A/N: Hello there thank you for the feedback! I hope you enjoy this chapter :D

DISCLAIMER: I put a bid for the rights on ebay but apparently twenty pence wasn't good enough!

I apologise for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes.

Please Read and Review


Opening his eyes James gave a start as Sirius's face came into his fuzzy view.

"Hello darling" cooed Sirius in a falsetto voice, giving the befuddled boy a peck on the cheek.

"Get off!" moaned James as he pushed Sirius off his bed.

"Ow!" exclaimed Sirius as he cracked his arm off James's bedside cabinet.

"To be honest it serves you right" said Remus, trying not to laugh and failing miserably.

"Why is everyone up this early?" asked James as he put his glasses on.

"Didn't you see the notice?" asked Remus.

"What notice?"

"Professor Potter is taking us out to the Forbidden Forest to find Firecrabb Eggs" said Remus suppressing a yawn.

"But why this early?"

"They glow when the sun rises to gain energy for creating nutrients, so we need to leave halfway through breakfast."

"Oh, but why are you so excited Padfoot? I mean I can understand why Moony is excited by getting up early for work but you!"

"I saw Professor Potter and Miss Weasley at dinner last night and I think they've fallen out!" yelled Sirius gleefully.

"What makes you say that?" asked Remus looking concerned.

"Well she was trying to talk to him and he just ignored her opting instead to talk to McGonagall of all people!"

James rolled his eyes and began to get dressed with Sirius humming the Striptease song in the background still grinning like a moron.

"Where's Peter?" asked Remus suddenly pointing to the empty, unmade bed in the corner.

"Its not like him to get up early" said James.

"Look he's probably down at breakfast or something, lets get going I wanna see if there have been any developments" said Sirius impatiently.

"She's a bloody teacher!" said James exasperatedly.

"Nooo she's an assistant there's a difference" answered Sirius smugly as he all but ran out of the room.

"Hopeless" sighed Remus as both he and James followed the besotted boy.

Looking up at the staff table James saw instantly what Sirius had meant. Miss Weasley was sneaking glances at Professor Potter every few minutes but every time she looked he suddenly became incredibly interested in his bacon. The Professor's face was expressionless but small cracks were appearing in the mask with every look his assistant gave him.

Turning back to his table he saw Peter just as he sat down between Sirius and Alice.

"Where have you been?" asked Sirius.

"I was at the Owlery. My parents wanted to know how the first few weeks were" wheezed Peter, out of breath from his journey. Everyone accepted this and moved on.

"Are you looking forward to the trip?" asked Frank.

"Yeah I get to miss Potions too which is a bonus!" said James grinning.

"You'll still have to catch up" warned Lily who was sitting next to James.

"How about we go and see Slughorn during our free to get notes?" proposed James. Lily thought about this for a moment until deciding that the reason outweighed the annoyance her companion would cause and consented.

"Right we better get going" said Remus as he saw Professor Potter and Miss Weasley get up from the staff table still not talking.

"Think of me when I'm suffering through Potions!" yelled Frank as the Marauder's and Lily made to leave.

Wrapping their cloaks around them in a vain attempt to fight the cold that gnawed at their bones they walked down to the edge of the forest. Seeing the mass of students they wandered over to them. Professor Potter was currently collecting wood for a fire and got a few volunteers to help. Unsurprisingly Lily offered her services and so James followed after her while Sirius stared at Miss Weasley and Remus kept him in check.

Crashing through the undergrowth they looked for suitable logs. Seeing one at the foot of a rotten stump separated from them by a small brook the duo approached it. Leaning over James tried to reach it but lost his balance on some wet leaves. Arms flailing he grabbed onto the nearest thing. The next thing Lily knew his arms were around her dragging her down with him. Landing in the brook, water streamed over James as he acted as a barrier between Lily and the ice water. Frozen to the core he melted a little as Lily started laughing.

"What is it?" asked James.

"Your face!" exclaimed Lily,

"What about it!"

By way of an answer she proceeded to wipe of mud from his forehead.

"Um... I think I've just made it worse" confessed Lily trying not to laugh at the expression that graced James's features at this news.

"Guys are you okay we heard screams?" came a voice behind them.

Looking up they saw Professor Potter running up to them. Blushing scarlet Lily lifted herself off James leaving him him in the water. Extending her hand to him James grabbed it and hauled himself up just in time for their teacher to reach them.

"Sorry sir we fell in the brook" said Lily, explaining the state of them to the baffled Professor.

"Well be more careful next time" replied Professor Potter grinning apparently having reached his own conclusions, Lily tried not to cringe.

Walking back to the group James whispered to Lily -

"You know we could have used magic."

"Yeah but where is the fun in that" she said mysteriously.

"Come on guys there's plenty of time to talk later!" yelled their teacher who was far ahead of them.

Walking faster they stopped talking but every now and then their fingers would brush against each others before being swiftly pulled away.


Harry POV

When he had came across them like that they had reminded him of himself and Ginny. They still hadn't made up yet although he had noticed her looking at him during breakfast and each time froze like a deer in headlights. Shaking his head trying to erase these thoughts he turned around. Lily and James were getting further and further behind him.

"Come on guys there's plenty of time to talk later" he yelled.

Harry remembered that Sirius had told him that his dad had changed in his final years at Hogwarts. Glancing at the young man just now he appeared a lot less arrogant than he had in Snape's memories which was certainly an improvement, however in every other sense he seemed the same. Pondering this he walked on and could already hear the chater of the class.

Approaching the class he was glad to note that the two had caught up and soon joined the rest of their peers. Ginny was tending to the fire, the light it emanated made her hair glow and almost become one with the flame. Her slender figure was bent as she threw yet more logs and twigs trying to satisfy its insatiable hunger.

Tearing his eyes away he addressed the class -

"Now I suppose you are wondering why we have lit this fire, are there any suggestions?"

Lily put her hand up.

"Yes, Miss Evans?"

"It will attract the parent Firecrabbs giving us the opportunity to harvest and/or observe the eggs" she answered as though she'd recited it from a textbook.

"Well done Miss Evan's ten points to Gryfindor. Now we are going to break off into groups of three to try and find the eggs, I will send up red sparks when I want you to return and if you find any eggs then send up green sparks and either Miss Weasley or myself will come to you. Do not touch them as even though they look harmless they can give nasty burns."

Standing back he watched as the class dispersed. Seeing they were now alone he approached Ginny who was still tending the fire.

"How are you?" he asked trying to break the ice.

"Not too bad, I see you found Lily and James" replied Ginny, warmer than Harry had expected.

"Yeah they claim they fell in a brook!" laughed Harry.

"Hmmm isn't this the year they get together?" asked Ginny mischievously.

"No, no way, you are not, I repeat not, playing matchmaker to my parents!" exclaimed Harry.

"Am I that transparent?" asked Ginny.

"No, I just know you very well."

"That you do" she said, a sad look spreading across her face like ivy on an old brick wall.

"Look I'm sorry but I don't want to put your life in danger" said Harry, guessing the root of that look instantly.

"Then you obviously don't know me as well as you think."

"How?"

"I grew up with six brothers so when I wanted something I had to fight for it, this is no different". Her hair blew around her due to a sudden gust of wind and with the fire in the background she looked like an avenging angel, determined to achieve her goal. Harry gulped, right now his defenses looked like paper and cardboard against her magnificence.

Stepping backwards hastily he tried to create some distance between them but she merely matched his strides until his back came into contact with a tree.

"Ginny what are you doing?" asked Harry, his walls wavering at her proximity.

"Not letting you escape" she replied simply, "Whenever I have you cornered you run away, not this time"

"I, I can't deal with this right now!" he confessed seeing she was right and his escape routes were severely limited.

"Then I'll wait until your ready to face it" she said before stepping back and acting as if nothing had happened.

Hearing a twig crack behind him Harry wheeled around and coming face to face with nothing. Hearing Ginny laugh behind him Harry spinned around again.

"What?"

"You should have seen your face" she laughed.

"Who knows whats in this forest! What if that was an acromantula or a three headed viper!"

"Nothing that deadly would be this close to the edge of the forest!" replied Ginny still laughing.

Looking at his watch Harry realised that the groups had been gone for longer than he had intended. Shooting red sparks into the air he watched as they came back all empty handed.

"Never mind I'll find some for next week" said Harry before dismissing them.

Walking back up to the castle he massaged his temples. Ginny's erratic change of tactic was confusing. One minute she'd be acting light and well normal and the next- the next she'd be serious and almost seductive. He couldn't stand this onslaught for long that was for sure but he'd have to... somehow.


Back in the forest a dark figure collected what he'd been sent for and disapparated with a soft crack.