"He's late." Sara said as she paced the common room waiting for her brother Eric.
"I know. It's the third time you've mentioned it." Norma said.
"Fifth it you count the two times she said it before he was late." Lily commented. She was actually worried too. What could have happened to Eric?
"He's only fifteen minutes late. Maybe he had extra work he had to do at the last minute." James said in Eric's defense. He didn't know the guy, but if Lily liked him (which it definitely seemed to be) then James liked him.
"He's still late." Sara said crossly.
"And we still know." Norma said, bored out of her mind. She didn't even know the guy, and she had to wait for him instead of doing her Care of Magical Creatures homework? What a jerk.
"We may still know," Lily said. "But she still needs to point it out."
"I could be doing homework." Norma said crossing her arms.
"I could be with my brother right now, but I'm not, so I win, okay?" Sara said.
"It's not my fault he's late." Norma said.
"Take it easy, guys. We're all just worried about Eric, so let's not kill each other, okay?" Lily said, being the peacemaker that she was.
"Whatever." Norma said sitting back in her chair.
"Thank you for the enthusiasm, guys. It really cheered me right up." Lily said sarcastically.
"He's late." Sara said again a few moments later.
"I know, what a jerk he is." Eric said walking into the common room. He was in jeans and a blue T-shirt that was just the slightest bit snug on him so you could see he worked-out. He's wavy brown hair and blue eyes were the same, only Lily had forgotten the freckles that seemed to dance around his face. He was just getting cuter and cuter.
"Eric!" Sara squealed and ran over to her brother to hug him. Then she lightly slapped him. "I am so mad at you!"
"Aren't you always?" Eric said laughing. "C'mon now, introduce me to people, Sara."
"Okay, this is Norma and James." Sara said pointing them out, "And of course, you know Lily."
"Just as lovely as I remember her." Eric said, "C'mon, gimme a hug, you!" Eric pulled Lily into a big hug. Lily smelled his cologne and it made her cough. 'Way to strong, Eric, ease up.' Lily thought as she pulled out of the hug.
"I remember you mentioning Norma in letters, Sara, but I don't remember James." Eric said. "Didn't tell me you had a boyfriend."
"Me and James? No way, not possible, ever!" Sara said. "Besides, he's Lily's boyfriend."
"Oh, really?" Eric said surprised and a little hurt. But he quickly recovered. After all, he was the infamous Eric Mallot. "Lucky guy, James. I would trade with you any day."
"Would you, then?" Lily said smiling. "You're like my brother, that would be gross. You don't see me going after Petunia, do you?"
"That would be hot." Eric said. He laughed as lily punched him in the shoulder.
"I've met him, and trust me, he's lived up to what I thought he would be. Can I get back to my homework now?" Norma asked impatiently.
"Norma: a bright girl with brighter eyes that will tear up if she gets anything lower than an Excellent on a paper, right?" Eric said walking over to Norma.
"Please. I'm leaving." Norma said and went upstairs. Norma got upstairs and practically fainted. 'God, he's hot.' She thought as she took out her books.
Downstairs, Lily was almost thinking the same thing. 'God, he's hot, but when did he turn all...bad-boy?' "How's life as an Auror?" Lily asked Eric, just for an excuse to talk to him.
"It's great, but the training is hard. Man, you guys have it easy. I know you don't think you do, but you seriously do." Eric said, talking a walk down memory lane. "Oh, and by the way, nice alliteration there, Lillers."
"Lillers? Oh, are you ever going to get beat up." James said. "Nobody can call Lily Lillers. I did once and I had a black and blue arm for a week!"
"Uh, James? I don't let anyone call my Lillers because that's Eric's nickname for me. It's our special thing, so I don't let anyone else use it." Lily explained.
"Not even me. I am so hurt." Sara said, putting her hand to her forehand like a damsel in distress.
"You mean you beat up puny little kids for me? Aw, you shouldn't have." Eric said with a twinkle in his eyes. 'I'm not puny,' James thought, but he didn't dare say it out loud and get ridiculed.
"So, what are you going to do while you're here?" Sara asked. "You can't exactly come to all my classes. Professor Binns is still mad at you for that dungbomb."
"What can I say, I am a prank master. I am the King of Pranks!" Eric exclaimed. "And Lily is my queen!"
"Excuse me?" James said. "I beg to disagree on your, err, kingdom, but my friends and I are the best pranksters this school has and will ever see. And Lily's my girlfriend, not your queen."
"Silly, its another nickname. I helped Eric out in all his pranks." Lily said. "How on earth do you, James Potter, prankster professional not know Eric Mallot, King of Pranks?"
"If you were in all his pranks, how come I didn't notice you until 3rd year?" James asked logically.
"Oh, dude, that's my fault. I taped your eyelids shut." Eric said. "After all, that would be the only way to not notice Lily." Everyone laughed except for James. He noticed how Eric laughed, but never took his eyes off Lily. If Lily noticed this, she pretended not to care. James cared very much, though.
"No, I did all the behind-the-scenes stuff so I wouldn't get in trouble." Lily said. "I'd do behind the scene stuff for the Marauders, you just never asked."
"Well, I'm asking now." James said taking Lily's hand. "Be a part of the Marauders' big Halloween prank?"
"I would love to, James." Lily said. She leaned and kissed James.
"Sorry to break up this, err, romantic moment." Eric said. "But are you forgetting the Mallot-Evans Halloween tradition?"
"Oh my goodness, how could I forget?" Lily said. "But I figured since you graduated, you wouldn't pull a prank..."
"Why would that matter? I'm here now." Eric said. "I thought of a reality check sort of thing."
"Like your reality check, right? Getting into the real world that hurts without these words." James said suddenly.
"Exactly." Eric said surprised. "That's the motive. I figured we could spike the punch at the Halloween Dance."
"Get everyone drunk? I don't really see the shock of reality there." James said in confusion.
"No, with Truth Telling Potion. That way everyone would hear the blunt and brutal truth." Eric said.
"Nice. I know a way of spiking the drink before it gets out to the dance, though." James said.
"How? You can't unless you know where the...no." Eric said jumping up.
"Yes. I know where the kitchen is." James said.
"Look like we have to start a new tradition. We have to include the Marauders in our prank." Eric said smiling and holding out his hand for James to shake. James smiled and shook his hand.
'This is interesting,' Sara thought. 'But not going by the plan.' She got up suddenly and said, "Well, looks like we have planning to do tomorrow. But for now, I think we should get some shut eye."
"Shut eye? Your starting to sound like mom." Eric said. "But speaking of sleeping, where will I be sleeping?"
"Oh no! I forgot to make arrangements for that!" Sara said. Of course, she hadn't forgotten to, she just didn't choose to. "James, can Eric spend the night with you?"
"Of course." James said.
"Hey, no planning without us, though." Lily said, bumping into James. He smiled and kissed her.
"Wouldn't think of it, darling." James said. "I love you."
"I love you more." Lily said.
"I'd loved to get to sleep." Eric said. "James, lead the way!"
"Uh, sure. Come on, then." James said walking up to his room. Sara smiled and walked up to her room with Lily. 'James and Eric could be friends, but they cannot share a room. The only prank this year is being played by me.' Sara thought.
(Thanks for your reviews and sorry this chapter took so long! Will Sara's 'prank' work? Does Eric like Lily? Does Norma like Eric? Please Review so I know someone out there is reading this!)