After Transfiguration, there was intensive double Herbology lesson culminating in three scratches by a Fanged Geranium and some seriously-harassed Lily and Marlene, who had tied their hair out of their sweaty faces as they struggled over their Screechsnap seedlings with Hufflepuff Miriam Strout and Ravenclaw Benjy Fenwick.

"Come now, just wrestle them out of their pots!" called out Professor Sprout, taking on three tubs at a time by herself.

"Easy for her to say, teaching for how many years?" mumbled Benjy bad-temperedly, snatching a writhing seedlings. "Wiley little blighters…"

Miriam giggled appreciatively, but was quickly silenced as her seedling shot from the pot and onto the table, where she scrambled around for it. The kindly brunette looked to be on the verge of hysterics.

"The fifth time! The fifth time, these stupid things! I can't do this class!" she wailed, furiously stuffing the seedling into a new pot and going for another. "If I didn't want to be a Healer so badly…"

"Hah, that's nothing. Lily likes this stuff!" squealed Marlene as she cast about for a noisy seedling. Lily gave her an agitated look.

"Oh, yes, I'm having loads of fun now!" Lily's face was pink and shiny, and her smattering of freckles were out in full force. Pulling her thick hair into a ponytail was not very effective in keeping cool as she emerged from the bin with double-fisted palmfuls of Screechsnaps.

This time, it was Benjy Fenwick who laughed, and then he broke into enthusiastic applause with everyone else as Professor Sprout called the lesson to a close.

"Wash up you lot, and no homework, I think we've done enough here…"

Lily's table of four went over to the sinks.

"So Lily, is it true you're finally going out with Potter?" asked Benjy casually. Lily shot him a look to see a faint smile on his angular face.

"And how would you know anything about that?" she asked huffily. Benjy shrugged.

"Oh, you know. My mate knows your mate, and when they're not occupying the school's broomclosets they sometimes talk…" Lily nodded.

"Ah, Caradoc. I had forgotten about that. In any case, the answer is yes. I'm going to Hogsmeade with him."

Benjy grinned. "About time."

Benjy Fenwick was a short, neatly-muscled boy with a sharp face but very sincere brown eyes. His hair was brown and some people said that if it weren't for their heights, he and Caradoc Dearborn would look like brothers. Both of them were on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and both were quite talented. Benjy was also good guy, albeit being extremely anti-Slytherin.

Lily shoved him playfully as she rinsed her hands. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. Benjy shrugged.

"Just saying. See you at lunch." He grabbed his bag and set off for the Great Hall. Marlene said goodbye to Miriam and came over to Lily, grinning.

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing, although apparently Emmeline has told the entire school that I said I'd go to Hogsmeade with James." Marlene laughed.

"Ah, yes, she can do that. Lunch, Lily?"

"Yeah," replied Lily, taking one last rueful look in the mirror. "Although I'm a mess."

"Stop grousing or we'll miss the pudding." Lily smiled and the girls began their walk from the greenhouse as the bells rang.

"Now," said Marlene, "you'd better tell me what happened to make you say yes to James." Lily hesitated but launched right into a tale of the previous night nevertheless. Marlene's eyes widened and she made the correct noises in the correct places.

"And you still don't know about the Slytherins?"

"No," answered Lily as they reached the castle, "but James reckons we'd better take patrols more seriously. Although since there was that attack on that Hufflepuff boy's cousins, maybe they were out celebrating—"

"Lily, you're beginning to sound like Dorcas," interrupted Marlene when they entered the Dining Hall. Lily smiled and nodded towards Dorcas, who was busily scanning a certain piece of parchment for the fifth time since that morning.

"Is that really so bad, Marley?" asked Lily jokingly. They sat down. Immediately, Emmeline and James came over from two different sides of the room and sat, followed by Sirius, Remus, and Peter. James took a seat on the other side of Lily and flung his arm over her shoulders.

"Hello Lily. Emmeline, Marlene, Dorcas. Fancy walking me to Charms so I'm not ambushed by Snivellus?" Emmeline and Dorcas snorted. Lily smiled but rolled her eyes.

"What terrible thing did you do this time, James?" asked Lily with a grin, but some trepidation.

Sirius answered for him.

"He said some rude things about Snape being a few twigs short of a Comet when it came to… er, certain subjects. Naturally, a few words were exchanged. Magic words. But we're all fine, thank you for asking."

"James, did he really deserve whatever you said?" sighed Lily. James looked petulantly at her.

"Lily, of course. When would I ever take the initiative to insult Snivelly? Besides, it was mostly Rosier who started it, impotent twonk that he is…" The girls laughed.

"So how's about it, Lily? Will you and your friends walk us to Charms? Or d'you need me to beg?" Lily grinned submissively.

"Sure we will, James. Although I'm not promising to hex Snape for you…"

"Excellent!" declared James releasing Lily to dig into his sausages. "See, Padfoot, we've got nothing to fear now."

"Besides fearing that you'll go off your head? Nothing, nothing at all," replied Sirius wryly. The eight Gryffindors laughed and ate together. Lily was surprised how pleasant all of them could be, and especially took notice of Marlene's rather giggly behavior. Emmeline excused herself hurriedly as Caradoc strode towards the table.

"See you at Charms!" she waved, before Caradoc pulled her into his arms and they trotted off. Dorcas folded up Fabian's letter and stuffed it into her purse.

"Well, it's been a lovely meal with you four, but I think we ought to scampering too. See you at dinner?" said Dorcas. Sirius winked.

"I'll see you at dinner, Dorcas. In fact, I'll—"

"Oh damn, I forgot!" cried Lily. "Slughorn wants a dinner tonight. I think he wanted to talk to me about something too, oh no, I've got that Charms essay…"

"Bring a guest?" suggested Remus.

"Hmm…why yes, I think I will. I think I'll bring seven guests," mused Lily. Marlene gaped.

"Will Slughorn go for that, Lily?"

Lily replied dismissively, "Who cares? If he wants me then he'll deal with you like I do. Besides he'd probably like this bunch. Purebloods and prefects and Quidditch players, he'll wet himself from excitement." Sirius laughed.

"Brilliant. Free meal off the Potions teachers. We're mingling with the elite now."

"Don't forget that's eight guests, since Emmeline will want to bring Dearborn," reminded Dorcas. Lily smiled.

"If she must. I only suppose Slughorn won't mind…"

I'm glad no one minded the puppy part; this one here is just a short "friendly" chapter to introduce Lily and James' new relationship and another member of the Order of the Phoenix. This chapter is totally finished and has been revamped. Thanks to the reviewers for everything, and feel free with suggestions and criticisms alike.