First off I would just like to say that I am madly in love Sirius Black, and adore the Marauders. I also totally love my baby Daniel Radcliffe/Harry Potter.
Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, are pleased to present the Marauders Map. (Definitely one of my favourite quotes)
Kay guys, sorry it took so long to update, I've been pretty busy.
Anyways, I want to say thanks to Llyana for her review, so just to clarify, the Molly in this story is not Molly Weasley, it's a different character. But thanks a ton to all my reviewers for all the encouragement, it was really nice, and really appreciated.
Especially Kioku Kagami… you know who you are, lolz. Love ya Am's.)
Okay, this chapter is a bit different from the last, it's mostly plot building and stuff, so there's not a lot comedy or any good romantic fluff and stuff in this one, although I guess that's sort of what the last one was too (oh well). Anyways, on with the show (or in this case: on with the reading).
"I was thinking maybe, sometime we could, umm…"
This was it. Was what he had been hoping for so long was about to come true?
Was she about to ask him what he thought she was?
Chapter Two: Duel for her Heart
"I was thinking that maybe I could tutor you in Potions," said a slightly nervous Lily, "if that's alright with you?"
This wasn't exactly the question James was expecting, but he would certainly take it. In fact, if he had not heard it himself, he would not have believed it! Lily was warming up to him so quickly, especially seeing as how the only thing he had done lately was defend her from that slime ball, Snivellus.
His confusion suddenly turned into a slight embarrassment when he came to his senses and realized just how much he was smiling. He tried to suppress it, but couldn't manage to hold it in at all. He felt so stupid just sitting there, with nothing to say, and he realized he must have looked completely mental. James tried to answer her, but no words would come out of his mouth.
Oh man, oh man! She finally shows some interest in me, and I'm too dumb-struck to even answer her! James thought to himself. He hated how he turned into a blubbering mass of jelly every time she came around, but this was the worst possible thing he could imagine. Why couldn't he just answer her?
Lily stared at James, thoroughly amused by his ridiculous expression. Normally, this would have driven her insane, being the exact thing she would try to avoid every morning at breakfast, but for some reason, she found it oddly attractive. Today, she thought to herself, things are different, I don't know why, but they are, and for the first time, she could sense a total sincerity behind that goofy, awe-struck smile she never noticed before.
"I'll take that ridiculous smile as a yes," she said, trying to suppress her own laughter.
"y-y-yah… ab-absolutely," was all James managed to stammer out, and before he knew what he was doing, he had his arms wrapped around Lily in a tight embrace.
Lily, taken slightly aback by this gesture, although it was not completely unexpected, instinctively began to pull away. James didn't seem to care though and held her tighter, as though if he were to let go, she would slip away and he would wake up to find it only a dream. Lily seemed to sense how he felt, and after a brief hesitation, she dropped her books, and wrapped her arms around him as well.
They pulled apart after what seemed like hours together, although was really only a few seconds, and James helped Lily pick up her books again.
"So, we'll meet in the common room after dinner then, and I'll run through some potions lessons with you, okay."
"Sure, see you then," said James, and the two ran off to their next class.
James ran off to his Transfiguration class, and took a seat next to Sirius, as usual.
"Hey mate, I have got to tell you something!" he whispered into his ear.
"Oh no you do not," said Professor McGonagall, "James you can go sit on the other side of the class next to Mr. Falangee. I'll not have you two disrupting my class before it even begins."
James protested, but in the end lost. It was impossible to argue with Professor McGonagall. She always ended up winning.
At lunch, Sirius was again trying to get Molly to go with him to Hogsmead. James could see no point in telling Remus and Peter the story if Sirius wasn't going to be there.
The rest of the classes proceeded similarly. In herbology they were separated into pairs in order to discuss the adverse effects of the Liollenac plant, and to transplant them. Naturally, the marauders were all separated. Charms class was much the same as Transfiguration, and the marauders were separated before James even entered the class. He figured he'd just have to tell them at dinner.
The class was dismissed and James lost sight of Sirius and Remus in the cluster of the exiting class. He did however manage find Peter and the two of them walked down to the Great Hall. As he entered he automatically began scanning for the other two, but couldn't find them.
"Where are Monny and Padfoot?" he asked Peter, although he wasn't expecting an answer. Wormtail rarely knew what was going on, and was usually the last of the group to find anything out, though not for lack of trying. He was basically obsessed with James and Sirius.
"They went up to Gryffindor tower. Sirius wasn't feeling to hot, probably something to do with that potions disaster if you ask me. He got sprayed with some of that stuff too you know? Been acting strange ever since." Replied Wormtail quite uncharacteristically. He sat down and took a huge helping of pudding and a large piece of roast beef and piled them onto his ever shrinking plate.
After James recovered from the shock of Peter actually answering a question, and not stupidly, he said he was off to go find them and see what they were up to. He rushed out of the Great Hall and ran all the way to the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Mumbarda" he said, and the portrait swung open. He entered into the Gryffindor common room, only to find Sirius and Remus seated in the couch next to the fire, and oddly enough, only two girls were crowded around them.
He walked up to them, his ridiculous grinning expression beginning to make its way back onto his face as he thought about Lily. He was about to blurt out the whole thing when he saw Sirius was slumped in his chair, and his usual devilish grin was gone. He was staring at the fire with a totally blank expression. It briefly reminded James of himself after a particularly bad rejection by Evans. Something was wrong with his Padfoot!
"Hey, forget about it mate," Remus said looking slightly concerned about the well being of his best friend. "She'll realize what she's missing out on and then she'll be sorry. Besides, there are plenty of other pretty girls for you to hit on, and flirt with."
""Nope!" said Sirius firmly, yet very depressively, "There's something special about her. I can feel it. It's just… I just don't understand it, she seemed totally into me at breakfast. And nobody has ever turned down the Great Sirius Black! No one has ever managed to resist me! ME!" he said pointing a finger at himself.
"Never?"
"Ummm… nope, never!" he replied confidently, "It's just not done." He was very proud of his no rejection record, unlike his pal Prongsie. He threw his trademark grin and gleaming eyes at the two girls sitting across from him. They both sighed and sunk in their chairs. "See, there's something wrong with me today. The girls aren't reacting like they normally do. With that smile and eye combination right there, one of them would be sure to faint! After all, it is me we're talking about."
"What's going on?" asked a very confused James.
"It seems as though our beloved Padfoot has had his very first rejection." Said Remus, "ever!"
"Wow, that's a first," said James trying to suppress a giggle. He'd been waiting for this moment for a very long time. He was beginning to think Sirius would never be single! "It's Molly isn't it? Well, don't worry about it mate, you'll get used to it after a while," he added, giving Sirius a slap on the shoulder.
At that moment about four more girls walked into the common room.
"What?" yelled Sirius, "I'll get used to it? Used to it? I don't plan on turning into an obsessive stalker like you Prongs! I'm not going to start following Molly Nielson everywhere she goes and ask her out about 500 times a day knowing she's always going to say 'NO!'"
The girls began to circle around the three marauders, attracted by all the noise. James could feel a smile begin to creep its way across his face. If he knew his Padfoot, which he was sure he did, he knew exactly where this was going. Remus looked slightly shocked at James reaction. Normally James would say something nasty back to Sirius and it would be over.
"I'm not going to turn into you Prongs!" roared Sirius, continuing his rant. Being rejected sure did have its ramifications. "When will you get it through your head that no matter how many times you ask Evans out, she's always going to say 'NO'? She's not interested in you!"
Sirius threw his hands over his mouth the moment the words left his mouth. He knew he had gone too far. How could he say such mean things to his beloved Prongsie. The only person who truly understood his twisted, devilish nature? God, why do girls have to cause such problems? He briefly thought to himself, well, I guess because they're pretty, and they smell nice and… where was I going with this again? Oh yah, Prongsie. He was about to start a rambling apology about how sorry he was when he noticed a huge smile on James' face.
"What the bloody hell is up with you?" demanded Sirius, totally confused by James' reaction.
Normally, James would have decked Sirius in the face by now, or put a hex on him or something, but he didn't. He just sat there smiling.
James watched Sirius begin too scratch his head, completely dumbstruck. He loved watching Padfoot when he was confused or left out of the loop. He could feel himself smiling even more now, if that was at all possible.
Sirius just stared open mouthed. What the hell had happened to Prongs? Somebody must have bewitched his best friend.
Remus, catching on must faster, suddenly exclaimed, "No way! She didn't? Did she?"
"Did what? Who? … What happened?" asked Sirius, now completely beyond confusion. What the bloody hell was Remus on about?
"Yup!" giggled James, very unusually. The girls all around sighed in unison. "Well, actually, she offered to be my tutor, but same thing, eh?"
"WHO?" yelled Sirius.
"Wait a second…" began Remus, "She…offered…? You mean she asked you? Not the other way around?"
"Yup," said James, the giggles starting up again. "She – Asked – Me!" he added putting emphasis on each word, just to make it clear to everyone in the room who might be listening who asked who.
"For Merlins sake, WHO THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" screamed Sirius, now thoroughly annoyed at not being answered.
"Lily of course!" said Remus, "Honestly Padfoot, you really need to listen to your own conversations more often."
"Shut-up Moony, I pay attention perfectly well," began Sirius, "I notice all kinds of…" he paused. Something (maybe even a thought) had clearly made its way into his head. "Lily asked you out!"
"Yup, you really do pay great attention there Padfoot," said Remus.
James simply smiled like an idiot. He adored it when Padfoot caught on to a not so difficult concept.
"Since when did she even start being able to stand you?" he protested.
"I don't know?" replied James honestly, "She asked me right after potions. We're meeting here tonight to study together. Though I'm hoping something more might happen, but I'm going to take it slow. Don't want to scare her off." He smiled and ruffled up his hair even more, for his 'stunningly gorgeous quiditch champ' look, as him and Sirius called it.
All the girls who had gathered round from Sirius' intense yelling sighed collectively. "Too bad" said one of them to the other.
"YOU!" screamed Sirius pointing a threatening finger at James, "It's all your fault!"
"What the bloody hell are you on about now?" said James, slightly stunned but clearly getting annoyed with Sirius' stupidity.
"YOU…!" he said again, his finger beginning to shake.
"What?" James demanded rather impatiently.
"YOU STOLE MY WOMEN!" roared Sirius, his hands plunging into his robes, "I'll make you pay!"
Sirius withdrew his wand, as James threw his hands into his pockets to pull out his own. "Have your fit, I'll make you think, You little git, 'cuz your hair's pink."
James' hair suddenly grew three feet long and turned neon pink. "I thought you were saving that one for Snivellus!" yelled James.
"Oh, and I suppose your sooo much better than him." Replied Sirius sarcastically.
Remus gathered the girls together as they all crowded against the wall, knowing what was coming, and not wanting to get in the way. A few let out excited screams, while others sighed. The two hottest and smartest guys in school were about to battle each other over… well, them.
"I don't know what the bloody hell you're talking about Padfoot, but if you want to start this then fine! En-garde"
"Let the games begin!" Sirius taunted back.
James threw his first spell at Sirius, "Densaugeo!" Sirius teeth grew to the size of a beaver.
"Furnunculus" he managed to say very awkwardly.
James' face erupted in boils. "Hey, no disfiguring spells, remember?" James threw a hives hex on Sirius.
"That was when I trusted you!" Sirius screamed, "Besides, very few people are left with scars from that one, except those who already have them!"
He threw a Bat-Bogey Hex at James who blocked it with a wave of his wand. "Trusted me? For the love of god, what the bloody hell are you talking about?"
"Eat Slugs!" roared Sirius. James managed to dodge the spell just in time. "The one girl who always rejects you just suddenly falls head over heals for you, and all the girls sigh, even more than normal, when you pass. But when I, the Great Sirius Black, ask out a girl who is interested in me, she says 'no'. Girls always say yes to me! It's a proven fact!"
"So?" yelled James, as he dodged another spell jumping behind a couch. He threw an overly powerful cheering charm on Sirius.
He dropped to his knees and began rolling on the floor, pounding his fists against the ground and laughing like a maniac. "So… you must… have done… something" he managed to say between breaths and convulsive fits of laughter.
"Finite" Sirius yelled pointing his wand at himself. His giggling stopped immediately and his teeth returned to normal. He leapt behind another couch as James threw another hex at him.
"I didn't do anything!" said James. He hated fighting against Sirius, even though that was pretty much the only form of a challenge (in terms of magic) he seemed to get at Hogwarts.
"Well, something happened, and it seems to benefiting you." Yelled Sirius, "Engorgio"
Sirius caught James off guard, and he began to swell up like a balloon. "Finite" he yelled. The swelling ceased and he returned back his normal size, though his hair was still pink. That spell was definitely made for Snivellus, he thought.
"Imobulus" cried James. Sirius froze on the spot. He couldn't move his arms or legs.
"That's not fair! We agreed no freezing charms, disfiguring spells, or disarming spells," yelled a furious Sirius.
"Listen Padfoot, I know you're angry right now, and you've had your first rejection, and you're not thinking clearly, so I won't hold this against you. But Merlin's beard, I didn't do anything! Someone's probably just trying to pit us against one another." said James.
"But… but… Ohhh… your right Prongs." sighed Sirius, "I'm sorry I got mad at you. I should have believed you in the first place, after all you are my beloved Prongsie, and I would never want to ruin our friendship."
Lily and Molly entered the common room and glanced at the wreckage, then at the two men in the middle of the room, about half a foot apart, one with stunningly bright pink hair.
"It's okay Padfoot. I should have been more sympathetic. I missed you all day!" said James sappily. "Finite Incantatem"
Sirius unfroze, "Forgive me?" he said with his arms outstretched.
"Duh." replied James. The two of them abruptly walked up to each other and swung their arms around one another in a tight embrace. "I bet that git Snivellus has something to do with this." He whispered in James' ear, "you saw the way he was adding extra ingredients into his potion."
"Maybe," said James as he pulled away, "I wouldn't put it passed him."
The two pulled apart slightly and looked around the room and realized everyone was staring them. They immediately pushed each other away and tried to look as casual as possible. James tried to put on his most manly expression, which was much harder than usual, as his long pink hair kept distracting him. Sirius puffed out his chest, and tried to flex his muscles. The girls simply giggled. All they had managed to achieve was looking like a bunch of idiots.
Lily and Molly just looked at each other.
"What's going on?" asked Peter as he entered the room carrying a large chocolate frog in one hand and a box of partially eaten candy in the other. "Did I miss something?"
Lily and Molly couldn't hold it in any longer: they both began to laugh hysterically. The only thing they had seen was what they could only describe as romantic reunion between Sirius and James.
"What?"
"Oh, nothing," said Remus trying to suppress his own laughter at Peter's face. He had obviously just realized he'd missed something pretty good. "Our beloved Padfoot and our little Prongsie simply had their first actual fight. They also had a nice little duel to go along with it." A smile began to form across Remus' face, "but it was really nothing special Wormtail." He managed to add before he burst out laughing.
Peter had the most ridiculous face, "Oh… why do I always miss the good stuff?" he asked like a whiny little four year old.
Everyone just stared at him before they all burst out laughing.
After what seemed like ages, they finally stopped and everyone began to break up into their little clicks/groups again. James however was having a much harder time, as several girls were trailing him absolutely everywhere he went.
"Man Sirius, I feel bad for you mate." began James, "You have to put up with this every day!"
"Yup," sighed Sirius, "Damn do I miss it."
The marauders simply laughed.
"So James, do you have all your potions work ready?"
James turned around to see Lily standing right behind him, holding the same potions books from earlier that day.
"Umm... yah, just let me go get them. It'll only take a sec." And with that James turned and ran up the stairs towards his room.
Lily took a seat at a vacant table in the corner of the room. At least this way they could have some privacy. James came down a few minutes later with all his potions books. He sat down next to Lily and the two of them began to review their potions homework together.
"Hey Molly, can I talk to you for a minute?" asked Sirius
"What is it now Black? Oh, let me guess you've never been rejected before and now you want to clean up the smudge on your record is that it?" Molly demanded.
"No, although it is true that I've never been rejected," he said puffing out his chest, and throwing his glowing smile her way.
Molly let out an irritated sigh and simply glared at Sirius as though he were a thorn in her side.
"Look, I was just wondering what was up with you. If anything was wrong or something, because you seemed much more cheerful at breakfast, and, well, you seemed almost interested in me then. I just don't know what changed that so suddenly."
"Like usual. A girl rejects you, and there's automatically something wrong with her. Is that it? Well I've got news for you: I think you're completely and utterly shallow! You hardly even know me, and yet you're so desperate to go out with me."
So that's what Lily meant when she called James shallow, thought Sirius, wow, we really have switched love lives! "Look, I thought you were really nice today, and you helped out my friend James a lot. To me, that says a lot about you. I really like you so far, and besides if we go out, I can get to know you better."
"Ugghhh… just leave me alone." She turned on her heel and headed off towards the girls tower.
"Molly wait!" Sirius ran in front of her blocking her way to her room, his arms outstretched to show that there was no going around him. "I'm not letting you leave until you tell what's so repulsive about me. Not until you tell me what's really going on."
"Okay so if you add eye of newt to the mixture it becomes unstable, but if you add…" began Lily.
"…a pigs kidney, the ingredients will balance out and create a stable formula." finished James.
"There you go! Hmm, I guess there's hope for you after all James Potter," smirked Lily.
"Thanks for all your help Lily! I really appreciate it," said James leaning in to give her a hug.
They had already finished all the material she had wanted to cover in that session. James was after all one of the brightest kids in school and he could do pretty much anything he set his mind to, even his most dreaded potions homework.
"Man, you sure do have a thing for hugs," said Lily as she returned the embrace.
"Well, I just like to make sure that this is real, and not just some awesome dream. One in which I have long pink hair, if I might add." replied James smiling.
"Oh, right, I forgot about that. Répario-Snivillé." And with a flick of her wand James' hair went back to normal. "I got Sirius to tell me how to undo that while you were getting your books."
"You're amazing."
"Well, I only got the counter curse from Sirius, it's not like I… What are you doing?"
"Nothing," whispered James. His face was only inches from hers now, and they were getting closer. James repositioned his hand and stared into Lily's deep green eyes. He never dreamed he would be in this position with her. They were getting closer. Three inches, two inches… he closed his eyes. This is it.
Okay, thanks for reading, and please review! If this one seems sort of boring compared to the last one, I'm sorry but this is one is mostly plot development, but the next few should be better! So please review, because the next few are supposed to be really good!
And if you have any suggestions on how to make the story better, please give them to me! I'm not writing another chapter until I have at least 10 reviews so if you want to find out what happens next… you know what to do.
Anyways, hope you liked it.
Until Next,
Sprocket