Well…(tear) this is the second to the last chapter to their fifth year. I had to merge my writing w/ J.K.'s for this one. It's exam time…and other things as well. I promise that some more original and exciting action will be happening soon after this chapter. But an important event marking Lily's and James' relationship occurs in this chapter; so I had to include it. Don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: Yes, yes, I know. J.K. and I are different people, and 3 Days Grace and I don't know each other either (the title of this chapter is the title of one of their songs.) Therefore, I don't own anything…really…my parents own me until I'm 18, darn it!

Exams and Education of a Different Kind

"Ugh," groaned Lily, turning over in her four-poster bed, as light streamed through the window of the tower. Unfortunately for Lily, who had just clenched her eyes shut in protest to the sun's message, a wily Alice had just crept out of her bed and was now saying, "WAKE UP, LILY DAHLINK!" (A/N: darling w/ Hungarian accent)

"Nooooo," whined Lily, covering her tangled red head with a comforter in an attempt to block the noise.

"Yes!" exclaimed Alice, who was then joined by Emmeline. Between the two of them, Lily was exposed and promptly pulled out of bed.

"Oh no!" Lily let out. "We have the written Defense OWL today!"

"And why are you worried, Lils?" asked Emmeline who was already dressed and reviewing notes for the exam. "You're one of the best in our year!"

"And you aren't, Em?" returned Alice, with a spunky smirk. "Really, it's a good thing one of us isn't stressed out today. I guess I'm the only one who's really prepared." The round-faced blonde was soon bombarded on two sides with pillows, and then the girls continued getting ready.

The time for the exam came more quickly than anyone would have liked, even bright students like Alice, Lily, and Emmeline, or the Marauders (not including Peter).

The fifth year students nervously made their way to seats in the Great Hall, but the four house tables were gone. Instead, there were more than a hundred smaller tables, all facing the same way. Lily turned to her right, three seats away, and smiled at Emmeline, who gave her the thumbs up, and at Alice, right behind her, who winked at her for luck. Having that tingly feeling one gets when someone is staring at you from a different direction, Lily looked up to see Potter staring at her, a wistful expression on his face. Noticing that she had noticed him, James regained his self-assured grin and blew a kiss at her. Instead of responding, Lily looked down at the anti-cheating quill, the scroll of parchment full of questions the student could keep, and the blank parchment on which one answered the questions.

After the proctor, Professor Flitwick, had announced how much time the students had to complete the exam, the students, with one accord, bent down and began reading the questions. The only sound was the scratching of quills and the occasional rustle as somebody adjusted their parchment. Time flew quickly for the stressed students, some who were biting their quills in frustration, some looking for inspiration from the crystal blue sky high above them.

"Five more minutes!" called out Professor Flitwick, just as he was walking past James. Exceptional at Defense Against the Dark Arts, James had just dotted his last "i," and was now putting down his quill, pulling his roll of parchment towards him so as to reread what he had written. However, James had never really liked proof-reading, believing it to be tiresome and unnecessary when his work was usually already good enough. He yawned hugely and rumpled up his hair, making it even messier than it had been. Then, with a glance towards Professor Flitwick, he turned in his seat and grinned at Sirius, sitting four seats behind him.

Sirius was lounging in his chair at his ease, tilting it back on two legs; he also had finished the exam early. Instead of noticing a Hufflepuff girl behind him making eyes at him hopelessly, Sirius turned to look at Emmeline. He sighed. They had broken up because Emmeline had been so mad at him for spying on her and her friends. He supposed he couldn't blame her. But that didn't change the fact that she was looking awfully pretty today as she stared at the azure sky with equally brilliant blue eyes. Tearing his eyes away from Emmeline, Sirius wrinkled his aristocratic nose at Snivellus, whose greasy nose was a centimeter away from his over-full parchment. Looking away from this offensive sight, Sirius looked forward at James, whom Sirius noticed with a smirk, was drawing again. Sirius had once caught a glimpse of what James liked to sketch and thought it rather amusing. Wonderful blackmailing material…

James doodled idly on a bit of scrap parchment. He had drawn a Snitch and was now tracing the letters "L.E." His artwork was interrupted, however, when Professor Flitwick squeaked, "Quills down please. That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment. Accio!"

Over a hundred rolls of parchment zoomed into the air and into Professor Flitwick's outstretched arms, knocking him backwards off his feet. Several people laughed. A couple of students at the front desks got up, took hold of Professor Flitwick beneath the elbows and lifted him back onto his feet.

"Thank you… thank you," panted Professor Flitwick. "Very well, everybody, you're free to go!"

James hastily crossed out the 'L.E.' he had been embellishing, jumped to his feet, stuffed his quill and the exam questionnaire into his bag, which he slung over his back, and stood waiting for Sirius, Remus, and Peter to join him. When they had, the four boys headed towards the Entrance Hall.

"Did you like question ten, Moony?" asked Sirius, as they emerged into the Entrance Hall.

"Loved it," said Remus briskly. "Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' Excellent question."

"D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" said James in tones of mock concern.

"Think I did," said Remus seriously, as they joined the crowd thronging around the front doors eager to get out into the sunlit grounds. "One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin."

Peter was the only one who didn't laugh.

"I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes and the tufted tail,' he said anxiously, 'but I couldn't think what else –"

"How thick are you, Wormtail?" said James impatiently. "You run around with a werewolf once a month –"

"Keep your voice down," implored Remus, as the four boys glanced behind them to see Lily, Emmeline, and Alice following behind them, several meters away. Farther behind, Snape followed at a slower rate, still poring over the exam paper and apparently with no fixed idea of where he was going.

"So, how do you think you did?" asked Remus, in an attempt to continue the conversation, but on a less dangerous strain.

"Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake,' Sirius said. "I'll be surprised if I don't get 'Outstanding' on it at least."

"Me too," said James. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a struggling Golden Snitch.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Sirius.

"Nicked it," James said casually. He started playing with the Snitch, allowing it to fly as much as a meter away before seizing it again; his reflexes were excellent. Peter watched him in awe. The Marauders stopped in the shade of a beech tree on the edge of the lake, and threw themselves down on the grass, near Lily, Emmeline, and Alice who had taken their socks and shoes off, and were cooling their feet in the shallows of the lake.

Remus pulled out a book and read while Sirius stared around at the students milling over the grass, looking rather haughty and bored. James was still playing with the Snitch, letting it zoom farther and farther away, almost escaping, but always grabbing it at the last second. Peter watched James with his mouth open; every time James made a particularly difficult catch, Peter gasped and applauded. James, instead, would always look over at Lily, who refused to look at him, thinking his arrogant display quite disgusting.

"Put that away, will you," said Sirius finally, as James made a fine catch and Wormtail let out a cheer, "before Wormtail wets himself with excitement."

Peter turned slightly pink, but James grinned.

"If it bothers you," James said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket.

"I'm bored," said Sirius. "Wish it was full moon."

"You might," said Remus darkly from behind his book. "We've still got Transfiguration; if you're bored you could test me. Here…" and he held out his book.

But Sirius snorted. "I don't need to look at that rubbish. I know it all."

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James quietly. "Look who it is…"

Sirius's head turned. He became very still, like a dog that has scented a rabbit.

"Excellent," he said softly. "Snivellus."

Behind some rather large bushes, away from prying eyes, Snape had been as deeply immersed in the OWL paper as ever. But now, he was on his feet again, and was stowing the OWL paper in his bag. As he left the shadows of the bushes, Remus and Peter remained sitting: Remus was still staring down at his book, though his eyes were not moving and a faint frown line had appeared between his eyebrows. Peter, however, was looking from Sirius and James to Snape with a look of avid anticipation on his face.

"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly. Ever since the incident at Honeydukes, James and Snape had been at each others' throats even more than before. Because of this, Snape reacted as though expecting an attack: dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes and his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Snape's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Impedimenta!" he said, pointing his wand at Snape, who was knocked off his feet halfway through a dive towards his own fallen wand.

Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had got to their feet and were edging nearer. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained.

Snape lay panting on the ground. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands raised, James glancing over his shoulder at the girls at the water's edge as he went. Peter stood up, hungrily watching the scene unfold and shuffling around Remus to get a clearer view.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James maliciously.

"I was watching him; his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it; they won't be able to read a word."

Several people watching laughed; Snape was clearly unpopular while James was the reigning King of Popularity.

Wormtail sniggered nasally. Snape was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him; he struggled, as though bound by invisible ropes.

"You—wait," he panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing, "You—wait!"

"Wait for what?" asked Sirius coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Snape let out a scream of mixed swear words and hexes, but with his wand ten feet away nothing happened.

"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him -

Lily, hearing all the commotion, vacated her comfortable spot on the bank and found James' back to her as he hexed Snape to an inch of his life. "Leave him ALONE!" she cried out, angry tears trembling threateningly in the tear ducts of her green, almond-shaped eyes.

James and Sirius turned around. James's free hand immediately jumped to his hair.

"All right, Evans?" said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature. Surely she would see how far superior he was to Snivellus now.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated adamantly, her vibrant, verdant eyes focused on James with intense hatred. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," said James, appearing to deliberate the point, "It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…" To himself, James thought, 'And the fact that he wants you.'

Many of the surrounding students laughed, Sirius and Peter included, but Lupin, still apparently intent on his book, if only in appearance, didn't laugh, and neither did Lily.

"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toe-rag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," said James quickly. "Go on… go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Behind him, the Impediment Jinx was wearing off. Snape was beginning to inch towards his fallen wand, spitting out soapsuds as he crawled.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," said Lily.

"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius briskly, and turned back to Snape. "OI!"

But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face, spattering his robes with blood. James whirled about: a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging upside-down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of greying underpants.

Many people in the small crowd cheered; Sirius, James, and Wormtail roared with laughter.

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she were going to smile, said, "Let him down!"

"Certainly," said James smoothly as he jerked his wand upwards; Snape fell into a crumpled heap on the ground. Disentangling himself from his robes, he got quickly to his feet, wand up— "Petrificus Totalus!" Sirius voiced before Snape could say anything. Snape kneeled over again, rigid as a board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James earnestly, trying not to look too scared as her vivid eyes bore into his hazel ones.

"Take the curse off him, then!'"

James sighed deeply, then turned to Snape and muttered the counter-curse.

"There you go," he said, as Snape struggled to his feet. "You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus –"

In defiance to this obvious statement, Snape spat, "I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Lily blinked. "Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

"Apologise to Evans!" James roared at Snape, his wand pointed threateningly at him.

"I don't want you to make him apologise," Lily shouted, rounding on James. "You're as bad as he is."

"What?" yelped James. "I'd NEVER call you a—you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just gotten off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can-- I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."

She turned on her heel and hurried away with Emmeline and Alice.

"Evans!" James shouted after her. "Hey, EVANS!"

But she didn't look back.

"What is it with her?" said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," said Sirius.

"Right," said James, who looked furious now, "right –"

There was another flash of light, and Snape was once again hanging upside-down in the air.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?" demanded James, trying to regain his usual air of confidence after his scene with Evans.

Suddenly, a powerful voice ended the confict with, "Stop this at once!" What his four words and presence did was astounding. Immediately, all eyes fell upon a tall wizard with a broken nose and a long, silver beard, eyeing the mob behind crescent moon-shaped frames; a disappointed and pitying look was imprinted on his wise, old face. All eyes were watching him, but Snape's, that is. Snape had collapsed pathetically, managing to crack his skull in the process. He was now lying on the ground, an unconscious heap.

Albus Dumbledore was not a wizard to be trifled with. Despite his deceptively child-like, blue eyes, he was powerful in many different ways. He conjured up a stretcher for the unconscious Snape, and in a quietly potent voice, said, "Would you care to follow me, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Pettigrew? Miss McKinnon, would you please find Miss Evans and tell her to report to my office as well? Thank you." As Marlene departed to find Lily, Dumbledore parted the crowd, followed nervously by James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter.

After depositing Snape in the infirmary and leaving him there under Madame Pomfrey's care, Dumbledore led the students to his office. Once on the office's threshold, Dumbledore said, "Would you, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Pettigrew wait outside my office? Miss Evans should be along shortly also."

James entered the office tentatively, sitting down after Dumbledore had motioned for James to do so.

"Is there anything you would like to say for yourself, James?" inquired Dumbledore, sadness in his blue eyes. Funny, they reminded James of the color of the sky that day…

James wondered if the Dumbledore's eyes had more to them than people thought, kind of like Evans' seemed to. "No, sir," replied James.

Dumbledore sighed and began, "Sometimes, James, we do things without thinking. I know this isn't the first time you have done something without thinking. Have you ever heard the saying, "Pride goes before a fall, James?"

"Yes—my grandmother used to tell me that quite often before she died."

"You have the potential to be a powerful wizard, James—and you know it. Sometimes, our power is our downfall. Voldemort's power was his downfall. Before he was Voldemort, he was Tom Riddle. Tom was one of the most brilliant students Hogwarts ever taught, perhaps the most brilliant. Therefore, he was particularly susceptible to falling."

Dumbledore continued seriously, " James, humility is one of the hardest things in life to learn. When we finally learn it, we have often hurt others in the process. Today, you hurt several people. You will continue hurting others until you learn that hard lesson, James."

James groaned inwardly. He had sunk to the level of a nasty Slytherin. The Sorting Hat had told him that he could do well in Slytherin because of his resourcefulness and ambition. "I preyed on someone weaker, didn't I?" asked James.

"I'm afraid so, James. But with understanding, you can overcome your arrogance, and use your power for a better cause. I'm sure of it, and Lily Evans is sure of it." James started in surprise.

"What do you mean Lily Evans is sure of it?"

"Can't you see, James? Miss Evans knows you're brilliant, you're the only one who continues to keep up with her in school. She hates to admit it, but she respects that about you, and hates to see that you are using that talent for belittling others who are obviously not so popular or talented as you are—like Severus Snape."

"Oh…" James said.

"Now," said Dumbledore briskly, "As for your punishment, you must apologize to Snape, help Mr. Filch clean every Thursday night the remaining days of this year, and tutor one student all of next year. Hurting another student, especially for no reason, is a very serious offense. If you had been defending yourself, things would be different. I hope that in the future, James, you will think before you do something you could regret later, and you will learn the lesson of humility. Invite Mr. Black in, please, as you leave."

James got up, nodding at Dumbledore's last statement, and heading out the door. As he reached for the door knob, he turned around and asked, "Professor Dumbledore, sir, even if I do become less, ah, conceited—is it alright that you hate someone, because I can't help it."

Dumbledore sighed. "It's not alright, but it can't be helped. Our emotions have a mind of their own sometimes. Do what you can to control them if they are negative, James. Hate often does more harm to the one who lets it reside in his heart than the one who is hated. If I am right by saying it is Severus Snape whom you hate, it might curb your hatred some if you knew more about him and what his life is like when he is not at Hogwarts. But that is all I will tell you, James. It is not for me to reveal what he hasn't revealed to you."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," responded James as he exited the office. He signaled to Sirius to go in. As the door closed behind Sirius, James noticed Remus, Peter, and Evans all seated on the ground. He nodded at Remus and Peter, but avoided Lily's accusing eyes. James had a lot to mull over and rethink.

'It may have felt good, but it hadn't been right,' he now realized, shivering at what people must see him as. It was an odd feeling, embarrassment and regret. Usually, James did things without considering what others' might feel. Now, all he knew was he had to change.

This is so dramatic! Even though this chapter wasn't funny, I think it was very expressive, and you should have really gotten to know James better. I hope I did a good job at Dumbledore. I have a feeling, from what I've gathered from the books, that Dumbledore wrestled with arrogance b/c of his power. I just get this feeling, considering how he keeps things from people to "protect" them. He thinks he must carry burdens alone. Anyways, PLEASE tell me what you think! I worked hard at revising J.K.'s writing to mesh with mine since she had Harry in there (b/c he was seeing Snape's memory). I will be continuing this story instead of writing two sequels of James and Lily's sixth and seventh year. REVIEW, my wonderful readers, and together we can make this story a better story! Love, PhoenixPlume