The day passed in a haze. Lily went through the motions, laughing and chatting. She shoveled her food in at dinnertime and meandered to the common room with her friends. They talked and discussed classes and the attacks and Lily didn't remember the least bit of any conversation because her thoughts returned to James and that night. She couldn't even bring herself to do her homework.

Eventually, Dorcas went up early to write a reply letter to Fabian (an action for which Emmeline made a comment or two) and the three girls continued shooting the breeze. Emmeline and Lily kept asking Marlene about partnering with Sirius Black in Potions, a topic that Marlene did not seem to want to discuss. James and his friends were not in the common room, and Lily couldn't help but wonder where they were. Emmeline soon left to go on her prefect patrol and Lily and Marlene retreated to their dormitories, still talking about Sirius Black.

"What did you two talk about?" asked Lily for about the hundredth-time when they entered their room. Dorcas immediately tied up her letter with a red ribbon and stuffed it into her bag.

"I've already told you!" replied Marlene. "We just…chatted."

"Is this about Sirius Black?" Dorcas asked interestedly, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

"Yes, and I really have nothing to say!" exclaimed Marlene.

"Your cheeks are red."

"I don't care."

"Did something happen?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I think I would be!"

"Alright…do you like him?"

"NO!" cried an exasperated Marlene, changing into her nightgown. "We were just talking about stuff; we didn't exactly have a lot of time anyway since we changed classes so quick. He offered me a peppermint humbug and I said thank you! Alright? Is that allowed? Merlin, you two!"

Dorcas and Lily exchanged a secret smile. Marlene wasn't playing quiet for nothing. She, however, perceived their glance and hastily tried to change the topic,

"D'you think McGonagall expects us to identify all of the Age Line signs tomorrow, or just—"

"Age Line!" cried Lily aloud (Would James expect special treatment now that—) while wringing her hands. "We need that for tomorrow?"

"Yes," said Marlene smugly, happy to have foisted agitation upon someone else.

"Take a running jump, Marlene!" gnashed Dorcas as she scrambled for her discarded quill. "How could I have forgotten, that damned Age Line…"

"You two were probably too occupied with your prospective loves…"

Both Lily and Dorcas shot decisively annoyed glares as Marlene, who merely chuckled, and began working on their essays. Marlene settled in to read a book. A little over an hour later, Emmeline strode in, breathless, and shut the door.

"Guess who I just saw?" she exclaimed, tossing her robes onto her bed and pulling on her pajamas.

"Slughorn in a dress?" suggested Dorcas dryly as she put down her quill. Emmeline ignored her.

"Well, it was James Potter, and he was out with Lupin after hours—"

"Wait, he was out after hours?" interrupted Lily, who straightened up at the mention of James. Emmeline nodded impatiently; she didn't appear to have noticed Lily's sudden interest.

"Not like he can get caught for it Lily—and Remus neither—because they're allowed to patrol. Anyway, I was on patrol with Caradoc and James told me that he was already thinking about Quidditch since he made was Captain, and that I could definitely give it a go at tryouts and he was looking for a new Beater anyway, and I might be able to make it! And then Caradoc wasn't too chuffed with that—being Ravenclaw's man and all—and James told him where to get off but they were both pretty good-natured, and then the Fat Friar came over and—"

"Excited, just a bit?" interrupted Dorcas with an amused expression.

"And," continued Emmeline amid a flourish, "that's not all! I found out from Caradoc that the boy from your Astronomy class, Marlene, is named Travers and he's definitely an oddball. He hung out with Avery, remember? This is his first year without him—since Avery graduated—and Travers has been spotted as being a bit off his rocker, mostly a loner, you know? So there, I have been productive! Hah!" No one spoke. Indeed (as Lily mentioned moments later) there was much to say to this. Emmeline just laughed and flopped down, sighing and looking at her bed hangings. Then Dorcas spoke.

"I didn't know Caradoc was a prefect." Emmeline didn't move but a sly smile crept over her face.

"He's not, but Filch doesn't know it. We got Worple to loan him the Ravenclaw prefect badge. I needed company."

"Emmeline!" snorted Lily, as Dorcas chucked a pillow at her best friend. "Were you even actually patrolling with Caradoc?"

"Of course." There was a pause. "Most of the time." The girls laughed. Emmeline propped herself up on one arm.

"What? I did good, didn't I?"

"Yeah, real nice one mate. You found out someone's name and necked your boyfriend—" Dorcas was cut off by her own pillow flying back at her.

"Nevertheless, thank you Emmeline," said Marlene. "I appreciate you…er, taking time to find him out."

"Still bothering you, Marley?" asked Dorcas in what would be a light tone if her eyes weren't so fierce. Marlene shrugged casually.

"Not so much. Professor Sinistra told him off and he hasn't spoken to me. I suppose I was just scared, that's all. I don't like the way he looked…"

"You just tell us if there is something else going on," said Emmeline in a faintly motherly tone. "And isn't it time for you to patrol, Lily?"

Lily, who had been counting down the minutes to patrol, said off-handedly, "Oh, you're right," and stood up. She took hold of her wand and fluffed her hair once before leaving the dormitory, determined not to listen to her friends chatting about her and James. She descended the stairs, spotted James halfway through, and nearly fell down. Lily recovered and met James with a shaky smile and a greeting at the bottom.

"Hi there."

He was alone this time, and there wasn't anyone left in the common room. Lily didn't know if this was a result of James' design or not, but she appreciated it even if the idea of being alone with him made her slightly nervous. Best not to make an ass of yourself in front of all of Gryffindor, just James'll do…

He smiled at her. "'Lo Lily. Friend Lily. Ready to stop the bad guys?"

"Quite," she replied, inexplicably grinning as well. James offered her his arm. She stared at him for a moment and then accepted wordlessly. Together they left the portrait hole and wandered down the corridors, every moment increasing Lily's trepidation at what would happen at the end of the night. What she didn't know was that James was thinking along the same lines as she…

So perhaps I lied last chapter, but naturally patrols are coming up and the next chapters are chock-full of LJ so don't worry. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed!