There's a first five prequel, if you can't understand this one :)

Disclaimer: Adele Varens [NOT the Bronte's], uhm, personality of the Marauders [Pettigrew, if you don't know, is NOT included!], the rest of the weird-ed Hogwarts characters belong to me. Yes, there's that group of stupid Maggles, but they'll come later… as always.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The Marauding Five : Year Six

Chapter 1: Aishiteru

'Ha ha ha! There' no way to spend a holiday when you parents are here! But they're gone! For vacation! Ha ha ha!!!' Sirius laughed loudly in the guffawing manner. 'And it's all of them! Hurray! Hurray! Joy towards the summer holidays! Yay! Yay! Yay!'

'Shut up, Sirius Black,' Petunia snarled, spooning her gillywater in a doubtful manner. She wasn't quite sure if this- this tonic or whatever her sister had claimed, was safe to drink. Who knows if something at the back of Lily's mind is still aching for revenge during those old days?

No one. After all, Lily's mind is rather unpredictable, because all sorts of rubbish go in there. And the Leaky Cauldron was almost empty, meaning that the Marauders had a high chance to poisoning her with a few warts… Their disgusting sense of humour, ugh!

The Marauders and the girl counterpart's sisters were staying at Leaky Cauldron for a month of their summer holidays, because their elders had left for a vacation (or work? Who knows?) to somewhere at Europe.

'Adele, are you sure muggles are allowed in here?' Adeline asked worriedly, staring at the folks around her. They seem to be eyeing at her and Petunia.

'Yes, yes,' Adele said with a casual wave. 'After all, they DID say family members.'

'Do you think I can get myself a wand?'

'Maybe.'

'No she wouldn't!'

'Shut up, Sirius. It's me and my sister talking over here.'

'Well I and certainly certain that she wouldn't,' James said with a huff. 'Unless, of course, she meant those crummy toy ones in which you make mice appear.'

'Too bad,' Petunia said flatly. 'Where's Gram?'

'Off to visit Granny Emily Potter,' her sister replied. 'Now that you're in the wizarding world, don't you feel that you look odd?'

'I do,' Remus said glumly.

'Not you. But Tuni-yaa, think of it! We're in robes and you're in… JEANS!' Lily said in a dramatic manner. Petunia glared at the name Tuni-yaaaa (stressed with even more As than it sound).

'What do you mean?' Petunia snapped. 'I'm wearing a NORMAL T-shirt and a NORMAL jeans, if that's even a crime to laws of fashion'

'No, it's not,' Adeline said, nodding in agreement. After all, she is wearing a tracksuit and an overlarge shirt with Mickey Mouse smiling out of it joyfully. And it is her favourite way of dressing.

'What we mean is you look odd here. And we came by Floo Network (dang on Gram's shortage of sickles, or we would've taken the Knight Bus). Even a blind man would note that your clothes are sooty,' Remus said patiently with the small bite of unsaid sarcasm in it. The two girls turn to stare at each other's dressings with a wide mouth.

'You're right. Adele, be a dear sweetie pie and use the spell mum did on my legs so I can walk!' Adeline begged.

'I left y wand at home,' Adele said bluntly.

'Liar. You bring you wands everywhere,' Petunia smirked at her knowledge. 'Lily says so.'

'Lily…!!!'

'Hey, I'm telling the truth, at least!' Lily defended. Adeline turned to her sister who put on a pair of imploring, super-duper-hyper, gigantic, cute, watery, puppy-dog eyes.

'Please?'

Muttering curses under her breath (aimed to Lily), Adele tapped her wand on her sister's spine and her legs. In a moment, Adeline smiled broadly, got up, folded her wheelchair and got Tom the barkeeper to keep it for her.

'What's there to do here? It's soooo boring!' Petunia groaned. 'And you call this loiter, hah!'

'We don't,' James said.

'Don't what?'

'Call it loiter.'

'Oh.'

'There's LOADS to do here! Your mother gave you some money – er, galleons – didn't she?' Sirius said.

'Those heavy gold lumps that resemble painted stones. Yes, if that's your galleons.'

'Exactly! So first stop is Madam Malkin's, to get you perfect clothing!'

'I love my clothes a lot, thank you very much, Black.'

'You hate it,' James crowed, 'when it's black with unwashable soot!'

'Then we'll bring you to the bookstore to get some books on old wizarding history,' Remus said brightly.

'You might as well just give her our old text books,' James chipped.

'Hang on. TEXT BOOKS?' Petunia screeched. Her face wore the expression of a dead cat.

'Yes, precisely,' Lily said. 'Well, History of Magic… about time we dump it somewhere else, huh?'

'No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

'Fine. We'll get you your romancey-novels. Some witches write them,' Adele said in frustration.

'Any good recipes?' Adeline inquired.

'Try mudcake-ratpie,' Sirius suggested. 'It'll be perfect!' Adeline paled at it. It sounded disgusting. She had a feeling that the ingredients consists a "handful of mud from the farthest swamp you can find along with fat juicy rats with blunt claws." Simply like what witches might do. YUCK.

'She's just kidding,' Remus yawned. 'The name's really mud pie and rat cake, and it's made of chocolate icings and your normal cake recipe. Or was it the other way round? Hmm…'

'I want a wand,' Petunia said firmly, changing the subject.

'We'll get you those that shoot sparks,' Lily said, patting her sister's shoulders. 'Then you can frighten Vernon by saying "Look, Vernie! I'm a witch! See, these are firecrackers! Don't you loooove me, Vernie?"' Lily did a dramatic lovesick expression (OVER-dramatic) and pretended to lick some boots or whatever she was planning to pretend to lick. Petunia glared at her.

**

Their first stop was as planned: Madam Malkin's. Madam Malkin nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Petunia and Adeline and… the worst of all, the Marauders. Of course, that was a great work of pretense, though.

The four Marauders dropped into a low bow (Adele wasn't really used to the custom of theirs yet) before her.

'Hello, dears!' Malkin greeted.

'Tuni-yaa, this is Gram's old, old, old, old, old, old, old, old, old, old, old, old—' Lily paused to breathe for a while—'old, old, old, old—' The Marauders, Adeline and Petunia's eyes goggled and their heads bobbed with each "old" Lily mention.

'I'm not that old,' the old witch said at once. Too old is ancient. Ancient is very ancient. And very ancient means six feet underground with a polished wood as your shield from the rain and soil.

'Okay. Old. This is Gram's ooooooooooold friend,' Lily said. 'From Hogwarts, too.'

'Um.' Was all Petunia could say. What was she to say?

'I see you've improved your attitude a lot,' Malkin said casually (Petunia had a sudden urge of emotion to hate her). 'You used to be really noisy. Or so Millie Turner inform me when she wrote to me about her daughter's first girl. Muggle, right?' Petunia decided to hate her Gram instead. She averted her eyes from the bustling lady to the shop. She stared at the robes around her, then at the Marauders's. theirs were decidingly fancier than the plain black schoolrobes Madam Malkin displayed.

'I wonder if we get fancy robes,' Adeline whispered to the older girl.

'I hope. Black's not my colour. The next thing I know (and I do know a lot of things), I'll be burnt as an accused witch,' Petunia hissed in distaste. James, Sirius, Remus and Lily rolled their eyes. They knew about Petunia's "lot of things" that she claim to know. They're: a) boys; b) witches and why they deserve to die; c) herself; d) clothes; e) critics on things she don't really know about; f) that's just all she knows.

'Sorry, I must be losing my manners,' Madam Malkin said cheerfully. 'How may I help you?'

'We'd like a dark blue sparkly robe – Dress robes, Madam – and a silver grey one (also sparkly), please,' Adele said. 'For Tuni-yaaa and Adeline-aa.'

'They're attending the party? Are you?'

'Of course!! Wouldn't miss it for the world! I mean, it's not EVERYDAY that you get free food, right?' James said in righteous manner (though really, there's nothing to be righteous about).

'We have to bring them with us. Couldn't trust them with anything or any place magic,' Sirius said cheerfully.

'Alright, dearies. Step right on the stool and let us measure you,' Malkin said, beckoning for her assistant.

Half and hour later, they paid for their robes and left the shop, thanking the kind madam for her help and the robes.

'A party? What party?' Adeline asked curiously.

'Something the fifth years are doing. Where was it? The Hopkins?' Adele said.

'No. The Thores. They have a mansion with a thousand rooms, so they claim to have,' Remus answered.

'Well, now that I know there's a party, let's go to the trinket shops!' Petunia said. 'When is it?'

'Tonight. About nine. And it'll last right to the morning!' Sirius said. 'Yippee, a sleepover!'

'Which gives us an even better reason to shop for make-ups,' Petunia said. The others stared at her quietly. They all knew how ugly she look with make-ups, and if she's going with them, well, they don't want to be accused to being in a fight. Petunia's make-up style certainly scream that.

'Er, let's get you some, uh, shoes instead,' Lily said nervously.

'Why?' Petunia stared at her plastic slippers. They were decent and they fit well with her robes.

'Because, uh…' She was lost for words.

'She really meant apothecary,' James said. 'Lily ran out of potion ingredients, and we think we'd better show you the way, so you can shop for us next time we asked you. Oh, we'd better get her an owl, too, maybe.'

Lily heaved a sigh of relief. 'Good! That way, Lotus is safe from those karate-rats in our attic! Blessed be!'

Petunia and Adeline were showed the Apothecary ('Eeww!!!! Mice intestines!?') and brought to the Owl Emporium. Petunia got herself a barn owl and Adeline chose a snow owl (Adele hasn't one).

'Wand! I want a wand! Wand, wand, wand!'

'Sheesh, Tuni-ya! Don't keep complaining like that!' Sirius groaned.

'Besides, if you get a wand, you won't have enough wizard gold to last you for another day! We'll be living in Leaky Cauldron for quite a few weeks, so we need as much as we can,' Lily said plaintively.

'Bingo!' Adeline chirped.

'I thought our accounts are—' James was rudely cut off by Adele.

'What are you planning to do now? There's another three more hours to that party,' Adele said casually. 'Food, anyone?'

'Yech, who knows if there's… mudcake-ratpie in their recipe??' Petunia grimaced. Adeline shuddered.

'Oh, yes! And we have all sorts, too! Strawberry, grape, yogurt,' Remus said, trailing off with all sorts of disgusting-sounding food that goes as 'bogey pie' and 'earwax pudding with a fresh sea of nausea—fresh from one's tummy!'

The Marauders nearly threw up too, at one point. Nearly.

'Okay. Stop. I'll be going to the trink shop,' Petunia muttered.

'Er, Adele. I mean to say that I thought our accounts are filled to the brim with galleons. Or did you manage to spend them all on something?' James said. 'We won that lump, remember, for entering some lucky draw!' Lucky isn't really the word. More of Lily's growing Psychic powers which somehow got in contact with the numbers of their 'lottery ticket' and the person who read out the numbers.

'Yes, yes, but—'

'You mean you actually used EVERYTHING?!'

'Yes—I mean, NO! but if we let them know, they'll use all their money now!'

'Yeah. Be concerned of the future. Think of your dear, future child with our dear, lovely Lily,' Sirius said.

'Huh?' was James's only confused reply.

'Nothing.'

'Speaking of Lily, James, how's Li—' Remus was interrupted by a squeal from the girl of topic.

'Look! A new broom! I'd love to get a new one!!!'

'You already have one,' James reminded. 'My mum got it for us.'

'Something's wrong with the balance, though. Must be that match with the Ravenclaw that made it feel tampered,' Lily said. 'Oh, ,look at this! Comet! And it's the latest! And there's another, too! A Nimbus! All the better!!!'

Adele yanked her friend from the display window. 'Let's go before our sisters do something stupid in the trink shop.'

'Comet… Nimbus…!' Lily moaned as Adele dragged the deranged Psychic from the window.

**

'You'd better hold on tight,' Lily said, 'this broom has gone silly after three years.' Petunia stared at Lily's broom with a look of disgust clearly written on her face. She was wondering is she really should sit on it, in her fine, lovely and – above all – NEW midnight blue folds of robes.

'Just get on!' Sirius scowled. Adeline was sitting behind him, as Adele's flying skills was… very uncomplimentable.

'Um…' Petunia hesitated.

'She's not going to kill herself!' Remus said cheerfully. He paused. 'Um. Not yet.' Lily might kill herself, just for the fun of it. She's been raving about how nice it would be if she can chase Lily Trenna (the Maggle, a shadow from her past life) out of Bluebells Cup. The Maggles (in which there are five of them:one of each Marauder) had decided to live with the Marauders to help them "sharpen their skills." So far, what they'd done was raiding the refrigerator and watching the Tv.

'You can stay here if you like,' James offered. 'I mean, we can get Tom to bring you food.'

Petunia climbed up the broom hurriedly. She didn't quite fancy the mangy barkeeper. He was staring at her with a cocked eye of disapprovement when she accidentally spilled butterbeer on the next table, and the table's occupants' cup of gillywater was knocked out of the way and flowed to another table, and so on and so on, in which the ring of spilled cups, mugs and beer bottles began.

'Go!!!!!' the Marauders chorused in unison, shooting into the dark sky of sprinkled stars. The Squib sisters (Petunia and Adeline) clung tightly onto the broom, not hesitating a single moment to scream themselves hoarse and kick about in wild madness.

Soon, all but Adele are turning loop-de-loops in the star speckled sky. Two shrill screams pierced the silent darkness. In a few minutes, another scream joined the other two and on of the five black shadows fell apart.

Lily's broom had broken down.

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Lily and Petunia shrieked, as the broom shook violently, throwing its riders off before breaking into shimmers and twigs of nothingness.

It was a bothering fact that the boys and Adele are at least 5 to 8 feet away. But their friends realized, after a few stumbling seconds, that blinking blankly and gaping wouldn't be doing much help. James and Remus zoomed straight towards the girls to catch them, because Sirius had Adeline as burden and Adele is still too frozen to even breathe.

The two girls tunneled the swirling mists of clouds. Lily was too busy yelling to remember to float them up.

Fortunately for them, James and Remus's broom were faster than the gravity that was pulling Lily and Petunia and caught tem before they plummeted into a nearby helicopter (which was the worst thing you could expect in the air, besides airplanes and parachuting muggles, or getting hit by a rocket that was just launched). James grabbed Lily by her long hair and Remus caught Petunia's outstretched arm.

'POTTER!!! My hair!!!' Lily screeched, trying her best to reach James's hand to pull herself up than enduring the headache of her life.

'Oops,' James said, letting her hair go at once. Amazing how daft one can be at such situation.

'You idiot!!! Aaaaaah!!!'

'Lily, you nitwit, your Psychic powers!!!' Adele cried. Lily, thankful at being reminded, hurriedly cast the ancient power upon herself. She floated up onto James's broom wobbly and clung onto it desperately, gasping for breath as her arm circled his waist, nearly choking him of his breath.

'Kak… gak… can'… t… br… eath…!' James hacked. Lily soften it a little.

'Are you okay?' Sirius asked in concern, swooping down.

'Am I okay???? How would you feel, being a hundred or so zillion feet in the air—'

'It's only 150.'

'Wrong, Remus. It's only 151.'

'—and you fell out of an old, LOUSY RICKETY broom that hasn't much sense with your sister who, AGAIN, have much lesser sense than her brom???????? HOW WOULD YOU FEEL???? WOULD YOU FEEL OKAY?????????'

'Well, certainly. I would find it an experience to live by,' Sirius said with a grin. Petunia took gales of deep breath, realized that she'd gone back to her old rude self that she'd promised to herself to not to show to her sister and her dimmy friends or they'll kill her in two ticks.

'Okay. Okay. I'm fine. I'm fine,' she muttered at last.

'Let's, um, just go without any more, er, loops,' Adeline suggested, her head spinning.

The Marauders were only too glad to agree with her.

**

Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong!

Pastira Thore yanked the door open to seven people, two of which looked as if they had just woken up in a haystack. That wasn't the part that bothered her, though. Pastira gaped at them, turned to a mantelpiece clock, stared at the sky, and then back to her friends.

'You are thirty minutes late,' she said finally.

'We notice,' Adele said dryly. 'But accidents in the sky is very, very common. You know that, too.'

Pastira stared at them uncertainly, as if regarding the birds nest of hair Lily seem to be having. She turned to Petunia, who had similar hairstyle but less stuck-ups because her hair was short. Then the rest of them. 'Adele, who's this?' She pointed at Adele.

'I'm Adele. That's Adeline,' Adele said. 'She's… my twin sister.'

'And this…?' Petunia scowled blackly when Pastira pointed at her.

'That's my sister,' Lily said. 'And she's scowling because to her, pointing's rude, which it is.'

'Okay. Um.'

'Come on, are you going to let us stand here all night?' Sirius said in annoyance. Blankly, Pastira showed them in.

'James! Sirius! Remus! Lily! Adele!' two voices cried shrilly. A patter of footsteps were heard and the Thore twins, Pastilla and Pattempt, hugged the five Marauders. Petunia went off, muttering about washroom. Adeline was sampling the food, glad to know that there weren't any of the grosteque food of which Remus had said.

'Oh, so you finally decided to come. With an entrance, no less, since you look like a bunch of ragmuffins,' Tally said. 'I went over to your place, but I didn't see anyone there.'

'Mum wouldn't trust us with the house.'

'Yeah. She's afraid that we'll burn it up.'

'I don't wonder,' Tally muttered.

'What rhymes with love?' Severus Snape asked, strolling absent-mindedly to the Marauders.

'Why?' Sirius asked curiously. It's not everyday Snape asked that! And to the Marauders, his sworn enemies, too!

'Because Tally promised to dance with me if I compose ten poems for her.' It struck the others dumb for a while before realizing that Snape still had the hots for the Gryffindor girl.

'Well…'

'Really?' Adele asked in surprise, staring at the blonde who is now talking to Nina.

'Love? How about glove?' Remus suggested.

'Hmm… you are my eye of love//you fit in like a glove…' and he wandered off, muttering to himself. The Marauders burst into gales of laughter when he's out of sight. Snape had never looked so thoughtful before, or even been so nice to them—polite, for once!

'Hello? Hello, may I have your attention, please?' Dumbledore's voice called.

'What is he doing here?' Anna Hopkins (The Marauder's sworn rival in class) of Ravenclaw asked.

'You're probably wondering what I'm doing ehre. Well, I'm here to give out your OWL results. I cannot send it by owl, for afraid that it might be intercepted. OWLs are official wizard abd witch Certs. to enter your Sixth year. But anyway, you shall all meet me one by one, after your party, which is tomorrow morning. Enjoy yourself!' the merry wizard called. Before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

'Odd guy,' Thomas Macmillan said, walking towards the Marauders. 'Adele, who's that girl that looked like you? Your sister?'

'Yeah. And how's you know me?' Adele asked.

'Them Marauders. See ya.'

'Typical,' James said, rolling his eyes.

'I wonder what's wrong with my broom,' Lily said sadly, 'it was okay till that moment. I should've trusted my instincts to get one of those Comets or Nimbus.'

'Who cares? It's over now,' Adele shrugged.

'Well, I have to get home by Floo Network, and I don't enjoy yet another headache!' Lily snapped.

'HEY!!!!!!!! An announcement here!!!' Pastira yelled, standing on a high chair to be seen.

'Hear ye, hear ye!'

'D'you all remember that fateful year-end ball we had for our fourth year? The unsuccessful one?' a chorus of yes answered her. 'Well, there's another one tonight, and you get to pick your own partners this time! Thanks!'

'Okay…' Tally said slowly.

'Fine by me,' Sita shrugged.

'Of course it's fine with you!' Pertsy said in a huff. 'You're the most popular girl! So very unlike me: your sad, unpopular best friend. Are you planning to dump me of that post today?'

'No, of course not! But I'm not that pretty,' Sita said with a faint blush. Adele snorted.

'She has the nice silky black hair, beautiful, tanned complexion, oval face, imploringly big eyes… that's NOT pretty?!'

'We know that you're jealous, Miss Envy,' Remus said, patting her sympathicly. Lily coughed to restrain laughter.

'So… are we going to dance at all?' Sirius asked, frowning.

They stared at each other. The uninvited question and yet the question in their minds.

'Of course! Why come to a party, then?' Petunia said, joining them very suddenly.

'Voice of answer,' Adele said, smiling a little. This is a good chance to find out how popular she is; and how unpopular she is. She detested the latter decision.

'Food first!' James said, and he rushed to grab an empty table for his friends. The others followed him thankfully. None of them felt like dancing… yet.

The party went on beautifully, and nothing broke down before the actual dancing began, which is a pretty good enough sign for the former fifth years. At about ten o' clock, a stereo was introduced by the muggle-borns and record players were presented. It was then that the official party began. Couples paired on the dance floor and the teenagers (being teenagers) began with a slow ballad.

Adele was invited to dance by one of Anna Hopkins's brothers (it wasn't a restricted 5th year party), Sirius was busy trying to prise a few girls from the dance floor (all in purpose for a prank), Remus was pulled off by Adele (who was very overjoyed at the use of her legs and her first dance), Petunia was busy pigging down food when Thomas DeAnne of Hufflepuff blushingly invited her to a dance. Petunia went red before agreeing.

James and Lily stared at each other after some time.

'Well,' Lily said, 'what about us?'

'Er… we'll pull down some pranks?' James suggested, sheepishly grinning at her. He knew she wouldn't agree to that, though. Not with the rest of the Marauders on the floor of their scheming minds.

'If you wouldn't say it, fine,' Lily said, shrugged, pulled her red robes up and smoothen the creases. 'I'm off, Prongs.'

'Uh, hey! You know that I was kidding!'

'Really? I thought your name was James.'

'No, it's not! I mean, it is James!'

'Whatever. I'm wasting my time here with you, thick-faced stag.' James racked his brains to wonder what he did wrong.

'What did I do wrong now?' he aked. Lily rolled her eyes, grabbed his hands and practically dragged him to the dance floor. Petunia covered her face in shame.

'She is NOT my sister… I do NOT know her…'

'If you want to dance, ask!' James said, half-laughing at Lily's funny scene of dragging him to the center.

'Girls don't ask,' Lily grinned. 'Besides, I'll give you my word that Trenna, Green, Pepper, Chore and Brad are all here—on our parents's orders!'

'I'll take it, then.'

'Hello!' Arthur Weasley said cheerfully.

'Hello!' Lily echoed. 'Why are you here? You graduated years ago!'

'No - I mean, yes! Er, my cousin's in Hufflepuff and I have to find her. Where's she now?'

'Arthuuuuuuuur! Why are you here?' Serena Tappers screamed, stomping towards her cousin.

'Well, your mother sent me to keep an eye on you. Especially since you like to flirt and…'

'Shut up.' With that, she dragged him off.

'The odd things in this world!' James said in amusement.

'I'd say, then, the oddest thing in my life is meeting you rascals!' Tally said, waltzing near them with Dan. 'You're odd enough without needing any final touch from your stupid brains.'

Lily just laughed. Tally sniffed and waltzed off.

Someone soon proposed the changing partners routine, as someone usually do in parties. The guy must be either really desperate for a dance or had nothing better to do than flirt, Lily figured. The students – much to her horror – agreed to this proposal.

Very soon, the ever-moving, ever-changing circle of couples was seen from a bird's eye view. And since the girl population is one too many, ,Lily retired to the refreshments with Adeline, who decided that she'd had enough of her legs.

'How was Tom DeAnne?' Lily asked, gulping her glass of lemonade in an unlady-like way. 'Nice guy, him. Worshipped us during the sorting back in the first year.'

'You should sip,' Adeline said, who was a refine lady in almost every way.

'Who cares?'

'The men?'

'Whatever.'

'This is sweet sixteen after all,' pressed Adeline.

'It's more like a sour sixteen, then,' Lily said dryly, munching on her cake.

'Er… Well, Thomas was okay, except the part when he stared at Petunia. He must fallen in love with her,' Adeline said. Lily sprayed Adeline's face with cake crumbs.

'Whoops! Ack, I didn't mean to!' Lily said hurriedly, pulling a great hoard of tissues and handed them over—nearly the whole box in her clutched hand. 'But Tuni-ya? DeAnne? UGH!'

James, meanwhile, was having a boring time dancing. For one, half the girls never seem to even wear high-heels before yet they wore it to look "cool", and they kept trodding on his toes. This was nothing; he took revenge by stepping on her dresses and slipped a dungbomb into their thick hairstyles.

For another, his mind had seemed to wander on its own accord to a certain girl at the refreshments corner. This was a real bother because he simply couldn't push her off. And the last conversation they had on Hogwarts Express. Lily had said something in a foreign language, and James had no idea what I meant. She had said it in a rather cheeky, playful manner and ended it with a kiss.

Now THAT'S that worst of the worst bothering part.

'Potter, can you please stop treading on me?' Geraldine Googles said in annoyance.

'You stepped on mine! It's time I take revenge!' James retorted. 'And don't even think of slapping me, Googles. I warn you, so don't even try it!' The girl gaped at him for a short moment before stamping off in annoyance. James pulled a nasty face after her before joining Lily at their table. Adeline had left for the washroom, because the "sprayed cake crumbs just isn't cleaned by tissues."

'Something on your mind?' Lily asked, stuffing herself with French fries.

'Uh, yes. No. Yes. No. Er. Sorta.'

'Speak up, then. No use lying,' Lily said, levitating seven empty glasses on the air in a sort of juggle. She was obviously bored.

'I was wondering…'

'Yes? Care for a cup?' She drew the jug near.

'No thanks. As I was saying…'

'As you were saying…?'

'I was wondering about…'

'You were wondering about WHAT?!'

'Listen, will you???'

'Will I WHAT?!'

This is some sort of a joke, James managed to tell himself. 'Okay. I was wondering about…'

'About?'

'What you said,' James said hastily. Lily stared at him blankly.

'What did I say?' she asked innocently. Pure innocence. She hasn't had a single clue on what he's talking about.

'That word… back at the train… something in foreign tongue,' James said calmly. 'It was something like "Ai" something something something.'

Ka-chang!!! The glasses fell onto the bare stone floor sharply. Head swung in their direction.

'Sorry! I'll pay for them!' Lily called over.

'Alright, so what is it?' James demanded, when everyone turned away to mind their own business. Lily busied herself (on purpose, it must be said) tidying the broken glass. 'Lily, I'm talking to you!'

'Yes, I AM listening to you!' Lily retorted.

'Fat load of help you are, then,' he said. 'Maybe I should get that language class genius to tell me. What was his name again? Lucifer Greens?' Lily tried to ignore James. 'Then he might tell me what it means, what language it is and whatever else there is. His MIGHT ask who asked it, though, y'know, his inquisive manner and—'

'Fine! You win!' Lily yelled sharply. Everyone turned to her. 'False alarm,' she said hurriedly to the crowd. They turned back, muttering about how odd Lily Evans and James Potter are. James grinned broadly at her reply.

'So what does it mean?'

'It means—'

'What's with you guys today?' Remus asked, walking towards them. Noticing Lily's relief look, James hurriedly gave him an excuse and dragged Lily out of the house.

'You're kidnapping me??' Lily said in disbelief, when James shot off on his broom with Lily behind him.

'What does it look like to you? I'm planning to get an answer tonight!' James said. They went past layers of clouds, finally halting before the crescent moon above the misty swirls of clouds.

'I gave you one already.'

'No, you didn't!' James said. 'I want an answer!'

'To what?'

'My question last term! And your nonsensical answer last month!'

Lily blinked blankly at hi before understatement dawn upon her.

She smiled at him before murmuring 'Aishiteru' and kissing him on his lips tenderly again. She hugged him tightly and buried her face in his messy black hair lovingly, like a child would to a huge teddy bear.

James stared at her, mouth wide open and speechless again. He stared searchingly into her almond green eyes. In the white moonlight, Lily's robes looked beautifully enchanting. Her long dark red hair was flying behind her in wild staticness, flapping like a flag in the wind. Her smooth tanned complexion looked luminous and her cheeks were touched with a soft tinge of ink.

In his eyes, she looked even prettier than Sita. Lovelier than the Queen of the Universe. After all, Lily's bubbly personality wasn't all that bad and sinful.

And time seemed almost static between the two of them. A faint hoot of an owl brought them back to reality.

'What does that mean?' James asked bluntly, remembering his purpose.

'Aishiteru.'

'Yes, but what does it mean?'

'It means, "aishiteru."'

'In English?'

'It means… it means…'

'Well?'

'I-I-I-I-I-I…'

'I. Yes. That's all?'

'L-l-l-love… y-y-y-you…'

James's mind swirled in disbelief. He was expecting something more Lily-like – something like "I think you're just joking with me" or "I suggest we skip this topic and change it to pranks!!!" would fit James quite okay.

But this wasn't what he had quite expected.

Okay, maybe he did expect it, after Lily's sleeptalking, but to say it outright and so straightforwardly was too… James couldn't find a word to describe that at the moment, but abnormal would suit it.

And if she really honestly meant "I love you," how could she say it as easily as if she was saying "Let's get some chocolate ice-cream"? James shook himself mentally. Lily is a girl. And girls are complicating.

But Lily isn't just another girl. No, she was his childhood friend, someone he had known even since the first days she was born. But, of course, he hadn't known her name then, yet!

'James? Prongs, are you alright?' Lily asked worriedly.

'Uh, yeah. Why would I want to be sick?' he asked. 'No, I mean, why would I be sick.' Lily just shrugged. For a silent moment, the couple stared at the moving clouds beneath them.

'James?'

'What?'

'Are you mat at me? Angry? Disgusted? Or hate?'

James thought about it for a moment. 'Why should I? I mean, we've known each other for so long. As long as… er, how old are we?'

'Sixteen, idiot. Or at least, you are. My birthday's coming in two weeks.' And it was silent again. There's no telling what was in their minds at that moment. The sharp strike of the Big Ben (they had flown to London, it seems) woke them up with a jump. Twelve strikes told James that it was already midnight, and that it's high time they return.

'Let's go back,' he suggested. 'They're probably missing us by now. The pranks are a handful only this evening! This can't be!!! We must be losing our touch!'

'Aah! But I managed to plan some jumping beans in some food,' Lily grinned. 'Funny no one saw, cause it was pretty empty and shoving the beans into the salad isn't as easy as it had seemed.'

'Well, I haven't played more than five!' James retorted. 'And I bet that they'll be missing us!'

'Really? I think that they're very thankful for the silence.' Lily cocked her eye, which usually mean "I know more than you do—I'm the Psychic and the Seer here, not you!"

'Whatever.' Pause. 'Lily? W- will you be my g- girlfriend?' James stammered suddenly. Then, as if realizing what he had just said, he paled very suddenly and slapped his hand onto his head.

Lily frowned at him. His heart (James's, of course), which was choking his throat very cruelly, fell to the ground. It sank so horribly that James swore that he ad even heard the resounding SPLAT SPLUNK it made on the ground far below them.

'James, you'd obviously, obviously been oblivious to a very obvious, obvious face that you've been very oblivious towards to in this obvious—'

'Skip the "obvious" and "obviously", will you?' James swallowed.

'Alright, fine! I mean to say that we're already engage without that measly proposal (hurray for that fact, Jimmy, cause if it weren't for it, you'll be cursed! Thank your parents!) and that I'm already your fiancée whether you and I like it or not. Get the point?' Lily said. James stared at her dumbly. 'Looks like you don't.'

'I get it!' James scowled, 'But I was wondering if it'll do any good to start from scratch!' Big liar, Prongs, but you can win the Oscar's Best Actor Award if she gets it.

Lily sighed. 'Okay. I'll be your girlfriend. Or whatever friend it is. No such thing as Part-De-Tourist-Of-Gullilea-Friend right?'

'What part de what?'

'Just a joke.'

Still, James grinned to himself. He'd won that Oscar award for best actor (hah! I rule! Whoever said that Sirius's acting was better than mine?). nad the boy simply couldn't express the joy that swelled in him. Or how his heart came back to life from its horrid "death". He hugged and kissed Lily.

And this, Merlin knows how, caused his broom to fly out of control. So much for a romantic moment.

**

'What happened? Where were you? Why're you in a mess?' Sirius asked in surprise when the duo reappeared at the Thore's Mansion door some thirty minutes later. They looked positively wind-blown and a few of James's (broken down) broomstick twigs were sticking out of their hair.

'It's time to get a new broom,' James said bluntly, walking in.

'Huh?'

'We were playing chasing-the-birds-and-clouds when James's broomstick gone mad and clashed with an aeroplane. Fortunately, I managed to magic a flying carpet and here we are. Half dead and very tired.' Lily reconsidered the last line. 'No, sorry, not dead and not so tired.'

'Magic carpet? They're banned. I mean, that Arabian wizard killed himself because his carpet got clashed with the other Arabian's carpet. Who would've known that!'

'Who cares?'

It wasn't that way in reality. They flew back with their Psychic powers (thankfully, unseen). But Sirius, being in the current daft mood he is in now, is too much of an idiot to realize this. Then again, Lily's story seem convincing enough, so Sirius wasn't much of an idiot, then.

'Where'd you two go? I was looking for you everywhere!' Petunia said. Her face was green. 'Someone hexed me and Adele and the boys refused to put me back!'

'Really? Who hexed you?' James asked in amusement. Her green face looked like some pickled lettuce.

'There, that fairheaded fat kid over there. I didn't even do anything! I just handed him some salad, he choked and—'

'I know the rest,' Lily grinned suddenly. Petunia backed away in fright. Lily can be very unpredictable when she had that- that- that GRIN.

'What's with you now?'

'Revenge time!!! I'm going to destroy this party!!!' Lily cried, producing a large number of chalks (the Chalk-Rings ones), dungbombs, stink pellets, firecrackers, potion vials (the ones that turned Snape and Gang's faces into polka-dotted volcanoes and her other failed potion works), mice, frogs, anything nasty looking and whatever else her hat can fit in. It's like the pulling-the-rabbit-out-of-the-hat only that you pull these prank-tools instead.

'One question: revenge for what?' James asked as more prank-plan-ingredients poured out of Lily's hat and wand. Amazing how she can keep them in there. Some spell, perhaps.

'For them Maggles. And the Slytherins. And EVERYONE!!!'

'The rest…'

'Retired.'

'Right,' Petunia sniffed. 'Measly wizards and witch. Now teach me how to use these things! And can I keep some for my friends at school? There's this girl I want to go at. Thanks.'

Lily drew a large circle around the dance floor (refreshments aside—no one's at the tables) with the chalk. James released the mice into the chalk-ring. The frogs hopped in voluntarily. Petunia was busy sprinkling the potion vial's contents, deciding that because it's a potion, it's bound to do something. And because it came from Lily, it's at an even greater risk of being something very destructive or evil or something that has got to do with pranks.

She was right. The horrified students had purple chicken poxes in a blink of an eye.

**

'So my room's 139,' James said, holding a small piece of parchment.

'Mine's 140,' Lily said. 'This is like a hotel!' Pastilla and Pattempt had given them their rooms, giggling and winking at each other in a rather mischievous manner. The two Marauders were wondering if it's some kind of a joke, them being famous and all. After all, who wouldn't love to see two of the Marauders's Leaders caught in a 13-year-old prank?

It would be priceless, nevertheless.

Lily opened the door and stared into the black room. She fingered for a switch, but soon hit herself into remembering that this is a wizard house and wizard mansions don't have switches and electricity, let alone hear of them. How many times had that dongo muggle-lover Arthur called electricity Ekplectipity? Hah, and he got full credit for that subject in his OWLs and NEWTs!

'Lumos,' she murmured, pulling her wand out. The faint shimmer of the wands tip brighten the room a little. A candelabra was hanging at one side of the wall. She lighted that, and saw a few more on the other side of the room and further up.

'I thought that house-elves do these jobs!' Lily muttered resentfully. 'No wonder they have so many tinder boxes. Oh well, this placee sure I big, though. Sleep, here I come!!! Watch out for me, Lily Evans Superior Extraordinaire!'

But before sleeping…

'Check the windows,' Lily said to herself. 'Can't have anyone planting owls in the rafters again. Or let in a stream of rain. Or the breeze. Honestly, living near the window's a nightmare in disguise!'

The window was large and of old-fashioned shape. Lily threw it open to check the rafters, and found a spacious balcony. She blinked. She hadn't been transported to some great palace by mistake, has she?

'Hey! Lily!' Adele called. Lily spun. Adele was sitting in her balcony, just next to Lily's. 'Nice place, huh? Like a hotel.'

'Um, yeah…' It reminds her more of the Grand Palace somewhere in some country. Her OB (out of body) exploration couldn't have mistaken this- this gigantic mansion for a palace, could it???

Nah, it's not that stupid!

'Where's James?'

'Over there.'

'There where?'

'Shut up, Adele.'

'Where were you, then? I couldn't find you anywhere a while ago,' Adele said. She turned towards the sky, now clouded with rolling grey clouds. 'Aah… flying with Jimmy now, right?'

Lily snorted. Must lie, must lie. 'Of course not! I was kidnapped for a moment by a dog!'

'Huh? Sirius? You're betraying James?!' Adele cried.

'NO! I didn't say that the dog was a hound! It was a puppy! A- a- a-' Lily's mind raced for "cute, loveable puppies that can kidnap one's sight" or a sort of type. 'A-…!'

Adele stared at her expectantly in amusement, sipping her orange juice.

'A—Argh, I don't know what sorta dog he is! It's not a hound. The end.'

'Liar liar,' Adele sang. 'James's broomstick was nowhere to be seen! Hah, you need better prove, Evans! Anyway, we have pretty big rooms, huh? A large window, ventilation shafts, curtains, four-poster-giant-size-bed and big, fluffy pillows. I'll have a nice sleep!'

'Have your nice sleep, then,' Lily scowled. Adele was annoying her already. Getting on her nerves. 'Well, g'night.'

Lily changed into her pajamas with a simple flick of her wrist, pocketed her wand, wash her face, brushed her teeth and rinsed her feet (according to some superstition; she wasn't quite sure what). She climbed onto the big bed (it seemed much bigger than a king sized one), drew her covers and went to bed.

Promptly five seconds later, she sat bolt upright, wide awake. Someone was definitely in this room. And that somebody was on her bed. And Lily, being at least a wee bit sane, did the one thing that came into her mind: she shrieked.

Surprisingly, so did her invader. And it was a voice she recognize. Lily hurriedly shut her mouth automatically. So did her invader.

Alright, Lily gritted to herself, I'll show this idiot-invader who's the dangerous one in here! Fire!!! Light this room up!

A burst of flames poofed out of nowhere and lighted the room.

Lily stared.

So did her invader.

'What are you doing in my room?' they both yell at the same time.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

AN: my sorry attempt at a cliffhanger EVERYONE knows. Sheesh. It's just too bad that FF.N has to delete this story and I had a bad time hunting for the file in my labyrinth folders [I honestly swear that you'll die losing in there!] and when I FINALLY got them, I realize that the first chapter [this] and the third chapter went in smokes. Don't ask me how. I guess I was lucky to have my diskette copy. I guess I'll get the next chapter out next week, when I'm allowed on the computer again. How hateful. Computer time only TWICE a week. Sheesh, I'm starting to wonder if I live in a different version of Azkaban yet!

 Uhm, I hope FF.N wouldn't delete this story again… *sigh* It's just unfair!!!! I didn't violate the guidelines and I didn't do anything wrong! Weird, don't ask how. I think I'd better pull out my paper and pencil and began questioning now. Just hope Denise's there…

  Review, please? It's okay if you don't want to ^_^