Erika was livid. "I cancelled the study meeting in hope that she'd spend some time with James, only to have her study on her own? I swear – she's hopeless!"

Sirius snorted distastefully. "Really," he started smoothly, "You should know that Evans is the little miss independent, not to mention an all time brainy-pants. Naturally she'd study, regardless of whatever happens. I thought you knew her well."

"I highly doubt that they'd make a good couple," Remus injected, "Think about it. She's ignored him for three years straight, what makes you think that they'd ever get together? James only has a simple crush on her. It won't last."

She narrowed her eyes to danger point. "You people are blind! They're meant to be, can't you see?"

Sirius executed a sardonic smile before sneering, "We don't have time for your feminine romance instincts, if you don't mind. There're things much more deserving of our time than trying to hook up Evans and our best friend. Goodbye."

He delivered a pointed look and stalked away.

In a split second a squall darkened her eyes, and she found vent in scorn.Clenching her fists,sneering,"It surprises me, really, how he manages to be like his kind while remaining in Gryffindor."

Peter, who hadn't uttered a sound as of yet, widened his eyes in mortification. "Don't ever tell Sirius that, or he'll make your life a living hell."

A derisive snort sounded from somewhere nearby. Peter jumped, and Remus was grim. Tension hung in the air like icicles as Sirius fell into step with Erika, who was stalking away irately, oblivious to the fury of the lad.

"I am not like their kind!" he insisted, tone vociferous and deadly. He wasn't that out of earshot after all.

In a split second his arm jerked from his side like an arrow maneuvered on a bow, ready and prepared to let loose and strike, but before he could vent his wrath on Erika a shrill scream of "Stop!" rang through the corridor and froze him in step.

Standing before them were Lily and James, both looking equally disbelieving.

Sirius stared at James and I with non-descript gray eyes, mouth thinning out into a line. I glanced at the three others; Erika, Peter and Remus, each looking guilty in their own way. Erika was biting her nails, eyes boring into the floor. Peter was gaping, open-mouthed, always seeming to have something to say but deciding at the next moment not to say it. Remus had his hands in his pockets, trying to hold a casual position yet still look guilty.

Sirius simply couldn't care less.

"Ten points each from Gryffindor for being out of bed after curfew, and an extra five for physical violence, thanks to Sirius," I forced my voice to take on a tone I could trust at least minimally.

The latter growled and made as if to lunge at me, but Remus held him back. His eyes narrowed threateningly, harbouring some sort of dislike that wasn't insignificant, yet not strong enough to be hate. "Damn you, Lily Evans," he whispered venomously. Jerking himself out of the lupine grip on his shoulder, he stalked away once more, trailing behind him a sort of Gryffindor version of the Slytherin haughtiness.

Erika started, tears blinking like stars, "I-Lily-I'm… I'm so sorry." Then she fled with a patter of slippers, feet slapping the stone floor as she vamoosed.

"Sorry, James." Remus apologized, giving a weak smile. Peter sniffed, nodding vehemently. And they too made their escapade as did the two before them, leaving James and I behind, alone.

He was the first to break the silence. "Sorry. For…for everything."

Here was James Potter, apologizing. He seemed sincere. "It's ok."

Silence stretched between us. Just for a while; a short while. He spoke again. "They seemed really intent on getting us together." There was a kind of wistfulness in his voice. He was wistful. Wistful for what? I glanced at him shortly; his hair was untidier than usual, his clothes creased and wrinkled, and his hazel orbs of eyes, weary. His slightly hunched, lanky figure was a shadow of his past self. Truth to be told, I missed the jokes. I missed the humor. I missed the laughter. Hogwarts had only seen a couple of pranks since the first one at the Welcome Feast. That was bad. Everyone seemed to depend on the Marauders for that bit of stress relief.

Suddenly he made a derisive noise at the back of his throat. "Why is it all about you, Evans? Everything, everything in my life seems to revolve around you."

His sudden outburst made me stare at him in mild trepidation.

"What's it about you that…that lures? You think I haven't tried giving up on you? I almost did, late last year. During summer I thought I'd gotten over you. At the start of school I resumed my abandoned mission again. And last week, just last week, I tried to forget you. I couldn't. I can't, Lily," He paused to regard me ruefully, "You're…addictive."

He continued. "In class I scribble your initials on my notebook. At night, you keep haunting me, even in my dreams. In the morning, I wake up, and if I can't remember my dreams, there you are, haunting me once more. Whenever we patrol together, it…it just seems so right, yet so wrong. I don't know what's going on, Lily."

Emotions raced through my veins, through my head, through…through me. I didn't know what I was feeling. I didn't understand. So I just stared at the floor mutely, crossing my arms in a sort of defeated manner. I could feel his eyes boring into me. His plain, hazel eyes.

"I've tried being a different person. Trying to act like the sensible, mature guys you always go out with. I've managed to succeed, but only outwardly. It's not just the sense of not being me, it's the sense of…always failing to win your heart that's killing me inside. Sometimes, me just slips out, like a reflex uncalled for. Like that time at the astronomy tower. Both times. Lily…" He looked me firmly in the eye, "Help me."

Hey, everyone. Um...could any of you help me out? Can you explain the whole calender system of London, Britain, whatever? Like...when are the summer holidays? Is it winter in December? When do the four seasons occur, respectively? Can anyone give me a detailed explanation? Thanks...I'm not very certain of all these because I'm from Singapore, where it's summer all year round...If only that meant that it's the holidays all year round. Lol. Oh, oh, could anyone tell me which months are ideal to play field hockey? Thanks...

I updated. ;)

Cheerios,
Stasya

P.S. The title of this chapter, translated into English, means "I cannot forget". I just thought I'd try a French title, since French is my third language...