James stormed off in a rage. How dare she accuse him of being unfaithful to her, of giving some necklace to a girl he didn't even know? He didn't have another girlfriend! Lily must have heard something incorrect or misjudged something she saw—but she was nonetheless stark raving mad! His teeth gritted and he breathed heavily. She seemed so repulsed by him…like how she always used to feel when she saw him. Nothing's changed, thought James, spitefully. He was walking in a hallway when a girl with long dark hair came into view, something golden glinting on her collar.

"Hi James," Narcissa smoothly said. She shot him a seductive glance through her narrow eyes.

James paused and looked at her distractedly, "Oh…Hi," he said shortly. Narcissa smiled, her mouth curving upwards.

"I don't see Lily with you…where is she?" She asked in mock-concern.

"Lily and I aren't 'Lily and I' anymore," he hissed angrily.

"Oh dear," Narcissa feigned, and put a hand to her pale mouth, "does that mean you're free for the ball?" she asked sweetly.

James was silent a moment, and then he spoke, "Well…I guess so," he said lamely.

Narcissa's face depicted a triumphant smile, "Would you like to go with me?" she asked.

"Er—sure," James replied quietly.

"Great—pick me up at seven o'clock, bye." She said, and then walked away towards the Great Hall. James stood there a moment, registering what had happened in the course of an hour. He was first off glad to see Lily, hopeful for another chance, then he was angry at her, and dateless, and now he had another date for the ball. His feelings were just as mixed as his thoughts. He trudged up to bed a little early.

XxXxXxX

Lily sat crying by the fountain. The cold was chilling her bones but the heat emanating from her tears burned her face. She choked and sobbed wildly, angry at herself for believing that she may have had another chance with James. God, why WHY had she been so stupid? He wanted to end things, and he tried to look all innocent about it. As if he had no idea about the necklace and Narcissa. He made her sick to her stomach. Lily's shirt was soaked through with tears and her cheeks red from the salty sting of it. She buried her face in her hands and cried hard.

"Why…why…" she moaned softly. A head poked around the corner.

"Lily?" it asked. It was the friendly face of Remus.

He noticed her weeping and his smile changed to a look of pure concern.

"Oh no, did you two have another row, Lily?" he asked, sitting down next to her and holding her. She cried furiously onto his chest and said nothing.

"There, there, it'll be okay," he soothed, stroking her hair.

"Oh Remus…it was awful…" Lily said in between breaths.

"Sshh…it's alright…" Remus comforted her. Lily eventually stopped crying and looked up at him.

"Remus?"

"Mmm?"

"Will you go to the ball with me?" Lily asked.

Remus' face contorted, "What? Lily…you know I don't really think of you that way, and anyways aren't you—" he started.

"I was supposed to go with James but…" Lily answered, trailing off at the end.

"Oh, well…" Remus considered.

"Please…I need a friend with me," Lily whispered.

"Of course," Remus said with a smile.

Lily smiled back weakly, "Thank you, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone," she requested. Lupin nodded as they sat there a while.

XxXxXxX

James walked into his dormitory to find Sirius at his desk, turning his Potions assignment into a paper airplane. It whizzed past James and he ducked instinctively.

"Prongs, what brings you here?" Sirius asked as James pulled aside hangings of his four-poster bed.

"Nothing…just thought I'd head to bed early, that's all," James said unconvincingly. He took off his glasses, set them on the bedside table and slipped under his covers. Sirius got up and sat down beside him, making the mattress move.

"Early? I thought you were going to see Lily?" Sirius asked quizzically. James stayed silent.

"Oh bloody hell…what happened now?" he asked as James stayed quiet, "Did you two get into a scrap?"

James sighed heavily and nodded, "Yeah we did…so we've split up."

"I see," Sirius said, eyeing James closely, "and why exactly?"

"Well, you see, she had this silly notion in her head that I was messing around with her, and that I'd given some 'necklace' to some 'girlfriend' that I have NO idea about. She kept saying how she wasn't stupid and she knew what I was up to. Then she finished by saying that she had a new date for the ball and that we were through. I got mad and told her that I would come to the ball with my date, in anger."

"Oh no, you messed it up Prongs," Sirius said, whining.

James sat up, "Me? How have I messed it up?" he asked, horrified.

"Because now you've only gone and done the thing she was angry at you for, you git," Sirius said shaking his head. Just when you thought there was nothing inside his skull, there was the most brightest of thoughts. "Do you even have a new date?" he asked.

James lifted his chin, "Actually I do, it's Narcissa."

Sirius face turned into one of repulsion.

"What?" James asked.

Sirius looked around the room to see if anyone was listening, "Well, it's just that she's—and I'm sure she'd hex me if she heard me right now—she's a bit…dodgy."

James looked at him oddly, "Dodgy?"

Sirius scratched his head, "Yeah…she's my cousin and all but she's going over to the dark side like the rest of the Blacks, James…I wouldn't get mixed up with her," he warned in an undertone.

"You too? Lily hates her as well, but I can't understand why. She's nice enough to me," James replied.

"Well she would be, to you. You're head boy, Quidditch captain, and quite easily the best-looking bloke besides me," Sirius said, pointing to himself and grinning. James rolled his eyes.

"You think that's why she's nice to me? I don't know—" he started but stopped talking as he saw Remus walk in the door.

"Moony!" Sirius said looking up.

"Hello Sirius, James." Remus said, as he walked over to his trunk and pulled out his pajamas.

"Where have you been mate?" Sirius asked, jumping onto his own bed.

"I've been talking to Lily," Remus replied, his back to them. James's ears perked up.

"With Lily?" James asked inquisitively.

"Yes…she seemed quite upset so I just talked to her a while," Remus replied. There was a hint of something else in his voice, which James couldn't determine. He seemed like he didn't want to press the subject.

"Oh yeah you two are the best of mates aren't you?" James retorted.

Remus turned around to face them, "You know it isn't like that James. She's helped me a lot with my—condition—and is always there to lend a hand. If I can pay her back by comforting her as a friend then I don't see why it's a big deal."

James sighed, "You're right Remus. It's just, I don't think I've been actually mad at her until today…that iron will of hers you know? Like when she gets something into her head she won't listen to anything else!" he said exasperatedly.

"Hmm," Remus mumbled, getting into bed.

"Ughh…Well…I don't want to harp on it anymore, good night Moony, Padfoot." James sighed deeply and dozed off to sleep. In the dormitory beside him, Lily cried herself to sleep once more.

A/N: I know this chapter kinda sucked but I had to put it in so you understand the next part of the story...but--on a better note--stay tuned because the next chapter is THE BALL! and it is a long and emotional chapter! yay! Oh, and pretty please review!