily here cursed Emmeline Vance in fourth year for keeping her up late, and thought better of it." Delilah grinned.

"Thanks for that. I had a couple phone calls and Lily practically beat me to death. Look," she said, lifting the hem of her shirt to reveal a small purpled bruise. Lily gasped.

"Did I do that? I'm sorry!" Lily wailed, throwing her arms dramatically around Delilah who patted her back awkwardly.

"Okay, Lily. Okay. That's enough." Meanwhile, Amos had tapped the bricks in the correct pattern, now revealing a door-like opening.

"Brilliant, Amos. Let's go. Cor, I've got to buy all new potion ingredients…" And with that the three friends entered Diagon Alley, happily chatting about their summers.

Delilah perused the shelves of ingredients frowning slightly as she stopped between lacewing flies and Lucille's Lucid Eye Drops.

"I've been watching you," a cool voice tickled her neck and she dropped the basket she had been holding. Delilah turned to see a grinning Remus Lupin.

"You git! Look what you've done!" she yelled at him, beaming happily. He smiled back at her, less enthusiastic this time.

"How have you been?" He asked a little stiffly. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Have you forgiven me or not?" Remus' cheeks tinged a bit.

"I suppose that I have."

"Brilliant. Now come with me while I pay for these." She picked up the fallen basket, grabbed his arm, and made her way to the cashier. Remus rolled his eyes at his mate, but complied.

"Of course, Delilah."

James Potter peered at them from behind a tall shelf that held cauldrons.

"Of course, Delilah," He mimicked, "Merlin, they're bloody over the moon for each other." Sirius leaned against the wall.

"I wouldn't be so sure, mate."

"Yeah, doesn't she fancy –"Peter began but got a swift elbow in the ribs from Sirius, " – er, someone else?" He finished, a little wheezy. James turned to him and grabbed him by the collar.

"Who? Who is it? Come on, Pete, you can let me know. Just tell me now, who's the bloke that I've got to bloody pulverize?" James' eyes were wide and gleaming.

Peter was about to squeak out that he didn't know but Sirius spoke first as he looked over at the cash register where Remus was standing with Dee and two others.

"Diggory? What's he doing with Evans and Dee?"

"Diggory? I knew it was….wait, Amos Diggory?" Sirius rolled his eyes.

"No, Prongs. Amy Diggory his younger sister. The second year." James glared at his best mate.

"You know what I meant. What could she see in a tosser like that? I mean, he's a Hufflepuff. How humiliating! And a right prat on the Quidditch field. He can't bloody catch the snitch to save his life!"

"Didn't he beat you in third year?" Peter asked. James threw a Potions ladle at him from a nearby shelf.

"That was a fluke!" Peter only nodded as he cowered near Sirius.

"Don't take it out on Wormtail, mate. You know he'll wet himself." Sirius chided.

"Sorry, Pete." James nodded in his friend's direction who accepted it quickly.

"You know, Diggory isn't that bad of a bloke," Sirius interjected thoughtfully.

"Of course he is! Haven't you seen the way he messes girls about?" James had now pulled his wand and was brandishing it furiously. Sirius and Peter backed against the wall.

"Just put the wand down, mate." James sighed and lowered it before placing it in his back pocket.

"Alright. Let's just get what we need and casually bump into her."

"So, we're not stalking her anymore?" Peter asked. James shook his head.

"No, were not stalking her any…Hey! We were never stalking her!" Sirius gave an undignified snort.

"You're right. We weren't. But you were."

"Nonsense." James ruffled his hair and finally left the nook behind the shelf of cauldrons.

Delilah laughed amiably at something Amos had said as Lily and Remus were in a heated debate about next year's Potions text book.

"I doubt it will be similar to the one two years ago," Remus pondered.

"It's by the same man. Of course it's going to be similar."

"Not necessarily. It's dealing with completely different subject matter."

"It's Potions Remus! It's all one subject!"

"No. How can I phrase this in a way you'll understand? Potions is like… a Kingdom. And there are different Phylum's within it."

"You think I can only understand muggle references?"

"No, I just –"

"You're the one who kept me up last night with your ridiculous one-in-the-morning phone calls, Remus Lupin so excuse me if I –"

"You're still bothered by that?"

"Am I still bothered? Am I still bothered?" Lily was seething now.

"Oh, Merlin," Remus moaned.

Amos had taken the bags that Delilah had acquired and was now carrying them.

"Feels a bit odd seeing you without all the blonde," he teased.

"And you without an untamable mop. Oh wait." He gave her a light shove with his shoulder.

"You know how much you admire my brazen curls." Delilah rolled her eyes at him.

The four friends continued down the street, Lily bickering at Remus, until they reached the quill shop. Lily and Remus finally quelled their argument long enough to agree on both needing new quills.

Amos had opted to visit the Owlery and then he had to get home to finish throwing a few last minute things in his trunk.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around, 'Lilah," He grinned at her, shaking his hair out of his eyes, and handing her parcels back to her.

"Yeah, tomorrow. You can sit with us on the train if you like," she offered but his mouth turned down a little at the corners.

"I'm not sure if that would be such a good idea. James has a small vendetta against me since I beat him for the House Cup in his third year, my fourth."

"That's a silly reason. I'm sure James is mature enough to forget something as trivial as a lost quidditch match," Delilah scoffed but Amos didn't look convinced.

"Oh alright," she rolled her eyes at the quarrel, "But I expect at least a visit from you, understood?" Amos nodded at her happily before giving her a lasting hug.

"See you tomorrow, sixth year."

"Likewise, Diggory." Amos gave a final jaunty wave before popping into the Owlery and then apparating home.

Delilah followed after Lily and Remus into the quill shop, lost in her thoughts. She walked through a few of the aisles before stopping at an North American eagle feather quill. It was quite exquisite. She turned it over in her hands, examining the tip. She could even have violet ink if she wanted.

Delilah eyed the price tag warily. It was quite expensive; nearly eight galleons. She had six and a few sickles and knuts. She cursed under her breath. She was just short.

"Fancy meeting you here," a voice whispered in her ear. Delilah gasped and clutched the quill, unfortunately resulting in it stabbing her painfully in the palm. She let out an audible whimper of pain.

"Aw, shite! Sorry, Dee ." Delilah turned around in surprise and came face to face with James Potter. Her palm was bleeding, James had surprised her and was far too close, she didn't know what to say, it was safe to say that Delilah was ready to cry.

"Are…are you crying?" James asked concerned as he picked up her palm to examine the damage.

"N-no," she replied thickly. He raised his eyebrows and grinned at her.

"If you say so," James lifted his head up and called for Sirius, who appeared from behind a shelf of ink pots.

"You rang?" He drawled while inspecting his fingernails.

"Yeah. Hand over your kerchief." James still hadn't let go of her hand and she could feel her face getting warm. Sirius pulled a crumpled white fabric from one of his pockets and tossed it to James. Delilah surveyed him as his eyes screwed up in concentration when he delicately wrapped it around her hand.

"There, ought to be as good as new soon. Sorry about that, Dee ." She was only able to mumbled a few garbled phrases under her breath.

"S'all right," she managed to grind out. James glanced at the quill she was still clutching and a few pots of ink.

"Look, I'll make it up to you. You like this quill, yeah?" Delilah looked up at him and nodded dumbly.

"Yeah, it's nice. I mean, it's not like I really need a new one but I do like it," she replied, fingering the soft feather.

"Then it's yours!" He exclaimed, pulling out his money pouch dramatically, and tossing it in the air before catching it again. The pouch jingled heavily as Galleons clanked together.

"James, you really don't have to do that!" Delilah exclaimed as she turned red.

"No, I want to." He was grinning at her. It was going to be impossible to be stubborn.

"Oh…well…fine. But only because I now have stigmata in the palm of my right hand." James chortled at her and ruffled her hair, to which she smacked his hand away. James gallivanted off to the cash register with the eagle quill and a pot of violet ink that he had picked up.

"He's quite protective of you, you know." Sirius was standing beside her, an arm draped lazily across her shoulder.

"W-what? Bollocks, he is. I'm no different than anybody else to him." She shook some of her hair in front of her face to hide the red color it had taken. Sirius only grinned at her and leaned to whisper in her ear.

"You really think so?" Delilah shivered slightly and nodded without looking at him. Sirius crinkles his eyebrows together.

"That's off. You're one of us now. He'll treat you like family." Delilah frowned a little and looked at the ground.

"Oh, I see." Sirius tightened his grip on her shoulder slightly.

"Too bad you fancy him, eh?" Delilah shot out from under his arm and ran into the shelves housing the ink pots. It teetered dangerously before settling back to its original position. Delilah breathed a sigh of relief.

"So you do fancy him? Knew it wasn't Diggory."

"I-I-I…no," she whisper yelled at him, clutching her bags closely, "I don't fancy James Potter! I don't!"

"Say it one more time and maybe I'll start to believe you, love." Sirius cupped her chin in his hand and kissed the air in front of her lips. Delilah swatted him away, grumbling. She made her way deeper through the aisles until she found Peter looking at different sorts of parchment.

"Hey, Pete," she said, glad to have found a Marauder who was not intent on embarrassing her. Peter looked up and cocked his head to the side.

"You look flushed. Something wrong?" Delilah smiled at him with tight lips.

"I'm fine. Just a little run in with Sirius."

"He didn't snog you did he? James would murder him," Peter picked up a light color parchment, comparing it to a crisper sheet of papyrus. Delilah shook her head no.

"He didn't pester you about fancying James?" Delilah's jaw dropped. Pure, innocent, oblivious Peter. How things had changed.

"I-I –" Peter sighed.

"So he did. Hey, Remus, Evans," he acknowledged the recent presence of Lily and Remus.

"Are we talking about how Delilah fancies James?" Lily popped her head over from behind another shelf. Delilah was ready to throw herself on the floor and have a temper tantrum.

"Merlin, does everyone know?!" She half screamed, the other three flinching. No one said anything for a moment.

"Oh. My. Buggering. Fuck. Everyone knows, don't they? Don't they?" She asked shrilly. Lily observed her fingernails.

"Well, theorectically it's impossible for everyone to know. There are over six billion people on this planet -"

"That is NOT what I meant," Delilah hissed as her, her person crackling slightly with electricity. Peter, Remus, and Lily took a step back just as Sirius rounded the corner.

"Everyone here then? Who called the meeting to discuss how Dee fancies that pants off of -" But he couldn't get out another word as Delilah whipped out her wand, snarling fiercely.

"Sirius Black, I am going to MURDER you. This is all you're fault!" Poor Sirius was trying desperately to hide himself behind Remus.

"How is this my fault?" But after taking another look at Delilah's face he sorely regretted letting the statement leave his lips.

"Moony, mate, please, help!" Sirius closed his eyes tightly, waitng to be blasted off his feet, covered in boils, or transfigured into a pair of McGonagall's over-sized and frilly bloomers. When nothing happened he peeked open one eye and patted his chest to make sure he was still there in one piece. Delilah was sitting on the floor, muttering nonsense to Lily who was bending over her and seemed to be understanding every word. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief.

"Look, Dee, sorry about that. I was just having a go, really." She looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Just know, if you do it again, I will rip off parts of your anatomy that I know you dearly cherish." Sirius whimpered and nodded quickly, before casting a glare at Lily who was smirking widely.

"You heard her, Black. And don't think I won't help." Lily said darkly as she pulled Delilah to her feet.

"Lets ditch this lot, Baker. They can meet us at the ice cream parlour after James is finished with his purchase." Lily quickly ushered a seething Delilah out of the shop and around the corner.

"Girls," Sirius declared, " are the most complicated creatures ever." Peter and Remus nodded in agreement.

"Although, to be fair, Dee really does fancy James. And girls are delicate. They don't like to be poked fun at or messed about." Sirius snorted.

"Dee and Evans are hardly delicate little flowers, despite what James seems to think. That poor bloke doesn't even realize when his robes are done up backwards. How in Merlin's beard do you expect him to be anything other than completely and utterly hopeless?" Remus nodded.

"You have a point." Just then James bounded over in a few quick strides, a large bag in hand.

"Where's Dee? I've got her the quill, some ink, and look," he said, pulling a stack of parchment out, "this is the newest stuff, just in from Austria. Apparently it's the smoothest there is." James beamed excitedly as his three friends.

"Mate, one of these days, I think we're going to need to talk," Sirius sighed, slinging an arm around his friends shoulder, before the four made their way to the ice cream parlour, ready to squelch the summer heat.