Lily woke with a jolt, springing from a nightmare of being chased, caught, and thrown into a dungeon – over, and over, over again.

It took her a long moment to gather her bearings, wincing at the pain and stiffness in her joints. The rest of the groups slept on, no doubt exhausted from the night before.

She slid into the bathroom and showered quickly, feeling a heavy weight in her stomach as she remembered the night before, recalling that she'd need to speak to James. As soon as possible.

Lily rubbed at her face tiredly, hoping that maybe he had become ill overnight and she could avoid him... until graduation.

She dried herself off and exited the bathroom, rifling through her trunk for clean clothes in order dress quickly and gather her book bag, shoving her Arithmancy and Transfiguration book into it, folding an extra notebook and inkwell into the large pocket as she shouldered it and slid on her shoes.

Each step down the stairwell added more weight into her stomach, dreading the day's outcome. Her sore knees and hip did help her weak leg muscles, feeling as if this was a very unnecessary added stress to her life.

She cursed loudly as she slid on one of the last steps, nearly losing her balance as her right leg almost gave out. She lost the grip on her bag as she tried to regain her balance, the large books and inkwell tumbling out.

"Merlin's bollocks!" she fumed, watching as the inkwell rolled down the last step and shattered, black ink showering the floor. "Oh, come on, you bloody –"

"Why, excuse me?"

Her cheeks burned brilliantly as she glanced up at the only small group of students sitting in the common area. Consisting of four boys.

Black had been the one to speak, purposely looking affronted by her language while the others in the group looked incredibly amused.

Her eyes immediately met James's, before she tore them away, embarrassed.

All of the resolve she had built up over the duration of her morning routine vanished, no longer feeling able to stomach the idea of talking to James – trying to rationalize with him why she'd been out after hours.

"Oh, well, excuse me," she sniped back under her breath as she quickly knelt to pick up her belongings. She jerked violently when another hand reached out to help – James seemingly appeared before her.

"Let me help with that," he said with a grin, wand already out. He murmured a charm, the ink disappearing.

They both stood at the same time, nearly knocking heads. He handed over her Transfiguration and Arithmancy book politely.

"Thanks," she said mechanically, shoving the books back into her bag and pointedly ignoring the disconcerted look she was receiving from James as she adjusted the strap over her shoulder. "I'll just – be going then."

She side-stepped him, catching sight of Sirius as he hurriedly folded up a large piece of parchment and stuffed it into his pocket, the corners still sticking out.

"Just extra school work," he answered to her curious look, leaning back into his chair smoothly. He threw her a playful wink.

Lily noticed with interest the book she had loaned to James was sitting on the table.

"Right. Hope that's going good," she said at length, adjusting her book bag once more, feeling, more than hearing, as James came to stand behind her.

Their dubious behavior suddenly fueled the confidence she had lost. Why couldn't she confront him? He and his friends ran amok often enough the whole school knew of their shenanigans. So what if she was out at night for a ... walk. Run.

Turning around quickly – surprised at his proximity – she forced herself to meet his gaze, building up enough nerve.

"Actually, Potter. Mind if we chat for just a moment?"

"No minding at all," he said, leaning into a more relaxed stance.

She could feel the eyes of the others burning into her back.

"Outside?" she stressed, not pausing long enough for him to answer and reaching up to grab his elbow. With some difficulty, she pulled him towards the portrait hole, straining against his weight.

"Ouch," he said mildly in a tone lacking true pain, allowing her to drag him out. "No need for violence."

He only moved ahead of her to push open the portrait, letting her exit first, before following after her into the fortunately empty corridor.

"Alright," he said, letting the portrait shut securely behind him. "What would you like to talk about?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but faltered, surprised he didn't begin to automatically interrogate her. Would he really consider... letting this go?

Either way, Lily quickly realized she was woefully unprepared for this conversation.

He shifted feet impatiently, staring at her until she spoke.

"I just… wanted to say thanks for helping pick up my books," she stalled. "That was a really smart charm for the spilled ink. It's an effective one. I always forget it, myself, but you know, can't remember everything –"

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Out with it then, Evans. What were you doing out last night?"

She stuttered for a moment, shocked at his bluntness, and reflexively crossed her arms. "I could ask you the same thing, Potter. You were out after curfew, if you recall. What were you doing?"

The look he gave her was one of obvious amusement, mirroring her position by crossing his own arms across his chest. "Well, that's not quite any of your business, is it?"

"Potter," she huffed, pinching the bridge of her nose to stave off the oncoming headache. "That's the point. You mind your business and I'll mind mine. Alright?"

All the while, he was watching her with an amused grin.

"Come on," she said.

He shrugged and moved to lean against the wall casually. "I'd like to point out the obvious that my business – again, my own – was going out for a leisurely stroll on a lovely evening. Getting fresh air –"

She scoffed.

"– And taking some time to relax. Until my business was suddenly interrupted by a near-hysterical redhead who manhandled me –"

"I did not "

"And silenced me so that an unknown, possibly violent person, who appeared to be chasing after you, wouldn't find you. My business wasn't the action of an unhinged madman running for their life. Yours, however…"

"Okay, okay," she conceded, thinking. "I can see how you might assume that, given the circumstance, but…"

"But?"

She turned her eyes to glare at him. "But it was nothing for you to worry about."

This time, James scoffed, raising a brow.

"I don't comment on the –" she waved her hand, "weird shite you and your friends do."

"You constantly comment on what my friends and I do."

"Completely different. And I haven't done that in ages. I gave up trying to berate you all a long time ago."

He released a disbelieving laugh, the weight of sticking in his throat. They both paused once he'd sobered, sizing the other up. "Whatever it is you are doing, it's clearly unsafe."

She huffed her irritation. "As if I'm some sort of damsel in distress?"

"What? No – you looked terrified – like you'd just stumbled into an Acromantula's nest."

"That's because I –" ran into you.

"Because you…?"

"Listen, can you just drop it? I – it was – it was just a one time thing," she said. "A thing that one of the other Prefect's asked me to follow up on – not a patrol, but you know, a favor. A one time thing."

She caught sight of the Fat Lady, who had been very obviously eavesdropping on the conversation. Lily sent her a glare and the older woman fanned herself, looking away innocently.

"No, it wasn't," he retorted.

"It was," she insisted.

"Evans. As much as we both know you try to avoid me as much as possible, it was me you ran into before. This wasn't a patrol 'thing'. It didn't seem to be a favor."

"Honestly. It was nothing. I'm sorry I ran into you and interrupted your late night stroll through the castle, Potter, but it's not some mad mystery you have to figure out –"

"You ran into me," he said meaningfully, looking as if he wanted to shake her.

"Yes," she said through clenched teeth. "And I'm trying to apologize so we can move on as normal – whatever that is."

"You ran into me. On Sunday night," he enunciated slowly.

She gave him a strange look. "Potter, listen, I understand you have a hard time comprehending simple topics. Sunday night, I wasn't even – I don't even know what – Oh!"

He nodded satisfactorily as he watched the rising dawn of recognition on her face.

Her mind was running a million kilometers per minute, eyes slamming shut as the events of the first Game rose up in her memories. It had been him she had run into the first night of the Game.

"Oh, my God," she moaned, bringing her hands up to cover her face. "Oh, dear Merlin."

"Honestly, you probably should've come up with a better story. I know it's you and your mates. I'm not quite sure what you're doing, but –"

"No," she interrupted, opening her eyes to meet his gaze as she dropped her hands. "You don't. You don't need to know. There's nothing to know."

"It certainly didn't seem like it."

"Potter," she warned. "Don't even. Just go ahead and run along to –"

"I want to know what you're doing."

"No."

"There's something going on. I want to know."

"Stop."

"You're going to tell me."

"Potter."

"You're going to tell me what I want to know."

"There's nothing to know," she snapped. "There's nothing to tell, as it's nothing for you to know. Promised to secrecy, just like you and your bloody 'marauders'."

He smiled, smug. "So," he drawled, leaning against the corridor's wall.

She didn't like his expression at this moment. Not at all.

"…You are saying that you are hiding something."

Her mouth opened and closed several times before she spoke. "No. No, I did not say that. I said nothing of the sort!"

"No, of course you didn't. But you insinuated it."

She let out a frustrated noise, barely refraining from stomping her foot. "Why are you so… so insufferable, Potter!"

He shrugged, having heard the phrase before.

"Just let it be, please," she pleaded.

"Well, I have to be truthful. I feel as if I can't," he said. "You've definitely got me interested."

"Potter. Forget. About. It." She turned on her heel, leaving him behind by the entrance.

It only took him a few steps to catch up. "I really can't, Evans. Not when you've got something exciting clearly going on."

"Give me that book back, then."

"Oh, don't be childish. It's a library book. It's not even yours."

"Potter! Bloody Christ! Quit being such a prat!"

"Not until you tell me what you're up to."

"We're not up to anything!" she said in frustration, fighting the urge to hex him. Involuntarily, her hand moved to her hip, where her wand rested inside the waistband of her skirt.

His eye caught the familiar movement. He automatically eased away, raising his hands to appease her, but plowed on regardless. "Sunday night, when you first ran into me, it was Marlene shooting a spell at you."

She turned and resumed her brisk walk to escape.

"What spell was that? It hit Peter, but it wasn't a curse."

"No," she confirmed curtly, stopping short so quickly he nearly ran into her. "It was not a curse. Nothing dangerous. Nothing to worry about. Now, just drop it."

"It's a game, isn't it?" James guessed. He began to grin more widely as he watched as her body tensed. "I want in."

"No," she retorted with a derisive laugh.

"No, it's not a game, or no, I can't?"

"No. Just no."

"Oh, come on, Evans."

She turned to give him the coldest look she could muster.

He remained surprisingly unfazed. Instead, he looked excited, slipping into the smile – contagious and giddy – and she let out another frustrated sound, turning to walk down the corridor, away from him.

"I'll wear you down, Evans!" he shouted after her.

She scoffed loudly, making sure he could hear, before turning the corner.

Unseen, James grinned widely, turning to head back to the common room.

-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:-

"I knew I'd find you here," Marlene said as she walked up behind Lily and sat down at the table in the back of the library. She placed her bag next to her on the floor and placed a folded up napkin in front of Lily. "I brought you a pastry."

"Thanks," she replied, pulling it closer to her and unfolding it neatly. She picked at it.

"You aren't down at breakfast," Marlene prompted.

She shook her head, her expression slightly guilty.

"And you must have woken up very, very early."

She nodded this time, acknowledging Marlene's observation, her eyes on the crumbling pastry. She bit her lip and brought her eyes to meet her friend's.

"Spill it. What happened?"

"Well…"

"I'm going to go ahead... and assume you spoke to James?"

Lily nodded again, a frown pulling at her lips.

"And I'm going to also assume... it didn't quite go as planned."

She shook her head, pushing away the pastry. "Potter knows, Mar. He knows, because he was the one I ran into."

"Last night, yeah, I know," Marlene replied, letting out a loud sigh. "I'm surprised we went this long without –"

"No, Marlene, the first game. On Sunday. I ran into him. Behind the painting."

"Oh... Oh."

"Yeah," she replied, resting her head in her hands.

"So he knows," Marlene said aloud, wonderingly. "What do we do now? What did he say?"

"He wants in the Game."

"No," her friend gasped incredulously. "Did he say anything else?"

"Just that he wanted in," she said unhappily.

"He wants in on the Game?"

Lily nodded with annoyance.

"Well, then... maybe we should let him?"

"What?" she exclaimed, shocked.

The newer librarian – Pince – shushed them, narrowing her eyes dangerously as she waved a finger at the two girls.

"What?" she repeated, lowering her voice substantially. "You want us to what?"

"Let him join. I mean, really, what's there to lose?"

"Have you gone bloody crazy, McKinnon?"

"No, Lily, hear me out! If we let him join – let the marauders join – it'll raise the stakes. Make it more fun. Can you imagine?. We have an entire castle to ourselves. What's four more?"

"An entire castle filled with students and professors. They'll just add to the probability of getting caught! You can't mean it."

But Marlene was nodding insistently, the gears in her mind already turning. "Lily, this could totally work. Even you have to admit it gets a tiny bit boring when you play with the same group for years."

"Mar..."

"Just think it over, Lily," she pleaded. "This could be really good! It's the Marauders. You know they'd bring a challenge to the game."

While she couldn't immediately deny what her friend was saying, she couldn't be fully convinced either.

"We don't know anything about the Marauders. They'll corrupt the game!"

"I've known them my whole life, basically! They won't ruin it." Marlene gave her a sorrowful look, eyes wide.

"Oh, stop it, you twat," Lily said begrudgingly. "I'll think about it."

"Yes! This'll be brilliant! Oh, Merlin, can you just imagine –"

The librarian appeared at the table suddenly, balking at the pastry mess on the table from the pastry.

"Out!" she ordered, clearly angry. "Now!"

The girls fled at the woman's screech, stifling their laughter as they ran from the library. When they were safely in the corridor, they slowed to a walk.

"You know," Marlene mused. "You think she would love you with how much time you spend in there."

"I think she dislikes me because I spend so much time there. She just started last year – I don't think she appreciates the books being moved around so much."

As they started their way towards the classrooms, the two fell into a stifled quiet.

After a tense pause, Lily asked, "How can we tell the girls, if – and I do mean if – the boys would be joining our game? How'd you think they'd react?"

"I have no idea, to be honest," Marlene replied, raising her eyes towards the ceiling in thought. "I think Dorcas would be the one who's most upset by it. More players to beat and all that. But you know she'd thrive."

Lily hummed quietly, silently acknowledging that the group of boys would bring something… exciting to the Game that would definitely make it more... interesting.

"You want them to join," Marlene stated, her lips pulling into a sly smile.

"I did not say that."

"No. But I can see you already plotting plans and strategies. It's all over your face!"

"That doesn't mean I want them to join."

Marlene chuckled, already smirking.

Lily frowned in return. "Let's talk to the rest of the group first, okay? Before we make any decisions."

The blonde nodded happily, hair bouncing about her shoulders. "You get to tell them, though.".

"That's not fair!"

"You're the one who got caught," Marlene pointed out.

"You're such a witch."

"The best there is."

-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:-

Lily's main goal into Friday and Saturday was avoidance, leaving the weekend to pass almost too quickly.

She had done a grand job of evading James. He very obviously still wanted an answer and was not willing to give up easily. Not for the first time, Lily was appreciative of her knowledge of the castle (and quite possibly, appreciative of his height – it made him a very easy spot).

One of the only safe places was in the girl's dormitory, where she'd taken to retreating to in order to work on her homework in peace. Even then, she still had to contend with Marlene's prodding look that Sunday morning.

"Tell them," she had mouthed silently, her eyes expectant as she gestured towards Alice who was still in bed.

Lily glared, shaking her head vehemently.

"Well, I'm off to practice," Marlene said loudly. "Say hello to Emmeline and Dorcas for me."

"Good luck," Alice called.

Lily remained uncharacteristically quiet as she and the girls met to eat breakfast, receiving quizzical looks by the rest of her friends. It wasn't until they all returned to the common room (blessedly James-free, thanks to practice) that Alice spoke up.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

Lily was lying on her stomach as she caught up on Charms work. She nearly choked on her quill that she had been chewing on.

"Um, no, nothing's wrong." She smiled brightly.

"Are you sure?" Alice insisted, turning in her chair at her vanity.

"Completely," Lily answered, trying to look at her as earnestly as she possibly could. "Just, you know... working on homework here."

"Right..."

When Alice finally left to join Frank for an early lunch after hours of studying, Lily pressed her face into her school book, releasing a long string of profanities that Marlene would find impressive.

It made her feel better. Only a little bit, though.

It was when Lily spotted the quidditch team remembering the common room, that Marlene confronted her during her escape back to the girl's dorm.

"Alright, ginge, enough mucking about," her best friend ordered, following her into the dorm. "You've spent enough time procrastinating."

"I said I'd do it," Lily sniped. "Things just got busy."

Marlene reached out to settle Lily's hands, where she had been reorganizing her book bag.

"Just tell them," she pleaded, clutching Lily's arm tightly. "It's been two days and you haven't said anything."

"I will," Lily said, feeling chastised as she tried to remove her arm from her friend's grip. "But we also said we'd all discuss it first before making any rash decisions. Right?"

Marlene scoffed, finally dropping the red head's arm. "Rash? Really, Lily? This is the best idea!"

Her response was a skeptical look.

Marlene ignored it, grabbing her arm again to loop their arms together forcefully. "Let us feast for lunch," she said, pulling her along. "Then we shall discuss!"

She allowed herself to be pulled along by Marlene down in the common area, arms still joined. Most of the students were already down at lunch, leaving the large area almost empty.

"Can't we just go to the kitchens?"

"No," Marlene replied shortly. Her grip on Lily's arm tightened.

"Please?"

"No," she repeated.

They reached the Great Hall shortly after, locating their friends easily. Lily paused, apprehensive.

"Come on now," Marlene said, tugging on her arm. She sat down next to Dorcas, pulling Lily down to the seat next to her.

"Hello, Lily," Emmeline said happily. "Library felt lonely without you."

"Sorry, Em. Just felt like focusing in the dorm."

From the corner of her eye, Lily saw Marlene turn slightly, waving nondescriptly.

"What was that?" she asked her.

"Nothing," Marlene replied, a picture of innocence.

"Were you just gesturing to someone?"

"No."

Lily knew her friend too well. "Marlene," she said, warning clear in her voice. "Who were you looking at?"

"No one," Marlene replied, moving her hand in front of her. "Just had a cramp, that's all," she explained, wiggling her fingers for show. "I think I sprained my wrist at practice."

"Right."

"So," Emmeline interrupted, pouring herself a glass of juice. "Anything else you working on, Lily?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you," Dorcas chimed in.

Lily felt her apprehensiveness turn to suspicion as she took turns studying her friends. They all looked at her with pleasant smiles. A sinking feeling was settling into her stomach, but she pressed it down.

"Actually… there was something I wanted to talk about. Is Alice around?"

"Oh, she's still with Frank," Marlene said nonplussed. "It's fine. You can continue. You wanted to say…?"

"Right. Well, so, something happened on Sunday that I need to tell you. I know I should have said something sooner, but…" She glanced at Marlene, who had swung her head around quickly when she noticed Lily had stopped speaking.

"What?"

"What were you just doing?" Lily asked.

"Nothing. Continue."

She gave Marlene a skeptical look, but turned back to Emmeline and Dorcas. "But it happened Sunday and Thursday night. And I –" she turned sharply. "There! You did it again. Are you giving someone a thumbs up?" she asked incredulously.

Marlene twisted and scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. "I did not."

"I just saw you," she said vehemently, turning to glare at her friend. "You did! Who were you looking at?"

She leaned forward to search the table, scanning the faces of the students thoroughly. Unsurprisingly, her gaze came to rest upon a familiar group of boys seated at the far end of the table.

They were all casually looking in different directions.

Lily scoffed again, hitting Marlene on the shoulder rather hard.

"Ow!"

"You didn't," she said, letting her head fall into her hands. She looked back up at the girls' faces. "You all already know?"

It only took a moment before the girls caved. They guiltily nodded their heads. She turned her eyes to look at Marlene, glaring.

"I just made it easier for you," the blonde said sheepishly.

"I'm okay with it," Dorcas cut in before a row could start.

Lily did a double take. "What? With the others – ? You are?"

Dorcas shrugged and nodded her head, considering the carrot in her hand. "I think it'd be fun," she said thoughtfully. From across the table, Emmeline was nodding her head as well. "We all know I'm not the greatest at the Game, but… I'd be excited."

"You all discussed this without me?" Lily asked, feeling a sliver of hurt. "You can't really be considering this. Have you thought of how messy this could become? How much more of a chance of being caught there'd be?"

She was taken back as her friends let out multiple words of disagreements.

"Come on, Lily, you know it's a brilliant idea!"

"It'd cause too much trouble. It'd be too risky," she retorted. She felt her temper involuntarily begin to flare.

"I think it would be really cool," Emmeline said, her expression sincere.

"We could just come up with some extra, small rules, if we needed to," Marlene reasoned.

"But see!" Lily croaked, struggling to keep the volume of her voice down. "We shouldn't have to!"

"We don't necessarily need to," Dorcas said softly. "It just might make it smoother if we did."

She opened and closed her mouth several times in response, feeling as if she was losing control of the conversation. Marlene placed a hand on her arm, noticing the redhead getting upset. "You're missing the point," she said quietly. "It's our game."

Marlene looked only slightly remorseful. "It wouldn't really change that much, Lily. I'm sure of it."

Having felt ambushed, Lily could feel her temper rise.

Pragmatically, she knew her friends didn't mean to attack her, but it certainly felt that way. "I'm going to the kitchens," she said stubbornly and stood, shaking off Marlene's hand.

"Oh, please, Lily, don't be upset," Emmeline pleaded.

"It's fine," she told them, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked at them. "I just... want some time to think."

She turned and left the Great Hall, hearing her friends call out to her, but remained resolute. She needed time to process (and make it feel not like a betrayal). She had barely made it past the Great Hall's doors when she was stopped.

"Lily?"

She turned at her name, disheartened to find Severus, of all people, following her.

Of bloody course.

"Leave me alone, Snape. Please," she said, already turning on her heel to walk towards the kitchens. She listened with annoyance as his footsteps followed behind her. "I'm really not in the mood –"

He interrupted her in a rush, nearly stumbling to keep pace with her. "Please, I just wanted to apologize. For last year. I need to. And you won't let me."

"Sev –"

"Lily. You don't understand… I can't have you cross with me."

"Stop," she sighed tiredly, brushing him off when he tried to touch her arm.

"I'm sorry," he stressed, mistaking her dissociative tone for her relenting. "I can't say it enough how sorry I am. I would have never said that – if –"

"Fine," she snapped, surprising him by turning to face him. "I forgive you, Snape. You're forgiven. Is that what you want to hear? I forgive you."

"You do?"

Her tone was flat. "Yes. Now I'm going to walk away to be alone."

"You don't mean that," he said dubiously.

"No, really. I just want to be left alone."

"No, Lily. I meant you forgiving me."

"Yes, I do."

"You're just being smart. Talk to me."

Did she really want to have this all out now, after having a row with her best mates? Her chest already felt tight and as if tied to a string, her eyes felt just as tight. She did her best to keep her expression neutral as she stared at him, taking a deep breath.

"Severus, I do forgive you."

"Then why have you been avoiding me? Why won't you speak to me?"

"Sev…"

"Lily… Can't we… we can just forget what I said. Last year. Like it never happened."

He was staring earnestly. Lily took a step back to study him.

He must've grown over the summer, she noted thoughtlessly – he hadn't been much taller than her in the years prior. Maybe by an inch or so – her eyeline now met with his chin rather than his nose. His hair had grown longer, as well, but he was just as pale. The same dark circles, only worse.

"For a while," she murmured, meeting his gaze, "I wondered why you would say that. After how long we'd been friends. Why say that word in front of me? Let alone call me a mudblood. Even though you knew how much I hate that word."

"I –"

Lily pressed the nail of her index finger into the skin of her thumb until it hurt. "And I think you do regret saying it. And I'm sure you didn't mean to hurt me –"

"I didn't," he cut harshly.

"But you meant it, Severus."

"I don't, Lily. You're not –"

"Sev," she interrupted, waving him off. "I mean that… you saying the word mudblood means it's something you believe in. The concept. The ideology; that those who don't have 'pure' blood don't deserve to be here."

"I don't mean you –"

Lily laughed derisively. "But it is me. Anyone who's called a mudblood just because they're muggle-born. That is me. Why don't you get that?"

Snape looked pained.

"And you said it, Snape. Regardless. Knowing what it means to me. Knowing that your mates have said it to me in the halls, in class, ever since I arrived. Giving power to whatever poison that's being spread out there. You meant it."

"No, I didn't. I was angry, I didn't mean it like that. You have to know that. It's because they – made me – they –" He broke off suddenly when she smiled sadly.

"I know you were angry, Severus. You obviously still are. But I've realized... you wouldn't have said that word if you didn't believe in its meaning."

"Lily, please..."

"Snape," she said curtly, looking away as an agonized look crossed his features. "We can't be friends anymore. It's not something I can as easily forget."

"I know what I did was wrong, but we can't just stop being friends."

"I'm sorry."

"Please." He reached for her hand, but she stepped back out of his reach.

"You've obviously chose your side," she said. "You can't blame anyone else."

Lily saw the moment her words caused a shift in him.

His expression contorted. "You forced me, in front of everyone, to defend myself because – they pushed me – and I couldn't let –"

"Problem here?"

Lily and Severus turned to find Sirius Black lounging against a stone column further down the corridor. It was obvious by his expression he had overheard most of the conversation.

A look of fury spread to Snape's features, his hands clenching at his sides.

A great amount of disappointment filled her as she caught Snape's expression.

She held back the urge to roll her eyes, knowing it would only make him angrier. "We're fine, Black. Snape was just about to leave. Weren't you?"

Snape's eyes locked onto hers, struggling to restrain his rage and distress at her dismissal. She looked away uncomfortably, unable to speak.

"Better get going then, yeah?" Black said to Snape, sauntering closer. "Probably have loads to do."

Snape's voice rang out with hot anger. "Actually, Black. Evans and I were not done talking. Why don't you go choke on –"

"Snape," she cut in, disgusted. "I'm leaving."

"Lily –"

And because she knew leaving the two alone would bode heinous outcomes (and maybe a bit of revenge against Snape), she turned towards Black. "Would you mind accompanying me?"

He looked at her, surprised by the request, but recovered smoothly. "Of course."

He offered his arm in an exaggerated manner, she was sure, to annoy Snape.

She accepted.

Lily didn't have to look at Snape to know he was fuming. She could practically hear his teeth grinding. With grace she didn't know Black possessed, he turned his back to Snape and let her lead him down the corridor away from the spitting Slytherin.

"You can't be really be that daft to –"

She had enough. "Shove off, Snape! For fuck's sake," she burst, caught in Sirius' arm as she whirled around to face him again. "Leave it be. It's done."

Snape's mouth snapped shut, his expression shuttering. He turned on his heel and stalked off in the opposite direction.

Black let out a low whistle. "Can I introduce you to my mother? She'd enjoy your company."

"I'm hoping that's a compliment," she said in a tight voice, untangling herself from his arm.

"With that mouth of yours, it definitely is."

She gave him an unimpressed look. "Did you know a lot of your comments come out ridiculously sexist?"

"I do," he replied genuinely. "Where are we headed?"

"The kitchens."

"Ah, yes. And... you know where they are?"

She looked at him incredulously. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

He shrugged. "Not many people know where it's located."

"I'm a prefect," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but not even Remus knew about the kitchens until the end of last year."

"He didn't?"

"Nope. Not a clue. Just figured we tucked food into our robes at breakfast and dinner when we brought food back to the dorm."

She laughed, having imagined Remus's face as they revealed the portrait entrance into the room.

Sirius was chuckling to himself. "Moony's been taking an extra trip everyday since. He loves those chocolate creme patissieres."

They'd come upon the pear portrait itself, but Lily stopped short. "'Moony'?"

Sirius's smile barely faltered. "Yeah, Remus. Just an odd nickname. Well, newer old. But, you know."

"I've heard it before…"

"Eh, it's new. He's a bit of an insomniac. Stays up with the moon. Moony."

Lily scoffed, ducking under his arm as he held open the portrait. "Remus? He would sleep twenty four hours a day if he could."

Sirius let out an awkward laugh, but Lily was distracted as a few of the house elves hurried towards them.

"Mr. Black!"

"Two chocolate creme patissieres, Binny," Sirius asked kindly, gesturing for Lily to sit.

"Might want to grab an extra for Remus," she suggested with a wry grin.

"Brilliant idea," Sirius said, waving to get Binny the house elf's attention. "He turns into a downright wolf if he doesn't get his extra calories."

She breathed a lazy laugh, having witnessed Remus's sudden unexpected mood swings during patrols. "Is that what helps? Chocolate? I'll need to get some to have on hand."

The two fell into a somewhat companionable silence as they ate their respective dessert, listening to the work of the house elves as they chattered and puttered about the kitchen.

"If you don't want us to join in the game... I'd understand," he said, after he had finished swallowing the last of the crumbling pastry.

"We don't have to talk about it right at this moment."

Sirius nodded, dusting his hands off, before falling quiet… for a moment. "I would understand, Evans. Really. If you don't want us to join, you really don't have to."

"Did they send you to come talk to me about it?"

"Happy coincidence."

She gave him a wary look, taking another small bite.

He shrugged. "I get wanting to keep it to yourself. Not wanting to share. Fighting to keep it secret."

"You have a little brother, don't you?"

"Don't you have a sister?"

"Yes."

"My point is, change is hard. It can be hard to let go of things you want for yourself."

"That's very astute of you," she acknowledged.

"I can have my moments."

She pulled another piece off of the pastry. "The others seem to think … this is all a brilliant idea."

Sirius smirked. "That's because it is."

She gave him a dark look.

"You can't deny it."

"No," she lamented, resting her chin on her hand. "But that doesn't mean I agree it's a smart idea. It's an awfully risky idea."

"All this excitement, though. McKinnon explained a bit of it to us," he said, stopping short at her look. "But only a very, very little bit."

Lily snorted. "Black, it's Marlene. She can't keep anything to herself."

Sirius barked out a laugh. "She does seem to talk a bit, yeah?"

"I'm honestly surprised I'm the reason the secret's out."

"Yeah, but to the Marauders," he said conspiratorially. "We can keep secrets. You know you can't keep us Marauders away from trouble."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"You've got nothing to be scared of," he said soothingly.

"Right."

"But like I said. It's your choice. Marlene made it sound like it's your game. They wouldn't do anything without you."

"It's not really my game," she said quietly, feeling guilty. If this was what the group wanted, who was she to say no? She released a quiet sigh, knowing her heart had already given its answer.

"Although, you can't honestly make me believe you wouldn't have nefarious reasons behind wanting to join the Game," she pointed out.

Sirius smirked. "Of course I have nefarious plans. Haven't you met me?"

"I have," she said idly. "You're too cocky for your own good and have your own trouble keeping quiet."

"I have no problems keeping quiet about the things that need to be kept quiet," he assured. "But no offense taken. I understand your concerns."

"I appreciate you letting me think there's any other choice but to let you join."

He looked away to hide his grin. "I'm the best kind of mate, you'll find. Giving you the push you need, when you need it."

"Right. That's why you and your mates never get into trouble."

"What can I say? I can't take full credit."

"No," Lily agreed. "That, you cannot."

"Shall we head back up to the tower?"

She nodded, following him out of the kitchens. "Thanks, though, for that. Earlier. With Snape."

"No problem, Evs. Though, I'm not quite sure what you ever saw in him."

Lily gave him a reproachful look.

"Won't mention it again," he said simply.

They fell into another (surprisingly) companionable silence as they trekked their way back towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Here you go," he said, propping open the portrait so she could step through.

"Thanks," she said sincerely, ducking through.

"Anytime," Sirius said, leaving her side to head towards the boy's stairwell.

Lily spotted her friends the same time they noticed her. Their faces were a mixture of guilt and shame. Marlene jumped to speak first as soon as Lily had joined them in the small alcove.

"Look, Lily, I really am sorry. I just... got over excited by the idea of it and I couldn't help mentioning it to Alice – who thought it was a great idea – and Emmeline really liked it, too! It just kind of snowballed from there..."

"It's okay."

"And we were at practice, and I couldn't help but kinda mention it to James, because I knew he knew. And then he waved over Sirius and –"

"Marlene," Lily chuckled. "It's okay." She plopped into her normal seat on the worn sofa. The blonde looked as if she wanted to continue with her apologetic explanation, but she waved it off.

"We're sorry to have ganged up on you like that," said Emmeline. "We didn't really think it was going to come across that way…"

"It's okay, really," Lily said truthfully, feeling guilty at making them feel guilty. She smiled affectionately at them. "I just... it hit me that I guess things have to change. And I wanted it to stay the same it's always been. I just wasn't ready for… it to change."

Then in a quiet voice: "But yeah, fine, they can join."

"No," Marlene replied, disbelieving as she looked at the other girls in the group. "Did she just say what I think she said?"

"Shut up." She smiled reluctantly, reaching over to punch her friend in the shoulder. "I said fine! Don't make me regret it."

"She said fine!" Marlene exclaimed in an awed whisper.

"You're making me regret it," Lily muttered, feeling her cheeks flush at the attention. Alice and Emmeline shared a laugh as Dorcas shoved a pillow in Marlene's face.

Lily sat back, rubbing at her face tiredly, sincerely hoping they did not just make a bad decision.

-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:-

Later that evening, after all the other girls had gone to their respective dorms, Lily lounged on the sofa, shoes kicked off, and Potions book held under her nose as she skimmed through the future chapters ahead.

She was unexpectedly jostled as someone fell into the empty space by her bare feet.

"Alright, Evans?"

Lily glanced over the top of her book to catch sight of Potter and reflexively pulled her feet in, knees bent under her skirt. He gave her a crooked smile and leaned back into the couch, hands folded on his stomach as he stretched his own legs in front of him.

"Just fine," she replied mildly, tucking her book closer to herself. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Nope," he said with a deep sigh. "Just relaxing before bed."

She hummed, studying him for a moment longer before adjusting her book and resuming ready.

"So…"

She glanced up with a raised eyebrow.

He blinked at her pleasantly. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction (perhaps a bit stubbornly), she remained silent and let her gaze fall back onto the pages in front of her.

He hummed to himself, patient.

Without pulling her book down, Lily exhaled slowly. "Your group can join," she said aloud, quietly.

"Sorry?" he prompted.

She couldn't see his face, but she could imagine his pleased expression.

Lily cleared her throat. "You and your mates can join."

"You mean it?"

His tone prompted her to lower the book the smallest amount, peering at him over the top. He was looking at her with thinly veiled excitement while he awaited her response.

She nodded, a bit reluctantly.

He let out a great, triumphant laugh, punching his fist in front of him. "Brilliant! When do we start? What are the rules?"

"Potter, Merlin, calm down," she said hastily, but his smile would not falter. "We haven't even gone over the rules. We don't even know if this will work."

"Oh, it will," he said, sounding absolutely certain. He leaned closer. "When do we get started?"

"Potter. No one else is here to discuss this."

"So?"

"We can't just plan it without them!"

"We can't?"

"No. We can't."

She snapped her book shut and moved to stand, but was stopped when he placed a hand on her arm gently. She turned to find his expression sincere.

"Are you okay with this?" he asked.

Lily's eyes narrowed slightly, gazing down at the sudden tense lines of his face and shoulders. As if he really cared about what she wanted.

"I… Yes, I'm okay with it."

"Sirius had mentioned something earlier..."

"Oh," Lily said, a bit embarrassed. "It's fine. Really," she said quickly, despite her curiosity about what Sirius might have shared.

She stood from her spot, gently extracting herself from his grasp to dust herself off to avoid looking at him. "It's just, change is hard, you know?" she said, repeating Sirius's words from earlier in the night.

Potter gave her a curious look, but she didn't wait for him to speak, shrugging in response to her own question, heading towards the dormitory stairs.

"Wait!" he called, jumping to stand and follow. "You really can't give me anything to go on? No spoilers about the Game?"

Lily had just started to ascend the stairs, but paused, turning to face him.

He grinned.

"Yes, actually," she said. "No playing unfair. None of those unfair, devious Marauder tricks I'm sure you're thinking about already doing."

"Of course. Obviously."

"No cheating, either."

"Absolutely," he agreed, leaning against the wall. Though she was a few steps above him, he was still at her eye height. God, he had grown tall. "Anything else?"

She huffed. "We can talk more about this with the others, Potter. I'm going to bed."

"Okay, but wait," he inserted quickly, reaching out as if to stop her. "I guess I'd want a definition of what you might consider a devious Marauder trick."

"You know what that means." She waved her hand in the air, mindlessly gesticulating all of their follies. "It's all you blokes do. Those pranks and juvenile stunts."

"Yeah, but say, coloring your hair an odd color surely wouldn't disrupt the game?"

She rolled her eyes, moving backwards one more step as she used her hand as support against the wall. "Yes, because that would count as a magical distraction and unfair – against the rules that we'll discuss with the others."

His eyes dropped to her feet, watching her ascend the step, before dragging his gaze back up her form onto her face. "To be fair, many things could be considered cheating or playing unfair… For example, could this be considered –"

And as he spoke, the following things happened sequentially: he leaned forward conspiratorially, as if he meant to tell her a secret, his lips coming close to her cheek.

Lily, surprised by his proximity, leaned back instinctually to take another step up the stairs – a step onto the slip-step that activated the slide.

She let out a startled noise as she fell, shocked at his blatant trick.

And really, Lily should have known better. Honestly.

But unsuspectingly, before she could hit the floor, Potter had caught her effortlessly, bent low enough to where his face was very close to hers, a hand pressed behind her back while the other held her beneath her thighs.

"Devious?" he finished, his grin much wider than normal.

-:--:--:--:--:--:--:--:-

Moments later, James entered his dorm room grinning widely, rubbing his shoulder soothingly where Lily had landed a stinging hex.

"You alright, mate?" Sirius asked him, eyeing James as he nursed his shoulder.

"Brilliant," was his only response, knowing full well he should feel guilty – but he just couldn't find the capacity to.