****NEW CHAPTER****

Yay!!!! *bounces around room madly* *begins to put tinsel crowns on all the slytherins* *sits in a corner*

Ahem – time for my famous disclaimer –

JK had a little book,

It was worth a very long look

And every time JK updated

People wrote fanfiction about her fated

Yeah… that's about it, I'm afraid. Am I losing my touch? *looks really worried* *looks at you with big, imploring eyes*

I own Kiki and Jake. Kiki is at the moment snogging Sirius senseless, while Jake is hunting mice.

Extra special thanks to Aracelis (for leaving a review on each chapter), izzy (for loving my disclaimer), Camille (for making me laugh), Winter Athanasia Tumber (for being the first person to review), Scarlett Phoenix (for applauding) and Sierra Charm for leaving me a long review. You all get paper crowns.

***

Lily walked over to Sirius, who was still sitting on the floor. She waved a hand in front of his face uncertainly. "Sirius…"

Sighing, she turned to James. "James…"

She crossed her arms, and tapped her foot. "Look, the seventh years girls are washing the Quidditch brooms in their bikinis!"

Sirius head snapped. "What? Where?" He immediately ran out of the room. She thought she could hear faint yells of, "Don't worry, I'm coming girls!" but she wasn't sure.

She sat on the floor with them. "So," she offered. "What brought on this bout of gleam syndrome?"

Remus pointed at the poster. "Ball," was his reply.

Lily walked up. This was the first year she had actually bought new, flattering robes… after coming back from France with her stunning new look, her self-confidence had escalated. She wondered who she would go with – maybe the person who kept on leaving her gifts.

She leant closer. Masquerade?

***

"—she said there would be bikinis—"

"—why the hell were you out on the Quidditch pitch all night you idiot—"

"—she promised bikinis—"

"—Sirius, get a grip—"

"—James, you were not the one waiting on the Quidditch pitch all night—"

"—why did you? Lily was lying—"

"—but bikinis… Lily was lying?—"

James and Remus stopped in the hall, and gave Sirius incredulous looks. "Yes, Lily was lying, she was trying to get you out of your – what we now like to call – 'Stage One'."

"Besides, we are now late for Defence Against the Dark Arts," Remus added.

James shot him a look. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

***

Professor Dakin rubbed his hands together. "You are now in your sixth year at Hogwarts," he began. "And nearly finished school. When you all graduate, the world will face you with more perils that you would have ever dreamed possible."

Lily sat quietly, listening attentively. Next to her, Kiki was busy squeezing Sirius on the knee, while he was busy transfiguring pieces of paper into little toy giraffes, which Remus was then stealing and putting on top of James's head. To which he had not noticed yet, because was writing on a little piece of parchment.

Dear Lily, he wrote.

You have the green eyes of a frog.

No, that would never do.

You have the beautiful red hair of a mashed chilli pepper.

He crumpled up the paper. Damn it – one of the cleverest boys in Hogwarts, and he still could not tell Lily how he felt. Because he was very, very, very scared as to how she might react. He could imagine it now…

James walked up to Lily, and handed her a bunch of flowers. "I really like you Lily," he said shyly. "Will you go to the ball with me?" She smiled at him, reached for the flowers – then slapped him and walked away, leaving him with tiny pieces of broken heart.

Or maybe…

 He sent her a note in Potions, telling her how wonderful she was… she came up to him, lovingly wrapped her arms around her neck - – then slapped him and walked away, leaving him with tiny pieces of broken heart.

He was beginning to sense a pattern here.

"James Potter."

His head snapped up. "What?"

Professor Dakin motioned for him to come up the front, and he did so, sending a puzzled look to the rest of the gang. James stood in front of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw sixth years, hands in his robes pockets, blinking.

"James."

He nodded.

"Would you please demonstrate something to the class for me?"

He nodded.

And waited.

And waited.

"Well, what?" he broke the silence with.

"The Nemiculus Kionit charm, if you do not mind. Perhaps if you had been listening, you would have known what I was referring to." Professor Dakin frowned suddenly, but motioned for James to go ahead.

He took a deep breath, raised his arms, and chanted, "Nemiculus Kionit, Nemiculus Kionit!"

And promptly fell flat on his face.

The whole class was in an uproar… especially Sirius, who was laughing and pounding the table so hard he didn't notice he was sending slivers of wood going everywhere.

But, when James didn't get up, the laughing began to die uncertainly.

Murmurs rose…

And Professor Dakins stepped in to investigate.

***

OOOHH, aren't I mean? *giggles* Nah nah nah nah nah… well, you will only find out what happens if you review… and if you do, we will see something very special come your way. No, it isn't Sirius wrapped in a golden bow and delivered piping hot from your oven *begins to get glazed look* but something much, much better…

Please review, but do not flame. If you can't say anything nice, then please say nothing at all.

I love you all, I live for your reviews, and no chapters come till I get lots. *scrunches up face and laughs*

Lol, love ya. Review!!!