A/N: Okay, here it is. It's a little rough because it kept getting erased accidentally, so I just tried to hurry with it. I think I might have the ball in the next chapter!


Sirius looked at James who was showing Lily how to stick a spoon to her nose. Lily, however, kept cheating and using a sticking charm. James found it enormously funny that Lily was unable to perform the simple task without using magic.

"There's going to be a time in your life, when you can't use magic, Evans," James was explaining to Lily, "And this is one of those times."

"Maybe, Potter," Lily answered grinning, "But I don't think sticking a spoon to my nose without magic is going to have any effect on my life."

James' eyes danced, "Oh I don't know, Evans, I've used it a great many times to entertain people. Even you, yourself, have been fascinated with it for the last half hour."

"Fair enough," Lily said attempting to again balance the spoon on her nose.

Sirius felt a kick from under the table and quickly looked over to Holly, who was across from him. She made a gesture in Lily and James' direction and raised her eyebrows. Sirius realized that she must be trying to give him some sort of hint, but he was really quite unsure of what. He looked questioningly at Holly, who in return, sent him another gesture to the two people beside Sirius. Thankfully, Sirius didn't have to answer Holly's odd hints. Lily seemed to have finally gotten the hang of the spoon sticking to her nose and Remus and Chloe were cheering between their laughter.


James reckoned to the day had been going quite well so far. Lunch was a big hit with the whole group staying together and the spoon escapade. And now, the couples had gone their own ways, each trying to find their outfits for the Ball next week. He and Lily had browsed through a few shops before going to the small costume shop, "Costumous Wears." James' outfit had been fairly easy to find as he was going as a ragged Odysseus and he had even found a sword to accessorize the outfit. Lily, on the other hand, had far less luck in finding a dress that suited the mourning Penelope. She didn't seem to think that anything looked right, and James, although he thought she looked beautiful in them all, agreed that the dresses were missing something.

"James?" Lily asked standing on a step, "What do you think of this one?"

James put down the Daily Prophet that he'd been reading and gazed at Lily. She was wearing a sleeveless, pale yellow dress that fastened on only one shoulder. It seemed to be flowing around her and at the same time closely fitting her. Golden lining accented her features and the dress itself. Lily could have been Penelope in that dress and James knew it. He couldn't stop gazing at her.

"Fine," He said in a choked voice and he went back to reading his newspaper.

"James," Lily pleaded, "Really, is it ok? I know you like it because you're reading your newspaper upside down. Just admire me for a moment."

"There's not a day that I'm at Hogwarts that I haven't admired you, Lily," James said softly, "It looks beautiful."

Lily felt her stomach soar at James' comment and she hoped her face didn't portray her feelings, "I like how it swishes around when I move," she said demonstrating.

James could understand why she liked this feature. It made her look like a Goddess soaring in their most beautiful garments. At least, that's what he thought she looked like.

"Let's get it," James said smiling, "It would be a miracle to find anything that looks more like Penelope."

Lily smiled shyly and left to go change and put back the other dresses. James paid for the dress despite Lily's argument that she could pay herself. The sales witch gave him a sympathetic smile as he forked over the gold.


"Oy, Prongs!" James and Lily turned to see Sirius hurrying up to them, "You haven't seen Holly anywhere have you?"

"Sorry mate, can't say that I have," James said looking around as if Holly was going to pop out of nowhere.

"You ditched her already?" Lily asked amazed.

"No," Sirius snapped, "We're playing hide-and-seek."

Lily raised her eyebrows, "At your age?"

"Er-yeah," Sirius said looking at Lily oddly.

James caught a flash of black hair waving at him from Quality Quidditch. He smiled, Holly was trying to hide behind a sack of brooms. He glanced around and saw Florence's Ice Cream Parlor. James had a very good idea.

"Why don't you two go look in Quality Quidditch while I look at Florence's?" James said giving a significant look to Sirius.

Sirius, although he was hopeless at Holly's hints, seemed to understand James perfectly, "Right, let's go then Lily."

"What?" Lily said confused, "Why don't I just go with James?"

"I'm touched Evans, really," James grinned, "However, Sirius is liable to lose himself here without anyone to keep him company. I'll see you in a minute," and he took off down the street.

"I resent him," Sirius said shaking his head, "Anyway, lets go have a look in Quality Quidditch Evans."

Sirius and Lily hurried into the shop on their left and quickly found Holly. Lily stood awkwardly for a moment as Sirius and Holly flirted a little back and forth. She didn't know why it bothered her, Sirius and Holly had flirted with each other since they were in their fourth year. She supposed that she was just feeling lonely with Amos gone.

"Miss me, Evans?" a voice said into her ear.

Lily turned surprisingly to see James standing with two ice cream cones, "You aren't going to eat both of those yourself, are you?"

James looked mildly surprised, "That would not be my gentleman-like behavior," Lily let out a little snort, "But if you don't want your strawberry ice cream, Sirius is sure to want it."

"Strawberry's my favorite," Lily said laughing, "I don't know if I can pass it up."

"I know it's your favorite," James said handing over the cone. Lily looked at him questioningly, he sighed, "I once turned your book into an ice cream cone, a chocolate ice cream cone. You said, 'Nice try, Potter, but I—"

"Despise Chocolate," Lily finished for James, "Then you asked what I did prefer, and what did I say?"

"I prefer you leave me alone, Potter,'" James said in a perfect mimic of Lily's voice, "Holly whispered that it was strawberry as you guys left."

"You ruined my book," Lily said crossly, "It was good too, a muggle book, "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. I never did find out what happens after Frodo is attack by a ringwraith."

"Really, I'm sorry, Evans," James said with a confused look on his face, "I'll make it up to you somehow."

Lily smiled, but she was confused in James' attitude change lately. Since when did he apologize for things? And what was that look he was giving her? Confusion? Grief?

"Er-you're ice cream's melting," James pointed out to Lily.

"Oh," Lily said quickly taking care of the cone, "Thanks a lot for the ice cream. I can't believe you remembered that Strawberry was my favorite."

"I try," James said giving her a famous grin.

"NO FOOD IN THE STORE!" a bald wizard began to chase Lily and James with a broomstick, "OUT, OUT I SAY!"

"Sorry about that mate," James said pulling Lily out of the brooms reach, "We didn't know—"

"OUT!" the man screamed, "YOU WILL PAY FOR ANY DAMAGE YOU HAVE DONE! OUT!"

"We were just leaving," James said grabbing a hat off a stand and putting it on. He tipped his new hat to the bald man and tossed a galleon to him. The man didn't pick it up, but swung the broom in James' direction.

"Now I don't know what your mother told you," Sirius said grabbing the broom from the bald man, "But I heard from James' mum that it wasn't nice to hit people with brooms. Especially your customers…"

"SIR, IF YOU DO NOT LET GO OF THE BROOM, I WILL TAKE IT BY FORCE," the bald man yelled at Sirius.

Sirius didn't let go off the broom, but he put his arm around the man, "Are you a pure-blood?" the man nodded and Sirius laughed, "I knew you had to be related to my dear old mum somehow, you act just like her."

"He's also got three chins just like that old dude that has his picture in your house," James said to Sirius.

"THAT'S IT! OUT!" the old man pulled out his wand.

"It's been nice talking to you," Sirius said grabbing Holly and running.

"Yeah, I love what you've done with your hair," James took hold of Lily and ran with her towards the door. Yelling over his shoulder, he said, "Keep in touch, baldie!"

The four ran out of the shop as fast as they could. Many people stopped and stared, four students running like mad and a bald man yelling and chasing after them. He'd also bewitched the broom to pursue after them, which was taking out anything and everything in its way. Finally, the broom seemed to run out of steam as the group was nearing the Shrieking Shack and it gently fell to the ground.

"Hey Evans," James panted as he picked up the broom, "I've got you a present."

Lily watched as James held the broom out to her, "We can't take that, James. It'd be stealing."

"I don't reckon it's considered stealing," James shrugged, "If the old man wanted it back, he shouldn't have sent it chasing us."

"What model is it?" Sirius asked, craning his neck to see the small words on the handle.

"Cleansweep," James said immediately, "Not too bad, newer model even."

"I'll take it if you don't," Holly said eagerly.

"If you want a broomstick, I'll buy you one," Sirius said hopefully.

"Don't be silly, Sirius, I have a perfectly good broomstick," Holly said laughing.

"You can buy me a broomstick, Padfoot," James sniggered.

"Shut up, Sweet Cheeks," Sirius muttered.

"Why don't we all play quidditch," James said brightly, "Remus and Chloe can use my extra brooms and Lily can use her new one."

"That would be fun," Holly said hooking her arm with Sirius', "We're in aren't we, Sirius?"

Sirius nodded meekly as James turned to Lily. She looked unsure, "I have lots of homework…"

"So do I," James said shrugging, "Just put it off for one day, Evans. Just this once and you can do it tomorrow."

"You're being a terrible influence on me," Lily laughed, "First stealing broomsticks and now not doing my homework."

"I have to have some goal in my life," James flashed her a grin, "It would get so boring if I wasn't causing havoc."

They soon found Remus and Chloe and left to get started on their quidditch game. Everyone had a blast, even Lily and Chloe who weren't big quidditch fans. James was being completely charming, Sirius was being Sirius, and Remus was cracking jokes this way and that. The day was truly a sucess.


A/N: Sorry it took so long. You know the drill, review. Did you like it or not? If you don't tell me, I'll never know!