`*`*`*`

Step One: Get 'em Started

Lily was still fuming as she went to dinner that day.

She went to the Great Hall with Grace.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE A GIRL?!" Grace cried. "What is that supposed to mean? I'm going over to talk to him right now!"

"No, Grace, please don't," said Lily. "I've already talked to him about it."

"Um, yeah, but he gave you a pretty bad answer."

Before Lily could stop her, Grace went right up to James. He was talking to Sirius, and surrounded by girls.

"Well, for being a sexist pig, you sure do hang around girls a lot!" she cried.

"A pig?" cried James. "What did I ever do to deserve being called a pig?"

"I'm the one who's asking the questions here!"

"But-"

"No buts, Potter. You're gonna have to deal with that. Now, you didn't choose Lily because she's a girl?"

"That's not the whole reason."

"NOT THE WHOLE REASON??????? IT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE PART OF IT!"

Lily came over at this point, and grabbed Grace's arm.

"Sorry," she said to James.

"Don't you say sorry to him! He's the one who should be saying he's sorry!"

"Grace," said James, "why do you hate me so much?"

"Because you are a sexist pig and unenvironmentally friendly!"

"Unenvironmentally friendly? What do you mean? I am too environmentally friendly."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well, why don't you tell that to Jones!"

"Jones? Who the heck is Jones?"

"Exactly! You'll never find out because you killed him!"

"Look, I've never killed anyone in my life!"

Grace glared at him. "Oh yes you have!"

"Who?"

"Jones!"

"Who is Jones?!"

"Jones is a squirrel!"

"A squirrel?!"

"Yes, a squirrel!"

"You named a squirrel?" asked Sirius, laughing.

"Oh, don't laugh, Black. You named your socks, why can't I name a squirrel?"

Sirius looked at James, "Ok, who told her about Mr. Knotely?!"

James ignored Sirius, "Ok, when did I murder this Jones person?"

"When you threw your garbage in the forest!"

"How did that kill him?"

"He swallowed it, and it killed him!"

There were gasps and looks of shocks from all the girls.

"Jamsie, you killed a squirrel?" one of them asked.

"You bitch!" cried Sirius jokingly.

James shrugged. "I guess."

"You guess?!" cried Grace. "You GUESS?! JAMES POTTER, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF I MURDERED SIRIUS AND SAID I GUESSED I DID IT?!"

"Yeah," said Sirius, crossing his arms and looking amused, "how WOULD you feel?"

"Does it really matter?" asked James.

"Yes," said Sirius and Grace together.

"I would feel hurt, I think."

"You think?" asked Sirius, indignantly.

"Well, let's find out," said Grace, attempting to strangle Sirius.

"MISS GREENLEAF!" shouted Professor McGonagall. Grace turned to her. "What are you doing?!"

"Well, Professor," said Grace calmly, "Mr. Black here was getting on my nerves."

"Well, that doesn't give you a right to strangle him. If it did, I would have killed him long ago."

"PROFESSOR!" cried out Sirius.

"Ah, it's the truth," said James. "Don't question it."

Sirius shrugged, "Yeah, alright."

"Now," said Professor McGonagall, "I don't want to hear any more yelling over here. It's annoying those of us who are trying to eat."

"Yes, Professor," they all murmered.

`*`*`*`

"James has been avoiding me," said Grace in the common room after classes the next day.

"I wonder why," said Lily sarcastically.

"I think it may be because I took half of his fan club away when I told them that he killed that squirrel. Who knew that Hufflepuffs card about squirrels so much?" Grace gave an evil smile, "Maybe now he'll reconsider where he puts his garbage."

"I don't think so."

"Oh you don't? I'll bet he's having second thoughts already."

Lily gave a doubtful smile.

"You don't believe me?" Grace asked.

"Not in the least."

"Well, let's just see."

"He's at Quidditch practice right now. Something about training a new beater."

"Oh is he? Let's go to Hagrid's hut."

"Whatever for?"

"Well, I want to see if he's found anymore dead animals, plus, it has a perfect view of the Quidditch pitch."

She dragged Lily out of the room.

`*`*`*`

"Hi Hagrid!" said Grace.

"Grace! I've been won'erin' when you were goin' 'o come!" said Hagrid.

"Bad news?" asked Grace.

"Terrible. I foun' ano'er one o' those squirrel thingies you like so much."

"In what condition?"

"Dead."

"DEAD?! YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT EVEN AFTER I'VE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT, HE STILL IS OFF MURDERING POOR, INNOCENT SQUIRRELS?"

Lily sighed, "Hagrid, we're off to the Quidditch pitch."

Grace had her arms crossed as they made their way to the pitch. Lily directed her to the stands.

"Sit," she directed. Grace sat.

They watched practice; well, Grace spent it glaring at James. Lily, though, did watch. She admired the flying skills of some of the team. Unfortuantly, Grace caught her just as her eyes started to watch James.

"You are watching him?" she asked.

"Yes," Lily answered, "I'm watching the whole team."

"Why are you watching the enemy?! Don't tell me you like him!"

"Ok, I won't."

"You LIKE HIM?!"

"NO!"

"YOU CAN'T ADMIRE THE ENEMY!"

"Grace, we're starting to catch the attention of the team," repiled a red-faced Lily.

"Good. THEN THE MUDERERS CAN REALIZE WHAT THEY'VE DONE!"

"Are you still going on about the squirrels?" James yelled down.

"Still?! STILL?!" Grace cried.

"Yes, STILL. S-T-I-L-L," answered James.

"Thanks for the spelling lesson. I'll be glad to return the favor when I teach you how to spell 'throwing away garbage.'"

James had landed in the stands by them by now. "Is that a threat?" he asked.

"I dunno, IS it?" Grace asked.

"If you were a guy I'd already have punched you."

"If she was a guy?" cried Lily. "What's wrong with her now?"

"Well, she's female. Or are you?" he turned to Grace.

He had hit a nerve with Lily, and was well past his breaking point with Grace.

"YOU THINK THAT ANY GIRL WHO CAN STAND UP FOR HERSELF EXHIBITS MALE QUALITIES? WELL, MISTER POTTER, LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING! I COULD WHIP YOUR ARSE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK," cried Lily.

"Except today," said Grace, rolling up her sleeves, "cuz today's my turn."

"Look," said James, "I know you girls think you can, but you can't. Please, don't waste my time."

With that, he flew off.

Lily was holding back Grace, who was crying "Let me at 'em. LET ME AT 'EM!"

"NO, GRACE! We're going to teach him a lesson. We'll figure out some other way."

Grace took a deep breath. "Fine, but I could so beat him."

`*`*`*`

Grace and Lily made their way off the pitch. Practice had been over after their little outburst with James, so there wasn't anyone left. Or so they thought.

"Wait," Lily said to Grace, "isn't that James going into the forest?"

"With Sirius and Peter? Yep, sure looks like it."

They turned and gave each other evil smiles.

"Let's catch him before he kills anymore squirrels!" said Grace.

They slunked off behind the three boys.

"What are they doing here?" asked Grace.

"We'll find out soon I think."

Then, the boys were no longer there. In their places were a buck, a dog, and a rat.

Lily and Grace looked at each other with open mouths.

Then Lily smiled, "Well, maybe we can blackmail them."

"Yes," said Grace, "that will work."

`*`*`*`

"Oh James," said Lily the next day when he was walking down the hall.

"Yeah?" said James.

"Grace and I were talking, and we've come to an agreement."

"About what?"

"About your sexist, unenvironmentally-conscious ways."

"I am not either!"

"Yes you are, don't argue. We've decided you and your little marauder friends are going to take improvement lessons."

James laughed, "Right Lily! You're really funny for a girl!"

Lily winced. "EXACTLY what I mean."

"Lily, you can't make us do anything."

"You know what, you're right. I'll just go tell Professor McGonagall." She turned and started to walk away, but James grabbed her arm and turned her around.

"Tell Professor McGonagall what?" he asked.

"About what Grace and I saw yesterday in the forest."

"What did you see?" asked James, growing panic on his face.

"I saw," she whispered into his ear so no one else could hear, "a rat, buck, and dog eating a squirrel."

Anyone else who heard would have thought she was nuts, but James understood right away.

"Oh really," he said, trying to play cool. "How odd."

"Yes, I thought so too. Grace and I knew at once that these animals were SPECIAL."

"Lily! You can't tell anyone!"

"Who's gonna stop me?"

"Please," said James on his knees. "We have our reasons! I'll do anything!"

"Well, I would being willing to keep my mouth shut if you take the lessons."

"Of course!"

"Seriously take the lessons."

"We will!"

"Good," she smiled.

"Then you won't tell anyone?"

"Tell anyone what?" Lily asked, and with that she walked away. She walked over to Grace, and the two shared a high five.

"Step one accomplished," said Lily.

`*`*`*`

A/N: 8 reviews?????? i love you guys!!!!! i hope u see fit 2 review again *hint, hint*

citrus scented: my first reviewer! i hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Hanna-chan: i updated! i'm glad u liked the story!

WindRider-Damia: this is just the start of her getting back at james.

Blackberry Blitz: i'm glad you like it! (james is a butthead, i agree!)

RvnclwPrincess: james is sexist. sry.

kitkat: i haven't seen any james sexist stories either. glad u liked it!

Chrissy-tine: damn straight we're the stronger sex! :)

LoverOfAllThingsLegolas: yep, u go Grace!.