Hola! How's everybody doing? Well I hope. Sorry I posted this one a bit late, but it is the weekend still! I don't think I have much to say except that my next chapter might not be for over a week. Sorry! But in compensation this one is a longer than usual! But on a happier note-it's the holidays soon! So happy Halloween! This is for all of the trick or treaters who are really to old to still be collecting sweets but do it anyway, don't worry I still do! Anyway hope to here from you all soon wink wink lol

Disclaimer-I still trick or treat and I'm 14. Do the maths.

Chapter 12-Happy Halloween

The weeks leading up to Halloween had pasted quickly for everybody in Hogwarts-Head Boy and Girl especially. Between work, hanging out with friends and sleeping Halloween had crept up on the students. It was not to be an unpleasant surprise though.

Lily was sprawled underneath her favourite tree with James. They had decided, well rather Lily had decided and James had gone along with it, that they would have that day's head meeting outside. They were sitting, as usual, in complete silence, not speaking unless they had to. James was staring out at the lake and every once in a while he would jot something down on the piece of paper. Lily took this opportunity to examine him. After all James Potter was a mystery to her.

James was lying on the grass with his feet leaning against the tree trunk. His shirt was half unbuttoned and un-tucked as it was an unusually warm evening. His relaxed stance suggested that he was in familiar company and one he was comfortable in but Lily knew this wasn't true. Lily never stopped pondering what had happened over the summer. He had been especially weird since he had gone to talk to Dumbledore about the Slytherin attack. And yes it was the Slytherins, despite the fact Lily had made her usual comment about him being unfair and prejudiced against them. Still since that night he had come back to their dorm. Now Lily wasn't alone at night; she had to admit that gave her reassurance even if he was James Potter.

James was casually observing Lily while her head was turned. She mystified him; why was she staring at him? Had he got something on his face? He quickly patted down his face, he found nothing and this seemed to confuse him even more. James gave out a puzzled sigh; she probably wasn't even looking at him. He glanced over his shoulder: nothing. Ok so she was looking at him. The question was why? It always seemed to come back to that question with Lily. She was so different to any girl he had ever met, he never knew what to expect from her. She was never straight-forward of predictable. But that made her all the more attractive, even if she didn't know it.

"Evans?" James' timid question broke the silence. Lily put down her quill and turned to face him. She jerked back when she realised how close his legs were; she was almost lying on them. "Yes?" James looked torn, Lily realised, "Yes." She said impatiently when James didn't answer. James took a deep breath and steadied himself to look into her depthless green eyes. They connected and Lily was almost knocked over by the power his eyes held for her. She really should have anticipated that; it happened every time their eyes met. "Sirius is having a Halloween party in the Heads Common room on the 31st October. It's our last year and I've already agreed to it, so there is nothing you can do about it, but I just thought I would inform you." Lily was immensely irritated by the superior tone in his voice. Her own tone was clipped when she replied, "Then why did you bother telling me?" James just shrugged and turned away.

Sirius strolled down to the lake and searched the grounds for his friends. He noticed James sitting with Lily under a tree; he could see from that distance that his best friend was uncomfortable. Scanning the area again he located Riley, Remus, Peter and two of Lily's friends-Alice and Marlene sprawled on the grass a little way away from Lily and James. He bounded up to them and flopped down on the ground between Riley and Peter. "So you guys excited for Halloween?" This question let off a chain of animated chatter that kept them occupied until the two disgruntled heads arrived.

It was obvious they had been bickering from the glares they were sending each other. Lily spread her coat on the grass beside Remus before lying down. James looked round the circle; the only spare place was next to Lily. He sighed inwardly and collapsed onto the grass, not missing the poisonous look Lily gave him. "Well before you two rays of sunshine came we were talking about the Halloween party!" Sirius grinned but his quick eyes did not miss James' soft groan and Lily's glower. "Now come on Lily flower! It's going to be fuuuuuuuuuun!" Sirius enthusiasm was hard not to catch and Lily found her lips quirked a smile. Sirius jumped up, aware by now he had the attention of the whole courtyard, and grabbed Lily's hands, causing her to stumble up with him. "There's going to be dancing!!" He shouted before bowing elegantly to Lily, the twinkle evident in his grey eyes. Lily curtsied with a big smile before Sirius took her hand and place it on his shoulder, his own on her waist. He took a sneaky glance towards James, who much to his dismay, did not look at all angry. James merely smiled when Sirius took off in a gallop with Lily, spinning and twirling her around the grassy slope. They finally stopped in front of their friends, Lily panting and laughing, while Sirius was grinning with not a hair out of place. He let go of Lily and grabbed a unsuspecting Riley round the middle and heaving her to her feet. "And kissingggggggggg!" He proceeded in kissing Riley swiftly on the lips, before letting her go just as quickly, as to not offend anybody. "And friendly chit-chatter!!" He pulled a giggling Marlene to her feet, "So how are the stock markets going?" She played along, "Oh dreadfully darling. I'm afraid the…"

"Okay okay! Stop." Lily laughed. "Well Sirius Black, you've managed to convince me." Sirius looked ecstatic and bounded over to Lily, catching her in a bear hug. He then flopped down next to James who patted him on the back. Lily heard him murmur, "I don't know how you do it mate." Sirius just grinned.

James was nervous. With the Halloween party just two days away he didn't want to do anything to jeopardize Lily's cooperation. But this was more important. "Potter stop that!" Lily's sharp words startled James, "Huh?" James turned around and halted so she could catch up with him. "Stop running your hand through your hair." Lily's reply came through clenched teeth. James' hand immediately dropped out of his hair and he looked down at the floor. The awkward silence resumed and neither made an attempt to break it until Lily became sick of James' sighs and forlorn expression. "What is it?" James' eyes darted up nervously but he didn't speak. "For Gods' sake spit it out!" They locked eyes and Lily tried to decipher the emotion in his carefully concealed eyes. "I can't do patrol tomorrow night." Lily's expression immediately hardened. "Why not?" She questioned her tone as cold as ice. James' broke eye contact, "I can't tell you." He mumbled. Lily's eyes started glaring daggers at him and her face started to flush an angry red. "You can't tell me!?" James nodded hesitantly and Lily grabbed his arm as he tried to continue walking. She advanced on him, her eyes pinning him to the wall. "You are the most despicable, filthiest scumbag I have ever had the misfortune to meet! I cannot believe I am stuck with you for a whole year! You don't deserve this position, you can't even think up a valid excuse for not coming to patrol tomorrow night. But you know what, I don't care, in fact I'm thankful I won't have to see your conceited face tomorrow." James just stood their, his face void of emotion as Lily ranted at him. Her face was so close he could smell her minty breath and feel the heat radiating off her skin. "You know what why don't you just not do patrol again. I would honestly prefer anybody but you." She spat. James nodded his head ever so slightly but the mask didn't slip off his face, "I have somebody fill in for me." He said in a neutral voice before walking off down the corridor into the darkness.

'Why did I agree to this?' Lily though wearily as she watched the Halloween party from her seat by the fire. The party was now in full swing and people had stopped flowing through the porthole, so it had been properly secured and made sound proof. The music was blaring through two huge speakers that were pulled into the wall. Lily was sure that any minute they were going to blow a fuse. All the furniture in the room had been pushed against the walls to make a dance-floor. Sirius had bewitched it so that the tiles flashed randomly and brightly. It was giving Lily a headache, or maybe it was the punch she was drinking. Lily was sure it was spiked, after all Sirius had set up this party. And it did have a funny after taste. Lily shook her head as she surveyed the room again, making sure nobody was up to anything too wild. Apart from Riley, who was already drunk and dancing on a nearby table, everybody seemed to be ok. Lily smiled as she saw Sirius, typically, dancing with about 10 different girls all at once. They were flocking him and shoving each other out of the way. Lily waved as she caught Sirius' eye and he winked.

Lily was bored; parties were not her thing. She looked around the room in search of her friends. She located her best friend Alice dancing with Frank, her long time boyfriend. They were slow-dancing to the upbeat song, but seemed completely oblivious to the world. Lily 'awwed' under her breath. Her eyes travelled unconsciously to a messy haired youth who was standing with Remus and a girl. His arm was around the girl's waist and Lily could see from the Cheshire grin on her face she was enjoying it immensely. James wasn't paying much attention to the girl though, he was more worried about Remus. Lily could see, even from across the room, he didn't look well. His skin was pasty and a small scar was visible by the neckline of his shirt. He had dark bags under his eyes and he looked drawn and in need of a good night's sleep. Lily wondered why Remus looked like that, but then remembered he had looked ill all week. "Hi Lily." A young man who looked vaguely familiar was smiling at Lily. "Hi…"

"Jason." He supplied and Lily smiled. "Do you wanna dance?" Lily thought for a second, weighing the pros and cons. She smiled again and offered him her hand, "Sure." It beats sitting here all night Lily thought.

Lily was drained. She had passed her time making small talk with various different people and dancing with some of the older Gryffindors. Now she was tired, her head hurt and she couldn't see any of her friends. Except for Sirius who was having a lot of fun with a blonde of the couch. And Peter who was lying unconscious on the floor. But neither were really in any position to talk. Music was still blasting from the speakers and the party was nowhere near dead. Lily decided to head upstairs and deal with the mess in the morning. Lily debated on breaking up the party, it was already 1 o'clock, but Lily decided to leave it. She couldn't be bothered with the fuss and she was exhausted.

She tried to open the door to her room but it wouldn't budge. Lily hammered on the door and furiously pulled at the handle, "Hello!? Get out of my bedroom!" Lily let out a frustrated scream that was lost due to the music. Glaring she looked around the dark hall. Across the hall James' door was open. Lily quickly crossed the hall and walked in. The room was in darkness so she flicked on the switch. She heard a groan and to her mortification James emerged from under his covers. "Evans?" He mumbled. Lily started backing out the door, "Uh-yeah. Sorry I just…sorry. I'll go." James bolted upright. "No its ok-stay." James searched for his glasses; Lily moved to his bedside table and handed them to him. "Thanks."

It was then that Lily noticed another body in James' bed. Her eyes widened, "Oh my God. There's a girl in your bed." She took a sharp intake of breath and started backing out the room again. James shook his head wildly and jumped out of his bed and caught her arm. "It's just Riley. She was knocked out on the floor so I carried her up to my bed." James reassured her. James dropped Lily's arm suddenly, "So what are you doing here?" He asked, not altogether nastily but not too kindly either. "Somebody has locked my room from the inside and I really wanted to go to sleep…and well yours is the only other bedroom…" She trailed off embarrassed. It was only then she realised James was only in his boxers, he seemed unaware as Lily's cheeks flamed red. James nodded, "You can share my bed with Riley, I'll sleep on the floor." Lily protested, "I can't take you bed, you…" James waved her quiet. "I insist." Lily could see he wasn't going to change his decision. "Thanks." She whispered. James grabbed a pillow and a spare sheet from his wardrobe and lay them on the floor while Lily climbed into his bed beside Riley.

"Happy Halloween."

There you have it!! applause applause You know the drill. Hope you all have a good Halloween!

As always

xshrimpyx