Lily and Alice were walking to potions when the singing started.
"I hope my healing potion turns out okay," Lily said nervously. "I think I put too much dittany in it…"
"It'll be fine, Lil," Alice replied with a kind smile and a gentle squeeze of Lily's arm. "Your potions are always perfect, that's why you're the favourite member of the Slug Club."
Lily gave her a teasing nudge, but couldn't help feeling reassured by her words. It was then that they heard the singing.
"I've got a cauldron full of hot, strong love that's about to be unfurled, Got a flavour that beats anything you'll find in the Muggle woooooooooorld!"
Lily had heard the famous Celestina Warbeck song before, and although the lyrics were the same, the wailing voice that sang them seemed to have absolutely no concept of the original tune. She looked around to see if she could find out where the caterwauling was coming from. It didn't take long.
James Potter was stood on a spindly chair, presumably stolen from a nearby classroom, right in the middle of the corridor up ahead. Sirius, Peter, and Remus were crowded around him, whooping and applauding his tuneless singing.
"Mix a pinch of spice with a dash of charm, and a sprinkling of romance. They're why my cauldron full of hot, strong love, is worth it…" He spotted Lily and grinned widely, before throwing out his arms to gesture to her and practically yelling the last line of his song, "Lily take the chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaance!"
Students already in their classes stuck their heads out of the doors, and those already in the corridor turned to face Lily and began laughing and clapping. She pointedly ignored them and stomped her way over to James. Remus, Peter and Sirius quickly took several steps backwards out of her way.
"James Potter get your arse down from that chair right now," Lily said through gritted teeth. Her heart was beating furiously in her chest, and her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into the palm of her hand.
James jumped down from the chair and landed neatly in front of Lily, too close for her liking.
"Like my singing, Evans?" he said with a grin.
"I prefer the original," Lily snapped back. James' grin faded slightly.
"But you still find me devilishly handsome, right?"
"Right now, Potter, a mountain troll is more attractive to me. And if you thought I would be impressed by that spectacle, then a mountain troll has more brains than you. If you ever embarrass me like that again, I will hex you into next week. Understand?"
"Loud and clear," James said with a mock salute. "Just one question though?"
Lily sighed. "What?"
"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"
"Urgh!" Lily huffed, spun on her heel, and stomped down the corridor towards the dungeons. James Potter was going to need her healing potion if he even looked at her again.
A/N- the song lyrics in this chapter are from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, chapter 16 and belong to JK Rowling.
