A/N Hey y'all! Thanks so much for the reviews there will be personal replies at the end of the chapter.

So I just have a thing or two to say. This chapter should clear up the whole Lily/James situation, or it could confuse things even more…The main part of this chapter, the Potter's ball, might take two chapters to write. But that also means that these next chapters should be longer. The delay is due to the fact I just got braces and have been in to much pain concentrate for very long. Now onto the story!

Chapter Twelve: The Man Behind The Mask

Lily sat alone in her Dorm and was staring forlornly at the worn purple leather book in her hand. She had received it at the beginning of the school year. It had been a parting gift from her parents. She loved it dearly and couldn't bear the thought of parting with it.

It was a week before term ended and everyone went home for the holidays. It was also a week since James Potter had found her beloved confidante. James' cheek still bore the marks of her rage.

The last week had been tense and nervous. Six Gryffindors wanted everything to be normal and to get along. While one of the other two, Lily, wanted to hate James forever, he felt only remorse and wished desperately that she'd forgive him.

'He doesn't deserve to be forgiven! I don't care what my friends think; they don't understand how intrusive it was. Everything I didn't want people to know is in this diary!'

Lily threw her pillow against the wall. The anger she felt was uncontrollable. But there was that small part of her that couldn't help but feel guilty. After all he had apologized and had seemed truly sincere. But he should have known better.

"LILY!" Hannah screamed from the door. "You get down here RIGHT NOW!"

"We are sick of your POUTING!" Andromeda screamed just as loudly.

"We have chocolate covered licorice!" Jen yelled coaxingly. Lily looked up.

"Chocolate covered licorice?" She asked tentatively.

"Yes! But you can't have any unless you come down here." Andromeda replied.

Lily got off her bed and walked to the door. She paused before opening it and walking down to the Common Room. There sat her three friends looking smug and levitating a bag of chocolate covered licorice in the middle.

"You can't have this just yet." Jen raised the bag higher with her wand.

"First, you have to talk this out. What happened to start this feud?" Hannah said determinedly.

"Well you see in first year…"

"Don't be a wise ass. It seemed like you and Potter were starting to get along. What happened?" Andromeda said.

"That's real nice of you." Lily snapped. "He read, well more like he saw what I had in my diary! What did you expect me to do? Act like it was nothing?"

"No, we expected you to behave like you're sixteen! I don't care if I sound like your mother, you should let this go!" The bag of licorice hit Lily smartly on the side of her head.

"I don't even let you guys see what's in my diary! He knew better! He…he…he shouldn't have done that." Lily looked desperately at her friends.

"You knew that things were getting better between the two of you. You didn't like that do you? All you wanted was for things to stay the same, because you're uncomfortable with change." Andromeda looked at the withering Lily. "So you took the first chance you had to get good and angry."

Lily looked at the ground as if imploring it to swallow her up. "I know."

"Then what are you going to do about?" Hannah asked looking at the top of Lily's fiery head.

"I don't know." She replied sullenly.

"For starters, you could go to the ball. I think that would make it up to him." Hannah said sensibly.

"I haven't even looked at the invitation."

"Well, we're all going, so why don't you join us? You're all staying at my house for the Holidays anyway, now no one will be left behind." Andromeda said.

"Fine." Came the grudging consent.

"Good!" Jen said cheerfully and the chocolate covered licorice zoomed into Lily's hands.

"Homework for tonight is as follows. I want a sixteen-inch essay on the proper procedure for transfiguring yourself and the consequences if you're not careful." McGonagall said to the class.

"But Professor that means it would be homework over vacation!" James exclaimed.

"Yes, but if you do it tonight before you leave, it won't be a problem." She looked sternly at him over the top of her glasses. "Class dismissed."

Grumbling the whole time, the Marauders made their way to their next class.

"And that was only first period! Imagine what Flitwick is going to assign us after a double period!" Aden kicked the ground. "And all the girls are going to be at my house for the whole vacation! If any of them decide to get into a bad mood, I'm going to pull a Sirius and run away."

"Hey! You should be glad to have a bunch of women lying around the house!" Sirius chuckled.

"However I doubt you need to be reminded which of them are off limits."

"Whatever, I only have to stay for a week. I get stay at your house after the ball." Aden nodded at James appreciatively.

"No dawdling now! Let's all get inside and begin." The tiny form of Professor Flitwick moved to the front of the class. "Today as a special treat we will be going outside and practice banishing snowballs!"

There was an outburst of excited whispers and Flitwick called for quiet. "You will be split into four teams boys against girls each from their own houses. Whichever team gets the most hits, and I have already talked about this with the headmaster, will be excused from all homework assignments for the week after break!"

There was a collective cheer and everyone rushed for the door. As they ran down one of the staircases Hannah, having forgotten the vanishing stair, slipped and sank up to her waist.

She cried out in surprise and immediately asked for help. Jen and Andromeda each took an arm and pulled with all their might. But alas to no avail. Hannah was stuck tight in the stair.

"Oy! Why don't a couple of you boys come pull her out?" Andromeda asked.

James and Aden walked over, surveyed the scene, and promptly began to laugh.

"Oh shut up would you? Get me out of here!" Hannah glared at the hurriedly controlled mirth on their faces.

"Sorry Hannah-Hoo but the sight of you unable to get yourself out and waist high in a staircase was just to comical." James grabbed her left arm and nodded to Aden to pull.

"One…two…three!" The boys heaved and all of a sudden she came free knocking James over who then fell on Lily.

"Potter! Kindly get off me!" Lily said to the half dazed boy on top of her. James had hit his head on the stone floor and was quite dizzy once he got up. So dizzy in fact, that he barely registered how close to Lily he had been.

"What's the hold up now?" Squeaked Flitwick.

"Oh, nothing. Someone got caught in the vanishing stair that's all." Aden replied slyly leaving out just who had gotten stuck.

"Well if that's all settled we should head out onto the grounds."

Once outside Professor Flitwick conjured a stool and stood on it so as to be on eye level with his students. "You all know the banishing spell but I'm going to let you in on a secret tip. The key is to have the perfect snowball. The spell for making a pile of perfect snowballs is perfectio glacisphere. Just point at the snow and recite the spell There are four markers around the field, find the one that is yours. Then we can start and for every hit your marker will count the score. Begin!"

Before James had even made his snowballs a wet onslaught of them started attacking every inch of him. When at last the bombardment ended he was soggy, cold, and had icy eyebrows. He looked in the direction of the attack and found the source. Lily was brandishing her wand triumphantly and laughing as one last snowball came zooming towards him and hit him in the head knocking him over.

Lily who was watching their marker count their ever-rising score was not paying attention as all four Marauders banded together and sent a combined shower upon the Gryffindor girls. Andromeda screamed as the first one hit and was joined by her friends as they were pelted with snowy bombshells.

Determined to win that free week and happy to have revenge, the Marauders exercised a similar strategy on the other groups. It looked to everyone that they were sure to win when at long last a whistle signaled an end to the fun.

"After all the hits have been tallied, we have a winner!" Short little Flitwick waved a paper to and fro. "and the winner is…the Ravenclaw girls!"

There were shouts of disbelief punctuated by the exultant squeals of the lucky brainiacs. The rest of the day was fairly uneventful and passed slowly for the disappointed Gryffindors.

But then the morning of their departure arrived. Lily had to unsilence a screaming yo-yo to wake up the rest of the dorm, and Remus had to use somewhat, ah… different methods to wake his friends. Such as saying dirty things to Sirius, telling James Lily wanted to meet him downstairs, and tickling Aden's feet.

Last minute packing was an adventure as usual as clothes, books, quills, and occasionally a pair of underwear flew across the room.

"James! What are your pink silk Quidditch boxers doing in my trunk!" Aden looked disdainfully at the miniature snitches. "And why do you own a pair of pink silk boxers?"

He threw them at Sirius who picked up the rejected garment and said "You're not starting to swing the other way on us, are you mate?"

"No! Mom bought those for me." He grumbled blushing furiously. "She said they were adorable. I've never worn them I swear!"

"Sure you haven't. And I'm sure the Lily thought they were dead sexy when she saw you in the common room the other night." Remus said slyly.

"You know?" James said confusedly.

"I might. See you all in the Common Room." He left a blushing James and two snickering Marauders behind.

"Aha! Over here, I found an empty compartment!" Lily called to her friends.

They all sat down and closed the door. Hannah glanced at each of them in turn and decided that she should tell them.

"Girls, there is something I need to tell you. I don't want you to freak out or say anything until I'm finished. Agreed?" After they had nodded she continued.

"As you know I broke up with Snape and that's what led to Jen's attack. But I never felt less attracted to him. So I asked him back out last week." Jen gasped and glared wrathfully at her cousin. "Please, all I'm asking of you is that you allow me to be happy. Don't condemn this! If you knew him as I do you'd see why I'm doing this. I broke it off because of things he said about my friends. But now I see it was just a defense against my shot. It was a fight and now it's over." Hannah pleaded with her eyes and gave the impression of being on ones knees.

"Well then it's a good thing that he's going to be at the Potter's ball." Andromeda who was most forgiving smiled at Hannah.

"I don't like it, but then I don't like Sirius and Andromeda. I won't say anything." Lily consented.

"He tried to kill me. I'm not going to end up like the others. Think about that, then tell me why I shouldn't care."

Jen sent one more glare towards Hannah and walked out. Hannah tried to follow her but Lily grabbed her arm.

"Give her time. Eventually she'll come back."

Meanwhile Jen had run to the Marauders compartment and poked her head in. Looking for all the world as though she was as happy and content as always she asked if Remus would follow her.

"Sure." Replied the bewildered beau. He followed her out as the remaining boys exchanged looks.

"I guess Darrenger was bored." Sirius said amused.

"I wonder what she wants." Aden said suggestively.

Laughing, James closed the door and turned around pretending to be making out with someone.

Jen pulled Remus into an empty compartment and suddenly began to cry. Quite alarmed by this change he put an arm around her. "What's happened? Why are you crying?"

Controlling herself Jen looked up at him. "Hannah has betrayed me in the worst way."

"How? I thought everything was okay." Remus asked tenderly.

"She's dating Snape! He tried to kill me! How could she do that when she knew that he's a cold-blooded murderer?" A tear dripped down her cheek. "I don't want to end up like my family. What if they break up again and he decides to finish the job?"

"I won't let that happen, Snivellus won't get anywhere near you, I promise. He'll never hurt you again." He pushed a blonde lock out of Jen's face.

They sat in silence for a while as Jen rested her head on Remus' shoulder and he stroked her hair comfortingly. "I have to amount to something. My mother did, but that doesn't matter anymore. It hasn't for years." She said bitterly.

"What do you mean? You're going to be great, your parents will be proud I've no doubt. They should be proud now; you're the top of most of our classes." He had the feeling that to Jen this last comment was hopelessly stupid and ignorant.

"They're not proud. They can't be."

"You're not telling me something, why aren't they proud?"

"Because they're…they're…" She pulled out a picture. Five people smiled and waved. The sight filled her with acidic strength. "They were killed before first year, I had just gotten my letter. They all were, everyone," She paused. "But me."

This was a surprise to contemplate. But she goes home every summer and break. Where does she stay? Remus thought to himself. Not sure what to say he looked at the face torn between sorrow disgust.

"How were they killed?" He softly asked.

"We lived near a little wood where my sister and I would play. It was a full moon and my sister, brother, and I were camping in the backyard. We thought it would be great fun to camp under a blue moon. I went in to the house for a drink; while I was in the kitchen I heard Nallia screaming and David yelling. I was scared so I ran and hid in the attic where my dolls were. I had left the door open by mistake; the muffled noise of a struggle came from my parent's room. I just stayed there in the attic until the next afternoon. I was to scared to leave my little sanctuary. When the ministry found me they sent me to live with Hannah. The werewolf was never found." When she finished the morbid tale she took the picture and tore it in half dropping the pieces on the ground.

Remus was struck by the weight of what he had just heard. The girl that he had loved for over a year was a victim of a Lycanthrope. He couldn't bear to look at her, afraid of the accusatory look that must be there. "Is that what you meant by 'I know others with your condition.'"

"Yes."

"But they didn't find the werewolf."

"No…I did. His name was Anthony Birch; he had a wife and kids, a job at the ministry, and a great life. A neighbor shot the beast and didn't bother with the body. He lived with only a minor wound, and no one but me knows that he killed four people. I didn't turn him in it wasn't his fault." Jen kissed Remus and smiled. "That's why I don't mind your condition, it's not your fault."

"Okay. But are you sure that it doesn't bother you? If I were you I'd hate everyone who had my disease."

"No you wouldn't, you're to kind. Don't tell anyone anything I've said in this compartment, it was for your ears alone, my friends can find out later."

"Alright, but this picture should be mended." He pulled out his wand and put the halves together. "Keep it so that you never forget when you were happy. That time won't come back but someday you'll be just as happy, and that's a promise."

"Jamesie-love! I've missed you so much!" A pretty blonde woman embraced her son tightly. She let go and looked at Sirius and Remus. "How could I forget my second and third sons? Come hug me boys."

James looked around and spotted Lily greeting the Mellacosts. His father Christian Potter looked at his son then where he was staring. "So which of those lovely young ladies has caught your eye?"

"The red head. Her name is Lily Evans." He said coming out of his reverie.

"I'm assuming she's attending the ball?"

"And her friends. Actually I'm surprised she agreed to go." James said thoughtfully.

"Really? Well I'm glad she's coming. Alright Catherine lets get these boys home."

"Dress shopping! Get up all of you, we have to buy our dresses!" Andromeda danced from one bed to the next shaking her friends awake rather unceremoniously. The ball is tomorrow we have to get ready!"

"We're up already! Please don't shout like that!" Lily blearily made her way to the bathroom and locked herself in.

"Bathroom stealer!" Hannah said to the door.

"Chill, there are like four other bathrooms." Andromeda giggled. "Use the one downstairs and to the right. Jen there's one down the hall that's not as extravagant, we wouldn't want to displease Madame Queen."

"Sounds good, we wouldn't want to incur the wrath of Her Majesty."

Hannah walked down the stairs carefully and took the first right she found. She found herself in a long hallway with lots of doors. Deciding it would just be easier to check each one she began her search. First a closet, a study, a library, a spare room, and a second dining room were opened and closed.

The next room she checked was messy, boyish, and large. She looked around and saw a desk, bureau, a door, and finally a bed. The covers were in a tangled heap at the bottom of the bed and a shirt was thrown over one of the posts, a pair of boxers adorned the pillows.

Hannah observed this with an amused expression and was about to laugh when the door opened to reveal Aden fully clothed with wet hair. Imagine his surprise to see Hannah still in a dressing gown standing in his doorway. She blushed hard and looked down.

"I'm lost. Where's the bathroom on this floor?"

"The next door over, didn't Andromeda tell you which one it was?" He looked at the state of his room and grimaced.

"No all she said was that it was on the right. I'll go now." She made a hasty retreat and this time opened the correct door.

Continuing to look at the mess Aden's eyes fell on the bed and he groaned. I should really clean this place up. Stupid women in my stupid house opening every damn door they find! And why did it have to be her? He put the boxers and shirt in the dirty laundry basket and pulled the comforter straight. Well it's a little better.

&&&&&&&&&&

"What do think of this one?" Lily twirled in front of her friends. She was wearing green dress that had a dark blue trim on the bottom and neckline. The sleeves came to her elbows and belled out, the pleats in the floor length skirt flared to reveal dark blue silk.

"It matches your eyes, and it complements your hair." Andromeda said surveying the dress with a trained eye.

"Get that one Lils, it's the best so far." Jen added.

"I rather liked the gold one but I suppose this is fine if the rest of us can pick out a dress now." Hannah looked impatient.

"Good. I'll pick out some matching shoes and get it." Lily changed into her clothes and waited for Hannah to try on her first choice.

She walked out in a black dress with white accents. A bit of white lace came out of the bottom of the skirt, which was just above her ankles. Andromeda liked but Lily and Jen did not. So out came the second dress.

This gown was a cloud of purple. The torso was a lavender color that gradually faded into a deep plumb as the eye traveled down the dress. It ended just under the knees and swished softly with every movement.

"That's gorgeous! Oh Hannah get that one!" Lily admired the petal like bottom.

"Very nice, the color goes well with your skin tone." Jen said.

"Alright then it's my turn!" Andromeda went into the dressing room with several gowns on her arm. She walked out a minute later looking positively stunning. A red knee length dress with a slit up to the middle of her thigh adorned Andromeda's figure. Long sleeves fell from the off-the-shoulder top that tapered her waist gracefully and dropped in soft folds into the skirt.

"The rest of us will look like we're wearing potato sacks compared to this Goddess." Hannah looked enviously at her friend.

"Take it off, I can't bear to stand in front of your beauty any longer. Get out of my sight!" Jen teased.

"Can we refer to you as Queen of the Stars now?" Lily said receiving only blank stares. "Oh for heaven's sake! The galaxy called Andromeda, the one we studied in Astronomy." She sighed. "Fine whatever, it wasn't that funny anyway."

"I already know what dress I'm going to get. But I'll try it on for you anyway." Jen came out in a black ball gown that was just below her knees in the front and got longer in the back the lining was a silvery blue as was the tie round her middle and the mask in her hand.

"What a grand time this will be." And with that they set out for home.

&&&&&&&

"The guests start arriving in an hour and you boys aren't dressed! Hurry up and get ready!" Catherine Potter shouted from behind her silver mask.

"Okay Mrs. Potter." Remus said respectfully.

After much hassle and fifteen minutes later the three boys stood in their ball costumes neat and proper. Their costumes basically consisted of a different colored tux and mask.

James: A green and gold tux with a mask that much resembled an oddly colored peacock.

Remus: A deep maroon tux that had coattails to the floor, his mask was a simple black edged in maroon.

Sirius: A tux split down the middle. On one side it was black and silver pin stripes and on the other white with thick red stripes. His mask was the same only reversed.

"I wonder Aden is going to be wearing." James straightened his tie.

"Boys get down here and greet the guests!" Once they gotten to the parlor Mrs. Potter looked them over and nodded. "Interesting choice Sirius."

"Well you know it suits my personality. Debonair and wild at the same time."

"Remember the rules. Reveal to no one your identity and don't unmask until one o'clock." Mr. Potter reminded them. Now let the Ball begin!

"Lily this came for you." Andromeda came bearing a small box.

"What is it?"

"It came by floo, I have no idea." She replied handing over the box.

Lily opened the box carefully to reveal a corsage of white roses with a card attached. It read:

Masquerade,

Paper faces on parade,

Masquerade!

Hide your face

So the world will

Never find you.

I'll see you tonight

Your Secret Admirer

A/N Holy Smokes! That was 4,056 words! I would have written more but it's been so long since I last updated. What did you think?

Emrisah: I also wish I had a secret admirer, but we can't all be lucky. Sigh Anywho, yes the rose was red but now is white. You'll never guess what that is all about!

Hannah: Dear cousin, I forget what you wrote so I will just say to you, what did the poem come from. It is a direct quote, please guess what it is or I'll never let you live it down.

The Original Meathead: Thanks for the review, it's always good to have a new reviewer. It made me very happy and I award you a Sirius Black plushie doll!

If I forgot anyone I'll get you next chapter! I want your views about Jen's story. It took me a long time to write.

Review!

Celina K2