A/N: Sorry this is so late, everyone! We had a deuce of a time finding a beta. I hope you like it – I've had so much fun working with my fellow ducklings! drumer girl is the author for chapter five, and I'm sure you're looking forward to it as much as I am! - Daisy

Chapter Four: In Which James Tries Something New - Daisy Pennifold

"Thank Merlin for magic," Lily remarked, and Remus agreed with a snort as they sunk into a now-empty common room sofa. After several hours of hard work, they had managed to levitate or prod their incapacitated classmates into their beds, and clean up the common room, with the help of Peter and one Lucy Summers, whom Lily was trying her hardest to be friendly to, as she really wasn't a bad sort. James and Sirius were completely out of commission. James, having caught a bad cold on the Astronomy Tower, was nursing a bottle of Pepper-Up Potion, and Sirius was happily arguing with his bed, which he had named Zaphod Beeblebrox at some point during the morning.

"MISS EVANS!" Screeched a shrill Scottish voice outside of the portrait hole, and Lily opened it to find a beet-faced Professor McGonagall glaring at her.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Mr. Filch and many of the portraits complained to me this morning about the noise in this corridor last night. When I attempted to enter your common room, I found the Fat Lady missing. She came to me this morning and said that after 15 rounds of "We are the Champions," she couldn't take it anymore and skived off. How much damage did you DO last night? I trusted you to hold a responsible party and…"

"I can assure you, Professor, that nothing untoward happened. The common room is back to normal, everyone is accounted for, and we had the juniors in their dorms by midnight. I do apologize for the noise, but well, you know, we're in the running for the Cup, now," Lily shrugged sheepishly, watching as McGonagall's eyes lit up. She had said the magic word.

"You're right Miss Evans. What's a little noise when the Cup is on the line? Must keep up morale and high spirits. I should have known to trust you to keep everything under control. Good show. Relax and enjoy your Sunday, then."

"Yes ma'am." Lily shut the portrait hole, leaned against the back and sighed.

"And here I thought only Potter could manipulate our Head that way," Sirius said, having just bounced down the boys' staircase, looking bright and chipper. Sirius never seemed to have a hangover.

"I wouldn't have HAD to talk her down if you lot had tried to control yourselves even the slightest bit last night," Lily bit back.

"Oh, Lils, come on! I saw you leading the Conga line twice. I know you had a good time. No one parties like a Gryffindor!" Sirius slung his arm around her and walked her back to the sofa, and sat her in-between himself and Remus.

"I thought you were talking to Zaphod," Remus said, peering around Lily to look at Sirius.

"Who? Mate, did you have a bit much to drink last night?"

Remus groaned and passed his hand over his eyes, as Lily tried not to giggle.

"So, Lils, I heard you and Jimmy had a bit of a snafu on the Astronomy Tower last night. Care to elaborate?"

"Don't call me Lils, Black, honestly! I've told you a thousand times. Anyway, nothing happened. He could barely walk straight, so I followed to make sure he wasn't going to fall off the tower or something. When I saw he was with someone, I left him alone."

"Uh-huh," Sirius said skeptically, raising an eyebrow at her. Remus picked up the book he was reading and attempted to ignore the conversation.

"I'm not interested in Potter, Black, I'm sorry. It just isn't going to happen."

"Come on, Lily! What's it going to take for me to put you in a James Potter today?"

"What are you, a used car salesman?"

"A what?"

"Never mind. The fact is, the only reason James shows any interest in me, is because I show none at all in him. His idea of romance is strangling me with my own scarf while he breathes fire whiskey all over me. When he starts paying attention to me, instead of showing off for the rest of the school, I'll consider him. Not that that will ever happen." With that, Lily grabbed her satchel and headed for the library. Sirius looked at Remus hopelessly.

"He doesn't have a chance, does he, mate?"

Remus sighed and looked up from his reading.

"Syr, you listen about as well as he does. If he starts paying attention to her, learning about her, attempting to please her, instead of showing off, he'll have a chance."

"What did you have in mind?" James sprawled over the back of the couch, having heard Lily's last remark. His face was pale, despite the steam still emerging from his ears due to the Pepper-Up Potion. "I mean, showing off is what I do. What do I say?"

"Do you see this book?"

"Yes, Remus, but I don't see-"

"This is actually a play, called Cyrano de Bergerac. This guy, Cyrano, is in love with a woman, who thinks that she is in love with someone else. He helps this guy Christian win her by telling him what to say and write, because Christian's a good looking bloke but a bit of a clod."

"Why doesn't Cyrano go after her himself? That's what I would have done."

"I know, James, and that's why you and Lily aren't dating. You aren't thinking of her. Cyrano put Roxane first."

"That and he had a huge schnozz and thought she'd reject him," piped up Peter, flinging himself into an armchair. The others looked at him in awe.

"What? I'm not short, fat, ugly, and stupid. I do read, you know."

"Anyway, Moony, what's your point? I'm not ugly, I don't need a front man," James replied, bemusedly.

"No, arse, you need a Cyrano. Someone to tell you how to act and what to say, so that you quit making a prat out of yourself every time Evans is in the room," Sirius said. "Remus is right. You're as thick as they come, when it comes to Evans."

"Alright, Remus, you're my Cyrano. What do I say? How do I act? What do I do, man?" James jumped up and started tugging at his hair. Remus stretched up and smacked him on the head.

"Snap out of it, Potter! Damn, you're a pain in the arse! Ok, listen. First, make her laugh."

"That's easy, I make everyone laugh."

"Everyone except Evans," Peter said. "She just scowls at you."

"Oh. Right. How do I make her laugh?"

"Make fun of yourself, mate. It will make you look less arrogant, and she'll definitely find it funny." Sirius said this with his head on the floor, all the blood rushing to his head as he bicycled his legs in the air.

"He's right, Prongs. Then, when you've got her laughing, say something like," Remus picked up the play and started flipping through it. " 'Who knows her smile has known a perfect thing', and then leave before you do something even stupider than you normally do."

James jumped over the back of the sofa and shoved himself between Sirius and Remus, glaring around at his friends.

"You all don't seem to think much of my chances. And that line is stupid. Why should I do this anyway?"

"It can't make things any worse, mate, and who knows, she might like it," said Peter. "She's in the library. I saw her go in on my way past. You should try it out."

"Alright, alright. You're right, Pete. I've got nothing to lose." James got up, desperately attempting to flatten his hair, and made his way through the portrait hole. His three friends looked at each other before slowly shaking their heads.

"Not a chance in hell," said Remus, and the others nodded as he returned to his book.

"Oh, hi, Lily," James said nonchalantly as he walked past her table in the library.

"Potter," Lily greeted warily, and then raised her eyebrows a bit as he kept walking and disappeared in the stacks. She went back to revising her Transfiguration essay, a bit confused at his casual attitude.

Several minutes later, James strolled up to her table with a book in hand.

"Mind if I sit here? Only all the other tables are being used. I promise I won't bother you," he said. Lily looked even more confused.

"Uh, sure, Pot-, uh, James. Sit down." She moved some of her belongings to make room for him.

They sat in silence for ten minutes or so, but James' obvious dedication to the book he was immersed in was very disconcerting to Lily, who was used to his constant chatter and flirting. She couldn't stand it any longer.

"So, Potter, are you feeling better? I heard sleeping on the Astronomy Tower bare arse naked in the middle of February somehow gave you a bit of a cold. Imagine," she said, grinning.

James, instead of scowling, grinned back.

"Yeah, a bit chilly, that. Lucky I passed out face down, or my naughty bits would have frozen off. No little Potters in my future," he said ruefully, wincing a bit at the idea. Lily laughed out loud at the look on his face, and then covered her mouth as she continued to giggle, for fear of alerting the librarian.

James smiled at her. "Who knows her smile has known a perfect thing," he said, rising from the table.

"Cyrano de Bergerac? Have you read it?" said Lily eagerly.

"No," replied James, "But I think I'm going to." With that, he left the library, smiling innocently as he passed McGonagall on the way out. Lily stared at his back, mouth open in astonishment.

That evening, Peter and Sirius were playing a brutal game of Gobstones as Remus finished his book, with James attempting to read over his shoulder. The other boys were all suitably impressed by James' 'suavity', as Sirius put it, and Remus promised to help him with more tips for the next time he and Lily spoke.

They weren't prepared, however, for Lily to hop lightly through the portrait hole and walk right over to James. Sirius and Peter looked up from their game, and Remus put the book down. She smiled nervously and said, "Meet me at 10:30 in the Great Hall, next Saturday, Potter. We're going to Hogsmeade."

"Li- uh, um..I…"

"Evans, I think he means, next weekend isn't a Hogsmeade weekend."

"I know, Black. Potter and I- wait, why am I talking to you? James, we need to get some supplies for the dueling club McGonagall and Flitwick are starting. They want breast plates, wand holsters, gauntlet gloves, all kinds of gear. Since we're Heads, McGonagall asked me to shop for her, and told me to bring you along. Can you make it?"

"Sure, sure, I can make it!" James said, a bit too eagerly. Lily rolled her eyes, and Remus elbowed James in the chest to calm him down.

"Don't stay up too late, boys. Good night," said Lily, and retired to her dormitory. James looked round at his friends.

"What the bloody hell am I going to do?" The other boys looked at him sadly, Remus patting him consolingly on the head.

More Authors Notes:

Queen released "We are the Champions" in 1977. The Marauders and Lily were in their Seventh Year for 1977-1978, so I'm assuming this song is out, new, and loved by the muggle-born students.

The line from Cyrano de Bergerac is written by Edmond Rostand, translated by Brian Hooker.

If you want to read more about Lucy Summers, I've used her (with Jestin's kind permission) in a story of my own, The Pendragon Wager, available through my author page.

Many, many thanks to our new beta, Thoth. Thanks for the suggestions. Don't be offended if I didn't take all of them, please! Some of my grammar 'mistakes' were done deliberately, but the song catch was an important one for me! ;-) -Daisy