Chapter 5

(A/N) Thanks for the reviews! Sorry Chapter 4 was so short! I have a Science report due soon, so… On with the story now, shall we?

*~*~*~*~*

"I didn't realize he danced that badly," Evelyn said worriedly. "Maybe I should cancel."

Lily laughed, shifting her feet in a grainy yellow liquid- it felt like moving sand.

"No, don't cancel on my account. It took Potter three days of dancing and Severus Snape to put me in the Hospital. I have… delicate feet."

"You sound like Remus… delicate," Evelyn laughed. "He's sick again. He was sick this time last month, two. Sometimes I worry about the boy… Perhaps he will spend his entire sixth year wasted away, being sick."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, I suspect something going on amongst the infamous Marauders."

"Yeah, only I think his friends are visiting him this time, you know them."

"Oh, I must be wrong then. I just thought… If Remus really was… They wouldn't be able to… I mean, they don't usually… Never mind," Lily said, glancing out the window. A full moon. How pretty.

*~*~*~*~*

"Can I catch up later? Professor McGonagall wants us prefects to…" James broke off, wondering how much Sirius would torture him if he knew that he would have to meet Lily Evans for a dance rehearsal. Probably over a week. He thought better of the matter and stopped talking.

"Yeah, yeah. Do your prefect stuff. Shame, though. With it being a full moon, and all," Sirius looked out the window with an innocent, wistful look on his face. James knew better than to trust that.

"You mean-?"

"Yep. Peter and me, we finally got a plan for us, as last year, he was wreaking havoc, half this, half that… Yeah, we're ready fer it all… Prongs."

"Well, maybe I could miss just this one meeting…"

"Can't let you do that, buddy," Sirius shook his head with artificial remorse on his face. "You've got your prefectly duties. We'll see you off, tonight. Then you can come join us," Sirius paused, then grinned. "If you haven't got any er… other plans with dear old Lillikens, that is, of course."

"Who?"

"Lily, you nitwit! Do you even know her first name? I mean you have been calling her 'Evans' since, oh, I'd say forever. Prongsie, buddy, I think you l-"

"Shut up."

"No."

*~*~*~*~*

"Tell Moony I'll be there, Padfoot," James said.

Lily frowned. Moony? Padfoot?

"Sure, Prongs. Peter, to."

Prongs? And what does Peter have to do with it? Lily wondered.

James made his way towards Lily in the Great Hall. "So… can we make this quick? I know the steps, you know the steps…"

Lily frowned. "You're up to something, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not," James said impatiently.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not going to waste my time and energy on you, Evans."

"Something's up. What was Sirius talking about, with the whole, 'Prongs, Padfoot, and Moony' thing? And Peter? What about him? You can't hide this, Potter. You reek of guilt."

"You don't miss a thing, do you?"

Lily ignored this. "I take it they're some sort of nicknames, then. You must be 'Prongs', as Sirius called you that. You called him 'Padfoot', so, by process of elimination, your little partner in crime, Remus, must be 'Moony'. Cough it up, Potter, what's the story?"

"My lips are sealed."

"So, therefore, I now know something is up, otherwise you wouldn't 'seal your lips' for no reason. Thus, you have a reason. Spill."

"Logic's working tonight, isn't it, Evans? Keep it up, Sherlock, and you may find something."

Lily glared at him.

"Full moons make people do strange things…"

"Whatever. Fine. I'll tell the professor you got sick, or something. Go do whatever illegal thing you're going to do. I'll find out sooner or later."

"Sure you will."

"I'll figure you out, Potter."

"Ha, I'll tell Moony that." James strode out, leaving a fuming Lily staring after him.

*~*~*~*~*

"That close, Prongs?"

James pawed the ground slightly before turning back human. "She's close to finding something out."

"Damn. Hot and smart. You lucky-"

"Not really, considering it's Evans you're talking about. I would rather spend my afternoons, with, say, anyone else. She's already figured out our nicknames."

"How?"

"You called me Prongs. I called you Padfoot. I said Moony, and I mentioned Peter."

"She doesn't miss a thing, does she?"

"I don't suppose she does, Padfoot. I don't suppose she does."

"Well, keep your eye on her, Prongs. After all, she isn't too hard to look at."

*~*~*~*~*

Padfoot, Moony, and Prongs. Why on earth would they need an alias? Lily pondered.

Because they're boys.

What does that prove? Her better judgement pondered.

It proves that all boys are stupid, mindless gits who don't deserve a second thought. Why do you care, anyway?

I don't.

Yes you do. Why?

No reason.

Sure. You care, don't you? You care a lot.

"Shut up!" Lily said out loud at her inner conscience, throwing a pillow at the ceiling.

I know they're up to something.

You sooo care.

No I don't.

Yes you do.

No.

Yes.

Curiosity killed the cat, didn't it?

You're starting to sound like Potter.

So are you.

How is that?

I'm your inner conscience. I'm you.

"Lily Evans, you know you're in trouble when you're talking to yourself in your head," Lily breathed.

You know I'm right.

"That's 'cause one of us has to be, and we're both ME!" Lily said out loud.

"Lily? Who're you talking to?" asked Evelyn.

"Um… me. Nobody, just me."