Author's note: Thanks again for the reviews, I appreciate them soooo much! There's only one chapter left after this chapter! There was only going to be seven, but…there will be one more. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 7: Lily's Birthday

"Will you slow down, Prongs! I'm still bloody knackered from yesterday!" Sirius complained.

"We're going to Transfiguration! Why are we practically sprinting down there?" Remus asked in confusion.

"Y-y-y-yeah, why?" Peter panted, struggling to keep up.

"It's Lily's birthday! I want to get there before her!" James explained, nearly running into Sirius when he skidded to a stop.

"You. Made. Me. Get. Up. This. Early. And. Miss. Breakfast. When. I. Have. A. Hangover. Just. Because. It's. Bloody. Evans. Birthday?" Sirius snapped.

James took in the snarl on his friends face, smiled brightly and exclaimed "yes!"

"I'm going to kill you!" Sirius launched himself at James who dived out of the way and then sprinted even faster down the corridor with Sirius hot on his heels and Remus a safe distance behind (Peter had fallen back a while ago.) James smirked as they reached the Transfiguration classroom, Sirius getting annoyed had just meant they got there even faster than he had hoped.

"You're early boys." McGonagall commented suspiciously when the three boys ran into the classroom (Peter arriving a few minutes later).

"It's because I sit next to Evans! I think I'll arrive on time all the time when I'm sat with her!" James answered eagerly.

"If you continue to arrive so promptly I may consider letting you boys sit together again." McGonagall said slyly.

"Oh no! You don't want to put us back too soon else we might return to…ah…old habits!" James panicked.

"No you do! Let me sit somewhere different now I'm early!" Sirius put in, elbowing James hard, it was alright for everyone else, they didn't have to put their arms over their parchment to stop grease dripping onto it.

"No, I think sitting next to Mr. Snape is doing you the world of good." McGonagall answered, hiding a smirk.

"It's scarring me for life!" Sirius argued.

He would have gone out but just then everyone else began to file into the room.

The Marauders hurried to their seats (except Sirius who moved as slowly as he could, all the while glaring at Snape as if he would just shrivel up from the hate coming from his eyes.

"Why are you early, Potter. This better not be a daft trick to try and get McGonagall to keep you sitting here because if it is I'll-" Lily began, sitting down at her desk and glaring at the Qudditch star beside her.

"No, Lily!" James interrupted. "I came early so I could give you this while everyone else was settling down."

"Give me what?" Lily snapped, she didn't see why she should have to put up with jerks like Potter on her birthday.

"This." James sat a present on the table and looked at Lily hopefully. He didn't know if he could stand it if Lily rejected his gift. "Happy birthday!" He added.

Lily stared at the gift suspiciously. "It better not blow up on me."

"It won't! I swear!"

"If this is a trick, Potter-"

"I promise, it's a nice gift. I chose it myself."

This last phrase caused Lily's eyebrows to shoot up even more, anything James Potter chose was probably something she wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. At best, it could be a love potion (which would be awful but she would never fall for it.) At worst, it could be a horrible trick which made her purple or something and make everyone laugh at he.

James saw her hesitation. "Please, please, open it."

James sounded so sincere that Lily reached out and very carefully undid the bow at the top and slipped the wrapping paper off. It was a box…she gave James another suspicious glance but he was watching her face very carefully, his heart in his mouth as he wondered if she would like it.

With slightly shaking fingers she opened the box, screwing her eyes shut and awaiting the explosion. Nothing came…she cracked her eyes open and looked into the box. A necklace lay in there, a beautiful emerald stone set right in the pendent.

"It's…It's…" Lily stuttered.

"It's the same colour as your eyes." James pointed out, still watching her hopefully.

"It's beautiful." Lily whispered, her slender fingers slipping into the box and carefully taking it out.

Relief flooded through James "you like it? Really and truly?"

"I love it!" Lily exclaimed. "Will you put it on me?"

James hands shook as he fastened it around her neck.

"You look beautiful, I knew it would suit you." James whispered, still enchanted by the smile on Lily's face that had never before been aimed at him.

"I never knew you had style, Pot-James." Lily corrected herself, surprising both herself and James.

"Settle down, settle down." McGonagall called.

Lily and James shared one last, tentative, smile before turning to listen to the teacher's lecture.

A note landed on James desk and he picked it up, looking over at Lily worriedly, he didn't want to upset her now, luckily she didn't seem to have noticed.

She liked it then? Remus' neat scrawl read. James smiled, it was not often that Remus started up the notes, he normally just joined in when it got unbearable.

She really and truly liked it! She said I had got style!

Buy her some glasses for her next birthday then

Sirius! How dare you insult my Lily flower!?

It matches her eyes

Yeah, well done Wormy, it only took you…nearly quarter of an hour to figure that out.

I think you did well, Prongs, she looks really happy.

Do you think I'm in with a chance????

So long as you don't muck it up by hexing Snape or anything.

I won't muck it up!

You ALWAYS muck it up

Leave him alone, Padfoot.

Oh sorry, Remus, shall we talk about Amelia instead?

Fine, I'm shutting up. I want to listen anyway!

I don't get it, will you explain it to me?

Not on our parchment, Wormy! If you want Remus to explain it use a different piece. We aren't having this one poisoned by…school work!

I should probably listen too. I don't want Lily to get annoyed with me.

Prongsie is in looooooooove

Get lost!

No!

Yes!

No!

Yes!!!!

Is this how tetchy being in love makes you?

You should know, you fancy Snivelly!

Ewwwwwwwww!!!

Sirius pulled a face as he scribbled it down, James read it and then turned round and mouthed 'guilty conscience'.

That was it.

Sirius leapt up, grabbed a handful of quills and began to throw them at his best friend who quickly retaliated.

"Mr Potter! Mr Black! Detention!" McGonagall snapped.

"He started it!" Sirius whined.

"I did not! You-" James contradicted.

"Right, since you obviously cannot sit in the same room without behaving so childishly. Mr Potter, OUT!" McGonagall snapped.

James slipped out of his seat, giving Lily an apologetic look although she didn't seem as bothered as she usually did when he got into trouble, and sauntered out of the door. Just before he went he looked directly at Sirius and mouthed. "Just cuz you fancy Snivelly!"