DSICLAIMER: Harry Potter and everything associated with it is properly of JK Rowling, and I neither invented it nor am making any type of profit from this story...

Peter woke up early the next morning to find Snape. His troubles were rewarded, he found Snape just before they entered the Great Hall. After modifying his memory, making Snape forget that Peter had anything to do with Voldemort, Peter decided to make sure he continued his mission.

"Snape. I need to speak to you," Peter said, pulling him into an empty classroom.

"Oh?" Snape said, slightly disoriented.

"I hear you are... involved with Dark Magic. I even heard that you are working for Voldemort," Peter said.

"I... where did you hear that?" Snape asked.

"I was practicing my Legilimency, since I already am good at Occulmency," Peter was not exaggerating; he was gifted in them. "I chose you to try and, as Muggles say, read your mind. I happened upon a memory of you listening to a voice explaining to you that you must keep James and Lily apart. It said it was you-know-who's orders!"

"Who said that?" Snape asked, Peter had just removed the memory of who said it.

"It's your mind, Snape, how should I know?" Peter sneered, turned and went to breakfast.

All Peter thought he had done was erase all evidence of him being a Death Eater to all except his master, but he had inspired Snape to master both Legilimency and Occulmency. Peter had unknowingly given Snape the key that would allow him to speak lies to Voldemort without facing severe punishment.

Meanwhile, Lily had woken up early and was wondering around the corridors. It was a habit she had taken up recently, with no one to speak to in Gryffindor other than Mandy and her minions, James and his little friends, and people she had never had a conversation with, Lily had decided to find friends in other houses. She had, surprisingly, found someone who she could talk to without thinking of silencing charms, and who also enjoyed school, charms especially.

"Lily!" a voice called from behind her.

"Good morning, Katrina," Lily slowed to walk with the younger girl.

"No, not my given name, please, Kat is just as ugly, but it's shorter too," Katrina said.

"Katrina is a nice name, it suits you," Lily replied. "You could go by your middle name, if you really can't stand Katrina."

"No, go ahead and pick a name for me, it's fine. But I need to talk to you. I think James Potter is getting bored. Really bored. He's been setting up blind dates for Sirius. He says it was a joke because Sirius was complaining about the Gryffindors in your year..." Katrina said.

"No wonder, Mandy and her minions are horrible," Lily interrupted.

"More brainless, I think, but that's not my point, Lily. My point is that he has this strange idea that I'd get along really well with Sirius," Katrina continued.

"I agree with him. You just have to be ready to face the wrath of the entire female population of Hogwarts."

"Except all the ones who are already plotting vengeance at you for stealing James from them," Katrina said.

"Me? Steal James? It wasn't me. James, of his own will, decided to chase after me forever," Lily said.

"Perhaps he loves you, Lily."

"He... no. Just, no. Katrina, just don't talk to me about him," Lily said, turning, leaving Katrina alone in the hall.

Lily thought about what Katrina had said as she wondered down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Did James really love her? Lily decided to go talk to him after breakfast.

In the Great Hall James sat with Sirius, Remus and Peter. They were so involved with teasing Sirius that they didn't even notice Lily walked in.

"Sirius, you really have to work on this, I mean you actually broke your alarm clock smashing it like that. Good thing it wasn't someone's head," James said.

"It was waking me up! It completely deserved it!" Sirius insisted.

"Does that mean you're happy Christmas holidays are tomorrow?" James asked.

"YES!" was the reply of the other three.

"You..." Remus trailed off as the post owls flew into the Great Hall, a large eagle owl dropped a letter in Sirius's lap before flying back out of the hall.

"If there ever was a pompous owl, that one's it," Remus said.

"Sirius, what does it say?" James asked at Sirius's amazed expression.

All Sirius could do was shove James the note. James took it, his eyes quickly scanning the official handwriting within.

'Dear Mr. Sirius Black,
It is our unfortunate duty to inform you that your uncle, Alphard
Black has passed away late last night. He left you with his entire
fortune, which will be held in a bank account under your name in
Gringotts. Enclosed is the key. In his will he left you this final
message: Sirius, you're a better wizard than those who live in 12
Grimmauld Place are, don't you ever doubt that. The gold is to give
you a start on a real life, if you go back to them I will personally
do every horrible thing possible due to my current state of not
actually being alive.
Our regrets on your uncle's passing and congratulations on new
acquisition of your fortune.
Sincerely,
Dooley Prince, head of The Wizarding Life Insurance.'

"Were you close to your uncle?" Remus asked.

"N-not really. I have gold. I can live without being the Potter's parasite!" Sirius said.

"What kind of name is Dooley Prince?" James asked.

"One for someone who is very good at being both regretful and pleased at a situation. Or at least, pretending to be..." Remus said.

"Does that mean you're no long living with me, brother Sirius?" James asked. "I thought I would get my own place, but drop by and see you constantly. I'll find somewhere great near you, don't worry," Sirius said.

"You better, or you'll need to talk to Dooley Prince," James said, smirking.

"Oh no! Please! Anything but him!" Sirius said, falling in a mock faint onto James.

"You alright, Sirius?" James asked, an evil grin spreading over his face. When he got no response James pulled out his wand, whispered an incantation, and laughed as ice cold water shot out at Sirius, who shrieked.

"That... was... COLD!" Sirius said.

"But you see, Snuffles, you fainted and I, the wonderful, heroic James Potter, rescued you," James explained.

"That was sweet of you," Sirius said, putting his arm around James, purposely allowing his soaking robes to make James's in an equally soaking state.

"Thanks for that, Sirius," James said drying his robes with a spell.

"No problem, Prongs."

"I just realized something. Do you realize I can apparate to your living space, leave a large array of wonderful objects, which will keep your house from getting boring, and not get arrested for underage wizardry? Do you also realize that I can legally enchant the objects in the first place?" James rambled.

"I do now, but do you realize I can do the same?" Sirius said.

James's face contorted in overly dramatic horror, but quickly turned into a rather evil smirk.

"We can also pop into Remus or Peter's houses. This summer will be great, Snuffles," James said. "Speaking of fun spells, here's one for you." James pulled out his wand, muttered an incantation almost inaudibly, and waved it at Sirius's plate.

The results were obvious, a large piece of pink cheesecake, obviously raspberry, appeared. Sirius, oblivious to James's obviously evilly smirking face, proceeded to grab the nearest fork. Without pausing even to smell it he cut himself a large forkful and put it in his mouth. It was then that he realized something was amiss.

Sirius's favorite part of raspberry cheesecake is not the smell, the sound of it hitting someone else's face, the feel of on his fork, or even the sight of it on his plate. Sirius's favorite part of raspberry cheesecake is the taste. This certain bite of raspberry cheesecake, while sufficient in weight and sight, seemed to be severely lacking in taste and, he realized, also smell.

Sirius frowned, poking it first with his fork, then his finger. It felt like raspberry cheesecake to him. Suddenly he realized it was a trick, pulled out his wand, jabbed at it, and it vanished.

"JAMES!" Sirius yelled took a breath, then almost whispered the rest. "Just wait until this summer, or until I think of revenge."

"Padfoot, I need to talk to you, Peter and Remus. Let's go back up to the tower before class. Sirius, by the way, you're still staying with me over the holidays?" James said, standing up and walking out of the Great Hall along with his three friends.

"Of course, Prongs, but now I have gold for a nice Christmas present for you, assuming you allow me to eat at least three pieces of raspberry cheesecake over the holidays," Sirius said.

"Only three? But seriously, guys, we need to plan a nice prank. Over break a certain Snivellus is turning seventeen. What would be more fun than sending him a nice birthday present? We'll think and compare ideas tonight, sounds good?" James said.

"What exactly? Would a nose-biting something or an anonymous admirer something be more in line with your thinking, Padfoot?" Remus asked.

"How about a nose-biting anonymous admirer something?" Sirius said. "Brilliant. No more sharing in our schemes until later, sounds good?" James said, the four disappeared up the boys' dormitory stairs.

Lily stood undetected in the common room, convincing herself that James was neither interested nor worth her time. Katrina had convinced her to give James another chance, but when he didn't so much as look her way during all of breakfast, Lily was convinced he had moved on.

A/N: I feel would like to note that this chapter is dedicated to my reviewer Luthein, because yes, raspberry cheesecake, AGAIN, and Molly, for the same reason.

I would also like to say thank you to my other reviewers! Another review would make me so very happy! So very happy... and maybe inspire me to write another chapter before I leave (computerless) on vacation until July 14th... I'd also like all of you to note that this chapter is LONGER than the last one.