Ch 15 Jokers become the Jokeys

Remus, Peter and Sirius were sitting outside under an oak tree. James and Sirius were still not talking to each other. James was standing not far away when he heard his name mentioned by Remus.

"James was just trying to-."

"I don't want to hear it Remus." Sirius said. "I'm not going to talk to him if he won't talk to me."

"You're acting like a child."

"Remus, I'm only 11, I am a child."

"But James does want to talk to you, I know it. He just wants you to understand that his mother was just looking for you as well as him."

"But if James is going to act like a baby why would I want to be friends with him again?"

"You miss him Sirius, I know you do."

"I don't miss that-."

"Sirius, don't say something you're going to regret."

"What, if he doesn't want to be my friend then maybe I should give up on him. I have you guys."

"But Sirius," Peter said. He seemed a little scared to say what he was going to say. "We are James's friends too."

Just then a young women with red hair walked up to them James knew who it was, Lily Evans.

"Hi Sirius," she said. Sirius just looked at her. He was surprised to find her talking to him, he thought that she thought they were worthless.

"Remus, Peter, how's it going?" she asked. They had nothing to say, apparently they were as surprised as Sirius was. James on the other hand was the most surprised. He stayed in his hiding place he was in when he was listening to his friends talking.

"Is there something we can do for you Evans?" asked Sirius.

"Well, Sirius, now that you mention it, I was wondering if you wanted to study with me. I know you just got back from, well, you can't hide it, everyone knows it was you who pranked Severus, and he laughs about it now. Everyone knows you got suspended for it so I know you're behind in your lessons so I was wondering if you wanted to study and I could help you catch up. I'd offer you as well," she added looking at Peter and Remus, "but I know Remus is smart and he'll help you.

"So, what say you Sirius?"

Sirius thought about it, it would bug James when he found out and since he and James were not friends why not, she was pretty cute.

"Sure, it sounds like a good idea." Sirius said.

"Great, so, meet me in the library tomorrow at noon. Sunday is the best study day I think."

"Sounds good, see yea Evans."

"By Sirius, and I'll see you later Remus and Peter." Lily walked away. James had to find out what was up.

He had the invisibility cloak stashed in his bag since he and Sirius fought because he didn't trust Sirius anymore. He pulled it out, put it on and followed Lily Evans. She led him to Severus Snape.

"Well, what happened?" asked Snape.

"They bought it. I'm going to meet Sirius in the library at noon tomorrow."

"this is amazing., I can't believe the plan is working."

"well he and Potter are in a fight right now, so maybe he just doesn't care anymore."

"Well, whatever the reason, it better keep up because we need to pull this off Lily."

"Agreed." Lily and Snape walked away. James stood where he was, He couldn't believe it. They were trying to pull one over on Sirius. What could he do? They were fighting but he was still a friend. Even if they were in a fight. He knew what to do and he had to do it now.

James walked up to Sirius in the common room. He seemed to have been joking with Remus and peter because they were laughing. When he walked up Remus and Peter waved and when Sirius turned around to see who they were waving at he went stone cold.

"What do you want."

"I have to talk to you about this date you have with Evans."

"What, good news travels fast."

"You don't even like her."

"How would you know?"

"You told me so, long time ago."

"Exactly, a long time ago…besides feelings change. You should know that."

"Sirius, she's using you, it's all part of a plan between her and Snivellus."

"I thought you'd try to do something like that when you found out about it. Try to break us because of a little crush you have."

"Sirius, I'm trying to save you from hum-."

"All your trying to do is get me angry. You don't are about me, I'm out of here." And Sirius stormed out of the common room.

"James, are you serious though? Is it really a plot?"

"Yea, and I'm worried. I know we were fighting but I wanna make it up. I want to be friends again."

"I don't think it's going to be that easy."

"Can you help Remus?"

"I'll talk to him and see what happens."

"Thanks Remus, you're a true friend." Said James and he walked up to the boys dorm.

All the next day everywhere James went he saw Lily or Sirius. He even saw them talking before noon and heading down to the library together. He grabbed his cloak and put it on anf followed. He found Remus in the library a few tables away from where Lily and Sirius sat. He walked over to the, ducked, pulled off the cloak and sat down.

"Remus I thought you were going to talk to him."

"James, one you just scared me and two I did but he thought I was siding with you and is now mad at me."

"Oh, well I didn't mean for you to get in trouble with him."

"We've been rocky anyways, since you got mad at him."

"But I'm trying to fix things but he's not listening."

"Give him time James, then we'll all be friends again." But James still wasn't sure. He spent his time watching Sirius and lily but he didn't see anything wrong. He didn't even see her try to jinx him or anything. Then he saw her get up.

"Be back Remus," James said and he pulled on the cloak and followed her. He found her talking with Snape just outside the library doors.

"Well, so far all I've done is lead him on. I helped him study his potions notes. He's made at Lupin now to. Hopefully everything will work out."

"Lily, it'll be fine. It'll work."

"I hope your right Sev. I have to get back though." And Lily walked away. James stayed to follow Snape and see where he goes and what he has planned. He saw him go up to another group of Slytherins.

"Avery, I just got the news that Lupin is also fighting with Black. All we need is you guys. You'll be soon. Evans going to send me the message soon."

James stood there and waited with the others. The Slytherins didn't seem to happy to be working with a Gryffindor but James couldn't blame them.

"What is the next part again Snape?" asked the one names Avery.

"Well, after Evans gets Sirius all into her and she asks him out again, they will spend a nice evening outside and that's when we pull the prank."

"So why do we have to be here now?"

"Well, Evans wanted me to be here for information and things."

"Well, since we're not needed until later, we are leaving. Let us now when you need us." And Avery and the other Slytherins walked away. James left Snape alone and went back to the library to sit by Lily and Sirius and see what was happening.

"You know Sirius, I really enjoyed studying with you today." Lily said batting her eyelashes. For an eleven year old, she was a flirter.

"Yea, whatever." Sirius said.

"Would you want to hang out some time this week. Like have a nice walk around the school yard?"

Sirius seemed to realize something.

"Well, I'd have to check and see what happens with school and everything. I lso have detentions to do still."

"Ok," Lily said, she seemed crestfallen.

"Well, I need to go and talk to Peter."

"Alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow." Lily said. She got up and walked away.

"Ok James, come out from the cloak." Sirius whispered.

"How'd you know I was here?" he whispered back.

"Because I'm smart. I think you were right, Evans seemed to be planning something."

"I told you, look, her and Snivellus were planning with the Slytherins to prank you when you and Evans were put next."

"She thought she'd get me to go out again!"

"Well, she is cute and knows how to flirt. You have to admit, she was winning you over a little."

Sirius seemed to thinking hard at this.

"Ok, she was doing something, but the only reason I agreed to study with her today was because I was mad at you and thought it would make you angrier."

"I know, I was under the cloak when she asked you to study and then followed her which is how I knew she was planning something. But I have an idea. What if you go out with her again and we prank them for trying to prank us."

Sirius face lightened up at this. "Brilliant James!"

"On one condition though, you apologize to Remus or getting mad at him over our fight."

"Deal." And the boys got to planning.

"Remus, I wanted to say sorry, I was just angry with James and I shouldn't have got mad at you for trying to fix everything." Sirius said.

"Its ok, I understand." Remus said and they shook hands.

"Ok, now James and I have some plans." Sirius said. Just then Lily walked in. James and Sirius started to glare at each other and then started shouting random things. Part of the plan was that they were supposed to be mad at each other.

Lily walked over and Sirius stopped yelling and looked at her.

"Sirius would you come over here a minute." She said in a sweet voice.

"Sure Lily, be there in a second." Lily walked over to the portrait hole and Sirius gathered up his stuff with a final glare at James and walked away.

"What was that about?" asked Remus.

"Well, all part of the plan is to keep me and Sirius mad at each other when Evans is around because she's with him for the prank so she gets me mad or something. But we are supposed to be mad at each other of the plan wont work. But here's the other details." James told the others what they were up to, by the time James finished telling them Sirius came back and Lily wasn't with him.

"That was torture. But I agreed to go on a walk with her tomorrow so I'm guessing that's when it's going to be pulled."

"Great, so Sirius, I'll be with the Slytherins under the cloak and we can use the mirrors for communication. If we're wrong and its not then, we'll know so we don't mess it up."

"Perfect." Sirius said.

Sirius walked up to Lily. James was hidden under the cloak and watched everything happen.

"Hey Sirius I wasn't sure you'd come." Lily said.

"Well I said I would didn't I?"

"Yea, but I saw you and James talking and-."

"James is being a jerk."

"Oh, well in that case, can you excuse me for a minute." Lily said. Sirius agreed and watched Lily walk away.

"Go," he said quietly to James and James followed Lily. Sure enough she was leading him exactly to Snape.

"It's still on, do you have the bucket ready?" she asked.

"Yes and Avery is in position to trip him as he walks by. Lusius performed a decent disillusionment charm on him. It's not the best but it'll cover him by the tree. Just get him there and stand out of the way."

'Ok, but try not hit me. I don't need that stuff in my hair."

"Just get back there before he suspects something." Snape said and Lily turned and walked back towards Sirius. James took out the mirror. Remus was watching it, he gave him a thumbs up, meaning he had heard everything. James smiled and put the mirror back in his pocket. This was a good thing, they ahd an idea of what was going to happen. How it was their turn. James stuck up two fingers and pulled the mirror back out. Remus nodded, it was time for phase two.

James followed Snape as he walked towards Lusius.

"Everything going ok?" he asked.

"Fine Snape, You just better hope this works. If word gets out that Slytherin and Gryffindor was working together and it messed up because of it-."

"Malfoy, it'll work, I mean what could go wrong?"

James held the mirror out. Now Remus and Peter could see where they were. James could just see Avery in a tree because the charm was weak.

"I hope Black can't see him, I mean I can."

"You know he's there."

"Fine, but it better work."

"Snape, if you don't stop talking I'm going to hit you." Malfoy said. He seemed determined to make it work. He seemed afraid that the Slytherin house's reputation was going to be tampered with if this messed up.

James was standing right in front of Avery now. He was going to make Avery spill the stuff on Lily. It wasn't the exact plan but it could be a bonus. He saw Sirius and Lily walking down a path towards the tree. Snape and Malfoy were hiding behind another tree. James picked up the mirror, Remus and Peter were standing in position as well. Hopefully they could pull it off.

"I'm having a nice time with you Sirius," Lily said. Snape turned and looked at Avery. James suspected this was a code or something. Sure enough Avery picked up the bucket of stuff and waited.

"It's just a walk." Sirius said. He glanced around. Sirius had no way of knowing what was going on. James and Remus had the mirrors so they couldn't communicate with him.

As Lily walked by Avery got ready to shoot the stuff at Sirius but James pushed Avery and the stuff flew all over Lily. Sirius started to laugh, he realized what happened even if nobody else did. James had to move fast out of the way as Avery got up and looked around. James walked over to Sirius whispered, "Your turn," and walked towards Remus and Peter, who were standing hiding be another tree.

"Brilliant, but it wasn't part of the plan." Remus said, laughing.

"Yea, well I thought on my feet. It's a bonus to this!" James said, but it turned out there was no this to laugh about. Somehow Lusius Malfoy caught Sirius and stunned him. James was horror struck. He couldn't believe Malfoy would play so dirt. He was about to go out and jinx him when McGonagall walked down and saw the scene.

What she saw was Lily covered in a potion, Avery with the bucket, Sirius unconscious and a fifth year prefect and Snape. She was able to put two and two together.

"Snape, Avery, Malfoy and Evans. My office. I'll be up there as soon as I get Black up to the hospital Wing."

The students walked away. James decided to follow.

"I'm going to see what happens." And he followed them under cover of the cloak.

"You realize she's going to blame all of you for this. Two Gryffindors attacked and some Slytherins standing by."

"What I'd like to know is what happened with Avery." Snape said.

"I was pushed by someone. The potion spilt all over Evans, but when I turned around no one was there."

"Avery, I think you just hate me because I'm a Gryffindor and decided to attack me." Lily raged.

"Lily, I'm sure Avery wouldn't-." But Snape broke off and James knew why.

Any Slytherin student would love to attack a Gryffindor. James followed them up to McGonagall's office. They had to wait outside since she was up in the Hospital Wing but she was there in no time.

"In." was all she said and Lily, Snape, Avery and Malfoy walked in. James was able to sneak in. He took out the mirror and looked at it. Luckily the connection was not yet broken.

He put his finger up to it, since he saw his friends looking, and made a silence motion. They understood and James held up the mirror so they could see what was happening.

"Now, I know there is rivalry between these houses, but I don't want to see the Slytherins beating on the Gryffindors."

"Professor, may I say something?" Lily asked.

"Yes Miss. Evans, what is it?"

"Well, the thing with me was an accident. Avery didn't mean to spill the potion on me. He was pushed, or something, tripped maybe, and Severus defiantly didn't have anything to do with it."

"I've never seen a Gryffindor stick up for Slytherins."

"Well, Sev and I are friends." Lily said.

"Well Miss Evans, if you're willing to let these boys go for the attack on you then I guess I can't do anything about that, but there is the fact that you had it. Was there another reason for it, involving Mr. Black?"

McGonagall seemed to know by the looks on all four of their faces that it was true.

"Well then, all four of you will serve detention tonight, my office. Be here at seven thirty. Dismissed." James waited until the Slytherins were out the door and then Lily stopped.

"Professor, I'm really sorry."

"you should have thought about that before Miss. Evans you will serve detention."

"Yes Professor, but I think Potter and his gang had something to do with what happened."

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, Avery was pushed."

"And is there evidence that Potter or any of his friend pushed him?"

"No, but-."

"Then I'm sorry Miss. Evans. Now please get back to your common room." Lily opened the door. James was able to sneak out as she looked back at McGonagall. James ran towards a bathroom to pull off the cloak. Then he called into the mirror.

"I'll meet you by our tree." And he ran out of there to meet his friends and discuss what had just happened.

A/N: Well? Was it good or not? Please leave a review and let me know!