Classes began in earnest and they were more difficult that James had anticipated. None of the Marauders were on the Auror track: Remus had aspirations of teaching and opening a school for werewolves. Peter was focusing on a desk job at the Ministry, he wasn't sure in what department, but he took courses that would generally help him there. Sirius was of course being anything but serious and seemed to have picked his classes at random, with no concern towards career.
James noticed quickly that Lily Evans shared all his classes and he wondered if she was on the same career track as him. Potions was the only class that none of his friends had continued onto and the one class he really tried to avoid Lily in. Potions wasn't his strongest subject and she seemed to have a gift in the subject.
"James Potter!" Professor Slughorn snapped. "What are you doing in that cauldron?" James hadn't been a favorite of Slughorn's ever. He was a pure-blood but considered a traitor and he was clearly on the wrong side of Voldemort with the murder of his parents.
James had been trying to make the potion as directed, but a quick glance around showed that the liquid in front of him was a dark amber when it was supposed to be an robin's-egg blue. "Brewing butterbeer?" James said, smirking to cover his lie and grinning hearing the titters of most of the class. The greasy git in the corner, Snape, of course was glaring at him, but he didn't count.
A quick swish of Slughorn's wand and the cauldron was empty. "You will pay attention in this class or I will remove you permanently. NEWT level Potions is not a place for this behavior. Do you understand?" James nodded meekly, knowing he absolutely needed this class to continue with his plans. "Good. Now, go sit with Lily, who is brewing an excellent example of the Clarifying Potion. Brilliant work there, Lily. Hope to see you at the next Slug's Club, dear," Slughorn added with a wink as he continued around the classroom.
Lily smiled weakly and nodded and then rolled her eyes as James slid into a seat next to her. "It's like that man is just coated in slime," she whispered under her breath. James' eyebrow raised curiously, but he didn't comment, instead intently watching exactly what Lily was doing to make the potion.
O o o o o o o o o o o o o o O
After the class was finished and the students were filing out of the dungeon, Lily put a hand on James' shoulder. He tensed, expecting it to be another attempt to comment about his parents.
"You were actually paying attention to the potion," she said with incredulity.
"Why should that come as such a shock, Evans?" he retorted. "Despite what you think, I am intelligent."
"Despite how you behave you mean," she said with a smirk. "It just surprised me. Usually you just coast along and still manage to pass." She eyed him as they walked slowly through the halls, the others having moved far ahead.
"Things change." James' voice was offhand but he looked at a sconce on the wall as he spoke. "Why do you care?" His eyes returned to her with his demand.
"Who said I did? I was just curious." She hesitated then continued, "We're in all the same classes."
James was about to fire off a snappy retort and instead just nodded and shrugged. She nodded silently in response and they stood at the end of the corridor right before the Great Hall. There was an uncomfortable silence that James hated. He was good at making jokes and getting women, it was just this damn woman who threw him for such a loop. He opened his mouth to say something when Sirius ran into view, skidding into his friend.
"James, m'boy! We've been looking all over for you! It's almost shack-" Sirius stopped suddenly, realizing that Lily was there for the first time. "Uh. Shacklebolt's birthday. But. Clearly I am interrupting." Sirius gave a smarmy grin to Lily who began walking away.
"No, you boys have your fun, I've got to study." Lily gave a last, curious look at James, then walked out of sight.
"Sorry mate," Sirius apologized. "Didn't even see her. Remus is feeling a bit antsy and wants to go over early, if you don't mind."
James grinned, forced at first, then more natural, "No problem whatsoever." He tried his best to not watch Lily as she walked away, and he headed off to meet the rest of the Marauders.
O o o o o o o o o O
"So, you're making some progress with Lily I see," Sirius said with a grin as they made their way to the whomping willow to meet with Wormtail and Moony.
"Not really," James said shortly. "She just feels bad for me." He shook his head in disgust, "I can't stand the way that people look at me now."
Sirius shrugged, "She may feel bad for you, but she also likes you, I could see it in her eyes." James rolled his eyes in return and Sirius glanced down at the books James was carrying, "How are the Auror classes going?"
"Potions is terrible. I can't see to get it quite right," he said, suddenly breaking into a sly grin, "But Slughorn has paired me with Evans, so I guess it isn't all bad."
Sirius punched him in the shoulder playfully, "See, that's the James we all know and love. Now. Who's going to go for the knot this time?" The boys had arrived at the willow, its branches waving wildly. "We should wait for Wormtail. He's good at it, right?"
James sighed, "Don't be a prat. I'll get it. Hold my stuff." Quickly and agilely, James darted in and touched the special knot on the trunk of the tree that made the branches quickly calm.
"I'm not being a prat!" Sirius huffed indignantly. "It's just he's shorter and … Bloody hell," he said with an impish grin, "you're right, I'm terrible."
Grabbing his books as he made his way back towards the secret passage, James snorted, "And you are so proud of it too."
Sirius laughed, "Gotta go with your strengths, m'boy!" He clapped his friend on the shoulder and followed James into the passage, just as Peter came running down to join them. "You almost missed the boat, Peter. What were you doing?"
Peter seemed annoyed, "You were supposed to be meeting Kelly from Ravenclaw this afternoon. She couldn't find you and I had to convince her I had no idea where you had gone off to. And this girl is persistent." There was no compliment in his voice though, Peter clearly was not impressed with a girl who would put up with Sirius's behavior.
An off-handed wave was Sirius's reply, "Thanks, mate." With that, he hurried towards the end of the tunnel, where Remus would be waiting.
James sighed and shrugged with a grin at Peter, "He just doesn't think sometimes."
Peter looked critically after Sirius, "Only sometimes?"
With a laugh, James nodded, "Alright, most of the time. But that's why we have you and Remus. You two keep our feet on the ground." James paused and looked at Peter with a sly smirk, "You think Kelly is cute, don't you?"
Peter punched his arm with a roll of his eyes, "No. I prefer my women," he emphasized the word carefully, "with brains and personalities. Sirius likes bubbly little girls."
"Ooo! Got someone in mind, have you, Peter?" James wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"No!" The reddening of his ears and neck belied his vociferous denial though. "No one really," he added with a mutter.
As they reached the end of the passageway, James grabbed Peter and rubbed his scalp with his knuckles, "Liar! We'll drag it out of you eventually. She's a lucky girl though." James winked encouragingly, "Not every girl can be the object of desire of the Marauders." Peter shoved him off and muttered objections to the whole idea as they caught up with Remus and Sirius and the subject changed.
O o o o o o o o o o o o O
Unbeknownst to the trio, there was someone watching them slip into the hidden passage in the Whomping Willow. Bright green eyes watched them disappear, then retreated back to the Castle.
A/N: I apologize for the long time between updates. I'm a bad bad writer. But this story is still cooking and being written, please don't give up on it yet!