Ch 3: Halloween

James tried hard to make Lily notice that he had changed but she ignored and avoided him as much as she ever had. Luckily for James, he did get to spend some time alone with her when they had to do their Head Boy and Girl duties. In a desperate attempt, James even tried to show some initiative.

"Lily." James said to her one afternoon, "I think we should organise something for Halloween. What do you reckon?"

"Whatever." Lily replied coolly. She didn't have the time or the energy to deal with James.

James ignored her lack of interest and carried on, "I think it would be fun if we organised something a little bit different. We could still have the usual giant pumpkins and live bats to decorate the Great Hall but we could also add something of our own. And we could have a competition for the best Halloween costume?"

"Look, it's great that your actually trying to do something constructive for the first time in you life but if you think you can just sprout off ideas and expect me to do all the work you've got another think coming." Lily said wearily.

"Ouch. Who said I wouldn't do anything?"

"Fine." Lily snapped, "If you can prove that you will actually do something then we can plan something. Otherwise, we can do the same old thing that they do every year."

---

Lily and James worked hard over the next few weeks to plan the upcoming Halloween. After they had all their ideas and plans, which Professor Dumbledore approved, they had to organise everything. Lily had to admit that she was surprised at how much effort and time James did put into it. He almost seemed like he had matured a bit which startled Lily the most.

"So, we have pumpkins, bats, skeletons, vampires, zombies, spiders, magic mirrors and a haunted forest. Anything else?" Lily asked James, after a long night of organising the last bits and pieces for Halloween.

"Nup, sounds good to me."

"Well," Lily said excitedly, "I was also thinking we could have a full moon and werewolves. They're very Halloweeny and add to the creepiness and scariness."

James' face tightened as she spoke. Oh dear. Remus would not be impressed with something like that. He got depressed enough about his 'furry little problem' as it was without a display of 'evil' werewolves at a Halloween party.

"No!" James said firmly. He hadn't intended the anger in his voice and Lily looked shocked.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just don't think it's a good idea. Werewolves aren't bad or evil and it's too late to add anything else. Halloween is only a week away." James looked uncomfortable and Lily watched him curiously. She wasn't stupid, far from it actually, she was the best witch in the year, and she knew there was more to it than James was letting on. However, she didn't press the issue and decided to try and work it out later when she didn't have so much work.

---

After all the weeks of planning and organising, Halloween had finally arrived. The Great Hall looked spectacular and all their hard work had payed off. The usual giant pumpkins had been carved and lit with candles. Live bats flew around the room and giant spiders webs made up of tiny lights hung on the walls. At the far end of the Great Hall was a haunted forest. A narrow path led through the enchanted forest (which would probably later turn into a prime make out spot) and crows hovered over the trees. A band of vampires and zombies played music while skeletons dressed as butlers stood around groups of tables, serving food and beverages. Last but not least, enchanted mirrors hung around the room, offering anyone who looked into them a fright.

Lily had invited her friends up into the Head's common room and bathroom. Located on the fifth floor, James so rarely came up there that Lily almost forgot that the space wasn't only hers. Tonight Lily, Marly, Natalie and Clara were all getting ready for the Halloween party. The spacious bathroom had plenty of room for all four girls to do their hair and makeup. Each girl had purchased their costumes the previous weekend at Hogsmeade. Deciding to go for something simple, Lily went as a fairy. It was something she had always loved to dress up as as a child and made her smile. She had spent so much time planning the night that she really couldn't be bothered putting too much effort into her costume. Besides, it wasn't like she could win best dressed anyway since her and James were the judges.

Clara dressed as a devil, wearing a short and rather revealing red dress, sparkly red stilettos, devil horns and a tail. Clara definitely wasn't the conservative type. Natalie, always the tomboy, refused to go in anything remotely girly. Instead she had a laugh, wrapped herself up in bandages and went as a mummy. Marly, deciding to use her extensive, fashionable wardrobe went as a pixie dressed in an electric blue dress and heels that set off her eyes.

While Natalie bandaged herself up from head to toe, the other three girls put on their costumes and make up. Normally, Lily loved getting dressed up, she especially loved anything that made her look older, but tonight she really didn't have the energy. Unfortunately, her friends would not allow her to go underdressed so they made her up themselves with some small protests from Lily.

All four girls entered the Great Hall to find most of the school already in there. The place looked fantastic and Lily glowed with pleasure.

"Wow, Lils, it looks amazing!" Marly exclaimed.

Blushing slightly, Lily made her way up to the front of the Great Hall where James and Dumbledore already stood.

James' jaw dropped when he saw her. She looked nothing like her normal conservative, shy self. Marly had definitely done a great job of picking out her outfit and doing her make up. Lily loved getting dressed up and was remarkably girly. However, unlike Marly, she didn't have the confidence to pull it off so she rarely did. Tonight Marly hadn't taken no for an answer and ignored Lily's protests against her choice of make up and costume. Her green dress fell just above her knees with a handkerchief bottom. The dress was low enough to show a small amount of cleavage but not enough to look slutty. She had large green wings and gold stilettos which she could barely walk in but which Marly insisted on her wearing (Lily was quite short). Lily's thick wavy hair was left down and fell halfway down her back. Marly had only applied enough make up to enhance her features (the tiniest bit of mascara and eyeliner set off her amazing green eyes) but still look natural.

"Good evening everyone." Dumbledore called to the mass of students. "Happy Halloween. Before anything else tonight, I would like to thank our Head Boy and Girl, Lily Evans and James Potter, for working tirelessly in organising this for you all."

The students all applauded loudly, except for the Slytherins. Lily blushed slightly at having so many eyes on her. James just looked at everyone smugly in his pirate costume.

"The winners of the best costume will be chosen by the Head Boy and Girl and will be announced at midnight. Now, let the celebrations begin."

Lily was just about to head over to where Marly, Clara and Natalie were standing when she felt a warm hand grab her arm. Turning around she saw James looking at her curiously. James, along with the rest of the school, had never seen her in anything more revealing than her school robes but from his gaze she could tell he approved of her outfit. Lily blushed again and looked down at her feet.

"You look amazing Lily." James said earnestly his eyes trying to meet hers. Lily felt unsettled by his gaze and the seriousness of his voice. In all the years she had known him, she had never heard his voice free of sarcasm or teasing.

"Umm, thanks." Lily said quietly, still blushing furiously. "So, I think we did a pretty good job of tonight, don't you think?" She asked trying to lighten the mood. He was still looking at her in that unsettling way.

"Anyway, I have to go. Marly is probably looking for me." She said in a rush trying to escape. In actual truth Marly was dancing with a handsome Ravenclaw 7th year. James tried to say something but Lily walked away before he could.

---

By quarter to twelve Lily was exhausted and desperately wanted to go up to bed. She was also a little sad. Marly and Clara had been asked to dance by just about every guy from 4th year up. Even Natalie had been asked by a few guys while no one had asked Lily. Well, that wasn't strictly true. No one who Lily might have actually considered dancing with had asked. James had managed to regain his teasing manner and had asked her at least six times and she had refused every time.

Mostly Lily had spent the night watching people and enjoying the frequent screams as people came across the many surprises her and James had planned. Using her talent for charms, Lily had even set up certain spots around the room where people would experience unearthly chills or hear mysterious voices.

Rather a lot of the night had also been spent watching Sirius who seemed far more interested in the table of Halloween lollies and food than the swarm of giggling girls that followed him. Eventually, after eating his way through half of the food, Sirius retreated into the enchanted forest, accompanied by a beaming girl who had left her sobbing friends behind.

Lily had to admit she was surprised that the Marauders hadn't spiked the punch with firewhisky or something. Maybe James really was changing. Highly doubtful but still possible. It had to happen one day. Or not.

As the clock chimed midnight, the entire Great Hall including Lily got a huge surprise and fright. Monstrous, hairy black spiders crawled from the walls scuttling through the crowd of screaming people. The only people not screaming were the four Marauders although Peter did look a little green. Sirius, James and Remus all burst out laughing and gave each other a high five.

Lily let out the loudest scream yet. The piercing sound reverberated off the walls as she fled from the room. She didn't care about the competition. She would leave James to deal with that.

Lily was terrified of spiders and had been since she was a little girl. Not even her parents had quite understood the extent of her fear. They just laughed and told her she was being silly, the tiny little spider was more scared of her than she was of it. No matter how hard she tried to explain, no one except Marly (who had a similar fear of cockroaches) had ever understood.

Lily's terrified scream wiped the self-congratulatory smirk of James' face. What had he done?

Standing outside the Great Hall, James found Lily leaning her head against the cold wall.

"Lily?" he asked quietly.

Lily turned around to see who was speaking to her. Her face was ghostly white and she looked sick.

"Leave me alone, Potter."

"I only came to see how you were after your screaming fit in there." Lily's fear had left her now that the spiders were gone and her anger materialised with great force.

"Screaming fit, huh, Potter?" Lily spat, "If you hadn't set up another one of your stupid, brainless pranks I wouldn't be out here and you wouldn't have felt the need to check on me. Are you happy now that you've found my weakness? Have a good laugh and go back and tell all your stupid friends that Evans is scared of spiders. Maybe you can pull another inane prank and I might even faint next time, if your lucky. You are never going to change!"

Lily could feel the anger bubbling inside her and she couldn't control it. She wanted to scream and shout and yell at James until she was hoarse. Not only had he humiliated her in front of the whole school and shown them her biggest weakness but he then had the nerve to feel sorry for her after HE HAD CAUSED IT!

"I have changed!" James said indignantly. Lily laughed but with no real humour.

"Just leave me alone, Potter. Go back to your friends and go and plan your next ridiculous prank!"

James was shocked at her outburst but left her alone. She got scary when she was that angry. She looked like she was about to punch him. Could he ever do anything right? He was very quickly running out of chances.