A/N: This chapter came out rather quick didn't it? It was much fun to write. Be sure to enjoy it as much as I did!
Thank you:
Prongsie4028: Glad you like the makeup idea! Originally, James was just gonna decorate himself, but I decided that he should have a bit of fun making the room all pretty too.
purtyinpink71121: I personally think that L/J pairings are the best also. They're so much fun to write! My friend and I are actually writing an L/J one-shot under the penname the green sharpie. I have a five-year old brother too, and he's far from cute!
RedPillow: Hope you like this chapter too!
Kristin: I'm aiming for original, but I don't know how far I'm getting.
JeNnIfEr88: You don't need to see him…just the imagination is good enough! But a James Potter in the flesh? I think I would die right there.
Procrastinator-starting2moro: Shiny underwear? I'm glad it was glitter too! I agree, five year olds are evil. Relatives anyway. They lure you into a false sense of security and then bam! They pounce. Personally I'm starting to think that they shouldn't be underestimated.
cylobaby: Hope this update was fast enough. Yes, James is adorable!
Coco-Pop: Imagine how embarrassed James will be when he changes back and sees that picture! And thank you for inspiring that question at the end!
MaThIsOn: A very good point. Glad you like the story!
Hollaback Girl: Thanks for the compliment! Enjoy this chapter as well.
singdownthemoon: Good guesses, very original. I don't really think that all boys love food, I know that my brothers aren't like that. I just couldn't resist adding that it.
Remus'Fiance: James is very naughty. Guess you couldn't choose between them. :)
Tap-Chan: 5-yr olds aren't very nice are they? I know I hate my brother most of the time. :)
PotterFan92: I'm glad you like the story! Lily doesn't know it yet, but she's falling for James fast. I guess I rated it T just for safety. Just in case. The whole being embarrassed thing is a really good idea!
Flamegirl22: I'm happy that this story has the honor of being your first story you've read with the Marauders still in school! I have some good stories on my favs somewhere if you want to check.
the-power-of-love: Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!
Selene Romanov: Glad that the humor is well appreciated! Look out for more James/Lily interaction!
a thousand pieces: Here's an update! That means you will keep reviewing right:)
HanSolosGal: lol. The idea of a chibi Sirius and Remus is quite tempting but we don't exactly want Hogwarts destroyed do we? But I will definitely keep the idea in mind for future chapters!
Joanna Potter: Always happy to have a new reader! Enjoy this update!
Silver Mayflower: My brothers used to doodle on the wall too, and that was right after it was painted! My mom wasn't too happy with them either :). I can't really relate with you on the 16 year old issue, I'm too young for that. But there has to be at least one decent guy right?
strwbrrydaquiri: I don't mind hearing it again and again:) It of course, very true!
chikichiki: I personally wouldn't want to choose either but hey, life is full of tough decisions. :)
I again personally want to thank everyone for their feedback. You wouldn't believe how many ideas I got for future chapters from these reviews! I love you all! The credit will definitely go where it is deserved.
Chapter 5
The next morning was stormy and grey, not at all very cheerful. No wonder Lily thought bitterly. I have potions first thing this morning.
The whole morning, Lily sent off a bad aura. James decided that it would be safer to stay with Arabella and Sapphire for a while. His mother was never to be approached when she was in a bad mood either.
"Hey Bella" James said, tugging at the end of her shirt to get her attention. "Is Lily still mad at me?"
"No James." Arabella said with a smile. "She's mad that we have potions first thing this morning."
"Oh" James said nodding, pretending to understand. What was so bad about potions? The he made it his mission to make Lily smile in potions. He didn't like it when Lily was mad. She was scawry.
"What'd you do to Lily James? She looks ready to murder someone" Sirius said, walking over to them.
James pouted, slightly upset. So her bad mood was his fault.
Sapphire, seeing his expression said "Black, James didn't do anything. Lily just doesn't want to go to potions."
"Ah, but who would?" Sirius said quickly, also seeing the look on James' face.
James brightened up immediately. Then the bell rang signaling that classes will be starting soon.
"Come on, we don't want to be late."
Remus, Sirius, Arabella, Sapphire, and James started to head down to the dungeons with a fuming Lily following behind.
Professor Herbert glared at all of them as they just entered when the bell rang. She was a firm believer that all students should be seated and ready to work when it was time for class to start. Professor Herbert was just about to take of points when she caught sight of James.
"Well aren't you cute?" she cooed pinching his cheeks. James' eyes widened. She was scary.
"I think I much prefer you in this form." She said, satisfied that one so cute could not disrupt her class.
James was confused. Had they met before? What did she mean by 'this form'?
Before James could dwell on it more, he was ushered into a seat beside Lily. Then the lesson began. The class was to make a hair-growing potion. The instructions were on the board.
"Begin" Professor Herbert said in her strict voice.
James looked at the instructions in awe. They were so long! How was anyone supposed to finish?
After about ten minutes of sitting there like a good boy and watching everyone else work, James was getting bored. He jumped of his chair, and in doing so, almost knocked over Sirius' cauldron.
"Whoa, be careful!" Sirius yelped, steadying the shaking object.
"Oops, sorry." James said sheepishly.
"It's alright."
James decided to sit back down again as not to cause any accidents.
After watching James fidget for about five minutes, Sirius said causally "You know, it's quite interesting. Just one eagle feather will reverse the effects of the potion."
James looked confused for a second, but then his eyes widened in understanding. He quickly spotted a feather lying oh-so-innocently on Sirius' desk. He was quite sure that it was not needed for the potion. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, James jumped down from his chair and grabbed the feather. Now whose potion to put it in? James looked around the room thoughtfully. Then he spotted someone on the Slytherin side of the room with blond hair. It's so shiny! How horrible it would be if it was ruined...
James grinned evilly. This would be fun and it would make Lily smile. He remembered Sirius telling him that all Slytherins were bad and hated muggle-borns. This one looked particularly nasty.
Sirius and Remus were watching him curiously. "Do you think he'll actually do it?" Remus asked.
"Probably. He was always adventurous, quite the rule breaker." Sirius said grinning. Finally some entertainment in potions that they wouldn't get blamed for. Judging by the way Professor Herbert acted around James before, he probably wouldn't get in trouble even if he was caught in the act!
"Lily will for once be happy with a prank he pulled." Remus said with a smirk.
James quietly made his way his way to the Slytherin side of the room. He was quite small, so it was easy to dodge behind cauldrons and not be seen.
Finally he reached his victim. He crouched down low waiting for the perfect opportunity. It came almost at once. When the victim turned around to get an ingredient, James quickly slipped the feather in the potion. No one suspected a thing.
Then James thought how to get the potion in his hair. Wait I know! Pleased with himself for coming up with such an ingenious idea, James began creeping around the cauldron.
"What is he doing?" Sapphire asked incredulously, spotting James at the other side of the room. Both Lily and Arabella heard her and turned around. Lily spotted James almost immediately and gaped. Then she glared and Sirius accusingly.
"What?" Sirius said smiling innocently. "I didn't do anything. I just happened to mention that an eagle feather would reverse the effects of the potion..."
Lily looked confused for a second and then grinned. "I didn't see a thing." she informed them happily.
Then the four of them proceeded to watch James carry out the rest of the prank.
James stood behind his victim's stool waiting for him to put the last ingredient in. When he had the ginger roots in hand, James grabbed the two back legs of the stool and pulled as hard as he could, sending the victim into his cauldron.
The four Gryffindors watched in shock and amusement as Lucius Malfoy was sent flying into his cauldron. The rest of the class and Professor Herbert also turned around when they heard the splash. Lucius emerged from his cauldron sputtering, drenched in the potion. By this time, James was safely on the Gryffindor side of the room.
"What happened Mr. Malfoy?" the Professor asked in alarm.
"I-I don't know! All of a sudden my chair lurched forward and I fell in!" Malfoy said, still in shock. The class snickered. Professor Herbert looked around for any guilty faces but found none. James was a very good actor.
Lucius Malfoy was angry. Scratch that, he was furious! Whoever made a fool of him better watch out, he would get his revenge!
Then something fell on the desk in front of him. He picked in up confused. This looks like my hair...Then another golden-blond tuff of hair fell in front of him, then another, and another. Lucius lifted his hand up to his head. He froze when he didn't feel any hair where his hand was. "I'M GOING BALD!"
All the Gryffindors were now rolling on the floor, tears of mirth streaming down their faces.
Lucius Malfoy was horrified. His beautiful hair! Now he was completely bald and even Professor Herbert was struggling to hide his amusement.
James was grinning to himself. He had pulled it off, and with spectacular results too. And he made Lily smile! Then he spotted a camera on the floor. Upon closer inspection he saw that it belonged to Sirius. Happily James snapped a picture of a hysterical Lucius. The memory will be preserved forever.
Lucius meanwhile had seen the flash go off. He turned to see James. His eyes narrowed.
"Professor" Malfoy said loudly. "I think he did it." He pointed to James.
James was silent for a second, but then his eyes welled up with tears. "B-but I d-didn't d-d-do a-anything!" he wailed.
"There there, we all know you didn't do it." Professor Herbert said soothingly. "Don't cry."
Then she turned to Lucius. "How dare you accuse an innocent child of such a crime! I'm ashamed of you Mr. Malfoy! For a punishment, you'll have to walk all the way up to the hospital wing just to get a hair-growing potion!"
At this, Sirius almost choked on the handkerchief he had stuffed in his mouth to muffle his laughter. Lily fell out of her seat and was now rolling on the floor. Remus had completely given up trying to keep his face expressionless and had joined all the rest.
Lucius was shocked. He was almost positive she would take his side. He was her favorite student for Merlin's sake! "B-but!"
The professor gave him a piercing glare. "Now."
With no choice, Lucius walked to the door, giving all the Gryffindors a glare as he left. Unfortunately, his robes had no hood, so he couldn't hide the source of his humiliation.
Five seconds later, the bell rang. They all piled out laughing, James with his eyes suspiciously dry.
"James!" Lily shrieked. James froze. He wasn't going to get in trouble was he? "I love you, I love you, I love you!" Lily hugged him as tight as she could and have him a big kiss on the cheek. James turned pink.
"Oooo James is blushing!" Arabella teased.
"How cute!" Sapphire said, joining in.
Remus and Sirius just smirked. "Did you see Malfoy's face? I thought I was going to die laughing. What I wouldn't give to get a picture of that."
"I did." James said.
Sirius looked at him. "What?"
"I got a picture of him" James said holding up Sirius' camera. Everyone stared at him for a moment before they all started hugging him, well more like squishing him.
"I can't breath!" James squeaked.
"Just wondering, why Malfoy?" Arabella questioned. "Honestly he was the best one to pick but James couldn't have known that."
"His hair was shiny" James started. "And I was thinking how it would be such a shame to see it all fall out."
"Spoken like a true prankster." Sirius sighed.
"I won't get punished will I Lily?" James asked.
"Well, I really should" Lily said thoughtfully.
James pouted. "But I just wanted to make you smile!"
"See Lily, even at this age he wants to please you." Remus smirked.
Lily ignored him. "This time you get off any punishment; but only because I loved the prank and it was for a good cause." she said smiling at him.
James beamed. The bell rang again.
Arabella looked at her watch horrified. "Oh no! We're late for Charms!"
Six blurs were seen racing down the hallway and out of sight.
A/N: How'd you all like the prank? I was quite shocked with my brilliance myself :). Out of the 14 people who answered the question, 6 went for the 16-year old James and 5 went for the 5-year old and3 went for both. I'm starting to have the feeling that I counted wrong. But I can see the logic in the 16 yr old. As two reviewers kindly pointed out, 5-yr olds can be evil. Someone else also pointed out that you can marry James and get mini-James'! I thought that was particularly clever. And the sexiness doesn't hurt either! As for the five-year old? He could definitely make your heart melt with his cuteness and another reviewer subtly pointed out that 16-year old males could be jerks. Any other ideas for a good question? Show your appreciation and review!