CHAPTER 8

The Christmas holidays had just finished and it was time for the students of Hogwarts to go back to school. They had flown by extremely fast in every ones opinion, leaving a few unhappy teenagers.

James had tried to think all summer of how he was going to get Lily to date him, and he figured he would just do what he did with any other girl. Couldn't hurt, Right?

It was the first morning of classes and James had decided the night before he should ask her at Breakfast.

He made the mistake of telling Remus this so when the morning rolled around James was scared and Remus was forcing him to do it.

"James stop being so stubborn, she's just a girl, don't be scared." Remus was trying to pull James out of bed, but James was clinging onto the bed posts.

"NO, Remus, don't make me do it." He cried.

"James if you don't do it you'll regret it later." He said still trying to yank him off the bed.

"Soooo…that's later." He whined. "I've decided I don't like her any more, Moony."

"Yes you do James."

"Ok so I do, but I don't wanna do it now." He said covering his head with a pillow, which was the wrong move because Remus took advantage of his lack of grip and forcefully pulled him off the bed.

"OUCH!"

"That's what you get James."

"You're mean Moony." James complained.

"I know I am James, now get up and dressed."

"NO!" James said pouting and crossing his arms like a child.

"Yes!" Remus cried back. "I'm getting too old for this." He muttered.

He jerked James up and threw him into the bathroom.

"Moony you're mean!" James complained when he came out 45 minutes later, looking awake and fresh.

"Yes James, we have already stated that as a fact."

He pulled a reluctant James down the stairs and into the great hall.

"There she is," Remus pointed at Lily. He looked to find James. He was standing with his eyes wide and looking scared.

"James, Go." He pushed James in her direction.

James turned and gave Remus the thumbs up before facing Lily.

"Oi, Evans, you're going to Hogsmeade with me." He commanded. Remus smacked his forehead.

"Um…No, I'm not Potter." Lily was a little confused.

"Yeah you are Evans, I said so." Though he sounded sure of himself, inside he was panicking.

"SO WHAT! Just because you say something doesn't mean its law!" She raised her voice slightly. "Why would I even want to go with YOU?"

"Um…Because…I-I-I like you." He stammered.

Lily snorted. "You know, Potter, this has to be the lamest prank you've ever played." And she stormed off.

Remus was shaking his head at James.

"What?" a stunned James asked him, "What went wrong?"

"James, James, James." He started, "You just can't tell a girl she's going out with you."

"What! I can't?" James asked outraged. "But that's how I got all the other girls!"

"Yes James, but Lily isn't like other girls."

"You're right, Moony, time to rethink my strategy."

"Remember James, don't tell her."

SCENE CHANGE

The next morning James spotted Lily by the lake reading, and decided to test his new tactic.

Remember, he chanted, don't tell, suggest.

"What's up, Evans?" He stood behind her, making his shadow cover her book.

"Nothing, Potter," she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Hey, I have a crazy idea for you." He exclaimed sitting beside her and draping his arm around her shoulder.

"What would that be?" she asked taking his arm away and throwing back at him.

"You should go out with me," he grinned. "So what do you say?"

Lily stood up, "I say, that really is a crazy idea!" and she stomped off.

SCENE CHANGE

"Hey Evans, whatcha up to this weekend?" He tried the next day in the Common room.

"I plan on spending my weekend ALONE."

"Ok, cool, me too, how about we be alone together?" Surely my amazing wit will win her, he thought.

"How about I hex you into oblivion?" She said grimly.

"Ooh, I like 'em feisty." He called after as yet again she walked away.

SCENE CHANGE

"Hi Evans, how are you today?" he smiled at her.

"Fine." She said not looking up from her essay she was writing.

"Do you have plans for this weekend?"

"Yes."

"Do they include me?"

"Surprisingly not." And once again she stalked away.

Hmm, he thought, she must be warming up to me, she didn't once insult me, or call me Potter.

"Oh by the way, Potter, Id rather date the giant Squid." She called back, smiling.

Hey, at least she's smiling.

Her smile turned to a death glare.

It appears I thought too soon.

SCENE CHANGE

Now James Potter was a very persistent boy but for some reason after the 215th rejection he decided to rethink his approach.

"Moony, why do you think it is Lily doesn't want to date me?" he asked him late one bight while pacing the common room.

Remus opened his mouth to speak.

"Hmm, could it be the fact that you annoy her constantly, prank her, and act like an idiot around her."

"Geez Moony, your voice has changed."

"James, that wasn't me." Remus said looking around.

"It was me!" An over enthusiastic Sirius greeted him, leaping off the stairs.

"Prongsie, I can't believe you didn't tell me you had a crush on little Lilykins. I thought you were just trying to prank the little turtledove." He said tackling his friend to the ground and laughing like a maniac.

"Well, Padfoot, I knew you would react like this." He said pushing Sirius off of himself.

"Like what?" Sirius asked trying to contain himself from bouncing off the walls.

"Please don't, Padfoot." James pleaded.

"Don't what?" he asked innocently, letting his eyes dart to the girls dormitory stairs.

"Padfoot no!" he commanded.

"What? I'm not doing anything." He cried indignantly. He was seriously trying to stop himself.

"Oh God, Padfoot, No!" James begged, knowing what his best friend was capable of.

"I'mglanceatthestairsnotglancedoingglanceanything." He was bursting with excitement.

It was too much for him. His face split into a devilish smile and he opened his mouth to yell.

"JAMES LOVES LILY! JAMES LOVES LILY!" He was jumping on chairs and desks and books and…Remus.

"JAMES LOVES LILY! JAMES LOVES LILY!" He was yelling so loud the whole of Gryffindor would wake up soon.

He stopped suddenly. He turned to face James. Then he turned to face the girls' dorm, an evil smirk across his face.

"Oh no!" James groaned.

"Oh yes!" Sirius said.

James lunged at him but Sirius was too fast.

"Oh Lily!" He called sweetly before hurrying up the staircase too fast for it to turn to a slide.

"OH GOD!" James yelled before bolting up the stairs also.

He entered the girls' dorm to see an eager Sirius sitting on Lily's bed practically bouncing from anticipation. James let his eyes widen as Sirius leaned to shake Lily awake. He tried to run to him but it was too late.

"LILY! LILY! JAMES LOVES YOU!" Sirius screamed shaking her. Lily sat upright in her bed.

"WHAT!" She screamed adjusting her eyes. "BLACK WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"Well, I think that was rather harsh to say to me. You hurt my feelings. Honestly Lily, sometimes you can be so mean." Sirius feigned hurt.

"What do you want?" She said through gritted teeth.

"Lilykins! I have news! James is in love with you! He wants to marry you and have little Lily's and little James' and make me the Godfather! They can call me UNCKY SIRI!"

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked getting angrier. James just stood there blushing, glad that she hadn't seen him yet or else he would be dead.

"LILY!" Sirius whined. "JAMES LOVES YOU!" he grinned. "That James right there!" he pointed to him.

Oh crap, James thought. I'm caught. I'm dead. I'm done for. Please let the ground open up and swallow me. I hate Sirius. He shot the biggest death glare he could at Sirius, being scared he was going to be killed by Lily. Sirius sat there beaming with joy and slightly bouncing.

"POTTER! BLACK! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY DORMITORY!" Lily screamed as if just noticing them.

SCENE CHANGE

Sirius and James made there way out the door a few minutes later aching from a few hexes Lily had thrown at them.

"Boy Prongs you-" He was disrupted by the stairs turning to a slide.

THUMP! THUMP!

Sirius landed on top of James at the bottom of the stairs.

"As I was saying, you know how to pick 'em prongs. Lily knows some pretty mean hexes." He rubbed his back.

"Get off me, Padfoot." James mumbled still angry. He knew he couldn't stay mad for long, it was Sirius after all.

"Right." He helped James up. "Well, at least you know when you and Lily have children they will be damn good looking, lucky bastards." He grinned. This was his way of cheering James up. "And they'll have a DAMN FINE godfather too." He said before licking his finger and making a scorching sound.

"Padfoot I am going to kill you." James growled.

Sirius sensed danger. "Hey would you look at that, it's a distraction." Sirius said pointing behind James.

"Where?" James looked around.

Sirius bolted out of sight.

"I can't believe you fell for that." Remus shook his head.

"I never was the brightest crayon in the box."

"Crayon?"

"Never mind."

SCENE CHANGE

"What were Sirius Black and James Potter doing in here?" One of the girls Lily shared a dormitory with screeched.

"I wasn't wearing any make up!" She complained.

"Lils, what were they doing her?" Ally asked climbing onto her bed.

"Oh nothing Black was just waking me up to tell me that Potter liked me."

All the girls in the room had been listening and let out an 'Aww, that's so sweet."

"He was lying. Potter is trying to prank me and now he's roped his friends into it too."

"Are you sure, Lils?" Ally asked.

"Yeah I'm sure, its beginning to bug me.

"Ok." Ally said unsure, before climbing back into her bed and falling asleep.

SCENE CHANGE

"Right, now that I'm in on project make-Lily-like-James-likes-he-likes-her it will work, we can't have a Marauder failing can we?"

"No." Remus and James agreed.

"Where's Wormtail?" James asked.

"Oh him, I locked him in a broom closet, he was annoying me." Sirius said leaning back in his chair.

"When?" Remus asked.

"Oh I don't know." Sirius said juggling an apple. "A few weeks ago I think. I checked him yesterday and he was practically drowning in his soup. You should have seen it."

"Ok, but don't leave him in there for more than 2 weeks, you remember what happened last time." Remus warned.

"Yes Mommy Moony." Sirius chanted.

"So back to the plan at hand, what can we do to get her to like Prongs?" he asked diverting his attention to the plan.

"Hmm, I dunno…"

James was staring at Lily again.

"We could lock them in a room together."

"No Padfoot, that's to overdone and Lily would probably kill James anyway."

"We could handcuff them together, I mean she won't kill him because she would have to carry dead James around."

"No that wouldn't work either, I think she'd probably gnaw off her own arm rather than be stuck with James."

"We could…switch their bodies."

"No Padfoot, that's dangerous, plus Lily wouldn't spend time with James anyway."

"How about-"

"How about we just wait a while before pulling out the plans huh?"

"Ok." Sirius unwillingly agreed.

SCENE CHANGE

A few weeks passed and James was getting irritated with Lily always turning him down.

"Evans." He asked her ruffling his hair. He was doing that a lot lately when he came in sight of her.

"Yes, Potter."

"Why do you hate me?" He asked suddenly, leaving Lily stuck on the spot.

"Um…um…"

"Ah ha!" he cried in triumph. "I don't think you hate me at all, in fact, perhaps its bordering a little on love."

"NOT!" Lily cried. "I was just thinking of how to put it gently for you. You-You-are an ARROGANT, SELF ABSORBED, POMPUS, STUCK UP, UGLY, EGOTISTICAL, STUPID SHOWOFF!" She lowered her voice. "And that's putting it lightly." She smiled at him.

"You must care, you said you were putting it gently. So you didn't want to hurt my feelings ay Evans?"

"No Potter I was-"

"You love me." He said smugly.

"No. I don't. What don't you get? I. Hate. You." She said slowly.

"But you hate me with a passion, am I correct?"

"Yes." Lily said uncertainly. "If you mean I hate you so much I hope you die a slow, drawn out death."

"That may be the case but it is a passion none the less."

"So? I still hate you."

"Aye, but with a passion. Don't you get it? You and I have passion."

"No, but-"

"So, do you want to go out with me?"

"Potter, the day I go out with you is the day McGonagall lets down her hair!"

Interesting, James thought, I feel a bet coming on.

"Sooo, if McGonagall was to let her hair down would you go out with me?"

"Potter, McGonagall isn't one of those ditzy girls you can't lay your charm on."

"I have an idea. If I get McGonagall to let her hair down you come to Hogsmeade this weekend with me."

"Hmm…" Lily thought hard, McGonagall will never let her hair down, and it'll be worth it to see Potter loose a bet.

"Alright Potter, you get McGonagall to let her hair down by Friday in class and I'll go to Hogsmeade with you."

"Deal!" James agreed happily shaking her hand.

SCENE CHANGE

TUESDAY-TRANSFIGURATION

"Alright class today we will be turning hats into cats, your hat is on the table now any questions?"

James shot his hand up.

"Yes Mr Potter?"

"How about you let your hair down, and let us see your gorgeous locks?"

The class sniggered, except Lily who looked on in anticipation.

"5 points from Gryffindor Mr Potter for wasting my time, now class begin."

Lily let out a breath of relief.

"Don't worry Evans, I'm not beat yet." James whispered in her ear. This is going to be a little harder than I expected.

SCENE CHANGE

WEDNESDAY-TRANSFIGURATION

"Right today we will be turning Liquid Soap Containers into Chickens, Mr Reed would you hand out the containers, bear in mind they're full."

An idea of brilliance struck James.

"I'll do it Professor!"

"Very well Mr Potter."

James climbed up onto the stool and reached to the top cupboard to get the containers.

"Mr Potter, why don't you just summon them?"

"I was never very good at charms."

He unscrewed the cap of the container and tipped it over McGonagall's head. The class went silent.

"Oops sorry Professor, I guess you'll have to let your hair down and get that nasty soap out."

So what if it's a detention, he thought, at least Lily will be going out with me.

"Sorry to disappoint you Mr Potter," she waved her wand at her hair, "SCOURIFY" and it was clean and soap free.

"Oh and detention tonight at eight Mr Potter." James sighed. So close, yet so far.

SCENE CHANGE

THURSDAY-TRANSFIGURATION

James was getting a little agitated that he couldn't get McGonagall to let her hair down so he decided to try a different tactic.

He waved his wand at her hair and shouted, "FLORCUS." Yet nothing happened.

Damn, that was supposed to make her hair flow free.

"Mr Potter, I had a feeling I would have to endure something like that from you today so I put on a special charm that keeps my hair this way." James sighed, and Lily was beaming.

"Oh and Detention tonight too Mr Potter."

Damn.

"At least you're beating me in the detention record Prongs." Sirius smiled trying to get him in a good mood.

ARGH! I will get a date with Evans, even if I have to resort to an all new low.

SCENE CHANGE

FRIDAY-TRANSFIGURATION

James was really worried now. The school holidays began on Sunday and he had one last chance to get Lily to go out with him. He had thought, and thought, and thought yet he not come up with a way to get McGonagall's hair down.

Sirius had thought too, but to no avail. Remus had suggested simply asking and explaining the reason, but James was sure that wouldn't work. There were only ten minutes left and he was really panicking.

OH MERLIN, he thought, there's only one way to do this.

He stood up and strode over to McGonagall who was helping Lily with her work. Lily eyed him suspiciously wondering what he was going to do in a last minute attempt.

He tapped McGonagall on the shoulder. As she turned around he grabbed her and planted a kiss on her lips as he did so he pulled her hair from its bun and let it flow down.

He backed away. The class all stared at him and McGonagall looked furious. Lily had her eyes wide in disbelief.

I cannot believe I did that, he thought to himself, Oh well, Lily is worth it.

"MR POTTER!" McGonagall yelled. "NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS TEACHING HAVE I EVER…"

She trailed off. "DETENTION ALL OF TOMORROW THERE WILL BE NO HOGSMEADE FOR YOU!"

James felt his head spin. No Hogsmeade means no Lily, which means I did that for nothing. I thought I had finally got Lily this time. I thought I had proven myself. Guess not.

James dragged his feet to his desk and he sat in silence.

Lily sat and grinned. No Potter! No Potter! But I can't believe he did that for one date. He must really want to prank me bad.

"Prongs, I can't believe you did that for one date with Lily!" Sirius said surprised.

"Yeah well I thought this was my chance to prove I'm a good guy, she's worth all the detention time in the world, but now I've blown it." He said miserably.

Sirius could tell it was eating James up inside and he decided he would have a little word with Evans.