Day Two

"Hey Evans, how's it going?" said Sirius Black as he slid onto the bench next to Lily the following morning.

She scowled.

"I see," he said, sliding a foot away from her, which was just enough room for James to slip in. He pulled a plate of toast toward himself and threw a few pieces on his plate.

"Morning, all!" James said brightly, cramming half a piece of toast in his mouth.

Lily frowned as Sirius successfully chugged his fourth glass of pumpkin juice.

James swallowed with difficulty. "What's your problem?" he address-ed Lily.

It's worth a try… she thought, squinting up at James. "Pouvez-vous parler le français?" she asked.

James's left eyebrow was lost in his mop of hair as he quirked it and smiled. "Oui. Et vous?"

"Un peu," she responded, shrugging her shoulders.

Sirius looked up from his bowl as he said, "What memo did I miss?"

Lily and James exchanged a glance and laughed, continuing their conversation, Sirius still eyeing them uncertainly.

James grinned. "I didn't know you spoke French," he said, pointing his strip of bacon at her accusingly, as if this was something as relevant as her name.

"Nor did I you," she said, taking a stab at her fried tomatoes.

James quirked an eyebrow.

"I didn't know you spoke French either," she said, explaining herself a little more clearly.

He shook his head. "I understood you the first time," he said, "it was just…"

"Just what?" Lily prompted him.

James made a face. "It's just that… I like your hair," he finished quickly.

Lily looked at him in disbelief. "You like my hair?" she asked incredulously.

"I — yeah."

He puffed up a bit, as if he was plucking up all his courage to say this.

"I think it's pretty, you know, the way it kind of…" he said, gesturing with his hands as he trailed off unsurely.

Lily blushed, but brushed his compliment off with, "Well I don't, it's a pain in the morning to brush."

James ran a hand through his hair as he said, "So is mine, but I'm not complaining."

"Not in front of Evans, you're not," said Sirius, butting into their conversation as he reached for the fried tomatoes. "You should hear him in the morning, Lily, it's hysterical. 'I can't let her see me like this, Padfoot! She'll think I'm a tramp!'" he said gleefully.

James had just now turned a lovely shade of pink. He said nothing.

"She who?" asked Lily, her anger beginning to brew. So I am a one-time shot.

"You, silly," Sirius said, nipping her nose and grabbing the fried tomatoes with the other hand.

James had now successfully reached a radiant shade of magenta. He mumbled a quick something about going to find Peter and rushed out of the Great Hall.

"Oh, now, that wasn't very nice, Black," said Lily.

Sirius gave her an inquiring look.

"Why'd you have to chase him off? I was quite enjoying his embarrassment," she said, grinning wickedly.

Sirius laughed. "Now that's the side of Lily Evans I could get to know," he said, smiling down at her warmly.

Her grin faltered. Did he mean that he wanted to get romantically involved with her? She couldn't help but ask.

"Are you asking me out?"

He shook his head quickly. "Oh no, no, no," he said, his hair flapping from side to side. "That's against the code, and I can't break the code, no, that would be bad…."

"What code?" Lily asked sharply.

Sirius looked up. "The Marauders' Code: No Marauder goes out with another's girl, that's just the way it works," he rattled off quickly. "And if Prongs wants to go out with you, then there's nothing I can do, no interfering, none at all, a good word maybe, but no going out, no snogging, no flirting. Where's Tabitha?" He looked around hopefully, then turned his attention back to Lily for a moment. "James loves you, go out with him, yadda yadda yadda, you know the drill," said Sirius, and he ran off.

Lily couldn't help but laugh at him. She stuck her fork in her fried tomatoes as his words ran through her mind. "Where's Tabitha? James loves you, go out with him, yadda yadda yadda, you know the—" Hold it! Lily thought. Rewind… James loves you….

These daunting words ricocheted in Lily's mind as her fork hung in midair, half-way to her mouth.

"Hey, Lily."

Remus Lupin sat down next to her and loaded his plate with food. For such a scrawny thing, he could really eat sometimes. He gave her a side glance.

"Something on your mind?"

Lily looked up. "There's always something on my mind."

Remus grinned mischievously. "And that something would be—"

"None of your business," she finished for him, blushing.

"Uhuh," he said, giving her a frank look. He turned back to his plate, fork poised for the attack.

He had already polished off his eggs before Lily spoke. "Potter hasn't asked me out all month, you know."

Remus choked on his mouthful of eggs and managed to sputter, "And you want him to?"

"No!" Lily said quickly. "I was just curious as to why he's stopped," she added in what she thought was an off-hand voice.

Remus only nodded, still gulping down his pumpkin juice to clear his throat of any egg remains.

"Does he still fancy me?" she asked lightly, now inspecting her nails to hide her blush.

Remus's head emerged from his goblet. "I haven't the faintest clue as to why it would affect you, so I have no reason to tell you," he said, grinning wickedly.

"Remus…" Lily whined obnoxiously, tugging on his arm.

"Yes?" he replied politely, trying to cover his smirk.

"Fine," she said, folding her arms. "Don't tell me, see if I care."

"Well, alright…." he said, and dug into his mound of food.

"Remus! Tell me!" she said exasperatedly, hitting his arm.

"Tell you what?" said a voice, which just happened to belong to James, who had just slinked back into the Great Hall.

Remus grinned. "Well, the funny thing is, Prongs, Lily here was just asking me a very interesting question that I think you might like to hear…" he said, watching as Lily's jaw dropped in horror.

"You wouldn't!" she cried.

Remus smirked and said to James, "So, why'd you come back in here?"

James split open a crumpet. "I'm not done eating. Got to have lots of energy, you know." He nodded at Remus. Remus nodded back and turned to his food.

"Prongs?"

James looked up. "Yeah…?"

"Why'd you stop —?"

Lily clasped her hand over Remus's mouth. "He said nothing, he said nothing," she said feverishly to James, and looked Remus straight into the eye. "You'll say nothing, not a thing."

He pulled her hand away, grinning. "If you say so."

James sighed. "I missed a memo, didn't I?"

Remus nodded sympathetically.

"'Fraid so, my dear friend, but don't worry," — he flashed a grin at Lily — "I'll tell you later."

"You will not!" said Lily. She stuck out her lower lip. "This stays between us, Remus. For me, please?"

Remus smiled and said, "As much as I love you, Lily, I have to tell him."

"And why do you have to tell him?" she asked, still pouting.

"Marauders' Code," Remus simply said.

James's eyes flashed. "Marauders' Code?" he asked.

"Marauders' Code," said Remus in confirmation.

"What's Marauders' Code?" asked Lily, but she was ignored.

"Which part?" asked James eagerly.

Remus grinned. "Part Five, Section Four, Sub-section Two, Division Two, I believe," he said.

James nearly fell off the bench. "Please tell me you're not joking, please," he begged.

"What's Part Five, Section Four, Sub-whatever?" demanded Lily. She was again ignored.

"No lies," said Remus. He clapped James on the shoulder. "I can't believe I ever doubted you."

"I can't believe I ever doubted me!" James said, grinning like a mad-man. "Does Padfoot know?"

"Maybe…" said Remus, squinting his eyes. "I don't know what Lily's gone and told him."

"I haven't gone and told him anything!" said Lily indignantly, though she had no idea what they were actually talking about.

James was now fidgeting in his seat. "Should I start dancing now?" he asked Remus.

"No, I'd save that for when I've got a camera," said Sirius, sliding onto the bench next to James. "What's in your pants?"

"Part Five, Section Four, Sub-section Two, Division Two!" he exclaimed joyfully, jumping in his seat.

"What in the name of Merlin is that?" said both Sirius and Lily at the same time, though Lily considerably louder.

Remus rolled his eyes and whispered something in Sirius's ear, James still dancing in his seat and throwing Lily looks of utmost bliss.

Sirius's eyes grew wide. "Dear Merlin above…" he whispered. He shook his head and broke out smiling. "I never thought I'd see the day! James Potter, you can truly do anything! We should make a shrine!" he said, throwing his hands in the air. "D'you think it would look good in the common room or better in front of the Slytherin table?"

"Huh, I was thinking more along the lines of in front of the professor's table or maybe out by the Quidditch pitch," voiced Remus.

James was now leaning up against Sirius, giggling madly. Lily was shooting him odd looks.

"I think he's gone and worn himself out. Too much excitement for one day," said Remus, pulling James off of Sirius by the arm.

"To the common room, shall we?" said Sirius, taking James's other arm. Together they led him from the Great Hall, but not before he could shout over his shoulder, "See you later, Lily!"

Dear Lily Evans,

No one would dare put me up to this. I do this out of my own free will, though it seems my efforts are in vain. I simply wish to know you for you, and if this be the way that I learn about you, so be it.

Perhaps you would feel more comfortable writing to me if I were to break the ice, correct? Perhaps I may.

As you have correctly guessed, I am known by my friends as Stag. I am not entirely sure how that name came about, but it has always stuck and I believe it fine.

I am also in your year. I am five feet six inches, with dark hair and eyes, though my skin is light. You need not describe yourself to me, Lily, for I know already what you look like. I sit close to you every meal to ensure my seeing you. I make certain of it.

I speak English, French, and Bulgarian fluently, due to summer trips to Bulgaria when I was younger. What else to do but learn foreign languages while there?

Now, Lily, I have beat around the bush far too long. I have but one more thing to say, so let me say it now. Lily, the first time I saw you, I knew you were special. I knew you were someone I had to know.

And now that I do, I would never take back our first encounter. A blessed memory it is.

Yours, forever and for always,

Votre Cerf

Lily reread the letter.

I just don't know. How many guys do I know that can speak French? she asked herself. But still, James Potter? Black did say that James loves me…. Dear Merlin help me! I called him James!

Lily groaned and fell back against her bed. She was beyond confused. Who was this Stag and what did he want from her?

Lily pushed herself up and reached for the quill and parchment she had ready at the side of her bed.

Dear Stag,

Look, I'm flattered by your interest in me, I truly am, but I don't like beating around the bush like this. Tell me who you are, meet with me, send me a photo for Merlin's sake! I don't know what your flattery will do unless I know who you are! Help me out here.

Lily Evans

Lily stuffed the note into Stag's last envelope and sent Strix, who had been sitting on her desk since she had delivered the letter after breakfast, out the window. Lily watched Strix fly away, her stomach in knots.

Was Stag going to reply soon, and if he did, what was he going to say? Would he mention his name, send a photo, set up a meeting? Lily was dying to know.

"What d'you make of this, Padfoot?" said James Potter, holding up a scrap of parchment.

Sirius Black grinned and said, "How could she refuse?"

Remus Lupin sighed and pulled the piece of parchment from James's fingers. His eyes scanned over the note.

"You could've at least said please!" he said exasperatedly, shoving the parchment back into James's hand.

James looked down at the note, a look of comprehension dawning on his face. "Ooh… I s'pose I should, then," he said, scribbling in an extra word with his quill. "Better?"

Remus took the parchment and sighed. "Its fine if you're —"

But he was cut off as Sirius nipped the parchment from his fingers. "Good as gold!" he said, waving the note in the air. "She won't know what hit her!"

"Either that or it'll be such a horrendous excuse of courting that she'll be rendered speechless," said Remus, ripping the parchment from Sirius and balling it up.

James and Sirius both gaped at him as he tossed the ball of parchment into the wastebasket.

"Moony!" cried James. "That was my ticket to Lily Evans!"

"That was as much your ticket to Lily Evans as it was Wormtail's," said Remus. "You need to tell her how you actually feel."

"That is how I feel!" said James, offended. He continued in an off-hand voice, "I want to go out with her."

"Then ask her out," said Sirius, having now successfully found the crumpled up parchment in the wastebasket. He pulled his arm out from the elbow deep clutter. "Aha!"

Remus frowned, choosing to ignore Sirius, and said, "And you couldn't elaborate on that just the slightest bit? Tell her why you like her? And not add the words 'fine' or 'hot'?" he added hastily.

"You know, Prongs," said Sirius, nudging him on the arm and grinning, "tell her all about your emotional connection."

"Now that I think about it," said Remus slowly and thoughtfully, "that just might work…."

"Ah, you say that about everything, Moony," said Sirius, now straightening the note against his knee distractedly.

"And he's almost always right," James reminded Sirius.

Sirius shrugged and handed the parchment back to James. "Good as new!" he said proudly.

James crumpled the note back up and threw it at the wastebasket. "I think I like Moony's idea better, Padfoot," said James carefully.

"Oh, sure, now you tell me!" cried Sirius, throwing his hands into the air.

"So anyway…" said James, brushing Sirius off lightly, "how's this stuff work, Moony?"

"How am I supposed to know?" said Remus heartlessly. "It's not like I get a lot of experience…."

"If Moony would just crawl out of his shell…" said Sirius in a sing-song voice, nodding his head at Remus.

"A clam without its shell is just chowder waiting to be served," muttered Remus, folding his arms indignantly.

"I like chowder," said Sirius thoughtfully, dropping back on his four-poster bed after brushing off a few stray Honeyduke's wrappers.

"As I was saying…" said James loudly, "how is it that I am to go about asking out Miss Evans?"

"Well, that's really up to you, Prongs," said Remus. "Though I could make a few suggestions…." He grinned mischievously.

"Excellent!" said Sirius, clapping his hands together. "Let's hear it, then!"

"Well," said Remus, "James and Lily just need some one-on-one time. A chance to get to know each other better, you know?"

James and Sirius nodded eagerly, James more than was normal.

"And don't call it a date, just say you'd like to speak to her privately," reasoned Remus. "Then tell her how you feel, plain and simple. Exactly how you feel," he added sternly.

James frowned in concentration.

"I think I can do that," he said, his face lighting up. "She speaks French, you know."

"Oh, is that what that was?" said Sirius vaguely, his attention now turned to Quidditch Through the Ages.

"And your point is…?" Remus said, eyebrows raised.

"French is the language of love," James said, wiggling his eyebrows at Remus.

Remus snorted and said, "Not for you, it isn't."

"Well, why not?" demanded James, both looking and sounding somewhat flustered.

"Prongs, Prongs, Prongs," said Remus, shaking his head. "Sit down, we have work to do."

James sat obediently at his desk, looking up at Remus expectantly.

Remus pulled a piece of pale green parchment from his trunk. "I need you to write a letter to Lily, deep, you know, telling her how you feel, what you like about her, and subtly, subtly," he repeated for emphasis, "asking her to meet you sometime."

James nodded determinedly as Remus set the parchment in front of him.

"You know," said Sirius slowly, dropping his book and walking over to them, "I've seen parchment like that somewhere before…."

"Yeah, Padfoot, I use it to write letters," said Remus, with the air of explaining two plus two equals four to a five-year-old.

Sirius shook his head, his eyes never leaving the parchment, and said, "No, someplace else…."

He furrowed his brow and tugged on a lock of hair. Remus shook his head.

Sirius snapped his fingers. "Evans' letter!" he exclaimed. "It was green, just like this parchment!"

Remus blushed as James's eyes grew wide.

"Well, they're certainly not from me!" he stuttered. "I've — I've noticed a few pages missing lately."

"And you count your pieces of parchment?" said James incre-dulously, his face growing pink.

Remus threw his hands up in the air.

"It wasn't me, alright?"

"Who said it was?" said Sirius absentmindedly, dropping back down on his bed now that he had recalled the mysterious parchment.

Remus glared at him, plopping down on his own four-poster, the one nearest the open window. James turned to the parchment and dipped his quill in his bottle of ink, writing out the first line of his courtship delicately.

After several minutes of listening to James's quill scratching against the parchment, Sirius grew bored of his book.

"Aren't you done yet?" he whined, watching James upside-down from his bed.

James finished writing with a flourish. "Yep," he said, fanning the letter in the air.

"There's an envelope in my trunk," said Remus stiffly, who was currently staring out the window.

James shuffled several papers around and drew out a sky blue envelope from Remus's trunk.

Sirius's head popped up.

"That's the kind of envelope Evans' letters were in!" he exclaimed, sitting bolt upright, an inquisitive look plastered to his face.

Remus spun on the spot.

"I swear it wasn't me!" he said, his eyes pleading.

"Then why were those letters to Evans in an envelope like this?" demanded James, waving the envelope in Remus's face.

"How am I to know?" Remus shot back. "Anyone could have bought those envelopes at Flourish and Blotts!"

There was silence, then: "Right."

James stuffed the letter into the envelope and left without another word.

Author's Notes: Once again, yo.

Er... review, and... another chapter coming soon. ;)

I'm not talkative today, don't blame me. My MOTHER nearly gave me a heart attack this morning and I'm tired, which really has nothing to do with the near-death experience, but whatever.

--alisa