Disclaimer: HP is not mine and will not ever be mine.

Chapter 4—Ring Catastrophe

James and Sirius appeared back at their flat in a matter of seconds.

"I'm guessing Moony isn't here yet." James muttered.

"Your right. Otherwise, I'd smell something."

Remus was the only Marauder who actually knew how to cook decent food. James and Sirius blew everything up.

"He's probably still out with his hot date," Sirius said, his eyes lighting up. "About time too."

"Yup." James took out the black velvet box and flipped it into the air.

"Are you going to show me the ring or what?"

James grinned and pocketed the ring. "Nope."

However, Sirius had other plans for him. "Accio black velvet box!"

"You sly dog." James said as the box flew out of his pocket and into Sirius' outstretched hands.

"Thank you." Sirius opened the box and whistled. "Damn Prongs. How much did this thing cost?"

It was a beautiful diamond ring inlayed with pure gold.

"The diamond is about four carats," James said.

"So this must have cost at least two hundred Galleons?"

"About that. It was worth it though."

Sirius whistled again.

"Look on the inside of the ring."

Sirius took the ring out of the box and turned it around. Engraved in the gold it said, 'LE and JP.'

"How sweet," Sirius cooed sarcastically.

"The sales clerk offered to put that!" James snatched the ring and the box and shut it. "Besides, I think it's romantic."

"Too romantic." Sirius made a face.

"That is what differences you and me."

"Too right you are. If I were the one proposing to Lily, I would find her a cheap little ring and pass it off as authentic."

"You say it as if you are proud of it."

"I am," Sirius said proudly.

James shook his head in exasperation and went back over to his desk.

"Soo, think of any new ideas for that poem?"

"Most likely, I'm going to copy a poem from this book of sonnets. What was that poem Theresa was talking about?"

"It was like, 'How do I love thee' or something like that."

James flipped in the book and found the poem.

"Hopefully, Lily will think that I wrote this poem myself." James said proudly.

"Most likely," Sirius commented, "She'll know that it's by that woman who writes funny words."

"She's like a Shakespeare only a girl."

"Who's Shakespeare?" Sirius wanted to know.

--

"Hey Theresa! I'm home!"

Theresa cursed as she surveyed the messy room. Lily always liked a tidy home and she would throw a fit if she realized that the sitting room looked like a tornado blew through.

"Err, hi!" Theresa called as she flicked her wand and the room started to clean itself up. "Er—how was your dad's birthday party?"

"He got drunk—again along with half of the men there." Lily put her coat away and fluffed her dark red hair so that it wouldn't stay flat.

"Did Petunia notice you?"

"She's with that oaf Vernon Dursley and no she didn't. She ignored me the entire time."

Theresa eyed the room and saw that it was clean.

Smiling, the girl went to visit her red haired, green-eyed friend.

"You smell like cigars and whiskey." Theresa said critically. "Has the goody-goody Lily Evans decided to go bad?"

"Please," Lily dismissed it with a wave of her hand and went into the kitchen, "The last time we tried cigarettes and cigars was when we both were fourteen. We nearly choked to death. No, it was Dad's friends. And Uncle Will spilled beer on me again."

Theresa snickered.

Lily kicked off her shoes and said, "I'll go take a shower to get this smell off of me. God forbid how he always gets drunk."

Theresa waved and the minute Lily left, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Sitting down in the chair, she spied an apple and began to eat it when Lily came out.

"Uhh Theresa?"

"Hmm?"

"Why is that ring you gave me for my last birthday missing?"

--

James sighed as he looked down at the poem. This one will definitely work.

Okay, so it wasn't one from his 'heart' or whatever bullshit that them sappy people always said, but at least he put some effort into it!

Taking out the box from his pocket, James felt something else that wasn't supposed to be there.

His eyes widening in shock, he took out the diamond ring that he had 'borrowed' from Lily's jewelry box.

Ahh shit.

--

Theresa panicked for a few moments as Lily stood there in the doorway.

"Uhh—"

"Well?" Lily's right foot was tapping. That wasn't a good sign. That meant she was getting angry.

"Uhh—I took it in so it could get polished. Yeah! That's it! I took it in so it could get polished."

Lily did not spy the lie Theresa just told. She just sighed. "Next time, please tell me what you are doing before you go and snoop around in my room. At least it was you. As long as it was not James. I would kill him if I heard he went through my room."

Theresa smiled a forced smile and laughed in a high-pitched voice.

"You okay?"

"Terrific." Theresa said, lying through her teeth. "Go take your shower and I'll go get your ring."

"Okay."

The minute Lily left, Theresa scowled.

Damnit James, where are you?

A 'pop' answered Theresa's question and a disgruntled James appeared.

"Here's the bloody ring." He muttered, shoving the ring into Theresa's hand. "Sorry it took so long."

"Theresa? Who just Apparated?"

Theresa smacked James and shoved him into the other room. "Hurry! Hurry!"

"I'm on it!"

James Disapparated.

"Who was that?" Lily reappeared looking confused.

Theresa thrust her hand out. "Here's your ring."

"Gee, that was fast."

--

Okay, another short chapter but PLEASE bear with me. I was grounded—AGAIN because of stupid MEAP scores (they are standardized tests) and I did not do so well in Math (I got Basic) so I am screwed.

I won't be able to update for three weeks because I'm going to an overnight soccer camp with my best friend and it's for a week and then I'm going up north with my other best friend for another two so I don't think I'll post Chapter 5 until somewhere in early August. Sorry! But hey, it's summer!

Until next time!

--Greekchic