Chapter1
"And then in 1872 the Goblins signed…"
"Moony…?"
Remus didn't say anything as James pushed him gently on the shoulder. He was far too concentrated on keeping notes. The ghost professor of History of Magic was saying things too quickly to manage to write everything. It was only some weeks after the seventh year had started and they were already packed with homework. James and Sirius weren't fighting anymore but still sent glares to each other from time to time.
"Remus…?" James asked again pushing him more so that his hand slipped and ink stained Remus' parchment.
Remus let something that sounded a bit like a growl of annoyance and snapped his head up to look atJames. "What?" he demanded.
"Will you do me a favour? Pwease…" James pleaded faking a baby voice.
Remus sighed. This couldn't be good. "What is it that you want from me?" he asked.
"Will you ask Lily from me for a date?" he said managing to do the best of his puppy eyes.
Peter who had already started getting excited by the prospect of Lupin's answer elbowed Sirius who was snoring fast asleep on his History of Magic book.
"Cookies! ….Err-what?" Padfoot said with a start looking around startled.
Remus ignored him and shook his head. "What makes you think she will accept if I ask her?"
"You are a gentleman! You know how to articulate this kind of things! Come on," he begged his lower lip trembling. James was always good at pretending he was about to cry. And it usually worked on his friends. Especially on Remus who was grateful for the company they gave him onevery full moon.
"Okay fine!" he said throwing his hands up in exasperation. "But we need to find her first. I mean, she's not here…" he remarked looking around the class.
It wasn't usual of Lily to skip classes but these weeks she was acting all mysterious and was hanging out just with her best friend Alice Havendell. James would always look for Lily around the halls, his mind concentrated on this purpose but the moment Lily set her eyes on him she instantly changed direction.
Once they were out of the History of Magic class James was dragging Remus outside to the grounds for Herbology hoping that Lily would turn out to the class. As the headed to the Entrance Hall James' trained eye located Lily.
"There she is!" he shrieked as if he was on drugs.
Sirius rolled his eyes. This situation was starting to be sickening. All the past years he had approved of James' obsession but it was getting exaggerated now. Snapping out of his thoughts he saw Remus shaking his head negatively.
"No, I can't go there now James. Look, she is talking to Dumbledore," he pointed at where the red head was telling something to the old man.
The Headmaster smiled nodding his head the twinkle in his eyes brighter than usual. He replied something to Lily and Alice and pat the two girls on their backs, breezing past the Marauders as calmly as Sirius when sleeping in Divination.
James shrank back slowly walking behind an oblivious Wormtail. He was wary of Dumbledore since last year when he had played a really humourless prank on him and sent a bunch of Veelas in his office. All hell had broken loose that day. Professor McGonagall handed in her resignation for reasons no student or teacher could determine exactly and many first year Hufflepuffs were seduced never to be seen again but when it was found out that James was the one responsible for that chaos everything fell backinto place. Dumbledore had merely given him a month of detention but something told James that someday the Headmaster would get back at him. The Gryffindor dreaded that moment.
The ever-cheerful Headmaster nodded his head to the Marauders with a smile "Good morning Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Pettigrew and ah!" James gulped at his exclamation "Mr. Potter…See you around."
James steadily regained his old confidence once he had brushed a hand through his messy hair and flashed a smile at some Ravenclaw third years. Turning around to look at Remus he said, "Can you go now please?"
An exasperated sigh issued from the werewolf as he made his way towards the two girls.
"Now watch while I go out with Lily," James said proudly at Sirius and Peter.
"You are such a nice couple James! And now she won't…" but Peter hadn't finished his sentence when Moony came back his face emotionless.
James, however, was too distracted by Lily's glare which he took as a passionate look to notice the look on Remus' face.
"So when and where has she said?" he asked with a smug smile curling on his lips.
Remus opened his mouth no sound coming out of it. He threw a nervous glance at Sirius hoping he wouldn't be the object of James' next outburst. Sirius got his look andjust put his hands in his pockets humming pretentiously cheerful as if everything was going to be okay.
Peter blinked confused. "She didn't say anything?" he questioned.
James looked at Remus nodding. "Talk man! Do I have to plead for that? What did she say?"
Remus cleared his throat. "See James…she didn't exactly say any time or place…" James cut him off.
"She let me decide? Cool!"
Even the epitome of immaturity, Sirius Black, smacked his forehead with his hand. James was so hopeless still thinking that silly girl would go out with him. Couldn't this just stop!
Remus grinned. "Exactly."
This one word made Sirius' jaw fall to the floor and Peter squeaked as Prongs swelled with pride grinning like a fool.
"For a moment I thought she refused again!" Sirius exclaimed getting a short glare from James. "Turns out you are good at acting Moony!"
Remus smiled shrugging. "Yeah…she seemed curiously willing to go out with you this time. But with one condition she said."
James was hanging from Remus' next words with such eagerness that only a toddler would have.
"You have to do something with your hair. She thinks it's horrible the way it's so messy."
James pouted. "But it boosts my sex appeal!" he claimed and made everyone crack up.
He shot them a mock offended look. "I'm going to talk to my lady and let all of you rot here alone!" he said dramatically catching up with Lily and Alice where they were advancing down the Entrance Hall.
Finally Sirius managed to recover from his laughter and looked up at the other two. "It's unbelievable! I never thought I'd live to see the day when Lily Evans would go out with James!"
Remus agreed. "I was even more shocked when she accepted without even contemplating it a bit! She just said 'yes''! And she seemed pretty sure about it!"
"Ha! I told you they would make a nice couple!" said Wormtail brightly.
Sirius grabbed him by the shoulders in fake shock. "Maybe you are a Seer…" he drawled in eerie voice.
Wormtail shook his head negatively looking sad. "I doubt so. Otherwise, I 'd know what we have for lunch today," he answered with a sigh.
Later that evening James had never been happier in his life. With a shriek he bounded off to the boy's dormitories and didn't show up forsome minutes. He was all cared for and his hair wasn't that messy anymore.
"Oh and here comes the groom!" Sirius exclaimed clapping excitedly as James entered the common room attracting many female looks.
"Shut up Padfoot!" he snapped fixing his hair once more in front of a small mirror.
"Good luck pal!" Peter squeaked grinning mischievously.
Remus gave him an encouraging nod smiling as well. "Where are you going to meet?" he asked.
"Outside the Astronomy Tower!" he exclaimed brushing his clothes neatly.
Sirius whistled mischievously. "Oooo seems like Prongs is going to have helluva night!"
Remus and Peter laughed as James was beaming with happiness. "Why not? I'd love to…" he trailed off with a sly smile.
Remus grinned at him gesturing to the portrait. "Then off you go. It's not nice to keep a lady waiting."
James nodded quickly and fought the urge to run there. Instead he disappeared behind the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Only a few minutes passed before Sirius who happened to be in some kind of hyperactive fit spoke up. "How much do you guys bet thatshe won't kiss him on the first date?"
Remus glanced up from his Agatha Christie book contemplating the idea of playing in the bet but shook his head negatively.
"Aw come on Remus!" Peter exclaimed and grinned at Sirius. "One galleon."
"Ooohh good! I like your bet Peter! You like risks!" he said loving every moment.
Sirius was rummaging through his pockets for a parchment to seal their deal when James entered the common room looking as if he had just seen a vampire cheerleader.
"She didn't kiss him!" Peter concluded cheerfully standing to his feet.
Sirius frowned somewhat annoyed that he hadlost the bet but something else in the look of James' face that had turned pale bothered him even more. He suddenly looked at his blue eyes that was widened in fear and shock.
Remus rushed over to him wondering what the hell happened in the Astronomy Tower. James grabbed him by the shoulders violently and just muttered before passing out of consciousness.
"Lily...murdered..."
Yep! Murdered indeed. Next chapter will be coming quite soon if everything goes well! Have a nice day!