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'The List'
"I can't believe she kneed you in the crotch Moony!"
"What a bitch"
"She's not a bitch"
"Remus how can you defend her?"
"She was upset"
"Well better you than me I say ha-ha"
"That was harsh James"
"Yeah…sorry Remus"
"That's ok" The boys were in a carriage on the way to the castle. There was still room for 2 more but they kicked the other two boys out so they could discuss Marauder issues.
"She's mine this year, I can feel it, she wants me" James was so full of himself. Remus felt a trickle of jealousy spread through his body at the boy's confidence in himself.
"Ha-ha good one mate!" Sirius said slapping him on the back.
"I was being serious" James said through gritted teeth.
"Oh yeah…yeah right I knew that" Padfoot looked away out of the window. "Hey we're here"
The carriages stopped and the boys stumbled out of the doors.
"Home sweet home" Remus breathed in the sweet scent that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They followed their fellow pupils up the stairs and into the Great Hall. Sirius pushed over a couple of 5th years and when they attempted to push back he barked in their faces.
"Freak" One of them muttered.
"Oh no! Oh no, oh no, oh no!" James cried.
"What is it Prongs?"
"My contact popped out! I can't see!"
"Take the other one out and wear your glasses then"
"But I'll look like a geek!"
"Either way James you still look like a geek"
"Eff you Padfoot"
"Woof!" He laughed, pushing the boys shoulder as he rummaged in his pockets for his glasses. He placed them back on the ridge of his nose and could see clearly again.
Over the other side of the maddening crowd Lily Evans stood by her best friend Ellie.
"Gross Lily, what's that thing in your hair?"
"What?" She asked, lacing her fingers through her silky hair. She pulled out a small opaque object, a contact lens.
"That's disgusting" Lily grimaced, shaking it from her fingertips, "It must be Potters, no wonder he wasn't wearing those stupid glasses anymore"
"Prefects over here please!" McGonagall's voice boomed over the heads of the students. Lily pushed her way hurriedly through the crowds, Remus on her heel.
"Hey Lily"
"Oh Remus…Remus I'm so sorry I hurt you I-"
"It's ok, no need to apologise"
"Thank you" She said, taking his hand in hers.
"All gather round me please, yes, yes you too Prewitt. No McIntyre this isn't a Quidditch meeting. What on earth is that hideous creature you're holding Bennet? Oh it's your cat…prefects you will each be situated in different places on your house tables. 5th years will be nearest the doors, 6th years in the middle of the tables and 7th years at the end nearest the teachers table, does everyone understand? Good, I have 50 1st years waiting to be sorted whom have currently been left with Professor Binns; I must attend to them as soon as humanly possible!" She scurried off in the direction of the Great Hall. Lily found a group of Gryffindors' and ushered them into the hall.
"You there! No pushing else I'll take so many house points away your house glass will disintegrate"
"Lily, I think we're sitting over here" Remus took her hand and led her to the Gryffindor table. They each took a seat opposite each other and watched as the room filled up with eager faced children. The Marauders no doubt came to join them, causing Lily much discomfort.
"This is only for 4th years actually" Lily said rather resentfully.
"Says who?"
"Says McGonagall"
"Says McGonagall" Sirius mimicked her. James and Peter laughed. Remus put his head in his hands.
"Good old Moony wants us here don't you Moony?" James asked Remus, slapping him lightly on the arm.
"Well…I…erm"
"No he doesn't, so leave" Lily was getting flustered now, her cheeks glowing red.
"Look at that Evans looks like a tomato"
"On fire!" Peter added, looking hopefully at the other two boys for approval. They laughed so it must have been acceptable.
"Leave her alone"
"Moony?"
"Please James"
"I was only having a laugh"
"She doesn't find it funny, can't you tell?"
"I reckon she's just playing hard to get, don't you Padfoot?" James leaned into Lily's face and blew slightly into her pursed lips.
"Stop it Potter" He took this as an invitation to lean in closer and kiss her, she was so surprised that, before his lips could even reach hers, she was on the verge of falling back off her seat when a boy sitting next to her on the other side grabbed her round the waist and pulled her back up.
"Thank you" She breathed, shaking the hand of her hero.
"That's ok, I'm always here to help a damsel in distress" He winked at her and she found herself swooning over his luscious brown eyes.
"And as for you Potter" She said turning round, "eat pond scum" and she punched him squarely in the jaw. He yelped with pain, shocked at her reaction, normally when he tried to kiss a girl they would be thrilled, what was wrong with Lily Evans?
Lily went back to the boy who had helped her, she found herself talking to him through the sorting and feast, much to James annoyance.
"It was nice talking to you Lily"
"You too Jeremy…I'll erm…see you later then?"
"Sure, I mean, I'm only in the common room if you ever need me"
"Yeah, yeah…common room. Right" He waved her off as she rounded up the new first years she was to be showing to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Don't worry James, she'll be yours in no time" Sirius reassured him.
"Unless this Jeremy guy gets there first"
"Jeremy's in 4th year, not 5th year like he told Lily, he's only 14!"
"Great! At least that's one less I have to worry about"
"Who else is there to worry about?"
"Remus"
"REMUS?"
"Remus"
"You must be kidding me"
"Haven't you heard the way he talks about her, looks at her, defends her?"
"Yeah, so?"
"He loves her, it's so obvious"
"No it's not" They turned around to face a blushing Remus.
"We thought you were doing prefect duties"
"I was, I came back"
"Oh…we were only joking you know Moony, we didn't really mean it"
"I think James did, didn't you James?"
"Yeah actually, I did" He looked at Remus through narrowed eyes.
"Well you were wrong"
"Oh come off it Remus you fancy the pants off her"
"No, not off Lily"
"Then why are you always so nice to her"
"You're nice to friends"
"You don't even know her"
"No James, you don't know her. I know a lot about her, her favourite colours pink, which kills her inside because she can never wear it with her red hair. Her birthdays on the 30th of January. She hates anything raw, including most raw vegetables. She has a birthmark just below her right ankle that's in the shape of a tiny butterfly. Her favourite singer is Madonna, she's a muggle."
"Sounds a bit like you stalk her to me mate" James grumbled.
"Not stalk Prongs, talk, you should try it once in a while, instead of always trying to get into her pants"
"I never try and get into her pants!"
"Really? You could have fooled me"
"If you don't fancy her then why are you so obsessed with her?"
"Because she's my friend, it's not an obsession!"
"Why do you always give me faces when I talk about her then?"
"Because I'm jealous ok!"
"Of what?"
"The way you can just expect a girl to jump into your arms! The way you're a free person! The way you can flirt with a girl without any problem at all!"
"So can you!"
"No girl likes me for who I am"
"How do you know? If you're always putting yourself down people will stop making an effort with you!"
"It comes so easy for you James, Sirius stands there talking about you getting the girl you want and all you can do is agree! What if just this once the girl you want doesn't want you?!" And with that he had stormed out of the dorm, fury shaking his entire body.
"What's his problem?" James asked the other two; they looked away and answered with a mumble.
Remus clenched his fists so tight he was in danger of breaking the skin; he needed to get away from his 'friends' he needed to be on his own.
"Remus, hey" Lily had done a double take, not noticing him at first.
"Oh, hey"
"Are you ok?"
"No"
"What's wrong?"
"I've just been accused of being in love with you"
"Oh…thanks" She said sarcastically looking a little disgruntled.
"No, sorry, I didn't mean it like that, it's just I've had a falling out with James about it"
"Oh, Potter, the source of all Merlin's problems" He managed a small smile, he did love her, but it wasn't the sort of love James had thought. He loved her as a friend, a sister, even a guardian. She was his best friend deep down, although he hadn't told the Marauders or her come to think of it. He loved the touch of her skin against his own; she loved the fact that she knew everything about him, including his 'gift' as she referred to it as.
"Remus you look pale…is the full moon near?"
"I think so…a week maybe"
"Have you got your potion?"
"In my trunk" He muttered.
"I can help you"
"Thank you Lily"
"Oh don't be silly, the amount of times you've helped me today" She waved her arm in the air as though shooing away a piece of nonsense floating by. They both smiled, they liked each others company.
"So tell me all about Potter's little rant then" She said taking his arm in hers. He breathed in her sweet scent and felt relaxed again.