Chapter Seventeen: The Fruit Gets Tossed Like a Salad

"That's enough." Both girls knew who that voice was—who wouldn't? It could only belong to one person, although Lily couldn't see him.

"Ja—Ja—Jamesie!" Cheri stuttered uncomfortably. "Hi!"

James narrowed his eyes. "What, exactly, were you about to do to my friend?"

Cheri laughed nervously. "Just a little girl-to-girl talk gone… awry. You know who we girls are!"

James's expression didn't change. "Lying won't get you anywhere, Cheri," he replied coldly. "I thought we made this clear the last time we went out, Cheri: Lily Evans will always be one of the most important people in my life, and if you can't accept that, then I'm afraid I can't accept us." Disgusted, James shook his head. "We're done, Cheri."

"Damn you!" Cheri flew into a violent rage, suddenly. "No one flings away Cheri Tingstead! No one! Not even the Oh-So-Mighty James Potter! No one!"

"Twenty points from Hufflepuff," James said coldly, "for threatening an authoritative figure."

Cheri opened her mouth (looking strangely like a painted fish, will all the make up she had on) and closed it again. Then, fuming, left the scene.

James turned to Lily, relief (and a tad bit of fear?) in his face. "Are you all right?" He asked worriedly.

Lily pointed to her mouth and shook her head.

James jumped and muttered the counter curse.

Lily sighed. "Thank god," she smiled at him as if nothing had happened.

"Are you all right?" He repeated.

She grinned. "Perfectly," she said briskly, the grin still in tact.

"Are you sure?" Why was she acting so odd?

To further prove his point, Lily giggled.

"What's so funny?" James demanded. There she was, on the verge of being cursed a few moments before, and now she was laughing?

Lily managed to get out, "Well, she certainly looked more like a fish than a fruit tonight, didn't she?"

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"Finally!" Was what the Marauder's (and Lily's friends) said upon finding out James and Cheri had broken up.

"Say it," Sirius demanded once James had finished the tale.

James sighed. "You were right about Cheri." Sirius raised an eyebrow and discreetly glanced at Lily and then back at James.

James rolled his eyes. "We'll see if you're right about that, too."

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A/N: This chapter is so short, it's embarrassing, but I felt so guilty for not posting it weeks ago like I promised. School is out exactly a week from today, so expect a chapter very soon.

Because this chapter was horrifyingly short, here's a sneak preview of what happens next chapter:

It's Easter Break time at Hogwarts! It's that time of the month for Remus, and equally strange things are happening between Sirius and Estelle. Selene is very close to discovering the truth about Remus, and James and Lily are trying to figure out where exactly they stand—oh! And did I mention there was a wedding? (wink)