Standing There By You

A/N: An update in less than two weeks! Madness, I know. I love you all for sticking with my story even after I waited soo long to continue... I hope you enjoy the chapter : )

Ch. 60- What Are the Odds

Lily had gotten herself into quite a pickle. She was usually rather smart, actually, and not just the book smart sort of smart, she was common sense smart and also street smart, which might come as a shock to some. Either way, she could usually hold her own and sense when she was about to do something very stupid; in fact she prided herself in her uncanny ability to do so. When anything involved the Git in Glasses her fortress against obvious idiocy was at least ten times its normal strength, so she did not like the way she had so easily caved in to James's taunting, yet unbelievably winnable gamble. She very much did not like the queasy feeling that crawled through her ever since she had discovered she had lost that taunting, yet unbelievably winnable gamble.

"Lily?" Grace asked, chewing her toast and gazing at Lily with a worried sort of frown. "You're rambling in your head again, aren't you."

"No," Lily lied. "I was just thinking."

"Really?" Grace sucked on a jam coated finger. "Well I'm not sure if you're aware, but I have ears. Cute ones, too. Remus likes them a lot."

"Congratulations," Lily said distractedly.

"I have ears," Grace repeated.

"I think we've already established that."

"I have ears," Grace said, more firmly. "And that means I can listen. To you. So you don't have to talk to yourself anymore- isn't that grand?"

"Grand," Lily agreed. She looked at her expectant friend. "I don't even remember what I was thinking about. Something about my common sense and my… my street smarts," she said lamely. Out loud it sounded very pathetic.

"You are a common hoodlum," Grace said, wiping her sticky fingers on a crumpled napkin. Searching Lily's distressed expression, she stated knowingly, "You're still thinking about the Student Envoy position."

Lily opened her mouth to protest but couldn't find the strength to concoct a reasonable rebuke. "Sort of. I can't believe Potter snagged it; I don't know what Professor McGonagall was thinking."

"Thinking, or drinking?" Grace queried shrewdly. "I've seen her pack away those whiskeys." She watched as her friend worriedly fiddled with her flask of pumpkin juice. "James isn't going to make you do anything too wretched for losing… is he?"

Lily gave a despondent sigh. "Everything about James Potter is wretched, isn't it."

…

Julie never knew it was possible to smile so widely or so genuinely. She felt like a right old fool, smiling the smile she never knew it was possible to smile, but she truly did not care. She was about to enter Professor Fide's classroom, which was empty save three students already sitting and the professor himself. Not just any three students, either. Three notably excellent students, so brilliant and driven that she could nearly feel the radiation of their greatness before she had even reached the classroom.

"Good morning, Julie," Professor Fides bid, smiling at her ecstatic disposition. He motioned to the ornate, unfurled scroll she clutched tightly in her hand. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," she said eagerly. Professor Fides gestured to an empty chair beside the other students, motioning for her to sit as he retreated to the back of the classroom. Before Julie could do so, however, she felt a hand grasp her shoulder and she jumped at the unexpected touch. "James?" she asked, catching her breath. "You startled me."

James gave a quick, apologetic grin. "Very sorry," he said, darting a glance down the nearly empty hallway before returning his attention to the curious girl. "I just wondered… You're going to be in here with the other Envoys for most of the day, right?"

Julie lifted her scroll. "It says we'll miss our classes today, yes." She looked at him inquisitively. "Why?"

"Oh, just curious," James said casually. "Actually, I just wanted to congratulate you. So ah… Congratulations!"

Julie raised her brows dubiously, rightfully suspicious but too happy to care. "Well… Thanks."

"No problem," James said carelessly, ducking out of the classroom and back into the hall.

"What's the verdict?" Sirius asked, pushing himself off the wall he was leaning against and joining his friend.

James gave a mischievous smile. "Julie and the other Envoys are going to be in there all day."

Sirius grinned, shaking his head. "Lily's going to kill you."

"Yes," James agreed. He marveled at his luck. When he had viewed the official posting this morning of all the Student Envoys, he had been particularly disappointed about not being appointed to such an extraordinary position- not to mention it would mean his bet with Lily would be disregarded. But with some quick thinking and deft wand-work, he had managed to change the name from a shimmering 'Julie Taylor' to an even more appealing 'James Potter' before Lily had a chance to view the notice. To be fair, he didn't exactly lie to Lily. If she believed the posting he had… amended in the Gryffindor common room, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He smiled. "I've never been more excited for a Charms class."

Sirius looked astounded. "You've been excited for a class before?"

"It's an expression," James told him exasperatedly. He continued talking before Sirius could protest. "This is going to be extraordinary, Sirius, extraordinary."

Sirius grinned. "What are you concocting in that evil little brain of yours, Potter?"

James feigned offense, lifting his chin resentfully. "I have an exceptionally large brain, thank you very much. And this exceptionally large brain," he tapped his head for emphasis, "has brewed a plethora of entertaining activities for Ms. Evans to partake in."

Sirius raised a brow. "Wouldn't of thought much of a brain could fit underneath all that hair." He dodged James's rather brutal reply, and put an arm faithfully around his shoulders. "I'm counting on you mate," he told him earnestly. "Things have been dreadfully boring around here lately and a little amusement is dire."

"Don't worry," James assured him, smiling knowingly. "You will certainly be amused."

…

Professor Flitwick swept past the students, sorting through a pile of papers and handing them to their owners along the way. "Where's Julie?" Grace inquired, peering around at all the students when she found her friend wasn't in her usual seat.

Lily shrugged distractedly. "She wasn't in the dormitory when I woke up; I think she got up early."

"Maybe she's sick," Grace frowned. "We'll have to check by the hospital wing after our classes."

Lily nodded as she spotted James walking in the room, smiling cheekily. "I have a feeling I'm going to be a bit ill myself." With much regret she left her things at her seat, heading to the back of the classroom to meet him.

"Hello," James said cheerfully. Lily glared at him. "Ah ah," he reproved. "No grumpiness on James Potter day."

"Just tell me what I have to do," Lily demanded. "Class is about to start." Realizing the twisted boy before her had a lot of power over her at that very moment, she forcibly added a feeble, "please."

"Ah Evans, don't you pay attention? I've already told you what's going to happen today."

"You told me it was James Potter Has Boundless Power Over Lily Evans Day. You didn't go into details."

"True," James admitted, nodding. He paused for a moment, surveying her anxious expression. Her prominent green eyes were shining with a poorly masked fear, a vast difference from the annoyance that usually danced through them whenever he was in her presence. James tugged at his hair uncertainly. "I, er…"

"Seats please," Professor Flitwick called squeakily from the front of the classroom.

"I guess it'll have to be a surprise," James said finally.

Lily grimaced, looking as if she wanted to protest but didn't want to succumb to pleading with the boy she so detested. She reluctantly turned around, heading back to her seat and darting suspicious glances at James along the way. When James returned to his own seat, Sirius looked at him expectantly. "Well? Did you cast a spell on her? I don't see any warts--,"

"Soon," James assured his eager friend. "I've got her paranoid and on edge, and when she least expects it-- wham!"

"Wham!" Peter repeated gleefully. "I love James Potter Has Boundless Power Over Lily Evans Day."

Remus gave a reproachful sigh from James's other side. "And what might your problem be?" James asked, lowering his voice now that Professor Flitwick had begun his instructions for their upcoming assignment.

"Nothing," he said in a voice that clearly indicated he did not mean it. "Well, a week ago you were preoccupied with tricking Lily into believing you would be a decent date to Hogsmeade, and now you're--,"

"First of all, I would not need to trick Lily into thinking I would be a good date to Hogsmeade; I happen to think I would make an excellent companion."

"Last I checked," Remus said, "You were trying to get her to go with you just to prove you could in fact get her, and then you were planning on ditching her and joining us for a celebratory drink in the Three Broomsticks. That doesn't exactly cry out Prince Charming, you know."

…

"I would like to begin by congratulating each of you," Professor Fides said with a smile, pulling a chair to the front of the room and sitting a few feet before the students. "It is an extraordinary opportunity and privilege to be a Student Envoy. The Headmaster put me in charge of organizing the program, so you'll be reporting to me numerous times next year; in the meantime I'll be here to answer any of your questions. In case you don't know one another- you're each in a different house and of varying grades- I'll take a moment to introduce you. Ah… to begin, Mr. Brennan Cabrera of Ravenclaw; sixth year, I believe."

Julie's heart skipped a beat when she heard Professor Fides announce the boy's name. Glancing down the row, her concern was confirmed when she recognized the boy as the one who had cornered her a bit drunkenly and very forcibly at her mother's Christmas Extravaganza. He waved to the group and thankfully seemed to have forgotten his encounter with Julie, paying her no special attention.

Julie re-focused on Professor Fides when she heard him say her name aloud. "Hello," she said softly, giving a small wave, and Professor Fides moved on to introduce Rosalie Diamond of Hufflepuff and Graham Young of Slytherin.

…

"Now," Sirius willed James anxiously, prodding him with his wand. "Make her do something now, she's not looking."

"What?" James asked, looking in the direction Sirius was pointing and finding Lily hunched over her assignment. "No, no Sirius… just trust me."

Sirius exhaled disappointedly. "How can I trust you?" he asked dramatically. "You've had plenty of opportunities to do something, and you've yet to act on any of them!"

"In due time, my friend," James assured him, turning back to his own assignment. This consisted of a large clay pot and a bucket of water; they were currently perfecting their Drought Spells.

"Oh, oh, I've got an idea," Sirius said eagerly. "Turn her clay pot into a dozen fairies and then make her perform a--,"

"Sirius," James said tiredly, muttering a spell and watching as the water leaped into the air and evaporated instantaneously. "Trust me."

…

Professor Fides leaned backward and snatched a pile of papers from his desk. "Here are your tentative schedules," he said, handing each student several papers. "Keep in mind that they're subject to change once you are paired with an official at the Ministry."

"Professor Fides," Graham Young, a fifth year Slytherin, spoke up. He scanned the schedule. "It says here we don't start until next year?"

Julie discreetly surveyed the boy sitting beside her. She was a bit apprehensive to work with a Slytherin, especially from their sour history at Hogwarts. All she knew about Graham from the classes they took together was that he was immensely sharp witted, but unusually soft spoken- for a Slytherin, anyway. From where she sat, a tuft of caramel colored hair falling down his forehead blocked her view of his eyes, usually the best indicator to tell whether someone was cold or friendly.

"Ah yes," Professor Fides said, pointing at the schedule. "The Student Envoy program begins next school year, but we're supposed to take some time to prep you in these last remaining months." He motioned to Julie and Graham. "We don't want to interfere with your O.W.L.s; you'll need all the time you can get to study for those buggers."

Brennan and Rosalie laughed appreciatively, only too familiar with the torturous tests. From the other side of the room, the former caught Julie's eye and looked at her curiously, as if trying to pin where he'd heard her name before. Julie quickly looked away; it had only been a little over a month since he had kissed her at her mother's… How many girls must he of kissed since then to have already forgotten hers?

Remembering his forcefulness and that terrible, assumptive grin, Julie decided that she very much would rather that he did not remember her after all.

…

"What's the matter with him?" Lily demanded to know, looking at Sirius, Remus, and Peter inquisitively as they made their way out of History of Magic. "Why hasn't he made me do anything yet?"

"You're asking the wrong person," Sirius said grumpily. "If it were up to me you'd be doing the tango with Professor Binns right now."

"Thanks," Lily replied, crossing her arms in concern. Remus raised a brow at the atypical response. "I just hate the suspense," Lily explained, "I can't stand feeling so paranoid all day long." She glanced up the hallway, and then back at Sirius. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Who knows," Sirius sighed. "We usually go out on the grounds for our free period, but he seems to have scampered away." Glancing down the hall, he declared, "I'm going to go look for him." With a look of determination, he hurried to search their normal places, but to no avail. Finally he decided to attempt their dormitory, despite the fact that it was immensely out of the way. He pushed open the door and walked in, expecting to find his friend taking a nap or something of the sort, but found the room disappointedly empty. He was about to turn around and search another part of the castle, when he spotted James's bag haphazardly thrown across his bed. Glancing across the room, he noticed the closet door was slightly ajar and a slight rustling noise could be distinguished after a few moments of careful listening. Smiling triumphantly, Sirius hopped onto James's bed and waited to catch his friend before he could slip away again.

Bouncing a bit too hard onto the bed, Sirius caused James's bag to fall over the edge and the many papers to fly messily about the room. Sirius shook his head at his friend's untidiness, bending down to pick up the scattered assignments and scrap pieces of parchment. In the middle of stuffing a History of Magic essay back into one of the bag's pockets, something peculiar etched on the back made Sirius stop. The familiar shape of a snitch was easily discernable, but the letters inside are what confounded him. Looking back into the bag and pulling out the contents he had just recovered, he found the same thing sketched repeatedly on one scrap of parchment after another.

"Oh, hey Sirius," James said, appearing in the doorframe of their closet.

"L.E.," Sirius read aloud, frowning. "L.E., L.E., L.E.--,"

James froze, alarm gleaming blatantly in his suddenly very wide eyes. "Give those to me," he demanded, stepping forward.

Sirius pulled the papers out of his reach, even more curious than he was before. "There aren't any seekers in our division with those initials," he said, mostly to himself. "L.E… Oh, ha! You know who I just thought of?"

"It's… I have a friend-- Leonard Euff… Euffbanks--,"

"Lily Evans," Sirius continued, laughing. "Ha! It looks like you have Lily bloody Evans's initials scribbled over all of your possessions--,"

"Ha!" James said much, much too exuberantly. He cleared his throat anxiously, attempting to mask his excessive response. "That's -ha- that's funny -ha- you… you are very, very funny…"

Sirius's laughter trailed off, and his eyes narrowed at his curiously acting friend. After a few moments of his suspicious scrutiny and James's awkward laughter, he leaned forward disbelievingly. "No," he said in a hushed, incredulous whisper.

"No," James agreed, shaking his head fervently.

An expression of immense disbelief remained frozen on Sirius's face, only to be broken a minute or so later by an enormous bout of laughter. "Oh Merlin," he managed, turning red from the lack of oxygen. "You fancy Lily!"

"Shut up," James demanded, feeling his cheeks burn pink. "I do not, all right, I don't--,"

"Lily Evans, James!" Sirius howled, finding it hard to breathe. "Oh, this is precious--,"

"Shut up," James said, and when the command went unheeded, he lunged forward and endeavored to snatch the papers from his friend's hands.

Sirius lifted the parchment high into the air, struggling to hold onto it while James clobbered him to the ground. "I can just see it now," Sirius expounded lavishly. "You and Lily with dozens of messy red-headed children--,"

"Put a sock in it," James said, rolling onto the ground as Sirius got the better of him; he ducked and reached for his foot, looking like he very much did not mean for the expression to be metaphorical.

Sirius's laughter continued, unaffected by James's threat. "Who would've--,"

"Hello?" Grace called from the doorway, waving her hands to get the wrestling boys' attention. Sirius's laughter ceased, but a wide smile still lingered. James tensed, watching the girl take in the scene with amusement and peer at a parchment that Sirius held up with interest. "What's that?" she asked curiously.

James seemed unable to move. This could have been, perhaps, due to the boy who had pinned him onto the ground. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Sirius taunted.

Grace grinned and stepped forward. "I would. Go on, let me see it."

James's grip tightened dangerously on Sirius's shoulders. "Hmm…" Sirius deliberated slowly. "I--,"

Grace leaped over to the boys, hovering above them and snatching the paper out of Sirius's hand before he had a chance to realize what was happening. "No!" he said, grabbing the parchment hastily, ripping it in half by doing so but successfully gaining the part with the incriminating evidence. Grace leaned forward to view the parchment herself, its contents easily visible. Before she could, however, Sirius balled up the parchment expertly and stuffed it into his mouth. "Mmm…" he mumbled.

Grace made a face. "You're disgusting," she told him. Sighing, she backed off. "I probably didn't want to know anyway. If either of you see Remus, tell him I'm going to the grounds." Giving them one last mystified look, she disappeared out the door and down the staircase.

James looked up at his friend, who still had him pinned to the floor. "Thanks."

"No problem," Sirius said, spitting out the paper and rising off the ground. "Ah…" He licked his lips. "The taste of young love."

James grimaced. "I really don't fancy her," he insisted.

"All right," Sirius said, gesturing toward the door. "Then go claim your part of the bet."

James stood up and straightened his robes, fully prepared to gain back the severe amount of dignity of which he had recently been robbed. "I will," he vowed, striding toward the door. "And it'll be excellent."

…

The first part of his presentation concluded, Professor Fides dismissed the students for an early lunch. Julie gathered her things and headed toward the door, wondering if her friends would be finished with their classes in time to meet her for a bite to eat.

"Juliana!" a voice called behind her. Turning around, Julie found Rosalie heading toward her and waving a sheet of parchment. "You forgot this," she said, holding it out for her. "It is Juliana, right?"

"Oh, I usually go by Julie. Thanks," she smiled, accepting what she found to be her forgotten schedule.

Rosalie smiled back, and Julie discovered the girl had no trouble living up to her name. From her plush lips to her glowing cheeks, and even her strawberry blonde hair, everything about Rosalie was, well, rosy. "I can't want until next year," she said, falling into stride with Julie. "I was terrified I wouldn't make it-- I've only been Prefect for a year and I wasn't even ranked first in my class last semester."

Julie bit her lip. She was nowhere near those things. "I was pretty nervous too," she said honestly.

Slipping her schedule into her pocket, Rosalie leaned toward Julie and confided, "I wasn't too keen about the idea of spending heaps of time with a Slytherin, either."

Julie nodded fervently. "Right, you would think Dumbledore would know--,"

"--that they're all rabid and have a tendency to bite when they're hungry."

Both girls jumped when they turned around and saw Graham Young nodding knowingly behind them. Rosalie smiled sheepishly, and Julie gaped at the amused Slytherin. "It's all right," he whispered to her with a smile. "I was only joking."

"Oh," Julie jolted from her spell. "I know, I just…"

"Don't worry about it," Graham told her, "I know my house doesn't have the best reputation here at Hogwarts. If I promise not to bite, could I join you for lunch?"

Both girls laughed and, taking this as an affirmative response, Graham joined Julie's unoccupied side. Julie smiled and decided maybe Slytherins weren't so bad after all.

…

"I'm going to go insane," Lily contended, running her hands roughly through her hair. "Why isn't he making me do anything?"

"Your troubles are over," Grace comforted her friend, pointing to the boy who was walking determinedly toward them. Sirius followed not too far behind James, looking highly amused.

Lily rose from her lax position on the grass and turned to face James, squaring her shoulders. "Potter," she acknowledged with a brave nod.

James nodded curtly. "Evans."

Lily stared at him pointedly, tapping her foot. "Well," she prompted impatiently. "What will it be?"

"I, well--," he crossed his arms uncertainly, watching Lily's expression go from impatient to confused. "Ah…"

Lily arched her brow. "Hello?" she waved her hand in front of his face.

"Hi," James responded, grinning suddenly. "You know, I'm going to let this one slide."

Lily's mouth dropped open in a shock she was unable to conceal. She quickly covered it up and stared at James suspiciously. "What've you got hidden up your sleeve, Potter?"

"Nothing," James said, distinctly ignoring the large grin growing on Sirius's mouth. "You owe me one."

While Lily's suspicion still remained, relief softened her features noticeably. "Well, thanks…" she said slowly, still looking utterly confused. "But why?"

"Ah, well you know," James said, ducking his head and smiling in an attempt to showcase his modesty. "Just trying to be a good--," he cut off as he saw Julie bounding toward them, a smile on her face. "Well, gotta go," James said suddenly, giving Lily one last grin. He spun around and started quickly toward the school, dragging his amused friend with him.

"I know why you didn't make her do anything," Sirius informed him, tapping his head perceptively.

"Yeah, well…" James stared ahead at the school's entrance as they continued to walk hastily forward, searching for an appropriate response. Finding none, he turned toward Sirius and promised, "You tell anyone and I'll curse you to the moon."

Sirius nodded. "Fair enough."

…

"Hey Lily," Julie greeted happily, perching on a tree stump beside her friend.

"Hello," Lily returned slowly, looking perplexed. "Oh," she said, suddenly remembering her friend's mysterious absence that morning. "Where have you been all day?"

"I--," Julie cut off, noticing her friend's peculiar expression. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," said Lily, sighing. "Just Potter."

"Ah, being his usual irritating self?" Julie asked with a smile.

"No, actually… Quite the opposite. He earned the Student Envoy position," Lily explained. "And that was supposed to mean he won our bet; he had the chance to make me do anything today, but he didn't take advantage of it at all."

Julie raised her brows in wonder. "Lily," she said, smiling slightly. "James didn't win the Envoy position."

"What?" Lily asked sharply. "Then who did?"

"Well, I did."

Lily stared at her friend in silence. Suddenly she began laughing, lowering herself beside her friend and smiling widely. "Right, Julie. Thanks for trying to make me feel better."

Julie narrowed her eyes in confusion, watching her friend laugh at the idea of her being Student Envoy. Before she could respond to this, she was cut off as Grace bounced in front of her and pulled her into a colossal hug. "Congratulations!" she proclaimed, pulling away from Julie and staring at her friend with a wide smile. "Remus just told me."

"Thanks," Julie replied quietly.

Grace plopped between Lily and Julie. Glancing at Lily, she asked, "Isn't this grand? Our very own Julie Taylor as Student Envoy. Better than James, eh Lily?"

Julie answered for her friend. "She found it very amusing, actually," she said matter-of-factly, standing up. "I should start heading back."

"Wait," Lily said, quickly standing up beside her. "You- you really--,"

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Julie asked with a wry smile.

"Julie…" Lily breathed ruefully, feeling wretched. "I didn't-- I'm really sorry--,"

"It's all right," Julie assured her, a true smile replacing her sardonic one. "I was immensely surprised myself, believe me."

"Can you believe Potter took you for such a ride?" Grace said, shaking her head. "What a dingbat."

Lily reddened at this comment, but continued to focus on Julie. "Are you sure it's all right? I really didn't mean…"

"It's fine," Julie assured her, glancing toward the school and motioning toward Lily. "What are you waiting for? Go get 'em."

Lily nodded her head firmly. "I most definitely will."

…

"Pottter!"

"I think she knows," Sirius unnecessarily whispered to his friend.

James grimaced and turned around. "You screamed?"

"Justly so," Lily said hotly, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at James. "How could you--,"

"How could I what?" James asked. "I didn't do anything."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "You know as well as I do that isn't true. You switched Julie's name to yours on the posting and made me believe you won the bet--,"

"And then I did nothing," James finished for her, shrugging. "Right?"

"Well yes," Lily admitted, "but I… I--," she folded her arms confoundedly as she searched for an adequate rebuke. "Urgh," she said finally, "I loathe you, James Potter. I loathe you, even for doing nothing." With that she turned on her heel, storming back down the hallway.

Sirius assessed the situation, nodding. "You are quite the charmer, James."

-

A/N: Sorry it was so long, I couldn't find a good place to end and my fingers just kept typing... hehe. Well thanks again for the reviews, you know I love 'em!