A/N: Enjoy! This chapter is dedicated to the asshole that posted on that Counting Crows was just an "okay band". You have seriously offended me, buddy. They are one of the best bands out there, but I'm going to stop now because I could write chapters about their greatness. Anyhoo, please read and review!

Chapter Eighteen: Dreadful News and Surprising Talents

"I love November." said Ellie one morning the following week as she, Lily, Allison and the Marauders sat down to breakfast.

Lily just shook her head, ready for Ellie's usually seasonal rant.

"There's no leaves on the trees, the first snowfall is just a day away." she went on, ignoring that fact that Lily and Allison were mimicking her speech to the amusement of the Marauders.

"And the temperature is dropping and you can see people walking around the grounds wearing matching cloaks and mittens and hats. And, oh! It's just so thrilling. Everyone is in the anticipation of Christmas and the holidays and sleeping in…"

"It does sound lovely." agreed Remus. "But that fact is that it's pouring down cold rain, Christmas isn't for another month and a half, and we won't get a chance to sleep in for ages."

Ellie rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, nevertheless grinning. "Someone has their negative knickers on."

The group laughed as a flock of owls swooped overhead, carrying out the task of delivering mail.

To her surprise, a brown barn owl dropped down and dropped a letter on Lily's unfinished breakfast.

Picking it up quickly, she tore it open and read it, her eyes quickly scanning the contents. James watched her eyes as they went through emotions of astonishment, excitement, happiness, and disappointment before a large snowy owl dropped a letter on his plate as well. Sighing as he saw the Potter seal, he tore it open without much effort and began to read.

"This is just dreadful." proclaimed Lily. "The appointment to get my wisdom teeth removed is December 29th. I'm going to be too loopy and sedated to do anything for New Years!"

Sirius looked at her with amusement. "How much are the tickets? I'd love to see you in any state of sedateness."

Lily gave him a quick glare, the ice between them hadn't particularly melted yet since the incident, but it was thawing.

James looked up. "You've got dreadful news, too?"

Lily nodded with a slight smile. "Tell me yours, I need to feel better."

James chuckled. "Just the usual from my Dad…" James put on a stern look and slid his glasses down to his nose before parting his head to his side. He looked truly ridiculous and Lily as well as everyone else, began to giggle. 'Son, you're seventeen, getting ready to graduate. You are a Potter, for Merlin's sake. You need to establish a career path. You can't be a child forever, it's time to grow up. Now, I know some people that would love to see you become an Auror, like your old man.'" James slid his glasses back up and fixed his hair and smiled. "And then he'll go on about how if I don't establish myself soon, I'll end up like Dumbledore's brother."

"Well that does make me feel slightly better. At least mine isn't about the inevitable future." replied Lily.

James smiled just for her. "I'm glad my misery brings you joy."

Knowing he was kidding, Lily smiled. "It always has, Potter."

"I need to ask you a terribly gigantic favor." started Lily later that evening, breaking the silence she and James had been working under for the last hour, making out lists of new patrol duties and the usually paper work they crammed in before the meeting with McGonagall.

James looked up diligently from his parchment, smiling in a teasing way. "And what might that be?"

Lily let out a breath. "I wanted to know if it was alright with you---that you wouldn't tell or complain— if I had the girls over for a slumber party." Lily said this all very fast, and James was grinning at her nervousness. "We would do it in the dorm…but with Kirsten and Hazel being there…" she drifted on.

James shuffled the papers in front of him. Never, not once in all his memory, had Lily Evans asked a favor from him. "Complain about girls sleeping in the room across from mine, doing all sorts of girlish things, and the occasional pillow fight?" James moved his eyebrows suggestively and grinned.

Lily threw a quill at him. "Prat. Quit kidding, I'm being serious." she tried, although James's smile was usually contagious and now she felt herself grinning as well.

"It's fine. Just don't invite me to get a make-over or anything. In fact, just to be safe, the night of your little sleep over…which is?"

"This Saturday."

"Right, Saturday night I'll spend the night in the seventh year's boy dorms." James shuddered. "Girls and their make-overs."

Lily shook her head. "Is there a story behind that?"

"Of course." James smiled as he checked his watch. "We'd better get going, McGonagall will kill us if we're late."

"Yes, and I need to ask her permission as well." stated Lily as she picked up her things.

James stared at her dumbfounded. "You're joking. Please tell me you are joking."

"About what?" asked Lily.

"About asking permission to have a sleep over." replied James, still in shock.

"Well Dumbledore said not to have anyone in here, and I don't want to deliberately defy him." explained Lily, failing to see James aghast expression.

"Lily, it's a sleep over. Come on, be a little rebellious." he winked. "Don't ask."

"What if I get caught? They're liable to take my badge away." replied Lily, beginning to get edgy.

"Believe me, if there was any way I thought this would result in your badge being taken away, I wouldn't suggest it." James said. "Let down your hair a little, Lily, you'll never know how much more fun not telling is."

Lily sighed. "I don't know…we better go."

"Alright, another month has gone by and you two have continued to do your job well." complimented Professor McGonagall, in her stern manner behind her desk, with James and Lily sitting in front of her.

"Thank you, Professor." replied Lily and James in unison. They smiled bashfully at themselves.

"Is there anything we should get a start on planning?" asked Lily, keen to let the awkward moment pass by.

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "The next thing I'd like you to plan is the graduation ball, and that isn't for months. The Professors usually like handling Christmas." Professor McGonagall gave a small smile. "It's tradition."

"We understand." replied Lily.

"We wouldn't want to break tradition." added James, with a small smile.

"Yes of course." Professor McGonagall had retained her quick, brisk manner. "Your prefect meeting is Wednesday night, don't forget. Professor Dumbledore would also like to meet with you after that meeting."

Lily and James nodded.

"We are done here, then." she continued. "Good night."

As the door to McGonagall's office closed behind them, James smiled at Lily.

"Congratulations."

"For what?" she asked.

"For being rebellious." James smiled.

Lily's eyes glittered. "Oh, tosh. How do you know that I'm not going to ask Dumbledore on Wednesday?"

"You aren't." James decided. "Admit it, Lily. A part of you, not the Head Girl part, wants to rebel and break the rules just once."

Lily smiled. "I've broken rules before."

James's jaw dropped. "When?"

"Well Allison and Ellie and I have had our own little adventures after curfew."

"Really?"

Lily gave him an unusually mischievous look, one that excited James and gave him a thrill to know that Lily had it in her to be dangerous. "Well Marauders aren't the only ones that know how to sneak around and have fun."

"We do it best, though." replied James.

"Prat."

"Those fifth year prefects certainly are snotty little blighters." conversed James to Lily as they reached the Headmaster's office after the Prefect meeting Wednesday night.

"Which ones?" asked Lily as she tried to remember the password.

"You know…the ones from Slytherin." explained James. "Pumpkin Pasty."

Lily looked at James agast as the spiral staircase appeared and they started to walk up.

"I think you don't like them just because they are Slytherin." replied Lily.

James smiled as he followed her, "Yes, I suppose that has something to do with it."

Even from behind, James could see Lily shake her head. "You just can't not like someone because they are Slytherin…not all Slytherins want to grow up and be a Death Eater."

James let out a laugh. "Just look at Snape, Lily!"

Lily raised her eyebrows to James as she turned around once reaching where the Headmaster's office door came in front of them.

"Snape is just a little confused. He needs some guidance…"

James sniggered again. "Serious guidance, Lily. All Slytherins need serious guidance."

Lily shook her head and exasperatedly knocked on the door.

James stuck out his tongue at her, deciding he had won their minor spat.

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans, glad to see you." came the caring voice of Professor Dumbledore.

James and Lily took their seats respectively and gave the Headmaster their greetings.

"I just wanted to personally tell you two how proud I am of how you two have been putting aside differences and really doing an excellent job this year before the others got here."

Lily and James looked at each other, thinking the same thing. Others?

"I enjoyed Halloween particularly." added Dumbledore before a knock came to the door.

"Please come in."

To the utter shock of Lily and James, Snape and Sirius came strolling through the door, neither looking to fond of the other.

"Ah here they are, right on time." greeted Dumbledore.

"You said 9:05." replied Snape, with a cold, slightly irritated voice.

"Indeed I did, Mr. Snape. Please, take a seat, I assure you the seats are comfortable."

Snape took a seat, pulling a greasy lock of hair behind his ear.

Sirius sat next to James looking at Snape with intense dislike.

"Now that everyone is here." stated Dumbledore. "I don't see any need to hold the suspense."

His eyes twinkled from each student as he smiled. "You have perhaps noticed that I can do magic without a wand, yes?"

The four nodded dumbly, wondering where this was going.

"Right. I've been watching you four from the very start of your education at Hogwarts, and it has become apparent to me that you four possess a high magical quality and maturity that most wizards and witches don't develop until they are in their thirties."

Lily was very confused now and she looked at James, who looked at Sirius, who stared blankly at Dumbledore.

"What you are saying is that we can do magic without wands?" he tried.

"No, what he is saying is that we possess the quality to learn how." retorted Snape.

Sirius glared at Snape.

"You are both right." interrupted Dumbledore. "Ms. Evans, your eyes…they are intense and full of magic and perfect for work with charms. Mr. Potter, you have grace and agility, and your magical ability is impressive, letting you use your hands to perform spells. While Mr. Black and Mr. Snape both have brilliant magical ability making them perfect for doing magic by thinking."

Besides the group of teenagers being thoroughly shocked at this information, Snape and Sirius looked absolutely disgusted that they possessed the same magical ability.

"Now with years of training and practice you could all develop every area of magic, like anyone else. But your natural quality is allowing me to make the decision to have you train with that particular attribute for the rest of the year."

Lily spoke up. "Excuse me, Professor. But how long have you known this about us…and why just us?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Ah. I have known since the beginning of your education. And it isn't just you four…there are others that when they reach their seventh year will meet with me, there have been others in past years, and there are others in your year, but only you four truly present a magical maturity that will allow me to teach you."

"So you will be teaching us, then?" questioned James eagerly, all of this information was exciting him.

"Alas, no. Professor Flitwick will instruct Ms. Evans, Professor McGonagall will instruct you, and Mr. Black and Mr. Snape will be under Professor Jareb." Professor Dumbledore gazed at a clock on the wall—that James could only assume was a clock, with its many hands and ticking. "Now, I have some rather boring, pressing matters to attend to, I will provide you with more information later. If you will please excuse me."

Professor Dumbledore rose from his chair behind the gadget- filled desk and left the office, leaving Lily, Sirius, James, and Snape to sit and wonder what to do next.

Snape waited a few moments before shifting uncomfortably in his chair and leaving.

Sirius looked to James. "So I have a keen mind, after all."

He let out his barking laughter and James smiled. "I suppose so, your mother will be disappointed."

"I suppose she will be." pondered Sirius. "Let's go."

James and Sirius got up and James turned to Lily. "Are you coming, or are you going to ask him about the slumber party?" he teased.

Lily smiled and stood up. "No…no…I'm going to rebel…just this once. And I was just taking this all in…you know, it's a lot to take in."

"Not really." replied Sirius. "Think we can go to the kitchens? I'm starving."

James jabbed Sirius with his elbow. "Yeah, it is all pretty amazing…I mean, I can do magic with my hands!"

Lily laughed as she followed them down the winding staircase.

chikichiki, CarbonMonoxide, Lily Evans 4 Life, Snail-Sama, PaintedBlack: Thanks for the reviews, keep reading and keep reviewing!