A/N: Ok well I must say I'm rather disappointed…I only got ONE review for my last chapter…huddles up in a corner and cries…no, I'm not that discouraged…but please please please review? Thank you soooo much!

Well, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Elise

Chapter 5

The Talk and The Plan

"Brilliant, Miss Evans; simply brilliant!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed, clapping his hands as he looked excitedly down at Lily's cauldron. "Exactly the right color, smell, and consistency!" Lily couldn't help but blush as Slughorn beamed down at her.

"Thank you, Professor," she murmured, glancing at James who was glaring angrily at his potion which was bubbling and the color of poo, instead of a healthy glowing pink. She wrinkled her nose as it began to emit a foul aroma that smelled uncannily like manure.

"What did you put in that potion, Prongs?" Sirius yelled across the room and James laughed nervously.

"I don't know, Padfoot…"

"Evanesco!" At Slughorn's words, the potion disappeared, and he clicked his tongue in disappointment. "I would've expected better of you, Potter." He turned away and strode back to the front of the room. "I want a 2 foot essay on the ingredients, uses, and effects of the Amortentia Potion; due Monday." Loud groans followed the sound of the bell, and everyone quickly walked out of the classroom and towards the Great Hall, eager for lunch.

"Lily!" Lily turned at the sound of her name and spotted Olivia hurrying towards her.

"Yes?" Olivia grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the throng of students massing towards the Great Hall.

"I need to talk to you," she replied, dragging her towards an empty classroom.

"But, Brandon-"

"Yes, I know, but Brandon can wait," Olivia snapped, shutting the door and turning to face Lily.

"Olivia, what's wrong?" Lily asked, shocked by her friend's tone of voice. "What happened to you?"

"It's not about me, it's about James."

"James?" Lily laughed. "We came in here to talk about James?"

"Yes, Lily, we did," Olivia answered coldly, her eyes narrowed and her arms folded across her chest, "because Remus told me to."

"What?" Lily asked incredulously. "What the hell did I ever do to him?"

"Just listen to me," Olivia ordered. "You were awfully mean to James when you told on him."

"So?"

"Well, first off, you did something a two year old would do…17 year olds don't tell on people when they're naughty."

"But he-"

"I know what he did, Lily," Olivia interrupted, "but that's not the point. The point is that you shouldn't have told on him. He earned a week worth of detention; add that on top of homework and Quidditch…he's pretty stressed right now."

"Oh, I see," Lily answered heatedly, "now it's my fault that he's a troublemaker, got what he deserved, and is stressed. Well, he needs a serious reality check because all the 7th years are stressed right now. Besides, McGonagall still would've figured out it was him."

"Yes," Olivia agreed, "that's true, she would've guessed it was him, but he wouldn't have gotten a detention because no one told on him." Lily just stood there, fuming; Olivia did have a point: she shouldn't have told on James, it'd been the wrong thing to do; but she wasn't about to admit it.

"So, what's your point?" Lily demanded.

"The Marauders were just wondering why you told on James, because it's not like you, Lily…and frankly, I agree with them."

"So what? So what if it's not lime me?" Lily demanded, her voice rising. "It doesn't prove anything!"

"Prove anything?" Olivia asked, her eyebrows raised; a grin slithered onto her face. "Oh…so you do have feelings for Potter?"

"I do not!" Lily cried indignantly; Olivia only shook her head.

"Lils…Lils…Lils…I'm not stupid. The only reason you're going out with Brandon is to show Potter you're not interested…so he has no reason to keep asking you out-"

"That's not true!" Lily shrieked, her face burning; she should've known…Olivia was too smart for her own good.

"Calm down, Lils," Olivia said, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"That's right, you won't," Lily cried, heading towards the door, "because there's nothing to tell!" She pushed open the door and wasn't all that surprised when it hit something.

"Umph! Ok…that hurt." Lily looked down and felt like puking as he laid eyes on the last person she wanted to see. James looked sheepishly up at her, but his bright hazel eyes were filled with a kind of gleam that was, no doubt, the result of the conversation he'd just overheard. Lily glanced away and stalked off towards the Great Hall where Brandon, the boy, and the only boy, who was meant for her, was waiting.

"Bloody hell! That was brilliant!" James crowed, getting to his feet. Olivia smiled as she came out of the classroom, shutting the door behind her.

"Thanks," she replied, walking with James towards the Great Hall, "it was the least I could do." James grinned,

"So you think I still have some hope?" Olivia laughed.

"Yes, and lot's of it." They entered the Great Hall and James immediately spotted the Marauders sitting together at the end of the Gryffindor table. He made his way over to them and sat down next to Sirius, who immediately began questioning him.

"So, how'd it go? What'd she say? Did she find out you were eavesdropping?"

"Erm…well, when she opened the door it hit me and…um…"

"Prongs! She wasn't supposed to find out!" Peter cried, but James only laughed and waved his hand.

"But that's only the worst of it," he answered, "Olivia got her to admit that Lily likes me!"

"Keep your voice down!" warned Remus.

"Wow! Really? That's brilliant!" Peter cried.

"But did she admit it straight out?" Sirius asked.

"Well…erm…no, not straight out." Sirius' face fell. "But, it's completely obvious," James assured him.

"Congratulations," Remus said warmly. "But now the question is, what do we do next?"

"I have it all figured out," James replied, "Polyjuice Potion."

"What?" Sirius and Peter asked in unison.

"Polyjuice Potion," James replied, "it's as simple as that. Today is what…the 22nd?" Remus nodded. "That means the full moon is soon…"

"Yeah, I'm feeling a bit peaky."

"So we can pick the fluxweed then-"

"And break into Slughorn's store cupboards," Sirius added.

"Then we can brew it in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," Peter finished, and James nodded.

"What do you think, Remus?" James asked; Remus smiled wryly.

"Sounds good to me."

"But then…what do we do with it?" Peter inquired.

"Drink it, stupid," Sirius answered; Peter glared sourly at him.

"Yes, Sirius, I drink it on the day of the first Hogesmade visit, November 25, and become Brandon and go out with Lily!" James explained.

"Wait…what?" Sirius asked, scratching his head like a monkey; James laughed.

"Alright, I'm 99.9 percent sure that Lily will ask Brandon to go with her to Hogesmade. So, on the day of the trip, I drink the potion, lock Brandon in a random bathroom, and go with her instead…are you getting my drift?"

"Yes!" Peter cried enthusiastically. "I get it!" Sirius chuckled and shook his head, leaning back in his chair.

"Prongs…you are one bad boy."