Chapter Twelve

Hey James

When they returned to the castle, the Marauders were sitting by the fire in the common room. James and Sirius were muttering something and looking around, sniggering every so often. Peter was reading. Ermengarde wiped her eyes once more and went with Remus to join the others.

"What's up?" asked Remus, sitting down.

"Oh, just scouting for James's future wife," said Sirius casually.

Ermengarde rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"Come on, Swi, tell me who it is, won't you?" pleaded James.

"No," said Ermengarde firmly.

"Just a hint?" he begged, his voice pitch rising.

"James, I've told you already, I can't!"

"Please, please, please, please, please because you love me?"

"No, no, no, no because I don't love you all that much."

"Please?" he whined in a pitch only dogs could hear. Sirius jumped at it.

"Fine!" she said, exasperated. "It's...oh, I can't believe I'm doing this. This is so stupid, I can't believe I'm being swayed this easily...fine. It's Lily, okay? Now shut up about it!"

"Lily? Really?" James's whole face lit up like a light bulb.

"Yes," said Ermengarde, wondering just how stupid what she had just done was.

"YES!" James shouted triumphantly.

"You've created a monster," said Remus.

"Created?" said Ermengarde.

"You're right. He was one in the first place," said Remus.

"Speak of the angel, here she comes!" said James, puffing up with self-pride.

"James, don't go doing something stupid," said Ermengarde. "Act...you know, normal."

"What d'you mean?" asked James.

"I mean, don't be so arrogant. And don't talk about Quidditch constantly. And be sure you don't slobber all over her," Ermengarde said reasonably.

"In other words, don't be yourself, mate," said Sirius.

"Thanks," said James sarcastically. "All right, here I go."

James got up and crossed the room to Lily, who immediately closed her body language. The Marauders turned away from the scene, sniggering a bit. Ermengarde rolled her eyes.

"Do you think he'll do something stupid?" asked Peter.

"Of course," said Ermengarde.

"Wow," said Sirius. "You have such faith in him."

"Oh come on, you're thinking the same thing," said Ermengarde. "He'll probably say something like, 'So, Lily, when are you going to drop this icy exterior and just admit you're madly in love with me?' and then she'll yell at him, or if she has any sense, slap him, and we'll never hear the end of it."

"This is true," said Sirius.

But when Ermengarde snuck a peek at James and Lily, they actually seemed to almost be having a pleasant conversation. Lily hadn't uncrossed her arms, but she didn't look angry. Ermengarde raised her eyebrows at the others, who stifled laughs along with her.

"Maybe I was wrong!" she said.

Sirius stretched out in his armchair and sighed. "I'm bored. I wish it weren't so loud in here, I'd practice my guitar."

"You play the guitar?" asked Ermengarde in surprise.

"A little bit," said Sirius. "Prongs gave it to me for my birthday a couple of years ago and I've been playing it ever since."

"What about you, Ermengarde? Any instruments?" asked Remus.

"I used to play the harp when I was younger, before I came to school," she replied. "I wasn't too good, though."

"And there she goes being modest," said Sirius.

"No, really, my sister Emma was much better at it," said Ermengarde truthfully.

"Uh-oh," said Remus suddenly, pointing at James and Lily.

Lily was giving James a look of death while he was laughing at what must have been his own joke. She pushed by him and started to storm off to the girl's staircase, but James caught her by the arm and looked as though he were apologizing. Lily, rather than accept the apology, yanked her arm out of his grip and ran up the stairs. James looked around the staring common room, very embarrassed, and slowly slinked over to the Marauders.

"So – ah – she's not in such a good mood today, is she?" asked Remus lightly.

"Apparently, I'm a fatheaded idiot who doesn't have a point," said James dejectedly.

"Cheer up, mate, that's a compliment compared to what she usually says," said Sirius, chuckling a little.

"What did you tell her?" asked Ermengarde.

"I just asked her about the quiz in Potions and how she thought she did. And then I said I probably passed but had a little trouble remembering the properties of some of the antidotes and wanted to know if she wanted to meet me sometime to study," said James.

"And then what?" asked Remus.

"Well, she said she supposed so and asked where we could meet," said James.

"And?" asked Sirius.

"And...nothing," said James.

"Come on, what did you say?" asked Peter.

"I said...I said that since girls can get into the boys' dormitories and that the Potions book is such a pain to carry around with me..." James trailed off.

"Nice," said Sirius. "So is that when she tried to make your brain explode with her eyes?"

"It's not funny, Padfoot," snapped James. "I'm sick of this. I really like her a lot."

"You just don't know what to say to her," said Ermengarde.

"Well – you're a girl, what do girls like to hear?" asked James.

"I think I can answer this one," said Sirius before Ermengarde had so much as opened her mouth. "First, they like flattery. So maybe something like 'You look nice today...I mean, you always look nice, but there's something different about you today' or 'I saw that dive during the Quidditch match. It was spectacular!' or something."

"But Lily doesn't play Quidditch," said Remus.

"Rachel Marcus does, and it worked on her," said Sirius slyly. "Anyway, secondly, make sure you listen when they talk. And don't talk about yourself unless they mention you."

"Hey, this is actually good advice, Sirius, good for you," said Ermengarde, impressed.

"Yeah...what next?" asked James eagerly.

"Then just plant one on her!" said Sirius.

"Okay, advice stopped being good," said Ermengarde.

"Well, then what would you suggest?" asked Sirius indignantly.

"The first two were good. But maybe instead of...er...'planting one on her', you could just invite her to play a game of Exploding Snap or something. Something simple like that, which would be fun and give you both a chance to talk a little bit more. And make sure you let her win."

"I just don't think she likes me much," said James.

"No, really?" said Sirius. "I was under the impression that she swooned when you passed."

"Sirius, shut up," said Ermengarde. "Look, all you have to do is—"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore...I'm going to bed," said James shortly, standing up.

"It's six-thirty, Prongs!" said Remus.

But James wasn't listening. He had already swept past them and disappeared up the stairs into the dormitories.

"Blimey," said Sirius.

They were all quiet for a time. Most everyone had gone off to dinner, leaving just the Marauders alone in the common room by themselves. Sirius, obviously growing restless, had been fidgeting in his chair for the past fifteen minutes.

"Sirius!" Ermengarde finally burst out. "Find something to occupy yourself, please!"

"Fine," he said irritably, and he went up the stairs to the dormitories.

"Oh, that's grown-up," puffed Ermengarde.

"Why are we all so grouchy?" asked Remus.

"I'm not," said Peter.

"Sorry," mumbled Ermengarde.

Sirius returned with his guitar and a few loose sheets of paper. He sat down and started tuning the instrument.

"How's James?" asked Ermengarde.

"Reading," said Sirius. "I didn't talk to him or anything."

Sirius finished tuning and starting playing a few chords. Ermengarde recognized the song immediately – it was one of her favorites. She started humming along.

"Oh, you know it?" asked Sirius.

"Yes," said Ermengarde.

"Sing out, then!" said Sirius.

Ermengarde sang out loud, but quietly. She was very self-conscious about her singing voice, since it was not nearly as good as her sister's.

"Hey Jude," she sang. "Don't make it bad..."

But she trailed off, suddenly having an idea.

"Sirius," she said. "Hand me that paper. Hand me the music, come on!"

Sirius stopped playing, startled, and gave Ermengarde the paper. She read it hungrily, then a grin spread over her face as her plan formulated.

"What's up?" asked Sirius.

"Can any of you sing?" she asked.

They looked from one to the other, and finally Remus raised his hand timidly.

"Perfect," she said. "Do you know this song, Moony?"

"Not really," said Remus.

"Could you learn it?"

"Why?"

"Could you learn it?"

"Why?"

"I'm just asking...let's say we change it around a little?" said Ermengarde, her eyes sparkling.

Half an hour later, after some quiet rehearsal, the stage was set for their little plan. They all gathered around the base of the staircase. Ermengarde gave the count silently, and Sirius started playing while Remus sang.

"Hey James, don't let me down, you have found her, now go and get her. The minute you let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better."

Ermengarde giggled and joined in.

"So let it out and let it in. Hey James, begin. You're waiting for someone to perform with. And don't you know that it's just you, hey James, you'll do, the movement you need is on your shoulder."

James's head poked out from the door of the dormitories, utterly perplexed. All of them started singing at the top of their lungs.

"Hey James, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her under your skin, then you begin to make it better, better, better, better, better, better—"

And Sirius capped it off with a loud, rock-and-roll scream. All of them started in with the "Na-na-na" chorus, replacing the word "Jude" with "James" each time. James started laughing and came down the stairs. Ermengarde gave him a big hug and Remus and Peter clapped him on the back. Sirius was still singing the chorus, along with what were originally Paul McCartney's screams in the background.

"Who...whose idea was this?" asked James.

"Ermengarde's," said Remus.

"Thank, Swi," said James.

"Haven't you heard? She's Snow Wing now," said Remus.

"That's fitting," said James. "Um, Padfoot?"

Sirius wasn't listening. He was in his own world, singing (well, screaming, more like) at the top of his lungs.

"Just let him be," said Ermengarde.

She took that remark back after the umpteenth chorus of "Na-na-na" from Sirius, when James finally went over to him and took the guitar away. Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"Dinner, anyone?" asked Ermengarde.

"Good idea," said James, and they all went to dinner.