Change of Heart
By Tempest Break
Disclaimer: I always forget to do these... Um, anyway, Lily and The Marauders are not mine, nor is Hogwarts or any of the places or the teachers. The only things that are mine are the plot and any names or people you don't recognize.
Summary: James obviously likes Lily, but she hates his guts. This is the way it's been for six years. However, in their last year, James finally has a chance, as he and Lily are Head Boy and Girl, and share a tower all to themselves. While James rejoices, Lily would rather kill herself than spend more than a nanosecond with James, who, in her opinion, is a conceited jerk. James has nine months to reverse six years of hatred for him. Will Lily have a change of heart?
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Chapter Two: Moony's Information
Sirius spent the night that night, after convincing James's mother that nothing like the maple-syrup-and-feathers incident would happen again. He lay snoring in James's trundle bed.
It took James a while to drift off to sleep, which was unusual. He listened to Sirius's soft whistling for a while and thought of Lily Evans, the only girl he couldn't get.
It seemed that she liked any boy in the school better than him – even Snape, with whom she'd had some strange previous relationship James had never understood – even Remus, James's best friend! What's so much better about Moony than me, huh? James wondered. We're both Marauders...
But then he grinned, almost laughing. He couldn't wait until the school year began, when he would be Head Boy... He hadn't been so thrilled about the Head Boy thing; he had always resented the previous Head Students for trying to get him and the other Marauders in trouble. When he had received his letter, he had actually groaned in annoyance. But now! Now, with Evans as Head Girl, oh, what fun it would be!
Then James frowned again, though, remembering Sirius's words. "Couldn't Evans just request a room change?" Surely she wouldn't! Evans wasn't the kind of girl to cause trouble for Dumbledore or the other teachers... was she? James wasn't all that familiar with her – obviously, as she wouldn't let him become familiar. He knew she was the kind of girl to cause trouble for him, but she didn't seem like she would bother Dumbledore without an extremely good reason.
"I could ask Moony, our resident Evans expert," James muttered quietly. His mood immediately darkened. "How can she like him better than me?"
Sirius snorted and flipped over in the trundle bed, mumbling something about forbidden passions in the common room. James made a mental note to tease Sirius about his apparent penchant for writing witches' romance novels in his sleep.
Then his mind turned back to Lily. James bit his lip thoughtfully. "I'll ask Moony over. He'll come this time," he decided, and got up out of bed in the pitch black to write to Remus. He muttered, "Lumos," and, by the little light that his wand gave off, wrote:
Dear Moony,
Since you couldn't come over yesterday (It was Evans's birthday party, in case you forgot. I mean, not like you would forget. I certainly didn't forget.), I thought you'd want to come over today. I'm a little bored, so I thought it'd be cool to get as many of the Marauders together as possible. Speaking of the ol' gang, do you know if Wormtail could come? I guessed he's still practicing for the Apparition test, but have you heard at all from him? Anyway, run the idea by your mother, and see if you can come, okay?
Prongs
He read over it once more, and then woke up Icarus, who had already come back from his hours-long midnight hunt, proving that James definitely could not sleep. The eagle owl hooted wearily and shot him a resentful look, but he took the letter and sleepily flew off in the direction of Remus's house.
"Nox," James whispered to his wand, and the light extinguished. He set his wand on his bedside table and curled up under the covers. Finally, Sirius's gentle snoring and composing of his international bestseller lulled him to sleep.
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James awoke to a hard tapping at his window. He blinked blearily, fumbled around for his glasses, and, looking up, found that it was Icarus with a reply from Remus. He let his owl in and undid the envelope from his leg. Icarus hopped back into his cage and, with a happy hoot, fell asleep.
James opened the envelope and quickly skimmed the letter, which read:
Prongs,
I would love to come to your house. Mother says it's okay, so I'll be there around noon. I haven't heard from Wormtail, but I'm sure he's quite busy with his Apparition, or else he would have had time to owl at least one of us. We probably shouldn't bother him – wouldn't want another splinching fiasco like last time. I'm fairly certain he can't have children as it is.
Ever werewolfish,
Moony
Sirius was still sleeping, so, eager to return the rude awakening from the previous day, James shook him awake.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" demanded Sirius, who was always grumpy in the morning. "I was having a great dream about that Louiza Levene girl from Ravenclaw..."
"I know," James said. "You were narrating."
"Narrating?"
"Yes. In very romantic language, 'Monsieur Black'."
Sirius collapsed back down on his bed with a sigh. "Yeah, that was a great dream. Mademoiselle Levene sure knows her way around a boudoir."
James rolled his eyes. "Are girls all you ever think about, Padfoot?" he asked impatiently.
Sirius gave a look as if to say, "Now that I think about it... Yes."
"Well, anyway," James continued, "Moony's coming over around noon, so that'll be three of four Marauders. We could prank old Bathilda Bagshot, she lives just down the street..."
"A helpless old woman? Really, now. I think that's a bit much," said Sirius, but his eyes were shining with anticipation.
James grinned. "Oh, I should tell Mum that Moony's coming," he said.
"You sure she won't mind?"
"Oh, please," said James. "You were the one she needed convincing about. She loves Moony, doesn't know he's a werewolf, you know. Probably flip if she did, though"
"Yeah, her little Jamey-James might get hurt playing with a big, bad werewolf!" laughed Sirius.
James's face flushed. "How did you know she calls me – ?!"
"Oh, boy!" Sirius roared with laughter. "Remember in fourth year when our prank on Snape backfired and hit us in the face? Our skin was rotten for a week, and we were stuck in the Infirmary. Your mum came in once while you thought I was asleep, and she started cooing over you, calling you her darling Jamey-James. It was hilarious! I had to hide my laughter by coughing."
"And I thought your coughing fit was a side-effect of the curse," muttered James.
Sirius grinned widely. "More like a side-effect of a couple past their prime producing an only son." Suddenly a loud gurgle filled the room. Sirius patted his stomach and said: "Well, I think I'm about ready for some breakfast. Will your mum make French toast?"
"Just what is it with you and France, Padfoot?" James asked apprehensively.
"Je ne sais pas," Sirius replied with a smirk.
James rolled his eyes. "She probably will," he said. "She always does when you're here. Something about taming the savage beast."
"Brilliant," Sirius said, grinning. "Let's get to that kitchen table, then!"
Sirius was there even quicker than James, eagerly awaiting Clara Potter's serving of French toast. James's mother was not a tall woman, but not a short one either; thin, but not very. She had curly, gray-streaked, red-blond hair and hazel eyes, over which she wore glasses. She was not strikingly beautiful, but she made people feel special, and that was what James loved about her.
"Well, well, Mr. Black," she said jokingly. She tapped her chin with a large, wooden spoon. "How are you this fine day?"
"I'm quite well, Ma'am, and you?" asked Sirius, playing along.
"Good enough," answered Mrs. Potter with a smile. "Now, what would you like to eat, then? Maybe..."
"French toast!" Sirius and Mrs. Potter said in unison.
"What a surprise," said Mrs. Potter with a tolerant eye-roll. "Okay. I'll get it started. Good morning, James."
"G'morning, Mum," James greeted, throwing Sirius a look like, "What was that all about?" "Remus is coming over today, that okay?"
"Of course. Remus is a lovely boy," said Mrs. Potter, gathering the ingredients for her French toast. "What time?"
"Around noon," answered James, taking a seat beside Sirius. He flicked his wand, and dishes and a few forks, as well as a container of syrup, floated to the kitchen table and landed in front of him and Sirius.
At that moment, James's father walked in, adjusting the tie on his plain black robes. He swiftly kissed James's mother and smiled at James and Sirius. David Potter had the messy, black hair and Potter features, except that his eyes were startlingly blue while James had his mother's hazel ones. Mr. Potter also had no need for glasses, a result of his perfect vision. James was a little jealous – not having glasses would have helped to execute pranks.
"Late again, Dad?" asked James, smiling.
Mr. Potter nodded. "As usual," he said to James. "I'm so, so sorry to rush, but there's a new case in the Department of Mysteries, and there's a hearing happening at 10:30... and it's already 10:25. I've gotta run! Bye, dears... Oh, and Sirius, too!"
"See ya, Mr. Potter," called Sirius, as there was a loud BANG! and Mr. Potter was off to the Ministry of Magic, where he worked in the Department of New Spells and Charms, where imaginative witches and wizards devised new magical spells to help the wizarding world.
"Always late, that man..." muttered James's mother, but there was an affectionate smile on her face.
Sirius wolfed down four helpings of Mrs. Potter's French toast and would have eaten more if there were any. James only ate one piece and watched in amazement as Sirius guzzled straight syrup from the jug.
"How can you do that?" asked James in equal parts awe and disgust. "Just watching nauseates me."
Sirius tapped his lips with a napkin regally and said, "Secrets of the trade, Prongs."
Mrs. Potter returned from the laundry room at that moment and caught sight of Sirius's sticky face and the half-empty syrup jug. "Excuse me, Mr. Black," she said, "but it seems we're halfway to another syrup-and-feather incident, and I believe we have a verbal contract…"
"Sorry, Mrs. P.," Sirius apologized, wiping his face. "Won't happen again."
By then it was 11:30, and they had only thirty minutes before Remus's arrival. They changed from their pyjamas into their summer clothes, and Sirius borrowed James's old Comet 220 while James soared on his Nimbus 1000 out in his huge backyard. As James's father had loved Quidditch as a boy, there were Quidditch hoops, a Quaffle, Bludgers, and even a Golden Snitch, as well as equipment for any position you desired to play. James was the Captain and Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but he had trained as Keeper, Chaser, and Beater while he was young, so he was quite good at any position. Sirius played Keeper while James tried to score with the Quaffle, which was the easiest ball to take out, as it didn't move of its own accord, and if you lost it, you wouldn't have to fly all over looking for it again. Once James had been playing with the Snitch and had had to stay out until four in the morning looking for it.
Just as James scored another goal on Sirius, he heard the telltale BANG! of a wizard Apparating. "Moony's here!" shouted James, and he lowered himself to the ground.
A moment later, Remus Lupin stepped into the backyard. He was a little pale, as always, but by his standards he looked quite well. With his rather long, dull brown hair and milky blue eyes, Remus always had a gentle look to him. He was the least inclined to play tricks of the Marauders, and yet he was, more than anything else, the reason they were Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. James sometimes wondered whether, if Remus hadn't been there, the Marauders would have existed at all.
"Hey, Remus!" called Sirius, touching ground after retrieving the Quaffle James had just thrown.
"Hello, James, Sirius," answered Remus with a small smile. "It's nice to see you both again. It's been quite boring at the house with just me and Mother."
"I bet," said James. "Anyway, you wanna tell us what you've been up to this summer?"
Remus sighed softly. "Nothing much," he said. "I've read a few more books, though I know that you two don't approve of Marauders reading. You have to understand, it's the only thing to do in my house. Other than going to Lily Evans's birthday party and coming here, I've done nothing."
"Speaking of Evans," said James, pleased to be presented with an easy lead-in to what he really wanted to talk about, "why'd she invite you to the party, anyway? You're just as Marauder as the rest of us."
"Well, I suspect it's because we were Ancient Runes partners last year, and we got to know each other well then," Remus told James. "She's a very bright girl, you know. Quite pleasant."
James's mouth dropped open. "You were Ancient Runes partners with Evans?" he nearly shouted. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Well, it was at the time we found that troll in the Forbidden Forest, and I didn't think it was important enough to bring up," said Remus logically.
"Not important – ?! Moony, do you realize – ? Sirius and Peter and I – in the dark – "
Sirius cracked up. "Oh, come off it, Prongs. Remus was perfectly justified in not telling you. I'll bet you didn't tell just 'cause you knew he'd act like this, right, Moony?"
Remus gave a slight smile.
"See?" Sirius gestured demonstratively at Remus. "And don't bring me and Peter into this, James. We're not all the Lily-obsessed manic-depressives you are."
"I thought you were my friends! Fellow Marauders!" James said indignantly. "If you would keep something like this from me..."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "Calm the bloody hell down," he said. "It's only Evans, and while we know that you're completely whipped – "
"Whipped?" James said hoarsely. "You think I'm whipped? Evans? Oh, Padfoot, you are so wrong, my friend."
" – it doesn't give you the right to yell at us for withholding information," finished Sirius.
"Don't worry, James," said Remus. "Lily did mention your name to one of her friends."
James perked up. "Really? What'd she say?"
"I think she said, 'That prat James Potter sent me a gift. I can't believe it. Doesn't he have enough girls in his fan club?'"
James groaned. "Can I do no right?"
"She's right, though, Prongs," Sirius said. "The Fans of James David Potter Association does seem overflowing with randy losers in your pursuit. Not much room for a girl you're actually interested in."
James ignored Sirius's joke and went to toss the Quaffle and brooms in the Quidditch shed. "I just know she's gonna hex me from here to Timbuktu when we're Head Boy and Girl," he muttered.
"You're Head Boy?" asked Remus with surprise. "And Lily told me she's Head Girl… So you'll be sharing the Head Tower, won't you?"
"Yep," said James, smiling. "Twenty-four-hour opportunities to win Evans over."
"Don't worry, Prongs," said Sirius. "She'll fall for you, certainly!"
Remus nodded. "A wise wizard once said, 'Hate is not the opposite of love; it's indifference'."
Sirius jerked his thumb in Remus's direction. "By that standard, she oughta fall desperately, stalkerishly in love with you by week's end."
James smiled a little wider, feeling much better. His friends could always cheer him up – that's what the Marauders' creed was!
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Tempest: So, how was the second chapter? I liked the first a little better, but it'll get very interesting once they get to Hogwarts. I love the Marauders! Oh, and Gypsy Lupin-Blackyou're right, Wormtail was as much a Marauder at Hogwarts as the rest of them... I just can't like the guy, though! He put Sirius in Azkaban! But I'll keep in mind what you said. Maybe he'll change through the course of the year... Irish Rose;This isn't my first fanfiction, but it is my first HP one. Um, thanks to everyone else who reviewed! I'm happy with this story... WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DIE, SIRIUS??? WHY???
7-30-07: This chapter has been revamped! Hope you enjoy it more than before. The only non-canon information in this chapter is James's position as Seeker on the Quidditch team. Although it's canon in the movies, JKR said he was Chaser. I can't really change it, because it would be too difficult to alter the Quidditch scenes. I also added Mr. and Mrs. Potter's first names.