A/N I'm BAAAAACK. Sorry sorry sorry. I appreciate you all for sticking w this, and I have a new chapter to put up before this weekend is up.

CHAPTER 11 or "Making plans with no one in particular"

"You were out of line," Lily said in an angry whisper as she shut the door behind them.

James snorted. "Right, well… if you think I'm letting you dangle yourself as bait for some barmy sickos that are trying to cut their teeth with their first Unspeakable Curses, well, then, guess that explains why you were too daft to make it in Ravenclaw."

Lily narrowed her eyes at him as she waved her wand, wordlessly locking the empty classroom.

When she stalked over, fuming, she smirked a little bit to see him take a step backwards.

"Listen to me, Potter. This is my plan and this is my fight, and you don't get to take over just because you feel like protecting your- your snogging partner," she said harshly.

They had been talking with the other Marauders about instituting a plan of patrol, using the boys' magical map of the castle to track the suspects for the originators of the list that had apparently been left behind in the Prefect Office. Six Slytherin prefects had access to the office, though it was unclear if either had intentionally left the ominous list or if it had slipped in with their patrol reports.

But in nearly two weeks of plotting, they had gotten no farther on narrowing down the suspects. After unanimously deciding against turning the list over to their Head of House, Lily and the Marauders had been eager to find the culprit themselves. But, once more, she found herself completely distracted at the end of the meeting - she could positively pull her hair out after James-sodding-Potter had shut down every single one of her ideas again.

And now, on his heels, he was acting like his sorry third-year insults were going to stop her from unleashing the storm of fury that she had been fighting to control while in front of the other boys.

"You arrogant prick! Could you even hear yourself in there?"

"I thought I-"

"No, you listen to me! Every time I propose anyyything you think it's fair to jump in, take over, and totally remove me from the plan. 'Oh, Padfoot, why don't you do this instead,' 'Wow, Lily, that's a fine idea but maybe Wormnail can do it!'"

"It's Wormtail-"

"I dooon't bloody caaare!"

Her face was flushed. This felt so different from their stupid rows in front of passing Hogwarts students. But she felt supremely righteous about yelling in his face right now and she wasn't going to back down. Not now that she was seven sorts of angry and had him backed up into a wall. If she was perfectly honest with herself, she rather hoped he would cower away from all her screaming. As it was, he was standing tall and she decided to draw another breath and keep on yelling.

"All. Bloody. Week! You've been the biggest pain in the arse after Remus promised! He promised me that we would all collaborate if I share my plan with you lot! And what has ever given you the impression that I need your meddling - you, your friends! You're all making it impossible to make any bloody progress. YOU've been impossible and I know why!"

James set his face so she found it inscrutable - the last glimpse of uncertainty or, dare she hope, fear had faded, and the boy rolled his eyes at her.

"You know, I thought you might have gotten a clue, brilliant witch that you are. But if you're gonna start off again with this business about me protecting you just so we might snog later, then that just shows you have no sodding clue, Evans. Not me."

A bitter laugh bounded out of her, and she threw her head back with contempt. "Right, no clue! Don't think," she said, whipping out her wand to punctuate her point, "that I haven't noticed how bloody possessive you've gotten after a few flighty kisses, here and there."

She thought she could see hurt in his eyes and she felt like twisting the knife, just to drive the point home for him. "You have no right to.. Get so.. Possessive. I am not your bloody girlfriend, or your bloody anything! You're no one to me!"

She yelped against his mouth, as he cut her off with a deep kiss. She felt his hands in her hair and at her waist, drawing her close. Her head had already been tossed back and she realized she was going to fall over if she tried pushing away.

Not that she was likely to push away now. There was something just so wanton to being held up and kissed by James. It had taken her two weeks of unsuccessful plotting to admit it to herself. But it was true.

Still, the gears in her head spun faster and she felt more anger bubble to the surface as she processed the surprise kiss, pushing at his chest.

The boy released her slowly, allowing her to get her footing.

"James-" she growled, without really making any attempt to step away from him.

"Hey, relax, Evans, no use getting all worked up about kissing 'no one,' is there?"

Lily blinked, pushing away any instinct to smile at his joke.

He ran a thumb sweetly along her jaw and mumbled an apology for sidelining her ideas earlier.

Lily was still dazed. And she couldn't quite believe that he would offer to back down. She felt an odd sort of discomfort roll through her as she fought against herself because a part of her wanted to rage - wanted to flood him with her anger and to strike him with her wrath for trying to distract her with his stupid kiss.

James was still talking, though she hardly heard him.

Another part just couldn't fathom that James Potter was promising to trust her and give her some respect when it came to their plan. Her plan.

The storm of energy inside her felt as powerful in that moment as her own magic.

"-course you're obviously capable to handle yourself," the boy prattled on, his breathing erratic, "and, listen, as a show of faith, I'll promise to shut my m-Mmph!"

Lily had moved without thinking too much and her mouth was hot on his, dragging him lower by his tie and sliding her free hand around his shoulder into his messy hair. Her lips aimed to bruise as she kissed him breathlessly. When she felt his arms wrap around her, she pushed him back into the wall, and her mouth moved to his neck. He breathed heavily against her, his pulse racing under her lips. She loved this, she realized with a little thrill.

When she tilted her face to him again, he kissed her and she felt like the anger was teased out of her. She thought she might melt into him, she thought as she peeked through her eyelashes.

"Wow," James said softly, moving his hands over her as if in a trance. His hazel eyes danced with a question but she chose to walk away before imagining any possible answers. He called out to her, trying to catch her wrist before she got too far away but she managed to avoid his Quidditch reflexes.

No, she thought. She would not snog him senseless after a few empty promises. She was going to leave him now - leave before some stupid, hormonal part of her stopped her.

She lifted the charm she had placed in the classroom against his protests. Her hand was on the door when she turned over her shoulder to look at him - his eyes bright and his neck all flushed.

"Guess I prefer kissing 'no one' to you, Potter," she said, raising an eyebrow challengingly.

"Evans!"

She stopped in the doorway.

"Let me know when you feel like shagging 'no one,'" he said, grinning devilishly.

Incorrigible! She slammed the door behind her. Still, she didn't stop smiling when she had found Felicity in the courtyard.

XXXXXXXXXX

James didn't try to hide his scowl when he spotted the confident sixth year Ravenclaw stop by his table to scoop up Lily's books and steer her away.

The redhead said something to Benjy Fenwick to make the goon smile even wider. With a smile to the girls she was sitting with she rose to follow Fenwick out of the hall.

"Doesn't that wanker have an inbred girlfriend somewhere?" he said through a mouthful of sandwich.

"Wotcher, mate. Fairly inbred myself, and so are you, really," Sirius laughed darkly, jabbing James with an elbow.

James could feel his friends signaling to each other, looking between him and Lily Evans. He heard Peter jab someone with a fork.

"Ahh-I. They're just friends, I think," Remus said, hurriedly.

"Yeah, well he's laying it on a bit thick, I think," James said. "Even before.. But now there's something very keen to Dragonbreath for him to be hoping for 'just friends.'"

"Isn't 'just friends' the line you're always giving us about Vance, Moony?" Peter piped up, thrilled to torture the boy a bit.

Remus would've normally blushed a bright scarlet but, so soon to the full moon, his skin was sallow, pale.

"We're supposed to be helping, Wormy," the boy hissed.

"Can't you help me more directly with that matchmaking program?" Wormtail prodded.

"That's really more Lily's thing. Not sure if it's still happening- it was just an excuse to get the Head Girl to leave us alone," Remus told the boy. "At least.. I hope it was just an excuse. Merlin knows, we don't need more drama right now, getting everyone all riled up

"This will be good, I think, Captain," Sirius said, clapping James's shoulder. "Just a bit of extra motivation for you to crush Ravenclaw tomorrow."

"To whip us til we crush Ravenclaw, you mean," Marlene, the other Gryffindor beater, joked as she slid down the bench from her friends.

"Bollocks. I had forgotten the obligatory kill-your-team-before-the-match practice."

"Don't worry, Black," Marlene laughed. "I'm sure we'll manage with our fearless leader, eh, Potter?"

James didn't feel like being drawn into a conversation right now. He still hadn't taken his eyes off the Great Hall doors. He hated being so bloody jealous, but he just didn't see what Lily possibly had to giggle with Fenwick about.

He thought of the Ravenclaw, who made him look like a scrawny mess. Fenwick, James thought bitterly, also seemed like the kind of bloke that combed every hair into place, probably even his bloody eyebrows. Whatever would drive a bird wild about that?

He ran a hand through his wild hair, trying not to sink into bitterness during lunch.

"-Oy. Potter!" Marlene snapped again, waving at James. "Black and I are talking strategy here and we could really use your blessing."

Sirius snorted, though James thought he was far too keen to draw him into a Quidditch discussion and away from his pining.

"We were thinking to distract their chasers by taking over one of the bludgers and really target Fenwick."

"Fenwick?" James perked up.

"Yeah, she's by far the least experienced on the team."

"What?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Focus up, Captain. We're talking about their seeker. Callistra Fenwick?"

"Her arm healed nicely from her fall the other week," Marlene continued, unaware of what was pulling James' focus. "And it's perfect - Aiden said she didn't seem to fly proper when he saw their practice yesterday."

"Gods, McKinnon never gives us such juicy gossip and we're his mates!" Sirius said.

"Anyways, what do you think?" Marlene smiled expectantly.

James blinked. "Think? I guess.. Er.. what about the other bludger?"

"The other bludger?"

"Yea, you know.. They come in two, bludgers. What about the other one?"

"Oh, who cares. We can send that stray bugger into the stands for all I care," Sirius grinned with mischief. "Though I suppose that would mess a bit with Moony's plan to liplock with his Ravenclaw."

Remus sighed and kicked his friend under the table.

"I already told you, I'm not going. I already feel so sick - Matilda won't care if I miss anyway," he muttered.

"If you say so," Sirius said with a wolfish smile.

Besides Remus, Peter looked equally defeated.

"What am I to do then? Just sit by myself?"

"Dunno, Pete, but-"

Suddenly Peter swiveled toward Marlene. "Are all your friends going to the match then?"

Marlene quirked an eyebrow. "I suppose?"

"And they're all sitting in the stands with Gryffindor, right?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Peter sat back in his seat placated. "Maybe I'll just sit with the girls at the next match," he announced.

"You do that, Pettigrew," Marlene said with a half-smile.

"Is-did Lily mention if she would… ?" James didn't care how pathetic he sounded. He really wanted to know Lily would be there. Sitting in the Gryffindor stands. Preferably cheering for him.

He regretted his question in the next moment, seeing Marlene mercilessly narrow her eyes at him. "Really, Captain? You can't just ask her? I hear you've been spending lots of time together…"

"Lily seems to spend time with lots of people.." Merlin, he thought, I sound like a first year.

Marlene patted his arm understandingly. "Don't think about it too hard, Potter. And as far as I know, Lily hasn't made any plans. Certainly not with… other Quidditch players."

James exhaled, more than a bit relieved.

"Well, just ask her to come, would you?"

Marlene rolled her eyes but agreed, leaving the four Marauders to sulk in their own thoughts.

Lily was being different with him - he knew that so much had changed in the last month. With Rookwood's departure.. With the Slytherins' cautiousness.. With Lily! And who knew? Perhaps by the end of the year, he would know better than Marlene what Lily's plans would be for the weekend. But he couldn't just ask her out yet. She'd made that clear, hadn't she?

He shook his head, trying to fling thoughts of possibilities from his mind. What use was it wondering? He was better off focusing on beating Ravenclaw, as was his duty as Captain. Of course, if that win also involved reminding an arrogant prat like Benjy Fenwick of his superiority, so be it.

XXXXXXXXXX

She'd never been this nervous about a Quidditch match before. As she brushed her hair and picked out a neutral jumper - green would do - she thought of her friend, and how much it might mean to be supporting him right now.

Lily smiled to herself, readying to get to the pitch earlier than she ever had before.

Her progress was soon impeded however. As soon as she left the girls' dormitory that Saturday, Lily found herself flagged down by Peter Pettigrew.

She offered him a big smile before looking around for Hestia and her other friends.

She hadn't forgotten James' quip about how prejudiced her mousy new friend could be towards dating muggleborn witches, but in spending more time with the Marauders she had come to find him fairly considerate and nice.

"Hullo, Peter. You lot off to see your boys play?"

"Just me - Rem isn't feeling well," the boy shook his shaggy hair toward Remus who was slouched against one of the biggest chairs in the common room.

Lily had known of Remus' lycanthropy for a while - she had long suspected all the Marauders were werewolves and James had taken it upon himself to tell her the truth a few weeks ago. So much had changed since then - and yet, for all the time she spent with the Marauders, hatching plans and working together, Lily knew not to address his condition directly.

"Really? That's too bad, Remus! Matilda asked me about you on patrols last night. She was really looking forward to corrupting you into sitting on the Ravenclaw side during the match," Lily smiled.

Remus looked up, careful not to make eye-contact, before he explained he was feeling under the weather.

"Oh, best you stay in then," Lily said good-naturedly, "but.. I happen to know she wouldn't mind if you felt a little weak and had to - dunno - lean on her a bit? Some witches rather like that sort of stuff, you know?"

Remus scrutinized Lily's knowing smile. "Oh? Thanks for the dating advice, Lily. Didn't figure you for such an expert meddler!"

"What? Meddle- nonsense!" Lily blustered, while trying to keep down her voice and the flush in her face. "Remus, I'm being serious."

"No, yer not. Otherwise you'd be on the pitch already, getting your kit on," Peter chimed in to Lily's annoyance.

She huffed and turned to go. It was only when she reached the portrait that Peter seemed to have noticed a tactical error on his part - he called out to see if she might sit with him at the game.

"What. On the Gryffindor side?" Lily asked, searching for a way to avoid the conversation.

"Where else?"

Lily tried to set her face in a cool, unassuming way. She didn't want to go on about her promise to meet Benjy before the game in front of James' mates.

"Umm.. I. I might not sit on that side. Today. Is all."

"Where would you sit?" Peter asked, his eyes wide and foolish. It made Lily feel ridiculous, to have to explain herself to him.

"Well I - I thought I would just go.. meet with.. no one, really. Just a friend," she offered, before running off, her face hot.

Why was she hiding from Remus and.. And Peter Pettigrew, of all people?! She didn't care what they thought. Or what they'd tell James. She had every right to pop by the Ravenclaw team's quarters and wish her friend good luck.

A part of her was so excited. Benjy had made such a big deal of how much he needed her for morale - how much he knew he could trust her, knew he could turn to her, after breaking things off with his seventh year girlfriend.

Lily hadn't told any of her friends about this bit of news - of how the handsome, intelligent, considerate, ever-vigilant Prefect, Benjy Fenwick, had indeed broken up with his girlfriend. Lily didn't know her, she had never hung around Benjy when he was with her - mostly because Ultima Rosier would rather spend Hogsmeade trips with people her own year than sixth years, Lily had told herself.

And then - just thinking of the earnest look in Benjy's eyes, asking her to support him as his friend during the game versus Gryffindor. She had been very keen to agree to stop by the team's quarters before the game.

She ran down to the pitch, a happy smile on her face. She would explain to Hestia and the rest of her friends later. Plus, she'd already spoken with Felicity to sit in the Ravenclaw side. It would mean the world to Benjy!

She was just being a great friend, she thought to herself. And what witch wouldn't want console a dear friend after a breakup. Even the most handsome, charming, talented friends could still use support, she told herself, as her stomach did a little flip. No, Evans. This isn't about possibly dating Benjy Fenwick. This is about being a good friend and truly being there for him, she chastised herself.

Still, the redhead could not lie to herself and say she didn't feel a thrill at the idea of being matched with someone so wonderful and so… similar to her. She and Benjy were both model students and a credit to their Houses.

She finally got to the Quidditch tents on the ground - hanging back as she saw a Ravenclaw chaser dash outside.

"Sorry - would you tell Benjy I popped by? Lily. I'm Lily Evans-"

"Evans. Right," the chaser said, turning on his heels to yell into the tent. The boy then excused himself to run off toward the castle.

Lily wondered briefly if anyone on the Gryffindor team was running around the castle right now. Or if they were all huddled up in their own tent, hanging onto Potter's every word. She shook her head clear of such thoughts as Benjy draped a warm arm around her.

"Lily! You made it!"

"Sure, I mean.. Well, you asked me."

"I just meant- Do you want a tour?"

Lily tried to pull herself free before he dragged her any further.

"I don't know, Benjy. I- I wanted to wish you luck," she said, offering a warm smile. "You mentioned you'd need support for the game, you know, since.. the recent, erm, breakup. But I don't want to throw off any of your teammates by wandering in while you lot get ready for the match."

She squeezed his hand and made to leave, but Benjy didn't let go. "Nonsense, Lily. There's parts of this place that are really quite private! It's very roomy - what, have you never been in before a game with the Gryffindors?"

"No, it seems not," Lily laughed, letting him lead her inside.

Before Lily's eyes could adjust to the tent, Benjy was pulling her sharply to the left and then to a back corner of the tent. She couldn't hear any of his other teammates.

"I am just so happy you could come by," the boy said flashing a big smile.

The boy was clearly not as distraught about his breakup with Ultima Rosier as she had thought he'd be. Probably for the best, she told herself.

"You… excited to get to play with your sister?" Lily said, her own smile fading a bit.

Her mind was already shifting to finding Felicity before the match. She liked sitting with a friend that gave a flying knut about the sport. Besides… running around the team's quarters wasn't the sort of support she was particularly keen to give to Benjy.

The boy plunged farther into the team's quarters, pulling her heedlessly behind him. It seemed so strangely dark in here.

"Calli? She's a natural! Third year, you know? Not many teams that will trust a seeker that young," he said, his voice doing a funny little dance that Lily couldn't quite place. Was he trying to sound deeper?

She pushed a lock of hair back and tried to free her arm, when Benjy tugged her toward a sort of cupboard.

"Just in here, Lily!"

"Oh!"

She found herself spun into the small space filled with broom polish and rags, her back to a wooden wall, and Benjy flush against her.

She'd had it all wrong. The other day.. His gallant candor about his breakup… The "invitation" for support.

Her stomach did a flip.

The boy looked at her intensely, his words dripping sweetly from his lips as his large Keeper hands circled her waist. "I think, given the current circumstances, 'oh' is an alright response to start."

"B-Bennn-" Lily started to say as his warm mouth covered hers with an unrelenting kiss.

He felt like a staggering force against her, the closet shrinking around them as he loomed over her. Lily forced her face away, looking toward the little door of the space she'd been pulled into.

"C'mon, princess, don't be like that!" Benjy said, pulling her chin roughly with one hand as another hand went to his pants. He didn't heed the furious look that flashed across Lily's face. "I could really use the release, y'know, before the game-"

"Don't think you need another bloody hand with that, you've got your own, you wanker!" Lily said, jerking her head back and smacking it hard into the wall behind her. "Oww! Bugger- get off!"

"C'mon, princess, thought you'd be pleased to be treated to a spot of attention by a real wizard, y'know."

"We go to a wizarding school, you nitwit, there's real wizards everywhere," she huffed, noting that the boy continued to loom, blocking her path.

"You know what I mean… my family goes back for centuries! We're - I- It's a really big deal is what I'm saying. Any witch of your sort would be thrilled-"

"Thrilled!? My sort! The hell are you saying to me, Benjy Fenwick!"

"That you should- alright, alright, sorry, I misread!" the boy said, suddenly backing away. She shoved past him to exit.

"Where the bloody hell is the exit."

"Don't be like that, Lily. I just wanted some help to unwind is all- With Ultima-"

"I'll unwind you right now, if you take another step," she threatened, her wand out of her pocket. "Exit. Now."

The boy rolled his eyes and muttered something, and an exit flapped in the tent beside her, nearly blinding her with the bright morning sun.

"Listen, you didn't have to be like this!" He called out after her, as she stormed away in a huff.

Lily couldn't have responded if she'd wanted to. She was furious beyond words. She should have jinxed him. She should've- just then, her thoughts were interrupted by fumbling from the other teams' quarters.

Lily froze. Shit.

An older girl with dark wild hair tumbled out of the Gryffindor tent. A seventh year, Lily was sure, maybe a Muggleborn? Diane something… Barrett?! Her mind was flying.

"Hullo," Lily said when the girl locked eyes with her.

"Gods, sorry. I was.. Erm, just getting a tour from Frank," the brunette rambled, explaining herself for some reason. "You know how it is," she added with a wink and walked past Lily to the Gryffindor stands.

Left behind, Lily scowled. She did know how it is. Well, she knew now.

"Figures… keepers!" she muttered under her breath, preparing to stomp back toward the castle. Didn't feel much like sitting through a game now. She'd send word to Felicity.

As she stared after the brunette girl, she only felt more angry, though this time, with herself. Of course Benjy Fucking Fenwick was not asking her out right now! Who was she? For Merlin's sake, he was dating a Rosier beforehand! And maybe that's all these boys expected out of Muggle witches…

She blushed furiously, her mind darting back to a recent, far more pleasant (though still confusing) flurry of hands and lips with Potter. The sudden thought of him propelled her to run back to the castle.

She really didn't want to run into him, now that Benjy Fenwick had made her feel like such an utter fool. When she reached her dorm room she let out a big breath, relieved, wholly unaware that she may have avoided the boy with the messy hair, but that she had not made it back wholly unobserved.

In fact, soon after Diane Barrett had stumbled out of the tent, the Gryffindor quarters had rustled again, parting to admit an unseen visitor - a shimmer shaped roughly like James Potter that had gone unseen by anyone. A shimmer that Lily certainly couldn't have known was watching her navigate the grounds back to the castle.

A/N yay! happy friday! hope you're all doing well - also what's the best way to get back at fenwick?

Side note - yes. I absolutely HATE the trope of friends only being friends until they can 'get with' someone.. platonic love does totes exist. but it exists in less calculated individuals w/ stronger moral codes (just look at Remus and Lily!)