Chapter Three

"You what!" Sam, Sirius and Remus screamed. James paled slightly.

"I failed," he repeated. "My mind was so blank I even forgot what Wingardium Leviosa was."

"You forgot even before the test," Sirius muttered under his breath. Sam elbowed him in the ribs, glaring at him with her hazel green eyes.

"Shut up," she said under her breath before meeting James's eyes again. "Look, I bet it wasn't that bad—"

"It was that bad, Sammy, I nearly lost my mind!" James panicked.

"As if you don't lose it everyday," Remus whispered, earning a glare from James. "Eh, sorry, Prongs."

"You really failed, James?" Lily asked, approaching James with concern in her emerald green eyes. James glared at her.

"Yes, no need rubbing it in, Evans, thanks," he said bitterly. Lily was taken aback, but her eyes glittered with fury.

"God, I was only asking, Potter, and Flitwick was asking for tutorials and I accepted! Now I realize you're just too arrogant to accept it!" Lily retorted. She whipped on her heel and stormed off.

"You're so fricking daft," Sam remarked, crossing her arms. "God, with Lily helping you, you could've passed Charms like this!"

The trio snapped their fingers. James glowered up at all of them. "Clearly you could stop trying to shove it up my arse," he muttered.

"Look, apologize to the woman! Get your dignity! It's better asking for help and achieving rather than failing twice!" Remus said sternly. James grumbled incoherently as he stood up. "What was that, Mr. Potter!"

"Nothing, your Royal Stubbornness!" James said, throwing his hands up in the air. "I swear, this is so bloody embarrassing, y'know!"

"Yes, we know, boy, but it's better than failing twice, eh?" Sam said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll be fine. Just apologize politely and ask for her help. Be a good little Jamie."

James sighed and nervously walked up to the fuming Lily. "Um, Lily?" he asked softly. She turned around and he was stunned by the sparkle of her eyes.

"What do you want, Potter?" she asked, slightly angry yet slightly confused. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Eh, would you… um… well, I'm sorry for being all rude. It wasn't a Potter thing. So, um, can you still tutor me in Charms? I really need it."

Lily paused, her eyebrows raised. "You're not joking, are you?" she asked hesitantly. "I don't want to waste my time."

"Yes, I promise," James commented, raising his right hand. "Please, I really need to pass."

Lily paused before nodding reluctantly. "Okay. Is it alright if we start tonight? I've got something to do tomorrow night, so I can't tutor you then."

James smiled brightly. "Thanks Lily!" He rushed over and enveloped her into a hug. Electricity shot through their veins and they blushed, stepping away from each other. "So, uh, yeah, tonight at what time?"

"Eight in the common room," she said softly. He nodded, blushing. "So, uh, see you then?"

"Yeah… see you then." He smiled and turned around as Lily realized her heart was pounding wildly in her chest.

"That went well," she murmured under her breath.

James ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Stop doing that," Sam said, not looking up from her book. They were in the common room after a long day of studies and James's nervous breakdowns about Lily.

"Shut up, Sam, you're not the one having to take lessons from a girl you oh-so-happened to be attracted to—"

"It's gonna become a crush while you're at it, Potter," Remus said, peering over Sam's shoulder to read the book. Sirius watched them, clenching a pillow on the couch with his fists. He was so frustrated; he threw a pillow at Remus, only hitting another boy in the process.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" Sirius apologized, seeing the boy on the floor. He had dry blonde hair and watery blue eyes.

"Are y-you, Sirius Black, talking to…me?" the boy stammered out. Sirius raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly.

"Uh…yes," he replied. "I'm polite enough to apologize."

Sam glanced his way, confusion etching her features. She never saw Sirius like this. She glanced at Remus, who shrugged in reply. "Well, it's okay," the boy stuttered before handing back the pillow.

"Haven't seen you before, are you new?" James asked, tilting his head to see the boy. The boy shook his head, too stunned to speak.

"Oh, it's the dude in Transfiguration who turned the quill into a bat instead of a lizard!" Sam commented, grinning. "Hey, I'm Samantha Livingston. Call me Sam."

"I'm Remus Lupin," Remus introduced, resting his chin on Sam's shoulder. "Sam's back-up in case Sirius and James get out of hand."

"Sirius Black," Sirius said curtly, trying to ignore the proximity of Sam and Remus. "Nice to meet you."

"James Potter," James said, outstretching a hand. The boy looked as if he was in heaven. He reached out and shook it, sending weird chills down James's spine.

"P-Peter Pettigrew," the boy said, shaking James's hand vigorously. "Very honored to meet the most popular Gryffindors."

James, Sirius and Remus laughed whilst Sam rolled her eyes. "I'm not all about popularity," she said, turning a page of her book.

"Then Peter can replace you, Sam," Sirius said, not noticing the hurt in Sam's eyes. She closed her book with a snap and went up to the dormitories, ignoring Remus's annoyed shouts for his chin.

"What's up with Sam?" James asked, standing up. Peter and Sirius shrugged, although Remus ran a hand through his hair, determined to find out what happened.

Later at eight, James paced around the common room nervously. "Shit," he muttered as he rested on the armchair. Hardly anybody was around; they were all up in their dormitories chatting about the very interesting stuff that happened on the first day of the year.

"James, you look like you've run a mile," he heard a familiar voice say in amusement. He jumped up and met Lily's eyes.

"Sorry, I was just…eh…running! That's right, I was running! And uh, I didn't have the time to take a shower! That's it!" James blurted out tensely. Lily raised her eyebrows.

"So, let's get started." They talked about Charms for at least thirty minutes, until James zoned out completely. "What's up? You've been distant all throughout."

James sighed. "It's just… Sam's been acting strange lately," he said. "Awhile ago she just stood up and left, not even saying any excuse why."

"So that's why she was all ranting and raving in the dormitory," she commented. "Her face was all red and stuff. I'm used to it."

"Yeah, but d'you know why?" he asked.

"That she told me. That I can't tell you," Lily said smartly, tucking strands of her hair behind her ear. James noticed the action and found her extremely attractive.

"Why not? After all, she's like my sister."

"Some things are better left unsaid, or kept in secret," she said wisely. James rolled his eyes.

"Are you sure you aren't a Dumbledore in another life?" he asked. Lily laughed and nodded. This time, James laughed along with her.

Yay! Thanks for the reviews, people!

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Tiger17lily: Gee, thank you. Got to love the Harry Potter and the Whomping Willow! LOL :)

Fadedstardust: LOL, thanks very much for your review. I'm glad I got to cheer you up. My cousin and I just thought of it.

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