James threw himself down onto his king sized bed, staring at the wooden ceiling. Sirius and Remus were debating about Sirius' relationships again and James was not in the mood.

"Yea…but what if you just want a little fun?"

"Well you don't have to be such a prat about it. Pretending to take down their number and never actually calling back when you promised you would…"

"Who says I'm being a prat? Im making out with her aren't I? I'm giving her what she wants!"

"Yea but what if she cares about you? What if she wants to have a serious commitment?"

"We're seventeen! Serious commitments don't exist at our age!"

"Well maybe for you but-"

James sat up unable to take it anymore.

"Look Remus, there is no point cos he's never going to get it until he's old and all alone in some seedy bar trying to chat up some bimbo who just isn't interested like 'Oh I wish I settled down with that brunette back in 20008, shed still be interested…'"

He huffed and grabbed the pillow from behind, shoving it under his chin.

Remus and Sirius looked at each other, sharing the knowing glance. James was in a mood again, and this wasn't just any teenage boy mood, this was a Lily Evans mood.

"Aww Prongsy she'll come round soon enough…" Sirius said in an attempt to support his friend.

"No she won't…" James mumbled, pushing his head in the pillow below his chin, "She hates me…she always has and she always will…"

"Oh I don't think that's true," Remus said sourly, "She didn't look to happy when you were checking out Jaylee."

"I wasn't checking her out."
"What? You were checking someone out? And it wasn't Lily?" Sirius said incredulously.

"I wasn't check-"

"It was Jaylee…Lily's best friend." Remus said looking quite aggravated for some reason.

"Ohhh I like your tactics prongs…" Sirius laughed.

James' head shot up from the pillow.

"Huh?"

"Well come on it's obvious right? You were checking out Lily's best friend, trying to make her jealous!"

"What? No I wasn't! I just…never noticed her before…she's actually quite hot…"

"Yea…she sits next to me in potions…I'm not surprised you never noticed her, you're seat is next to Lily's that lesson." Remus said, his eyes to the floor.

"No wait a second though you could actually do that!" Sirius said looking really shocked that he might actually have a foolproof plan.

"James is not going to go out with Jaylee to make Lily jealous!" Remus barked. James and Sirius stared at Remus blankly.

"Well…I'm not about to let you turn my only remaining friend with a brain cell into a pimp!" Remus said blushing slightly.

"Not a pimp…just…wait a second…why does this annoy you so much?" Sirius said raising an eyebrow.

"No reason…" Remus mumbled avoiding their gaze.

The two boys stared at their friend unable to understand until Sirius broke the silence.

"Well I wouldn't say no…" Sirius said, leaning back, resting his head on his arms.

"You wouldn't say no to a badger…" Remus mumbled.

"Neither would I…" James laughed in agreement, "I bet she's nice too…she must be for Lily to like her so much."

"She is…" Remus mumbled quietly.

James fell backwards from his sitting position onto his back again, staring at the fires glow on the log cabin ceiling. He screwed his eyes tight and swallowed hard, trying to avert his mind from the taste of Lily's lips, the smell of her hair, the softness of her skin, her eyes, her hot and heavy breathing against his skin…cold from the snow…

Suddenly, for the first time, his mind did jolt to another image. It was the image of a girl with icy blue eyes, pale skin, and pale lips, thick, dark and wavy locks of hair falling to her waist. Her smile was so cute, the tint of pink that flooded her cheeks at his gaze. She was so pretty…not nearly as good as Lily…but extraordinary all the same.

"You know…maybe…what if I did go out with her?" James said curiously to the silence of the thinking that was going on around him.

"What? Why? Aww James, don't do it just to make her jea-" Remus said, somewhat frantically.

"I'm not!" James interrupted, "She's hot and nice…and I need to get rid of the…feelings I have for Lily Evans…"

"So…she's just your pick me up?" Remus said angrily, "You never even noticed her before today!"

"She looked like she noticed me…" James shrugged, "I mean why not right?"

"But James, you and Lily ar-!"

"No! No I'm tired of Lily Evans! I tried and it didn't work ok? I just have to get over her and I'll be ok…"

"And it has to be Jaylee? Cos you know that just looks dodgy and people are going to judge you…You could have anyone you want from Hogwarts and you choose her? Lily's best friend?"

"Yea…well maybe not…it's worth a try. All I need to do is get to know her better…who knows…maybe I'll fall for her and all my problems will be over…if it doesn't work out…well then I guess I'll have to find someone new. It's not like I'm using her. Why wouldn't I like her if she's good-looking and genuinely a nice person?"

"I…I don't know…" Remus sighed looking slightly downtrodden.

"What is it with you anyway moony?" Sirius asked, still surveying his friend's expression, "Like James said, it's not like he's using Jaylee is it? Have you got bet going on that Lily and James will get together by the end of the trip or something?"

"No…it's just…" Remus mumbled looking embarrassed.

"It's just what?"

"I…I don't want you to…just don't become a prat like the mutt here alright?"

"Mutt?" Sirius laughed surprised by the sudden insult.

"I'm going to bed…I'll see you guys in the morning…" Remus muttered, picking up his book from the side and making his way to the other room of the cabin. He slowly reached out for the handle, quietly exiting the room, looking utterly miserable.

"What's his problem?" Sirius muttered looking confused.

"I don't know…" James watched after him, looking baffled.

"Well…let's go Jamesy boy…" Sirius said shoving on a thick black coat.

"Where are we going?" James asked puzzled.

"Oh come on Prongs! You know it's always the guys that are expected to make the first move…"