Disclaimer: Everything you recognise from the Harry Potter books belongs to JKR. The text extract from the beginning of this chapter is partially taken from Amy Z's essay 'Spells & Charms: The Nature of Magic' which can be found on the Harry Potter Lexicon, although I have changed it here and there to suit my purposes (go take a look, I recommend it!). The rest is mine, and I shall claim it, as is my right.
A/N: I don't like big A/Ns at the beginning, but bear with me because you need to know this. During the Full Moon incident, the boys are all transformed, and just to differentiate between them and their human forms, their animagi forms will be referred to by their nicknames. Finally, and just to clarify, I looked it up, because I didn't know, and apparently stags only grunt, where as does can grunt, bleat and blat (which sounds rather obscure) so my terminology for noises made by deer is accurate, no matter how weird it sounds!! Sorry for the interruption, and read on! Enjoy!
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Chapter Nineteen: In which Lily goes Marauding and the Winter Ball arrives...
Words are just one ingredient of a spell, and as such there is only so much magic one can glean from words. An intangible and crucial element of most spells is intention, which can even make words unnecessary. Non-verbal spells are a convenient medium through which one can focus the intention of the spell, rather than the preciseness of its language.
"What are you reading?"
Lily startled and glanced up to find James leaning over the back of her lounge, smiling at her fondly.
"Oh, just revision," she murmured, setting the book aside and yawning. The fire was growing low in the grate, the flames casting flickering shadows across the Head's common room. James nodded, pushing himself back up into standing position. Suddenly, Lily noticed the cloak tucked under his arm.
"You going out?"
James nodded again. "Full moon," he explained softly.
Lily's eyes widened. James looked so calm, for someone that was setting off to spend a night with a werewolf. Although, really, he wasn't: he was going to spend a night with his friends, and it was as simple as that.
"Oh – be safe, then?" she murmured, standing up awkwardly. James leant across the lounge and kissed her cheek.
"Always, Lily. See you in the morning?"
Lily watched as he turned, checking his watch as he walked briskly out of the tower. It was Friday night, and in fact the night they had originally planned to hold the ball. Instead, James had had it pushed back to Saturday so that Remus would have some company. Sinking back down onto the lounge, she sighed. James had certainly proved to be full of surprises, and Lily couldn't help but feel the slightest bit guilty that she had been so cold to him for so long. She should have listened to Remus; but then, Lily conceded with a smile, if everyone listened to Remus the world would be perfect. She couldn't recall ever meeting someone who had such a knack for being right. And even so, she had misjudged him too. In fact, she had misjudged all of them… If only there was a way to make it up to them.
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James the stag (we shall call him Prongs) trotted out of the dark, earthy passageway and into the open, ducking beneath the knarled branches of the frozen Whomping Willow. Sweeping his impressive head around, he carefully checked for any movement before turning pack to the passageway and grunting gently. A cheerful bark responded, and moments later, a shaggy black dog came bounding out of the tunnel, closely followed by a ragged wolf, his coat streaked and mottled with grey and gold. A rat clung to the wolf's fur, riding with his head held high in pride. Prongs snorted and shook his head. Rats were so conceited…
As if able to read his thoughts, Wormtail turned to him, beady eyes accusing. Padfoot, ignoring this silent match of wills, snuffled softly and jerked his head eagerly toward the forest. The wolf grinned in reply, barring his sharply pointed teeth in anticipation. As one, the pack of Marauders set off toward the tumble of trees.
There was nothing Prongs enjoyed more than loping across the gently sloping grounds of Hogwarts, the full moon cast high in the night sky. They skirted around Hagrid's cottage, and made a fresh break for the cover of the trees, when much to the collective surprise of the stag, rat, dog and werewolf, a slender doe trotted out of the undergrowth to meet them.
Padfoot barked in amusement as Prongs immediately straightened, holding his head higher, a move that immediately transformed him into a very regal looking creature.
The doe, however, did not seem impressed. She approached them without fear, ducking her head in familiarity and bleating softly.
James shook his head, immediately aware of the effect the doe was having on him. He might have been a stag, but at that moment, his human mind unfurled, and he watched the doe with suspicion. One slip on the part of his animagus form, and Lily would never forgive him.
Prongs, on the other hand, didn't care very much about Lily. Prongs saw the fire-haired girl within James' mind's eye, and found this strange doe immediately more desirable. Unfortunately for Prongs, the doe seemed to be ignoring him. Instead she approached Moony, bowed her head, and butted his nose in a gesture of familiarity. The werewolf seemed to think for a moment, sniffing her carefully, before growling his approval.
Moony's consent changed things, and immediately Padfoot approached her, raising himself onto his hind legs to sniff her face suspiciously, too. Prongs watched jealously, and James laughed as the dog seemed to fall over in shock, until…
The doe finally turned her head toward Prongs. The creature's mind near-roared in approval, immediately wanting to claim her for his own. James gasped, unable to miss those distinctively coloured eyes. What other doe would have hazel eyes, picked with green…? It had to be, but at the same time, James couldn't make head nor tail of it. Lily?
They met half way, and she butted the side of his head playfully, as if confirming her identity. Pleased that he didn't even have to win her over, Prongs grunted softly, low and deep, in approval, and nuzzled her face.
Padfoot barked again, and James had the nasty feeling his beloved mate was being as loud and obnoxious as he possibly could. Prongs glared at him, lowering his antlers threateningly, only to have Lily butt him in the head once more, her eyes laughing. Padfoot licked Lily's face in gratification, and jerked his head suggestively toward the forest once more. Prongs grinned, a very un-stag-like thing to do, his lips spreading wide to reveal his square-ish teeth. Throwing back his head, Moony howled into the night, before setting off at a run for the trees.
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"Get up you lazy layabout, it's lunchtime!"
James groaned quietly to himself. Eyes still squeezed shut against what would inevitably be blinding midday light, his hand searched blindly across the top of his nightstand for the offending alarm clock. Having shut that up, James yawned widely, collapsing back onto his pillows with a crackle.
A crackle?Peeling open an eye, he stretched a hand suspiciously behind him, until it landed on a piece of paper. A piece of paper that was in fact, a green, mottled piece of parchment. A green, mottled piece of parchment that was in fact addressed to him.
How odd.
Frowning, James opened his other eye, and unfolded the note.
James grinned, lying back against his pillows as he read and re-read the note. Lily was one plucky girl, asking him to the ball like that. That took a lot of gumption – something that James knew Lily possessed in spades, as did any typical Gryffindor. Not, he figured, that Lily hadn't realised there wasn't much at all at stake, anyway.
Feeling sufficiently awake, James dragged back the drapes around his bed, swung his legs to the side of the bed, and cast his eyes around for a pair of pants. Spotting an elusive pair of trousers flung across a chair, he stood up, stretched, and made his way across the room to retrieve them. If he hurried, he might just make lunch…
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It was three' o'clock, and the Marauders were lazing about the Gryffindor common room, watching the last minute rush for dates, and general Ball hysteria, accelerate. At approximately half past two, all the girls had mysteriously vanished from the common room, which left a great surplus of male energy. Soon, the common room had descended into chaos, with an impromptu match of Gobstones resulting in the nasty smelling liquid landing on a game of exploding snap. The results had been mildly disastrous.
James reclined by the fire, watching the frantic efforts of a few fifth- and sixth- year boys attempting to put out the small blaze that had engulfed one of the study tables. As Head Boy, James knew he should have been obliged to put the fire out, as he could have done with a lazy wave of his wand, but this way was so much more exciting; not to mention, the common room could surely stand the loss of one study table.
"I wonder what they're doing up there?" Sirius asked after a time, gazing toward the Girl's Staircase as if it were the entrance to a mystical and very foreign world.
James, on the other hand, who had been into Lily's room enough times to know that she was a great deal tidier than he, felt that Lily was not so diametrically opposed to him as the age old wizard versus witch debate suggested. In fact, they really were quite similar. Lily liked to wash her hair every second day; James every day. Lily liked mint toothpaste; James liked mint toothpaste. Lily was inclined to leave the bathroom mirror fogged after her shower; James could commonly be seen to be leaving the bathroom itself in a puff of white steam. Really, James had discovered that he and Lily were quite similar, so it came as a bit of a surprise when Sirius, Remus and Peter reacted to shocked to his flippant, "Oh, normal stuff," comment.
"Normal?" Peter had yelped. "Is it normal to spend an entire day preparing for a party?"
"James, there are only so many times one can brush one's hair," Remus added reasonably.
"Is it normal to take three hours to put on your makeup?" Sirius asked.
James frowned, affronted, a hand sweeping his face defensively. "What makes you think I wear makeup?" he demanded.
"Honestly, Prongs," Peter laughed, shaking his head. "What person takes that much pride in their appearance? It just isn't natural."
"I don't know, Wormy," Sirius mused, now stroking his own jaw line thoughtfully. "You get out what you put in, if you know what I mean."
Remus scoffed. "Oh stop being vain, Sirius. James, it isn't normal for the girls to exile themselves away in the name of beauty, but really, so long as it doesn't happen too often, it isn't so bad, is it?"
Sirius was busy now eyeing his own staircase. "Moony," he asked carefully. "Would it be weird if I just went up and-"
"Yes, Padfoot, it would," Remus told him firmly. "No getting ready until at least five'o'clock."
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Being the considerate friend he was, Remus had exempted James from the 'no-preparation-until-five' rule on the grounds that Lily and James had to arrive early, and so were meeting each other at six. James had subsequently left the common room by four-thirty, and had made his way slowly through the school, nerves jumping about in his stomach as he thought about the night to come. He sincerely hoped that at the very least he wouldn't embarrass Lily on the dance floor, knowing full-well Sirius' tendency to send tripping spells into the dancers at random intervals. James' worrying carried him all the way across the school to the eastern corridor on the fourth floor, where the Carved Witch greeted him cheerfully.
"Ready for the big night?" she sung sweetly, her grainy smile dazzling in the dark wood.
"Just going to do that now," he told her. "Amortentia."
"From what I hear, it doesn't sound like you need that potion these days anyway!" she called cheekily as he entered and closed the door.
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James gulped.
Really, he thought as he paced the common room, what was so scary about walking Lily to the ball?
He had heard Lily's attempt to sneak into the Head's Tower about half an hour earlier, as he had been rattling around in the bathroom cabinets, searching for his particularly expensive Black Magick aftershave (Her night, magic; Your scent, unforgettable). Smiling as he listened to the muffled running up the stairs, James' rattling did not falter until he heard her bedroom door close. Now, some considerable time later, he had made a show of leaving his room and loudly closing the door, before clumping his way down the stairs in his shiny dragon-hide shoes. If that wasn't a hint, James didn't know what was, and yet, here he found himself, perched on the lounge, waiting for his Cinderella to alight from the stairwell.
The door to Lily's room opened, and in that instant, James knew exactly what was so intimidating about this small task, and exactly why she had made him wait for so long.
Lily looked absolutely gorgeous.
She disappeared from his view momentarily as she descended the stair, but all too quickly she appeared beside him on the heart-rug, smiling nervously.
"You look nice," she murmured, standing back to admire his black dress-robes before she leant up to peck his cheek. "And you smell wonderful."
James grinned, and caught her lips with his instead. "You look wonderful."
Lily blushed and her shy smile widened. "Thanks," she told him quietly, and accepted his arm. "Shall we?"
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Sirius Black hated balls. He sat with Peter, glowering at the dancing and occasionally, when struck by that peculiar feeling of malice, he would throw a tripping spell into the hub of dancing people. At least, he conceded, it wasn't Christmas yet. Christmas cheer was so over-rated. He was quite sure that had there been floating sprigs of mistletoe attacking random couples, it would have been more than he could bear.
Out in the middle of the dance floor, James and Lily were dancing, his arms wrapped around her waist, her hands toying with the hair at the nape of his neck. James held her emerald gaze with his own, so like chocolate that Lily wanted to melt into that look.
Earlier, Professor McGonagall had waltzed past them with Professor Dumbledore, just in time to catch James dipping his head for a kiss.
" Mr. Potter, Miss Evans!" she had barked. "No tongues!"
Lily had blushed a lovely shade of red, James had burst out laughing, and Dumbledore had considerately steered McGonagall away.
"Well, this surpassed all my expectations," James murmured, bending down once more to whisper the words into her ear. "Quick, is McGonagall looking?"
"No," Lily replied after a subtle glance around, in which time James stole a quick, chaste kiss. Lily grinned up at him, surprise in her eyes. "And did it really? This is just how I imagined it, actually."
James laughed easily. "Well you have a higher opinion of dancing than I do," he teased. "I'll tell you a secret – Mum used to make Sirius and I practice dancing-"
"Well, that's not so b-"
"- with each other."
Lily's mouth curved into a perfect little 'o' of surprise and amusement, and James tried valiantly to look ashamed, although he couldn't stop beaming.
"May I cut in?"
Lily and James turned, quite surprised, to find Emmeline standing beside them, smiling.
"How long have you been there?' James asked, surrendering Lily to her best friend.
Emmeline grinned. "Long enough to hear your little confession."
"If you tell anyone—"
"Empty threat," Emmeline teased. "Now go away, we have some girly gossip to catch up on!"
Pretending to grumble, James did as he was told, although he didn't terribly mind. As wonderful as dancing with Lily was, he could be fairly certain the boys were off pranking some unsuspecting couple, and he quite fancied joining in their fun.
Lily and Emmeline watched James' retreating back until they could no longer see him through the crowd.
"Well, someone seems disgustingly happy," Emmeline told her, a superior tone to her voice, as she slipped her hands around Lily's waist in an imitation of James.
Laughing, Lily placed her arms over Emmeline's shoulder, and they began to sway to the music, the odd pair in a sea of courting couples.
"Me or you?" Lily replied carelessly, rolling her eyes at the group of third year boys who were attempting to start a mosh pit.
"You, naturally. I am merely happy, and there is nothing disgusting about it."
Lily grinned. "Is this how you pictured seventh year?"
Emmeline shook her hair, her long blonde hair shimmering down her back. "No, definitely not. This is much better."
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James had scanned the room several times over before concluding his fellow Marauders had bailed on the Ball all together. That was until he overheard a rather hysterical second year girl being calmed by a circle of sympathetic friends, who were brushing snow out of her hair. Smiling slightly, James decided an investigation of the Entrance Hall was in order, to turf out the perpetrators. Unless of course, the perpetrators were the particular group of boys James suspected were behind this prank, in which case, he had every intention of joining them. He wandered casually out of the Great Hall to find, surely enough - thud – something cold and wet trickling down the side of his face.
Over near the stairs, his three friends broke into laughter. Sirius cuffed Wormtail over the head.
"Nice one, Wormy. Sorry Prongs."
Slicking the snow off his cheek, James moved up the marble staircase to sit beside Sirius. "What are you lot doing out here, anyway?"
Sirius blinked, reclining against a higher step. "Peter was getting depressed," he murmured, not meeting James' eyes. "Em and Fenwick were kissing on the dance floor."
James raised his eyebrows, not missing the significance of this event.
"Actually, Em's dancing with Lily at the moment – but that's not the point. What is Peter going to do about it?" he inquired quietly, so quietly that no one but Sirius was capable of hearing.
Sirius shrugged and plucked at his dress robes. "Absolutely nothing. She's happy: that's all that matters," he replied, equally as quiet.
The doors of the Great Hall opened again, and Sirius nonchalantly flicked a snowball toward the couple attempting to slip away unnoticed. They startled as the cool white power hit their fancy clothing, and scowled toward the stairs. Peter gave them a jaunty little wave.
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"May I have the next dance?"
Lily and Emmeline had given up their waltz, and instead had settled themselves on the comfy chairs that lined the dance floor, watching the rest of the school chat, flirt and generally embark on a bit of winter cheer.
Now, Lily smiled up at Benjy and gestured grandly with her hand. "Of course, she's all yours."
Emmeline grinned at her as she stood and allowed Benjy to guide her back out into the throng of dancers.
"Lily!" A voice exclaimed behind her, and Lily turned in her seat to find Art Scamander moving to stand beside her, watching the dance floor with a knowing smile. "And how does such a beautiful young lady come to find herself all alone at this time of night? Prince Charming hasn't abandoned you to the elves, has he?"
"I think you mean dwarves," Lily told him coolly, standing up. "And no, he hasn't. He's busy: Head's stuff. You wouldn't understand. Good night, Art."
Lily turned and walked away, making sure she put a considerable amount of distance between herself and her ex-boyfriend before she wrapped her arms around herself, feeling positively forlorn. Art was right: where was James? He'd probably gone off gallivanting with his friends, and forgotten all about her.
No, Lily told herself firmly, knowing that the latter was not true. Don't be silly.
Air. I need air, she decided, and without much further ado, she set off toward the doors.
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"Here comes another," Peter announced excitedly, watching the doors inch slowly open.
He exchanged an excited look with Remus, who was appearing increasingly tired of their little game. James caught sight of the distinctive dress-robes and wine-red hair, stopping Peter's attack only a moment soon enough. The four boys watched in silence as Lily hurried out of the Great Hall, arms wrapped around herself feebly, as if for comfort, and headed out the front doors. Flashing his friends an apologetic look, James stood and slowly made his way down the stairs, his athletic body showing every sign of restraint as he cautiously followed Lily out into the night.
Sirius watched James' broad back disappear into the night, frowning.
"And that's the last we ever saw of him," he sniffed, mockingly.
Remus frowned at his friend reproachfully. "Oh grow up, Sirius," he said. "I haven't seen either of them so happy in years. This might just be the real thing, so stop being so sour about it."
Sirius scowled. "She better be worth it," he grumbled, refusing to meet Remus' eyes.
If he had, Sirius would have seen them roll, a sign that even the great patience of Remus Lupin was wearing thin. "She is to James," Remus told him softly. "He loves her. He might not have said it, but I can see it in his eyes every time he looks at her. And we all know how long he's fancied her. Are you really going to deny him his happiness?"
"But we're his friends," Peter objected, attempting coming to Sirius' rescue.
Much to his surprise, Sirius himself swiftly cut him off.
"We're his brothers," he corrected curtly. "And that's much more important than-"
"Is it really?" Remus interrupted, that familiar knowing smile spread across his face. "We're his family, and James will always come back to his family, but he's allowed to fall in love too, isn't he?"
Sirius looked away, picking up his wand and maliciously flicking a snowball toward the Great Hall doors. Unfortunately for Sirius, Professor McGonagall chose that moment to step outside and get smacked in the face.
Spotting the three boys by the staircase almost immediately, and quickly singling Sirius out as the wand-bearer, McGonagall's eyebrows knit together.
"BLACK!"
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Lily hurried out into the cold night air, gasping as it hit her skin. She look slow, deep breaths as her heels crunched through the fine, powdery snow that radiated from the front of the castle, watching as her breath rose in small puffs of steam into the darkness.
Casting her gaze around the grounds, Lily paused, frowning. Down, away toward the forest, light was flickering across the snowy hillside as if a giant-bonfire was being held. Lily frowned. Not only was that not allowed, it was extremely dangerous; what if the forest caught on fire?
Immediately forgetting her lack of warm clothing and footwear, she set off across the snow, feet finding the stone-hewn path that wound down around the tumbling hills toward Hagrid's hut. As she rounded the old Seeing Stones, Lily gasped.
She hadn't been wrong about the fire; in fact, she'd been terribly, terribly right.
Seven cloaked figures stood before Hagrid's hut, laughing with glee as Hagrid's dog snarled at them, watching the big-boned man desperately trying to put out the fire raging in his rooftop.
Lily drew a sharp breath of indignation and hurried closer.
"Estingua!"
A great mound of snow lifted clean in the air and settled delicately on the rooftop. The cloaked figures turned, furious, to the Head Girl and were just ready to draw their wands when a hand clasped Lily on the shoulder.
"Fifty points from Slytherin," James told them furiously. "Get back inside, now, and don't think that Dumbledore won't hear of this!"
As one, the Slytherins, whom James estimated were no older than fourth year, shot Lily and James a very nasty look and fled.
James sighed, removed his hand, and turned to examine the damage. Steam was now rising from the rooftop in great billowing clouds, but the clouds were white, and it was clear the fire had been extinguished.
Lily, on the other hand, turned to Hagrid, who was standing watching his home with frustration.
"Ruddy kids," he grumbled. "All I was doin' was checkin' on Fang here, an' they ruddy followed me out an' attacked me!"
He turned to face Lily, shaking his head, and Lily gasped. "Hagrid, your face!"
Hagrid fingered the burn on his cheek and winced. "Well, what did yeh expect me ter do, leave Fang in there ter burn?" he asked.
Lily climbed the steps to the still smoldering house and beckoned him over. Gently, she examined the burn, before scooping up some snow and pressing it to the wound. Hagrid winced, but didn't move away.
"Thanks Lily," he mumbled quietly. "I've never felt so ruddy useless-"
"I think you should go and see Madam Pomfrey," James suggested suddenly, returned from his examination of the interior roof. "The hut doesn't look too damaged, surprisingly."
"Reinforcement spells," Hagrid winked proudly, before hastily adding, "Not that I did 'em myself, an' don't you go getting such ideas!"
James winked. "Of course not."
Hagrid sent Fang back inside, and with a sigh closed and locked his door.
"Thank you, you two. Haven't seen a better Head Boy and Girl for all my years here," he told them gruffly.
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Lily and James walked back up to the castle in silence, although once they were inside once more, James' hand appeared, from where it had been stuffed deep into the pocket of his dress robed, to clasp Lily's, entwining their fingers as they strolled toward the Head's Tower. So far as they could tell, the Ball was continuing in the Great Hall, although there was no sign of the Marauders.
James measured each step carefully, marveling over Lily's prompt reaction to the fire, and her practical knowledge on how to deal with Hagrid's burn. Most of all, though, James was stunned and impressed by the compassion and kindness that he had seen in her - not, a little voice reminded him, that he should have been surprised.
Not everyone was kind to Hagrid, a fact that James knew well, but it did seem natural for Lily to be just as caring with Hagrid as she was with anyone else. He watched Lily's hair, formerly twisted into a lovely up-do, now trailing down her back in graceful tumbles, and smiled. This was simply something extra to admire about his girl – and James felt he could cope with that.
Lily was mortified by James' silence. She supposed he wanted an explanation of her sudden disappearance from the ball – how else would he have found her, unless he had been looking for her? When they reached the Carved Witch, James murmured the password, and stood back to let her in. The fire was crackling merrily in the grate, as always, but Lily winced at the flames, put a hand to her forehead and chose instead to go up to bed. Frowning, James extinguished the flames and followed.
"Lily."
She turned, eyes expectant, as he spoke her name, but James merely smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
"You look beautiful tonight. Sweet dreams."
And with that parting remark, he nodded and disappeared into his own room.
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Lily rose early, her head pounding with what felt like a hangover to rival the morning she dumped Art. Gritting her teeth, she rolled out of bed, dressed quickly and managed to stumble down to breakfast in the vain hope that some food would set her right.
The Great Hall had been transformed back to it's usual magnificence, with the four house tables stretching along it's length, and the Hogwarts banner returned to its place above the teacher's table. Very few people were eating breakfast at this hour; in fact, Lily suspected that, being Sunday, most of the school would be sleeping in until lunchtime.
"Morning, Lily."
Lily glanced up, startled, to find Remus taking the seat opposite her. She had forgotten that it was only full moon a few days ago: indeed, in the anticipation for the Winter Ball, she had almost forgotten about her own personal adventure with the Marauders. Remus' face looked white and drawn: in short, the poor boy was exhausted.
"How are you feeling?" she asked gently.
He sighed wearily, and rested his head in his hands. "Terrible," he confessed. "Sirius had me on pepper-up potions all yesterday to have me all right for last night, but I can really feel it today."
Lily frowned. "Side effects?"
"Loads," Remus confirmed. "I had about five, though," he added as an afterthought.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Well that explains it."
Remus grinned guiltily, then suddenly leant forward. "Peter told me you came, too," he told her, voice lowered. "How did you like it?"
Lily blinked. "You – you can't remember?"
Remus shook his head sadly. "Nary a thing, milady. It doesn't work like that. When I'm a wolf – well, I'm all wolf. When the lads transform, though, they seem to keep themselves about them, if you know what I mean?"
Lily nodded quickly. "I do – I, er, transformed too."
Remus smiled. "I knew you had it in you. How did you like it?"
"Oh, very much, I-"
The doors to the Great Hall burst open, signaling the arrival of James and Sirius. Sirius was rubbing his head, exhausted, but James strode forward steadily, purpose in his eyes.
Reaching Lily's seat, he pulled her roughly into standing position, and kissed her.
He's kissing me, Lily's mind registered blankly. How odd. It's very early for kisses.
James pulled away, grinning.
"What was that for?" Lily demanded, stunned.
"For being the most amazing witch I've ever met." James' smile just broadened. "Remember I told you that I fancied you?"
Lily nodded dumbly, completely confused. James kissed her again. "I take it back."
"Oh?"
"Oh," James confirmed. "I lied. I don't just fancy you, Lily Evans, I love you."
Lily blinked again, a slow, cat-like smile spreading across her face.
"Is that so, James Potter?"
"It is," James confirmed.
"Good." Lily kissed him again. "Because I think I might just love you too."
She felt James smile against her lips.
"Are you quite finished?"
James and Lily sprung apart to find Professor McGonagall looking at them with raised eyebrows.
"Yes, Professor," Lily replied quickly.
McGonagall raised her brow even higher.
"Are you quite sure?"
James nodded empathetically, his eyes wide in his startled face. "Very sure, Miss – I mean, Professor."
McGonagall smiled, her own eyes twinkling. "Lovely. Then, perhaps," she suggested, turning and gesturing to the random groups of students who had all turned to watch, "perhaps the rest of the school can get on with their breakfasts now?"
James grinned, his hand finding Lily's and clasping it tight in reassurance, softening her stricken expression. "Certainly."
"Thank you, Mr. Potter. That's very considerate of you."
Sirius and Remus were sniggering into their cereal as Lily sunk back down into her seat, mortified.
James sat beside her, looking half inclined to laugh. "She certainly knows how to interrupt the perfect moment," he murmured lightly, helping himself to toast.
Remus grinned. "Did you see Scummy's face? He looked like he wanted to vomit."
Sirius rolled his eyes and grinned ruefully. "So do I. I tell you, Prongs, you certainly know how to ruin a person's appetite."
He proceeded to stuff his face with bacon and eggs, much to Lily's disgust.
"Oh, I think I'm going to be sick, too."
James glanced at her momentarily in concern, before returning his glare toward the Ravenclaw table, where Art Scamander was still seated, looking rather resentful.
"What's his problem?" he asked abruptly.
Lily followed his line of glance, and rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm happy, without him. Which is what I was trying to impress on his thick skull last night when he attempted to chat me up again."
"He what?" James repeated, voice dangerously low as he drew his wand.
Lily placed a gentle hand over his own, lowering it, as she pulled out her own.
"Allow me."
Even Sirius stopped eating to gaze in surprise at Lily.
"Appiccicoso."
James grinned, turning away again, as the telltale sound of impact carried across the Hall, signaling the collision between an unidentified green, gooey substance and the face of Artemis Scamander III. Instead, the Head Boy proffered his face for a kiss. Sirius flinched, distracting him momentarily.
"His mouth was open," was all that Sirius offered by way of explanation. Seeing James and Lily glance at him confused, Sirius gestured toward Art.
"Never mind," he told them cheerfully. "Do continue…"
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A/N: And so another chapter closes on Mischief Managed. Only one more (plus epilogue) to go! I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter and the story in general! Once this is all over, I might go back and smooth out a few things so that they flow better in general, if anyone has any suggestions on any required improvements I would be most glad to hear them (although, of course, I will stop short at changing the plot). Thanks so much, as always, for reading…
Lexie.