Disclaimer: Anything you recognise does not belong to me it belongs to JK Rowling. I'm not making anything from this, so please don't sue me.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews – Greatly appreciated!! – Hope you like this chapter? Sorry for the delay but it wasn't my entire fault. I promise to try and get the next couple of chapters out much, much quicker.
*INTER-HOUSE CO-OPERATION*
Lily sat in classes on Monday thinking how great the weekend had been compared to the feelings of dread that were building in her for tonight's prefects meeting. They had to make a decision tonight about the Halloween ball; Professor Dumbledore was coming to the meeting to see how they were getting on and to listen to their suggestions for a theme. So far it was the Slytherin prefects who were causing the problem, as they wouldn't agree to any of the suggestions made so far.
As dinner came to an end that evening and the rest of the student body made it's way back to the dormitories the seventh year house prefects walked to the back of the great hall and into the prefects meeting room.
As they all took their seats James spoke "Can we all settle down?…We need to make a decision about the Halloween ball…Are there any new suggestion?" James looked around the room to see if anybody had anything to say. Seeing no hands being raised James, said, "Ok…I will remind you of the choices so far and we will have to select one of those"
As James finished with the reminder the room burst into heated discussion about the possible themes for the ball, as was expected the Slytherin's were being difficult. Just then the door opened and Professor Dumbledore entered the meeting room.
"Good evening" he said to the now silent room.
James responded for the group "Good evening Professor and welcome to the seventh year prefects meeting." Pausing James hoped that now that the professor was there the Slytherin's would at least behave them selves.
Looking around the room Professor Dumbledore said, "So have you come to an agreement about the Halloween ball?"
"Unfortunately no Professor we were still in the middle of discussions when you arrived" Lily answered "It seems we have come to a little impasse as some of the prefects (Lily cast a glance at the Slytherin contingency) seem to be unprepared to compromise"
Following Lily's glance Professor Dumbledore decided to take matters into his own hands "Alas as you seem unable to reach a decision then I will set the theme for you." Pausing to let this sink in he looked at each of them in turn and then said, "I think that the ball should be about inter-house co-operation"
At this each set of house representative's bunched together and started to mumble about the proposed idea.
Clearing his throat Professor Dumbledore said "I'm glad to see it has sparked interest in all of you" eyes twinkling as he noted that virtually every student around the table raised their eyebrows at him and the Slytherin's looked particularly disgusted. "Let me give you the outline and then I'll leave you to iron out the details" most were now rolling their eyes at him, ignoring this he continued "Only fifth years and above…Students must find a partner from another house…formal dress robes"
Now the Slytherin's looked outraged and the Hufflepuff's looked horrified with the Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's shrugging.
Noting the body language of them he added a further point "To set a good example I think prefects should partner each other"
This caused the two female Hufflepuff's to look like they were going to faint.
Standing up Professor Dumbledore said "Thank you for inviting me to your meeting and I will leave you now to finalise some of the details"
As the door closed behind him the noise factor in the prefects meeting room trebled as they all started to voice their concerns about the idea. After a few minutes James decided that he had had enough and standing he banged his hand on the table to get everyone's attention.
"Alright…No point moaning about it…I doubt Professor Dumbledore is going to change his mind so lets assign partners" pausing for breath James was interrupted by a hissing sound.
Sneering Lucius Malfoy said, "Who died and made you god?"
Not rising to the bait James remained calm "I do believe that as HEAD BOY I have some authority or do you disagreeing"
Knowing he was out ranked Malfoy rolled his eyes but remained silent.
James had noted the reaction of the Hufflepuff's and decide to deal with them first. "Remus with Hannah and Danny with Jane" the two female Hufflepuff's smiled at him and both gave a sigh of relief. Looking around at the rest he carried on and paired the two male Hufflepuff's with the two female Ravenclaw's. James assigned Patrick Boot the other Ravenclaw prefect Scarlet Zabini from Slytherin, at this James smiled thinking well that gets Boot back for kissing Lily last year and it should annoy the hell out of Zabini that his twin sister has to go with a Ravenclaw Quidditch player. Hearing who he was paired with Patrick Boot smirked at James knowing exactly why he had got assigned a Slytherin.
Assessing those left James gave Aggy a look that said I'm sorry and said "Aggy with Malfoy, Snape with Lily" at this James grimaced but knew he had no choice. Turning to the only person left James bowed slightly saying, "I will be your partner Narcissa"
Lucius Malfoy looked ready to explode but held his tongue, which was made harder when James smiled at him. It was decided that the fifth and sixth year prefects would also be paired off during their next meetings later in the week and that the rest of the student body would not be informed of the details of the ball until much closer the time.
*****
The weeks leading up to Halloween passed by quickly for the student's of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. The week before the ball Professor Dumbledore called upon James and Lily to stand up one evening after dinner and announce the theme for this year's ball.
As the words left James's mouth the great hall erupted into a frenzy of loud voices as all those from fifth year and above started to talk at once.
As Lily and James returned to they're seats Sirius Black said "Thanks Prongs…You really know how to kill the moment" and rolled his eyes at them.
"It's no fun for us either we are already paired up" James said, "I'm with Narcissa, Lily-Snape, Aggy-Malfoy and Remus with Hannah from Hufflepuff"
Lily had noticed the smile on Annie's face and chuckled "You don't need to look so smug…Danny is also paired up with a Hufflepuff" pausing and noticing the dismayed look on Annie's face Lily said, "Professor Dumbledore insisted that all the prefects were paired with each other"
The only person who still looked happy was Peter who would be the only one of them to get to go to the ball with his girlfriends due to the fact that she was a Slytherin.
Looking put out Aggy said, "It's alright for you lot (waving at the boys) because you still get to sit together at a Gryffindor table no matter whom you end up partnering." A grimace spread over her face "Which means that Lily and I are stuck on a bloody Slytherin table"
Silence descended over the friends as this statement sunk in. Smiling Marie looked at her friends and said "Annie you and I will have to get Slytherin dates for the ball so that we girls can at least sit together." Watching Annie wince at the suggestion Marie slapped her on the arm and said "Oh come on a little Slytherin torture will be fun…especially when we get to do it all together"
The four girls glanced at each other and evil little smiles twitched over their faces. Watching the exchange Remus said "For the first time in my life I actually feel sorry for the Slytherin's…They really don't know what they have coming…God help them"
The other boys nodded and they all burst out laughing at the thought of traumatised Slytherin's.
*****
Annie and Marie had no problems getting a date for the ball, the four seventh year female Gryffindor's were by far the best looking girls in School. Julius Flint made a beeline for Annie as soon as they entered potions the day after the announcement and Zabini who sneering at Sirius closely followed him as he informed Marie that she would be his partner for the ball.
Sirius asked Marcy Tarlatan from Hufflepuff who turned a beetroot colour and giggled as she nodded at him. Sirius groaned inwardly at the sight of the timid girl and thought oh well could be worse
Through out all this Peter sat with a smug expression on his face.
*****
Finally Halloween had arrived but the senior students of Hogwarts School were not very excited at the prospect of the up coming ball. The need to find a partner from a different house had managed to quell the normally over enthusiastic students.
As breakfast came to an end James Grimaced as he said, "Well let's go and make arrangements about where and when we are going meet the devil's spawn this evening"
Getting up the little band of Gryffindor's headed across the great hall towards the Slytherin table. As they reached their seventh year classmates, the friends stopped and James spoke for the group.
"We will meet you lot (waving his hand at them) at seven O'clock outside the great hall" catching the sneer on Lucius Malfoy's face James's features hardened as he said "Don't be late as you know the prefects are opening the ball." James allowed his gaze to fall upon the teacher's table to emphasize his meaning to the group of Slytherin's.
Turning his icy grey eyes up to meet the tall dark haired Gryffindor Lucius Malfoy curled his lip "Don't worry Potter we will be here" smirking as he lazily glanced over at the girls "Just make sure you are dressed in a suitable manner that befits partnering a pureblood"
Lily noticed James's right hand flex and she lay her hand on his arm "James don't"
With one last glare at Malfoy James took her hand in his and led her away from the Slytherin table and towards the doors of the great hall.
It wasn't long before they had reached the Gryffindor tower and the girls headed back to their dormitory while the boys remained in the common room playing chess. After about a hour James said "Well are we going into Hogsmeades or not?" Remus and Peter nodded while Sirius just looked miserable.
James said "Alright I'll go and see if the girls are coming?
It wasn't long before James was heading back down the stairs followed by the four girls wrapped in their winter cloaks. Sirius gave them a list of things that he wanted and then shrugged as he watched them all head out of the portrait. He didn't sit alone for long as the small second year jumped on him from behind the couch. Sirius spent the rest of the morning helping Tara with her homework and then he escorted her down to the great hall for lunch. This was an experience with a difference for Sirius to eat lunch surrounded by the undivided attention of Tara and her friends.
Returning to the tower after lunch Sirius was pleased and a little relieved to find his friends sitting around the fire chatting. As much as he loved being with Tara, four excitable second year Gryffindor girls were more than he could cope with. Moving over to the sofa Sirius smiled at them and pulled Marie up before sitting down and pulling her into his lap, hugging her tight to him and planting a kiss on her cheek.
Sitting comfortably on Remus's knee Aggy looked around at her friends and stretching her leg out she casually nudged Lily with her foot. Lily Evans who had been sat whispering with James for the last ten minutes turned her head towards the owner of the foot that had just kicked her. A sly grin on her face Aggy nudged her again but this time put a little more forced behind it.
"Aggy" Lily said as she glared at her friend and then swotted the offending foot away, but to Lily's dismay it was returned immediately and the force behind it this time was such that Lily found herself sliding off James's knee and heading for the floor.
James managed to grab her just in time before she landed on the rug in front of the fire. Settling herself back on James's knee Lily glared at Aggy and uttered, "This is war"
Smirking at each other, legs extended the girls engaged in a foot war with the looser being the first one who ended up on the floor.
All the while this was going on two boys sat some what stunned at the behaviour of their normally very sensible and mature girlfriends.
Never one to miss an opportunity Sirius Black joined the fray "Go on Lily you can take her". This caused both girls to laugh and go into overdrive and Remus to roll his eyes at his so called friend for encouraging them.
Not wanting the others to have all the fun Marie Devon moved closer to Aggy shouting, "Come on Aggy" and sticking her tongue at Sirius. The lines had been drawn and Annie took it upon her self to be commentator. The noise attracted the attention of the rest of the house who mostly rolled their eyes and ignored the lunatic antics of the seventh years.
Aggy spied her chance as she noticed Lily throw her head back in response to something James had whispered to her and with one almighty push Lily found her self arms flailing and tumbling towards the floor.
In the next second Sirius had hoisted Aggy off Remus's lap and was doing a victory lap of the common room with her. As he came back to the sofa he dumped her back down on Remus's lap.
Lily looked up at him and said, "Bloody turn coat"
All the friends looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Chuckling Aggy said "Well that lightened the mood in here" and they all started laughing again but this time Aggy found her self buried underneath a human pyramid fondly known as her friends.
As the afternoon wore on the girls found themselves sat on Marie's bed discussing the forth-coming evening. They made decisions about outfits, make-up and hair styles a lot of sharing and borrowing took place as the perfect combinations were found for each of them.
*****
A/N: Next chapter will cover the ball and should be up by the end of the week at the latest. I know this is a bit short but I wanted to get something posted. Please don't forget to click the button and let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading
Madame Padfoot