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Chapter 4: Nothing About Classes

"James, you and I need to talk," Sirius said, one afternoon towards the end of September. It was late in the afternoon and most of their fellow Gryffindors were also studying.

"Can it wait?" James asked. "I really have to finish the prefect rotations for next month or Lily will have my head."

"No, it can't. We need to talk."

"Fine." James put down his quill and looked at his best friend. "What is it?"

Sirius sat down quietly, beside James. They were sitting at a table in the Common Room. "I may have hated how you butted into my relationship with Mandy, always taking her side, and thinking the worst of me—"

"But?" James prompted.

"But I came to respect you for how much you cared about her. It was touching and gave me hope for our future. Now, though, I've lost a bit of that hope. Your loyalty to me is appreciated, after everything my family put me through I'm glad to have you have my back, but Mandy's been your best friend since you were five years old. I'd rather have you take her side any day. If you don't want to take her side, stay out of it. Your solidarity for your brother is touching but you once told me that if I hurt Mandy, you'd kill me. I hurt her, not the other way around," Sirius said.

"You may have broken up with her, but she was going to dump you first. Quite publicly if I remember correctly," James said.

"I don't think that's quite right." Sirius shook his head.

"Did you forget what we heard them talking about?"

"What you heard them talking about," Sirius corrected. "I wasn't there, remember."

"I would never lie to you," James claimed passionately.

"I know. And I know how torn you've been over this. What you heard wasn't what it seemed."

"How do you know that for sure?" James looked at his best friend imploringly. "She talked to you and you actually listened." Sirius looked down avoiding his best friend's inquiring eyes. "You're giving her a second chance. After everything I heard—what I told you—you can't be serious."

Sirius's head snapped up and he glared at his best friend. "You didn't hear everything. You have no idea ..." Sirius shook his head. "There's a saying, 'fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.' I don't know for certain that she won't break my heart, but honestly, if she does I'll deserve it. I'm going to take that chance. It's my heart on the line not yours. After I put scores of witches through pain and heartbreak, I deserved what she put me through. I don't blame her or Lily. Well that's not exactly true because I do blame Lily, but this is not Mandy's fault. I'm giving her another chance and I hate how much you're hurting her."

James stared at Sirius wondering if he had made a big mistake.

"James, if it would fix things between you and Mandy, fix your relationship, and make you her best friend again, I would walk away from her for good but you have to tell me because I don't want to hurt her. Her happiness is more important than mine."

"You really love her," James said as it dawned on him. He adjusted his glasses and really looked at his best friend. The look in Sirius's grey eyes had never been there before.

"More than any other girl before. Please fix this," Sirius nearly begged.

James swallowed his pride and nodded. Truth be told James missed Mandy. She had been his best friend forever and he couldn't remember the last time they had gone such a long time being awkward or with so much tension between them. Before he could talk to Mandy he had to talk to Lily to get the full story. If she was completely at fault and it really wasn't Mandy's fault, then he owed Mandy a huge apology. He could only hope she'd accept the apology.

However getting Lily to speak to him about anything other than Heads' duty was near impossible. That's why he was glad when a couple days later Lily approached him. "Do you have the rounds done for next month?"

"Yes. Have a seat." James motioned to the empty couch cushions next to him.

"Potter," Lily started.

"We need to talk."

"Okay." Lily sat down and looked at him.

"Did you know how she felt about him?" James asked quietly.

"Who felt about whom?" Lily asked.

"Mandy about Sirius."

"I knew she liked him. And that he was wrapped around her finger. I don't like what he's done to all those other girls and admit it, you don't like it either."

"No, I don't," James shook his head, "but he loves her."

"I know that, now."

"Then did you know she willingly slept with him?"

Lily blushed and looked away. "That I didn't know until very recently," Lily looked back at James, "I'm sorry for everything I conned her into doing. It was a brilliant idea at first, she even admitted it. After a while though, I know she regretted getting involved. She fell for him and that wasn't something I had ever planned on. We were wrong, rather, I was wrong and it wasn't fair," Lily said.

"You knew that she loved him and you convinced her anyway?"

"It's not about what I knew and what I did. Remember, you're not completely innocent here either. You prodded Sirius into breaking up with her first. We both knew how to push their buttons and we, yes Potter we not I, ruined their relationship. We both have to apologize to them. It's not fair if we don't," Lily said.

"So the entire plan was your idea?" James asked.

"Yes. Mandy went along with it though. She said it was a good idea. I didn't think anything had changed until right before I pressured her to dump him. About a week before I talked to her I noticed she was still walking on air and I knew she had fallen deeply for him. I was worried that he was going to do the same to her that he had done to other girls. Like I said, we both knew what buttons to push to get them to act how we wanted. My question for you is how come a boy who has known her for her entire life never asked her what was going on? You should have confronted her when you heard about the plan. Maybe you would have heard the truth. Or were you too blinded by what you thought she was capable of and acted out of spite instead of thinking it through?"

"It doesn't matter now. I will talk to her. Thanks Lily," James said.

"I'm not doing this for you, Potter. I'm doing this for her. I miss my best friend and I know she can be happy with Sirius again," Lily answered.

"Either way." James nodded, pushed the prefect rotation schedule to her, then stood and left.

He definitely owed Mandy a huge apology. James walked down the hall and used a couple shortcuts finding himself outside a short time later. James sat down beside the lake staring out at the Giant Squid sunning himself. Apologizing to Mandy was something he knew he had to do but it was going to be difficult because James didn't like apologizing to anyone. It was time to swallow his pride and make up with his best and oldest friend. He just hoped when he apologized to her they could talk alone and he wouldn't have to show his weaker side to everyone.

XXXXXXXXX

"What does the great James Potter want from me now?" Mandy asked when he sat down on the edge of the couch near her chair.

"I want to apologize," James said, turning slightly to face her instead of the fireplace directly across from the couch.

Mandy scoffed. "The great Potter never apologizes."

"I do when I bugger things up." James took a deep breath and when he released it Mandy could tell how shaky his voice was. "I never stopped for a second to think that maybe Lily was manipulating you. When you love, it's not easy for you. I should have remembered that. You actually slept with Sirius and that should have factored in to what my decision was," James said.

"Speaking of," Mandy said as she crooked her finger and beckoned Sirius over.

James held back a groan. Though he wanted it just to be him and Mandy so that he didn't have embarrass himself in front of so many people, he knew that his other best friend deserved to hear his speech as well. Sirius perched on the arm of Mandy's chair and the couple stared at James.

"Mandy, you were my best friend first and I've sworn to protect you as one would their little sister and Sirius, you have come to be like a brother to me. I messed up big time with both of you and I apologize. You were right when it came to your relationship, Mandy. I should have stayed out and you two would still be together. When I heard Lily talking about the plan my instinct was to protect Sirius and I knew just which buttons to push to get him to do what I wanted him to do. It barely crossed my mind that by doing so I was betraying you and hurting my family as well. Please forgive me." James nervously ran a hand through his hair.

"I wish I could make you beg for it," Mandy said softly as her blue eyes sought out his hazel eyes. When they caught his gaze, her eyes shifted to her hands unable to take the pain she saw in his eyes. "Making you beg would make you feel only one tenth of the humiliation I felt when I found out my best friend, my brother, the only man I had ever truly and deeply and platonically loved had shattered a trust that had been given so easily to him nearly 11 years prior. When trust is so freely given only to be so carelessly thrown away one never trusts quite the same again."

"I would do anything, anything, I would burn my broom and watch it smolder into ashes in front of the entire school; I would dance on the Quidditch pitch in just my underpants in front of everyone I knew including Lily if it meant I could have your trust again."

"Trust is easily shattered but not so easily given. You have to work for it. I don't know how and I don't know if I will ever trust you that way again, but there is the slightest bit of hope and you should cling desperately to that," Mandy said.

Then Sirius spoke, his eyes taking in the disappointed look on his best friend's face and the heartbreak he could feel rolling off his girlfriend. "Though she has a point mate," Sirius said slowly, "a little bit goes a long way. Remember that."

"Thank you. Both of you," James said.

"Thank you for apologizing," Mandy said.

The next morning when Mandy sat down for breakfast between Sirius and James, the latter looked at her. "Are you—?"

"Yes, I'm really going to sit here. I've sat between the two of you nearly every meal time since I was 11 years old. It didn't change when I was angry with you; why would it be different now that things are looking up?" Mandy asked.

"Oh, I see. Okay then," James said.

The next week or so passed without much tension between any of them.

"Wait so it was just that easy? He says he's sorry and suddenly everything is ok?" Harry asked.

Mandy looked up to see him sitting on a cushion on the floor in front of Megan's chair. She had to blink a couple of times to remember that she was telling the story to her children and not actually living through it again. "Where did you come from?"

"Uh, well my parents fell in love in '78 and I appeared about two years later."

"Yes, I know that," Mandy grinned. "I meant when did you get here?"

"'bout 20 minutes or so ago when you were talking about the fight you had with my mum in History of Magic," Harry said.

"Ah I see. No, it wasn't that easy and I never said that everything was okay after he apologized but it was a start," Mandy said.

"When did it get better?" Harry asked.

"The Halloween Ball. Well at least that's when things got better between me and your dad," Mandy said, pointing towards Harry. "As for between me and your dad, kids, things got a whole lot worse."

"I apologized for that multiple times," Sirius answered.

"And I didn't hold it against you. Well not for long anyway," Mandy said.

"Tell us what happened," Devin demanded.

"Hold your hippogriffs," Mandy said then smiled.

It was a dreary Thursday night not long after dinner in the Common Room when James suddenly spoke. "I need ideas people," James said.

"Ideas for what?" Mandy asked, not breaking her concentration on her chess game against Peter. They were at a standstill and Mandy was trying to figure a way around Peter without having to sacrifice any of her pieces. Her king was whispering ideas but Mandy shook her head to each one. Finally she landed on one. She instructed her piece and Peter grinned.

"A worthy move but not so fast," Peter answered.

"Guys," James called.

"You didn't answer my question. For what?" Mandy said, contemplating her next move. She didn't have to look up to see that James had run a frustrated hand through his hair, making it stick up more than normal. Sirius on the other hand did look up from where he was sitting behind Mandy and rubbing her back.

"Have you read the paper lately?" James asked.

"Yes. Though I try to stay away from the obit's section."

"Not everyone is that gifted. We need something to pull their spirits up."

"You're a master prankster, why do you need our help?" Mandy asked. "Besides Quidditch is starting."

"That doesn't help. We need something school wide," James said.

"What are you suggesting? Something like a ball or something?" Remus asked.

"Of course that wasn't what he was suggesting," Mandy said, pushing some of her brown hair off her forehead and out of her eyes. "Who throws a ball to cheer up a school?"

"That ..." James trailed off thinking as he stroked an imaginary goatee. "That's bloody brilliant, that is."

Mandy's concentration snapped up from the game board and she openly gawked at her best friend. "I was kidding. You know pulling your leg. Having a laugh."

"But it's brilliant. Most of the girls will be focused on all the prep and girly stuff that will go into it and the boys will have a chance to let loose and not worry over stuff. Mandy, you are a genius when you just let things come to you. It's perfect. I have to go tell Lily and sort everything out."

"Uh—I—It wasn't—How did that become my idea?" Mandy asked as James nearly skipped out of the Common Room to find Lily who was probably in the library. She looked at each Marauder in turn. Remus was watching her, Peter was observing the game board, and Sirius was leaning back on his hands looking from Mandy to Remus and back.

"I don't know, maybe because you mentioned it second? Gave him a stronger push?" Remus asked, going back to his book.

"Checkmate," Peter said.

Mandy's head spun back to the game and after several seconds she threw her hands up in frustration and went upstairs to calm down. She hated losing to Peter in chess. Sirius sighed and stared after Mandy for a moment. He was glad he didn't have to hide his relationship with her but he still wasn't sure he could trust her after everything they had been through. He was trying his best to keep the betrayal and hurt off his mind but at times it would slip to the top and he'd snap at her or stalk off and leave her feeling confused.

A couple days later, on the second of October, Mandy was sitting in her comfortable chair watching Sirius scribble out his Potions essay with Remus's notes and Peter was getting help from Remus on Defense when James and Lily entered through the portrait hole.

"So?" Mandy asked, looking up at James as Cyrus plopped down in her lap and made himself comfortable.

"Halloween Ball," James said, "Dumbledore even approved." He and Lily approached the group, Lily taking a seat in the only other chair by the fireplace and James plopping down on the couch behind where Sirius was on the floor.

"You can't just say it like that. I need to know the six W's," Mandy said, making herself more comfortable.

"The what?" James asked.

"Exactly," Mandy said.

"The Six W's, Potter," Lily said. "Who? What? Where? When? Why? And How?"

"The last one doesn't start with a W," James said.

"No, it ends with it," Mandy said but didn't go any further.

"Who? Fourth years and up. What? A Halloween Masquerade Ball. Where? Great Hall. When? Well since Halloween is on a Monday we decided it should fall on the 30th from seven to nine p.m. Why? You know why. And how? Well, Lily and I will take care of all that."

"So let me get this straight: you're hosting a Halloween Masquerade Ball on Sunday night the 30th of October from seven to nine p.m. and inviting fourth years and up to cheer people up because you think it'll be fun," Mandy said.

"Masks are optional, costumes are a must," James added.

"Costumes?" Sirius asked. "Who gets dressed up in costumes for a ball?"

"Evidently it's what muggles do on Halloween. They get dressed up in costumes and go begging for treats," James shrugged.

"We call it Trick-or-Treat, Potter," Lily said.

"I thought we were on a first name basis, Evans," James answered.

"Trick-or-Treat?" Peter asked.

"Yes. Muggle and muggleborn children dress in costumes and walk door-to-door and ring the bell. When the door is answered they say trick-or-treat and they usually get chocolate," Mandy explained.

"Sounds like it would be Moony's favorite holiday," Sirius said.

"Yeah," Remus rolled his eyes.

"It was mine for a while. Then one year my mum, dad, and father were out of town, Jason had his own apartment, and Parker didn't want to go so my mother couldn't take me. That was the end of Trick-or-Treat," Mandy explained.

"You went trick-or-treating?" James asked.

"My mum is—was muggleborn and my mother is a muggle," Mandy said.

"What?" Peter asked.

"I did tell you I was adopted, right?" Mandy asked. "My adoptive parents Lynn and Scott Hunter have been Mum and Dad since I could speak but Parker's parents are my real parents. The ones who gave birth to me. I only found out about them last Christmas. That's why I call them my mother and my father."

Scott had told Mandy the day after the bi-annual Hunter Christmas Party and Mandy had told James at his father's funeral. James was surprisingly supportive and told her that it didn't matter who had given birth to her, she was still his best mate. The rest of Mandy's friends had found out the following month when Mandy had gotten into a disagreement with Professor Slughorn. The Professor had told her she was more like her father and not her mother and then proceeded to sing Lynn's praises. Mandy had shaken her head and told Slughorn that he had never met her mother and it had exploded into a full disagreement until Mandy had finally snapped and revealed that she had been adopted. Parker hadn't spoken to her for two full weeks until she had met with Jason in Hogsmeade and got the story from him and then written her parents and Cass had explained everything to Parker. Eventually Parker had come around and had spoken to her sister but the girls were no closer than they had been when they thought they were cousins.

"Keep up, Wormy," Sirius said.

Mandy jolted out of her memories and smiled at Sirius. "It's alright, Love. Not everyone is obsessed with my life," Mandy said.

"I knew you were adopted I just didn't realize you had actual titles for your parents instead of using their names," Peter said gently. Mandy's parents were still a sore subject even though it had been six months since their deaths. The room went silent.

"James, you do realize that the term masquerade implies masks otherwise it's just a costume ball," Remus said cutting through the silence.

"He's right," Lily said. "So do we keep it a Masquerade Ball and insist on masks or do we call it simply a costume ball?" Lily looked at James for an answer.

"You do realize calling it a ball means dress robes," Mandy pointed out.

"Costume Party," James said definitively. "Halloween Costume Party."

"That'll work," Lily said.

"I still don't think it's a good idea. Not on a Sunday night," Mandy said, "with classes the next day. And when are they going to have time to get their costumes? Halloween is like three weeks away."

"Four weeks from tomorrow," James said. "What if the 16th we had a Hogsmead visit? That's plenty of time right?"

"Sure," Lily agreed.

"I still think you're ... whatever." Mandy rolled her eyes and looked down stroking her cat.

"Come on, Mandy. It'll be fun. We haven't had a proper ball, or dance, or party since Valentine's Day, not counting James's and Remus's birthdays," Sirius said.

"I said whatever, alright?" Mandy asked setting her cat on the arm of the chair then leaving for the library.

"What's eating her?" Remus asked. Sirius and James both shrugged.

"I better go check on her," Lily said following Mandy's path.

Once she was gone Remus looked at James. "James," Remus said softly, "why not host the party on Saturday?"

"Lily and Professor Dumbledore suggested Friday night but it's only three nights after you-know-what and Saturday ... well I just thought Sunday would be best," James said, trying not to draw any attention to their conversation. "I want to make sure you were up for it and all of us could be there."

Remus nodded and went back to his book.

So there's that chapter. Please let me know what you think. Also do you want more flashes between present and past, less flashes, or do you not really care? Thanks for reading.