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You're going out with Lily?" Ray asked.

James, tired of telling people no, did the last thing anyone expected. He grabbed Lily, dipped her, and gave her a long kiss on the mouth.

He came up for air and said, "Why yes I am."

`*`*`*`

Step Seven: Punishment for Stupidity

Lily looked speechless. And very red.

Ray and Gwen were gaping at them, as were several people on their way to eat.

James turned, put his arm around Lily's waist and walked with her into the Great Hall. She was too stunned to protest.

Sirius and Grace blinked at them, but came back to their senses when they disappeared into the Great Hall.

"I think Prongsie's been holding out on us," Sirius said to Grace.

"I think he's gone insane," she said.

They went into the Great Hall.

"Er, I guess James and Lily are really dating then," said Ray.

"I guess so," said Gwen.

`*`*`*`

James sat Lily down, as she was still stunned, and sat down next to her. He began eating.

"James," said Lily, and he turned towards her. She felt his forehead, "Are you feeling alright? Maybe you should go see the nurse."

"I'm fine," he said, going back to eating.

"Good! Because i would feel awful about beating up a sick man!" She raised a fist, but he caught it.

"Look, i'm sorry, okay? I was just tired of everybody asking. At least now they'll stop asking."

"But they think we're dating!"

"So, they'll stop asking!"

"So," said Sirius, walking over, "when were you going to tell us?"

"You moron!" said Grace, hitting him in the back of the head. "They aren't really going out!"

"Then why did he kiss her?!"

"I dunno! Ask him!"

"So, er, James," said Sirius, "why'd you try to make out with Lily in the hall right there?"

"You made out with Lily in the hall?" asked Remus, sitting down.

"Is she a good kisser?" Peter asked. He was glared at by James. "What? What'd I say?!"

"Yeah, James," said Sirius, "was she a good kisser?"

"May I point out that I'm sitting right here?" asked Lily.

"Good for you," said Sirius. "Answer the question, James."

"I'm leaving," said Lily, standing up.

"No," said Sirius, "you're staying. I already know what James is going to say!"

"Oh really?" said Remus. "What's he going to say?"

"That she is. He was kissing her for longer than a minute. I counted. Actually, it may be more. I counted really slow."

"A minute?! Whoa! She must be pretty good," said Peter.

Lily and James were both blushing really hard.

"I think I'm going to leave now, too," said James, and they both walked out of the Great Hall.

Sirius sighed, "The womanizer's in love with the feminist and he has no idea."

"Love?" said Grace. "It's more a crush than love."

"Well, you know me," said Sirius. "I'm a real romantic."

"I dunno, you're more a real nutcase."

`*`*`*`

"James, your friends are perverts, but they do prove my point. Everyone will think we're going out now!" said Lily as she and James made it towards the Gryffindor common room.

"I know, I know. It was a stupid thing to do! It was annoyance and stupidity combined," answered James.

"I agree. Now we have to tell Gwen and Ray that we aren't going out! Plus the rest of the school, because things like that do not get around slow."

`*`*`*`

"-And when we asked him if they were going out, he kissed for five whole minutes!" said Gwen to the Ravenclaw table at dinner.

"Without even taking a breath!" added Ray.

"And Lily is obviously enjoyed it," said Gwen. "She was speechless. It's obvious they're in love."

`*`*`*`

"NO way it will go around that fast!" said James.

"Yes it will! By breakfast everyone will think we're going out!" said Lily.

They reached the portrait hole, and went inside it.

"I doubt that," said James. "I mean, Gwen and Ray won't tell anyone."

"Well, they might not, but Sirius will."

`*`*`*`

Sirius jumped on the Gryffindor table as soon as James and Lily left.

"I would like to take this time," he shouted, "to announce the engagement of James Potter and Lily Evans. The future Lily Potter."

He got detention for it from Professor McGonagall, but everyone heard the message.

"Sirius! You idiot!" said Grace. "Now everyone thinks they're getting married!"

"Yeah, that was my plan!"

`*`*`*`

"Engaged? Lily and James engaged?" a first year asked a second year.

"Yup," she answered. "I hear that they wanted to get married by Christmas, but who knows?"

`*`*`*`

"Oh shit!" said James. "We should have never left Sirius there!" He and Lily were working on homework.

"I'm tired," said Lily. "I'm gonna call it a night."

"Me too," said James.

They left the common room, and were asleep before their friends came back.

`*`*`*`

The next morning, they both woke up earlier than everyone else. They met each other in the common room, and decided to walk down to the Great Hall.

On their way there, they met a group of first year girls, who burst into uncontrollable laughter, and ran quickly in the opposite direction.

"Er, that was weird," said James.

"Yeah," said Lily. "I wonder why they ran."

At breakfast, several owls swooped down by them.

Lily opened a letter and spit out her pumpkin juice.

"What the hell?! SIRIUS BLACK!" she shrieked, causing several birds to fly away and students to wince.

Sirius ran in, "What? I heard you all the way in the common room!"

"YOU TOLD THE WHOLE BLOODY SCHOOL THAT JAMES AND I WERE ENGAGED?!"

James looked like he was about to say something, except an owl came by and a Daily Prophet landed on his lap. He took one look at the front page, and frowning, showed it to Lily.

She screamed even louder.

On the front page, in big letters for all the wizarding world to see it read:

James Potter, Son of World-Famous Auror, Harold Potter, Announces Engagement to Lily Evans

"Ooooo, Sirius!" yelled James. "I am going to pound you to the ground!"

"And then I'm going to kick you into your namesake!" screamed Lily.

"Lily," said Sirius, "I was named after a constellation."

"I know!" she screamed, and she and James chased him out of the Great Hall.

`*`*`*`

Lily and James came into Transfiguration somewhat composed. Most of the class was already there, so James said, "Lily and I are not engaged. That was a lie on the part of Sirius Black."

"We have never even dated," said Lily.

"Professor McGonagall," said Peter, walking in, "Madam Pomfrey wants you to know that Sirius is being excused for a classes for the day. He has a concussion."

`*`*`*`

At lunch, James and Lily told the school of their non-engaged status.

"Despite what everyone thinks," said James, "Lily and I are not engaged."

"We've never dated and are not currently dating," said Lily.

"So please stop sending us congratulation notes and gifts."

"We will return them to you."

They then sat down.

"You know," said Grace, "I'm beginning to doubt those lessons are working. I mean, first James kisses an unsuspecting female, then Sirius announces a false engagement."

"No, I think lessons are working fine. I just think that James and Sirius are both convulsive liars," answered Lily.

"What'd I lie about?" asked James.

"That we were going out, getting us into this mess in the first place."

"Oh, yeah," he said, sheepishly.

An owl dropped in front of him, which was odd as it wasn't breakfast.

"A howler?" said James. "Who's sending me a howler?"

It opened.

"James Potter!" boomed a man's voice. "How dare you get engaged without informing your family before the Daily Prophet! Do you have any idea how shocked I was when I received the Minster of Magic's congratulations?! I had no idea what he was talking about! And furthermore, you are way too young to marry! You're only sixteen! You're not even out of Hogwarts yet! You'd better tell me what's going on soon!"

"Sirius is so lucky that he's already in the hospital wing," said James. "Because if he was here right now, I would kill him!"

"Was that your dad?" asked Lily.

"Yup," said James. "Sounding happy as usual!"

"You'd better write him," said Lily. "I'll inform the Daily Prophet."

He nodded, "Alright. You know, I wonder how they found out."

"I think it was Sirius," said Lily.

"Why don't you two just get engaged," said Peter. "You can spare yourselves the trouble."

"How about no," they said at the same time. Then, "I'm glad we agree."

`*`*`*`

The Daily Prophet posted an article the very next day, saying sorry for the mix-up. Sirius Black was fined for misinformation, and kicked off the Quidditch team indefinitely.

"Shit, Padfoot!" said James. "That's awful! Frank Longbottom is graduating this year! Who can I get to replace him?"

"Well," said Grace, sitting down next to them, "you could hold another try out. Only this time with a fair mind."

"Another try out?! Who can I get that's as good as Sirius?!"

"I know someone better," she said, casually.

"Who?! Come on! Tell me! PLEASE!!!!!"

"Well, you know this person very well."

"I do?"

"Yup. You talk to them everyday."

"It's not you, is it?"

"No, it's not me!"

"Then who?!"

"Lily!"

"Lily!" interjected Sirius. "But Lily didn't make it last time!"

"Yeah!" said Grace. "Because you wouldn't let her!"

"That was probably because she sucked," said Sirius.

"Lily is better than you, Squirrel boy!" shouted Grace. "The reason you didn't pick her was because she was a girl! That's what got you into this mess of lessons in the first place!"

"It was?" said James. "Are you sure?"

"You guys have the memories of goldfish!"

"Goldfish? That's good, right?" asked Sirius.

"No! It's not!"

"Well, I think that's rather harsh of you, then. Honestly Gracie, I don't know why you are so mean sometimes," said Sirius.

"I am mean because you're a flaming idiot! And don't call me Gracie!"

"Geez! You yell really loud!"

"I wouldn't yell if you weren't so stupid!"

"You are not selling this Lily as beater thing by yelling!"

"Ya know what Black? Fu-"

James held up is hands. "ENOUGH! You're giving me a headache! Go fight somewhere else!"

They ran off, yelling insults.

James decided to hold try outs again. It wasn't worth risking the wrath of a certain Miss Grace Greenleaf.

`*`*`*`

A/n: first off, i would like to thank all u ppl for the reviews!!!! they made me so happy!

OK, i have a question: how does everybody know that lily's maiden name is evans? it wasn't mentioned before the fifth book. someone (enelya) asked me, and i've been wondering 2. did jk announce it in a press conference or something?

bad news: i'm gone for a month starting 2morrow w/ no internet access whatsoever. i can't post the other chapters and i am sooooo bummed! i'm really sorry!

xCriscrossx- lissy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm glad u like the story!!!! u'd better write ur peter 1 soon!!!!! :-D

JerseyGirl03- she'd better bring him back! i mean, a window thingy that can talk? he's comin' back! i'm glad u liked the chapter!!!

ChickoftheDarkMoon- i really hate it when chapters overload!!!! i'm glad u like the story, though!

enelya- i have actually no idea how everyone knows her maiden name was evans. i'm asking in my authors note, so maybe someone will respond. i'll tell u if i find out!

soupie- i'm glad u like the snape thing. it was v. fun 2 write!

Zoey- i agree, the last part was kinda creepy.

sissy-6 (Crissy & Ally)- i hate 2 tell u this, cuz i know ur gonna kill me, but they aren't getting 2gether for awhile now. SO SORRY!

MoonFaith- ur review made me laugh! he didn't get pounded. almost, though!

i o u a name- hehe! new word!!!!! i love it! u should write a special dictionary!

Little House Girl- i'm really sorry i'm pulling the romance away! i know, i'm evil.

citrus scented- i'm glad some1 agrees me! i was seriously gonna shoot him if he blew up at another person! i mean geez! i'm glad u liked the chapter!

starblaze- thank you! i'm glad u like my writing! that review made my day!

Sweet Strawberri- ur story is so awesome!!!!!! i'm glad u liked mine 2!!!!!