A/N: Without Dan, this chapter would suck. That's all I really have to say.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. Dan owns all the good stuff about it. I guess...well, I own the computer that it was typed on!!! Wewt!
JerryGirl: You lose ten points for cheating, you cheating cheater. BUT! You earn 1000000 points for reviewing. So, I'd say Gryffindor wins the House Cup this year.
Tinydancer15: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you and finally, thank you. You are my new favorite person-of-the-day! Please, keep reviewing. I appreciate it so much.
The Flying Moose: Hey, Dan is a good beta. Maybe I wanted it to be Picked Herring. Maybe it's called NOT PLAGURISING! (Shut up...)
Tennisaddict107: Meh, you suck. Stupid...good at everything person. Nah, thank you for reviewing though. I owe you tons.
Oh, and wait, one more thing. I know I spelled Snivilious wrong in this chapter. What's the right spelling? I'm sorry if anyone is bugged by it.
Chapter Four
"Yellow Isn't Really Your Color"
Lily yawned and stretched, untangling herself from her covers. She jumped out of bed and walked towards the window, throwing the curtains open. Morning light poured into the room, accentuating the sharp angles of the walls. Lily smiled and twirled. She loved the mornings. Heading toward her dresser, she opened the drawer to find her neatly folded robes, and quickly grabbed one. She hummed happily while getting dressed; already she could tell this was going to be a perfect day. Lily waltzed into the bathroom, still humming the same tune, and walked out several minutes later, her hair up in a bun. Then, glancing at the mirror above her dresser, she grinned. Feeling adventurous, she pulled on her hair tie, allowing the shimmering locks to fall over her shoulders. Then she opened the door leading out of the room and stepped into the threshold, only to come face to face with James.
"What are you doing?!" she yelped, jumping a few feet backwards.
"I was just admiring your vocal skills," he replied, grinning saucily. She glared at him.
And I thought today was going to be a good day... she thought, regretfully.
"So, still in a strop from last night?" inquired James, insensitively.
"I wasn't 'in a strop'!" replied Lily, brushing past him to exit the room.
"Hey Lily?" James asked. Suprisingly, Lily paused in front of the portrait hole.
"What?"
"D'you...d'you really think I'm...well...handsome?" Noting how her shoulders tensed up, James knew he shouldn't have asked.
"I was only quoting others," she replied, rather calmly.
"Oh, right," he replied. "Well, see you at breakfast." She left quickly. James continued to stand and study the carpet for a few minutes longer before following Lily.
"Oy, James!" yelled Sirius when James entered the Great Hall. James noticed, happily, that Lily looked up when she heard his name. It didn't take her long, though, to focus her attention back on her breakfast plate. "Where were you last night?" asked Sirius once James had sat down. "The party just wasn't the same without you!"
"I noticed Lily was gone too," observed Lupin. James blushed.
"What happened?!" asked Sirius, leaning in with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Basically, she just yelled at me. Then went into her room." From the look in his friend's eyes, he knew he wasn't going to get off with just the basics. So, he related the whole story to them, with Sirius interjecting astonished comments throughout and Peter echoing him. Lupin remained silent
"And then this morning she huffed out after telling me she didn't really think I was handsome!" finished James with a flourish. Sirius looked amazed, but Remus had a somewhat smug look on his face.
"What are you smirking about, Moony?" asked James.
"I told you so!" he said in a sing-song voice. James threw a spoonful of scrambled eggs in Lupin's direction. He ducked, his animal instincts kicking in, and the scrambled eggs hit the back of a certain greasy haired boy at the next table. The boy turned around slowly, facing them.
"You know, Snivilious," said James, once he realized who it was, "yellow isn't really your color. It makes your skin seem pale."
"Not that you aren't pale normally," added Sirius, "but we just don't want to accentuate your bad features."
"Or any feature, for that matter." Lupin sent James a warning look, but James just smiled sweetly at him.
"Shut it, Potter," spat Snape.
"Or what?" replied James. "You'll sic your friends on me?" He emphasized the word 'friends' and glanced around at the empty seats surrounding Snape. Snape winced but quickly recovered.
"I have allies, Potter."
"Who, like Voldemort?" All the people around James who had been listening to the conversation gasped. Even James knew he had taken it one step too far.
"James—" began Remus, but a harsh voice cut him off.
"Potter, what do you think you are doing?!" exclaimed Lily. "Twenty points from Gryffindor and a detention from me after classes!"
"Lily, you don't have the authority to give him a deten—"started Sirius.
"Don't presume to tell me what I can and cannot do, Black!" She turned her attention back to James. "I may not always have liked you, Potter, but I've at least had some semblance of respect for you. But after this...ignorant outburst of yours, I've lost what little respect I ever had." She lowered her voice, "If you have any reason to suspect a student of Hogwarts to be associated with he-who-must-not-be-named, you will bring your suspicions to Dumbledore privately. But I don't ever want to hear you accuse someone in front of their peers again." She paused. "I will see you at eight o'clock, Mr. Potter." She started walking away but turned back for one last biting comment. "You don't deserve the title of Head Boy." Then, she turned her back on him and walked out.
"Why'd you let her do that to you?!" exclaimed Sirius once she had left.
"Because she was right," James whispered, staring at the closed door.
