Chapter 9:
The Sleepover

Despite what people might have thought from Violet and Remus's previous conversation, a sleepover is what they did indeed have.

Sleeping bags, nail polish, and chocolate ice cream included.

Sirius had even managed to get some firewhisky, which Violet was carefully alloting to James in each bowl of ice cream, chocolate bar, or butterbeer he had. It wasn't long before he was sufficiently drunk for their purposes.

"So, James," Remus started casually, "How are you and Lily?"

To his almost amazement, James practically started sobbing. "She... She only went out with me because of a bet.. She doesn't really love me.. How could she have done this to me..."

He went on like this for several minutes, unaware of the silencing charm someone had put on him. Violet and Remus looked at each other, then looked towards the bed where Sirius was "getting his beauty rest".

Remus was quite sure he'd need a lot more of that than just one night's worth.

Anyway, they looked towards his bed. There was a sudden outbreak of very loud snores.

Remus looked over at Violet. He held up three fingers. She nodded. "Three... Two... One..."

CRACK.

Sirius Black, marauder, prankster, flirt extrordinaire, found himself hanging upside down by his ankles. And nobody wanted to see that after he'd gone to bed.

"Merlin, Sirius! Put some clothes on!"

Remus was split as to whether to take the spell off in order to have him put something on, or to just leave him there. He looked at his girlfriend. She was grinning. "As amusing as this all is, perhaps we'd better pay attention to James."

Leaving Sirius hanging in the air with a silencing charm, Remus found a still silent James glaring at Sirius and, apparently, attempting to do nonverbal spells. Or, to be more specific, nonverbal lethal curses.

He sighed and took the silencing charm off James. "You're so depressed that drinking doesn't help, you can't do nonverbal spells, and are trying to kill Sirius? I know, it's something we all want to do from time to time, but none of us ever really act upon it."

James sank down onto the sleeping bags. He rubbed his eyes, exhausted. "I love her so much.. To think it was all a lie..."

Violet sat down beside him. "James, it wasn't a lie. If it were, Lily wouldn't have wanted to cancel that bet. I think she's always liked you, and only realized it when Rose bet her to go out with you. You should be thankful for that bet."

James snuggled into the sleeping bags, not giving any sign that he had heard her. After a while it was apparent that he had fallen into a deep, if not peaceful, sleep.

Remus looked up at Sirius, who looked ready to kill. Not wanting to become his prey, Remus decided to bind him before letting him down. Sirius continued to glare at him with an almost childish fury. Remus was extremely amused.

"Maybe I'll let you go in the morning, Padfoot."

Meanwhile, Lily was having a lot of trouble sleeping.

The lights in her dorm flickered and went out just as James burst into her dorm on a broomstick almost in tears. "I loved you, Lily! how could you do this to me!"

"James, I never meant to! I.. I love..." But she couldn't quite make the words come out.

Suddenly James' entire body began to shake and change. He grew taller, and unnaturally thin. His glasses transformed into red cat eyes that gleamed maliciously as his nose became two slits. His broomstick became a wand that he was pointing at her, and he let out a high, cold laugh...

She sat up in bed, panting. She looked out her window to the almost-full moon. She knew she had to talk to James and tell him the truth, regardless of what the consequences might be.

Though of course, that didn't mean that she wanted to do it.

She decided to wait until morning, then procrastinate as long as possible.

"Oh, screw it..."

She threw on her cloak and headed down the girls' stairs. After surveying the Common Room for signs of James and finding none, she made sure nobody was watching her, climbed the stairs to the "Marauder's Dorm", and knocked hesitantly.

Remus answered. "Yes, Lily? I'm afraid your friend got your lovely boyfriend seriously drunk. He's asleep now, but he'll have one hell of a hangover in the morning."

She sighed. "I need to talk to him. Can I come in?"

Remus chuckled. "Just... Don't look on Sirius's bed. Deal?"

Lily was intrigued. "Deal."

As soon as she entered she looked at Sirius's bed. He was still bound and under the influence of the Silencing Charm, but he was obviously trying to mouth "LILY! HELP ME!"

She doubled over laughing. It was almost enough to make her forget about James- seeing Sirius, clad only in boxers, bound and gagged on his bed. She smirked. "Cheating on your girlfriend with her in the room, Remus?"

Remus turned brighter red than Lily had thought humanly possible. His jaw opened and closed several times before he was able to squeak out, "Me... Sirius... ? Violet...?"

This, of course, only served to make Lily laugh harder.

Remus composed himself. "Lily, you're only here at my invitation, and if you imply again that my and Sirius have... ugh... You're gone. And I'll modify James' memory to make him think you've broken up with him."

"Little harsh, but I get the point. Anyway..." She looked around and saw James lying on the floor unhappily. She flicked her wand and put James onto his bed before sitting down next to him. She raised her wand again, closing the curtains around his four-poster. "Ennervate." Then, on second thought, she pointed at the curtains again. "Silencio."

It took James that second to stir. "...Lily?"

She smiled at him. He looked so innocent asleep. "Yes, James?"

"Why?"

She sighed. "I was being stupid. Rose offered a bet, I could always use a few extra galleons, so I took it. I'm sorry. I... I love you, James Potter. I could never do anything to hurt you."

He sat up slowly and pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her softly. "I love you too, Lily Evans."

They sat there together for a long time, James stroking Lily's hair, until Lily fell asleep, head on his shoulder. He put her down gently, then laid down beside her. Her voice echoed in his head. I love you...

A/N: Ah, and another one. Cute, no? keep reviews coming and I'll have more of a reason to update!