Lily loved to watch students bustle around the Great Hall during her favourite time of the day, breakfast. They reminded her of ants, busying themselves, scurrying to and fro between tables.

'I hate Wednesdays,' irked Marlene, as she sat down opposite.

'From what I recall, you aren't particularly fond of the other days of the week either,' quipped Lily.

'Not true,' said Marlene, waving a fork in her direction. 'Saturdays and Sundays are my favourite days. It's just those other five that get in the way and spoil everything.'

Lily tried to hide her smile.

'Aha, little miss perfect prefect agrees!' boasted Marlene, who leaned over and prodded her with a fork. 'Maybe she is human after all.'

Lily swatted the fork away.

'I can agree that sometimes, it can feel that way.'

Marlene's fork clattered on the table and she eyed Lily suspiciously.

'What's my middle name?'

'What?' asked Lily.

'What's my middle name?'

'Magatha, why?'

'Ssshh, not so loud,' whispered Marlene.

'Then why did you ask?'

'Because I thought you were James or Sirius polyjuicing.'

'That's a tad extreme.'

'So is Lily Evans, saying she doesn't always like school. Add to the fact that Potter and Black aren't within view or earshot, and we've definitely got concerns.'

'Give it a rest,' said Lily, rolling her eyes. ' … Magatha.'

Marlene gave a dramatic gasp.

'Bitch.'

'My middle name's Juniper actually,' smiled Lily. 'Besides, Potter and Black are still not speaking to each other.'

'That won't last long.'

'No, probably not,' agreed Lily. 'But it's the last day of March, so hopefully they skip their April Fools Day this year. It causes so …. much ….'

Lily's words trailed off and her eyebrows furrowed as she stared over Marlene's shoulder towards the doors.

Marlene followed Lily's gaze to see the Marauder's gliding along busily chatting and joking like the past two months had been but a dream.

'You had to say it didn't you?' said Marlene. 'Just couldn't leave it alone for once. Now look what you've done. I guarantee I'll end up with custard in my underwear by end of classes tomorrow now, and it's all your fault.'

'Hey, it's not my fault.'

'You jinxed it, Lily,' complained Marlene. 'Honestly, I forget you're a muggleborn sometimes, and I think sometimes you forget you're a witch. Magic is real. Weird stuff happens, and 16 year old girls shouldn't say wishes out loud, because they never come true.'

'I'll just go to the library tomorrow then.'

'Oh, great idea Lily. They'll launch eggs and feathers at teachers and the headmaster, but yeah, they'll definitely be put off by some mouldy old books guarded by a vulture.'

'Good morning, Ladies,' boomed Sirius, taking the seat beside Marlene. 'You look as radiant and beautiful as ever.'

The remaining three boys took seats too, surrounding Lily and Marlene, who immediately suspected something.

'No,' said Marlene.

'We've not even -' said Sirius.

'Whatever it is, the answer's no'.

'You don't even -' tried James.

'Don't care. Last year I helped you, on the promise that you wouldn't get me, and guess what. I had to throw away my favourite bra because the custard stains wouldn't come out.'

'The red one?' asked Sirius.

'No, not the - how did you know that's my favourite?'

'Because it's my favourite too.'

'No, it wasn't the red one.'

'So, uh, where did you throw it?' asked Sirius, who quickly received a flying fork to the shoulder from Marlene.

'Pervert.'

'Guilty as charged your honour,' smiled Sirius. 'Now onto tomorrow, we just need -'

James stopped Sirius before he irritated the girls any further.

'I think what my illustrious, but ill mannered friend is trying to say here, is please.'

'You haven't asked for anything yet,' said Lily.

'We're about to, so we should start with please. Please, pretty please, with sugar on top, can you get the Hufflepuff password from McCarthy?'

'I don't think he'll-'

'Sorry, Lily,' said James, holding his hand up. 'This one's for McKinnon.'

'Why would she be able to - oh!' said Lily, a realisation upon her face. 'Really, Marlene?'

Marlene shrugged and replied.

'He's fair game.'

'They all are,' said James. 'So will you help us? I promise we'll leave you out of it.'

'You promised last year.'

'Yes, but we also said stay out the way, and you wouldn't stop following Mark Davies around.'

Lily gasped.

'Honestly, Lily,' said James, shaking his head. 'Do you even know Marlene?'

'Evidently not,' replied Lily, still shocked.

'I wasn't following him, I was-'

'We don't care,' interjected Sirius. 'Well, we do, but not really. You want to follow Davies around like a lost puppy, that's your choice, but your choice put you right in the blast zone, and unfortunately for you, you became collateral damage. Ow!'

'Not helping,' glared James, whose well placed kick caused Sirius to cry out.

'Ladies,' interjected Remus. 'We really need your help here. I dread to think what James or Sirius might do to a first year to find out the password.'

'So, you're saying if I help you, I'm actually saving some first years from being terrorised?' asked Marlene.

'To put it bluntly, yes.'

'Fine, I'll do it.'

'Attagirl,' cried Sirius, drawing a glare from Marlene.

'Why's it so important to you four?' asked Lily.

'It's a tradition,' said Remus. 'And we aren't ones for breaking tradition.'

'You break everything else,' offered Lily.

Sirius and James laughed in agreement.

'Fair point,' said Remus. 'We've got to go, things to do, people to see.'

'People to do - Ow!' cried Sirius, as Remus slapped him on the head.

'Do you ever shut up?' asked Remus tiredly.

'Honestly, bunch of prudes the lot of you. Well, not you McKinnon,' said Sirius, wiggling his eyebrows.

'Come on,' said Remus, grabbing Sirius' collar and dragging him away from the table.

As the four of them reached the door, James turned, remembering something and jogged back to the girls.

'What now, Potter?'

'Erm, so, tomorrow, the library might not be the safest place to be.'

'Fine, we'll just stay in the Common Room.'

James looked down, shuffling his feet.

'Yeah, about that.'

'Oh, for god's sake.'

'Sorry,' offered James, lamely. 'It might be a good time to visit Hagrid though.'

'For six hours?' said Lily, exasperated.

'Hmm, good point,' said James, pondering. 'Ah, take this, you'll be completely free from interruption.'

He pulled out a key from his robes.

'It's for the changing rooms at the Quidditch pitch.'

'Ew,' said Lily.

'What? They've been cleaned,' said James.

Lily took the key.

James bounced from one foot to the other expectantly.

'What?' she asked.

'What?'

'What are you waiting for?'

'A thank you?' he said.

'I'd get comfortable, you'll be there a while. Like forever.'

'Forever's nothing.'

'Go away, James.'

James gasped.

'You called me, James,' he said, gleefully.

'Would you prefer Jane?'

'I'd prefer boyfriend.'

'I'd prefer you to have one too. Can't you and Sirius make it official and elope to Madagascar.'

'You'd miss seeing my beach body.'

'The only way I'd like to see your beach body, is if it were washing up on shore.'

James grinned.

'Fantasizing about my death, is still fantasizing about me.'

Lily nearly let a smile appear on her lips, but pursed them instead.

'You never stop do you?'

'I'm Gryffindor,' said James proudly.

'You mean "a" Gryffindor. You're a Gryffindor.'

'Gryffindor's a state of mind Lily. You're either Gryffindor or you're not, there's no singularity about it.'

'That literally makes no sense.'

'If it make no sense to you, maybe you're not Gryffindor,' he teased.

'I am a Gryffindor, idiot.'

'But not Gryffindor.'

'I give up.'

'See,' triumphed James. 'You'd never give up if you were Gryffindor.'

'Bravery doesn't mean never giving in.'

'Of course it does.'

'Not if you can see the fights unwinnable. There's nothing brave about that.'

'What?' spluttered James. 'That's the most noble and courageous thing you can do.'

'How so?' asked Lily.

'Because,' said James, staring into her eyes. 'Not being able to win, doesn't mean it's not worth fighting for.'

Lily couldn't muster a response, so James turned and left, smiling to himself.