Brave Hearts Never Fear Death

Within a few short days, news had spread through Hogwarts that lovable Lily Evans had a single date with handsome James Potter and neither was denying it. It was quite displeasing to some boys and girls that had their little crushes on the Prefect and Prankster and they certainly were going to get to the very bottom of the disputed relationship.

"Lily, why James Potter? He isn't really your type, right?" A seventh year male Ravenclaw asked.

Lily raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Since when does anyone have to have a certain type? But beside the point, it was only one date, so if Bertha Jorkins told you that we're an official item, please don't listen to her."

"But-"

Kharis usually took over from here. She stood in front of the Ravenclaw with a hand on his chest and said with a sardonic smile, "I believe that was the end your questions. Thanks."

While Lily simply shook off the intruding questions and Kharis brutally threatened anyone who was bothering her, James, however, was singing a different tune. He found it entertainingly enough to brag about his date whenever Snape was around.

"Yeah, that's right; I'm going to ask Lily to the ball, so no one get any ideas." He laughed with some fellow Gryffindors, but cast a grin over at Snape who's mouth thinned and glared right back.

"James, is it true that you hit it the first time?" An eager third year boy from Gryffindor asked.

James guffawed. "Of course not. I would never spoil innocent blood on the first date, as they say, 'third time's the charm'."

Peter sniggered and Sirius rolled his eyebrows comically at the reply, knowing full well that his best friend had innocent blood himself. Remus however glowered at James, sometimes shaking his head in disbelief, desperately wanting his ears to deceive him of the cockiness in his friend's choice of words.

"You, my friend, are an idiot." Sirius said as they walked away from the awe-struck third year.

James chuckled. "Aww, just having some fun."

"Fun that's going to land you in a lot of trouble if Lily ever found out." Remus stated truthfully.

Shrugging his shoulders, James made an uncaring look. "Like she ever will, it's not like any of the other guys have the guts to ask her about it."

"Why do you say it anyway?" Peter asked.

"Why, you ask?" Yes James, why do you say such stupid stuff? James put a friendly arm around Peter's shoulders and moved his hand out as if showing him wonders before them. "Because it's fun." Because you're an idiot... He thought. "Plus it's quite interesting when you know Snape is only inches from you hearing everything you say." He laughed out.

"You're still an idiot." Sirius chuckled. "But the latter part is convincing enough."

Remus wasn't convinced. "Lily's a good girl, James, and I very well think that you'd be nice together, so watch out."

James, Sirius and Peter stopped and looked at the scowling Remus. "What's gotten into you, Moony?"

"Nothing." He said, folding his arms.

"Alright, alright. I'll be more careful." James said.

Remus gave him a look.

"Alright! I won't say anything anymore, jeez!"

Remus gave James one last look, turned around and walked a head. Peter shrugged his shoulders at the two remaining boys and headed up after Remus. Sirius and James exchanged perplexed looks but kept walking.

A day before the long awaited end of the year ball, James was heard chatting away to some sixth years who had asked him about his date with Lily, clearly breaking his word to Remus.

"So have you asked her to the ball yet?" A tall curly haired boy asked.

James, who was leaning against the wall in a casual way, shook his head. "Naw, not yet. I plan on doing it tonight. I'm betting she's been waiting all week for me to ask her."

The sixth years sniggered.

Looking up and to his utmost satisfaction, James started to talk a bit louder as Snape was walking by with his eyes on his feet. "I've been quite lucky though, nothing slimy or greasy has been in my way of handling her."

He saw Snape's eyes become slits from the intense glaring he was doing to his walking feet.

"So tell me about the date, James. What did you guys do? Anything interesting?" The other sixth year, a tall and lean boy with platinum blonde hair, asked.

James grinned. "Well actually, now that you mention it…" He heard Snape round the corner and inwardly laughed with delight of making him really angry.

As Snape rounded the corner and was finally away from James, he snarled. "Cocky wart."

"Hi Severus."

Looking up from his feet he saw Lily Evans.

Lily was holding what appeared to be a cloak and had a bright smile on her face. "I said, Hi Severus."

"Hi." He muttered.

"How are you doing?" She asked, trying desperately to make small talk with him.

"Ok."

She frowned. "Hey, did I do something wrong?"

Snape looked into her emerald eyes for the first time in a while. "What?"

"I mean, did I do something to offend you?" She really felt bad that he was ignoring her for the past week.

"No." He trailed off.

"Oh." Lily looked down; perhaps this was all she was going to get from him.

"I'm sorry."

Lily looked up, completely shocked. "Huh?"

"I'm sorry for ignoring you in Hogsmeade and…for not really talking to you in class."

Snape was apologizing. Wow. "Oh, um, it's okay Severus. Really." Lily replied, smiling warmly.

There, he had done it. He apologized to her without James or those stupid Marauders there to jinx him into jelly.

"Hey have you seen James Potter?" She asked.

Snape inwardly growled and looked up at the ceiling in annoyance. Of course, Potter…

"I mean I have his cloak and wanted to return it to him. I've been quite busy preparing this end of the year ball and all, so now I have free time and well yeah… so have you seen him?"

"Right."

"It's okay if you haven't, I'll just perhaps give it to one of his friends." Lily said, completely missing the new look on Snape's face.

"Actually," He said, turning around to look at the corner to the next corridor. "I just passed him on my way down here. Since you're going that way, mind if you come and see the brewing Veritaserum with me?"

Lily nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! How's it coming?"

They walked back down the hallway making small talk.

"It's coming along fine, just added a dragon scale to it, so hopefully if all's well, it should be turning the pearl shade it's supposed to be in its final week before turning clear." He said quietly.

"That's wonderful." She said brightly.

They rounded the corner and faced James' back, who was completely unaware that they were behind him. He kept chatting along freely and animatedly with his arms to the sixth years.

Lily stopped dead and her faced dropped as she heard what James was talking about. Snape smirked wickedly.

"Her lips, oh Lily's lips were warm and oh so welcoming; of course were going to the ball together, she'll say yes, I've never been turned down." Man, these suckers are just eating up everything… James laughed to himself. Noticing that the boys had stopped looking at him, he frowned and turned around to see what had caught their attention.

His heart sank.

Lily's heart, however, shattered.

"Lily, I-" His eyes got wide and he quickly straightened his carefree posture up from the wall.

"Save it, Potter." She glared, her words strained as if she were on the verge of tears.

"No, seriously I-"

"I said save it!!" Lily shouted, throwing the cloak angrily to the side and out of her arms allowing Snape to catch it easily for her.

"What's going on here?" Sirius asked, walking up beside the sixth years with a curious but alarmed expression.

"Um, I think James is in trouble." The curly haired boy whispered from the side of his mouth. Sirius went beside his best friend and could feel the heat of embarrassment protruding from him.

"I can't believe you! You are possibly the most arrogant person I've ever met!" Her face pinked from anger and humiliation of being talked about in such a misrepresented way.

Sirius' stomach dropped and instantly groaned. His friend must have gone too far. James looked horrified.

"One date and already you are blabbing to random people about stupid lies! My god, boys like you are dumb a dozen!" She turned and glared at the sixth years that looked shamefully guilty. "And you! You believe everything that came out of his conceited mouth, didn't you! ARGH!" She turned back to James, her eyes shining bright with fury. "I thought you were a good guy,"

"I am!" James pleaded, but Lily just talked over him.

"I don't remember you asking me to the ball,"

"Well, will you?" James asked rapidly. "I really would like to go with you!" His eyes diverted to Snape's smirk.

Lily laughed unbelievingly. "Of course not, I've already said yes to someone." She said simply.

James snapped his eyes away from Snape. "Who?" He demanded. Sirius just watched the scene before him, half of him was amazingly terrified that Lily Evans could produce this much rage and the other half was clearly amused.

"Ehh, probably not the best approach mate," Sirius muttered to his friend, but James ignored him and urged on.

"Who are you going with?"

"That," Lily spat venomously. "Is none of your bloody business."

Ouch… James thought.

"I seriously can't believe you, Potter," She dropped her voice, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "And I actually liked you." Lily tugged on Snape's robes, walking past the saddened James and shocked Sirius. "C'mon Severus, let's go see what you wanted to show me." And with that, she walked away.

Snape stayed long enough, however, to sneer at the ashamed and angry James. "Smooth Potter, very smooth." He threw the cloak in James' face, gave the livid Sirius a haughty grin and caught up with Lily.

James snatched the cloak off his head and stared after Lily and Snape. His face was patched with furious and embarrassed shades of pink. "It's on."

Sirius looked at his best friend. "What?"

James looked back at his partner in crime with a glimmer in his eye. "I said, I declare war. Snape's a dead man walking."

Sirius laughed. "C'mon James, let's go to the kitchens."

"I told you to knock it off! And now you've gone and chased Lily away, you prat! Why'd you have to go and open you're fat mouth?!"

James rolled his eyes and twirled in a stool that resided in the kitchens. If it was up to him, he'd rather not have told Remus or Peter about the situation with Lily, but stupid Sirius had blabbed right away when they encountered the boys.

"Did you really think you'd get away with such disgusting and disrespectful words? Honestly, Prongs, did you get anything in return that you liked before she found out?"Remus was walking back in forth, the Hogwarts house-elves following him, carrying trays of cakes.

"You're worst than my mother, Moony." He muttered. "I know I was stupid. I wish I could go back and fix it-"

"But you can't, you idiot," Remus threw a small cake in his direction.

Sirius laughed when it didn't even faze James. Remus' strong point wasn't exactly direct aim.

"Argh!" James' put his head in his hands and bent to his knees, occasionally pulling on his hair. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! What's wrong with me?"

Sirius opened his mouth.

"Don't answer that."

Sirius closed his mouth.

"I mean, she said she liked me!" James said, clearly distressed.

"Emphasis on the word like-d.She like-duh you. Git." Remus glared in James' direction from the opposite wall.

"Fy do oo coh so uch, oony?" Peter asked with his mouth entirely stuffed with éclairs.

"What?"

He swallowed. "Why do you care so much?"

"It's because I know Lily and I know that stupid idiot." Remus pointed at the now head banging against the wall James. "She's a really bright and intelligent girl and doesn't deserve to be hurt and this imbecile is clearly in love with her. He just needs to learn to shut his trap once in a while."

"I see."

"But whatever, I'm over it. Clearly you're not going to listen to me, or else you'd still have somewhat of a friendship with her, so fine, go ahead, be a stupid prat."

Sirius chuckled. "Hmm, I wonder what Snape's up to right now."

James' head snapped up and he looked furious. "Oh yeah, that slimy dung-head."

"Yeah, that one, who threw the cloak in your face and ran off with your woman."

"Shut up, Padfoot! Be serious!"

"But I am Sirius!" He laughed.

James' frowned at him.

"Sorry, but I had to, it was too easy."

"Ahem, well anyway, it's about prime time for him to pay." James snarled.

"And what do you have in mind, oh genius warrior?" Peter snickered.

"I think,"

Peter leaned in.

"We should,"

Sirius looked at his best friend curiously and Remus waited for the spectacular plan.

James looked at them all then hung his head.

"Definitely come up with something good."

They all groaned.

"Lily, are you okay?" Kharis walked into the dimly lit dormitory room and sat upon her bed.

She didn't reply but laid there with her eyes on the ceiling.

"Lily?" Kharis tried again, almost in a sympathetic whisper.

Lily swallowed the tears that felt like were growing in her throat. "I just don't get it, Kharisma. He was so different when it was just me and him in Hogsmeade." Her voice was soft and full of undeniable pain.

Kharis knitted her eyebrows darkly. "I can take him out if you want, just say the word and he's a dead man."

Lily laughed a little, tears shining in her emerald pools. "No, its okay."

Her best friend lied across her bed also looking up at the ceiling. "What I don't get…is why James Potter felt the need to say all those horrible things?"

The auburn haired beauty shook her head, completely loss of any ideas. "I have not a clue. He was such a nice guy when we were together, we laughed and talked about everything and nothing was awkward. I could really see him as more than a friend, but then he had to go and ruin it with that arrogant attitude."

"Yeah, totally blew me out of the water." Kharis made a face as if the ceiling had just changed. "Well you know, I guess I never really put much thought into it, but he's always kind of had an arrogant side."

Lily looked at her friend. "What do you mean? I've never seen it before."

"Well, no I guess you wouldn't because you didn't really pay attention to him before now." She laughed causing Lily to laugh a little. "You know, he always seemed to ruffle up his hair whenever you would pass by, hoping you'd take a look. Or when he's on the Quidditch field and especially when it comes to those Slytherins."

"I just don't see why anyone would want to act like that, it's retarded." Lily positioned herself straighter on the bed. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about, Potter, anymore." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I want to tell you who has asked me to the ball…"

Kharis smiled wide. "Who?!"

Lily leaned in and whispered in her ear. Kharis leaned back in surprise.

"Him? He asked you to the ball? Wow, never would have expected that! Especially since he's from a different house and all…well that will certainly be interesting."

"I know," Lily said taking a look at her hanging dress robes for the dance the next day. "But he's a really nice guy and we are friends…"

The next day was the End of the Year Ball and almost everyone in Hogwarts couldn't wait for it to start at eight that evening. This was what the fourth through seventh year students had been waiting for since they found out that it was the last fun thing before the OWL testing came the last following week of school until summer.

James' had woken up around nine thirty that morning and saw that the rest of the Marauders were still fast asleep. Carefully making sure he was quiet as he put on his socks and shoes, he took one last look around the room before he went out to the common room. He noticed that Remus was slightly stirring in his bed and was looking a lot paler than usual.

The full moon is on Friday night… he thought. That means that Remus had just enough time to finish the last OWL testing for Transfiguration on Friday before he had to head off to the Shrieking Shack then the next day it would be time for them to ride the Hogwarts Express home.

It was nice to walk around the hallways once in a while without his friends around. More peace and quiet and it allowed him to think freely without having any interruptions. He aimlessly walked and walked, not realizing where he was going.

You had her James, you seriously had her. Why do you do that huh? He thought to himself, his hands in his pockets as he walked and stared at the ground. Why do you have to open your fat mouth and try to act the big guy? I think I just need to deflate my ego a bit…maybe then I can win her back…

Looking up before he fully rounded the corner to the next corridor, he heard furious whispering from a person to another. Peeking over he witnessed Snape having a heated whispered discussion with one of his Slytherin friends, Rodolphus Lestrange.

"He said that there were certain subjects he needed to discuss with you." Rodolphus Lestrange urged.

Snape looked as though he was examining Rodolphus. "Did he now? How interesting…"

"Stop staring at me like that, Severus." Rodolphus hissed. "Like I said, he said it was very important and that it was relevant that you and he met up as soon as possible. I guess I can say it's about-"

"Shh, you idiot!" Snape looked around as if he knew someone was near. Two second year girls had just passed by the opposite corridor of James. "Not here. You tell him that I will talk to him on my own time. Today's not the best time for me, I have other arrangements."

Other arrangements huh, Snivillus? James thought, glaring heatedly at him. He saw Rodolphus and Snape exchange what looked like an understanding look and could have sworn that Rodolphus cast a glance in James' direction as he hid from him on the other side of the wall, but if he did take a look, James couldn't make sure because Rodolphus had already started walking away.

He gave till the count of twenty before walking around the corner to face Snape.

"Well hello, Snivillus." He said with a casual air in his tone.

Snape stopped walking forward and stood rooted to the spot staring at James. He didn't look scared but didn't exactly look like he was expecting James alone with him in a corridor.

They both took out their wands in defense.

"How was it to finally feel ahead of me for once, huh?" James grinned wickedly, twirling his wand in his hand. Snape's eyes followed it like a hawk. "Did it feel nice to chalk one up on me?"

"Quite nice, yes, and Lily seems to know the real you, Potter. Can't strut yourself around here no more, can you?" Snape's mouth curled in a satisfied way.

James glared. "Furnunculus!"

Snape was a second to slow and his face instantly covered itself in boils that seemed to burst after a few seconds before growing back in the same spot. "ARGH!" he growled out, rubbing his eyes in pain for some of the pus had splashed inside. "Finite!" Snape yelled, pointing his wand blindly in his face. The boils vanished and all that was left was Snape's eyes blood shot from the rubbing and irritation of the pus.

James laughed out loud. "Ouch, that hurt, didn't it?" He walked around towards Snape who seemed to still be in pain in his eyes. "Are you going to the ball, Snape?"

Snape rubbed his eyes a little but mustered up the best glare he could. "None of your business Potter!"

"Incendio!"James cast.The bottom of Snape's robes had caught fire but instantly Snape put it out with the water spell"Oh very quick, Snivillus."

Snape sneered.

"Who are you going to the ball with?" James asked again.

"Get out of it, Potter." Snape turned around and tried walking away.

"Petrificus Totalis!" James aimed his wand at Snape's back. Snape, however, seemed to be expecting this because he side stepped turning around and snarled, "Langlock."

James' tongue seemed to be glued to the roof of his mouth.

"What is going on here?!" Lily had just walked down the corridor and had her eyes set accusingly on James.

Well, James couldn't exactly talk and he animatedly tried to explain that to her with his hands.

With a flick of her wand, his voice seemed to come back and his tongue was able to move freely along his mouth.

"Nothing." James said innocently. He watched as Snape had escaped around the corner without a peep and Lily didn't even seem to mind.

"What's with you James Potter? Why are you attacking Severus like that, huh?"

James' hand went instantly to his hair and he ruffled it a bit from habit. "Well, you know, he's had it coming for him."

Lily glared at the impossibly cocky boy in front of her. "You know what you are, Potter?"

"Yeah, and what's that?" He challenged.

"You are a self-absorbed, insufficient show off who thinks everyone should just grovel at your wanna be high and mighty feet!"

James' eyes rounded with irritation and he opened his mouth to retort but she cut him off.

"But here's a reality check, Potter, you are neither high nor mighty, so get over yourself!"

"Evans!" He called after her, half of him desperately wanting to curse her to smithereens in anger and the other beg for forgiveness for acting like such a jerk.

"What!" She whipped around, clearly furious with him.

I'm sorry… is what he wanted to come out of his mouth but instead an overconfident, "Go out with me.", exited from it.

"Excuse me?" Lily asked incredulously. She looked for signs on his face of joking but all that stared back at her was an idiotic boy waiting for a response. "Get off it."

James watched her walk away and he sighed in frustration. "Damn."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

-Hokay, So. Here's the plan Stan. I need more than just two reviews or else I'm going to stop writing this story and I had some really good plans for this, you know what I mean , Jean?…plus I already have 1-6 chapters written. So either this story gets reviews or this story stops. YOUR CHOICE. Okie. That is all.

-Much love!

VVV Times are tragic and pain is real, deceit is easy to conceal. But keep in mind, a tale is told, of two young lovers with Hearts of Gold. A power, in which no evil can embrace, runs through the veins in those they face. Two young lovers so strong and bold, bear no evil with Hearts of Gold. A thought so chilling is hard to find, but it's the next great adventure to the well organized mind. Courage so true till their very last breath, these Brave Hearts will Never Fear Death. VVV