Author's Note: Hello everyone! I've had this written for a couple of days but didn't get a chance to post it. Thanks to all of you who reviewed, you were very sweet! I think this will be the last chapter before I go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando on Wednesday. I'm wicked excited! I'll be writing on the plane, so I should have a chapter for you when I get back. I hope you all like this one. I'm currently lacking a beta, so I need to solve that problem…

And, because I haven't done a disclaimer in a while: I am not J.K. Rowling. None of this is mine (except Selena and the plot, I just play with what she created.

SIRIUS' POV

"Here!" I whispered to Selena, placing the ball in her hand, which was open behind her back. We crept forward slowly, slipping behind a tree. I kept my hand steady as I peered out from behind a branch, keeping my eyes locked on the straight blonde hair and blue jacket that belonged to one Alice Prewett. Selena nudged me and we locked eyes. I nodded slightly. I stepped out from the tree and whipped the ball in my hand forward. The missile exploded on impact, leaving white, powdery snow all over Alice's hair and back. Peter looked the same, courtesy of Selena.

"SIRIUS BLACK!" Alice shrieked, feeling at the back of her head as she turned towards me. "I am going to kill you!"

She and Peter began scooping up snow to make ammunition of their own, and James and Lily, laughing, followed suit. Remus and Mary remained seated on the stone steps, Remus' arm around her. I grabbed a handful of snow and packed it into a ball, handing it to Selena as I ducked a throw from James. I returned it with a snowball of my own, which hit him squarely in the forehead. He shook snow from his eyes and glared at me, bending to get more ammunition. Selena shrieked suddenly and I ducked instinctively.

"What is it?" I asked, alarmed. She seized my hand and yanked me backwards, dragging me at a sprint towards the cover of the Forbidden Forest. "Sele- WOAH!" Turning to look back, I spotted Lily chasing after us, her wand out as she magicked a pile of snowballs to fly towards us. "Come on!" I sped up to match Selena's pace as we raced into the trees.

"Here!" I stumbled as she ducked behind a particularly large oak. I slipped in on the frozen ground, throwing my arms out in an attempt to catch my balance. Selena caught my arm to keep me from falling, and I grabbed her waist to steady myself. We stared at each other for a second before bursting into laughter. Her musical voice rang through the trees, her eyes sparkling with mirth. Her long, dark locks tumbled from her lopsided hat, cheeks flushed from the cold. Butterflies grew in my stomach as I gazed at my beautiful companion. Finally, my eyes travelled down to her lips, which were parted slightly as Selena tried to control her laughter. Subconsciously, my fingers tightened on her waist and I pressed my lips to hers. She kissed me backed, her hand travelling up my arm slowly to touch my face.

"Padfoot? Selena? Where are you?"

"Selena!"

"Sirius!"

"Guys, t-t-this isn't funny…" Peter sounded terrified.

Groaning, I rested my forehead against Selena's, just the tips of our frozen noses touching. She smiled sweetly up at me, a mischievous gleam in her bright blue eyes.

"Shall we?" she asked slyly.

"We shall," I smirked, leaning down to scoop up another handful of snow.

LILY'S POV

"-all prefects are responsible for helping to decorate the school for the holidays. That's going to take place this weekend. Also, please remember to post the date of the next Hogsmeade in your common rooms- that's next weekend. And- I think that's it," I said slowly, glancing down at the list I was holding. "Do you have anything to add, James?"

He shook his head. "Nope, that pretty much raps it up. We'll see you all in the Great Hall straight after breakfast tomorrow for decorating."

The prefects immediately began chatting amongst themselves, some groaning about spending the weekend decorating, others speculating about holiday shopping in Hogsmeade the week before break.

"Bye, Lily!" A small, dark haired girl with a heart-shaped face and a Gryffindor tie waved eagerly at me.

"Bye, Emmeline," I smiled. "See you tomorrow." I made my way over to James and Remus who were talking about the upcoming trip.

"You've still got to get something for Mary, don't you?"

Remus nodded. "And are you going to get that special thing for- OW!" He cried, rubbing the arm that James had just punched. "What was that for?" James gave him a significant look and Remus glanced surreptitiously at me. "Oh. Sorry mate."

I was about to ask them what they were talking about when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to face Michael, who was smiling down at me, his neatly combed blonde hair still damp from a swim in the prefects' bathroom.

"Hello, Lilikins."

I cringed inwardly at the old pet name, but I forced myself to smile kindly. "Hello, Michael. How are you?"

"I'm great, actually," he said, his nose crinkling as his smiled widened. He was much too close; he stroked my arm affectionately. "But I'd be even better if you agreed to accompany me to Hogsmeade."

I heard the classroom door slam as a messy head of black hair stalked through it. Confused and worried, I forced my attention back to Michael, eager to follow and find out what was wrong. Taking a step back, I pushed his hand away with a little more force than was strictly necessary.

"Michael, you broke up with me, remember? I don't care if you've suddenly changed your mind; we're done. I'm sorry, but I've moved on. Besides," I said as I strode to the door, "I'm going dress shopping with my friends for James Potter's Christmas Ball."

Chuckling to myself at the dumbfounded state I had left Michael in, I gave the password to the portrait of Merlin ("Excalibur!") and clambered through the entrance into the common room.

"Whew, glad that's over," I stated brightly to James, plopping into an oversized armchair beside the couch. He didn't answer; his jaw was clenched and he stared into the fire with angry eyes. "James…?"

"How could you, Lily?" he snapped suddenly, startling me. He leapt up from his stiff position on the couch, his hazel eyes flashing dangerously. "After all he did to you, you'll still take him back? Have you no self-respect?"

I stared at him, shocked. "This is why you stormed out?"

"Bloody hell, Lily! Of course it is! What did you think was the reason?"

"I thought you were angry at Remus for nearly spilling whatever special present you might be getting in Hogsmeade!"

"Merlin's pants, no! I can't believe you would just start dating him again-"

"I am not dating him!"

James scoffed. "He just asked you to Hogsmeade! I heard him!"

I stood up and placed my hands on my hip, looking calmly into James' livid face. "Just because he asked doesn't mean I said yes, James."

He blinked. "What?"

"I turned him down, you prat!" I hit him with a small decorative pillow, the corners of my lips curving upwards slightly at James' sheepish expression. "I told him I wasn't interested and that I was going dress shopping for your party in any case."

James flushed and rubbed his neck embarrassedly. "Oh… er…. I knew that…"

I took his hand, looking up at him seriously. "I know you want to protect me, James, but you can't jump to conclusions like that. Nothing good will ever come out of it. I can look after myself sometimes."

"I know," he smiled a little sadly. "But it's not exactly something that I think of right away. My instinct is to protect you at all times, especially after…" He trailed off. I was startled to him a little teary. "I never want to see you so hurt again. When I saw you crying, I just…" he shook his head. "I can't bear to let that happen again."

I stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek gently. "Thank you," I whispered against his skin. He squeezed my hand quickly before he turned away and grabbed his Herbology book out of his bag.

"What do you say we try to get this essay done tonight, yeah?"

I groaned and took out my own book, settling in for a long night.

"Yes, just like that," I called, checking tinsel off my list. I stood on a table in the middle of the Great Hall, supervising as the prefects put up ornaments, tinsel, and mistletoe. James was supervising the decorating of the rest of the castle- icicles on the banisters, caroling suits of armor, and more mistletoe. "No, Fawcett, don't hang the fairies upside-down!" I shouted wearily. I shook my head wearily.

"Tough day, huh?" Remus asked, standing at the foot of the table. I grimaced and he laughed. "I just thought I should tell you that Snape's gone AWOL."

"Bloody hell!" I cried, searching the room for the greasy black hair and hunched profile of my ex-best friend. "Ugh, I'll be right back. You're in charge, Remus!"

I jumped off the table and hurried to the top of the marble staircase, where James was assisting a fifth year prefect in freeing Mrs. Norris from a suit of armor. "James, I need to talk to you," I muttered urgently when I reached him.

"Sure. I'll be right back, Brown," he told the younger boy before following me a distance away. "What's wrong, Lils?"

"Sev- Snape is missing."

"Damn it," James snapped angrily. "Where is he?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. I didn't even notice; Remus told me."

"Alright, hold on. " He pulled a thick piece of parchment out of his robes and tapped it, muttering "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." I gasped as ink colored the surface, detailing Hogwarts and the grounds. Tiny dots that were labeled with names moved around the folds, and right where James and I were standing were two little dots labeled "James Potter" and "Lily Evans".

"What is that?"

"Map," James answered shortly. "Shows everyone in Hogwarts. Now help me find Snape."

Together we scanned the parchment, searching for the slimy git's name. I squinted my eyes, trying to single out his little dot from the hundreds walking around.

"There!" I cried, pointing to an empty classroom of the fourth floor. "He's with Avery, Mulciber, Regulus, and…. Peter?"

James and I stared at each other in shock before racing together towards the fourth floor.

Author's Note: Dun dun DUN. What will Lily and James discover when they get to that classroom? You'll have to keep reading to find out! In two chapters we'll have the trip to Hogsmeade, and then it's Christmas break! Woo! I hope you all enjoyed this one, and please please please review! Thanks, everyone :)