Thanks so much to messyblackhair66, Sophia, marauderbabe289, Super Cara, xo-MidnightSun-ox, szabatca2, Michela.77 and Lilyluvr for reviewing! You've broken your record with 8 reviews for the last chapter so thanks heaps! I absolutely loved reading all the long reviews from last chapter, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far so another thank you for the comments and praises in your reviews! I appreciate them so much :-)

I have also re-written some of the last chapter thanks to messyblackhair66's review so you may like to read it again. Full author's note in last chapter.

In reply to Super Cara's question for anyone else interested, I have tried to avoid the cliché of Lily's friends pairing up with the marauders as much as possible. I have no intentions for Clara to get together with Remus or Sirius and as for Marly, I do have plans for her love life, but they also may change. It may involve the other marauders, but she will not 'pair up' as such with either.

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Ch 18: All Revealed

"I don't want to wake up!" Lily groaned burying her face into her pillow as the bright sunlight filtered through the room. The night had been a long one, and in Lily's opinion, four hours of sleep was far from enough.

Shuffling and more groans could be heard beside her as the others were also dragged out of a peaceful slumber. With a sigh, Clara dragged herself from her comfortable bed and made a mad dash towards the shower.

With a groan, Lily pulled her blanket over her head and proceeded to go back to sleep.

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As she took a seat in the great hall for breakfast, the hall erupted into excited whispers. Looking up in dismay, Lily noticed groups of students all pointing and whispering at her. Her fellow Gryffindors were all grinning knowingly at her and Lily couldn't for the life of her figure out what was going on.

"Marly, do I have a booger sticking out of my nose or something because the whole hall seems to be staring at me?" Lily said anxiously to her friend beside her.

"Of course you don't, I would have told you otherwise." Marly replied as she piled pancakes onto her plate. "They're all whispering about –" Marly broke off as a Ravenclaw boy tapped Lily on the shoulder.

"Are you going out with James Potter?" He asked bluntly as his friends peered over interestedly.

"Umm, yes." Lily mumbled, trying to hide her flaming cheeks. How did the whole school know? They hadn't even been dating for twelve hours yet!

"Congrats mate!" The boy said, slapping James' shoulder as he approached the table followed by the rest of the Marauders. "Knew it would happen one day."

The boy retreated back to his friends as James shot Lily a sheepish look.

"James, how does the whole school know?" Lily stage whispered as he took a seat next to her.

"I don't know," Remus said with a wry smile as James busied himself with the butter. "But it may have something to do with James jumping on the table earlier this morning and shouting 'I'm going out with Lily Evans!'" He paused to look at James who was looking interestedly up at the ceiling and trying not to look too pleased with himself. "Or maybe it was yesterday's event in the common room." Lily blushed deeper and James grinned, if possible, even wider.

"James?" Lily looked questionably at him, asking for confirmation.

"I'm sorry Lil." James finally looked at her. "I didn't mean to, I really did have every intention of just keeping it to ourselves, it just kind of…slipped out." He gave her a winning smile and Lily felt herself melt.

"It's ok James. Just, maybe try not to have anymore announcements to the whole school." Lily smiled at him before returning to her pancakes.

"By the way Prongs, you owe me 10 galleons." Sirius said gruffly from across the table. James and Sirius had barely spoken since their argument. Sirius still had a hostile look on his face and James glared at him.

"What are you talking about? No I don't." James snapped. Remus shot Sirius a warning look which he chose to ignore. A few of the people around them looked up from their food, watching the mounting tension between the two boys.

"Yes you do. It's been more than the two months in which you had to make Eva–" Suddenly faking a dramatic coughing fit, James attempted to drown out the rest of Sirius' words and shot an anxious look at Lily. He'd completely forgotten about the bet he'd made with Sirius nearly three months ago.

"Are you okay James?" She asked concernedly but her face held signs of suspicion. She wasn't stupid and it didn't take a genius to figure out that something was up. Something that James didn't want her to know.

"Yeah. Look, I've…um…forgotten something so I'll see you in potions ok?" Without waiting for an answer, James took off, miraculously recovered from his coughing.

"Is it just me, or is he hiding something?" Lily turned to Marly who was still eating her breakfast.

"I didn't notice anything." Marly lied unconvincingly without looking at her. Now more suspicious than before, Lily looked over at Sirius who was glaring moodily at his plate.

"Ah, Sirius?" Lily asked tentatively.

"What, Evans?" Sirius said bad-temperedly, looking up with a scowl.

"Sorry." Lily said, looking taken aback. "I was just wondering what that was all about with James. And what's it got to do with me?" Lily continued hesitantly, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"None of your business Evans. Why don't you ask your boyfriend if you're so interested?" Lily was shocked at the hostility in his voice.

"Right. Sorry." Lily said quietly trying not to take his nastiness to heart. He's just being that way because he's still fighting with James, she told herself.

Minutes later, Lily and Marly were heading off to their first lessons. Still mulling over the morning's interesting events, Lily was more confused and more curious than ever. I'll just talk to James, Lily decided eventually, and we'll sort out the whole thing.

---

Looking back, Lily realised that that was much easier said than done. What she hadn't been counting on was James avoiding her. He wouldn't look her in the eye and was forced-cheery every time he talked to her. Whenever she tried to bring up that morning's events he would immediately start another coughing fit or mysteriously need to run off to get something he had 'forgot'.

Sirius on the other hand was in a sulk for the rest of the day. He and James took it in turns to glare nastily at each other throughout the day. Remus and Peter avoided them both claiming that 'they needed to sort it out themselves'.

"What did you go and tell her for?" James rounded on Sirius during one of their free lessons later that afternoon.

"I didn't tell her anything."

"Yes you did." James insisted angrily. "You purposely mentioned it in front of her."

"So what?" Sirius shrugged nonchalantly. "Why can't she know?"

"Are you mad? She'll kill me when she finds out, thanks to you. Are you trying to make her break up with me?

Sirius shrugged again, only increasing James' anger.

"You're a jerk, you know that? I haven't done anything to you and here you are trying to sabotage my relationship and being a moody git the rest of the time!" James exclaimed heatedly.

"Yea?" Sirius fired back. "You call ditching your friends for some girl who isn't even worth your time nothing do you?"

"Don't you dare insult Lily." James threatened angrily. "I don't know what your problem is but just leave me alone."

"My pleasure." Sirius shot back nastily before retreating out the common room and slamming the portrait behind him to shrieks, insults and protests from the Fat Lady.

So all in all, the day had not been a pleasant one for anyone involved. Sirius was in a foul mood, James was angry at Sirius and nervous as hell for when he had to face Lily, Lily herself was burning with curiosity and suspicion and Marly was doing her best to keep the peace.

---

Later that evening, Lily and James were doing their usual late night patrols of the school. They walked in silence, James apprehensive and Lily waiting for the right moment to bring up the events of the morning.

This isn't how I imagined our first evening of patrols as a couple, James thought sadly. His version of events had featured him and Lily making out in an empty corridor for the most part of the evening. That however wasn't looking likely at the moment.

"Err, James?" Lily asked hesitantly after they had been walking in silence for over an hour.

"Wow, would you look at that wall over there." James said pointing across the corridor. "It's so…er…grey." He added, feeling stupid as he said. He truly was terrible at distracting people.

"James, don't try and change the subject." Lily said sternly. "That is the worst line of distraction I've ever heard." She added with a small smile.

James looked down at the floor.

"What was Sirius saying this morning that had something to do with me?" Lily asked super sweetly.

"Err…." James trailed off, looking at her hopefully.

"James, just tell me." Lily said putting on her best I-won't-get-mad-just-tell-me-the-truth voice.

"It was nothing really." James said airily, with a casual wave of his hand to try and ease some of his nervousness. However, it only served to make him look like he was doing a feeble imitation of a chicken.

Lily continued to look at him expectantly and James' cool-exterior faltered slightly. "It was just a stupid thing about a thing." James attempted feebly.

"A thing about a thing?" Lily asked sceptically. "Very descriptive James."

James swallowed. "Do you promise you won't get mad?" James asked hopefully.

"Just tell me James." Lily attempted another super sweet smile. She was starting to wonder if she really wanted to know.

"Well, ok." James wiped his hands nervously on his pants. "I promise it's not as bad as it sounds." James tried. Lily looked as if it was taking all her effort to keep smiling encouragingly at him. He was long past procrastinating and Lily's patience seemed to be waning.

"Well, Sirius and I made a kind of a bet, I guess." James looked around the corridor for some sort of distraction but nothing came to his rescue so he had no choice but to plunge on. "To do with you."

"A bet? To do with me?" Lily asked. She was looking apprehensive now.

James licked his lips nervously before continuing. "In November, I bet Sirius ten galleons that I could get you to go out with me in two months." James blurted. Lily looked stunned.

"You made a bet with Sirius that you could convince me to go out with you?" Lily asked in amazement. James nodded anxiously.

Lily stared at him in disbelief for a few minutes. With each passing second, James grew more and more uneasy. Her expression was slowly changing from shock to anger.

"Lily?" James said in a small voice. "Are you going to say something?"

Suddenly Lily found her voice and James dearly wished she hadn't. "Is that all I am to you? A bet, a stupid goddamn bet?" Her voice was slowly rising in both volume and pitch.

"No, Lily –" James tried desperately but Lily ignored him.

"I can't believe you." Lily continued. "I thought you'd changed James but now I know your just the same arrogant jerk you always were." Her voice was choked with tears now and James was desperately trying to explain himself but to no avail.

"You made me believe that you actually cared about me, hell, that you even loved me. I was the idiot who believed you. But it was nothing more than meaningless dribble to try and win a bet." Tears were rolling down her cheeks now and she felt as if her heart was breaking.

"Lily, I meant everything I said. I do love you." James made to take her hand but she wrenched it out of his grasp.

"I hate you James Potter. Just stay the hell away from me!" Lily yelled as she walked quickly down the corridor away from him. Her head was reeling. How could he do this?

"Lily, please! Let me explain." James begged, racing after her.

"I don't want your pitiful excuses." Lily cried. "You know what James? Not only did you lose your bet, but you just lost me as well."

"Don't do this Lily." James said pleadingly.

"JUST STAY OUT OF MY LIFE POTTER!" Lily yelled as she ran, sobbing down the corridor. James watched in horror as she tore away from him. They hadn't even lasted a day.

James knew there was no use chasing after her. She was too upset, too angry, all because of him. James cursed himself over and over. How could he be so stupid? He never should have agreed to the bet in the first place.

Then he remembered Sirius. This was all his fault! He was the one who told her, he was the one to blame. James was filled with a fresh wave of anger, not at himself this time, but at Sirius. His former best mate. He was going to make him pay.

---

The atmosphere of the seventh year boys' dormitory had never been so tense. James and Sirius were now officially at war as of that night. James had been positively fuming when he had entered the dormitory some time before midnight. After yelling abuse and curses at a sullen Sirius, James had retreated behind his curtains where he spent the rest of the evening in despair over losing Lily barely a day after they had started going out.

Not that he would ever admit it, but Sirius felt slightly guilty for ruining James' relationship. But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to shove his pride out the window and apologise. While sympathetic about James' loss, Remus was annoyed at both of them for 'acting like a pair of four year olds'.

In his opinion, James was an idiot to ever bet on Lily in the first place and Sirius was a spiteful, immature git to have purposefully mentioned it in front of Lily. And there was no denying that Sirius had mentioned intentionally. Truth be told, he only did it to piss of James (which he more than succeeded in doing) and never expected him and Lily to break up over it.

Peter just stayed out of the way in fear of having a shoe thrown at him in a tantrum from either James or Sirius. Mostly, he followed Remus around and fretted about whether James and Sirius would ever make up.

"Of course they will." Remus explained with increasing exasperation each time Peter brought it up. "They'll get over it eventually when one of them grows a backbone and has the decency to apologise."

---

The next morning, James woke up with new hope. He was going to win Lily back if it was the last thing he did. Even if she didn't want to listen to him, he would make her listen. One thing he knew for sure was that he wasn't going to lose her that easily. He wasn't going to give up.

James kept watch for Lily all day but she seemed to be avoiding him as much as possible. She wasn't at breakfast, nor did he see her in the common room. He was starting to worry that she might be sick when he caught a glimpse of her down one of the corridors between lessons two and three.

Her bright hair was noticeable amongst the group of other students and James made a quick dash through the crowd to reach her.

Grabbing her hand before she could even notice his presence, James dragged her all the way to an empty corridor, not caring if he was late for potions.

"James, get off me." Lily said angrily as they reached their destination. She struggled under his grip but he held on.

"Lily, you have to let me explain." James said defiantly as he watched her glare at him.

"I don't want to hear it." Lily said with as much confidence as she could muster. In all honesty, she wanted James to explain himself. She wanted him to have an excuse. She wanted to be able to forgive him. She wasn't ready to lose him yet.

"I don't care. I love you Lily. No bet or anything will change that." He looked so sincere and Lily stopped struggling against his grip and listened. "The bet with Sirius was stupid, but it meant nothing. Even if I had won, the prize wouldn't have been the money, it would have been you."

"I'm sorry Lily. I never meant to hurt you." James asked softly, looking deeply into her sparkling eyes.

"I'm sorry too." Lily whispered back. She didn't trust her voice enough to speak any louder. "Yesterday, I was angry and hurt. But then I realised, I wasn't ready to lose you yet."

"So you can forgive me?" James asked, his voice rising hopefully.

Lily smiled. "That depends. You have to make it up to me first." James' eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully. "And you could start by asking me to Hogsmeade next weekend."

James' face broke into a grin. "Lily Evans, would you do me the honour of your company to Hogsmeade next weekend?"

"Why James, I thought you'd never ask." Lily smiled happily back at him.

And slowly, James leaned down and kissed her softly. All of Lily's worries seemed to fly away as she leaned against the wall, James' body pressed tightly against hers. Without thinking, her arms reached up and she ran her fingers through his messy black hair. She didn't care if she missed her whole damn potions lesson. Oh well, alright, she did, but that didn't stop her from kissing James fiercely back.

I hope we can make up this way every time, James thought happily. His heart was so full it seemed like nothing in the world could go wrong.

"POTTER! EVANS! WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU ARE YOU DOING?"

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Next chapter will be the date! Hmm, I wonder how it goes…