Chapter 2: Wake Up Call

"I'm going to kill him."

That was all Lily Evans could say when she got dressed and brushed her hair—then looked in the mirror. She knew it was James's fault.

She was wearing a soft blue shirt and darker jeans, and her green eyes stared out at her hair in the mirror. It was a shocking bright blue.

"Lily? Are you—" Lily's best friend Kara Lewis had stepped into the bathroom, also fully dressed. Kara was wearing a lavender shirt and jeans. She saw her friend's hair and barely stifled a giggle. "How on earth did he manage that?"

"I wouldn't laugh if I were you," Lily replied, smiling. She had noticed her friend's hair.

Kara looked in the mirror. Her jaw dropped as she saw the violent shade of purple that replaced her normally blonde hair. Of course, it did look nice with her dark blue eyes, but she definitely would not stand for this. It was too freakish to do that.

Just as the two friends were discussing possible ways to kill James Potter and the rest of the Marauders, Amy Roberts woke up. She went through the same routine—dressing, then brushing hair, then she looked up into the mirror. Her reaction wasn't quite as quiet.

Lily and Kara both jerked their heads toward the bathroom. They were sitting on Lily's bed. What had gotten there attention was a high-pitched scream.

"My hair!" Amy's dark brown hair had turned to a brilliant bright red. With soft brown eyes widened, she turned out of the bedroom and asked Lily and Kara, "What happened?"

They answered simultaneously. "James."

Amy's eyes turned dark as her mouth went into a fine line, and, taking a guess, stormed down the steps to the bulletin board.

"Fellow Gryffindors," it read. "Hope you like your new hair colors. If you want to get rid of them quickly, you have to kiss your crush, or the person who has a crush on you. How do you know who that is? They have matching colors, of course! One kiss and then your normal color's restored. If not… you have until midnight Sunday. Have fun at the ball!"

"But… but," Amy sputtered, "this is impossible! I don't have a crush! Or anyone who'd have a crush on me!" Just then, Lily and Kara came running down after her, and read the notice.

"I knew it." Lily's eyes were very dark and angry. "He is so immature. If he'd just grow up—" She shut her mouth quickly. She had almost said that if he'd just grow up, then she might consider going out with him. "Then… then he'd realize how stupid he is!"

"Check the postscript," Amy told them. "'Can't find your match? Talk to someone you think would know.'"

"That's just like him. So sure of himself." Lily's anger was growing every second.

Just then, James woke up himself. At first, he felt very bored, and didn't want to get up. Then he remembered the prank and sat upright in his bed immediately. He ran his fingers through his hair before putting on his glasses. Then, he saw the mirror fuzzily across the room, and disbelief and anger surged through him. This wasn't supposed to happen! he thought. He got out of bed angrily, and pulled a dark blue shirt over his bright blue hair. He looked over toward the other beds curiously, and saw Sirius and Remus's hair as well.

He hurriedly got ready, wanting to take down the notice before anyone saw, before Lily saw, and killed them all. It would have been so easy—if three of the girls hadn't woken up so early.

"Oh, hey girls." He smiled, hopefully charmingly. "Love the new hair colors. Especially yours Lily. It suits you well."

"I want the counter curse, James. Now," Lily said angrily, stepping over to him.

"Sorry. Can't do that. Wouldn't be fair to the other ladies," he replied, gesturing to the others.

"Alright, then," Amy said, stepping up, "care to tell me who else has hair this red?"

"Hm. I believe that Remus has that particular shade of red. It suits you well too," he said, as he noted her stance and balled fists. "We mustn't get too angry, now."

"Right. You expect us two to kiss you and Remus, just to get our hair back to its normal color? I don't kiss people I don't know."

"Well, for one, yes, I do, at least. Remus is too nice for that. He is really nice, you know."

"Oh, really? Kissed him lately, too?"

"No." His face reddened. "I was referring to his personality, thank you very much."

"Again, I don't kiss people I don't know. I've never spoken to him. And if he runs around with you, he must be a judge of bad character."

"Yeah," Lily said, "it takes a real jerk to do this, especially not letting it fade away until the stupid ball. Some people actually wanted…" Dates, she finished, the realization dawning on her. "It would take more than just a kiss to make me insane enough to go out with you," she finished angrily.

Not long after James had woken up and ran downstairs, both Remus and Sirius had woken up and discovered their own hair. Sirius threw on a hat—unfortunately, it was the ugliest one he'd ever seen, but he couldn't let anyone, especially Kara, see the color. Remus could only think one thing. Now everyone in school will know that I fancy Amy Roberts.

They both walked down the stairs, immediately drawing attention to themselves. Amy saw them first.

"Oh God." She was staring at Remus's red hair. She had been hoping against hope that James had lied – that no one matched her. She looked away quickly, careful not to let him see she had seen them. Then Kara saw. "Oh, look. If it isn't just who we have been waiting for. The other two jerks who did this to us all."

Remus had seen Amy look. Great, he thought, now not only does everyone know, but she hates me.

Amy dared to look again. His hair matched hers perfectly. Then she spotted Sirius's hat. "What are you hiding, Sirius? Afraid to show… your true colors?"

"No. Just a bad hair-weekend."

"More like a bad color," Kara said. "Come on, take it off."

"Sure, why not? Why don't you come up to the dorm with me, and…"

If he had been standing nearer, she would have slapped him. "You must be kidding me." She rolled her eyes. "You have to know, after 7 years of knowing each other, that I'm nowhere near that easy. Or stupid enough to fall for a line like that."

"Can't blame a guy for trying."

Amy had taken this chance to sneak up behind them and grab the hat off his head. Before anyone noticed, she said, "Actually we can. Nice hair, by the way. Interesting how the six of us match up, isn't it?"

She smiled, swinging the hat in her hand. He grabbed for it, while saying, "Give that back!" He tried to cover his head with his hands, but couldn't while getting it back.

"Give it up, Sirius. We already saw." Kara's voice sounded cold.

Sirius turned around, and his face fell as he saw her expression. Her eyes showed an icy fury, colder than any rejection he had ever witnessed.

The truth was, she was keeping her expression cold so she wouldn't cry. After all this time, after she had thought she had given up caring for him… she'd always carried a torch for him. Always, through all those girls he'd dated… she'd secretly cared. Damn him, she thought. Why did he have to make me care so deeply? Why did he have to know now that I had always had a crush on him?

Now that she knows that I have a crush on her, he thought as he watched her face, she'll never speak to me again. Forget about kissing her or taking her to the stupid "ball". He had about as much chance as Snape had marrying Lily. Scratch that. Snape had much more of a chance than he did.

"I think we all should have a little talk now." Lily's voice sounded almost as cold as Kara's. "Let's split off into pairs. Guys can pick as long as they are public places."

James took Lily to the Quidditch field, in the stands.

Sirius took Kara into one of the secret places the Marauders had discovered, private but public knowledge… to him, Remus, and James.

Remus and Amy simply sank into the comfortable chairs in the common room.