When Lily came into the common room that evening, she found all her friends arguing over homework, as usual.

She looked over at the fireplace, and saw James and his friends sitting in front of it, gesturing and waving their wands around. She watched, irritated, as Sirius and James charmed little bits of paper to take on the form of cockroaches and other bugs, and fly around in the hair of a group of third year girls. She became even more irritated when they began to scream and put on a general show for the benefit of James and his crew. Feed their egos, why don't you? She thought.

'Lily!' said Rachel, throwing her parchment away in disgust. 'Where have you been? Anything happen between you and James?'

'Not much, tell you later.' Lily waved her hand towards the other side of the room. Shh, Rach! He'll hear you!

'Potter and his cronies are by the fireplace again.'

'I wish they'd turn it up,' Alice said, shivering slightly. 'I hate it when they cool the fireplace too much.'

'It is pretty neat, though; cold fire,' Lily admitted. Then laughed at herself. 'This is pathetic. I've been in the magical world for how long now? And still the mundane things thrill me.'

'I wonder why they always sit there?' Rachel wondered aloud.

'It's their spot. Like this table is our spot,' Lily replied. She put her head to one side. 'You know, if you squint and put your head on an angle like this, James actually seems remotely good-looking.' Bec sniggered.

'Sure, Lily. You have to squint to realise that.' Lily threw a bit of parchment at her.

'Shut up, you.'

'You're not exactly free from the Marauder's charms, are you?' Alice teased, and Bec made a face.

'At least I don't go crazy over Sirius like Rachel swoons over Remus.' Bec grinned, and howled quietly, earning herself a kick under the table. 'Hey, ouch!'

'That's true,' Alice commented, grinning. 'Seems like I'm the only one here who has sense. No good Marauders left for me to like!'

'Two people can like the one Marauder,' Rachel told her.

'Only not if they're Remus, right?' Lily teased. There were a few moments of silence.

'Remus is a pretty sweet guy,' Bec said, breaking the silence. 'So why he hangs out with James and Sirius, I'll never know. Same with Peter.'

'Peter?' Alice made a face.

'No, seriously. He's a nice guy, just...not the most social.'

'Understatement. I once said hello to him, and I thought he'd faint,' Rachel told them in a low voice.

'You're about twice his height! He probably thought you were going to hit him!' Alice giggled.

Turning back to the Marauders, Lily saw them bent over a piece of parchment. Sirius was gesturing wildly while James watched, clearly amused, before suddenly grabbing the parchment and writing something there quickly.

Planning something, Lily thought. Another prank? She laughed to herself, and was smiling when she turned back to her friends, who were still sidetracked from their homework. Little does James Potter know that the best prank of all is currently being played on him.

-------

'Gah, I say!'

Shout a little louder, why don't you? Lily grinned inwardly, as Rachel started panicking over her unfinished Potions homework, which Alice had just reminded her about. Apparently, and unfortunately, someone else was already thinking the same thing.

'Careful, Rachel, people might actually hear what you're saying,' James Potter drawled from behind Lily. The four girls were seated in a row in the Transfiguration classroom, with the Marauders seated right behind them.

'Careful, James, you keep talking and one day someone might actually care what you're saying,' Rachel shot back at him, inclining her head slightly over her shoulder.

'Always the wit, aren't you?'

'Always the...' Rachel started, but Professor McGonagall entered the room and addressed the class before she could finish, much to Lily's relief. She leaned over to Alice's desk and whispered conspiratorially,

'Want to make a bet?' Alice raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued.

'Sure, what on?'

'I bet I can get James into detention by the end of this class,' Lily whispered confidently, grinning as she saw Alice's eyes widen in surprise.

'Come on,' Lily wheedled, determined to get her friend to give in. 'Five galleons says I can.'

'Ten.'

'Done.' Lily and Alice shook hands, and Lily sat up properly, watching as Professor McGonagall wrote notes on the board.

Lily stopped focusing; instead using the next five minutes to work out she'd get James into detention.

Fifteen minutes later she'd still had no ideas.

Definitely should have thought of that before I made the bet, she thought ruefully. But I'm in it now.

She could hear the Marauders muttering behind her, and she bit her lip as she thought. She looked to her right, amused as she saw Rachel scribbling away and finishing the last of her Potions homework from the night before. On her right, Bec was pretending to pay attention to what Professor McGonagall was saying, staring at a blank spot on the wall.

A piece of parchment flew past her head and hit the back of the chair of the person in front of her. She knew without looking that Sirius had thrown it; that boy was seriously lacking in directional skills.

Lily was struck by sudden inspiration, and ripped a fairly large square of parchment. Carefully folding it, trying to remain as quiet as possible, she threw it slyly at James, seated right behind her, just before Professor McGonagall was going to turn around.

Unfortunately, he refused to take the bait, and the parchment was only returned to Lily when Professor McGonagall was again facing the board, rebounding off her shoulder and onto the floor next to her. She leant to pick it up, ignoring the questioning look she got from Alice.

Damnit!

She checked her watch. Only thirty minutes to get James into detention.

'Miss Evans?' Lily jumped as her name was called by Professor McGonagall, quickly looking up to see the professor staring at her expectantly. 'Clearly you were not listening. Miss Briar, do you know the answer?'

With Professor McGonagall's attention effectively diverted, Lily suddenly saw a golden opportunity as inspiration struck her out of nowhere.

She wrote a note on a corner of parchment, a carefully worded note, and while her friend was struggling to get Professor McGonagall to repeat her question, sent the note to James, a sly smile on her face. She waited a few seconds, and then heard a sharp intake of breath.

'You WHAT!' Lily had to exercise all her self control not to burst out laughing.

'Mr Potter! What on earth is the matter?' James seemed to be having trouble breathing, a look of total shock on his face.

'N-nothing...nothing at all,' he finally managed to pant, struggling to get a hold of himself. 'It's just that...Transfiguration is...' He glared at Lily, fury and...something else in his eyes. 'How could you!'

'Mr Potter!'

'Excuse me?' Lily cried, feigning shock. 'How could I do what?'

'Now, now, Miss Evans. Mr Potter, what is wrong with you? Ten points from Gryffindor, and I want to see you after class.'

'It's her fault!' James protested, pointing to Lily. He'd regained control of his breathing; his temper, however, was a completely other matter. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at Lily.

'Miss Evans?' Lily and Innocence were one and the same.

'I don't know, Professor McGonagall. I can't think of anything I've done to promote such a response.'

'Yeah, right!' James snorted. 'Professor, if you'll just...'

'I think we've heard enough from you this lesson, Mr Potter. I have no hesitation in saying I am more inclined to believe Miss Evans, due to both your histories. That will be detention, Potter. See me after class and we'll make the arrangements.' Once Professor McGonagall's back was turned, Lily wasted no time in smiling triumphantly at James, raising her eyebrows suggestively and winking.

'You bi...' he started to growl at her, before she turned away, wiping the grin off her face lest Professor McGonagall see it. Alice's eyes were wide.

'I can't believe it!' she whispered. 'What did you do?'

'Never you mind!' Lily grinned wickedly. 'I'll tell you when you give me my ten galleons.'

Lily's eyes sparkled, as they always did when she was thrilled about something. She meandered along the hallway. Where to? The lake? Lily wondered. Somewhere peaceful…

Although Lily loved her friends, she often felt the need to be alone. If it was a nice day, she often spent some of it writing in her journal in the grounds. And it is a nice day, Lily thought happily, looking out the window to the sparkling lake, lit up by the sunlight.

She nodded to Nearly Headless Nick and a couple of the other ghosts, and trailed her hand along the cool stone wall of the corridor. So smooth…so many generations of hands trailing…she thought vaguely. It was Monday, after classes, and she was still delighting over her success in Transfiguration. Her best friends had practically begged to know what was on the note, but Lily had felt like being coy, and had decided to withhold that information.

Lily half-hoped she'd see Potter on her way, but she'd almostreached the grounds with no sign of him. Shame, really, she thought to herself, I really want to know what he has to do for detention!

She felt a little twinge of regret when she thought that she'd landed him detention merely for sport.

Which is stupid, considering I have no regrets about that fact that I'm using him to get another guy.

Lily was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost bumped into a certain tall someone on her way down the corridor.

'Well, if it isn't the Detention Determiner.' Lily tossed her hair back over her shoulder as she looked up at the (regretfully handsome) face of James Potter.

'I take it you liked my note?' She saw his expression tighten, and she inwardly delighted at the effect she was so easily having on him.

'What gives you that idea?' he asked in a slightly strangled voice. Lily grabbed his arm and pulled him into the nearest room, away from prying eyes.

He's not pulling away...interesting.

However, as soon as they left the corridor, James yanked his arm away from hers.

Thought too soon, apparently.

'What were you playing at?' he demanded harshly. 'That was a deliberate set up!'

'Oh?' Lily placed her arms behind her back and laced her fingers together, her eyes widening in innocence. 'Was it now?'

'Yes, it was.' He took a few steps towards her, and she backed to the wall, moving her arms to her sides.

You can't intimidate me, Potter, Lily thought, feeling a flash of anger.

'Not my fault you can't control your raging hormones,' she returned with spirit, holding out a hand to his chest to stop his advance. 'Calm yourself, Potter. Take a few deep breaths and think of cold places.' She allowed herself to laugh as she saw his sudden look of embarrassment, and he turned away from her. 'Oh, am I touching a nerve?' His voice, when he next spoke, was hoarse.

'Don't play with me, Lily.'

'I'm not playing,' she replied, with less spirit. She felt a little panicked; so early into the game, this wasn't the expected response. He finally turned back to her, and took a step back away from her. Lily lowered her hand slowly, allowing one finger to brush lightly down his chest as she did so. He visibly gulped.

'That's playing.'

'What did I do?' Lily asked. 'Honestly, Potter, I think you're seeing...or feeling...things that just aren't there.' She crossed her arms overher chest, and stared at him, shaking her head as though it were a shame. He couldn't take his eyes off her, and Lily was definitely enjoying the power.

'I cannot believe you are still trying to be innocent, especially considering that for someone with so much innocence, you certainly seem to know a lot about...well...' He looked embarrassed.

James Potter, embarrassed? Oh, I'm so good I can't believe myself!

'About what, James? Come on, we're both nearly adults.'

'About...well, relationships.' As though he suddenly remembered the consequences of that note, his face hardened into a glare again. 'And do you know what I have to do?'

'No, please enlighten me.'

'Clean out the Quidditch Shed. No magic involved.' Lily snorted. She couldn't have come up with anything more perfect.

'Are you sure you can cope with that, Potter? All those...broomsticks around. You might just...well...' She licked her lips, and raised her eyebrows in a quick movement. Shock, anger and a certain amount of what Lily assumed to be desire appeared on his face in succession, and he took a step towards her.

Lily darted teasingly away. 'I'll see you later', she said.

'Have fun in detention!'

At eight that night, all homework had either been finished or abandoned, and the four girls were practically alone in the common room. Rachel was stretched out across a one-person sofa, her legs dangling over the side, a book in her lap. Lily was lounging across a longer sofa, lying on her side as she wrote notes to herself about her encounters and progress with James Potter, and possibly plans of what she'd do in the future. Alice was sitting on the floor, her back against the sofa Lily was lying on, staring into the cool fire.

'Right, story time,' Bec announced suddenly. 'Lily, I've been hearing you had an encounter with a particular Marauder this afternoon.'

Lily's eyes sparkled with fun, the blue light from the fire adding to their brightness.

'Come on, tell us stuff,' Bec pried.

Lily was about to answer when Sirius, and Remus entered the room. Bec groaned. 'Well, no chance now', she said.

The four boys approached the girls. 'What's the hap, my friends?' Sirius asked.

Rachel glared at him. 'What do you want?' she asked. 'You better not be here to annoy us with your singing again, I'm up to a good part in this book.'

'Which book?' Sirius peered at the title. 'Oh, yes, read that one. Got to the part where he dies yet?' Rachel didn't move for a few seconds, and Lily wondered what she was going to do, holding her breath. Alice, she could tell, was similarly frozen.

Rachel slowly turned to face Sirius, an unbelievably cold expression on her face.

'You wouldn't.'

'So you haven't reached that part yet?' Sirius asked innocently. She pretended to look sorry while Rachel continued to stare coldly. 'Oh, Rach, honestly.'

'You just ruined it. Nice work.'

'Oh, dear. At least you would have found out eventually, and not been kept in the dark,' Sirius shot back pointedly, all innocence fading from his expression. Lily jumped in.

'What do you want, Sirius?' she asked. Both of the boys looked a little taken aback.

'Nothing, just wanting to hang out a bit.'

'Yeah, right.' Bec looked skeptical. Sirius pretended to be hurt.

'Why is that so hard to believe?' Bec barked out a laugh.

'You want a list?'

'Well, the thing is...you may have noticed, Rebecca, Alice, Rachel, that your friend, and our friend, have decided they'd try and make a match of it,' Sirius replied smoothly, sitting down on the arm-rest of Bec's chair. She made a face, and Lily giggled, at the same time feeling a little nervous.

Why on earth are they really here? she wondered to herself. Remus was still standing, looking a little edgy.

'Yes, we did notice, so what?' Rachel replied coolly. Sirius raised his hands.

'Now, now, no need to get defensive.'

'Why are you really here, Sirius?' Alice asked tiredly. Sirius waved airily.

'I've already told you! I also just happened to be wondering where Lily's newfound interest in James had come from. And if you had any custard tarts. Definitely got cravings.'

'Maybe I decided I liked him,' Lily replied calmly, all the while various scenarios of Sirius finding out the real reason running through her mind.

'And no, we don't have any custard tarts,' Bec added, rolling her eyes. 'And surely you wouldn't expect us to share them with you if we did?'

'Well...uh, yeah!'

'Too bad. Now buzz off.'

'Alright, alright.' Sirius stood up, and looked at Lily. 'You've decided you like James? Well...stranger things have happened, I suppose.'

'You think?' Remus asked, and Sirius appeared to ponder this for a while.

'No, you're right, they probably haven't.' He grinned. 'But luck to you all the same, Evans, you'll need it.' He pretended to tip a hat. 'Lovely chatting with you, folks!' They turned to leave, but before they moved away, Sirius turned back. 'One last note, Lily: what goes around, comes around. Which technically means that if you give someone a custard tart, you'll get a custard tart in return...but that just never happens!' What goes around, comes around! Lily thought, feeling a stab of panic. Just what is that supposed to mean?

'I bet you've tried it a lot, haven't you?' Bec asked him suddenly, and he grinned, turning his attention away from a very relieved Lily.

'Of course.'

'And you've lost a lot of custard tarts, haven't you?'

'Regretfully...yes.'

'Learnt anything?'

'Erm...never run with scissors?'Sirius guessed, and Remus made a snorting sound, dragging Sirius away.

The four sixth years sat in silence for a few moments.

'That was...'

'Unexpected,' Bec said, and Rachel nodded.

'I was going for weird, but that works well, too.'

What goes around, comes around, Lily thought to herself as her friends continued to mull over the surprise visit. She looked towards the fire where the Marauders sat.

What does he know?

'So...this note that got James all flustered,' Rachel said, Sirius already forgotten, leaning towards Lily. 'What was that all about?' Lily grinned, and tried to forget Sirius' veiled threats.
'Oh! Yes, that. Well. Erm...' Lily looked at her hands.

'Lily,' Bec prompted. 'Out with it.' Lily sighed and looked up.

'It may have involved...Transfiguration tricks...' Rachel looked delighted as though Lily couldn't have given a better answer, and Alice looked slightly ill. 'Basically a note asking him if he'd be in the Astronomy Tower on Friday so I could...we could...'

'Transfigure...things?' Alice finished, still looking a little queasy. Lily nodded.

'Oh, James, I'll give you the time of your life!' Bec imitated in a husky version of Lily's voice. 'Meet me in the Astronomy Tower...I'll be wearing a red flower in my hair and...nothing else...'

'Prove to me riding broomsticks can be fun, James!' Rachel continued in her own imitation, and Lily crossed her arms in front of her chest as her friends laughed. They all knew how much Lily detested flying.

'What if you actually begin to like him, Lily?' Bec was saying.

'I can't believe he went for that note so badly,' Alice said. 'Damn, Lily, he must really want you.'

'Yeah...' Lily let that sentence drift away, as her own thoughts went along similar lines.

'You have to be all over him, so Adrian actually notices,' Alice was saying in the background. But Lily wasn't listening.

Yes, she thought to herself as she stared out the window. What if?

'James ignored me all yesterday,' Lily commented to her Alice the next day. Alice looked at her.

'I did notice,' she confessed. 'Lils, he hasn't...has he lost interest?'

'I don't know', Lily replied truthfully. 'When I talked to him outside the library yesterday, he seemed a little suspicious of my motives.'

'Friday will be the real test,' Alice remarked wisely. Lily nodded, biting her lip.

'Yes, but he usually approaches me at least once every day, to say something randomly idiotic that he considers macho and impressive.'

'Maybe he's worried you'll have the same affect on him that you did on Monday,' Alice giggled. 'That was impressive.'

'And I've only just started!' Both girls laughed.

------

At breakfast, Lily purposefully sat near to James Potter and the other Marauders. Her other friends were up where they usually sat with the fifth years, who were much friendlier than the seventh years at the far end of the table.

'Why are you sitting there, Lily?' Remus asked her from his position a few seats up the table as he reached for the toast. He had apparently noticed her new seating position. Lily tried to look a little sad.

'We had a fight this morning.'

'Who?' Remus asked, immediately interested.

'Alice and myself,' Lily replied, trying to look downcast. Remus seemed genuinely sorry.

'I'm sorry, Lily.' He hesitated. 'If it's not prying too much...what did you fight over?'

Oh, very good question!

'I'd rather not talk about it,' she replied quickly, and he nodded.

'Alright, sorry.'

'It's okay.' She gave him a weak smile.

Got out of that one.

'Done your homework for Transfiguration, James?' she asked over the top of the two fourth years sitting between them. James only briefly looked across at her, his height easily enabling him to see over the short fourth years.

'Sure.'

'All your homework?' Lily pressed. 'So you did all the reading, and everything we got in the last class?'

'Everything worth reading', James replied nonchalantly.

'I'm sure you cared to read all of it,' Lily told him, then decided to dive right in. 'Actually, I'm pretty sure only one section mattered to you, didn't it, James?'

She got him. He ignored the questioning looks of his friends and turned to Lily, this time keeping her gaze levelly.

'I don't need to read all the books. Everyone knows I'm the best at Transfiguration,' James boasted, and Lily caught the second meaning in the undertone.

Interesting. James What-A-Good-Shag-I-Am Potter.

'Really', she remarked sardonically, ignoring the confused and slightly annoyed looks the fourth years between them were giving her. 'I'm guessing Professor McGonagall told you that?' Lily was trying hard to keep her expression virtuous while she was so desperate to start laughing at the look on James' face.

'Actually, no, no she didn't,' James finally managed to reply, stumbling a little over the words. He swallowed, and seemed to gain some of his old confidence. 'But I'd be glad to show you my skills one day.' Lily started to smile a slow smile, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

'Well, we'll see. I've actually asked Adrian Leroy for some help in Transfiguration...' James' elbow slipped off the table, and his hand banged it. Hard. Wincing, he shook his hand furiously, as though that would alleviate the pain.

'Adrian Leroy?' he repeated incredulously. 'That pretty boy!'

'Really, James,' Lily commented, taking a sip of pumpkin juice and considering the morning won. 'What do looks have to do with Transfiguration anyway?'

'Quite a lot,' Remus answered, looking from James to Lily, his expression that of extreme confusion. Lily leaned back in her chair.

'I think James would whole-heartedly agree with you on that point,' she told him. 'Looks and Transfiguration do have a lot in common for him. In fact, I think looks are the most important part of Transfiguration, really. If they're good looks, that is.'

'I'm missing something here!' Sirius wailed, slamming his hand on the table. 'And I demand to know what it is!'

'Easy, Padfoot,' Lily heard James mutter. 'You're not missing anything.'

Lily looked up from her toast and over to the Slytherin table, looking, as usual, for any sign of Adrian. As she looked up, she saw him looking over at her, and she caught his eye. He was staring over at Lily, and at James. Then he looked over to where Lily usually sat.

He's wondering why I'm sitting with James and his friends, she realized with some satisfaction.

Lily smiled to herself as she finished her breakfast. Today was certainly starting well.

That evening, Lily sat in the common room alone, trying desperately to complete the homework she'd been neglecting over the past week. She still couldn't concentrate, however: her thoughts were too full of Adrian Leroy and James Potter.

She couldn't stop thinking of the way Adrain had looked at her at breakfast this morning. Almost with an expression of hunger on his face…

Just at that moment, the door to the Gryffindor common room swung open, and the marauders all walked in together.

Loud, raucous laughter emanated from the direction of James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. Sirius was gesturing animatedly, telling what looked like an amusing story or joke to his friends. Lily could make out bits of the conversation that were drifting across the common room.

'And then I said, 'hey, you may be a good root, but I only date girls with a personality!' Peter and James were practically rolling on the ground in laughter.

James seemed to have felt Lily's gaze, for he sat up suddenly, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. Lily opened her mouth, about to say something scathing; then stopped herself at the last minute and pretended not to have heard.

No wonder Sirius thinks something weird is going on, she mused. I'm not having a go at James every five minutes like I usually do…

Lily stood up and stretched. 'I need to get some fresh air', she announced to the world at large, albeit with a pointed look in James' direction. She saw him smile at his friends and stand up also.

He caught up with her just outside. Lily busied herself by pretending to look at the artwork on the walls.

'What do you want, James?' she asked him teasingly.

James strolled up to her lazily, whipping out his wand smoothly, and preformed a complicated little charm to produce a beautiful flower at the end of it. He then plucked it and handed it to her.

'So, Lily', he began. 'You still up for this date?'

She swallowed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him. He's so arrogant, she thought angrily, but then she looked back down at the flower and her anger at him melted away.

'I am if you are', she replied teasingly, moving closer towards him as she said it. He gulped visibly.

'So…tomorrow night good?'

'Sounds good to me'. Lily chuckled inwardly.

'Right…so…meet ya at the Three Broomsticks, then. Seven good?'

'Seven sounds…good'

They both stood there awkwardly for a few seconds.

'Well, good then', said Lily. 'Er…bye'

And with that she re-entered the warmth of the common room.