Disclaimer: I do not own any of the following characters…accept for the ones who do not appear in the books or movies. They came from my head and any resemblances to any persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The plot, however, is completely mine, and again, any resemblance to any other is by accident alone.

Author's Note: Please give me your feedback. This is a rapidly changing category and I really wish to know what you have to say and if you feel that I should continue with this story. That having been said, enjoy!

Chapter Two: Lying

Lily sat under the shade of a rather large oak tree studying her charms incantations. Charms was Lily's favorite class; she had a rather natural talent at it. From across the yard, Clarence Castleguard stood staring at her. He took a deep breath, gathered his wits, and began to walk over toward her. He was admiring the way the light was shining on her pretty red hair, when he noticed something very small that seemed to be hovering beside her head.

James had been watching Lily from across the lake. Sirius and Peter were showing off to some third years, and Remus had his nose in his potions book. Exams were coming up. This left James free to admire Lily without any interruption from his friends. He loved to watch her read. When she concentrated really hard, her face scrunched up in the most adorable way. He sat there, staring at Lily and absent mindedly playing with the snitch he had nicked in his fourth year. That's when he noticed Castleguard headed for Lily with a carnivorous look on his face. He had to do something. His eyes fell on the small winged ball in his hand and a smile crept across his face as he drew his wand.

Clarence narrowed his eyes, trying to focus on the object buzzing beside Lily's lovely locks of hair. He quickened his step. What was that? As he drew closer, the object became less blurry. It was a small golden ball. A snitch! It was a snitch! Why was there a snitch flying freely about? He upped his speed another notch.

"Hey, Lily."

Lily looked up from her book, "Oh, hi, Clarence."

Clarence plopped down on the grass beside her and reached for the snitch, but it jumped just out of his reach.

"What the…" Lily began.

"There's a snitch flying around your head." Clarence said, trying and failing yet again to grab hold of the flying orb.

Lily saw the snitch and tried not to laugh at Clarence's more or less useless attempts at trying to catch it. Suddenly, a hand came out of nowhere and snatched it. "You have to be faster than that, Castleguard, you great oaf."

Lily couldn't help but smile. James sounded annoyingly arrogant, as usual. But he looked really cute, as usual. The snitch's wings flared and then folded together. If it could have purred, it probably would have. Lily reached over and took it from James's hands and its wings once again flared as if it were pleased that she was touching it. She grinned at James like a Cheshire cat and said sweetly, "Impressive, Potter. Can I ask you something?"

"Ask me anything you want, Evans." James said with thinly veiled innuendo.

"Where did you get this?"

James hesitated a moment and Justas he opened his mouth to answer, Cerra sat down and saved him from having to tell a lie, or worse, the truth.

"Lily," Cerra said quickly, "I'm in trouble."

"What happened?" Lily asked.

"Chlora Babensail caught me and Jacob making out."

"Well, what do you expect when you go around making out with other people's boyfriend? That they'll be happy about it?" Lily said.

Cerra rolled her eyes and then saw James. She flashed him her brightest smile and tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "Hi, James."

"Hey, Cerra," James said conversationally, "Been snogging Jacob, eh?"

Cerra grinned sweetly, "Only a little." She scooted closer to him. Lily found herself glaring at Cerra and shook it away as fast as she could. James would glance at Lily every so often just to bask in the look of jealousy that was on her face.

"Well, how is it that you two have never hooked up?" Clarence asked.

"What?" Lily exclaimed.

"Potter and Cerra. They've both shagged half of the school and I'm just curious as to how they haven't ended up together, yet?" Clarence continued.

"That's a good question," Cerra said, raising one perfectly groomed eyebrow at James, "Care to walk me back to the tower, James?"

"Actually," Lily chimed so suddenly that Clarence, Cerra, and James all looked at her quizzically, "Cerra, you and I need to go and find Flora. Mildy told me that she was crying earlier, so we should make sure that she's okay."

"Someone made Flora cry? I'll kill them! Let's go, Lily." Cerra said as she leapt to her feet and headed for the castle at a determined pace. Lily trotted off after her, leaving James and Clarence both wondering what all the fuss was all about.

Cerra was on the warpath as she stomped her way through the corridors. Lily scampered along after her, suddenly concerned about the consequences that her little lie might possess. If Flora was even mildly upset when Cerra found her, someone poor unsuspecting person would more than likely end up dead. Cerra was bodily forcing bystanders out of her way while Lily apologized as she followed along in her wake.

"Cerra, let's not overreact." Lily called, wondering what on earth had possessed her to make up such a story. Her mind suddenly fixed on the image of James's eyes, those beautiful brown eyes that betrayed his ego and showed her his soul. Lily often avoided looking in James's eyes for fear that she might drown in them. Oh, she could lose herself in those eyes. Then, she remembered the way Cerra had been staring at James, and a scorching heat tinged the tips of her ears. Cerra had been looking at James as though she had wanted to devour him…and it had pissed Lily off. That was why she had made up the story!

Lily didn't want Cerra to get James alone. The very idea was enough to bring a flare of anger to her belly. She had just interfered with a possible thing that could have happened between James and Cerra. Hadn't she just been lecturing James for doing that very thing to her and Clarence? Was she just as bad as James?

Cerra burst through the Gryffindor portal and charged through the common room and up the stairwell to the girl's dormitory. Flora was there, sitting on her bed, brushing her pretty brown hair as if she hadn't a care in the world. Cerra came to a quick halt and an unprepared Lily ran smack into her. She quickly steadied herself and took three steps back. Flora looked at them both as if they were mad.

"What's going on?" She asked. She saw Lily's eyes begging her, "What is it?"

"Lily said that Mildy saw you crying." Cerra said.

Flora's gaze found Lily's pleading face. "Uh, well, yes…I was crying…earlier. I…uh…I d-dropped a, uh…book…on my…uh….on my foot."

Cerra raised an eyebrow, "You dropped a book on your foot?"

"Well, it really hurt." Flora said. Lily smiled at her dear friend. She had no talent for lies, but, God love her, she tried.

Cerra shuffled back and forth and licked her lips, "Let me get this straight, you were crying because you dropped a book on your foot?"

"Yes, yes I was." Flora said.

"A book?" Cerra went on.

"Mmmhmm." Flora nodded.

"On your foot?"

"That's right."

"All right then." Cerra shrugged, "I think I'll just go down and have a bit of tea."

Lily simply nodded. She couldn't bring herself to speak. As soon as Cerra had left the room, Flora descended on Lily.

"What was all that about? Why did I just make up a ridiculous story about a book and my foot? You know I've no talent for stories, especially on the spot like that." Flora exclaimed.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. The words just came out…I couldn't stop them. I'm sorry, Love. I should not have done that to you. I'm wretched, aren't I?" Lily whined.

"Calm down." Flora said, "You're not wretched, but please tell me what brought on this sudden urge to send Cerra into a rage on my behalf."

Lily flopped down on Flora's bed and looked up at her friend helplessly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Flora grinned, "Try me."

"I was reading down by the lake, right. Clarence and James showed up and started being themselves, then Cerra popped up to tell me that she was making out with Jacob and Chlora caught them and…"

"Go figure." Flora interrupted.

"I know, right. Anyway, she starts smiling and pretty much throwing herself at him and I just wanted her to stop."

"She was flirting with Clarence?"

"James."

"James?"

"Yes, James! I know! I don't know why it bothered me so much, but it did! Then she asked him to walk her back to the dorms and all I could think about was Cerra getting James alone and you know how she is! They would have been rolling around in the floor within minutes. I couldn't bear the thought of it. I had to say something." Lily's eyes had gone wild and desperate as she spoke.

"You were jealous?" Flora asked. Lily nodded. "Of James and Cerra?"

"Yes." Lily said.

"Well, I'll be." Flora leaned against her bedpost.

"Flora…" Lily started.

"I won't tell a soul."

"Thank you, Flora." Lily Smiled.

"You and James Potter." Flora said, shaking her head.

"I won't happen." Lily stated.

"Why not?"

"Well…I don't know. Do you really think it could work?"

"I have no doubt."

Meanwhile…

"Bugger off, Castleguard. I don't want your company." James said.

"Oh, what? Like I'm just gagging for yours?" Clarence replied.

"Stay away from Evans." James warned.

"Or you'll what, Potter? I'm not afraid of you, you know."

"Yeah, Melville wasn't afraid of me either. Go ask him what whether or not he should have been."

"Oh," a deep voice purred, "Go after Evans, please, Castleguard. I've been dying for a new challenge." Sirius landed on his side in the grass and immediately propped himself up on his elbow, facing Clarence.

"Oh, look, Potter. It's your other half." Clarence said.

Peter and Remus appeared not a second later. Remus looked around and then to Clarence. "Where's Frank?" He practically spat the name, as if it were something distasteful in his mouth.

"Yes, where is Longbottom? I don't think I have ever seen you two apart before." Sirius laughed.

"Perhaps he's about pursuing his fancy." Clarence said with a grin.

"No, he's not." Peter said, "He's right over there." Peter pointed to the stairs where Frank stood, deep in conversation with Frederick Worthingham.

Clarence let out an exasperated sigh and pushed to his feet.

Sirius laughed, "Yeah, shove off, you slag-head, before you really embarrass yourself."

With one final glare, Clarence stalked off and disappeared.

"I don't like him." James said.

"No, that wasn't stating the obvious at all, was it?" Remus said.

"I, for one, am shocked." Sirius added on.

"I'm serious!" James said, "If you make one crack, Padfoot, I will kill you in your sleep."

"Big words, little man." Sirius joked.

"Anyway," James continued, "It just worries me the way he looks at Lily."

"It's the same way you look at her, mate!" Peter said.

It was Remus who came to James's defense. "No, James is right. James looks at Lily with a sort of awe, granted he is a bit stalker inclined, but it is a genuine admiration. When Clarence looks at her, there's something leery and caveman esq. to it."

"You think he wants something sleazy from her?" Peter asked.

"I've no doubt." James and Remus said at once.

"Well, then, let's make him rethink his choice of prey, shall we?" Sirius said, his eyes growing dark.