Chapter 4: Classes and Common Rooms

Lily sat down heavily in DADA. 'I can't believe I did that!' she thought. 'He did deserve it; I mean for 6 years of torture from that git not once have I harmed him.'

Lily turned to the right page in the book. Immediately seeing she had read it already, she let her eyes un-focus and she began looking around the room.

Most of the students were paying attention. Alanna and Anya were passing notes discreetly, and James and Sirius were having a wand fight in the back of the room.

The professor didn't notice any of this because he was extremely old and half deaf. Lily was surprised he could still walk.

The old man actually started to doze, when an explosion in the back of the room woke him up.

"What wheeze is all the wheeze cough ruckus?" The old man said.

James and Sirius stared at their obliterated desks, and immediately hid their wands behind their backs.

"Mr. Black, cough, and Mr. Potter, wheeze, detention in my office, cough wheeze, tonight!" James grinned, and Sirius said, "As you wish, Professor!"

The rest of the lesson went on without a hitch. Sirius had immediately become interested in squeaking his chair as he rocked in it, so the last 15 minutes of the lesson was filled with, "SQUEAK, squeak, SQUEAK, squeak…" and so on.

Lily looked back every once in a while. Alanna and Anya were still passing notes, and everyone else was half sleeping in their chairs. Except Sirius, of course.

When the bell finally rang, everyone jumped up, glad to be out of the torture chamber.

Lily got up and cleared off her desk. She was in no hurry. As she was leaving with her two friends, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, uh, Lily, can I talk to you for a second?" Lily nodded shortly, and she sent a look at her friends like, 'Get out of here now.'

James led her in a corner of the hall, and said, "About what happened earlier, with Snape…"

"I know, I know. Why wait until I'm head girl? Last year all I had on the line was a silly prefect badge!" Lily stated, without a single emotion in her voice.

"No, that's not it at all… Well, why isn't okay for me and my friends to beat him up and it is for you?"

"Because, Potter, I don't need help. As earlier proved, I am most capable of taking care of my self. And most of the times you do stuff to him, Snape isn't doing anything!" Lily said hotly.

James nodded, "That's true. But, why can't you accept a little help? Everyone needs it now and then- even the brightest witch in our year!" Lily pushed past him roughly, and stalked off toward the Great Hall.

"I suggest you keep thinking about that, because I certainly am not giving you any answers, Potter!"

Lily walked away quickly, hoping James wouldn't catch up. She had no idea what had come over her today. 'First punching Snape, then the scene with Potter… What the hell am I doing?'

Lily entered the Great Hall and sat down with Anya and Alanna.

"Hi guys." She said wearily.

"What did James want?" Alanna said, softly.

"Just wanted to… talk about what happened between me and Snape. More like, a telling off."

"Well, I think he might be a little jealous that you got the first hit on Snape this year!" Anya laughed. Lily smiled.

"That is always a possibility!" she said. Alanna laughed with her friends.

Lily began to eat. After swallowing, she said, "I dunno what's with Potter this year. It's either he won't leave me alone or he's completely avoiding me."

"I would think that you would be glad for the latter option!" Anya said, laughing.

"Yeah, you would think…" Lily muttered.

"HEY!" Anya yelled. Lily stuck out her tongue.

Alana shook her head. How goofy her friends are.

"Hey, here comes the one and only…" Anya muttered. Lily turned slightly, and saw James enter the Hall. Lily shook her head, because she knew what would happen next. Some Marauder would point out there was only 10-5 minutes left of lunch and the late Marauder would panic and try to shove at least three pounds of food in his mouth before lunch was over.

But that didn't happen. James just sat down next to his friends and started to talk and eat.

Lily let out a deep breath. Usually it was quite a scene, and she hated it.

"Hello? Earth to Lily? Houston, we have a problem!" Anya said, waving a hand in front of Lily's face.

"What? Huh?" Lily said, blinking, and trying to come out of her daze.

"Lily! Wake up! It's time to go to classes!" Alanna said, impatiently.

"Right, right…" Lily said, vaguely. She stood up and started to walk to Advanced Charms.

"Uh, Lily?" Anya said.

"Yeah?" Lily said, more alert.

"What was that all about? You totally spaced out!" Anya said, impatiently.

"Oh, uh, just thinking." Lily explained, not really convincingly.

"Probably about the love of her life!" Anya said, cracking up.

"What do you mean?" Lily said, dangerously.

"We just mean you totally were thinking about Potter!" Anya said, softly, then started screaming with laughter.

Lily immediately used the bubblehead charm, and all the laughter became muffled. Alanna banged on the bubble, and said, "Nice job. Didn't exactly shut her up, though."

"So? At least she's quieter." Lily said, shrugging. Alanna nodded. Each girl took one of Anya's hands arms and led her to Charms. She had quieted down by the time they had reached Professor Flitwick's classroom, and Lily removed the bubble.

"C'mon, we're going to be late!" Lily said, pushing Anya into the classroom.

"Not likely, seeing as Professor Flitwick isn't even here." Alanna pointed out.

Lily nodded, and all three sat down at their usual two tables.

Alanna and Anya decided to be partners, so Lily was left out of it.

The Marauders came in, and shortly after came Flitwick.

Sirius and Remus partnered up, and Peter had flunked out and was taking regular Charms, so James was left alone. He also noticed the only chair left was next to Lily, and so, groaning, he took the seat.

'God, I was trying to avoid her because she's liable to kill me any second but now look what happened!' he thought.

Lily looked at him, and rolled her eyes. James gave a nervous smile, and turned to look at Professor Flitwick.

"Today we will be trying to turn our partners into different colors. Turn to your partner and we shall begin."

After hearing the instructions, Lily said to James, "This should be easy for you. You've been doing this to me for the past 6 years."

James gave an apologetic smile, and thought for a moment.

"Alright, brace yourself… Colphorus!" And Lily turned a bright red. James didn't laugh, like Lily expected him to. "He actually asked, "Did I do it right?"

"Of course you did! Geez, after doing this to me regularly I would have thought you've gotten it down pat!"

"Well, actually, Sirius is the master in charms… He's the one who did it to you all those times."

"Okay, so you let me yell at you when the real culprit was Sirius?" Lily said incredulously.

"Yeah, well, what are friends for?" Lily nodded, and said, "Well, let's get this over with.

Unexpectedly, she yelled, "Colphorus!" James turned a coal black. James laughed at himself, and said, "It's like I'm just some outline all colored in!"

Lily nodded, and laughed, and then she turned to look at Professor Flitwick.

"Good!" The professor said in his high, squeaky voice. "We've all succeeded. Now, the counter-charm is 'Conphorum!' Continue!"

Lily smiled, and said, "Now this I have down pat!" James smiled back and said, "I see why…"

Lily pointed her wand at James and said the counter-charm. James returned to his normal color.

"Hey, Lily, I wonder why we turned into the same color as our hair color?"

"Who knows.." Lily muttered.

James performed the countercharm perfectly, and they both sat down.

"Potter, we have to hold a prefect meeting tomorrow. Have you finished the schedule?"

"Yes, sirree, Captain!" James said, saluting Lily. Lily rolled her eyes and said, "Please try to act civilized, James." Lily said.

"Hey, wait, you called me James!" James said incredulously.

"So?" Lily said, a bit miffed.

"That's twice in one month! Oh, yes, I'm good!" James said, smiling. Lily smiled back.

"Well, can I have the schedule? We have to check it with McGonagall."

"Already done. That's why I was late to lunch."

"Wow, James. I'm glad you are actually starting to take something seriously."

"Yeah, well, I guess it's about time." Lily nodded to James's bit of wisdom.

When Flitwick dismissed the class, Lily went to catch up with her friends. James went to find his.

"Hey, Sirius, why the hell did you ditch me? You know I was supposed to avoid Lily!"

"Ah, but you ended up having a good time!" Sirius pointed out.

"Yes, true, but whatever, Padfoot! Moony, back me up!"

Remus said, "I'm going to stay out of this."

"Some friend you are!" James pouted.

Lily and James met up after dinner to post the announcement over the prefect meeting.

"Let's get Slytherin's common room done first, to get it over with, and work our way up the castle." Lily suggested. James nodded, and they walked down into the dungeons.

Lily shivered, as it was very, very cold down here. James noticed how cold she was, and said, "If you want to turn back, I can do this alone…"

"If you think I'm afraid to go in there, you are wrong!" Lily said hotly.

James held up his hands. "Not at all. I just noticed how cold you were."

"Well, aren't you cold as well?" Lily asked.

"Yes, well, I-"

"Whatever, James. Let's get this over with."

James shrugged and let Lily lead the way down.

"The password is…" Lily said, scanning the list of passwords.

"God, why did we let the 7th year prefects choose the passwords?" Lily groaned.

"Well, what's the password?" James aid, impatiently.

Lily set her face grimly, and spoke to the dungeon wall. "Mudblood."

James became angry. "Why the hell would they-"

Lily shushed him, and stepped into the Slytherin common room. Lily ignored the stares, and walked over to the bulletin board, with James following.

They pinned up the announcement, and rushed out.

"That wasn't so bad." Lily said.

James said angrily, "But what was with the password? I know Snape is a greasy git, and an evil prefect at that, but that was low-"

"Just shut up, James. I've been through 6 years of this, why should this one be any different?" Lily said with no emotion.

"Well, I never thought of it that way…"

"C'mon, we have3 more common rooms to go…" Lily said, speeding up.

James smiled slightly and followed.