Safety From a Distance

Chapter 3

Standard Disclaimers apply.

~*~

The next morning when I awoke, Sirius was in my face, a sly grin upon his lips.

"You dog!"

"Au contraire! You're--"

"I know, I know. I'm the dog. Anyhow, mate, how did you do it? What did you do to deserve such great fortune?"

I blinked. But then a slow smile found it's way onto my face. I wouldn't be able to quit grinning for weeks to come!

"What?" I asked as nonchalant as I could. I turned my head and looked the other way, albeit, still seeing Sirius out of the corner of my eye.

"Prongsy! C'mon, mate! Tell me! I'd like to know what you did, if perhaps it'll work for me!"

My eyes narrowed, and a burning feeling was in my throat. I swallowed, but it was still there.

"Whatever are you talking about?" I asked, thought this time there was more forced nonchalance.

Sirius quirked his eyebrow at me and he grinned.

"Lighten up, Prongsy! I never realized how much you liked Lilith!"

I'm positive I reddened. I could feel the very tips of my ears burning.

"It's all right, Prongsy. It'll be our little secret that you adore Lilith. Well, perhaps I may tell her.  Besides that, I give you a Marauders' Oath!"

I narrowed my eyes as he held up his left hand.

"It's supposed to be your right hand," I told him.

"Oh. Then I'll make a double oath!"

I laughed good-naturedly as he held up both hands. He grinned one of the grins I've seen him use on the professors.

"I guess that may do, except for the whole 'Marauders' Oath' thing. Not exactly adding up there, mate."

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"You're too smart for me, bloke--"

"Everyone's too smart for you, Padfoot," a new voice said. I looked to the door as I saw Remus walk in. He had a towel around his neck and that new shaving cream was on his ears.


"Moony, you didn't shave those wonderful sideburns, did you?" Sirius asked, his eyes wide.

"Eh?" Moony responded, an unusual, perplexed expression on his face. I laughed as he immediately felt the sides of his face.


"Whatever is that insane babble you are uttering?" Moon asked, a sly grin on his lips.


"Remmy, Remmy, Remmy! I just don't know what I'm going to do with you, but before you came, Jamesie here was going to tell me how he got Lilykins to go to the ball with him."


I glared at Sirius, but he paid me no mind. He plunged onward.

"Remmy, you're always doing this to me! I was about to make Jamesie confess his undying love fueled by passion for Lilykins!"

I laughed as Remmy rolled his eyes. I quickly shut up when Sirius gave me a devious grin.

"I mean, *you* saw Prongsy's face when Lily shocked the whole of the Great Hall yesterday!"

What Padfoot said bothered me, but this whole deal with the names and putting a 'y' or making an 'ee' sound at the end, I'm not too sure if that's healthy. Although, I am speaking about Sirius.

Boy, did Sirius start something now! I just caught the look on Moony's face!

"Padfoot--although it's paining me to say this--is remarkably correct in his assumptions."

Sirius grinned, and then it clicked. ("Hey!")

Moony and I had a good laugh at Sirius' expense.

"You've never truly spoken nonsense before, Moony, but you're giving me my doubts," I told him, my grin only becoming wider.

"Nonsense? Do you not hear me in class? No--wait! You're either never there or daydreaming. Speaking of--what is it you're thinking about during those periods of goofy grins?"

Sirius perked up at this, and then I knew I backed myself into a corner.

"Where's Wormtail? I've not seen him since yesterday! Where could that rascal be?" I asked.  Nervousness and embarrassment weren't things I felt often. Not many people could make me feel that way.

"Now, don't try to change the subject on us now! Petey-boy is with Professor Sprout, catching up in a subject we just covered. Said something about it being fascinating. Although, it's beyond me how he can find plants so interesting," Padfoot trailed off.

"Actually, some people make a living off plants. Muggles use it in their medicines, and those plants that the Muggles are smoking. They use them as depressants. Er--drugs--marijuana is what it's called," I told them.

"James?" Remus questioned me.

I gave a nervous laugh and Sirius responded with a knowing look on his face, "Muggle Studies."  He proceeded to nod sadly at this as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"It's s'alright, James. I'm sure it's a stage you'll grow out of, eventually."

Remus burst out laughing at the look on Sirius' face, and the (most likely) redness of my cheeks.  He then pretended to clear his throat in an attempt to make me not pay attention to him.

"Listen, James, it's perfectly wonderful that you adore Lily. I absolutely have no chance with her," Sirius told me, I'm sure the memory of the time she told us (or him) we weren't committed in his mind.

"Sirius, mate, s'alright. Perhaps I have a crush; it's nothing beyond that. I swear! Plus, doesn't she label us both the same?" I asked of them both. They merely shrugged their shoulders.

"If that's the case, I'm swearing off everyone, and I'm going to show her I see the errors of my ways. In fact, I'm gong to study right now!"

Remus started laughing. He looked at me, then he said to Sirius, "Oh, that'll be a sight.  I bet a galleon for you to put on James' glasses and carry your books into the library. Go on, do it!"

I chuckled a bit at this, too. Sirius hardly ever did homework, unless it was his shift on doing it.  We usually copied each other's work, and if there was a particular class we didn't like, then we'd take turns doing that class' homework.

Although, Sirius was unnaturally good in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Fine. NO! Make it two galleons and I'll do it!" Sirius said.

Remus nodded and handed him a large, gold coin. I complied and gave Padfoot the second.  Padfoot took the glasses off my face and put them on.

It was a bit blurry after this; I had to focus really hard to make out the shapes Sirius was picking up. Of course, they were books.


"Moony, as I can't see, snap a picture for me," I told Moony. I could see, but it was starting to get annoying not seeing *clearly*.


"Don't worry, this won't last for long," Moony said to me, his voice humorous.


"Very funny, He-of-little-faith! I will go in there, study, and keep my two galleons!"


I heard them leave, and I made out that the door was closing. I opened and closed my mouth.  I had horrible morning breath. I groped for my wand. When I found it, I cast a spell to make my breath minty fresh. The only bad thing about this was it wasn't as effective as brushing my teeth.


I summoned my slacks and I sat down. The pants smacked me in my face when I wasn't expecting them. Damn astigmatism! Oh well. After I slipped into my slacks, I shuffled around the room and finished getting dressed.


I walked down the stairs, and I sat on the couch, waiting for Sirius and Remus to get back, or Peter, if he was to finish early with Professor Sprout. Actually, I have no idea how long Peter was with Professor Sprout.


My ears perked up. I heard someone coming down the stairs. I assumed I looked a bit different without my glasses, but I turned and looked at the person coming down the stairs. It was Lily, and she sat beside me on the couch.


"James, why aren't you wearing your glasses?"

"I felt like exploring the castle with a different outlook today! What about you, why aren't you wearing your glasses?"

"I don't wear glasses, James," Lily told me exasperatedly.

I laughed joyfully as I stood up and grabbed her hands. I pulled her up and asked her a question.


"Lily, where were you going?"


"I was going to the library. I slept in late, so I'm here all by my lonesome."

"Well, I'm all by my lonesome, as well. Would you accompany me to get something to eat?  I'd be very much honoured if you would."

I saw Lily's head nodding, so I then pushed her in front of me with my hands on her shoulders.

"Lead the way, Lily! I'm a blind bat, and you are my ears. Give me my hearing, so I can make it to the Great Hall without bumping into anything."

"James, you are an idiot. But that's why I like you. Come on, then. Let's go get something to eat."

"We're you going to eat? If you weren't, I'm sure I could make it there on my own, Lily," I told her, turning her to look at me. I focused on her, and I could see her beautiful, green eyes clearly. She smiled at me as she stared at me with those eyes, those eyes that I adored ever so much.


"James, I'd be happy to eat with you. I don't mind the fact I don't usually eat breakfast, I'll eat with you anyway!"


I grinned, and she put an arm around my shoulder as she lead me out of the common room.


"Besides, I should learn to like you if we're going to the ball together!"


She started laughing as I glared at her. I grinned the whole way to the Great Hall. Lily definitely made my day, no matter what time it was. She was something all right, and she could joke just like the rest of them. I'm very glad I got enough guts to ask her to the dance with me. I just hope, well, I just hope I can sway her before Sirius does. He's quite the charmer, he is. And I do believe he's frank in wanting to date Lily. Very frank, I'm afraid.

Anyhow, I won't let that ruin my day, because I have Lily by my side for now. She's here for now.