Lily flopped down on her bed. It was Friday night, and she had just gotten in from the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. James had, of course, led his team to a great victory, and the entire house was celebrating downstairs. However, Lily was exhausted and could only celebrate for so long before slipping upstairs unnoticed.

Alli entered, grinning from ear to ear and chewing animatedly on a cookie. "You, miss, should be downstairs swooning over your boyfriend."

Lily cocked an eyebrow at her best friend, and Alli laughed.

"Ok, so you'd never be caught dead swooning over 'big-headed Potter', or anyone else for that matter, but you get what I'm trying to say."

"I'm a bit tired. So, Alli," Lily said carefully, "Have you heard about Sirius and that Ravenclaw?"

"Yeah." Not looking at Lily, Alli picked up a muggle contraption called 'nail polish' and began to paint her nails.

"And?"

Alli sighed. Lily didn't miss a trick, and she knew there was no use in lying.

"I don't really mind, and that confuses me. I thought I liked him, but... I don't. I don't know."

"I know how that feels." Lily moved over and made room for Alli to climb in, putting her arms around her...as James walked in.

He gave them a cheeky smile and leaned back in the door frame with his arms crossed.

"Please, ladies, don't let me interrupt."

Lily rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at him.

"How did you get up here? Didn't the stairs turn into a slide like they did for Sirius in second year when he was dating Muffy Midgen?"

James grinned and shook his head. "When are you going to learn, Evans, that there's nothing James Potter can't do?"

"I'm starting to believe that," Lily muttered, pulling herself off the bed and crossing to look out the door. "There really isn't a slide. How did you do it?"

"Jiggled the railing and kicked the bottom step," he said nonchalantly. He glanced at Alli. "Are you ok?"

She smiled. "Sure, of course I am. Just a little tired.. I think I'm going to get some sleep. Good game today, James."

"Thanks," James turned to Lily. "Can we talk somewhere alone?"

Lily frowned at Alli. "Do you mind if I leave for a bit, Als? I know you're upset, I can stay.."

"Nah, go ahead, I'm already half asleep." And she was, with hands carefully on the pillow so that her three painted nails wouldn't stain the duvet.

James and Lily quietly exited and stood in the hall between the stairs and rooms. James surveyed Lily, looking her up and down and taking in her jeans and t-shirt.

"I've just received an owl from my father," he said carefully, "And it involves you."

She just blinked, so he continued.

"He invited me to spend the dayr with him and my mum tomorrow night, and requested that you come with me."

"Why?" Lily frowned slightly. She had overheard Lucius Malfoy telling his dumb friends that his parents would never let him date anyone other than a pure-blood witch of high status one day while she was in the library, and James's parents were pure-blood like the Malfoys. Would they think she was not worthy of dating their son? Frankly, Lily had never liked the term 'pure-blood'. It made her think of the ugly dogs her sister's boyfriend's sister kept. True, she had even heard the term 'pure-blood' come out of James's mouth, but it made her nervous nonetheless.

James rattled on, oblivious to Lily's frantic thoughts. "He says he has something to discuss with us. I'm just as surprised as you are, he's never pulled me out of school before. And it says that he already arranged everything with Dumbledore, so I guess we're allowed. What do you think?"

Lily laughed sourly. "What do I think? I think I'd rather go one-on-one with an acromantula than meet your parents tomorrow."

James gave her that cocky grin. "I'm sure Hagrid could find one for you."

"James."

"Alright, alright. Sorry. Anyway, why are you so scared about meeting my parents?"

Lily looked away. "I don't really think I'm what they had in mind when they imagined the girlfriend of the last Gryffindor."

James stared at her for a moment before dissolving into hysterical laughter.

"JAMES!"

"I'm- hic -sorry, it's just that.. You've never met my parents, and you're exactly who they'd want me to date. They don't care that you're muggle-born, if that's what your afraid of. I told you, Lyla was muggle-born, so they'll probably like you better because of that, with the whole prophecy thing. So, you're coming?"

"Uhhhh." That was about all Lily could manage. It was very rare indeed for Lily Evans not to have words bounce smartly off her tongue. The loss of speech made her even more nervous- What if she couldn't talk when she met them? They'd think she was barbaric!

"Great, see you tomorrow, we're meeting them in Hogsmeade at noon for lunch, then spending the day with them." James gave her a big, loud kiss, then cheerfully made his way back to his party.

Lily slowly walked back into her room, looking over the peacefully sleeping Alli.

She ran and jumped on her best friend, screaming "ALLI, GET UP, I NEED YOUR HELP!"

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Alli yawned and handed Lily her purse. "That should do it."

It was Saturday morning, A.K.A. Judgement Day.

Lily had decided to wear her long pale blue skirt with her long-sleeved white blouse. She had half of her hair eloquently pulled back with the rest left down, but of course a few tendrils had escaped her vengeful blasts of hair spray and come loose. Her make-up was conservative and subtle, a great credit to Alli since Lily rarely wore make-up and had insisted her friend help her.

They had spent a great deal of the night deciding what Lily should say and wear.

"I owe you, Als." Lily hurried out to meet James in the Common Room.

Alli grinned. 'I've never seen Lily care what she looked like or said,' she thought. '...She's got it bad.' If Lily hadn't cared so much about James, she wouldn't give a damn about his parents.

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A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you had a nice holiday! Not much happens in this chapter, and it's really short, but I think you'll find chapter 17 eventful enough, hehe. I was trying to fit it all into one chapter, but chapter 17 requires a lot of detail that I don't have the energy to write at this hour. So, I'm posting a short chapter 16 so you have at least something to read. This would have been up sooner, but my friend came into town and I spent some time with her... So you all can blame Jane for the delay ;D. Haha I miss her. Ahh, I need sleep. Ok, go review, tell me what you want to see, and I'll see you in chapter 17.

-Ria