Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Harry Potter or the Little Mermaid.

"James, where are we?" Lily asked, looking up at the decrepit old building and wondering how much – or little – it would take before it would collapse. It was late afternoon and they had finally returned from the muggle world. It was now time for James to teach Lily a few spells, so they needed a place to go, which resulted in her and James standing in front of this building that was clearly on its last legs.

"The shrieking shack," he replied in a way that practically shouted 'ta da!'

"That's an awful name. Why do they call it that?"

He shrugged. "People think it's haunted…It's not," he added, seeing the look on her face.

"Can't we go practice magic somewhere a little more…sturdy?"

"It's fine, Lily. I've been here hundreds of times, and it's never collapsed on my head."

"What on earth would make you come here hundreds of times?"

"Would you believe me if I said I really like the décor?"

"No."

"Didn't think so. Now, this really is the perfect place. No one will come here."

"Yes, and it's not difficult to see why, is it?"

"Just come on. I promise that there's nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not afraid," she said indignantly. "And by the way James, I'm not daft. I know that you never did answer my question."

"Can't get anything past you, can I? Oh, look, we're here."

Lily rolled her eyes but dropped it, knowing that she wasn't going to find out any big secret any time soon. "Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now that I've seen the inside of this place, I can't remember what we were talking about before. I've been distracted by theabsolutely wonderful décor. It doesn't help that you smell like peanuts either. I just want to eat you right up."

She couldn't contain her laughter anymore when she saw the look on his face.

"I'm just kidding, James. There's no need to call the Society for the Protection of Humans against Cannibalism. That's what you get for making a lame joke this afternoon."

"Well, thank goodness for that. I mean, think of the sorrow female kind would have to endure if you ate me and marred my beautiful face."

"Yes, well, I think that when they looked at the big picture, they'd see that I'd really done them a favour. After all, then they wouldn't have to put up with your lame jokes and big head."

"I do not have a big head!" he protested, reaching up to touch it. "My hair just makes it look bigger because it sticks up all the time."

Lily laughed. "I didn't mean literally! It was a figure of speech. Now, are you going to teach me some spells, or are we here risking being killed by a cave-in just so that we can argue – which, keep in mind, we could do perfectly well outside."

"Touché. Now," he continued, clearing his throat. "The first thing you must do in order to do any magic is…take out your wand, like so."

"Wow, James," she commented, copying him. "That was so difficult. I'm so glad that you demonstrated for me."

"Next," hecontinued, ignoring her sarcasm, "you must decide which spell you want to cast. Have you decided, Lily?" he asked.

Now it was her turn to stare at him like he had grown another head. "Are you daft?" she asked incredulously. "I don't know any spells!"

"Oh…right. Okay, well, let's start with the disarming spell. The incantation is expelliarmus."

"Okay. Expelliarmus."

"Right. Now you have to say it while moving your arm like this," he instructed, showing her the correct wand movement.

She tried unsuccessfully to disarm James numerous times before growing exasperated. "I can't do it," she pouted.

"Yes, you can," he replied. "You just have to keep trying. Go on, try again."

Another five unsuccessful attempts caused her spirits to sink even more, but she was delighted when her sixth attempt caused James to stagger back a few steps and his wand to land on the floor a few feet in front of him. "I did it!" she squealed.

"Great," he said, giving her an encouraging smile. "Next we can practice the levitation spell." He looked around the room, spotting a small ball and pointing at it. "You can try to make that ball levitate. Accio," he said, and the ball flew into his outstretched hand."

"Ooo, I like that spell. Accio," she called, pointing her wand carelessly. She didn't think that it would work, so she was positively astonished when James came flying towards her and crashed into her with a loud "oomph."

Luckily Lily had been standing almost directly in front of the wall, so when James crashed into her they bumped into the wall instead of falling to the floor. "Well," she said, "if that didn't make the walls cave in, I think that we're safe."

James did not say anything but just nodded dumbly, and Lily realized what kind of position they were in. If she just tilted her head up a little bit…no, she admonished herself…you like him, but he doesn't remember you…you like him, but he doesn't remember you. Lily's heart was beating erratically and her legs felt like jelly, but she continued to tell herself to get further away from him. His smell was intoxicating, and she couldn't move because it was meddling with her brain functions. It appeared however, that Lily wasn't going to have to exercise any amount of self control, for James' lips were slowly but surely approaching hers.

"James, guess what?"

Lily and James jumped apart like similarly charged magnets, and James turned to glare at Peter, who was standing in the doorway and had the decency to look sheepish.

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?"

"No, of course not," Lily managed. "James was just teaching me how to summon. I'm going to go back to your house, James. I'm pretty tired. Oh, and by the way," she added without turning around when she reached the doorway, "I didn't forget that you never answered my question. I just let it go because I obviously wasn't going to get a real answer out of you." With that, she disappeared from sight, and James turned to Peter, slightly annoyed.

"What's up, Wormtail?" he sighed.

"Oh…not much. I just wanted to tell you that I…umm…I finally passed my apparition test!"

"That's great, Wormtail, but you couldn't wait to tell me that? How did you know I was here, anyway?"

"I…umm…I…"

"Forget it, Wormtail. Let's just go."

"Well, actually, I…I have to…to be somewhere. I'm sorry, Prongs. I'll see you later." And seemingly as abruptly as he'd come Peter left, leaving James alone in the shrieking shack.

James slid down the wall so that he was still leaning on it but was now sitting on the ground. He closed his eyes and tried, to no avail, to block the thoughts that were threatening to wash over him. He had almost kissed Lily, and the truth was that he was more confused than ever, no closer to figuring out what he really wanted. He almost felt ashamed to admit that for most of today, he hadn't given a single thought to the girl who had saved his life.

James didn't notice that Sirius had come in and sat beside him until he said, "Hey, Prongs."

James opened his eyes and looked at his friend.

"Gee, first Wormtail, and now you. Do I send off some sort of signal to anyone within a five mile radius that says 'Hey, I'm in the shrieking shack'? Or am I just really predictable?"

"Nah, I ran into Wormtail in Diagon Alley and I asked if he'd seen you. He told me you were up here. He certainly seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere. I wonder where he could possibly have to be."

James shrugged. "You never know with him. He's been acting pretty odd lately."

"Yeah, but it's weird that he keeps acting like it's some big secret."

James just grunted noncommittally.

"You look like you have a lot on your mind, Prongsie. Talk to me."

"What do you think of Lily?"

"I think she's hot," Sirius replied bluntly. "What?" he continued when James glared at him. "You asked."

"I need to have a serious conversation here."

"Well then you've come to the right person…okay, okay, I'm listening."

"Well, I just…I…"

"Aw, does Prongsie have a crush on Lily?"

"I don't know! That's the problem. Every time I'm with her, I feel attracted to her, but then when she's gone and my thought process returns to normal, I remember the girl in Diagon Alley, the one who saved my life."

"The one who you practically fell in love with but whose name you never learned?"

James sighed, "Yes, Padfoot, that one."

"So you like Lily but you don't want to ask her out because you still like hothead?"

"Stop calling her hothead and yes."

"I'm sensing that there's more."

"I took her to Diagon Alley today to get a wand, and then we went into Muggle London so she could buy some clothes. After that she took me to the movies –"

"What's the –"

"It's not important. So anyway, we went to the movies, where we got kicked out. I don't think I've ever had so much fun." Seeing the horrified look on Sirius' face, he added, "Oh, don't give me that look.I meant with someone who isn't a Marauder."

Sirius nodded solemnly. "Good, okay, so continue."

"Right, well after the movie, I brought her to the shrieking shack so that I could teach her a few spells, and she inadvertently summoned me." Sirius snickered. "Oh, shut up. It was actually really good spell work considering it had taken her about 20 tries to disarm me, but it landed us in a rather awkward position. I almost kissed her, and then Peter walked in, effectively ruining the moment. She left, he stayed about a minute and then left and I sat here wondering what the hell is wrong with me. Then you came in."

"Prongs, listen to me. Lily is a nice girl, and you obviously feel something for her. You're probably never going to see hothead – er, that other girl – again. I mean really, you've got about a one in ten thousand chance of running into her again. I say just go for it with Lily. Now, come on," he continued, getting up and motioning for James to do the same. "Let's go to your house so I can eat while you practically give yourself an ulcer worrying about this."

"All you ever think about is food."

"I like life simple."

"Good work, Wormtail. Ugh, she's better than I thought. Even with the charm I placed on her so she won't be recognized and can't say anything, she's still got him eating out of the palm of her hand. At this rate, he'll be kissing her by sunset for sure! Well, it's time Voldemort took matters into his own hands. Wormtail, fetch me Vanessa."

Wormtail nodded nervously and scurried from the room, returning moments later with a beautiful young brunette.

"Come closer, Vanessa." She obeyed. "I'm sure that you have heard rumors among your fellows of Lily Evans."

"Yes, Master," she confirmed, bowing her head.

"Then I'm sure that you can guess that she was never meant to succeed."

"Yes, Master."

"Stand up straight," he said, and she observed his command. He muttered something, pointing his wand at her, and she felt a strange sensation flow from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

"We no longer run the risk that the Minister's son will fall into the trap of the beautiful Lily Evans. He will be too distracted by the girl that saved his life in Diagon Alley." Vanessa smiled maliciously, bowing low before him once more and replying, "Yes, Master," before turning and leaving the room.

"Listen, Padfoot," James started as they were walking through Diagon Alley. "I need to be alone for a while to think things through. Just go back to my house and tell my mom that I'll be home soon. I'm sure that she'll give you something to satiate your hunger."

Sirius laughed. "Yeah, okay Prongs. You're sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay, I'll see you later then." Sirius headed off to floo back to James' house, while James took off in a random direction.

James had had a great time with Lily today, and although he didn't want to forget the girl who had saved his life, it became harder and harder with every moment he spent with Lily. She made him happy, and she made him forget the bad things in his life. Each time he spent time with her, he became addicted to her presence, and he was left with the desire to spend more time with her.

He had been falling in love with the girl he had met in Diagon Alley, but now he was falling in love with Lily too, and he had finally realized that Sirius was right. He had to be realistic about the situation. He was not likely to ever see the girl that Sirius had dubbed 'hothead' ever again, and Lily was right there. He was going to ask Lily on a date, and he would see how things progressed with that relationship.

James felt a force pulling him in a different direction, so he followed it. Now that he had made a decision, he was surprised to find that he had no doubts that he'd made the right one. All he had needed was to let go of 'hothead'. He really liked Lily, and he would allow 'hothead' to fade into a distant memory.

At that moment, James was compelled to look up, and when he did, he forgot about everything that had happened – or almost happened – today. There, in front of the newly re-erected statue sat the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen, and he immediately recognized her as the girl who had saved him from the debris of that very same crumbling statue.

This week is my frosh week at university, so I wasn'tlikely to update until about Sunday, but I came on this morning before leaving, and whenI saw my wonderful reviews, I couldn't make you guys wait that long, so here is the next chapter. I'm sorry for any mistakes. I don't have time to check it that well. I hope you guys love it, because you probably won't be getting another one until at least Sunday (I don't have any ofthe next chapter written). I hope you guys can be patient, I hope the next chapter is worth the wait, and I hope that you know that you all rule. If you review this chapter, I'll feel motivated to write more, so please let me know what you think. A gazillion thanks to my reviewers for last chapter. My responses are on my bio page again. Or at least they will be by tomorrow. I have to go catch the bus now.