Summary: How do two complete opposites fall in love? When Lily and James have to work together in Seventh Year, will their feelings change? The marauder era with L/J and of course the legendary Marauders!
A/N: Thanks to my reviewers: sasa, The Best witch of all, padfootedmoony and Aspiring Shieldmaiden. I really appreciate reviews and they make my day :) so R/R! Please?
Chapter 2 – Head Boy and Girl
"Wake up Lils, we're going to be late!" beckoned Alice shaking her friend awake. A disgruntled moan came from under the bedcovers and reluctantly the red-head got up and went to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, both girls walked down to the Dining Hall for breakfast.
"And not only will I have to put up with Potter for a whole year but that he is immature, irresponsible and a total prat..." complained Lily.
"Um...Lily. You've said that about ten times now" said Alice calmly as the girls sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"Well you're not going to be stuck with him are you?" protested Lily, digging her fork into her egg violently.
"James doesn't seem too bad, Lily. Anyway, last night you didn't seem to care he's Head Boy" reasoned Alice patiently.
"I was getting over the shock" replied Lily half-truthfully.
The two girls ate breakfast quietly and headed back up to the dormitory to get their school bags. Lily collected her bag from beside the bunk-beds and walked downstairs, through the desolate common room and was just about to exit when a notice with bold letters on the board caught her eye. Alice had seen it too and was reading it.
"Lily, their holding a meeting with the Heads of Gryffindor" Alice said.
Letting out a sigh, Lily approached the notice and read:
HEAD BOY AND GIRL OF GRYFFINDOR HOUSE
Dear Mr. James Potter and Miss Lillian Evans,
We would like to congratulate you on becoming Heads of Gryffindor house and would like to discuss the positions at 7:30pm tonight in Albus Dumbledore's office on the fourth floor. Professor McGonagall shall wait outside the entrance to let you in at the appropriate time.
Yours Sincerely,
Professor Minerva McGonagall and Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
"I don't believe this!" exclaimed Lily, "Just as I thought my day could get worse, I have to see Potter tonight to discuss working with him".
"Come on, Lils. We better get to Charms"said Alice, giving the red-head a sympathetic look.
The pair rushed to class and was greeted by an angry Professor Flitwick who wasn't impressed by their late arrival and gave them extra homework.
The rest of the days lessons were very slow. In double potions, the Marauders occupied themselves by passing notes around the class.
A small piece of paper came hovering over to Lily and gently landed on her lap as Professor Shreve's back was turned.
"Let me guess. Another immature note from Sirius" Lily thought spitefully crumpling the piece of paper up, not bothering to read it.
"Why won't she read the note?" thought Remus, watching intently as Lily destroyed the note. He sighed, disappointed and then continued scribbling down the complicated concoction on the blackboard.
Lily and Alice received lots of homework that day which didn't help lift Lily's mood at all.
"Studying for our NEWTs is going to be difficult" said Lily finishing her dinner that evening.
"Not to mention lots of work" added Alice.
Lily and Alice had been best friends since second year when Alice's parents split up. She had been very upset and needed someone to console in. Lily felt sorry for the brunette straight away and became friends by reassuring Alice about her parent's divorce having experienced it herself.
Alice had long dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. She was quite tall and slender for her age and had a caring and understanding personality which helped her calm Lily's fiery temper. She was also a great friend and listener.
The two girls had finished a tiresome day of lessons and had just finished dinner.
"Well, it's twenty past seven" announced Lily gloomily looking at her watch, "I better go".
"Good luck" said Alice with the merest hint of a smile.
"I'll need it" muttered Lily rising from her seat and crossed the hall towards the huge staircase.
Alice had never admitted it to Lily but she thought Lily and James were meant to be together. All the years of them constantly bickering had been amusing to Alice and thought Lily overreacted a little towards James's pranks and immaturity. Now the thought of the pair working together as Head Boy and Girl was very satisfying.
"They might even learn to co-operate and like each other" grinned Alice thinking, "Or maybe not..."
Professor Mc Gonagall stood outside the blocked staircase leading to Dumbledore's office waiting patiently as promised. James was already there talking to the stern, young woman as Lily arrived.
Potter is actually talking to a teacher kindly.
"Good evening Miss Evans" said Professor Mc Gonagall addressing the glum girl politely.
"Hi Lily" said James quietly, his hands in his pockets.
"Good evening Professor. Pott..." Lily paused for a moment looking at the dark-haired boy, "James".
That word surprised her and the boy she was talking too. James black eyebrows rose a little in hearing his first name and he stared at her with his hazel eyes. Not like being stared at, Lily found interest with the floor and a tinge of pink slowly creeped to her cheeks.
"Liquorice wand" Mc Gonagall uttered to the stone statue as if nothing had happened. The statue moved aside and revealed a large spiraling staircase.
The trio climbed the stairs and entered Dumbledore's magnificent lair.
"Have a seat" said Albus gesturing to chairs near his large oak desk.
The Head Boy and Girl sat down apprehensively, looking at the old man in his robes of midnight blue.
"Minerva and I are delighted of your achievement so well done" smiled Dumbledore watching the nervous pair, "Being Head is full of responsibility to help make Hogwarts a finer school. It is your job to make sure students behave in a respectable manner, set a good example and help organize special festivities like Halloween, Christmas and New Year".
"Albus and I discussed these festivities and would like to ask you a favour" Mc Gonagall continued, "Would you organize the New Year celebrations?"
Lily and James turned to look at each other for the answer. There was a long silence. Then James spoke.
"I think it is a great opportunity, Professor"
"I would be glad to help" added Lily, hoping there wouldn't be another awkward silence and happy James had broken it.
"Well that's settled!" grinned Albus, "You may go".
"Wait there's something else" called Mc Gonagall as the pair rose from their seats. Dumbledore quickly remembered, opened the small desk drawer and produced a large gold key with a ruby red handle.
"This is to unlock the Heads room. You may use the room to study or anyway you wish. The room is located opposite the Gryffindor Common Room painting. Minerva also holds a meeting every fortnight at 7:30pm which all Heads must attend, in her classroom".
James took the key from Dumbledore's hand and put it in his trouser pocket.
"Thank you Professor" James said politely.
With a last smile, the tall boy descended the steep stairs quietly, followed by Lily.
"James"
James stopped walking and turned to face Lily.
"Maybe, we should meet up in the Heads Room to discuss the New Year celebrations sometime?" suggested Lily.
"How about Thursday?" asked James.
"Great"
"See you then". James walked down the corridor leading to the painting of the Fat lady.
Lily stood still, staring at the boy in front. Was this a James Potter clone that went to this meeting and acted sensible? Never had she imagined that her sworn enemy would act so...mature.
"I need my sleep!" whispered Lily as she too, followed the boy's path towards the common room.
At breakfast the next morning, Alice wanted to hear everything about what happened with Lily and James last night.
"James was surprisingly sensible for once" explained Lily, "It was obvious he was just putting it on because the Headmaster was there".
"I don't think he was acting, Lily" said Alice.
"What?"
"Why would James suddenly change his behavior?"
"Because Dumbledore was there"
"He's changed, Lils"
"How can that arrogant prick change?"
"He calls you Lily instead of being childish and sticking to the surname" explained Alice, "He acts more mature around you and yelled at Sirius that night he disturbed your conversation".
"I still believe he was just kidding to impress the teachers" insisted Lily.
"Whatever you say" whispered Alice to herself.
Morning classes passed and seventh year students received yet more homework in every lesson. Suddenly, the exciting gossip and chat between the students had died down and was replaced with a studious mood. Every student was back into the school routine and the teachers suddenly seemed even stricter than usual, determined for their students to do well for their exams.
After lunch, Alice and Lily went to the library to start on their pile of homework.
"How much homework do we have?" complained Lily pushing her books onto the desk and sitting down.
"Far too much" answered Alice pulling a quill and bottle of ink from her bag.
"I've got two Potions essays to complete for tomorrow, one Charms and another Transfiguration essay" moaned Lily writing on parchment her name.
The girl's desk was next to a wide circular window showing Hogwarts grounds and the Gamekeeper's Hut. The Forbidden Forest stood next to the hut, all the trees dead and knarled, each branch spanning out with no leaves.
This desk was often used by the girls because of the scenic view and the privacy of two large bookcases on either side in the corner of the library away from the Marauders and nosy students. Here, they did their homework in peace and enjoyed gazing out of the window as the seasons changed from thick white snow to fresh green grass to beautiful flowers being planted in the summer.
For ten minutes, Lily and Alice worked hard at their difficult essays. Writing then re-writing, trying to find the answer to some Potion questions Professor Shreve had given them that day. Lily's attention was distracted as she looked up from her books. A blue eyed boy with mousy brown hair stood before her. Remus Lupin.
"Hi Lily" said Remus hesitantly, "Is it OK if I sit at your desk? All the others are taken".
Lily knew he was telling the truth because the library had become very busy with students cramming in time to do their work at any opportune moment.
"Yes, have a seat" replied Lily.
Lily had always thought Remus as one of the quieter Marauders, not as out-spoken as Sirius or James and tended to work harder in class. She didn't know him that well, spending time shouting insults at James and ignoring the Marauders thinking them all idiots.
The boy sat down and pulled out his Charms book from his bag. He looked up and saw Alice. She had her head down in concentration and didn't appear to have noticed his arrival.
"Hi Alice. Are you doing Potions?" questioned Remus, trying to start a conversation.
Alice looked up and managed to stammer, "Hi Remus. I actually need to find a book".
The girl quickly got out of her seat and hurried to the other side of the room looking quite flushed and shaken.
"Is she all right?" asked Remus looking confused turning to Lily who was watching her friend.
"I don't know" replied Lily concerned, "I'll have to talk to her".
Remus frowned, wondering what he had said wrong and started reading his Charms book in silence.
"Where are the other Marauders?" asked Lily.
Remus sat up and shut his book.
"James and Sirius had an argument and aren't talking" he said dismally.
"What about?" asked Lily shocked.
Ever since first year James and Sirius had been in-separable playing pranks on students and teachers alike. In third year, they formed the Marauders group and now are considered brothers because of their close friendship and the same dark features.
"Sirius kept saying dirty things about what you and James would do in the Heads Room together. He kept on pestering James until lunch when James lost his temper and told Padfoot to piss off" explained Remus, regretting what had happened, "They just ignore each other as if they don't exist".
"That's ridiculous!" exclaimed Lily, "Don't you think James overreacted a little?"
"Prongs has a very bad temper when annoyed, Lily" said Remus, "Even though he did overreact a little but he's been having a really hard time recently".
"Why?" Lily was about to ask but was interrupted by a loud ring indicating the one hour lunch was over.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed that chapter and it was long enough. Let me know what you think, constructive criticism and suggestions welcome. Bye! : )