Josh began to carry me back to the castle. I spent the time admiring the back of his head, and the way he could carry me so effortlessly. It took a lot of effort to avoid running my hands through his hair. Luckily, they were locked around his neck, so I couldn't be too displeased by their placement.

I blame hormones.

Roxy carried both of our brooms as well as her own, and I would have to thank her later, since I got Josh-time without having to worry about running back to grab a forgotten broom.

"Hey, Spinnet, go out with me?" James asked.

"Would you stop asking, please, James?" She asked with a sigh. "If I ever want to date you, I'll let you know."

"You called me James!" I imagined him jumping up and pumping his fist in the air the way he did when we won a Quidditch match. Katie was probably much more challenging for him than a Quidditch match.

"I did not!"

"You did too!"

I leaned down to whisper in Josh's ear. "What a cute couple."

"Let's go change," he said, and I decided he was probably smiling.

I like Josh's smile—all beautiful and large without being too large, and showing off his white teeth while still being cool...

I'll just shut up now.

-:-

I had decided to prank James a while back, and Katie seemed like another person to prank as well, so I combined the prank I was using for them. It needed to be an all original prank—a normal James one wouldn't work.

I decided there was only one thing to do—Marauder Truth or Dare. It was potentially deadly, and definitely very, very messy, but I figured I could handle it.

I went to James with my idea.

"Let me get this straight, you want me to start a game of Marauder Truth or Dare?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much it."

"Why?"

I fidgeted. "I want to play—I've never gotten to before."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now go away while I talk to Fred, Josh and Louis."

I walked out the door, but I didn't walk away. What kind of honorary Marauder would I be if I did? I listened at the keyhole, of course. I got lucky, too—the one time James didn't check it. He probably trusted me more.

James explained what I wanted them to do.

"Remember last year's game?" Louis said.

No.

Fred echoed my thoughts. "Not really."

"That's because you were drunk," Josh said. "I remember it. Not the best we've ever had."

"Not the worst, either. No detention that time," James pointed out.

"Detention's the worst now, is it?" Fred asked.

"You guys know what Dad said would happen if I got more detention then there were school days this year," James said.

I hadn't heard that, and it made me feel left out again. I hated them sometimes, for being so secretive and all.

"I seem to remember someone stripping last year," Fred said, probably to steer the conversation away from parental problems. Fred was never good with that kind of stuff. He was great and funny and all, but he just wasn't sensitive.

"Yeah, Marnie," Josh said.

"The fat one?" Fred asked.

"Fred!" Louis chided. "She may have weight problems, but you don't have to call her fat!"

"Oh, you were just glad you got to see what all of those parts actually looked like, since you'd never seen a woman naked before. And you probably never will again."

That was a burn for any of the Marauders, even Louis.

"Joshie here was probably grateful too."

"Eh, not so much. I've seen them all before." My heart sank. "James, remember when you came over last year during Christmas break and my grandmother had that episode? I think I'm scarred for life, especially after seeing her hump the ham."

"Oh, Merlin," James said. "I almost ate it, too."

"Saved you at the last minute, didn't I? Can't call me a bad friend."

"Getting back to the subject," Louis interrupted. "Marauders truth or dare. All in favor say 'Aye.'"

"Aye," I heard. Two or three voices answered. I prayed it would be enough.

"All against say 'Nay.'"

"Nay."

One voice. I slumped against the wall in relief. It was probably time for me to go, anyway. They would be leaving their layer soon, and I didn't want them to find me eavesdropping—the game would probably be cancelled.

ooOoo

"Hello everyone. Weasleys, Gryffindors, and Potters, you should all know me, but if you're small minded like Fred and need a reminder, I'm James Potter. I'm here to welcome you to 'Marauders Truth or Dare.' You should all know the rules, because there aren't any, but Josh and Fred will be introducing them again just in case. Louis will be showing you the emergency exits and handing out barf bags. And on that happy note, let the games commence!"

A few people looked nervously at each other, but I was too busy grinning at Josh and Fred and not listening to the rules. After all, what was life without a few risks? Anyway, from what I listened to before I blocked them out, the rules were mostly, "Don't tell any professors, except for Brown because she's a hack" and "no llamas allowed." Typical Marauders, really.

Roxanne leaned over to me, "Strip version is new, yeah?"

"Strip version?" I asked. "I stopped paying attention after the llama thing."

Josh sat down on my other side and threw an arm around Rose, who was at his side. "That llama rule is probably the most important one we have, Lily Luna, and you'd do well to listen to it."

Rose slipped out from under his arm and leaned towards Scorpius. "Don't worry, Lily. No one follows any rules except for the first one."

"The ice cream one?" Roxanne asked.

"No, the professor one," explained Rose. "Telling them in random order does get confusing."

"We like variety," Josh said with a shrug. "Ready?"

"You never explained strip version," I pointed out.

Josh nodded. "Right as always, Aprho. Anyway, you can refuse to do your dare or answer the question posed in a truth, but you have to strip. Same if you try the dare but fail or you're caught lying."

"We don't usually play this way," said Roxanne, "but James wants to see Spinnet naked."

"Some people will probably refuse just to strip in front of you," Rose put in.

"Ew," I said. "Who would want someone like James or Josh seeing them naked?"

Me.

(rebound, lily, rebound)

Would jumping someone's bones be acceptable, even if you are not dating them and they are quite possibly your rebound and they're your older brother's best mate?

I must ask Rose about this.

It would be entirely excusable if I was dared to do it, correct? Like, dared to kiss the nearest boy, who would be Josh. I must think these thoughts very strongly at Roxanne.

ROXANNE, THIS IS LILY. I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TELEPATHICALLY. PLEASE DARE ME TO JUMP JOSH'S BONES.

Nothing. Rats.

There were a few giggling girls who chose truth, and one who ended up on someone's lap, her trousers inexplicably missing. There were also a few dunce boys who hadn't seen the carnage of these games like I had when I was little and wanted nothing more than to be in one of these games. They chose dare at first, thinking that they might survive. In a stunning turn of events, only one ended up in the hospital wing.

Finally, a seventh year girl I'd never spoken turned to me. "Lily, truth or dare?"

"Dare," I answered confidently, because the Marauders never chose anything but dare the first time, and I was an honorary member, or so I hoped.

She whispered her idea into my ear and I grinned up at her. "Easy."

"What did you say, Marnie?" asked James. I took the moment to note that she really didn't have a weight problem and that James & co had been exaggerating.

I stood, walking past Josh (who was looking concerned for me, which was very adorable, believe me)and Rose so I stood in front of Scorpius.

"What are you going to do?" He asked, grinning.

I grabbed his hand to pull him up. "I love you," I announced, then I pulled him in so we were kissing.

Josh and James were standing, looking confused, but furious.

"I just told her to show affection in a way she normally wouldn't!" Marnie defended herself.

Josh's arms encircled my waist and he pulled me away from Scorpius, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "That's enough, Lee, unless you want to give the entire class a show."

I went easily, whispering "Sorry," as he pulled me away, back to my seat.

Roxanne was looking at me, her eyes wide, and Rose was gone, her chair knocked down. Everyone in the circle was looking at me like I was insane. Scorpius started to go after Rose, but Lucy and Dom shot him a glare and headed out instead.

"Lils..." Roxanne said.

"Go," I said, my voice hoarse. "Rose needs you now, not me."

She nodded and was gone.

Josh put his arms around me, and if my brain wasn't busy whirling, I might have read more into it. Instead I curled into him as much as our two separate chairs allowed, appreciating his warmth. "Come on," he said, pulling me onto his lap.

The game continued, but Josh and I were mostly ignored. He answered a few more challenges, choosing truth for all of them ("Virgin?" "Been drunk?" "Crush?" "Who in this room would you date?" He answered, "Wouldn't you like to know?", "I'm a Marauder. What are you, an idiot?", "Lily Luna, clearly," and "Did you even listen to the last answer, you imbecile? Lily and I are clearly soul mates.").

"Lily," said James a few minutes later. "Truth or dare?"

I looked my brother straight in the eyes and grinned. "I am the sister of a Marauder," I said, feeling more like the-girl-who-would-never-kiss-the-love-of-her-cous in's-life again. "Dare, naturally."

"Ask five guys to go on a date with you using sign language, and use different signs each time."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that it?"

"Is that it, she asks," someone muttered.

I twisted oddly in the chair to turn my face towards Josh. I then held up my hands and made a circle with my index finger and thumb. Then I stuck my other index finger through the circle and moved it around. Josh laughed and nodded.

"Asking him to fuck you isn't the same as asking him on a date," James called. "Also—Farland, that's my sister you're agreeing to sleep with!"

"You dared her," Josh replied. He then kissed my nose.

I giggled and hopped off his lap, heading towards some sixth year boy I didn't know. I held out my hand like it was holding someone else's and mimed walking around with it swinging beside me. He grabbed it, and I sent a triumphant grin at James.

"That was only because everyone already knew what you were doing," he argued halfheartedly.

That went on for the next three boys (two were related to me, oddly. I blame it on Grandma Molly and her desire for a large family) until the consensus was that the viewers had seen enough of me failing miserably and I was able to return to Josh's side, where I curled up next to him in the huge chair instead of sitting on his lap and rested my head on his shoulder while he played with a strand of my hair.

I'm sorry for my super long absence! Have this longer than normal, slightly bizarre chapter instead! Here is where I pretty much completely deviate from the original apparently, because that had a huge snog scene between Lily and Josh and no R/S drama. This, clearly, is different. I'll attempt to update soon, but I'm doing an online econ class (hence the 1,000 or so I just added on to what I already had) and a writing camp starting next week, so free time might not exist.

Thank you to all of the people who have continued to stick with me and this story.

-Claire