Disclaimer-The wonderful and talented J. K. Rowlings created, and therefore owns, Harry Potter and his world, not I.

Chapter 8- The Whomping Willow

For the week before the Hogsmeade weekend, James and Lily spent some time together and got to know each other better.

Lily learned that James wasn't as arrogant as he appeared and that he was a really sweet person underneath it all. She loved that he tried really hard to make her laugh and smile, and then acted like that wasn't what he was trying to do in the first place. Lily decided that maybe her crush on him wasn't as bad as she thought in the first place.

James, on the other hand, fell more in love with Lily with each day they spent together. He loved how she was compassionate and didn't want other people to feel bad, even if she personally didn't like them. He figured that was the reason why she took up for Snape every time he and Sirius hexed or made fun of him. James also noticed the way that she would look at him during class or in the hall and blush and turn away when their eyes met. This caused James to think that maybe he did have a chance with Lily.

It was breakfast time and James was in the Great Hall saving Lily a seat beside him. James looked around the Gryffindor table to pass the time until Lily came in for breakfast.

Remus was pointing out something near the east entrance of the Great Hall to Peter, who started chuckling when he saw it. James glanced over his shoulder towards where Remus was pointing and saw what they were chuckling at, Snape.

Sirius was pointing his wand straight at Snape, who was wearing a short, hot pink dress with a matching pink handbag and heels. His greasy hair was done up with pins with a huge pink flower behind his left ear. But Sirius wasn't done with Snape yet. He said something, which James couldn't hear, that caused a pink mist to appear around Snape.

James' gasped when he realized what the pink mist was, an anti-reversal spell. No one, not even the teachers, could do anything about Snape's new get-up, except let the spell end on its own accord. Which, knowing Sirius, could be anywhere from a week to the rest of his life.

James turned away from Snape and Sirius when he saw McGonagall move in that direction. He looked at the west entrance of the Great Hall and saw a very angry Lily making her way over to where he and the other Gryffindor seventh years were sitting.

James watched her. "God, she's beautiful when she's mad! I guess she saw Sirius and Snape a moment ago..."

"JAMES POTTER!" Lily screeched.

"That's my name," James grinned slyly," but you can wear it out if you want to."

Lily rolled her eyes and plopped into the seat James had been saving her. "Why did you leave without me?"

James started chuckling. "That's what this is about," he said between chuckles.

"Well what did you think it was about?" Lily asked.

James waved her question off and thrust a plate with a blueberry muffin and banana on it in Lily's direction. "Here, I saved you some."

"Thanks," Lily gave James' a dazzling smile full of gratitude.

"Well," James paused, taking in Lily's smile, "I know blueberry muffins are your favorite." That statement earned him another smile from Lily.

Lily pulled back the peel on her banana and took a bite. "What's," she paused as she swallowed, "your favorite breakfast?"

James put a goofy grin on his face, "Anything, as long as you're there."

Lily blushed and playfully hit James' shoulder. "Stop," she squealed. "And tell me what it really is!"

James chuckled. "Pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream with a side of... Lily!" James started tickling her side.

Lily was laughing hysterically and trying to grab James' hands with her own to stop their never ceasing attacks on her side. She succeeded in grabbing his wrists after a couple of long and agonizing minutes of tickling.

"What was that for?" Lily asked while she wiped some tears out of her eyes.

James, still chuckling, replied, "I told you I wanted a side of Lily!"

Lily stood up and stepped back a few paces. "I'm going to go to the library or somewhere where they don't like my side for breakfast!"

"Hey," James stood up. "I don't like only your side. I also like your b-"

Lily placed her first two fingers on James' lips and said, "I'm not going to let you finish that statement."

"Okay," James replied, his lips lightly tickling her fingers.

Lily hastily pulled her fingers from James' lips and giggled. "I've got to go finish some Transfiguration homework now. I'll see you later." Lily turned and started walking towards the west entrance of the Great Hall.

"Wait!" James called to Lily and jogged up where she now stood still. "I'll come with you. Maybe I can help?"

Lily smiled, "Sure, why not."

XXX

"But Professor," Sirius whined. "The spell will wear off in a couple of weeks! Why do I have detention for two months?"

McGonagall stared at Sirius coldly. "I take it you want three months' detention."

Sirius looked at his head of house incredulously. "No, what would make you think that?"

McGonagall ignored his question and said, "If we're finished here, I advise you go find something to busy yourself with."

"A pleasure as usual, Professor McGonagall," Sirius stated with a grin.

"Mr. Black," McGonagall called. "Your detention starts next Monday. Enjoy your last free weekend."

"Thanks," Sirius grinned harder and ran off to tell his friends what happened.

As he ran past the Slytherin table, he saw Snape sitting alone and all of his housemates pointing and laughing at him. "Poor Snivelly. NOT! He deserves this and more."

Sirius ran past the Gryffindor table and made his way towards the owlery. He had a plan on how to deal with Snape. After all, it was his fault that Sirius had detention for two months.

XXX

Snape was utterly embarrassed about his clothes for the next couple of weeks. Sirius had explained about how no one could reverse the spell when McGonagall had questioned him about the counter-charm.

"Hey Snape," Lucious sneered," I think Peter Pettigrew could use a date for Hogsmeade this weekend. And by the looks of what you're wearing, I believe you are the perfect girl for him to take."

All of the Slytherins in hearing range, and even some of the Hufflepuffs who were close enough, erupted in laughter at Lucious' comment. But the laughter was cut short by owls bringing the mail.

A rather fat owl crashed into the table in front of Snape and dropped a piece of rolled parchment before taking off to the sky again. He muttered something about the fat owl and unrolled his letter. The barely legible handwriting told him to go to the Whomping Willow at 7 if he really wanted to know where Remus went every month.

There was no doubt in Snape's mind that James or on of his cronies sent this and had something in store for him tonight. But he still wanted to see what it was. Maybe it would be something that they could get expelled for. That idea appealed to Snape and that's why he decided to see what they had in store for him.

XXX

James and Lily were in the library working on their Transfiguration homework due on Monday. They had only gotten through half of it, though, because they couldn't stop laughing and talking about everything except for their transfiguration homework.

James said something that caused Lily to start guffawing and Madam Pince to walk over to where they were sitting.

"I've warned you two three times already! Now," Madam Pince paused and cleared her throat, "get out of my library."

James and Lily gave each other fleeting looks and gathered things.

"OUT!" Madam Pince bellowed, startling some of the other students who were actually doing their work.

Lily started giggling uncontrollably while James ushered her out by placing his hand on her back and forcing her towards the door to safety.

When they were in the safety of the hall, James and Lily broke down in a fit laughter. Nervous first years were running when they caught sight of the two seventh years sitting in the middle of the hall laughing.

When James had finally calmed down, he turned to Lily and asked, "What are we laughing about?"

Lily shook her head, "I have no clue. But whatever it is, it must be funny."

"I agree," James grinned and looked down at his wristwatch. "Its 11:23. Why don't we go to the common room or for a walk or something?" He pulled Lily up and looked at her while she decided what she wanted to do.

"How about we," Lily paused, "go outside and sit by that oak tree by the lake."

"Sure, if you want to," James grinned. "Come on," he grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her towards the closest door to the outside.

XXX

"Hey, have you seen James?" Sirius asked Remus.

"No, why?" Remus was looking intently at a paper he was holding.

"No reason. Wanna play a game of Wizard's Chess?"

"Can't. I'm supposed to tutor Jennifer in about," Remus looked at his wristwatch, "twenty minutes."

"Oh. Well I guess I'll go find Monica or someone. Bye," Sirius grinned and walked off.

"Yeah, see you later," Remus mumbled and waved Sirius off with his hand.

XXX

James and Lily had been sitting on the bank of the lake and James was telling Lily stories about all the things he and the Marauders had done together in their years at Hogwarts for almost seven hours now. And quite surprisingly, Lily was listening intently and laughing in all the right places.

"How come I don't remember that one?" Lily asked.

"Because you weren't here for Christmas break that year. It was fourth year, you didn't start staying during break until fifth year," James.

"Can you say stalker?" Lily asked and they both erupted into another fit of laughter.

After the laughter died down, Lily started taking off her shoes.

"What are you doing? I don't want to smell your feet!" James exclaimed with a disgusted look on his face.

Lily pulled her last sock off and wiggled her toes in James' face. "Smell lovely, don't they?"

James grinned and grabbed her foot and pulled it tightly to his chest. "Aye, they smell lovely. Do they like to swim?" he asked and plunged her foot into the warmish waters of the lake.

Lily squealed when her foot broke the water and quickly pulled it out. "James!"

"What?" James asked innocently.

"You know what you did, and you're going to pay!" Lily exclaimed and then furrowed her brow in thought. After a couple of moments of deep thought, a light bulb appeared and Lily grinned.

Before James could react, Lily shoved him into the lake and starting laughing. "Do you like to swim James?"

James muttered something and disappeared under the water, causing Lily to gasp. He had said a spell that gave him extra breath while he was underwater while he planned a way to get Lily into the water with him. Then it hit him. If he stayed under for a while without letting any air bubbles break the surface, she would dive in and rescue him.

After about a minute and no sign of James, Lily started freaking out. "James Potter! You show yourself this instant!"

Thinking he was drowning or something equally bad, she dove into the water. To her surprise, she came face to face with him when she surfaced after a couple of minutes of frantic searching. He was laughing hysterically.

"James! You scared the shit out of me. I-I thought-t you were d-dead," Lily sputtered angrily.

James grinned. "Your worry touches me."

Lily made a face at him and swam back to the bank of the lake.

"Where are you going Lils?" James asked and started dog paddling to where Lily now stood glowering.

James stopped in front of where Lily stood and asked innocently, "A little help please?"

Lily muttered something about the boy who called wolf and hauled James out of the water.

"Thanks," James flashed Lily a grin. "I owe you one."

"No," Lily grinned, "you owe me two."

James grinned harder, "Oh yeah."

"You forgot?" Lily presumed.

"No," James paused, "I figured you did! But speaking of that date..."

"Hm?" Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Well," James started and nervously began fiddling with his hands, "how about I make it up to you by escorting you to the Halloween dance?" He grinned at Lily, hoping she'd say yes.

Lily looked at him for a moment before giving her answer. "I suppose since you owe it to me I have to say yes," she ginned.

"Great!' James exclaimed.

"Do you want to take a walk? Maybe the air will dry us out," Lily suggested.

"Sure."

Lily giggled and grabbed James' hand. "Let's go this way," she pointed her finger in the direction of the Whomping Willow.

James' checked his watch. It read 6:22 pm. "I guess we have some time."

"What time is it?" Lily asked and started walking, pulling James forward with her.

"It's 6:22 now."

Lily stopped in her tracks. "Do you realize that we've been out here for seven hours?!"

It hit James when she said that. He and Lily had spent seven hours together, and it had only seemed like one! "Wow, it only seemed like one!"

"I know!" Lily exclaimed and giggled some more.

XXX

Snape checked his watch. 6:40. He figured by the time he made it to the Whomping Willow it would be 7.

He put a cloak on over his pink dress and walked out of the Slytherin common room.

XXX

James and Lily were close to the Whomping Willow now and saw a dark form scurry into the branches, which seemed to be frozen.

James was worried because he knew that was Sirius, Peter, or Remus. Remus would already be in there, judging by the time, and he, Sirius, and Peter would all go together.

Lily clutched James' hand tightly and hoarsely whispered, "What just happened? Why aren't the branches moving?"

James debated over whether or not to tell Lily about the tree and how to enter it. He decided against it, figuring that this was neither the time nor the place. "Go find Sirius. I'll see you later," James said nervously.

"But James," Lily started but James had already run off towards the Whomping Willow.

Lily looked to where James had run off. "Should I go find Sirius or go help James? What if he gets in trouble and is already hurt by the time I make it back with Sirius?"

Lily pondered over what to do and ran off.

XXX

A/N- This chapter is the longest yet with 2481 words!!! I felt like having a cliffhanger, so I figured it would only be fair to make a longer chapter. Our women's team winning a gold medal fueled me through the last page and a half. So don't get used to the longness-lol!!

Pranks Are So Seriously Padfoot- I hope your seat wasn't too terribly uncomfortable. I reviewed as quickly as I could, with the Olympics and all! ï