Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All the characters (save Kathy) belong to J.K.Rowling along with settings, objects and anything else you recognize from the Harry Potter series. All the dates are correct according to hp.lexicon and wikipedia.

ENJOY!

Until The Clock Strikes Twelve – Chapter Five

"James!" Lily said, blushing slightly, "I… erm… hi!"

"What's going on?"

"Prongs, it's not what it looks like, honest."

James remained silent.

"Really. It isn't what it looks like!" Remus insisted. The last thing he needed was for James to think he had betrayed his trust, he needed James. Without him his monthly transformations would be unbearable.

"Well what is it?"

"It's well...erm..." Lily began, for some reason unable to explain it. Condused, after all why should she?

"Yeah, I mean. It isn't what it looks like."

James raisied in eyebrows. What was going on? Why were LIly and Remus alone in the common room hugging? Remus knew how he felt about Lily. He knew how much he cared for her.

"Well?"

Kat stood up and walked over to join the scene, her arms crossed a look of pure amusment on her face. James looked shocked to see her.

"Didn't notice me did you Potter?"

James shook his head

"We were just discussing, well how do you put it? Remus's furry little problem?"

"You told them?" James asked, shooting a quizzical look at Remus. Why would he have told them, when he wouldn't even tell him, Sirius or Peter.

"No. Of course I didn't. Lily is the brightest witch in our year, I mean if you lot can work it out, why can't someone else."

"Oh…"

"Idiot!" Kath laughed as the truth dawned on James and his mouth gaped in understanding. She went over to him, hooked her arm around his neck and ruffled his hair. "Mind you, not that it has anything to do with you who Lily hugs or snogs."

"Snogs?" James asked, his head whipping around to Lily.

"No one. And like Kat said, not that it has anything to with you." She said acidly. His over protection had nettled her slightly. "Come on Kathy, let's go down to breakfast." And with that she grabbed Kat's arm and dragged her out of the common room without a backwards glance.

"Way to go Prongs." Sirius smirked as he leant casually in the doorway to the boy's dorms. "Guess you won't be getting her to say yes after all! Guess that admitting you undying love for Snivellus is drawing even closer."

"Shut it Pads." James replied sourly, looking extremely put down as he stalked out of the common room.

"Way to go Padfoot." Peter mimicked. "Now he's going to sulk for six hours down at the Quidditch Pitch, in the cold. In the snow!"

"Fine!" Sirius snapped. "I'll go and talk to him seeing as you two can't be bothered!" Now it was Sirius's turn to storm out of the common room, though he did it rather more dramatically than the other two parties. He flicked his hair, pushed a chair rather viciously out of the way, before pushing the portrait open with such force that a sharp 'Careful!' could be heard from the Fat Lady.

"I give up on them. I really do." Remus sighed while Peter nodded in agreement.

"Breakfast?" Peter asked hopefully.

"Lead the way." Remus sighed, as he followed Peter down towards the Great Hall.

"James you in here?" a voice asked timidly as he stuck his head into the Gryffindor changing room. There was no reply. "Come on James. I was only joking mate." Sirius spoke, his teeth chattering. "Seriously. It is bloody freezing out here. You'll catch a cold, and then you won't be much use against Ravenclaw after the holidays will you?" Walking into the stone cold room slowly he ran his fingers through his hair which had already frozen slightly from his journey across the grounds. Now wishing he had brought out his travel cloak he began to hug himself, placing his fingers under his armpits to help keep them warm. "Come on Jamie. You'll catch you're death and after all. It's only a dare isn't it?"

"But it isn't. Is it Sirius?" James finally spoke. His voice was cracking slightly from the cold as he came out from his hiding place in the showers, his Quidditch robes draped around him from his locker. "You know how I feel about Lily. You know that it's more than a crush. You all do. And this is just, well it's hard for me okay? It doesn't help that Lily is completely confusing me either. One moment she is shouting at me, the next we're staring into each other's eyes about to kiss and then, well she's giving me the cold shoulder." He said sadly, sitting down on a bench that lined the room. He put his head into his hands as if he had a headache or was trying hard not to cry.

"Come on Prongsie-rella. It ain't that bad really is it?"

"Want to bet."

"Listen. She's probably starting to like you now you've become boring."

"Have not."

"Have too."

"Have not."

"Have too."

"Have not."

"Have too."

"Have not."

"You have too. You never cursing Snivellus as much as you used to and you only ever help plan pranks. You never take part in them anymore."

"I do."

"Not all of them."

"I suppose. Back to solving my problem?"

"Oh yeah. Well, she then thinks that her feelings are just her being confused, which confuses her even more. So when you do have your 'moments' she gets caught up in them, but then suddenly realises she is meant to hate you so…"

"So she gives me the cold shoulder!"

"Exactly. It's not that she hates you. She just confused!" Sirius grinned, very proud at his advice. Whether it was true or not was another matter. It had made James happy again, and to Sirius that was all that mattered. After all, James was more of a brother than friend. He had always been there for Sirius through thick and thin, and even when he had discovered that Sirius was a Black he had stood by him. Encouraged him.

"A Black?" James's voice rang clearly in his head. "Like I said before, I thought you were alright."

"Yeah, well I'm not like my family. You don't choose you're family do you?" He heard himself say in an annoyed, slightly hurt tone.

"I never said you were, or did. I mean, I think it's great that you want to go somewhere else other than Slytherin. You should try for Gryffindor. I heard the Sorting Hat always takes your choices into consideration."

"Really!?"

"Yeah! That's what my dad said. His mate was destined for Hufflepuff, all his family had been there. But he wanted to be with my dad. So he asked the Hat and he ended up in Gryffindor!"

"Serious?"

"No. That's you."

They laughed.

"Yeah. Seriously. And if you have the guts to ask the Hat, especially with a family like yours, no offence, and then you should definitely be able to get in."

"No offence taken." He smiled; the first true smile since he was four.

Normally it was Remus who did the soppy emotional stuff, but Sirius had to admit. To get you friend to smile with mushy stuff was slightly more satisfying than making them laugh with a silly practical joke. Not that any of the Marauder's jokes were silly, they were amazing; work of pure genius's. Oh! There goes Sirius's ego again!

"Can we go back up to the castle; I think my nuts are beginning to freeze."

James snorted. "Sounds good to me, 'cos mine are too. And if I plan for Lily to have my kids, I'll need them!"

"That's better. That's the Prongs I know!" Sirius laughed, hitting his best friend on the back. "Though don't say that near Evans. For some reason I don't think she'll appreciate that remark."

Laughing and joking as if they had never argued the two set off towards the castle, James's Quidditch robes laid strewn on the changing room floor.

You have no idea how tempting it was to write: 'Laughing and joking as if they had never argued the two set off arm in arm into the sunset.'

However it is the morning so it wouldn't have worked. Plus I don't go for the James and Sirius slash! LOL

"Will he ever stop that over protection stuff?" Lily asked, her voice still slightly acid as she dragged Kat into the Great Hall.

"At a rough guess. No. And at another rough guess. You wouldn't have it any other way."

Lily grinned slightly, before resuming her icy glare. "That's not the point Kat. He just really confuses me that's all. I mean, one moment he's all 'oh look at me I'm a Marauder' and asking me out every two seconds. The next he's staring into my eyes as if there isn't anyone in the world except him and me. And then he's back to his usual arrogant self!"

"Lily. It's Potter, what do you expect?"

Lily sighed. "I honestly don't know."

"You know what you're problem is Lily?"

"What?"

"You expect too much."

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Yes you do Lily Evans!" Kathy said, slamming her hand down on the table. "Just because he has deflated his ego a little since being made Head Boy-"

"Keep you're voice down." Lily hissed warily, glancing around her nervously, not wanting anyone else to hear.

"Sorry." Kathy whispered before continuing her little rant in hushed tones. "Just because he has deflated his ego a little since being made Head Boy, doesn't mean it's going to go all the way down. He's a Marauder. And from what I've heard rather spoilt at home. You're lucky to have him this far down the ego spectrum. Please Lily don't expect too much or you'll never be able to have him."

Lily nodded slowly, she was right wasn't she? She did want more from James than he could give. She did expect too much, didn't she? But she always had, from herself and from those around her whether they were good grades or just being there for others.

"I suppose, because he changed a little, I thought he would go all the way. Just for me. But, if he changed for me, I guess that he really does care doesn't he? And even a little is better than nothing. Isn't it?"

"That's my Lily, always thinking things through logically!" Kat smiled taking her friends hand and squeezing it. Lily smiled as she picked up her toast and took a bite. "And you never know. It his ego might deflate even more once he finally gets you. Or it might just increase again."

"Don't, or I'll never be able to go through with it!" Lily pouted throwing her toast at Kat, who caught it and took a bite.

"Why thank you Lils. Now I don't have to butter my own." They began to laugh as Remus and Peter entered the Great Hall and made their way up to them.

"Dare I ask what's so amusing?" Remus asked taking a seat next to Kathy as Peter took one next to Lily.

"You don't want to know. Trust me." Lily reassured him. He nodded content that whatever girly rubbish they had been talking about was indeed best left away from his prying ears. Last time he had heard one of their conversations he had discovered more than he thought he would.

"Have you told them?"

"Told who what?"

"About what we were talking about?"

"Oh. No, I haven't. I haven't had the chance anyway."

"Told us what?" Peter asked, but his question was unheard under Kathy's very long and drawn out:

"Why?"

"Because James has gone off in huff because of Sirius, and now Sirius has gone to find him to make it up."

"I'd say no if I were Potter."

"No to what?"

"Blacks apology of course." Kat said rolling her eyes as if the answer was obvious. "Just imagine Black's face if Potter told him to bog off back to Grimmauld Place!"

"He'd probably murder himself." Peter said, raising his cup to his lips and taking a sip. "I would if I was him and had to go back there." He said there with great disgust, as if the very thought of the place made him physically ill.

"It's can't be all that bad can it?" Lily enquired. "I mean it's just a house isn't it."

"More like a prison if you ask me." Remus put in. "At least that's how Sirius seems to describe it. I personally wouldn't know. I've never seen it."

"Well knowing Black, he's just over exaggerating."

"No he's not Lily." Kat said quietly, her lips pursed. She had been there in her childhood, to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. And she was certain that it was still as every bit dreary and prison like as Sirius had described it. She remembered the dark walls and the elf-head lined staircase. In many respects it was a home, but the murky greens and the black wood of the furniture and upholstery made the place feel cramped, as if one was trapped, as if the very walls were leaning down upon you, ensnaring you there forever. And was not to mention all the magical spells enchanted on the building, not only making it unplotable but invisible to everyone expect those who knew where to find it.

"That bad huh?" Peter asked as he looked at Kathy.

"What?" Kathy looked up, drawn out of her thoughts.

"You looked so depressed just thinking about the place." Lily said. "You were thinking about 12 Grimmauld Place weren't you?" she confirmed.

Kathy nodded. "More like Grim-mold than Grimmauld if you ask me."

"If it has that effect on you, and you've only been there?"

"Twice"

"Twice? Then Sirius must be a manic depressant by now." Lily said, a sadness lingering about her eye.

"Let's go back to the common room." Remus finally said, after a long and very silent pause. "It's the last day of 1977. We should be happy!"

Everyone agreed, and slowly they made their way back to the warm Gryffindor common room.

Thank you everyone.

Please review… and yeah, I have nothing more to say.