A/N: Two things. The chapter's short, but there is an end result. I'll pull a JK (to whom we totally dedicate this fic to) and tell you that if I push the long chapters, the end result will suck. Second thing, my beta Le Chat Qui Garde La Lune is writing the prequel to this fic.. It's really cool and she knows all the details, don't doubt it. Enjoy the fic, and read Le Chat Qui Garde La Lune's prequel!

  "It's perfect. Let's go." Belle demanded.
  "It's horrible and smoky purple. I need something like the other gifts I gave her, but better." James told her.
  "I have the Shopping Nazi for a shopping buddy, you know that?" She replied impatiently, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. They stood outside a variety of shops on the wooden sidewalk (this week's Hogsmeade theme was Merlin's Beach Boardwalk).
  "What have you given her, anyway?"
  "Dresses, necklaces, velvet-covered books, floaty bubble things.. And this locket. I've seen her wear, but she doesn't know it belongs to me." James absentmindedly muttered.
  "There's no point in you being here, it's just wasting your time. Point me to the best shops in town and enjoy a butterbeer or something."

  Belle paused. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"
  "Heavens, no, I just know what I need. Have fun." He was so distracted he didn't even notice the look on Belle's face- half torn between confusion and satisfaction.
 
  Lily rushed away to a dark alley and pulled out her wand. "Lumos." She muttered. The light shone right onto her chest. She used her unused hand to pull out the locket that had been safely tucked into her blouse for three years. She had never been able to open it, even with her magical skills. It seemed to have some sort of curse on it. The locket! She had been wearing the locket through everything. Falling in love with James and falling out of love with him and falling into love- That was it! She removed the locket as soon as she could, unlit her wand, and clutched the locket in her hand tightly.

  "Figure this out." Lily threw the locket at Coco, the History of Magic expert. 
  "Nice, really. Gryffindor, naturally."
  "Tell me something I don't know, will you?" Lily demanded impatiently.
  "Where did you get it?" She asked, standing up. Rosmerta's followed the Hogsmeade theme of the week. And outside, instead of dirt roads, they had sand roads.
  "It was lying around Gryffindor tower. Three years ago. I tried selling it in a fundraiser, but it's like they couldn't even see it on the table. I've been wearing it ever since." Lily explained quickly.
  "And you are bringing this to me because…?" Coco inspected it. "It won't open."
  "Precisely. I think it's cursed." Lily told her.
  "We have to take it to the jewelry store. They'd know more than I do." She replied.

  Lily groaned. "Fine, fine."

  "How exactly did this piece come to you, Ms. Bernhardt?" The man asked over the table.
  "Why?" She demanded impatiently, but then figured her cover would be blown. "I just found it at a flea market."
  "Well, it's been missing from the Royal Gryffindor Jewelry Treasury for centuries." He replied. "It has a curse on it."
  "I knew it!" Belle exclaimed.
  He looked puzzled. "The curse is for the one who's destined to be the heir's bride. They've been quite frantic to find it. Usually only the one who is destined to marry the heir can see it, but seeing as the curse is quite old."
  "Excuse me?" Coco asked.
  "Well, it is kind of good that it's been missing. They don't want the heir to get married this time. It would kill him."
  "You've lost me." Belle told him flatly.
  "I really ought not to tell you, you are close to the heir, you realize""
  Belle realized what Coco couldn't.
  "Well, I plan on sending it back. How might I do that?" She demanded.
  "First, I will write to the Queen herself and tell her that it's been found. And you can send it back via owl." The man replied. "My owls will know how to find you to contact you."
  "Thank you, sir." Belle clasped the locket tightly and swept out of the store.

  "I'm looking for Belle, Clarisse. Where might I find her?" James asked Clarisse, who was standing in front of the ice cream shop wistfully.
  "Oh, I believe she and Coco went back to the castle, James." Clarisse muttered. "If you see Remus, do tell him that I am waiting."
  "That I will, Clarisse." He replied. "Castle?"

  "What is going on, Lily?" Coco asked.
  "The heir of Gryffindor?" She replied, raising her eyebrows. Coco shook her head confusedly.
  "That's James." Lily said simply.
  Coco gasped and nearly fainted.
  "And according to some dumb curse, I am supposed to marry him. This is so complicated." Lily muttered, sitting down on the wooden sidewalk.
  "Well, everyone knew that." Coco said, rolling her eyes.
  "Knew what?" Lily demanded.
  "That you were going to marry him. After the entire story got out, we were only betting on how long it would take you to realize that. Guess magic does have its perks."
  "Who said I was going to marry James" I mean he's--."
  James headed over to the ice cream shop across the street and began talking to Clarisse.
  "Handsome."
  "Shut up, Coco."
  "Athletic."
  "Coco!"
  "Tan."
  "I am not hearing this!"
  "Intelligent."
  "Coco Chen!"
  "Kind."
  Lily gave in. "Sweet."
  "Rich."
  "That is not one of his qualities."
  "Caring."
  "What a hunk-a-hunk-a-burnin" love." Lily said with a sigh.  "Damn you, Coco!  Now I do have to marry him!"
  "You would have done it anyway, Lils." Coco replied simply.

  "They're not in there, Sean?" James asked.
  "I swear. The last time I saw them was yesterday." Sean Barnes replied, as he and Nick continued to toss the Quaffle back and forth.
  "Thanks. I'll look for them in the tower." James replied.
  "What's with the package, or is it a holiday secret"" (A/N: A line from the play I was just in!) Nick asked.
  "Holiday secret." James replied with a grin. (A/N: Not a line from the play I was just in.)
  "For Lily?" Sean asked.
  "Yeah." James said wistfully. "Got to find Belle."
  "Off to the Ravenclaw Common Room, 'cause it's the best!" Lily sang as she and Coco headed over to the Common Room.
  "Oh there you are! James has been looking for you." Sean said as he saw the two girls slide down the rope ladder.
  "He has? I wonder why." Lily murmured in confusion.
  "Well, he's heading for the tower." Nick said. "Plan on catching up with him?"
  "Nah, it probably isn't important." Lily told him. "I've been on my feet all day. Let me get some rest."

  James looked around the Common Room and saw that they weren't there. So he headed up to Belle's dormitory. Her private sanctuary. Funny, while he knew almost all of his friends went up there, he had never done so himself. He headed up the stairs and opened the door.

  "What's going to happen if James discovers we're not in the Common Room, Lils?" Coco asked.
  "Then he'll go up to my, oh my goodness!" Lily exclaimed, getting up very quickly. "I have to go."
  "Why?" Nick asked. Sean slapped him upside the head.
  "Are you that stupid? Her dormitory, you idiot! Where she keeps all of her stuff. Emphasis on ALL." Sean told him.

  James noticed that there were two boxes sitting underneath the window with notes on top of them.

Lily-
  I just cannot find room for these in your bedroom. Simply because of everything that is in there because of the remodeling. You will be stopping at home before you returning to Hogwarts, correct" My English is improving, is it not?

Cherie

  James thought that maybe her aunt called her Lily, but at the train station, both of her guardians had called her Isabelle. On the floor next to the boxes were letters. Written in robin eggs blue ink and a familiar handwriting.

  "Dear Lily.." He murmured. He speedily ripped open the boxes. There were things that were familiar.
  Sketches of Munguldus's in sleek white frames, yearbooks, several of the birthday gifts he had given Lily- And a photo frame of them on the gazebo steps three years ago. And Belle opened the door, her breath ragged and the look on her face that could only be labeled as shock.

B/N: lol Beta's note B/N!!! Anyway this is Le Chat Qui Garde La Lune and I just wanted to remind you all to r/r my prequel. Also I have been given explicit instructions by Mandy and I know this fic better than almost anyone other than Mandy herself so don't worry about details. Chapter 1 though I warn you isn't much mine at all, almost all the dialogue is from chapter 3 of this fic. E-mail me at isabelle_belle_2002@yahoo.fr or IM me at klikittyklak (AIM) if you want anything. TTFN, -Isabelle