Chapter Ten: A Cauldron Full of Love

The next few weeks were jam packed. In between completing the mountainous piles of homework, there was Quidditch practice. And at the rate the team was at practice, Slytherin was sure to have the cup without much fight.

"Cooke! Concentrate on staying on the broom!" James bellowed, circling the pitch, nearing one of his chasers. "You can stare at Melinda all you want afterwards."

The boy turned punk and muttered a few curses under his breath.

"Right, so I want you lot to get some decent night's sleep. I think we'll manage a clean sweep tomorrow." And under his breath he added, "Thankfully, Cowle's still not fit to play."

He landed neatly onto the ground and strode towards the changing room with Sirius trudging by his side.

"Admit it, we don't stand a chance. We'll get clobbered!" He whined.

James shot him a filthy look.

"What? I'm only speaking the truth. Even a troll would have stated that it's the obvious."

"I think we've got a decent shot at winning." He paused, making sure none of his other teammates were anywhere near. "Cowle's out of the team. They're playing Amos' brother (that pansy fellow) instead."

"Oh, Ralphy!" Sirius gestured wildly in the most girly fashion. He instantly cheered at hearing that. "And you couldn't have told me this earlier?" He asked cheerily clumping James on the back.

The two boys hurried towards the great hall. Dinner was Sirius' favourite subject. When they reached they spotted Peter, any one would have. The boy was jumping and waving his arms about as if he was trying to get rid of gigantic mosquitoes. Remus was sitting next to him, as usual, with his head under some enormous book. Opposite his two friends, to James' utmost relief, was Lily.

"Brilliant!" Sirius said, slopping some stew into his bowl. "Nothing's better than this before quidditch."

"Yeah!" Remus said rolling his eyes. His eyes were encircled by dark rings. "Oh, by the way," He said, finally closing his book and tucking it into his bag. "McDonald was asking me all about you during practice."

"It's tough being a friend of such a great looking guy isn't it." Sirius said cockily. Gulping more food.

"I know, terribly difficult. I might suggest you tell her that she isn't Mrs. Mary S. Black, as she has been fondly referring to herself as of late."

Sirius' spoon clankered onto the floor, spilling stew all over Peter. Sirius shot straight out of his seat tugging at his hair like a lunatic.

"Of all the girls!" He yelled and ran towards the common room at top speed.

Peter was frantically trying to wipe the fallen stew off his robe.

"This was the new one that too!" He moaned.

"Honestly Peter! You're a wizard! Scourgify." Remus reprimanded, ridding Peter of all the stains.

James was staring at Lily the entire time. He was certain she had been stealing glances his way the entire time he was there.

"So Remus," James started, looking at Lily from the corner of his eyes, using his glass like a periscope. "Did she really call herself Mrs. Black?" He said chuckling the last few words.

"Yup. She's scribbled it all over her Arithmancy textbook too. You should have seen Vector's face when he saw her book!" He then began recounting the tale, but James was only half listening, the other half of him was fervently hoping it would be nine so he could begin head duties.

Time for once was on his side, before he knew it, he was standing by Lily's side, patrolling the corridors. They were still on the second floor so there was still tons of time left. He was hyperaware of her standing next to him for some odd reason. This had never been there in the previous patrols.

He could also sense that she was equally tense as he was. He heart raced so loudly that he was certain she could hear it.

"So, Lily," He managed to sound casual despite his erratic heartbeat.

She turned to face him, a hesitant smile playing across her lips.

"Yes?"

"Do you…erm…have any sibling?" The question sounded lame but the silence was only fuelling his agitation.

She paused, startled by the question. She pushed her hair off her shoulders.

"Yeah, I do. An elder sister, Petunia." She didn't bother asking him whether he had any siblings because she already knew he was an only child. "Why'd you ask?"

"Oh, the silence always unnerves me." He said, smiling. His hand snaking its way towards his hair.

"Sirius is the closest that I have to a brother." He said. "My dad died shortly after I was born. So it's been just my mum and me."

"Oh," She said, not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, so what's Petunia like?"

They were now looping the third floor, past Filch's office.

"She's something alright." She said holding back a bit. "She was a tad bit heartbroken when she learnt I was the only witch in the family. After that she's been a little crack!" She said forcing a smile.

"Lily?"

"Hmm…?"

"You look loads prettier with your hair down."

She stopped dead in her tracks. He was sure he had crossed the line this time and that he was going to get hexed that instant. Instead, she smiled, reddening slightly.

"Erm, thanks I guess." She ran her fingers through her ponytail, contemplating on whether or not to remove the tie. She decided against it.

"I bet you've heard a ton of ugly troll smuck of rumours about me."

"No!" She lied, her eyes wide. One look at his expression and she changed her mind. "Ok, a few maybe. Like how you can transfigure into a deer and wait there's more,"

"A deer!" He shrieked. "Puh-lease! I'm a manly man!" He said flexing his biceps, earning a giggle from her. "A stag I would understand, but definitely not a deer!"

"Ok, fine. I believe you."

"What else have you heard?"

"Oh, stuff on how you're so brave and heroic, yada yada…"

"Well those are all facts you see." He grinned. She smacked him playfully on his arm, but the next instant it became painfully awkward.

"What's the worst you've heard about me?"

"Well… I dunno," He said thrusting his hands into his pockets.

"Oh, come on!"

"Fine, I heard you shot down an entire lot of Ravenclaw guys in the fifth."

"Well that bits true." She said cheekily.

"And you say I have a fanbase!"

"It wasn't the entire Ravenclaw lot, just A…"She stopped. Why was she telling him all this? It had just felt so right to tell him just as it had been to tell Alice.

"That's Ok. Don't tell me. I wouldn't want to know anyway." It was an obvious lie. Right then he was wishing he had learnt occlumency so that he could find out the guys name and hex him into oblivion.

"So Lily, tell me, have you in any of your seven years here. Fancied anyone?" He asked suddenly.

Her face flushed scarlet.

"Why would that bother you?" There wasn't the usual ring of nastiness in that statement. It was more out of pure wonderment.

"I'm asking merely as a friend. I'd gladly tell you but there'd be no point seeing as to you already know."

"Good, then as a friend, I refrain from discussing certain facts."

"Your choice." He shrugged. It wasn't that he had expected her to suddenly to profess her undying love for him but he was certain she'd let something slip. So he rephrased his question in a way he was assured of an answer.

"You look like you'd fancy someone like Ralph Diggory."

"What!" She said. "No ways!"

"But you do… maybe Mark Corner?"

"No! I have an excellent taste in men, thank you very much!"

"And by excellent you mean?"

"James, don't insult my intelligence," She said calmly. "I know exactly what it is that you're trying to do. It's most ineffective!"

"What is it that I'm trying to do? I'm merely asking an innocent questions, that's all."

"Oh, get off it!" She said, thoroughly enjoying the flirting and playful banter.

"No, really, tell me."

She realized they were standing right in front of the portrait of the fat lady, who was coughing rather loudly.

James looked at her rather irately and mumbled the password. They stalled a bit in the common room.

"So you'll tell me next time round?"

"Maybe," She said, teasingly.

"Lily," He said in a near whisper, moving closer to her.

Her heart was now fluttering at a mad pace. He was moving even closer, she was sure he was going to kiss her and her eyelids shut on their own accord.

"You have to get rid of this dreadful hair tie!" He said, reaching around her and pulling her hair loose. He didn't miss the look on her face as he pulled away. He was doing mental chartwheels, but being James Potter, he sauntered towards the stairwell that led up to his dorm. He stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned.

"'Night Lily!" He said, winking.