A/N: My apologies for how stinking long it's taken me to write this
chapter. I was in a perfectionist mood, and wanted it to be absolutely
perfect in every way. Bad mood for me to be in. That means it takes forever
to write one paragraph. Oh, and throw in there my classes, midterms, and
entire family being home. Needless to say, the next chapter hopefully won't
be so long in coming. I hope you enjoy anyways! Ang
Lily balanced the tray of drinks and the tray of food, trying to open the door. Remus glanced up lazily and groaned loudly. He was on his feet in a second, and got the door. Remus gave her an amused look, and Lily grinned.
"Mom was yelling at me to be a good hostess, and that door's hard to open. I'm too lazy to make two trips." Lily explained, smiling. James smirked.
"And a proper hostess never asks for help, huh?" He asked. Lily blushed, but laughed.
"Well, you'd know more about that than I would, James. I'm sure you play hostess to lots of people." Lily tossed at him. Sirius smirked, and suddenly grimaced.
"Not so sure I'd like to see him in that French maid outfit I was picturing you in, Lils..." Sirius said, eliciting laughter from the group. Peter and Remus shuddered. James looked at Sirius in shock.
"Hey, I'd look damn good, and you know it, Sirius. You're just jealous that you couldn't look as good." James retorted. Sirius grinned.
"My legs are too fat. And don't even get me started on my butt!" Sirius complained. Amy giggled.
"And you'd have to wax, Sirius. The hair look is out." Peter cut in. All of them laughed, and settled down with their food and lemonade. Meanwhile, Petunia Evans was inside, scowling at the friends.
"Honestly, Mother, how can you allow them to be here?" Petunia demanded. Camille sighed.
"Petunia, they're Lily's friends. They have as much right to be here as your friends do, dear." Camille told her eldest daughter softly. Petunia huffed in annoyance.
"Well, they better not be hanging around the house when Vernon comes." Petunia scowled. Camille set the plate that she was drying down.
"Petunia, dear, I know that Vernon Dursley is very important to you. Lily knows that too. She's already said that they are all going out to dinner at Wok Palace tonight. So it will be just you, Vernon, Dad, and I for dinner." Camille soothed. Petunia hesitated.
"And they won't be here at all?" Petunia asked. Camille shook her head.
"No, sweetheart. They're going into town in a little bit, and won't be home until late." Camille sighed again. Petunia smiled.
"Good." She said. Camille didn't bother to comment, and only went back to her dishes. Petunia ran upstairs to get ready for her date.
"Ooh, I forgot to warn everyone. Petunia's boyfriend is coming over tonight, so we can't be around." Lily told her friends. "So we're going out for dinner. Hope ya'll like Chinese..." Lily trailed off nervously. Remus grinned.
"Even if you don't, Wok Palace rocks. Coolest place ever." Remus stretched out a bit more. "Hey Lils, honestly, how can she date that Muggle idiot?" Lily shrugged.
"No idea. I mean, it'd be like some girl actually dating you," Lily said nonchalantly. Remus looked at her in shock. He tackled her, and they both rolled into the pond, laughing.
"Cold blow, Lils." James grinned. Lily flashed him a smile.
"Great, wasn't it?" She laughed. Amy rolled her eyes.
"Lils, just one question for ya. Can you and Remus get any more obvious about your flirting?!" Amy demanded. Lily blushed hotly and picked up the tray to take it inside.
"I, uh, don't know what you're talking about, Amy." Lily walked quickly inside. She missed seeing Remus blushing as badly as she was. James and Sirius, however, did not miss it.
"Seems you've picked up a crush, Remus." James smirked at Sirius, who grinned.
"They always say, girl next door..." Sirius added. Peter smiled thoughtfully.
"She is awfully pretty, Remus." Peter cut in. Remus was glaring daggers at the guys. Amy and Michelle were laughing.
"Just shut up, ok? Lily and I are friends..." Remus muttered.
"We know. But what kind of friends?" Sirius taunted.
"Friendships can always develop into something more, you know." James ducked as Remus swung at him.
"Would it make you feel any better if we told you Lily likes you?" Amy soothed. Remus looked up suddenly.
"She does?! I mean, umm..." Remus realized his mistake too late.
"So you do like her!" Sirius grinned triumphantly. James smirked. Lily walked outside right then and the group decided to drop the subject. Lily had regained her composure.
"Ok, I'm starving, and Petunia's starting to get bitchy, so let's go." Lily smiled sweetly. Remus's heart jumped into his throat. He forced himself to stay calm.
"Wait, wait, wait... Think about what you just said, Lily. She's starting to get bitchy?! She is naturally!" Remus scolded. Lily laughed honestly.
"Hey, I have to sound like the sweet, innocent, perfect baby sister. I have to keep up my image here, Remmybear." Lily teased. Everyone, including Remus, started laughing.
"Yeah right. You, innocent?" Sirius grinned. Remus stepped casually in front of Lily.
"She's innocent all right. And don't even think about turning her otherwise. I kind of like having her this way. More fun to tease her." Remus's voice was light, but Sirius got the hint. He unconsciously took a step backwards. Amy had to grab his arm to keep him from falling backwards into the lake.
"Smooth, Sirius. Remmy, I doubt you have much to worry about. This boy'd trip over his own feet while standing still. I'd love to see him tongue tied, trying to recite poetry though." Amy released her hold on Sirius, who blushed faintly.
"I think that of all of the guys here, I'd be the worst at poetry recitation." Peter admitted, blushing. Amy, Lily, and Michelle looked at each other, an idea forming in their minds.
"We'll have to see about that. A contest, shall we say?" Lily mused. The guys looked at each other nervously.
"Err, Lils, what kind of contest...?" Sirius asked, his voice trembling. Lily smiled innocently.
"Poetry contest, Siridarling. You boys each write or find a poem. You'll recite it. Not read it, mind. Recite it. That means memorization. Michelle, Amy, and I will judge how you do. What should the prize be, Amy and Michelle?" Lily's voice was dripping with sweetness. Michelle smirked.
"Why, we'll give them what they've always wanted, of course." Michelle imitated Lily's tone.
"You'll have to get a bit more specific than that, Michelle." James's voice sounded hollow. He was extremely anxious to know what the prize was, but he refused to sacrifice his Potter pride and let them know that.
"A date. With any or all of us girls. 1 of you will win the contest, and take any or all of us any where of your choice, for one evening. Maybe even a full day, depending on how well you do with the recitation." Lily tossed this over her shoulder as she went inside to get her purse.
The boys looked at each other, excited. This was better than they'd ever hoped for! A chance to go out with all three of them at one time was a definite fantasy that all four boys had harbored for the past year.
For their part, the girls were also excited. They hadn't mentioned to the Marauders that there would be a nice large audience for their poems. In fact, the whole school would be invited. But the guys didn't need to know that quite yet.
Lily balanced the tray of drinks and the tray of food, trying to open the door. Remus glanced up lazily and groaned loudly. He was on his feet in a second, and got the door. Remus gave her an amused look, and Lily grinned.
"Mom was yelling at me to be a good hostess, and that door's hard to open. I'm too lazy to make two trips." Lily explained, smiling. James smirked.
"And a proper hostess never asks for help, huh?" He asked. Lily blushed, but laughed.
"Well, you'd know more about that than I would, James. I'm sure you play hostess to lots of people." Lily tossed at him. Sirius smirked, and suddenly grimaced.
"Not so sure I'd like to see him in that French maid outfit I was picturing you in, Lils..." Sirius said, eliciting laughter from the group. Peter and Remus shuddered. James looked at Sirius in shock.
"Hey, I'd look damn good, and you know it, Sirius. You're just jealous that you couldn't look as good." James retorted. Sirius grinned.
"My legs are too fat. And don't even get me started on my butt!" Sirius complained. Amy giggled.
"And you'd have to wax, Sirius. The hair look is out." Peter cut in. All of them laughed, and settled down with their food and lemonade. Meanwhile, Petunia Evans was inside, scowling at the friends.
"Honestly, Mother, how can you allow them to be here?" Petunia demanded. Camille sighed.
"Petunia, they're Lily's friends. They have as much right to be here as your friends do, dear." Camille told her eldest daughter softly. Petunia huffed in annoyance.
"Well, they better not be hanging around the house when Vernon comes." Petunia scowled. Camille set the plate that she was drying down.
"Petunia, dear, I know that Vernon Dursley is very important to you. Lily knows that too. She's already said that they are all going out to dinner at Wok Palace tonight. So it will be just you, Vernon, Dad, and I for dinner." Camille soothed. Petunia hesitated.
"And they won't be here at all?" Petunia asked. Camille shook her head.
"No, sweetheart. They're going into town in a little bit, and won't be home until late." Camille sighed again. Petunia smiled.
"Good." She said. Camille didn't bother to comment, and only went back to her dishes. Petunia ran upstairs to get ready for her date.
"Ooh, I forgot to warn everyone. Petunia's boyfriend is coming over tonight, so we can't be around." Lily told her friends. "So we're going out for dinner. Hope ya'll like Chinese..." Lily trailed off nervously. Remus grinned.
"Even if you don't, Wok Palace rocks. Coolest place ever." Remus stretched out a bit more. "Hey Lils, honestly, how can she date that Muggle idiot?" Lily shrugged.
"No idea. I mean, it'd be like some girl actually dating you," Lily said nonchalantly. Remus looked at her in shock. He tackled her, and they both rolled into the pond, laughing.
"Cold blow, Lils." James grinned. Lily flashed him a smile.
"Great, wasn't it?" She laughed. Amy rolled her eyes.
"Lils, just one question for ya. Can you and Remus get any more obvious about your flirting?!" Amy demanded. Lily blushed hotly and picked up the tray to take it inside.
"I, uh, don't know what you're talking about, Amy." Lily walked quickly inside. She missed seeing Remus blushing as badly as she was. James and Sirius, however, did not miss it.
"Seems you've picked up a crush, Remus." James smirked at Sirius, who grinned.
"They always say, girl next door..." Sirius added. Peter smiled thoughtfully.
"She is awfully pretty, Remus." Peter cut in. Remus was glaring daggers at the guys. Amy and Michelle were laughing.
"Just shut up, ok? Lily and I are friends..." Remus muttered.
"We know. But what kind of friends?" Sirius taunted.
"Friendships can always develop into something more, you know." James ducked as Remus swung at him.
"Would it make you feel any better if we told you Lily likes you?" Amy soothed. Remus looked up suddenly.
"She does?! I mean, umm..." Remus realized his mistake too late.
"So you do like her!" Sirius grinned triumphantly. James smirked. Lily walked outside right then and the group decided to drop the subject. Lily had regained her composure.
"Ok, I'm starving, and Petunia's starting to get bitchy, so let's go." Lily smiled sweetly. Remus's heart jumped into his throat. He forced himself to stay calm.
"Wait, wait, wait... Think about what you just said, Lily. She's starting to get bitchy?! She is naturally!" Remus scolded. Lily laughed honestly.
"Hey, I have to sound like the sweet, innocent, perfect baby sister. I have to keep up my image here, Remmybear." Lily teased. Everyone, including Remus, started laughing.
"Yeah right. You, innocent?" Sirius grinned. Remus stepped casually in front of Lily.
"She's innocent all right. And don't even think about turning her otherwise. I kind of like having her this way. More fun to tease her." Remus's voice was light, but Sirius got the hint. He unconsciously took a step backwards. Amy had to grab his arm to keep him from falling backwards into the lake.
"Smooth, Sirius. Remmy, I doubt you have much to worry about. This boy'd trip over his own feet while standing still. I'd love to see him tongue tied, trying to recite poetry though." Amy released her hold on Sirius, who blushed faintly.
"I think that of all of the guys here, I'd be the worst at poetry recitation." Peter admitted, blushing. Amy, Lily, and Michelle looked at each other, an idea forming in their minds.
"We'll have to see about that. A contest, shall we say?" Lily mused. The guys looked at each other nervously.
"Err, Lils, what kind of contest...?" Sirius asked, his voice trembling. Lily smiled innocently.
"Poetry contest, Siridarling. You boys each write or find a poem. You'll recite it. Not read it, mind. Recite it. That means memorization. Michelle, Amy, and I will judge how you do. What should the prize be, Amy and Michelle?" Lily's voice was dripping with sweetness. Michelle smirked.
"Why, we'll give them what they've always wanted, of course." Michelle imitated Lily's tone.
"You'll have to get a bit more specific than that, Michelle." James's voice sounded hollow. He was extremely anxious to know what the prize was, but he refused to sacrifice his Potter pride and let them know that.
"A date. With any or all of us girls. 1 of you will win the contest, and take any or all of us any where of your choice, for one evening. Maybe even a full day, depending on how well you do with the recitation." Lily tossed this over her shoulder as she went inside to get her purse.
The boys looked at each other, excited. This was better than they'd ever hoped for! A chance to go out with all three of them at one time was a definite fantasy that all four boys had harbored for the past year.
For their part, the girls were also excited. They hadn't mentioned to the Marauders that there would be a nice large audience for their poems. In fact, the whole school would be invited. But the guys didn't need to know that quite yet.
