Chapter edited and reposted – 23rd July 2006

Right a bit more description but other than that not much difference. I've changed the lesson in the first scene to Charms. Coz I realised not everyone would be doing Care of Magical Creatures at NEWT level.

Disclaimer: How many times have I done this? I don't own HP. I own random OCs including a rather strange blonde. No I am not referring to Malfoy!

Reviewer responses:

MooneylovesFlo- Heya! Hope your tests went well. I love my spells. Carpe Retractum is my favourite cause it's on a few of the HP games. Lol!

Tai Greywing- Hey Tai! Sucks to be you I'll bet. I am still so sorry 'bout your story, but I make my feelings clear in the Authors note below. Keep your evil chin up. Enjoy the update. (P.S. Yes strangely enough I feel sorry for Sirius too. He must have brain damage to go out with me!)

piperHalliwellCharmed- Thanks! I really enjoy writing it. The stories I've worked on before have been purely humor so it does slip into this fic sometimes. Enjoy the chapter!

Ashley- Thanks Ashley! I did make up some of the spells like Invocatum, but Carpe Retractum is on HP PofA for Playstation (I love this spell!)

sigrunb- Thank you! Yes I hate Bellatrix too. I hope this keeps you entertained at work. I check the site at school and I often recieve strange looks cause I'm giggling over other people's fics. Anyways, enjoy the update!

iluvgerardbutler- I love LJ fics! I also love Wedensdays cause I get to give everyone the next chapter. Enjoy!

Fairy-GYAKUTENNO-MEGAMI- Voila! One Tash/Sirius chappie. Hope you enjoy it!

A/N: Thank you reviewers! I love you all! This is mostly a Tash/Sirius chapter, with a Hogsmeade visit at the end.

And now it's time for a rather small rant. Why you ask? Well my good friend Tai Greywing was writing fantastic Doctor Who Synopsises on this site, and someone reported her because apparently they class as lists/forums etc, which are banned on this site. I'm writing this in order to have a good moan cause I think they were brilliant, and anyone who could want to report such a fantastic piece of writing must be touched in the head! I'm also writing this to inform my faithful reviewers THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, DON'T RUN AWAY!that if I were ever to get deleted from this site whilst in the middle of writing this story, I would probably try and re post on another HP related site, most likely on mugglenet . So you would still be able to find me. Anyways now that I'm finished my rant, this chapter now takes up eight pages of Microsoft word so I'm going to shut up now.

Enjoy guys!

Chapter 11

"I'm FREE!" Tash bounced into Charms the next day, not caring that half the class was staring at her. Lily and Jenny grinned.

"Settle down Miss Marquand," Professor Flitwick ushered her into her seat between Lily and Jenny. They were supposed to be practising conjuring charms and Tash nearly ran into the stack of books that Lily had managed to conjure that lesson. Lily smiled at James as Tash plonked into her seat next to her.

"Welcome back," Lily whispered. Tash grinned.

"I am so glad to get out of that place," she muttered back. Sirius, Remus and Jenny waved at her before going back to practising the charm. Ten minutes later, the bell rang and everyone went off for morning break.

"Hogsmeade this weekend," Lily reminded everyone. She was walking next to James hand in hand. Behind her Jenny and Remus were doing exactly the same thing. "Shall we all go together?"

"Only as long as it's not just me and you four," Tash pointed at James, Lily, Jenny and Remus. "I don't want to be a fifth wheel."

"No problem," Sirius said. "You'll just have to attach yourself to me Tash."

"In your dreams," Tash said quickly, but Lily was surprised to see a slight colour rise to her cheeks. Tash never got embarrassed over boys.

"You don't wanna know what happens in my dreams Tash!" Sirius assured her. Tash sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Talk about a one track mind…" she muttered.

"What about you Peter?" Lily asked the fourth Marauder, who until now had been keeping out of the conversation.

"Umm, no I think I'll stay here and get some studying done."

"Suit yourself," Lily said. She realised that she rarely saw much of Peter around. He had been disappearing off to the library for long stretches for the last few weeks. Lily wondered if he was perhaps feeling a bit jealous of his friend's relationships.

"Up and walking Mudblood?" came a voice from behind them. Everyone turned around to see Bellatrix looking smugly at them, her hair its normal black again.

"Looks like it doesn't it?" Tash said cheerfully. Lily noticed Snape and Rudolphus standing behind Bellatrix, each of them with their hands in their pockets. 'Probably around the handles of their wands,' Lily thought. James moved protectively closer to her.

"Such a shame Bella, I really thought pink hair suited you," Sirius remarked mildly. The bell rang for next lesson, and Lily, Remus and Jenny dragged everyone away from the Slytherins.

"You wait," Bellatrix shouted down the hall. "You can't hide behind your precious boyfriends forever!"

"You guys should ignore them," Lily cautioned James, Sirius and Tash.

"Ha! Ignore them? We'll remember that if we're ever fighting Death Eaters thank you very much!" Tash said sarcastically.

"Come on, we have Double Transfiguration," James said.

As they all trekked into the classroom, Lily couldn't help noticing how Sirius was glancing at her out of the corner of his eye and Tash was pointedly looking away, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks. Lily nudged James and pointed this out. James beamed.

"I think what we need to do," he whispered, as McGonagall began explaining their lesson. "Is get them alone together. So they can work things out."

An hour into Transfiguration however, Lily had completely forgot about this plan. They were revising how to change furniture into animals. Lily was trying furiously to change her chair into a falcon. It was stubbornly going nowhere.

"Animans sonlia!" she said irritably flicking her wand. The chair remained inanimate.

"You need to relax Lily," James advised, edging over towards her so that McGonagall wouldn't notice. Lily was pleased to see that she wasn't the only one having problems. Jenny had managed to change her desk legs into pig trotters and the half transfigured furniture was now charging around the room squealing as Jenny attempted to complete the spell.

"I'm trying!" Lily got more frustrated and sparks flew out of her wand.

"Wait a minute," James took her wand and placed one hand on her shoulder making her sit down. "Just relax for a second, and then you'll get it."

Lily sighed. It was difficult not to relax under James's touch. He smiled at her, causing her to grin back. She had no idea how to explain it but there was something about James that could always make her smile.

"What a disgusting display of affection," Bellatrix hissed, loudly enough for them to hear.

"You got something to say Bellatrix?" James asked.

"Just what a terrible example you're setting for the younger students," Bellatrix sneered.

"You want to see something disgusting, then just look at yourself and that git." Tash joined in the argument waving her arm at Rudolphus Lestranges. Behind her, Sirius tensed, ready for a fight.

"Actually I was referring to the fact that she's a mudblood," Bellatrix continued. Some of the surrounding students were watching now. "Makes me feel sick just watching…"

"Don't you dare call her that!" James sounded extremely dangerous.

"Shut your mouth Bellatrix, or we'll shut it for you," Sirius threatened. Behind him, Lily saw Tash gripping her wand.

"Don't you dare tell me to shut up traitor!" Bellatrix retorted, turning on Sirius. "You're a disgrace to the name of wizard and the house of Black!"

There was a bang and Bellatrix flew against the wall. Tash, Sirius and James had all jumped up. Fortunately, Lily had been able to restrain James from doing any damage. Tash and Sirius on the other hand, had hexed Bellatrix to the wall along with a furnculus curse, which was now causing her face to break out into boils.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted McGonagall. Sirius and Tash felt their wands fly out of their grasp and into the hands of the teacher. She looked livid.

"In my office now," she snarled at them. She then rounded on Bellatrix, who had been released from the wall and was now feeling her face to ascertain how much damage had been done. "You too Miss Black."

All three students marched into her office. McGonagall herself swept in after them slamming the door behind her.

"Bloody hell," Jenny muttered. "How mad do you think she's going to get?"

"McGonagall, Bellatrix or Tash?" Remus asked.

"Any of them," James said. Lily let go of him now she was sure that he wasn't going to attack anyone.

"I'm sorry Lily," James said. "It just makes me mad when she calls you that..."

"It's just a word James," Lily said gently. "Words can't hurt me."

"Yeah but her stunners could," James pointed out. "She's evil and she hates you."

"You'd lose your head badge if you had hexed her," Lily pointed out.

"I'd do that for you," James said, his smile coming back. Lily tried to look stern, but James' sweet smile made her giggle.

"Well least I'll be there now to hold you back. Animans sonlia!"

Her chair turned instantly into a falcon, which flew around the room. Jenny and Remus applauded and went back to their own work. Five minutes later, the bell rang and they all hurried out of the classroom to wait for Tash and Sirius. Bellatrix marched out a minute later, with an annoying smirk on her face. Tash and Sirius followed meekly.

"What did she say?" James asked.

"Detention. Tonight!" Tash fumed. "And Bellatrix just has to go to Ramton for punishment! So you can bet anything she's just going to get off with a slap on the wrist!"

"Calm down Tash, it could have been worse," Sirius said glumly as they walked down to lunch.

"How may I ask?" Tash said.

"We could be serving detention with Bellatrix."

"She wouldn't last the night," Tash assured him.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked.

"I think she wants us to clean the trophy room," Tash said. "Without magic!"

"That's boring!" James said. "We've had to do that a million times for detention." But he was grinning and Lily could see that he was thinking the same thing she was. An evening together in one room could be just the ticket for getting Tash and Sirius together. They all sat down at the Gryffindor table. James and Sirius dived headfirst into the food, causing the girls to roll their eyes.

OOO

"Well its midnight, patrolling is over, and according to the map Padfoot and Tash are still in the trophy room," James checked the ageing parchment quickly. "And standing remarkably close together." He grinned evilly at Lily. "Shall we go and see what they're up to?"

"Okay," Lily smirked. She was quite keen to see what would have happened to their two friends, especially after being locked in a trophy room with each other since six-o clock. Lily knew that they were alone tonight. Filch was down in the Slytherin common room. Someone (and Lily had a very shrewd suspicion who) had flooded the seventh year girls dormitory and Filch was down there helping to clean up the mess.

James took her hand and they hurried up to the third floor. Outside the trophy room, they paused, heads against the door.

"Too quiet," Lily observed trying not to giggle. She couldn't help think how very James Bond this whole scenario felt.

"Either they're snogging or they've killed each other," James said. "I bet they're snogging."

"Two Galleons and you're on," Lily said. "Cause personally I think they've killed each other."

"Lily and James, murder detectives!" James grinned. Lily giggled.

"I was just thinking how double o seven this feels," she said.

"Double o what?" James asked. Lily sighed.

"Never mind," she shook her head. "I'll explain later."

"Moment of truth," James muttered, before inching the door open slightly so they could look. For a while it was too dark to see anything. Then…

"YES! Two Galleons please!" James cried. Sirius and Tash looked around from their, not-so-private corner of the trophy room where, moments before they had been locked at the lips.

"Mood killers!" Tash shouted, as Lily handed over two Galleons, completely unaware that her jaw had dropped open.

"Oh my god!" she said weakly.

"You guys should get a room!" James said smirking at his friend.

"Well we had one until you came barging in here!" Sirius said, giving a mock affronted look but he couldn't stay too mad, after all he had just been kissing a girl.

"We were just going to see if you were finished, but your actions speak for themselves," James was trying not to grin. "So maybe you should get to bed before Filch catches you."

"Ha! Speak for yourselves, I bet you two spent half of patrol snogging!" Tash retorted.

"Did not!" Lily squeaked, but there was a flush in her cheeks. In fact when she and James had reached the Great Hall, James had suggested that they test the theory about the enchanted ceiling adding a romantic feel. Suffice to say they had left ten minutes later both satisfied that it did.

Lily felt like a giggling twelve year old schoolgirl. She had never imagined, after two years of telling other couples off for snogging in the Great Hall that she would be trying it out herself.

Now it was Tash's jaw that dropped open.

"I was joking Lily!"

"So what? Are you two official?" James asked. Sirius and Tash glanced at each other.

"I don't know," Tash said.

"Okay," Sirius smiled. "Tash will you be my girlfriend?"

"Okay!" Tash grinned back. "But you cheat on me and I'll hex you along purgatory and straight into hell."

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on letting you go that easy!" Sirius said.

"Come on," James took Lily's hand and walked over to the door. "Let's get back to the tower, or I'm going to fall asleep standing up!"

"Is that even possible?" Lily asked, but walked after him anyway. Tash and Sirius followed along the deserted corridors. Once they were back up in the tower, James and Sirius said goodnight and went up to their dormitory.

"I knew it wouldn't be long!" Lily grinned evilly at Tash. "You were bound to go out soon!"

"You know you could have just left us in the trophy room!" Tash complained as they walked to the girl's dormitory.

"Oh you would have loved that!" Lily said. "But apart from the fact we barged in, are you happy?"

"Uh yeah!" Tash was smiling. "He is a great kisser!"

"And?" Lily asked, as they entered the dorm.

"You were right Lily," Tash nodded. "I thought I shouldn't let one failed relationship ruin my life. And he is really sweet. And funny."

"Who?" Jenny poked her head out from behind her curtains from where she had been reading.

"Guess who Tash was snogging in the trophy room," Lily said. Jenny gasped.

"You weren't?" she asked.

"Yes I was," Tash said now looking slightly ashamed.

"Damn! I owe Remus five galleons!" Jenny complained.

"You were betting on us!" Tash asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Jenny nodded. "So how did it happen? One minute you say you're not going to date him, the next you're snogging him in the trophy room!"

"Well…"

"Come on Tash, spill!" Lily demanded. "We've told you all about our boyfriends."

"More than I wanted to know," Tash assured her. "Well we'd finished cleaning the trophy room. We were just talking a few things out and…I guess it just kind of slipped out. He just leaned in and kissed me. I wasn't even expecting it." Tash said simply, going slightly red at her description.

"My god!" Lily said. "I think I've just witnessed the impossible. Tasha Marquand blushing over a boy!"

"Shut up!" Tash complained, grabbing her pyjamas from her trunk and retreating to the bathroom. Lily sighed and pulled on her own pyjamas.

"I still can't believe I lost the bet!" Jenny muttered. "I was betting on tomorrow!"

"Well actually since it was about midnight when we found them it could count as tomorrow," Lily pointed out.

"Actually we'd been snogging for a good ten minutes before you came in," Tash said coming back into the room and jumping into bed.

"Good night!" she called, drawing her curtains.

"Dream about Sirius!" Jenny shouted before falling back into her own bed. Lily grinned and fell asleep without bothering to draw the curtains.

OOO

"Why does it take girls ages to get ready?" Sirius complained. It was Saturday and the three boys were waiting for their girlfriends in the common room. Around them, everyone was getting ready for the trip to Hogsmeade.

If the news of Lily and James dating had gone round the school fast, it was nothing to the speed that Tash and Sirius travelled. Tash had spent the whole of last week being glared at by members of the 'Sirius Black fan club' and on several occasions had resorted to hexing them.

"They insist on making themselves look extremely beautiful before coming out in public," Remus said.

"And with good reason!" Jenny said, coming down the stairs, throwing a green hat onto her head, nearly squashing her bunches.

"You look beautiful without make up Jen," Remus assured her. Jenny went pink at the remark.

"Where's Lily?" asked James.

"Coming," Jenny said now pulling on a matching pair of gloves. "D'you think the green gloves are a bit much?" she asked.

"Jen green's your signature colour," Lily said, coming down the stairs, followed by Tash who was humming under her breath.

"I tried to stun her to stop her from singing aloud," Lily explained to James when they had all set off down the corridor. "But I didn't think Sirius would be happy with me."

"He's been so cheerful I don't think he'd mind," James said, taking Lily's hand and squeezing it.

"So what's the plan?" asked Jenny.

"We're going to wander around and then we're going to meet up at three broomsticks for lunch," James said.

"Aye aye Prongs," Sirius gave a salute before turning to Tash. "Just promise me we won't spend all morning in Gladrags."

"Ah yes aren't we supposed to be buying dress robes today?" asked Lily.

"We can go after lunch," Jenny suggested.

"Are we going to be able to come too?" James asked hopefully.

"Not a chance in hell!" the three girls said in unison. The boys all pouted.

"Sorry guys that's the rule," Lily said. "You don't see our outfits till the night."

"And don't even think of pulling the puppy dog face!" Tash warned as Sirius turned to face her. They filed past Filch who was ticking everyone off his list. The group walked away from the castle and into the snow-topped village of Hogsmeade.

"I love the village at Christmas," Lily said to James, as they started off down the high street.

"I know," James slipped his hand in hers as they continued through the snow. "I'll miss weekends in Hogsmeade once we've left."

"Me too," Lily smiled. James put his arm around her shoulder.

"Where do you want to go first?" he asked.

"How about Honeydukes? I feel like some sweets," Lily said, and both of them marched through the snow to the sweet shop.

OOO

"So where did you guys go?" Jenny asked. It was lunchtime and everyone had met in the Three Broomsticks. The three boys had gone to get butterbeers, and the three girls were comparing mornings.

"Honeydukes, the shrieking shack, Gladrags for five minutes," Lily listed. "Which reminds me…we are going robe shopping straight after this," she reminded everyone.

"Thank god!" Tash said. "I saw the most gorgeous dress robe in the shop window, it would look great on you Lils…"

"You're not still talking about that bloody robe are you Tash?" Sirius asked, as he, James and Remus returned with the drinks. "Honestly! We were walking past and I practically had to drag her away!"

"You do realise that the ball isn't for another two months," James reminded them.

"Ah James you still do not understand girls," Remus said wisely. "You see the typical woman requires her outfit to be selected between three to two months prior to the occasion."

"See Remus understands us!" Jenny smiled at her boyfriend.

"Oi! Broom closet alert!" Tash said.

"Okay!" Sirius grinned cheerfully and stood up.

"Not you!" Tash pulled him down.

"Well that works out fine," James said. "Since we all need to go to Zonkos, you guys can go shopping whilst we're there."

"Okay, but no peeking through the window!" Lily warned.

"So what's everyone doing for Christmas?" Jenny asked.

"Going home," Lily said making a face of slight disgust. "Two weeks of Petunia and that pig of a boyfriend! Lucky me!"

"Don't think about her," James put his arm around her shoulder. "Think about your parents. You'll be able to see them again."

"Yeah, and we'll write to you Lils," Tash promised. "And I might even pop over sometime."

"Me too," Jenny said. "I'm going home to Peggy, Tia, Molly, Maddie, Alaska, Patch, Peaches, Cream, Sage and Onion. Oh and of course Paige. And Steve and David!"

"Say what?" James asked, looking slightly windswept at Jenny's family list. Jenny sighed and rattled off.

"Five dogs, a cat, four guinea pigs, my owl and my twin brothers!"

"Jenny," Sirius said.

"Ya?" Jenny asked, taking a sip of butterbeer.

"Your house is a petting zoo," Sirius stated bluntly. James, Tash and Remus all spat out their drinks as they started to laugh.

"Are you laughing at my pets?" Jenny demanded her friends threateningly.

"No Jen," Lily said soothingly before casting around for another question. "Tash? What are you doing over the holidays? Visiting your petting zoo?"

The table burst out laughing again. Jenny looked highly affronted at the suggestion.

"Stop laughing at my pets!" she squeaked. Tash calmed down enough to answer the question.

"Dido Jenny ," she said. "I'm going home. Cept I only have one brother and my cat."

"What about you guys?" Lily looked at James.

"I'm going home," James said. "Padfoot's coming too. Which reminds me, we have a New Years eve party over the holidays. I was going to ask earlier but do you all want to come over?"

"Are you going Remus?" Jen asked.

"Yep," Remus replied.

"Aww she wont go anywhere without him now!" Tash cooed. Jenny elbowed her in the ribs causing Tash to squeak. Lily laughed at them, but she was worried under the surface. She was panicky about the thought of possibly meeting James' parents. Would they like her? She knew his family were purebloods, how would they feel about their son dating her?

"How about you Lily?" James asked, looking down at her. Lily gave a smile.

"Yeah sure," she said, but she knew she sounded more confident than she felt.

"Brilliant, you'll love it," James told her.

"Tash? You coming too?" Sirius grinned at her.

"Of course," Tash said. "Someone's got to make sure Jenny and Lily don't get into trouble!"

"Ha! Fat chance!" Jenny said. "Anyway, you want to talk about trouble, what's this I hear about you hexing Michelle Towner the other day?"

"She attacked me!" Tash retorted. "What was I supposed to do?"

"She's just jealous that you've got a hot boyfriend," Sirius told her. Tash rolled her eyes.

"Hmm…wish he understood the concept of modesty," she muttered. Lily snorted.

"She tried to do that to Lily too," James remembered. "Just after we started dating. I gave her donkey ears for a week."

"And I keep telling you that was unnecessary," Lily said.

"For you Lily, nothing is unnecessary," James told her.

"Right enough slushy stuff, who's getting the next round of drinks?" Tash asked.

"I believe it's Sirius's turn," Remus said.

"Damn it!" Sirius cursed, getting up from the table before rummaging in his pockets. "Prongs, can you cough up for these? I'll pay you back. I promise!"

"That's what you said last time!" said James. "Do I look like a walking ban…"

There was a dull explosion and the windows of the pub shattered. People started screaming outside. James, Sirius and Remus pushed the girls under the table, as jets of green light started flying down the street, accompanied by shouts of 'Avada Kadavra!'

A/N: Ha! I'm evil! I'm getting back at all the authors who have left me on cliffhangers. In a way though, you know when there is a hogsmeade trip there is probably going to be an attack, and that goes for all HP fanfic, LilyJames and Harry fics.

Next chapter: Aftermath, hospital wing and going home for Christmas.

May Stardust fall in your dreams!