Disclaimer: If only Harry Potter were mine...oh, the possibilities...

James ran down the corridor, already late for Transfiguration. How could he have slept in late? McGonagall was going to kill him. And if he lost points for Gryffindor...well, it was already hard enough to talk to Lily for five minutes without getting hit. He shuddered. Lily would murder him.

He skidded to a halt outside the classroom and straightened his robes before taking the doorknob in hand and opening the door.

Professor McGonagall stood at the head of the class, staring at James with a strict, "You'd better have a good excuse for being so late," look on her face.

James strode jovially to the front of the class, a smile on his face. "Sorry, Professor. I overslept. None of my friends woke me up," he explained.

"Mr. Potter, there is one device that I myself choose to use in the morning. I call it a clock," she replied stiffly, still slightly miffed.

"Believe me, Professor, I usually wake up by one, but someone," he said, his eyes shooting to Sirius, "cast a silencing charm on my clock."

Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes. "Detention, Mr. Black," she said in a bored tone.

"What did I do?!" Sirius demanded.

Professor McGonagall gave an impatient sigh. "You are the only person who would dare prank his friend," she replied.

Sirius sighed and then cast James a triumphant smile. "I'm winning now," he mouthed.

James glared at his best mate and shook his head before turning his attention to Professor McGonagall. He had been lucky in not getting any points taken off Gryffindor, and he didn't want to endanger his house again.

The class passed fairly smoothly, and the students escaped with only one assignment, an essay on the steps to becoming an Animagus.

"Hey, where's Jordan?" Sirius suddenly asked.

Lily shrugged. "She came home late last night, around two in the morning, I suppose, and she said she wasn't feeling good," she explained.

Sirius nodded, his eyebrows furrowing together in concentration.

Robin smiled mischievously. "Is there something you'd like to say, Sirius?" she asked.

"Not unless there's something you'd like to say about a certain someone," he shot back, his eyes glancing at Remus.

Robin frowned. "Damn you, Black," she glowered.

"Whoa!" James yelled. "Watch your language, Robin!"

She rolled her eyes. "As if you aren't as bad," she retorted.

James nodded. "True, but guys can get away with it. Girls, however, cannot," he replied.

Lily stepped up. "Are you saying that standards for girls and boys are different?" she asked.

James nodded feverishly. "Yes!" he cried. "Girls are supposed to be good and fall for the bad guys, like me! See, things would work so well between us," he added with a suggestive raise of the eyebrows.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming!" she snapped. "I'll never date you, Potter."

James sighed, shaking his head. "Why don't you just hurry and admit that you do like me?" he asked. "I can see it every time I look at you."

Lily's eyes blazed. "What you see," she seethed, "is my complete and undying loathing of you."

James looked hurt. "That can't be true," he replied.

Lily didn't hesitate with her next comment. "I don't regret to tell you that it is," she replied.

James' shoulders seemed to sag. His usually energy-filled hazel eyes seemed to be vacant.

Sirius tapped his best mate's shoulder, a concerned expression plaguing his handsome face. "James? You alright, mate?"

James sighed in defeat. "Let's head back to the dormitory, Sirius," he suggested softly, his tone sad and depressed.

Sirius' eyes lit up with worry. "But James, you haven't eaten," he pointed out.

James shrugged. "I'm not hungry," he muttered, turning and slowly walking away.

Robin stared after her cousin, looking more worried than ever. "I hope he's okay," she murmured.

"He'll be okay," Sirius replied, trying to convince himself more than her. Truth be told, he had never seen his friend so sad before. James always fought back; now...it seemed as if he had completely transformed. Like he was no longer the James he knew and loved...brotherly.

Sirius shook his head. "I'm going to go talk to him," he announced, and turned to Lily. "Tell Jordan I said hi," he grinned then. "And tell her I need some help "studying" for History of Magic."

Lily rolled her eyes, and Robin giggled. "I will," offered James' cousin.

Sirius shot her his trademark smile and then jogged off down the hall to catch up with James.

James was leaning against the wall, his shoulders sagging and his bag on the floor beside him.

"James?" Sirius asked silently.

James wouldn't turn around to face him; he just kept his left side against the wall. "Why?" he asked silently.

Sirius kept silent.

"What did I ever do wrong?" James demanded, his volume growing. "Why does she hate me so much? WHY?" he roared, whirling around and slamming his right fist into the wall.

Sirius kept silent once again, watching James slowly sink to his knees on the ground. Tears streamed from his best friend's eyes. This was the only time that Sirius had ever seen James cry, save for the time when his grandfather died. The two had been closer than one could imagine. But what of this time?

"I don't know," he finally whispered. "I don't know."

---------------------------

Lily sank into an armchair, sighing heavily. She had written her three papers that were due, done her Arithmacy homework, and read through the next two chapters in Charms. All in all, she was quite pleased with herself. It was probably the most productive night she had had in a long time, thanks to the fact that James Potter was nowhere to be seen.

Robin was still slaving away at History of Magic, quite possibly her worst subject. If she didn't fall asleep right when class began, then she might have a chance...

Jordan suddenly came down the stairs. Both Lily and Robin were shocked by the way she looked. Jordan's face was pale, as if she had just been put through a physically exhausting task and had not yet recovered. She had a freshly healed cut on her forehead and was limping slightly.

Robin's eyes widened. "Jordan, what happened?" she demanded.

Jordan fell gently onto the couch. "I was chasing my little brother around the house when I tripped over my dad's old broom and fell down the stairs," she replied.

Robin stood up and walked over. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Jordan nodded and gave a weak smile. "My little brother promised to be good from that point on," she added.

Robin smiled slightly when Sirius and James walked through the portrait hole, followed closely by Remus and Peter. James led the group over, ignoring Lily.

"Jordan, you're back," he said. "And you look like you were beat up with a bludger," he added, his eyebrows raised curiously.

She groaned. "I was chasing my brother around the house, tripped over my dad's broom, and fell down the stairs," she repeated, suddenly becoming impatient with the boys.

Sirius winced. "Ouch," was all he could say.

Jordan nodded her agreement.

Remus glanced over at Robin. "Robin, can I talk to you?" he asked softly, suddenly becoming pale. His ears turned red, and he kept his eyes on the ground, as if afraid to look at her.

Robin nodded, her eyes suddenly curious. She followed him out of the common room, disappearing through the portrait hole. James and Sirius suddenly looked as if they were trying to keep their smiles off their faces, and were failing miserably.

Jordan looked between the two boys curiously. "What's going on?" she asked.

James shook his head, looking away and trying not to laugh.

Sirius grinned. "That's confidential information. But, I might tell you for something in return," he suggested, waggling his eyebrows.

Jordan rolled her eyes. "Forget it," she shot back, looking down at the floor.

Sirius groaned. Before he could say anything else, Lily spoke up.

"So what is Remus going to talk to Robin about?" she prompted.

Sirius and James shook their heads. "We can't say," James replied, a grin on his face.

But Lily felt the bottom of her stomach drop out when her gaze came to rest on his hazel eyes. Inside the endless depths was pain; pain just looking at her and talking to her. Lily quickly looked away. She had never felt guilty when she turned him down before. Why had this time been any different? How come this time he had been so hurt by her words? How come she felt so guilty whenever she looked at him? Did she like him? No, she couldn't. He was an arrogant, pig-headed jerk. It couldn't be possible that she loved her worst it?

Lily was snapped out of her trance by Jordan and Sirius arguing over what was happening between Remus and Robin.

"He's not asking her out!" Sirius yelled.

Jordan rolled her eyes. "He is too! Why else would he ask her to come talk with him?"

"He isn't asking her out!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Not!"

"Quiet!" Lily cried.

Sirius and Jordan instantly fell silent, deciding it was better to conform to her will than to ignore her.

Lily sighed, thankful for the peace. "Okay, why don't we just ask what happened when they get back?" she suggested.

Sirius grinned. "Sounds good," he replied.

Jordan nodded her agreement. "I'm fine with it," she added.

Sirius eyes suddenly beheld a curious glint: a glint of mischief. "How about we make this more interesting," he suggested.

Jordan raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening," she acknowledged.

"If Remus didn't ask her out like I said, then you owe me a date," Sirius offered.

Jordan's eyes narrowed, and she was about to bite back with a remark when Sirius spoke again.

"But, if he did, then I leave you alone for...two weeks," he reason.

"Two and three days."

Sirius gave her a curious look, then nodded. "Deal?" he asked, extending his hand to shake.

"Deal," Jordan agreed, shaking his hand.

Lily smiled. "I guess that I'm the witness who can hold you guys to this," she commented.

Sirius grinned and glanced at James, who was smiling like a fool.

Suddenly, the portrait hole opened, and in came Remus and Robin. Robin gave everyone a small smile and walked over to sit by Lily and Jordan. Lily waved her over and whispered, "Did he ask you out?"

Robin gave Lily a bewildered look. "No way," she replied, looking at Lily as if she were mad.

Jordan's eyes widened, and Sirius began laughing uncontrollably.

"I won!" he cried, jumping up and slapping a high-five on James' hand. James was unable to keep his laughs from escaping his mouth.

Jordan just sat on the couch, frozen with shock and the knowledge that she was now forced to go out with Sirius. "Lily," she said softly. "Is it really true?"

Lily slowly nodded. "Yes," she replied hesitantly.

Jordan groaned and covered her face with her hands. "This can't be happening, this can't be happening," she murmured.

Meanwhile, Remus and Robin just watched on, giving the group a freaked-out look. Remus glanced over at Sirius, who was currently jumping around like a fool.

Jordan pulled her face out of her hands to look at Sirius. Her expression was priceless: she seemed to be contemplating whether or not to call Saint Mungos or just lock him in a room herself.

James never looked so amused. Lily watched him, his head thrown back as he let his rich bellows echo in the common room. Then, his hazel eyes appeared behind his glasses, meeting her own emerald green ones. For a moment, Lily felt like the scum of the earth, seeing mixed emotions in his eyes but in a moment, they were gone. James was conversing with Sirius animatedly about what he should do on the date.

Jordan groaned and pulled herself off the couch and limped up the stairs, muttering about how she knew she would regret going downstairs.

Lily and Robin quickly retreated to their dormitory, wanting to get some sleep and escape the madness that would surely ensue downstairs.

"What did I miss?" Remus asked warily, looking as if he didn't want to know the truth.

Sirius grinned. "Jordan and I made a bet," he explained.

Remus eyes narrowed. "Over what?" he asked warily.

"Whether or not you would be asking Robin out."

"WHAT?"

---------------------------

"WHAT?" Robin yelled in the girls' dormitory, causing Lily and Jordan to cringe. Screaming in an enclosed space wasn't the best idea in the world.

"Sirius and I made a bet, and I lost," Jordan repeated.

"Over whether or not Remus would be asking me out?" Robin cried incredulously. "You idiot!"

Jordan groaned. "I know," she snapped. "It was a stupid idea and I shouldn't have done it! Besides, Remus is so shy he probably wouldn't ask you out for a while anyway."

Robin nodded fervently. "Got that right!" she replied. She suddenly grinned amusedly. "At least now you have to go on a date with Sirius," she replied, an evil smile tugging at her lips. "This is almost like an early Christmas present."

Jordan glared at Robin and threw a pillow at her. "Thanks for your support," she replied sarcastically.

Robin smiled and climbing on to her bed. "Well, I don't care what you think. This is all fair in the end," she replied.

Jordan groaned and turned off the lights with a wave of her wand, submerging the girls in darkness.

---------------------------

"I can't believe you guys," Remus huffed.

"It was an innocent bet," Sirius shrugged, digging through his trunk. "It's not like it's endangering your life."

Remus' face turned red. "You know what I wanted to say," he replied through gritted teeth. "You shouldn't have bet on something like that."

Sirius paused and hung his head. "You're right," he replied. "I'm sorry."

Remus smiled and walked over, sitting on Sirius' bed. "Don't worry, mate. I don't really care, it's just that I didn't know if you had bet that I would ask her out. But I know you didn't. Sorry I got on your case."

Sirius grinned. "No problem. We're even," he added, extending his hand for Remus to shake.

Remus grinned and shook his friend's hand.

"A picture-perfect moment!" James cooed.

Sirius grabbed his pillow and chucked it at his friend, thus beginning a pillow fight. Peter got dragged in it too, starting an all out every-man-for-himself war.

James collapsed on the floor. "I think we're done," he commented raggedly, his glasses askew on his face.

Sirius grinned, showing off all of his white teeth. "Yeah," he agreed.

Remus smiled. "I'm going to bed, mates," he commented, standing up from his position on his trunk and beginning to change for bed.

"Hey, Remus, if you didn't ask Robin out, then what did you tell her?" James asked, suddenly curious.

Remus grinning mysteriously. "Maybe you'll learn someday," he shot back, shooting his friends a grin and climbing into bed, turning off his lights and closing his hangings of his four-poster.

Sirius groaned. "That just ruined everything," he huffed.

back! Sorry it took so long, but English and marching band has been KILLER! Finally, a spare minute!

Anyway, on to reviews!

sirius-black-85007: heh, whoops. Yeah, small mistake there...

o scorched eggy: ok, much better now that I know that! Are you kidding? The matrix is awesome!

Depp's Girl ForEver: thanks!

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, PLEASE! Wanna become a better writer! Criticism needed!

R&R!

!-jo-!