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Chapter 7 – James's realisation

"Aaaarrrghhh". Cassie had just walked out of the bathroom, her hands to her head, in her pyjamas looking very pale.

Lily and Figgy burst out laughing.

"It serves you right" Lily said with a smirk across her face. Cassie looked to Figgy for support.

"Really is Cas, you drank loads last night – good job we ain't got lessons today". Cassie scowled.

"You call yourselves best friends" and she ran back to the bathroom.

Figgy shouted over to her, "you see Sirius with all those other girls last night Cas" Cassie popped her head out of the bathroom.

"I vaguely remember, but they are merely an obstacle I can overcome" She grinned.

Lily spoke up, "You sure you're gonna still pursue him cause I know a different lad who likes you. I mean he isn't much better than Sirius but if you're that desperate"

Figgy laughed, "Who?" she asked inquisitively.

Lily looked over from her book, "Potter"

"No way" Figgy looked shocked.

Cassie had now joined them on Lily's bed, "Don't be silly, he wouldn't do that to Sirius"

Lily sighed, "It's not as if you and Sirius were long term, besides why did he help you last night – he made sure you weren't alone and that you got back to the dorm ok"

"Quite ironic that he likes you now, after you're over him" Figgy said

"Well I don't care. I've already said Sirius and I are meant to be" and with that she threw a pillow over at Lily and Figgy and returned back into the bathroom.

Meanwhile, in the Marauders dormitory, Sirius, Remus and Peter were playing wizards chess. They all looked shocking from the night before, it seemed as if they too had consumed far too much firewhisky. Sirius and Peter were enraptured in their game when their concentration was lost upon the arrival of James who looked just as bad as the rest of them.

"Prongs! Where did you get off to last night? I didn't hear you come in." Sirius smirked.

James looked a little sheepish, "I was with Rachael". He sighed.

"What's the problem, she's hot", He made a move on the board to find one of Peter's pieces smashed before him. "Yes".

Remus spoke, "Well I believe Prongs has fallen for someone else"

James was extremely defensive, "No" he said quickly

"No?" Remus replied, "I saw you with Cassie last night"

Sirius turned, "This right Prongs? Cause I might just have a problem with that"

James looked Sirius in the eye, "Course not, I just felt sorry for her – I'm just fed up with Rachael and she keeps hassling me – she came to find me this morning to ask if I wanted breakfast with her!"

Peter joined in with the conversation, "that didn't bother you all last year"

"I know . . . anyway Padfoot, how many numbers did you get last night?"

"A few – I might hook up with Cassie again this weekend though – might have to apologise first though" Sirius pondered.

"Yep" Remus said, "She seems mad with you"

"Well Moony, maybe you should invite Lily and we can double date- Cassie is more likely to agree that way" Sirius suggested with a hopeful expression on his face.

"No, you can all stop it now, I've told you, Lily and I are friends and Prefects and that is it. Nor do I have any desire to ask her out on a date whether it be for you or me" Remus replied quite adamantly.

"You sure you don't like her Moony" James said "You have an awful lot in common and you spend a lot of time together" He seemed annoyed at the choice of topic.

"So – you spend a lot of time with Cassie on the Quidditch field. You spend a lot of time with Rachael in the broom cupboard. It doesn't mean you like them in a more-than-friend way" Remus said rather haughtily.

"Spose so" James shrugged his shoulders.

"What's wrong with you mate?" Sirius asked James as he cleared the chessboard having just won for the fourth time.

"I don't know I might just go out on the Quidditch field and release some steam."

He collected his broom and headed towards the Quidditch pitch - The Gryffindor corridors were empty; it must have been the party last night. He made a few circles of the pitch, loving the fact that he had it to himself and that all his thoughts had disappeared. And then this was all ruined by the shouting of his name from below.

"POTTER" someone shouted. As he flew down, he saw Evans there.

"You alright Evans"

"I was just on my way to the library and I saw you flying – just wanted to say thanks for taking care of Cassie and helping me clean up" Lily began.

James was pleased, she was being nice again, "You're welc-" but apparently she wasn't finished

"But if you dare supply her with firewhiskey again or anyone else for that matter, I'll have you sent to McGonagall's office quicker than you can say transfiguration. 10 points from Gryffindor"

She was about to leave when he said, "Where's your proof Evans?"

Without turning she replied "Cassie confirmed what I already suspected. She's very ill because of it."

James lowered his head, feeling slightly guilty – she hadn't actually asked for the drink, "Tell her I'm sorry, and obviously an apology for you is in order for taking liberties in your presence"

Lily snorted, believing James was making fun of her so she turned away. She had said all that she had wanted to. James shouted over her

"Would you like me to walk you to the library Evans? I'm going back that way"

"I think I'm capable of finding my own way there thank you Potter"

And with that Lily made her way east towards her favourite place in the school. James was just in position to fly again when someone else came from out of the shadows. It was Remus.

"You coming back Prongs?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, think I could do with a rest" He walked over "Double Potions in the morning, then Divination – don't think I'm going to cope"

"Well that argument with Lily must have taken it out of you!"

James laughed, "Argument? That's a normal conversation for us mate" He picked up his broom and they headed back to the Gryffindor common room.

It was quite quiet when Remus suddenly, unexpectedly asked, "Do you like her, and is that what is bothering you? I got it wrong with Cassie didn't I?"

James stopped and turned, he burst out laughing, "Evans? You must be having a laugh – I'd rather go out with Rachael for a month. What made you come up with this rather out-there idea Moony?"

"I um noticed you looked a little off when we spoke about Lily and you enjoy getting her mad and you helped us tidy up last night which is completely out of character"

"Hey" James said

"Well it is, but I must have got the wrong end of the stick, yet again – I will find out what is bothering you though"

"Probably just a hangover" he smiled, "but absolutely one hundred percent nothing to do with Evans"

They had walked into the common room, engaging in everyday talk. James had lied to his friend; all he had been thinking about is whether he had acquired feelings for Lily over the past couple of weeks. He always came to the conclusion that he couldn't like her – she was not really his type. He usually went for girls who didn't require much of a challenge, girls like Rachael.

But recently, he had begun to wonder why Lily disliked him so much – there were the pranks but there seemed to be something else he couldn't seem to grasp. Then it clicked. He hadn't necessarily had feeling for, he just realised that she intrigued him; he wanted to find out more about her and this explained why he enjoyed the arguments that they had and why he went out of his way to annoy her.

Remus turned to him, "Are you listening to a single thing I am saying?"

"Not really", He grinned, "You were probably boring me"

"Well may I ask what was so interesting that you had to deter from listening to my interesting story?"

"You may ask" Remus gave him one of his 'prefect' looks that he saved especially for first years that tried to sneak off at night. James thought he should tell his friend the truth, after all Remus was supposed to be the understanding one of the four.

"I was actually thinking about what you asked me about earlier", he looked down at a copy of the Daily Prophet not wanting to take this conversation much further.

Remus, however didn't get the point of James wanting to forget what he had just said, "You mean about Lily or Cassie?"

"Lily, I mean I don't think I like her but I sort of want to get to know her, I think she's interesting, sort of fiery and different"

Remus laughed, so much for being the sensitive Marauder, "You want to get to know a girl? You must like her"

"Forget it" James tried to become absorbed in the paper again, looking slightly angry with his friend.

"No, sorry mate, it was just that you haven't really spoke like this about a girl before"

James sighed, well if he had to talk about it, "I know, this is why I'm so confused. I'm not gonna decide anything until I get to know her better. Just don't tell Peter or Sirius yet."

"Course not Prongs".