Hello, everyone! :) Happy to see me back, I hope?

I hope you all had a great Halloween! I did. I dressed up as a nerd. :D I placed fifth at my skating competition, for those who are curious, which is way better than I expected, so I'm happy! I said I would have another chapter up before November, and my month is running up in an hour and twenty minutes, haha. So, here it is!

How to Survive James Potter for Dummies

Written and experienced by Lily Evans

Chapter 9: Plans, Spies, and Flying

James Potter fell asleep that night holding his cheek, but thinking firmly to himself: It was just a friendly peck on the cheek; it was nothing else. We're just friends. He was better than that. He didn't break up with a girl just because he realized he liked someone else. Wait a second. No. He didn't even like anyone else. He just dumped Emily because she was a sore loser, that was all! James lay in bed thinking about that when he awoke. The Marauders barged in, carrying mugs of coffee. "Good morning, Groggy Head," called Sirius brightly. "Coffee for you, Mr. Potter?"

"Merlin," James whispered.

"No, James," said Sirius in an exasperated tone. "I'm Sirius!"

"Merlin," repeated James, still in a whisper. "I'm so confused."

"Teenagers," Remus scoffed to Peter, as though they weren't teenagers themselves. "James. We went over this. You don't like Emily anymore. There are other fish in the sea. You weren't even serious."

"Don't," Peter interrupted Sirius, who was about to make a 'serious' crack.

"I'm so confused..." James whispered, crawling under the sheets and curling up into a ball. Suddenly, he sat up. "No. Hey, can I have that mug of coffee? I'm going to need it."

"He's PMS-ing," said Sirius worriedly.

James rolled his eyes and seized the mug of coffee. "I'm a guy. I don't PMS, Sirius, so shut up. I have an idea on how to make sure I know what the heck I'm doing."

"I'm confused now, too," said Peter.

"Join the club," Remus replied, eyebrows furrowed. "Prongs, what the heck are you talking about?"

"Nothing, Moony," said James dismissively. "Can you three do me a favor?"

Sirius shrugged. "Go for it. We can cancel our prank plans... Gilderoy would appreciate us changing our plans, eh, Moony, Wormtail? We're free this weekend, mate."

"Moony: make sure Lily is in the courtyard in an hour," said James, standing. "She wakes up in some ungodly hour hours before now, so she'll be perfectly awake. Wormtail, Pads, don't cancel your prank plans just yet. I want you to do that thing we did in third year – that distraction plan."

"Third year distraction?" Peter repeated, eyes wide. "Prongs, we got detention for a month because of that."

"Now, now, Wormy," said Sirius, "keep optimistic. We can do it differently. No one will suspect a thing. I have ideas." He saluted to James.

James grinned. "Keep it alive for at least forty-five minutes... starting in, at the latest, an hour and a half. Keep it as far away from the pitch and courtyard as possible. Make sure Lily doesn't see it."

"Perfect," Sirius replied, rubbing his palms together. "Yes. Perfect. Everybody will have finished breakfast in an hour, giving us time to set up... Lily wakes up earlier, eats breakfast earlier... yes. Flawlessly planned." He had a guess of what James was planning, but it's best to keep everything as a surprise.

"Excellent. You'll need the map and the cloak," said James, surfing in his trunk. He quickly checked for Lily's location. "Merlin. This can't be any easier. Moony, she's in the Great Hall. Alice and Mary are still in the Great Hall. Remember, with Lily... chat up, lead her to the courtyard." He looked into each of their faces. "You're wondering why I'm doing this, aren't you?"

Remus smiled wryly. "Well, James, after all these years, you just sort of go with it."

**

Mission Perspective: Remus Lupin, then, Lily Evans

"Lily! Lily Evans! My favorite redhead Head Girl!" said Remus, sliding in front of her.

Lily laughed. "Good morning to you, as well, Rem. I'm the only redhead Head Girl you know, by the way." She tried to step around him.

"Lily! What's the rush?" he interrupted. "Take a walk with me. I need help understanding... Gamp's Laws of Elemental Transfiguration." Which Remus really did need help understanding. He quickly added, "and I need help with the an Elixir to Induce Euphoria. If you have the time, I mean." Lily was polite; she would never decline.

"Sure," said Lily. Remus could tell she was fighting the urge to sound exasperated. Easily, he led Lily down towards the courtyard, checking subtly at his watch. Fifteen minutes, he thought, strained. Come on, James... Remus listened for any sound of explosion, any obvious sign of James' plan.

"... and the Elixir to Induce Euphoria isn't that hard," Lily was saying. "I suggest adding just a sprig of peppermint, though. The side effects the potion have are kind of weird, and the peppermint balances that out. Slughorn was impressed with what I did when I added it."

Remus checked his watch. They were right at the entrance of the courtyard. His eyes searched the courtyard carefully. He saw James peek from under the cloak. Remus grinned, pretending to look for something. "Hey, Lil, can you stay here for a second? I'll be really quick. I think I dropped something on our way down..."

"I'll come with you," Lily suggested.

"No!" Remus said, too hastily. He added quickly, "I'll be quick. Sit down." Lily frowned, then walked over to one of the benches, sitting down. Once Remus left, James walked in, carrying his broom.

"James!" Lily said in surprise. "Hi."

"Hey, Lil," James greeted casually. There was a silence. Desperately, James was nearly going to comment on the weather. It was the most boring weather, on top of that, so the conversation would be quite … lifeless.

Lily smiled. "You planned this, didn't you?"

James threw his hands up. "Oh, come on. You couldn't even play along until I got to the next part?"

"Maybe I will! What's the next part?" Lily asked, finding herself sounding almost flirtatious.

"Why don't you come and see?" James offered his hand. Lily, despite herself, took it. She mounted the broom, and muffled her scream as James launched into the air. She buried her face in his shoulder. She felt his chuckle. "It's alright, Lily."

Lily carefully detached her face from his shoulder, then quickly buried her face in it again. "Alright? We're so high!"

"That's right," James said brightly. "Hold on tight, Lily!" He dived down towards the pitch. This time, Lily just let out her scream. They were heading down rapidly. James laughed loudly, whooping in glee. He landed lightly in the center of the pitch after the controlled dive.

Lily sighed and sat down on the grass, detaching herself hurriedly from the broom. "I thought you liked me enough not to kill me, James."

James laughed. "You weren't really scared, were you, Gryffindor?" Lily scoffed. James grinned, sitting down in front of her. "Go on. Your turn."

"My turn to what?" Lily asked.

"Ride the broom."

Lily stared at him. "Oh, Merlin. You're not joking."

"Come on, Lily."

"James!"

"Go on. You don't even have to rise a foot off the ground. Just drag your toes on the grass," James suggested. Lily frowned. James stood up, pulling her up. "Trust me."

Lily sought his gaze, finding that it was sincere. Lily sighed again. "Alright."

**

Mission Perspective: Severus Snape

What was she doing?

Severus Snape flinched. He stood outside the pitch, peeking into what was supposed to be a private moment. He knew that if Black was trying a prank that elaborate inside the castle without Potter, it had to have something to do with Lily. He headed immediately to the pitch, and found himself watching them warily. Hand touching. What was this? Potter summoned a broom from the shed, letting Lily use his expensive broom. He didn't even look pained! What was going on? He glided easily right beside her, seemingly speaking calmly and reassuringly to Lily, who looked frightened. "What are you doing, Potter?" Snape muttered. "Can't you see she'd rather not be on a broom, let alone near you?"

Lily turned around. Severus was scandalized to see that she looked relieved she hadn't fallen off. James moved his arm upward. He was suggesting they go higher. Lily scrunched her face up in concentration, and the broom reacted instantly. It was faster than she had been expecting She wobbled, startled. Severus scowled, as Potter quickly caught her. Lily turned red at his touch. He didn't notice. Did they notice what was as plain as day to Severus? They were disgustingly attracted to one another!

What was this?

Again, Lily tried to go upwards, but this time, Potter couldn't catch her in time. Severus was about to run out to the pitch when Potter lunged forwards, falling over the other side of the broom. He knocked over Lily, making them both land into the grass. Potter was practically on top of her. To Snape's shock, Lily was laughing. Potter grinned, pulling her up. He could see his lips mouthing: "Well, that was fun. Want to try again?"

Lily nodded vigorously. Severus' eyes widened. Who was this girl? What had she done with Lily Evans?

Mounting the broom, Lily zoomed around Potter, faster, and faster, and faster. She looked thrilled. "I can see why you find this exciting!" she called out to him, as soon as she was far away. Potter smiled widely and nodded in her direction. Lily turned around and rushed back towards the center of the pitch, jumping off the broom playfully and landing beside Potter. "That was fun!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Severus could hear Potter. He lowered his voice. He couldn't hear him anymore...

**

Mission Perspective: James Potter, then the spy

"Is it bad to lie, Lily?"

Lily rolled to her side to face James. He lay down beside her, back to the ground. He fiddled with his thumbs, staring at the sky. "Why do you ask?" she asked him.

"Because I did," James replied slowly.

"James..." Lily sounded confused. James forced himself not to look at her.

"I guess, I kind of did. I don't sort of fancy you. I realized... that... you had a lot to do with Emily. You had a lot to do with the reason I broke up with her," James murmured. Lily edged closer. She covered his fiddling thumbs with her palm.

"Oh?"

James nodded, still not turning to her. "Is that a bad reason?"

"Yes. But I don't think..." Lily paused.

James didn't ask her to continue. He turned, at last, removing a hand from beneath her palm and reached out to caress her cheek. He moved closer, as though hesitant. He moved slowly. Lily smiled at him, closing the space between their lips, wrapping her arms around his neck, eventually moving her hands up to his hair, playing with it as she kissed him. James wasn't paying attention to anything, at all. His mind was on a repeat thought: I'll wake up from this dream anytime now. Even after Lily pulled away, she kept close to James. They lay there, staring at the sky, at nothing, with very subtle smiles on their faces.

A few feet away, a greasy haired, hook-nosed boy stood, a shocked expression on his face, his ears echoing with the sound of a heart shattering within him.