Chapter 7: Sock Puppets and Simultaneous Conversations
A 16-year-old Lily Evans poured over her Charms book. So engrossed, she didn't quite seem to notice things were going on behind her.
"Hi, my name is Lily Evans and I study too much, even though I'm a Marauder," a squeaky voice said behind her. She felt her pigtails being yanked upwards and being tossed around. "Hi, my name is James Potter, and I'm absolutely gorgeous and could have any girl I wanted."
"Potter, as much as I'm sure you're getting a kick out of making puppets with my pigtails, it's a little immature, even by your standards. I'd suggest making puppets of your own but -"
"Ooooo, puppet show! Thanks Evans! Sirius go get some felt and old socks, we're going to make puppets!" James Potter ran from the library with the look of an 11-year-old schoolboy. His best friend, Sirius Black, ran after him with the same look on his face.
"Hi Lils, bye Lils!" Sirius yelled as he ran past her.
Lily's head dropped into her hands. Why did having to converse with James Potter have to come with the territory of being friends with Sirius and Remus? Oh how she loathed that egotistical brat sometimes. True, he was her friend, and brought a smile to her face many times, but his inescapable egotism and delight in tormenting her always made her so angry.
Remus Lupin sat down next to his friend.
"My dear Lily Evans, what could possibly be bothering you on this beautiful Saturday?" Remus asked pulling on her pigtail.
"Oh, Remus, it's James. He's so annoying sometimes. And so incredibly childish all the time. And he won't leave me alone ever!" Lily complained.
"Oh Lils, it's just James and how he is. He never knows when enough is enough. But take it as a compliment. He doesn't do this to every girl. Or any girl besides you for that matter. Or me. I wish he would make puppets with my hair." Lily punched him playfully.
"What I wouldn't give to be one of those other girls." Lily sighed.
James ran back into the library with a sock on his hand. Sirius ran up giddily next to him. "See Lil, I made a puppet of you." James held up a cream sock, with red yarn hair and two green button eyes. The yarn was separated into two different pigtails. Lily couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing and lightly slapped James on the face. The four Marauders laughed. "And look Lil! I made one of me too." James pulled out another sock. The tan colored sock had two deep brown buttons for eyes and short black yarn for hair. The yarn was smeared with glue and standing on end.
The laughter from the group doubled. Madame Pince shushed them quickly. The group of Marauders left the library.
James pulled the Lily puppet over one hand and his own over the other. The two puppets started to argue with each other the same way the real Lily and James argued. The group broke down and could walk no further.
*~*~*
"Hey, Padfoot, can we talk?" James looked over his shoulder at his best friend.
"Oh, of course my dear Prongs. What's up?"
"Sirius, I'm in love."
*~*~*
"Hey Bella, can we talk?" Lily looked up at her friend.
"Sure Lils. What's up?"
"I think I'm in love."
*~*~*
"James Harold Potter. What are you talking about?" Sirius looked astonished.
"I'm in love, Sirius. With Evans." He picked up the "Lily Evans" puppet he made.
*~*~*
"Lily Elizabeth Evans. What are you talking about?" Arabella asked.
"I'm in love, Bella. With Potter." She picked up the Gryffindor Quidditch team picture. James had his arm around his star seeker pulling lightly on her waist. He was smiling like mad. He looked like the happiest man alive.
*~*~*
"Potter, can we talk?"
"Sure, Evans. I was actually looking for you." He pulled lightly on Lily's ponytail. "Wondering if I could tell you something."
*~*~*
"Mione, can I talk to you?"
"Sure Gin. What's up?"
"I think I'm in love with Harry."
*~*~*
"Hey Sirius. Can I talk to you?"
"Sure Harry. What's up?
"I think I'm in love. With Ginny."
*~*~*
"Well, Potter -"
"Yeah, Evans - "
*~*~*
"Hey, Harry -"
"Hmmm, Ginny -?"
"I really want us to be more than friends," all four said, at virtually the same moment, except for two of them said it exactly 22 years after the others.
A 16-year-old Lily Evans poured over her Charms book. So engrossed, she didn't quite seem to notice things were going on behind her.
"Hi, my name is Lily Evans and I study too much, even though I'm a Marauder," a squeaky voice said behind her. She felt her pigtails being yanked upwards and being tossed around. "Hi, my name is James Potter, and I'm absolutely gorgeous and could have any girl I wanted."
"Potter, as much as I'm sure you're getting a kick out of making puppets with my pigtails, it's a little immature, even by your standards. I'd suggest making puppets of your own but -"
"Ooooo, puppet show! Thanks Evans! Sirius go get some felt and old socks, we're going to make puppets!" James Potter ran from the library with the look of an 11-year-old schoolboy. His best friend, Sirius Black, ran after him with the same look on his face.
"Hi Lils, bye Lils!" Sirius yelled as he ran past her.
Lily's head dropped into her hands. Why did having to converse with James Potter have to come with the territory of being friends with Sirius and Remus? Oh how she loathed that egotistical brat sometimes. True, he was her friend, and brought a smile to her face many times, but his inescapable egotism and delight in tormenting her always made her so angry.
Remus Lupin sat down next to his friend.
"My dear Lily Evans, what could possibly be bothering you on this beautiful Saturday?" Remus asked pulling on her pigtail.
"Oh, Remus, it's James. He's so annoying sometimes. And so incredibly childish all the time. And he won't leave me alone ever!" Lily complained.
"Oh Lils, it's just James and how he is. He never knows when enough is enough. But take it as a compliment. He doesn't do this to every girl. Or any girl besides you for that matter. Or me. I wish he would make puppets with my hair." Lily punched him playfully.
"What I wouldn't give to be one of those other girls." Lily sighed.
James ran back into the library with a sock on his hand. Sirius ran up giddily next to him. "See Lil, I made a puppet of you." James held up a cream sock, with red yarn hair and two green button eyes. The yarn was separated into two different pigtails. Lily couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing and lightly slapped James on the face. The four Marauders laughed. "And look Lil! I made one of me too." James pulled out another sock. The tan colored sock had two deep brown buttons for eyes and short black yarn for hair. The yarn was smeared with glue and standing on end.
The laughter from the group doubled. Madame Pince shushed them quickly. The group of Marauders left the library.
James pulled the Lily puppet over one hand and his own over the other. The two puppets started to argue with each other the same way the real Lily and James argued. The group broke down and could walk no further.
*~*~*
"Hey, Padfoot, can we talk?" James looked over his shoulder at his best friend.
"Oh, of course my dear Prongs. What's up?"
"Sirius, I'm in love."
*~*~*
"Hey Bella, can we talk?" Lily looked up at her friend.
"Sure Lils. What's up?"
"I think I'm in love."
*~*~*
"James Harold Potter. What are you talking about?" Sirius looked astonished.
"I'm in love, Sirius. With Evans." He picked up the "Lily Evans" puppet he made.
*~*~*
"Lily Elizabeth Evans. What are you talking about?" Arabella asked.
"I'm in love, Bella. With Potter." She picked up the Gryffindor Quidditch team picture. James had his arm around his star seeker pulling lightly on her waist. He was smiling like mad. He looked like the happiest man alive.
*~*~*
"Potter, can we talk?"
"Sure, Evans. I was actually looking for you." He pulled lightly on Lily's ponytail. "Wondering if I could tell you something."
*~*~*
"Mione, can I talk to you?"
"Sure Gin. What's up?"
"I think I'm in love with Harry."
*~*~*
"Hey Sirius. Can I talk to you?"
"Sure Harry. What's up?
"I think I'm in love. With Ginny."
*~*~*
"Well, Potter -"
"Yeah, Evans - "
*~*~*
"Hey, Harry -"
"Hmmm, Ginny -?"
"I really want us to be more than friends," all four said, at virtually the same moment, except for two of them said it exactly 22 years after the others.
