*Since I know you all have been wondering like crazy if God was happy with you for reviewing (since I forgot to mention it before), yes. He is. However, He would be even happier if you would review more! (Wow, I know I'm going to hell for all this bargaining with God's name...::crosses self repeatedly::)*
*Disclaimer ~ ::sob:: Not ::sob:: Mine! ::wails::*
Chapter 4 Plots and Brown-Haired Beauties
"C'mon, guys, will you keep it a secret?" begged James.
"But...but...but, Prongs!" whined Sirius, attempting a puppy-eyed look.
"Nice try, Padfoot, but that only works when you're a dog. Now promise!"
"But...!" Sirius sighed. "Fine. You take all the fun out of everything." He folded his arms and pouted.
"Remus?" asked James.
Remus shrugged. "Fine. But you'll regret this."
"Will not."
"Will too." put in Sirius.
"I'm not even gonna ask." James rolled his eyes. "Peter?"
Peter jumped. "Sorry, what?"
"Do you solemnly promise not to say anything about or pertaining to what has occurred here tonight on pain of death?"
Peter raised his eyebrows in a confused sort of way. "Um, yes?"
James relaxed. "Good."
Sirius raised his hand. "Can we plot how to get Lily to fall even more madly in love with you now?"
"No. And she's not madly in love with me." said James.
"Yes she is."
"No, she isn't."
"Yes she is."
"No she's not"
"Yes."
"No."
"Uh-huh."
"Uh-uh."
"Ye-"
"GUYS!" hollered Remus over their increasingly raised voices. "Shut. Up."
"No."
"She does too, you great moron. You're just too wrapped up in your own love for her that you don't realize it."
James hit his head against the bedpost. Sirius really had picked the perfect animal to change to. Like a dog, he had a nasty tendency to pick something up and shake it around til it was completely and totally maimed. "Sirius. Drop it."
"Um, fascinating as the conversation is, some of us are rather tired. Can we go to bed now?" Remus' calm voice stopped Sirius from responding to James.
"Fine." grumbled Sirius.
"Oh, and Prongs, don't think you got off that easily," said Remus, turning to him. "We will be resuming this conversation tomorrow." He winked and climbed into bed.
James threw himself back onto his bed. He had thousands of thoughts spinning through his head, but only some of them were worth thinking. Did she really like him? Or, to quote Peter, "love him, even?" He didn't know what to think. Sure, she did do things that appeared to be a good sign. Like, she knew he was alive. And there was that comment she made in the hallway, Obviously, it didn't bother me much or I would have said something before. And obviously it didn't bother you, or you would have let go sooner. He could hear her sweet voice running through his head. He wondered if he was stupid to take her (or Sirius, for that matter) seriously.
*
Breakfast the next morning passed almost the same as dinner the night before had. However, this time, Lily and James' friends weren't the only ones who noticed that there was something between them. Over at the other end of the Gryffindor table, there was a group of girls who formed the James Potter Fan Club. "That little ho thinks she's got a chance with him!" exclaimed Genna Rizzieri scathingly.
"Talk about delusional." muttered Lana Buviara. "There's no way that he would ever consider someone like her."
"Tell me about it." echoed Renee LaPew. "Look at her! When she blushes, you can't even tell where her face ends and her hair begins!"
"Still." chimed in Rebecca Brooks. "He does seem to be looking back at her. Though I can't for the life of me imagine why."
Lana furrowed her brow. "You're right." she declared. "Well, now, we're just going to have to do something about this, aren't we?"
Renee nodded. "Yeah, we can't have Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's most eligible ("and popular" said Genna.) young bachelor be taken up by her."
"I even heard she was," Rebecca looked around furtively. "Muggle-born!"
There were collective gasps around the group. "That settles it." announced Lana. "Something must be done."
"And I have the perfect idea..." whispered Genna.
*
"This is great!" squealed Kiara. "We have almost the exact same schedules!"
"Tell me about it." said Lily, thrilled to pieces that they weren't talking about her and James for once. "Except this one. Do either of you have Muggle Studies?"
Kiara and Jordan checked their schedules. "Nope."
"Nah, I don't. Why are you taking that anyway? Your entire family are Muggles."
"I don't know, actually." said Lily. "I guess it would be interesting to see what wizards have to say about them."
"Ehh, I guess you've got a point." commented Jordan.
"Hey, Evans." said a deep, warm voice from behind Lily.
Lily turned around in her seat so fast, she got a crick in her neck. While rubbing her neck, she peered up into the astonishingly deep brown eyes of James Potter. "H-hey!" she choked out.
"What's your schedule?" he asked.
"Oh, um, here!" Lily said, thrusting her schedule at him. Inwardly, she was screaming. Why, oh, why did she become such a bumbling fool in front of him?
"Wow, you're taking Muggle Studies?" he asked interestedly. "That's cool, me too. What do you have before it, ah, Potions. Eurgh, I hate that class."
"Me too." Lily said.
"Well, I've got Potions, too. Wanna walk together to Muggle Studies? Uh, that is, if you're not already walking with your friends here." He blushed, cursing himself for sounding so, well, yucky.
"Yeah." Lily smiled. "Yeah, that'd be great. I don't know anyone else in that class anyway."
He grinned broadly, his blush fading away. "Really? Me either. Well, I do, but they're not really my friends. Just followers."
"Oh, so you've got a little cult going on?" asked Lily, her emerald green eyes sparking mischievously.
"What? I do not!" He laughed. "I meant to say groupies. Or whatever makes sense. I can't really think." He was lost in her eyes, that's why he couldn't think.
About five minutes later (though it felt like seconds to them), a hand came down on James's shoulder. He jumped noticeably. "Padfoot! Dear God, you scared me to death!"
"Sorry, Prongsy." Sirius said jovially. "But you see, the Great Hall's practically empty except for you, Lily and her...friends..." Sirius trailed off because he had just noticed the brown-haired, blue-eyed beauty sitting next to her.
Remus looked at him suspiciously and then carelessly elbowed him in the stomach.
"Moony! Ow!"
"Sorry, Padfoot, elbow spasm." grinned Remus.
*And the much-awaited chapter four has been completed, with help from my dearly darling devoted friend Lauren! For those of you who are interested, ::dating show music plays:: Lauren is annoyed with all things male and likes randomly screaming out *ahem* "LEONARD JAMES!!!" If you don't get it, don't ask. It's safer that way. Anyway, the chapter with the James Potter fan club was influenced by one of my dear reviewers, Wo Ai Ni16. Luv ya, hun, you are the greatest. And answering DDR (and James') FREAK's question, yes, James is popular. But I didn't want to involve too many characters seeing as how I would most likely end up confusing them with another one, which would make all you dear readers, confused and that wouldn't be too great. I did hint at it though in this chapter with the JPFC plot. Anyway, love you all! Keep reviewing! If you ask a question, I'll do my best to respond. ::grins and waves:: 'Til next time, mes amies!*
