Much Ado About Something

Chapter 3: We Are the Only Love Gods

Once Lizzie and Remus had safely sent the trembling first years on their ways, the two of them sat with Sirius, Nandi, and Peter in the common room.

"Seriously, though, guys," Sirius was actually serious. "I know they're meant for each other, the school knows they're meant for each other, heck, even Peter knows they're meant for each other. And that's saying something."

"Hey!" the smaller boy exclaimed, cuffing Sirius on the back of his head.

"Aw, Wormtail," Sirius grinned affectionately. "You know I love you. But anyway–"

"Who's to say that Lily wants James?" Nandi broke in indignantly. "I mean, she seems perfectly fine hating him."

"Nand, you know that's not true," Lizzie reminded her. "Remember how happy she had been with James? Before Caroline..."

"That bitch," Nandi's lip curled at the name, her right hand clenching into a fist.

"Woah there, tiger," Sirius laughed. "Back off a little."

Nandi just rolled her eyes at him, then looked up, her face determined. "You're totally right, Lizzie. They have to be together. What can we do, though?"

"Aha!" Sirius's eyes lit up. "I was hoping you'd ask, fair dame. Come closer and listen to my plan." He beckoned.

"I'm good where I am, thanks."

"Ah, well. Anyway, what we have to do is–"

The portrait hole burst open.

"Oh my god, you guys!" Lily's eyes were shining. "There's going to be a ball! Next Friday!"

"Why are you so excited, Lil?" Lizzie asked, confused. "No offense or anything, but you're not really the ball type..."

"I know, but this is going to be a masquerade! Oooh, I'm so excited!" Lily squealed.

Nandi's eyes lit up. "A masquerade? Like, with masks?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "No, Nandi, with chocolate pie."

"Pie? Where's the pie?" Peter had sat straight up.

"There's no pie, Pete," Remus sighed. "The girls are just joking."

Peter nodded in understanding.

"Okay, well, I just wanted to let you all know that. I saw the notice on a bulletin board in my new room, and I just had to come tell you guys! Hogsmeade this weekend, girls? I don't think my dress robes are inconspicuous enough." She waggled her fingers at the group and left back through the portrait hole.

"Oooh, this is going to be so fun!" Nandi bounced a little on the couch she was sitting on.

"I know!" Lizzie agreed. "It's so much less stressful when you don't need to worry about finding a date or anything..."

Nandi smirked, then leaned over and whispered in Lizzie's ear so none of the boys could hear them. "I don't think you'd have any trouble with that right now, hun." She said, with a subtle wink and nod of her head towards Remus.

"Oooh, Remy, will you help me pick out my robes, I just can't decided between the lavender and the periwinkle!" Sirius mockingly squealed, jumping onto Remus's lap.

"Shut up, Sirius," Remus shoved him off, a faint pink twinge gracing his cheeks as he glanced up at a giggling Lizzie.

"Yes, Sirius, do shut up." Nandi's voice had an unmistakable condescending air to it. "Well, we should be off to bed, see you in the morning, boys." She grabbed Lizzie's hand and yanked her off the chair, the younger girl calling a "goodnight everyone!" over her shoulder.

"Goodnight!" Remus called, a little too eagerly.

Sirius snorted, clapping his friend on the back. "Ah, mate, you've got it bad."

Remus just sighed, a far-off look in his eyes. "Don't I know it."

That Saturday came all too slow for the girls, and all too fast for the boys, who had been roped into tagging along.

Seeing as the boys did not feel the need to buy new dress robes for the ball, they headed off to Zonko's to bide their time, leaving the girls to find robes.

When they returned to the robe shop an hour later, the boys found Nandi and Lizzie, each with a bag by her feat, sitting on a bench outside the dressing rooms, looking terribly bored. The two of them glanced over at the door when the four of them walked in, then returned to staring blankly at the nearest dressing room.

"What's going on?" Remus asked, sitting down next to Lizzie.

"Lily." Nandi answered.

"Uh...what about Lily?" Sirius asked.

"She's trying on robes," Lizzie answered, sounding thoroughly irritated. "I think she's on, what now, Nandi, number 364?"

"365, actually," Nandi replied.

"Okay, girls, I think I found it!" Lily burst out of the changing room. "What do you think?"

"Woah," Sirius supplied, his mouth slightly open.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with Sirius on that one," Remus said.

"Oooh, Lily, you look sooo pretty!" Lizzie jumped up. "Spin." Lily stood there. "Spin!" Lily spun. "Oh, boy! It's perfect!"

Lily was wearing cream-colored dress robes that had a light shimmer to them. They were slightly fitted around her torso, and showed off the curves she proudly had. The color set off her scarlet hair and emphasized the rosy tint her cheeks held. She was stunning. And everyone in the room knew it.

Lily turned to her other best friend. "Nandi? I need your approval too."

"Are you kidding me, Lil? Of course you have my approval. I mean, seriously, look at you! Isn't she gorgeous, guys?"

"You know, Lily," Sirius sidled over next to her. "I may just have to forget this whole friends thing we've got going on. Wanna go find a broom closet?"

Lily rolled her eyes, laughing. "Oh, stuff it, Sirius. Alright. So, this is it, then." She retreated back into the dressing room.

"Oh. My. God. Finally!" Lizzie whispered. "I cannot believe how long that took! Nandi and I were done about 45 minutes ago!"

"Hm," James offered. Five heads snapped to him. He was staring where Lily had been standing, a slight smile on his face.

"Oi, Prongs!" Sirius snapped his fingers in front of James's face.

James started, thoroughly confused. "Huh? What?"

"No, nothing..." Sirius grinned, sending a subtle smirk toward his fellow conspirators.

"Oh, alright," James accepted that answer. "You know what, guys? I think I'm gonna head back up to the school. I have, um, homework."

"Sure, Prongs, go ahead," Remus said with a grin. The boy got up and trudged out of the shop, still a little dazed. "Oh, man, guys. Now that was good. Did you see his face?"

"Yeah, I could have sworn I saw a little drool!" Sirius barked.

Lizzie smiled. "Looks like we don't have very much work to do after all."

"Except for Lily, she might be harder to convince," said Nandi.

"Hey, we can do it," Sirius said positively. "After all, we are the only love gods!"

Lily emerged from the changing room, smiling. "Sirius, are you bragging about your sexual escapades again? You know, that's really no way to get Nandi to go out with you. She's not impressed."

"Oh, er, yeah..." Sirius stammered. "I, uh, should probably find a new, um, tactic. Yeah."

Remus snorted and Peter, Lizzie, and Nandi all snickered behind their hands.

"Come on, guys, let's go back up. Hey, where's Potter?" Lily just noticed the absence of the fourth Marauder.

"He had to go back to the castle," Remus said. "He had, um, homework." Everyone but Lily laughed at that. Lily just gave a pleasant smile and went to the cashier to buy her robes.

"This is going to be so good!" Sirius clapped his hands together with glee, then lowered his voice. "Okay, so Nandi and Lizzie, you guys are going to make Lily think that James is madly in love with her–which, as we all know, he totally is...somewhere deep inside–and Moony, Wormtail, and I are going to do the same to James. But when you do it, pretend that you don't know that she's there, okay? We have to be subtle. Oh, Lily, you're back! Let's go now!" Sirius's voice quickly changed to a volume much higher than 'inside voice'.

"Alright, Sirius," Lily yelled back, just as loud. "Why are we shouting?"

"I don't–" Sirius realized he was still talking louder than necessary, so he reverted to his normal level. "I don't know."

The next morning at breakfast, Dumbledore stood up, and the hall quieted. "Good morning, students. As most of you have probably heard by now, there will be a masquerade ball next Friday. I must apologize, however, to those in younger years, as this ball is strictly for fifth years and up." Loud groans erupted from the younger students. "Yes, yes, I know. But as for those who will be attending, we are providing the masks. These masks," at this he waved his wand and simple white masks appeared on each fifth, sixth, and seventh year's plate. "Are enchanted in such a way that when you put one on with your robes, it will change to match. Another note, do not bother finding a date, as when you arrive at the ball, you will find yourself dancing with someone you may not recognize. Now, enjoy!"

Lily picked up her mask, peering closely at it. "Oh, that's fascinating! I wonder what spell it is."

Nandi and Lizzie looked at each other, rolling their eyes. "You would wonder that." Nandi laughed.

Lily stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"Real mature, Evans," James mocked, passing by behind her. He looked as if he was trying to get as far away as possible, but failed when he saw Remus take a seat across from Lizzie, next to Lily. He rolled his eyes and sat next to Lizzie. "What are we now, five?"

Lily just ignored him. "You girls ready to go?"

"Oh, um, go ahead, guys," Lizzie said, a little distracted by a certain lycanthrope. "I still want, um, eggs." She quickly dumped some eggs onto her plate to prove this.

Lily and Nandi shared a knowing look. "Sure, Liz, meet us later, okay?"

"Yeah, alright."

James grinned at his friend and waggled his eyebrows. Remus blushed and glance quickly at Lizzie, hoping she hadn't seen that. She, of course, had, and just smiled shyly at him.

The other two girls just laughed, walking away. James's eyes were on the beautiful redhead for just a second before snapping off of her and onto Remus, who was staring at him intently. James just quickly moved to shovel pancakes onto his plate and stuff his face so he wouldn't have to answer any incriminating questions concerning a certain green-eyed beauty.