CHAPTER 3

"I can't believe Potter!" Lily moaned to Ally on their way to their first class, History of magic. "I mean how can he be such a prat?"

"Lily, you did give him a beard." Ally said reasonably.

"SO! He deserved it!" Lily took her seat.

"Yes but-"

"Settle down class. Settle down. Now the great war of the pixies began in 1817. It all started when…" Lily listened to Professor Binns drone on before closing her eyes and nodding off into La La land. She was woken by Ally tapping her desk and pointing to a note on her table.

I suppose you think the beard thing was funny Evans. Don't worry I'll get you back-JP

Lily pulled out her quill and dashed down a reply before throwing the note to James.

I have no doubt you will try to get me back but as I am a far more superior being I am afraid you are wasting your time-LE Great now I sound just as arrogant as him.

Whatever Evans. Even a social outcast such as yourself can't withstand pranks from the marauders-JP

We'll just see about that-LE

James was getting fed up. This silly little girl thinks she can best me. Let's see about that.

He muttered the itching charm with his wand pointed at Lily.

"Lils, is something wrong?" Ally asked Lily who was trying not to scratch.

"Yes! Potter put an itching charm on me."

"Oh, I know the counter charm to that, I have an older brother remember."

She muttered the counter charm and Lily mouthed, 'Sorry loser' to James.

"Neferditious" She muttered waving her wand so he could see. He checked for signs of visible damage before smirking. He didn't want to make the same mistake as last time.

'Missed me.'

"Something you wish to add Mr Potter?" Binns asked.

"This is the song that never ends, for it goes on and on my friends. Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was, and they continued singing it forever just because it was the song that never ends, for it goes on and on my friends…" James continued singing in a loud happy voice, but by his eyes you could tell he was angry.

"What did you do?" Ally asked.

"Oh I just made it so when someone says Potter and he hears he sings that ruddy song."

"For how long?"

"5 minutes, but don't worry the charm only lasts until someone says panda bear within his hearing range."

!LATER!

The day continued much like that, with teachers calling on James in class and him singing but after their last class Ally got frustrated so she took the charm off, much to Lily's anger, by saying panda bear.

James put a spell on her so she shouted 'I LOVE SNAPE' at random intervals.

Right time for a bigger prank, Lily thought to herself.

She snuck into the Potions teachers empty classroom, hoping her mouth wouldn't start shouting out that ridiculous phrase so he was caught. She crept into his secret supply and found the potion she was looking for.

YES! This is exactly what I need.

With that she crept down to the kitchens and searched for the goblet James drunk out of. Stupid idiot, why does he always drink from the same goblet anyway? And why do I notice it's the same goblet every time?

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." A voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

She turned to see a smirking Remus Lupin.

"And why not?"

"Because, I have a feeling James will switch his lucky goblet with yours tonight."

"And why would that be? I LOVE SNAPE." Lily growled. Remus said the counter curse to James prank.

"Because, he will be down here any moment to spike it and the only goblet he can keep track of is his, so in turn he will switch his goblet with yours while you aren't looking."

"Oh." She noticed Remus was smirking as if he had come onto her hidden agenda. Damn you Remus Lupin and that smirk.

"Lily, do you really think pranking James is a good idea?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"He needs to be taught a lesson."

"About?" He asked amused. It wasn't everyday he got to hear a true opinion from James' enemy.

"His ego. His bullying. His attitude in general." She shrugged.

"Have you tried talking to him about it?"

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, do you think he would listen?"

"You have a point." He chuckled.

"Do you not think I can change him?"

"Oh no, on the contrary, I think you will change him far more than you or anyone else can imagine. I must go, goodnight Lily." He smiled and walked away.

Hmm, that Remus Lupin is sneaky. I'll have to watch out for him. Always speaking in riddles and being all wise. Definitely have to watch out for the likes of him.

Approximately 24 minutes past midnight

"Lileeeeeeeee" Ally whined. "Lileeeeeeeeeeeeee."

"Yes Ally?" Lily looked up from her book. They were alone in the common room.

"Lileee, I'm bored."

"So?"

"So, make me unbored."

"No, that's your problem not mine." She stuck her tongue out.

"But Lileeee, I'm sooo bored."

"Good, do it somewhere else."

"BUT LILEEEEEE PLEASE?"

"Fine." Lily snapped, "What do you want to do?"

"I want to…do your hair!"

"No!"

"Why not it looks pretty when I do it."

"I don't care." She said childishly.

"Please Lily?"

"No. No. No."

"Lilykins?"

"No."

"Lils?" She tried.

"Nuh uh."

"Princess Lily, best girl in the whole wide world?"

"Fine." Lily grumbled and Ally squealed and pulled her upstairs.

Boys dorm

"Jamie."

"Yes Padfoot?" They were sitting in their dorm. Everyone else was asleep.

"Jamsiekinsy, I have nothing to do. It is half past midnight and the great Padfoot has nothing to do."

"That's nice Siri."

"No it's not."

"Ok."

"Can I sing to you?" OH GOD NO! SIRIUS CAN'T SING! I'LL DIE!

"Um…I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? Don't you like my singing? Don't you? I know why…YOU THINK I'M FAT DON'T YOU?" Sirius cried.

"No Siri, I do not you are fat-"

"You do. Your disgusted with me aren't you!"

"No Padfoot. You aren't fat." He said trying to get him to calm down.

"I get it," he sniffed, "I see where I got my nickname from now! Instead of Padfoot you mean padFAT don't you?"

"No Padfat-I mean Sirius-oh man."

Sirius let out a whimper. "I can't believe you! You think I am fat!"

"No. No. No" He tried desperately to calm down his friend.

"Ha ha, I was just kidding Jamsie, It was fun to see you get all worked up."

James threw a pillow at him.

"OW! You're just cranky cos Lily beat you today!"

"No I am not. She did not beat me. She merely surprised me is all, and that is just because she is smart and-"

"AH HA! I knew it. You think she's smart! You love her!"

"No Siri I do not love her."

"Yes you do." He said slyly wiggling his eyebrows.

"NO I DON'T" He yelled.

"YES YOU DO. YES YOU DO. YES YOU DO." He jumped on his bed.

"Who does what?" Remus said sleepily, being awoken by their yelling.

"Nothing, I'm going for a walk."

"Byebye…Lily lover." Sirius called.

Girls dorm

Ally was just about finished doing Lily's hair. It was almost one in the morning and the girls were sitting on Ally's bed with a silencing charm around it.

"Lily, so who do you think the hottest guy in our year is?"

"I dunno." Lily grumbled. Oh god. I see where this is going. OH GOD SAVE ME NOW!

"Well I think James Potter is pretty cute….he's no Sirius Black but he's damn fine all the same."

I knew it was going to be like this! WHY? Why did I let her do my hair?

"Potter is an insufferable git." Lily said in a plain tone.

"Aye, but a gorgeous insufferable git."

"No. An infuriating, pompous, no nothing, arrogant insufferable git."

"Come on Lily, I think you fancy him."

"WHAT!" Lily burst leaping off the bed and pointing a finger at Ally. "Never say such a thing again."

"Chill Lil, I was just joking." Although the way you reacted leads me to a different thought.

"Whatever. I'm going for a walk." Lily said huffily.

"Lily, it's one in the morning. You'll get in trouble."

Lily ignored her and walked down her stairs and out the portrait door.

!LATER!

A while later Lily was roaming down an empty hallway. She had taken a wrong turn at a goblin statue and now she was lost. She was pretty sure she was on the 6th floor but she couldn't be sure. She whipped around. She was sure she could hear some one breathing from in the shadows. Whoa, Lily get a hold of yourself, you're being paranoid. She jumped, that time there was a definite intake of breath.

She started walking quite fast to the shadows, she stopped abruptly three feet in front. It was pitch black in that corner and she was sure some one was there. Who would be out at one in the morning? She reminded herself.

"Ah, Filch hears some one, he does." Oh crap. Lily's eyes went wide. She stood in shock. I've been caught. She saw the silhouette of Filch the school care taker. OH NO! I'm dead. They'll take my prefect badge away.

A pair of arms grabbed her and pulled her into the shadows putting a hand over her mouth to muffle her certain scream of surprise. The person held her close so they were not seen. I feel so safe and warm in this persons arms. Who cares that though they are a stranger and probably some psycho rapist that would try to kill me when Filch is gone. Damn paranoia.

"Filch knows you're hear Poppet. I don't know where you went but I know you were here."

Lily breathed a sigh of relief, as did the person holding her as Filch passed by them moving to the next hall.

Lily felt the grip around her loosen but not completely let up. She turned around and gasped at the sight of James Potter smirking at her.

James couldn't deny she felt so nice in his arms. She fit like a puzzle piece. Yet, it WAS a little weird to have your enemy in your arms so he let her go.

"You-You-You're Potter!"

"Wow, you've had a revelation." He said rolling his hazel eyes.

"Yes, but you-you saved me from Filch and you're Potter!" She whispered fiercely trying to make sense of the situation.

Why did I save her? It just felt like the right thing to do. She's waiting for an answer. Lie. He shrugged his shoulders.

"You…ah, if he caught you he would have seen me, I was just saving myself."

Lily raised an eyebrow but didn't question him about it.

"So almighty Potter where are we at?"

"Ah, so you admit I am almighty?" She grinned cheekily.

She rolled her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that. So where are we?"

"Um…um…I don't know." He offered, ruffling his hair.

"Ah, yet another thing you don't know huh? They could fill so many libraries. So why are you out wandering around at one thirty in the morning?"

"I fancied a walk." He eyed her suspiciously. "Sirius has had too much sugar so I left, he was driving me up the wall. What about you Evans?"

"I…um…" She thought hard, I can't say I left because Ally was talking about his hotness and accusing me of fancying him. "I also fancied a walk, Ally was…annoying me."

He shrugged. "Friends huh? Can't live with 'em can't kill 'em off or people would give you weird looks."

Lily smiled. "So…uh…how do we get back to the Gryffindor common room?"

"Well, I suppose we should just walk around and I don't know look in a few doors."

They quietly crept down the hallway and opened random doors.

"Shh…do you hear something?" James asked.

"No, you're just paranoid."

"No, no I hear someone coming."

"Potter, you're so-" She was cut off by loud footsteps.

"Quick, in here." James tugged at her waist and pulled her through a door they had not been in yet.

They stepped in the room which had a green shining light that blocked their vision. They walked in and the light disappeared. James recognised where they were.

"Don't shut the-" Lily shut the door. "Door…" he trailed off.

He looked around. The door had vanished, now they were stuck there.

He clucked his tongue. "Forbidden forest." He thought aloud. "Now what?"

"Are we really in the forbidden forest?" Lily asked nervously. James jumped he had forgot she was there.

"Yeah, yeah we are." He looked around again. It was dark. Well, it was early in the morning. It was also raining.

"Come on." He pulled her along and tried to navigate his way across the forest floor.

"Look." Lily whispered. "I-it's a h-hut, we c-c-can see if anyone is h-home." She shivered.

"Ok." They reached the door and knocked. No answer. James tried the knob and surprisingly it opened. Luck's finally on our side.

He felt Lily take in a deep breath beside him as they entered. He noticed it was light inside, though the hut looked as though it had been deserted for years. He saw a burning fire and walked over to it to get dry.

"What if the owners come home, Potter?"

"Well, we will just explain our predicament. I'm sure they won't mind."

"Fine. It's on your head."

"Do you realise this isn't the first time I've been stuck in a weird place with no way out with you, Evans?"

"Hmm yeah it's becoming a horrid habit, though I'd rather forget last time, thank you." She said frowning, while her insides were smiling at the memory.

Thirty minutes of silence passed.

"I'm bored."

Lily chuckled, "you sound like Ally, and I'm bored too."

"Let's play a game."

"What game?" She asked sceptically.

"I don't know." He sighed. "Not truth or dare. Not spin the bottle. I know…someone asks a question and we both have to answer…No lies. You know like getting to know your fellow sixth year." And my chance to get information to crack Lily Evans. Remember start slow and build it up to the juicy stuff.

"OK, you first."

"Um…favourite colours?"

"Red and Gold." Lily answered.

"Ah a real Gryffindor, mine too." James chuckled.

"Figures. Worst date?" Lily asked.

"Kerstin Dauber, Hufflepuff. She couldn't stop whining and at the end she confessed her love for Sirius."

Lily snorted. "Mine was over the break. A muggle called Allan Sanchez. He was so clingy, like a bloody lapdog."

"Worst enemy?" James asked grinning.

Lily laughed. "You."

"Thanks." He said feigning hurt. "Mine is a toss up, Snape, Malfoy, the entire Slytherin house or you."

"Nice to know who I'm compared to."

Three hours passed and slowly the questions got more personal as the rain started to clear.

"First kiss, who and when?" James asked.

Lily blushed. "Bert Snuff from Hufflepuff. In our first year."

James growled, though he had no reason why.

"Potter, are you going to answer?" James messed up his hair.

"Oh yeah…Julie Anders from Ravenclaw on the train before first year started." He looked smug at beating her.

She rolled her eye again. "Only you…"

"Oh look." She pointed out the window. "The rain has stopped."

"Yeah it has," He jumped up suddenly uncomfortable.

"We…should…ah, go."

"Right."

"I'm going to find a bathroom first."

She opened a door to a bright green light. "Potter look," She hissed.

"And so we go back from where we came." He saluted.

"Potter, when we get back, everything is as it was right? We pretend this never happened?"

"Sure, we just forget about it."

They walked into the bright light with that promise in mind, though neither would ever really forget it.