Disclaimer: I will only say this once throughout the entire story: All the characters and the wizarding world belong to J.K.

Chapter 1: Training to be Tender

James Potter tried to focus on his History of Magic book.

I will not look up and stare at Evans. I will not look up and—bloody hell, I just did.

As if pulled by a magnet, James's untidy head of black hair shot up. Automatically, his hazel eyes locked onto a female figure seated a few rows away.

Oh Merlin, she's beautiful. James was absolutely entranced as she reached up and tucked a stray strand of red hair behind her ear. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she took notes.

"If eyes were daggers, Prongs, Lily'd be full of holes by now," Sirius Black, James's best friend, muttered from behind him.

James's face burned, but he kept his composure. "Well, it cannot be helped that she is a particularly fine specimen of a female."

Sirius rolled his eyes. In his opinion, there were millions of girls far more alluring than Lily Evans, but he knew it was pointless to tell James that. Sirius had once tried. James had simply regaled him, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew (who had been all too eager to listen) with an enumeration of Lily's many virtues for three straight hours without missing a beat or barely stopping for a breath.

"For starters, don't talk about her like that," Remus muttered from in front of James. "You know she hates that. And since I just got her to be your friend, you wouldn't want to spoil everything I did with a few well-chosen comments, would you?"

Out of the three of them, Remus knew Lily best. The two had been friends since fifth year, and it was Remus who had convinced her to give Sirius and James a chance.

"Alright, I'll fix my language. But I can't not look at her. I mean, look at her!" James gestured.

Sirius and Remus looked.

"And?" Sirius prompted.

"Can't you see? She's so perfect and beautiful and angelic and—"

"Potter, Black, Lupin." It was Professor Binns. "Is there anything you'd like to share with us, gentlemen?"

Sirius put on a horrified expression. "Why'd you interrupt? James was just telling us how perfect, wonderful, angelic, and sharp-looking you are today!"

The class burst out laughing. Professor Binns, quite flustered, did not know whether to slap the three boys with detention or thank them.

xxxxxxxxxxx

After class, James, Sirius, and Remus hung back to wait for Lily while she asked Professor Binns something about their homework. When she finally came out, she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Thanks, mates," she said. "I thought I was going to bloody pass out from pure boredom back there."

"Glad to have done our duty, Evans," Sirius replied. "By the way, can I copy your notes?"

Lily tsk-tsked and pulled out a roll of parchment. "Irresponsible little berks."

"Hey, if it weren't for us, you'd be snoring in your inkwell already."

"That's stretching it quite a bit, Black."

"Either way, you'd have ink on your face."

"And we'd not tell you until you entered the Great Hall," James added.

Lily lunged for her parchment. "Give me back my notes!"

Sirius held it high, out of her reach, laughing. But quick as a flash, Lily whipped out and pointed her wand.

"Rictusempra!"

"Nooooo!" Sirius cried as the charm hit.

They entered the Great Hall amidst laughter and chatter. Rounds of giggles (by the first-year, second-year, third-year, fourth-year, fifth-year, and sixth-year girls) joined the mix when Sirius flicked his hair away from his eyes.

"They want me," Sirius sighed after a wave to his fans. "They all want me."

"Yech," Lily shot back, effectively bursting Sirius's bubble.

"How come he gets all the attention?" Remus whined as he tried to emulate the hair flip. "I'm a guy too. And a Marauder. And way hotter."

Lily shuddered. "If you boys don't stop it, I can and will belt you into the next galaxy." She pretended to gag. "What made me want to hang out with a bunch of males anyway?"

"I haven't said anything," James piped up, hoping he'd scored some brownie points with her.

Lily rolled her eye and walked on ahead. "You don't have to."

"Why is it so bloody hard to please her?" James grumbled.

"She's just a little...defensive when it comes to you," Remus answered.

"Why? I'm not that fat-headed anymore!"

"Give her some time, Prongs," Sirius advised. "She'll warm to you soon."

"Besides, I think you're off to a good start. Knowing Lils, I think she appreciated what you did—or rather what you didn't say—earlier," Remus concluded.

James gave a very deep sigh. 'Thanks for trying to help."

AN: Hope you guys like this fic! It's the first time I'm writing humor, so please bear with me... :)