A/N: Please read and review!
Chapter Nine: Of Emerson and Bad Planning
The weekend had flown by, with the only big event being the prefect meeting. Needless to say, it had been a fairly relaxing weekend. The prefect meeting had gone smoothly, the prefects, even the Slytherins, although they had objections to the Head Boy and Girl, wanted to have a great Halloween celebration and were very eager and helpful for the most part. Lily and James had been able to give each group a list of things that needed to be done by Halloween and to remind them of their patrolling schedules.
Next thing Lily knew, it was Monday morning and she was taking her seat in Arthimancy, when she felt a soft tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Emerson grinning madly at her. Lily couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach when she saw him standing there, wanting to talk to her.
"Good morning." he smiled. "Long time no see."
Lily smiled back. "Yeah, and this time we're at the same level."
This indeed, was nearly true, as Lily stood at about 5'6, and Emerson couldn't have been more than an inch or two taller than her.
He grinned again. "Is anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing to the seat beside her, which Lily had reserved for Allison as usual, and who happened to be approaching the desk at the same time.
"Well Allison usually sits with me." she replied, before the words were out of her mouth, however, Emerson had pulled out the chair and was taking a seat.
"There's always time for change." he smiled at her again and leaned back in his chair. "Anyways, doesn't she have a boyfriend to sit with?"
"He takes Herbology this period." retorted Lily.
"Herbology? Merlin, I dropped that the first chance I had. Where are you going to get in life taking care of plants?" he laughed, unnerving Lily.
"He wants to develop new potions and such after he graduates. He has to take it." she answered, almost surprising herself with her cold tone.
"Oh, I guess it is alright." he studied Lily for a moment. "I didn't mean anything by it, you know."
Lily gave him a smile before sending a look to Allison, clearly expressing that she needed to find another seat. To her annoyance, Allison looked at Emerson, then back at Lily, giving her a wink before she took a seat with James, who had been separated from the only other Marauder in the class, Remus, in the first week of school for no apparent reason. Lily had a gnawing suspicion that it was because together they could produce answers faster then Professor Harcourt, an old wizard that was slightly slow with calculations.
Emerson tried to scribble meaningless notes to Lily, who would reply once or twice before telling him that she needed to pay attention. He would just smile and go to work for a few minutes before attempting one-sided conversation again. It would have really bugged Lily, if he hadn't been so gorgeous. His hair was absolutely perfect, if he turned his head, it would swish but fall right back into place. Caramel colored eyes would wink at her every so often, and she couldn't help but respond with a grin.
At the end of class, Allison quickly pushed her way towards Lily and dragged her by her side while they walked to their next class, Advanced Potions, Lily's second least favorite class, if only because they always seemed to have it with the Slytherins.
"What is going on with you and Emerson?" asked Allison, in a harsh but excited whisper.
Lily turned a light shade of red, "I don't think anything…we just ran into each other on Friday and he's decided to be friendly."
"Decided to be friendly?" asked Allison, in an unbelieving tone. "The bloke practically stole my seat in order to sit next to you! I had to sit next to James, who by the way, didn't seem too happy with the new seating arrangements, either."
Lily stopped in step. James had noticed? Of course he had. "What did he say?" she asked.
"Nothing really, except asking why I was sitting next to him instead of you, and after I explained that… he didn't seem too happy. He had this horrible sour look on his face." replied Allison, picking up the pace as they walked through the corridors, they had to go all the way to the dungeons, after all.
"What did you tell him?" asked Lily in a voice she hoped wasn't frantic.
"Just that Emerson wanted to sit with you. That's all I could make from it, at least." answered Allison. "Besides, why do you care what he thinks?"
Lily took a short breath. Did she care what James thought? She shook the thought from her head. "I don't, it's just you know how he gets kind of…weird when I am even interested in a guy."
Allison nodded, recalling the few incidents in previous years with the disastrous events which always seemed to follow Lily's boyfriends. They always seemed to fall victim to a Marauder prank.
"Is that what Emerson is, then?" asked Allison. "An interest?" she perked her eyebrows up in question as they entered the classroom.
Lily took her seat next to Allison before replying. "Not really. I mean, he is very nice looking." She thought of him for a second. "Very, very nice looking. But he's somewhat bothersome."
Allison pulled out her quills. "How?"
The tall, poised professor cleared his throat at the front of the room.
"The bell has rung."
Professor Jareb was a middle-aged wizard with a shiny baldhead that had started teaching Hogwarts Lily's third year. He was known to be deaf, strict, and boring.
"Please pull out your texts and turn to page one-twenty-three. Not one-twenty-two, not one-twenty-four, one-twenty-three. Read the chapter and then follow the instructions on the board. Once you are done with your potion, place it in a flask and turn it in. You have the period."
Lily looked at Allison and groaned, this was going to be dreadful. Whenever Professor Jareb gave assignments like this there was always some sort of hidden precaution that if they hadn't found in the dull, old text, would devastate their potion.
She felt someone staring at her. She turned around and looked towards the back. James Potter was staring at her. Green eyes caught hazel ones, and they both turned away. Allison thumbed the pages effortlessly, mumbling to herself.
"Okay, since we're both horrible at potions, I have no clue how this is going to turn out." Allison huffed. "And the chapter is twelve pages long."
Lily smiled. "You prepare the ingredients, I'll read." Allison grinned back at her. They had long established the habit of dividing the workload; otherwise, it was liable to take them the entire period to form a faulty potion.
Halfway through Lily's reading and Allison's ingredient making (she was grading mandrake roots) Lily felt the same feeling as if she was being watched again.
This time, she didn't have to turn around and see who it was.
"James is staring at you." stated Allison nonchalantly as she continued grading. Lily didn't look up from her reading.
"I know, I can feel him." she turned the page. "He hasn't so obviously stared at me since fifth year. After I sent that hex at him…what was it again?"
"The Eye-Boggling hex. His eyes were OUT of his sockets. That was so gross." answered Allison as she shuddered in disgust. "Not to mention rather harsh. But he was rather annoying, I suppose."
At the back of the classroom, James was struck in his side by Sirius.
"Mate, will you quit staring! We have this horrible potion to do." whispered Sirius, somewhat loudly.
James broke his gaze and smiled. "Sirius Black worried about his grades? Ha."
"I'm not worried about my grades. You know I'm excellent in Potions." argued Sirius arrogantly. "I'm worried about Evans sending that eye-boggling hex at you again. You remember that?"
James shuddered. "How can I forget? With my eyes on the floor I saw up Snape's nose. You don't forget a site like that. Grease everywhere." he replied coldly.
Sirius laughed and slapped James on his back. "What's up with you?" Sirius was excellent at noticing James's mood swings and when something was really bothering him, no doubt due to the seven years of best friendship.
James sighed. "I think Emerson Burton may like Lily…he was sitting with her last period, and he seemed awfully friendly with her."
"That scum-bag Hufflepuff? Merlin, Prongs, she'll never date him. He is everything she thought you were! If she dates him she'll be contradicting all the rejection she's given you."
James nodded somewhat unconvinced. "I know, Padfoot, but the thing is…she didn't tell him off or anything…she smiled at him. I think she might like him too."
"Hell, she smiles at me, and I know she'd slap me if I ever touched her." answered Sirius. "Smiling means nothing."
"If you say so." replied James uneasily. "I hope so."
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black. You are chit-chatting, am I right in assuming your potions are done?" came the irritated tone of Professor Jareb.
James sighed. Here came his detention. Before he could respond however, Sirius replied in a loud tone, holding up a full flask.
"Of course, Professor Jareb. We wouldn't even think of talking in your class without the assignment being done first." answered Sirius, with a mock sincere tone and a charming grin.
The class giggled as Professor Jareb came and snatched the potion from Sirius, which he had enough time to label as both his and James's.
To his surprise, James caught Lily laughing as well, and when he caught her eye, she smiled at him. A true, genuine, amused smile. He felt a warm sensation travel through his body and his stomach do that all familiar flip-flop. He grinned back at her and then turned to Sirius.
"How did you manage to do that?"
Sirius grinned. "I told you I was excellent at Potions."
James just shook his head. "I think I'm going to ask Lily if she wants to meet for Head duties someday this week. That way I can maybe figure out what's going on with her and that Emerson bloke."
"That's a good idea." replied Sirius. "But aren't you already patrolling with her tomorrow night and Thursday? I doubt she'll see the sense in meeting."
James shrugged. "I don't know what to do then. If you have any better ideas, please let me know." he replied shrewdly. He pulled out a notebook and began drawing Quidditch plays.
Sirius grinned at the Quidditch book his best friend always kept with him. Quidditch started today, that was enough to keep James's spirits high if anything did happen between Lily and Emerson.
At lunch that day, the Marauders, by orders from James, sat close to Allison, Lily, and Ellie. Remus, particularly embarrassed about how things had gone with him and Ellie that Friday sat as far away from her as possible, which meant sitting hidden beside Peter.
James and Sirius took seats across from the girls, and Sirius immediately proceeded to pile his plate with as much of the food around him as possible. The girls watched on with disgust as it formed a huge multi-colored blob on his plate and he began to dig in.
James just shook his head and grinned at Lily.
"So this is why we avoided sitting with you boys for so long." smirked Lily. James smiled back at her.
"Yes, I'm sorry to say Sirius's mother never managed to teach him any etiquette."
Sirius took a large gulp of pumpkin juice and swallowed. "She was too busy trying to teach me about conquering the world … to bad she didn't realize manners would take me farther in life."
The group laughed, and was surprised when a group of boys appeared behind Lily, Allison, and Ellie.
James immediately stopped laughing as he saw the ringleader. Emerson Burton, and he was grinning like a fool.
"Did we miss the joke?" he smiled and touched Lily's shoulder delicately. James was glad to see she was surprised at this gesture, and didn't look all that thrilled to be interrupted.
"That's not the only thing you're missing." answered Sirius. Everyone burst into laughter, except, to James's dismay, Lily. Instead, she seemed to be fighting back a smile, but maybe it was a rude comment to shout at Sirius. James couldn't tell.
Emerson chuckled. "Good one, Black. Always one for jokes."
Sirius muttered something under his breath, which sounded incredibly like,' I wasn't joking.'
"Anyways." Emerson continued, ignoring the Marauders. "I just wanted to stop by and say hello to Lily."
James had to restrain from making a rude remark, and just nodded.
Lily turned and smiled at Emerson. "Hello, then."
"Hi." he replied with a broad grin. "I just wanted to apologize if I distracted you from your work in class today. I know how distracting I can be."
"Oh you weren't distracting me. A few notes during class aren't enough to get me off task." she replied.
Emerson grinned. "That's not what I meant as being distracting."
Lily couldn't help it. She blushed and looked at her friends in horror. Was he suggesting that HE himself was the distraction?
"Oh." she breathed. "You weren't distracting me." she ended with a finality in her voice.
James wanted to throw up. If Lily was attracted to Emerson, he just didn't know if he could go on any longer. He decided to intervene.
"So, Burton, who's your Quidditch captain this year?" Quidditch. It was the only thing he could think of.
Emerson turned his attention to James and smiled cockily. "I am."
James forced a polite smile. "Congratulations. Are you ready for try-outs?"
"Thank-you, Potter. I really did plan on getting it last year, but that Diggory prick was a Seventh year, so, you know how it goes." Burton looked at James for a second. "Oh wait, you wouldn't."
James raised an eyebrow. Was Emerson jealous that James had been captain his fifth and sixth year as well?
"Well I hope you have an excellent turn out for your try-outs." replied James, with the only statement he could come up with.
"You too." replied Emerson. He touched Lily's shoulder again. "I better head back over to my table, the food is calling." He grinned again and left, with his two friends trailing behind him.
Lily turned back around to face the group, her face a tint of red.
"So I don't know where he came from." she attempted to laugh, but finding nothing really all that funny, and the fact that no one joined in, made it an attempt only.
James cleared his throat. "Hey, um, Lily, could we meet on Wednesday to look at some Head stuff?"
Lily nodded. "Sure. What did you have in mind?"
"Well I think I want to see how we can talk about Halloween a bit more, and stuff." tried James.
"Alright, we can brush up the details a bit." she replied, with a smile. "I better go though, I wanted to stop by the library before Charms. See you." She nudged Allison and Ellie and they waved good-bye to the boys and followed Lily out of the Great Hall.
Sirius looked at James. "Well that was just great planning, Prongs."
James sighed. "I couldn't think of anything better to do. Like I said, if anyone has any ideas, the suggestion box is open."
"Why don't you try asking her out?" came the unexpected words of Remus, who looked sullen.
"Do you think she would say yes? We haven't been on friendly terms for very long." replied James with wonder. "I don't think she would be ready."
"No, Prongs, Moony is right. If you don't jump on the stick soon, Burton might get to her first. Then it could be forever until you got the chance." stated Sirius with a certain wisdom.
James thought for a moment and then took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll do it."
"When?" squeaked Peter with question.
"Thursday." breathed James. "After patrol duty."
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"What is going on with you and Emerson Burton?" whispered Ellie rather loudly once they reached the library.
Lily shrugged. "I wasn't aware anything was going on…he just started being all…around me today."
Allison just shook her blonde head. "It's obvious he likes you."
"I know." groaned Lily. "Obvious to everyone." She looked at her friends sheepishly. "Do you think James noticed?"
Ellie laughed. "How could he not? Did you see the look he gave Burton when he touched you?"
"And why do you think he asked you about meeting on Wednesday?" replied Allison. "He's feeling threatened."
"There's nothing for him to be threatened over! There's nothing going on between us!" answered Lily in frustration.
"Who, you and Emerson or you and James?" asked Ellie, with a grin on her face.
Lily looked at them in shock. "Both! I'm not involved with anyone. James has no reason to be upset." she argued.
"Technically." responded Allison. "Yes. But everyone knows how he feels about you, Lily. He's going to be upset."
Lily huffed. "Fine."
The bell rang to let everyone know it was time to get back to classes.
"We better get to Charms." suggested Allison.
"I'll catch up with you." replied Lily. "I wanted to get a book from the library real quick."
Allison nodded. "Alright." she looked at Ellie. "I'll walk with you to Transfiguration."
"Ok." Ellie replied.
Once they were out of the library, Ellie nudged Allison.
"Do you think?" she started, but Allison cut her off almost immediately.
"Oh yes. I think so."
The girls smiled to each other before heading off to classes.
chikichiki: thanks for the review, I got part of the abba idea from my brother---he was hanging records around his room in an attempt to decorate it, he had Grateful Dead, Led Zepplin, Jethro Tull, Bob Marley….and an abba one. and I walked in and looked at him and I was like—do you know what abba is? Evidently, he didn't think it was disco. And I guess that memory played a bit into the writing of that chapter.
Snail-sama: Thanks for the review. One of my goals for this story was to write it more like I thought it happened, so thanks.
to all previous reviewers, much thanks!