Sirius's POV
James and Remus ran as fast as they could after Sirius, who was gleefully whooping and laughing as he raced the boys to the Gryffindor common room.
Sirius hadn't been very fond of the certain redhead ever since her presence meant that Prong's attention was directed towards her and not important things like Quidditch or pranking. He never liked her snooty, disapproving, know-it-all attitude towards the Marauders and didn't understand how James could still pine after that girl. Even if, with some miracle, James and Lily got together, she could never be one of them. How could a relationship survive if she couldn't approve of the rest of the crew? Those thoughts had swirled in his head at the beginning of Lily's newfound friendship with the boys. Begrudgingly, he had to admit, when she wasn't aiming her anger and disgust towards him and Prongs anymore, she was actually kind of funny, and nice. However he was still doubtful, convinced she couldn't truly become a Marauder, that is, until today.
Sirius skidded to a halt as he reached the Fat Lady's portrait, Remus and James right behind him, unable to stop themselves in time before slamming Sirius into the portrait.
"Excuse me!" cried the Fat Lady in the portrait, startled out of stupor.
The boys meekly apologized to the Fat Lady as she crossed her arms in disgust and proceeded to click her tongue at them. Panting like a dog, Sirius huffed out the password and the door swung open into the common room, where a certain redhead was lounging on the couch, eating some leftover candies from the prank, completely satisfied with herself. Lily looked up to see the three boys running towards her, their faces filled with admiration and glee. Sirius ran up to Lily, picked her up and spun her around as she squealed in protest.
"LILY EVANS! YOU ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST BRILLIANT, GENIUS, RECKLESS, AND MARAUDER-LIKE WITCH I HAVE EVER HAD THE FORTUNE TO KNOW!" Sirius exclaimed as he let go of her. James knocked Sirius around the head, gave him a pointed and maybe even jealous look at his best mate.
"Lily, that was without a doubt the best prank Hogwarts has ever seen! Even better than the Great Prank of Third Year!" James exclaimed, looking at Lily in the way he hadn't looked at her in a while, it gave her a small drop in her stomach that had nothing to do with the post-prank nerves.
"To be honest that was greater than the finale prank from the Year of the Pranks in our fifth year," Remus added, still shocked from the morning's events. Lily laughed, elated that the boys appreciated her hard work, and that James seemed so happy.
"Man, I had no idea how much thought and effort it takes to pull a prank! Much respect to you three!" Having been able to speak finally over the boys chattering animatedly, Lily began to list all the things that required for the prank.
Remus was still standing there, pondering over Lily's masterful prank, finally speaking up, "Lily, you had to have snuck into Slughorn's, Honeydukes…OUR ROOMS…. All for this prank?" Sirius who was still jumping up and down and animatedly replaying the water balloons falling on the Slytherin's heads, stopped as if he was stupefied, fully grasping the terms of Lily's requirements.
"Whaa-why did you do the prank anyways? I mean it was WICKED but you're definitely not the type…" Sirius seriously said. (lol)
Lily sighed and took a deep breath, and looked at the boys one by one, until her gaze landed on James, who had grown quiet over the commotion. Well…it's now or never Lils, it's not like you have to tell them you're in love with Ja- wait wait wait what? I am not in love with James! Just in "like" with him…because I like him… as a friend, not that I like-like him. Godric, my mind is betraying me…insinuating that I love James. Ok ok Lily you haven't said anything yet and the boys are starting to look at you weird…
"Well, it all started when I approached James by the lake and apologized and asked to be friends and not be a friggin prat to James."
"Amen sista" Sirius chimed in.
"Well, anyways," Lily turned to look at James, "you weren't back to your usual, amiable self, and I felt like it was all my fault so I devised this plan to prank you back into happiness!" Lily watched as James faced danced with emotions of confusion to understanding to delight. "Did it work?"
James walked forward, and hugged Lily, lifting her up in the air, "Of course it worked, Lily, you did that all for me. Still a little shocked… but you're a good friend. James smiled at her, however wishing he were saying "girl"friend instead of friend. Baby steps, James, baby steps.
"Wait! And what about us?" Sirius rose and set his foot on the table, leaning his elbow on his knee, as he pointed to himself and Remus. "Didn't you do the prank for us? Your other friends?"
James and Remus shared a look that exactly depicted their understanding of Sirius's sudden shift in friendship with Lily, and smiled. It was quite a milestone.
"Sirius! Of course, I did the prank for you too! I really wanted you to feel like I could really be friends with you, and could potentially be a Marauder… that is, if you would have me…." Lily waited apprehensively for Sirius's response, and was delighted to be swooped into yet another uplifting (literally) hug, this time by Sirius.
"Anybody who pulls a prank at that level has a place in my book as a Marauder… unless you are a Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff…or below a 7th year…or isn't very cool... basically… you're in." Sirius put Lily down and placed his arms around her and James, looking extremely content with himself and how the morning turned out. This bird isn't so bad. I can see why James pines after her…not completely, but I understand better than before.
"Wait, wait, wait… we can't label Lily as a Marauder. At least, just not yet." James turned to look at Lily, with his old mischievous glint in his eye, yet this time it didn't bring a feeling of disgust in the pit of Lily's stomach… oddly it brought butterflies.
What does James have in mind? And what about Lily's feelings for James? Will they match James's affection or are they just friends forever?
Sorry, it took soooo long to get back! I just forgot about this story, especially having a huge writers block. But I hope you all liked this chapter and excited about what's coming next! Next chapter, I'll write in the whole crew! Missing Marlene and Alice and Frank? Here they come.
I've been studying for my MCAT everyday for about 12 hours so sitting in my bed and writing is very therapeutic, so hopefully I will post more often! But, I hope you understand if I don't!
Please R&R!