`*`*`*`

Step Five: Realizations of Major Wrongness

"We have to go change Sirius and James back, I suppose," sighed Lily, the next morning at breakfast.

"We do?" asked Grace.

"Yeah, we don't want to get anyone suspicious of their disappearance."

"Good point," she sighed. "Ah well, can we at least make them wait until after breakfast?"

"Of course," Lily smiled. "You know, they'll be awfully hungry after being outside all night."

"They sure will," agreed Grace. "Too bad they won't be eating."

"A shame," said Gwen.

They finished, then the four of them went back outside.

"I haven't been outside in forever!" said Leslie. "It's been at least twelve hours!"

"I know what you mean," said Grace.

"Fluffy bunny! Pretty squirrel!" called out Lily. "Where are you?!"

The two animals came running, a large wolf-like creature at their tails.

The bunny jumped into Lily's arms. Grace picked up the squirrel, which was trying to bite her.

"Now, pretty squirrel!" she patronized. "You make me think you don't want to be turned back!"

The squirrel stopped biting.

They brought them into the castle, and put them on the ground.

"Now," said Lily, "we say the spells, and run."

"Cuz Mr. Squirrel and Mr. Bunny might have a bit of a temper," said Grace.

"May I?" asked Gwen.

"Of course," said Grace.

So, Gwen and Lily shouted two spells quickly, and ran for their lives.

They reached the Charms room, panting, and said hello to Professor Flitwick. They sat down just as James and Sirius ran in.

"Where are they?!" yelled James.

"Let me at 'em! Let me at 'em!" cried Sirius.

"Potter, Black!" Professor Flitwick squeaked. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better, but you must take your seats!"

"Sorry, Professor," they murmured, and sat down. They shot glares at Grace, Lily, Gwen, and Leslie.

`*`*`*`

When class ended, the girls ran way ahead of James and Sirius, to a waiting Ray.

"Are they coming?" he asked.

"Yup," said Lily. "You got the fliers?"

"Right here," he said, showing them a stack of fliers. "There were more, but I handed them out. I put one at every setting, plus extras, just in case Black and Potter got here early."

Gwen beamed at him. "Wonderful! Thank you for helping us, again!"

"Y-you're v-v-v-very w-welc-c-come!" he managed to finally get out.

They walked in and separated to their tables. "Gwen," said Leslie, "has Ray asked you out yet?"

"No, why?"

"No reason," she said.

"Look at these!" said Lily. "I had no idea Ray was such an artist!"

Above the two pictures it read:

James and Sirius Secretly loved being turned into these furry creatures!

And the captions below read:

Sirius poses as a purple unicorn, but he always loved having a little bit of color, as he often says. James poses as a pink dove, showing his love for flying (and pink) on and off the Quidditch field.

And who can resist fluffy pink James and lovable squirrel Sirius? Their love for all creatures is shown as they pose in this lovely picture.

"Won't we get caught when the teachers find these?" asked Gwen.

"Nope, we took care of that. Everyone over the age of eighteen can't see anything more than parchment when they look at these," explained Grace.

"You took care of everything!" said Leslie.

"You can't be too careful," said Lily.

They were interrupted by two identical shrieks.

"Lily, Grace!" cried James, running over. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Yeah," said Sirius. "I mean, come on, it was just one date!"

"Yup," said Lily, "you're absolutely right. It was just one date. But, added with all of your other misadventures, we felt you deserved it."

"What other misadventures?!" cried James. 'That's the only thing I've ever done to you!"

"That's exactly it!" cried Lily. "That's exactly why we did this! You don't even realize the other things you've done!"

"If you're going on about the squirrels again-"

"The squirrels?! They were a small part! There was so much more! You have no idea of how to treat females! You act as though males are some superior race that we should all bow down to!"

"And why shouldn't we?!"

"James! You don't get it! We are just as good as you are! You don't even give us a chance! Sometimes I think you were raised by a pack of wolves to think like this!"

"I wasn't!"

"Well you sure as hell act like it!"

"Why should I treat females the same?!"

"Because, James! I just outsmarted you in your own game! THREE TIMES!"

She stormed off, and he ran after her.

The whole hall had been watching, mesmerized.

Grace and Sirius were the first to react. They stood up, and said, "Everyone as you were," and ran off.

`*`*`*`

James had lost Lily a while ago. He had realized something as he was running. Well, something other than the fact that at least one female could outrun him.

He realized she was right.

As a first for him, it was a pivotal moment. He wanted to see if there was something more to this female rightness.

He also realized he had been something of a jerk.

He knew that he needed to apologize. Maybe those lessons had a point after all.

`*`*`*`

"Lily!" cried Grace, racing to the Astronomy Tower, where she knew she would find her.

"Grace, slow down!" said Sirius, panting. "You run way too fast!"

"You need to get in better shape, squirrel boy!" she yelled behind her. They finally reached the top of the tower.

"Lily," said Grace, "whatever you do, don't kill James!" She saw Lily was alone and gasped. "You didn't kill him already did you?! Not without me!"

"What?!" cried Sirius from behind her. "Lily killed James?!"

"Would you two stop?! I didn't kill James!" said Lily.

"Oh," said Sirius, "well, that's good."

"But he was such a jerk! I mean, he has no idea how awful he is to women! His mother must not have taught him any manners!"

"Er, Lily," said Sirius, "James' mother died when he was two. She didn't have much of a chance to teach him manners."

"Oh," said Lily, beginning to feel bad. "But what about his father?"

"He never sees his father. He's an auror and away all the time now."

Lily began to feel worse.

"Well, that explains a lot about that boy," said Grace. "It also shows me how much he needs those lessons."

"Does that mean I get out of them, then?" asked Sirius.

"Is your mom dead?" asked Grace.

"No."

"Dad away all the time or dead?"

"No."

"Then, yup, you're stuck with the lessons."

"Wait!" said Sirius, as the two exited the tower. "I meant that my dad isn't the one who's gone all the time, it's my mom!"

Lily could just barely hear Grace's reply of, "You lie, squirrel boy," before the two were completely gone.

`*`*`*`

James found Lily pacing back and forth in the Astronomy Tower.

"Sirius and Grace told me I'd find you here," he said.

She turned. "Hey."

"Lily, I came to apologize. I mean, I realize I've been a real jerk."

"You're just starting to realize this?"

James looked sheepish.

"I'm kidding," she said. "I guess I owe you an apology, too. I'm sorry about your mom."

He nodded his head, looking uncomfortable, "Thanks."

She smiled at him, "You realize this doesn't get you out of lessons, don't you?"

"What?! You mean after that apology I don't get out of classes?!"

"Nope."

He laughed, "Okay."

"Does this mean you're starting to realize that women are just as good, maybe better than men?"

"Nope."

"Oh, then you may need more lessons then I originally thought."

"Wait! I mean yes."

"Too late. Can't change your answer."

He groaned. "I'm going to be taking lessons until I'm thirty, aren't I?"

"Well, since you've apologized, I have more hope for you. Maybe only until you're twenty-nine."

He looked at her. "You are kidding, right?"

She sighed, "We'll see."

"I don't believe you!"

"Why not?"

"You're smiling!"

"Sorry."

"We should probably get back to the common room," said James.

"Yup," said Lily, turning.

"Lily?"

"Yes, James?"

He took a deep breath, and held out his hand, "I promise to come to class with an open mind, ready to learn about whatever the hell you want to teach me."

Lily shook his hand. "You realize, now that I've got your promise you are obligated to fulfill it?"

He nodded, "Yup. You aren't going to teach me anything evil, are you?"

She just laughed and walked off, leaving him there in a dumb stupor.

"Lily?" he called after her. "Lily?! Was that a yes or a no?!"

`*`*`*`

A/n: there it is! i posted it so soon cuz of the month long wait. i love all u people who r reviewing! ur so nice!

i was worried it was getting 2 fluffy at the end, but they're just friends (now). it also explains a bit about james. it gives him an excuse. he really needs 1.

enelya- my sister sent me the email. i liked it too, thought it was v. funny.

Alia- no fan clubs, just a ton of friends.

citrus scented- people did notice, but they wnated it 2 happen, and the teachers couldn't see.

sissy-6- i updated just as soon as i was done. kinda.

starblaze- i'm glad ur not insane yet! i'm also glad other member(s) of ur family thought it was funny!

icy- u know, the bible was written by men...

i o u a name- i'm glad my chapter desevered a gool new word!

BlueTwilight24- u know, i'm still making u read my other chapters 2...

hpfan20507- lily is one awesome chica, i agree.

Nike1000- i'm glad u like the story so much! and i based grace off my friend grace, so yeah, she's real!

LoverOfAllThingsLegolas- grace, leslie and gwen r soooo clones! OMG! it's scary! i didn't realize when i created them! AH!!!!!!!!!

Céline- in the next chapters it will be poor james and lily... i won't say anymore...