DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed.
"Those four boys were alluring, all right. They had been around twice when charisma was handed out."
--On the Marauders (general truth)
CHAPTER FOUR
(the ego on legs)
"How do I get Evans to forgive me?" James moaned, putting his head in his hands.
Silence. All four Marauders were in the Gryffindor common room. It was after curfew, so they were all alone, shifting in their seats and staring into the flames in the fireplace.
Finally, Remus spoke up. "Step one might be to apologize, Prongs."
James' head shot up. "I apologized!"
"Shh," Remus cautioned. "You'll wake someone up." He paused. "But actually, you didn't apologize."
"I did!" James insisted loudly.
Remus shrugged and looked at Sirius as if to say, "Back me up."
Sirius said mildly, "I was listening, Prongs. You didn't."
James glowered and turned to Peter. "Wormtail - didn't I apologize?"
Peter frowned. "Sorry. You didn't. You did yell at her that you saved her life, though."
James winced. Another silence fell.
"Now what?" He folded his arms across his chest and slunk deeper into his chair.
Sirius frowned. "Prongs, you humiliated Lily. She's the Head Girl, and now she's going to have a difficult time doing her job. It's hard enough to be Head Girl without people tripping you, hexing you, stealing and jinxing your things -"
"I know!" James cut in, thoroughly irritated, not wishing to be reminded of how much he regretted his decision to send Lily a black envelope. "How can I fix this?"
Remus thought for a moment. "Practice your apology on us."
"Who says I have anything to apologize for?" But James spoke feebly. He knew what he had to do. After muttering and grumbling for a few minutes under his breath - during which no one bothered him, because they knew he was simply buying time to think - he cleared his throat, straightened up, and began.
"Evans -"
Sirius interrupted, looking alarmed. "Hold up there, Prongs! What are you doing?"
"I haven't said anything yet!"
Sirius and Remus exchanged pitying, know-it-all looks. Clearly they thought James was a bit of an idiot.
"You can't call her Evans, Prongs," Sirius said, slowly and clearly, as though explaining something to a child. "She has a name. It's Lily. Li-lee."
James scowled. "Lily, I had nothing to do with your near-drowning, and I'm sorry if you think I'm evil enough try and kill you, but I'm not, and that's that!"
Even Remus laughed. "Classic."
Sirius, chuckling, threw a schoolbook some student had left behind in the common room at James. He caught it, the only one of them who wasn't in the least bit amused, and hurled it at Remus, aiming for his head. Remus fended it off easily.
"Try it again," Peter suggested.
"I'm sorry!" James shouted. Then he added belatedly, "Lily."
Peter, Remus, and Sirius looked at each other. Then, collectively, they shrugged.
"Don't shout it at her, and it'll do. Lacking as it is of any charm."
James saw a chance to get his own back. "I'm the only one with any charm in this group, mates. That's why I am the unquestioned leader of the Marauders."
Remus only laughed, but Sirius pounced. "If you have all the charm, then how come I have dated half the girls in this school while you waste your time pining away after one who hates you?"
James smiled sagely. "I can't chase after every girl. As the leader of the Marauders, it is my job to be a good example by showing some taste."
The textbook bounced off his head as it was thrown at him. "You're not the leader of the Marauders!" three voices yelled collectively.
"Says the underlings," James sighed, rubbing his head.
-------------------
Lily's hand trembled faintly.
Such indecisiveness was rare for her, and it spurred her into action. Before she lost her nerve again, she quickly scribbled down a note, folded it, and wrote Severus Snape neatly across the flap. Then she called over Diana Allen, who was visiting her sister.
The sight of Mara resting on the next bed in the hospital wing renewed Lily's anger. Prats! She would deflate their overblown egos if it was the last thing she did.
"Di, can you give this to Severus?" she asked.
Diana hesitated.
Lily eyed her coolly, and knew that the girl was afraid of associating with someone who had received a black envelope. "The Marauders will never know, don't worry."
Flushing, the first year took the note and left the hospital wing. Leaving Lily to muse darkly on the power the Marauders held over Diana, a girl they had never paid the slightest bit of attention to. Those four boys were alluring, all right. They had been around twice when charisma was handed out.
After a few moments, Alice Calebow entered the hospital wing with Frank Longbottom. They were both sixth-year Gryffindors, and Lily had become friends with Frank after they both spent a Christmas in Hogwarts avoiding their families. Lily told Frank all about her sister, Petunia, who was driving her mad; and Frank told Lily stories about his domineering mother, who was strict and quick to find fault with everything he did.
Later, when Frank began dating Alice, he had served as a bridge between his girlfriend and Lily, and they too had become good friends.
"Lily!" Alice went anxiously to her. "Are you all right? Oh, sometimes those Marauders are too much!"
For the first time since she had come to the hospital wing, Lily's mouth quirked upwards in a genuine smile. "I know. Believe me."
Frank put his arm soothingly around Alice, who was truly upset. He then said quietly, "Now, Lily, I know you hate the Marauders, and with good reason. But..."
Alice scowled. "But? Why do boys always stick up for each other?"
Lily smiled again. Frank and Alice were always good to have around.
"I'm serious," Frank protested. "I left my textbook in the common room last night, and when I went to get it, the Marauders were tossing it around, discussing how to apologize to Lily."
"Apologize?" Alice tapped her finger on her chin thoughtfully.
And, with perfect timing, the Marauders chose that moment to barge into the hospital ward. As always, all eyes in the room turned to them, and they crowded around Lily's bed, where she lay recuperating.
"Frank!" Remus greeted, and he slung a comradely arm around the younger boy's shoulder. They had always gotten on very well, ever since Frank mentioned one day that he thought all the anti-werewolf legislation passed by the Ministry of Magic was unfair.
"Hey, Alice." Sirius smiled, a smile that exuded nothing but friendliness. He liked Frank.
"Ev - er - Lily -" James looked distinctly uncomfortable.
That was as far as he got before Lily turned to Remus and said icily, "I refuse to talk to the Ego on Legs."
She was clearly referring to James. The Ego on Legs flushed.
Sirius, grinning, broke in. "That's rich, Evans, but hear him out. We Marauders just want to apologize."
Lily scowled. "I'll only listen if it's Remus who apologizes."
"Remus?" Sirius asked, nonplussed for possibly the first time in his life.
"He's the most decent of all of you and you know it," Lily pointed out.
Remus coughed, firmly squelching his smile. He said diplomatically, "I appreciate it, Lily, but James is the leader of the Marauders."
James, who had been shocked into silence thus far, snapped out of it at his friend's jibe. He frowned. "Come on, Evans, surely you can spare a few seconds for the person who saved your life."
As soon as he said it he knew it was the wrong thing to say.
Lily's eyes flashed. "I need to rest and you're bothering me. Leave."
"Evans -"
But Lily was angry all over again, and she cried, "Frank, throw him out!" At which Frank blanched and stepped back, completely unnerved at the prospect of attempting to throw James Potter out of the room. A Marauder!
Peter looked from the furious redhead on the bed to James, who was pale. "Maybe we should leave," he said uncertainly.
Without a word, James spun on his heel and walked away. The rest of the Marauders hurried after him.
"You are not the leader of the Marauders, Prongs," Sirius muttered under his breath, trying to lighten the mood. But James didn't answer.
Before they could leave, two familiar figures appeared in the doorway. Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy - who, later, would wish that he hadn't been with Severus when he received Lily's note, and thus been forced to come with him. Narcissa had asked him if he wanted to spend some time together, but had he taken her up on it? Noooo... he had to do a bit of Defense Against the Dark Arts homework in the library with Severus. Then that mousy little first year had turned up...
The Marauders casually stepped past the two Slytherins, except for James, who placed himself squarely in their way. Still in high temper, he was spoiling for a fight, and he knew Severus would give him one.
"What're you doing here?" James inquired. His tone was polite enough, but his eyes were hot with frustration and anger.
"I don't see why that's any of your business, Potter," Lucius said softly.
Simultaneously, Severus said, unable to help it - though some part of him knew it would probably be better if he kept silent - "We're here to visit Lily."
A mistake. James moved closer and stared at him aggressively. "That's Evans to you, Snape."
Severus sneered and sidestepped him, and found that Lucius was somehow already at Lily's bedside. James started after them, but the Marauders hastily jumped forward and held him back. "Leave it, Prongs..."
Which turned out to be good advice, because right then Madame Pomfrey appeared, aware that there had been a disturbance in her ward and ready to punish the perpetrators. Zeroing in on the Marauders loitering by the door, Madame Pomfrey bore down on them and shooed them out.
They were barely down the corridor when Frank and Alice caught up with them.
"Malfoy made us leave," Alice said simply, in answer to Remus' questioning look.
A muscle clenched in James' jaw, but he said nothing. They continued walking. At some point, Frank and Alice broke away. They said they were going to the library.
Remus, meanwhile, was reflecting on the turn of events. He had always been the most perceptive of the Marauders. He sensed some unholy alliance forming between the two Slytherins and Lily, and he didn't like it. So he said abruptly to everyone else, "You go ahead. I'll do some work in the library." He didn't want the other Marauders to know what he was going to do. If by some miracle Lily confided in him, he knew she would make him promise not to tell James.
Remus turned and went in the direction Frank and Alice had taken. Then, when his friends' footsteps had faded away, he doubled back and headed again for the Infirmary.
But when he got there, Lily was asleep - or faking it.
Lucius and Severus were gone.
A/N: I don't know what to say. Just... review, I guess. I'd like that.
(I know it seems like Lily feels nothing but hatred for James, but the romance will come, I swear. )