DISCLAIMER: Nothingnothingnothingnothingnothingnothingnothing is mine.

A/N: Sorry I took so long to update.

"The four of you are unbelievable. Don't you ever think about the consequences of your actions?"
"Not usually, no."
--On the Marauders (conversations with padfoot)

CHAPTER SEVEN
(irresistible)

"Excuse me?" Lucius asked quietly. His tone unnerved Lily. She had expected his anger, dreaded it.

Hoping she sounded stronger than she felt, she said, "You heard me. I'm backing out of the plan. I don't want to hurt Remus."

"Why not?" Severus was turning red, clearly frustrated at her sudden loss of resolve. "He went along with the idea of sending you a black envelope. He's just as much to blame as everyone else."

The three seventh-years were in an abandoned classroom near the dungeons. It was dinnertime, and they were discussing Lily's participation in their plan against the Marauders. Or, more accurately, her refusal to participate.

"Look, I shouldn't have entertained the idea of getting revenge. I was just angry about almost drowning, but it's faded now..."

"It faded?" Severus threw up his hands. "You're just going to forgive and forget that your head was turned into a shrew in front of the entire school. Are you going after an Order of Merlin, First Class, or something?"

"Witness the difference between Slytherins and Gryffindors," said Lucius, surveying Lily coldly. "It comes naturally, it seems, this misplaced nobility."

"I'm not going to stoop down to the Marauders' level," Lily snapped, beginning to get riled up herself. Without thinking she added, "Or to yours."

Lucius whipped out his wand. For a terrible moment Lily thought the Slytherin was going to attack her, and she fumbled with the pocket of her robes, trying to fish out her own wand. But Lucius only pointed his wand at the door, and said, "Muffliato." A soundproof charm.

"I don't want anyone to hear what's coming next," he said, very gently.

Lily pulled out her wand, aware that her hand was shaking slightly. So she was going to be attacked after all. She had noticed that the softer Lucius's voice got, the angrier he was. "What is coming next, exactly?"

"Persuasion," whispered Severus. He and Lucius stood together, facing her. They seemed incredibly tall and dark. Lily felt like a little girl in a lacy dress standing next to a heavyweight boxer. She hoped Mara had taken her warning that morning seriously… she had a feeling she would have to be carried out of the room after the two Slytherins were done 'persuading' her.

But she was a Gryffindor, wasn't she? Bravery was her strong suit, not intelligence. So, instead of turning to flee like any normal person, Lily steadied her wand arm and glared at them, her green eyes darkening. "Well?" She tightened her grip on her wand, like she was in control and it was a fair fight. The challenge unmistakable, she said, "Do your best."

"Our worst, you mean," Lucius said, and the bastard actually sounded amused. Without warning he flicked his wand at her. "Levicorpus!"

Before Lily had time to react, she was hanging in the air, her robes falling down around her waist to reveal her legs. Cool laughter rang in her ears, and, furious, she didn't waste time trying to cover herself. "Expelliarmus!" she bellowed, pointing her wand at the Slytherins. They were upside down from her point of view, making their stunned expressions comical. Such was the force of the rage she channeled into her spell that both their wands rocketed past her and crashed headlong into the opposite wall. She hoped they were broken.

She fell to the ground. She was a quidditch player; her reflexes were superb. Rolling on the floor, she cast another foul hex in their direction before they could dive for their wands. Scrambling up, she started to cast another curse, but the sound of the door opening stopped her. She whirled, her adrenaline running high.

Remus Lupin stood in the doorway, his wand held out in front of him, looking bemused.

"What are you doing here?" Lily cried.

Remus swiftly took in the scene, and lowered his wand. "Mara sent me to save you." His mouth curled upwards. "But I see you don't need to be saved. I've been dashing like crazy through the castle. I checked the dungeons first, as you advised Mara, and then the classrooms, one by one. And all to find that whatever help I can offer isn't needed." He looked significantly at the two Slytherins.

Lily flushed and glanced at Lucius and Severus. In her fury, she hadn't even noticed what spell she was casting, but it looked like she had turned them into – worms.

"McGonagall would be proud," Remus said lightly. "That's advanced Transfiguration, you know."

And, without quite knowing how it happened, the two of them started laughing until tears came to their eyes. Lily was relieved that she was fine, and Remus was relieved that Lily was fine – yep, life was good. It was awhile before they wound down. On the floor, at their feet, the two slugs wiggled angrily, but they didn't get very far.

Remus looked down at them, grinning. "Perhaps now would be the time to change them back," he suggested.

Lily looked helplessly at him. "I don't know how."

And that sent them off into fresh gales of laughter.

--------------

Remus accompanied Lily to the infirmary, carrying the two worms between the tips of his thumb and index finger like they were diseased. He went straight to Madame Pomfrey. Without hesitation he said, "These are Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. I changed them into worms." He held them up.

Lily blinked and opened her mouth to contest that, but Madame Pomfrey was already sputtering with outrage.

"You – that is – first sausages, then slugs, what will you Marauders think of next? You think it's funny tormenting the other students?"

Ignoring Remus's warning look, Lily said, "But it wasn't him–"

Madame Pomfrey wasn't listening. She was going full throttle now, getting into the rhythm of her rant. "This is advanced transfiguration! It's going to be difficult to change them back, they'll have to miss classes tomorrow. This is quite alarming, frankly, it scares me to think what you will come up with next –"

Lily opened her mouth to interrupt again, but Remus stared hard at her, and she found that she was unable to speak. A Silencing charm? He could cast spells without needing to voice them! She teetered between awe and irritation, and decided on awe. Good for him. It had been mentioned in their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, but not taught because the teacher didn't think they were ready for it. Well, Remus was. Despite her enforced silence, she grinned at him, impressed.

"Remus Lupin, go to Professor McGonagall right now and confess your crime," Madame Pomfrey ordered, finally winding down. "I am sure she'll think of a suitable punishment."

Remus tried to look chastised. "Yes, Madame Pomfrey."

And for the third time that day, Lily felt an irresistible urge to laugh. When was the last time she had been so happy?

------------------------------

"So he took the blame?"

Lily nodded, smiling to herself. She and Mara were seated together on a couch in front of the fire that blazed in the common room. "He said I had only gotten into trouble because I was trying to protect him, and he wanted to return the favor."

"That's so sweet," Mara sighed. She glanced at the subject of their discussion, huddled with the other Marauders across the common room. "But won't Snape and Malfoy tell?"

"I asked that. Remus said he'd take care of it."

Mara smiled and lowered her voice. "I was with Remus, you know. I went to him when you didn't turn up at dinner, because I remember you said he's the nicest of the Marauders. I think he is, too. The other Marauders were a bit suspicious, but they didn't say anything. When I told him what you said to me, he took off. I tried to keep up with him, but he left me behind; he was so anxious to get to you," Mara explained.

Lily didn't reply. The enemy was in sight. Sirius ambled over to them, his trademark grin firmly in place, and sat down on the couch between the two girls. He slung his arms around both of them. "And how has your night been, ladies?"

"Fine until you showed up," Lily muttered. Despite what Severus said, she wasn't hankering for an Order of Merlin. She wouldn't ruin their lives, but she was still definitely furious at the Marauders.

"So you're not going to tell, either?"

"What do you mean, either?"

"Remus isn't talking. He says its your business what happened, and if we want to know, we should ask you. Now, seeing as how you hate James and are indifferent to the limited charms of Peter, I was elected."

Lily shook her head and shrugged the cocky Marauder's arm from her shoulders. "Good night, Sirius."

He stood and stretched. "Ah, well. Thought I'd give it a shot."

Smiling his devastating smile at the two girls, he turned and went back to the Marauders.

---------------------------

"What did she say?" James demanded.

"Nothing." Sirius sat down and propped up his feet on the nearest table.

"You're really not going to tell us, Moony?" Peter asked.

"Afraid not…" Remus took a swig of the butterbeer they kept stashed in their dorm.

In the presence of his friends, Sirius dropped his flirtatiousness and became grave. He watched Remus intently. Weighing the wisdom of voicing his suspicions, he finally asked, "Moony, what's going on with Lily?"

James said nothing, but he turned towards his friend, and his eyes were very sharp.

Remus reflected. "She's mad now, but I think it's safe to say that, despite herself, she's going to forgive us. She likes Prongs."

"And you? Does she like you too?" Peter asked innocuously.

"Likes me?" Remus chuckled. "What she likes is to argue. I swear, that girl sure knows how to fight. You know she can transfigure a human into an animal? We never bothered to learn how to do that. We went straight to the Animagi. Which, one day, we're going to get arrested for…"

Peter took up the thread of conversation eagerly, but James and Sirius exchanged glances. James' was dark, Sirius' uneasy. Neither of them missed two things: one, Remus was very eager to change the subject. And two, he hadn't answered Peter's question.

A/N: It's been seven months since I last updated! Expect seven more before the next. Just kidding. No, it's Christmas break at last. I am free of the sadistic houseparents, and may be able to update with some semblance of regularity again. Part of the reason I took so long was because I'm also in the process of writing another HP fic, entitled "Silver and Rust." It's a DG fic. But I'm just making excuses. Let's face it, fifty percent of the blame rests with me. I'm rather lazy. Review!