[5]
The last thing that remained visible before the scene changed was James's bright smile. This time, the Pensieve took Harry and Ginny back inside the Gryffindor Common Room, where Lily and James were already sitting near each other in squishy armchairs and in the middle of a shouting match.
"Why won't you go out with me, Evans? I just don't get it. You could get so much!" James burst out heatedly.
"Like what?" Lily shot back at once.
"The honor of having me," James said stabbing his finger at his chest, "the most wanted bachelor here as your boyfriend. You would be popular and noticed since I obviously am. You can get anything you want since I am extremely wealthy—"
Lily cut him off, raging, "—No, Potter. I would never degrade myself by going out with you—the world's most arrogant, stupidest git!"
"Fine. Then explain to me the precise reason why you hate me so much, Evans."
"Reason?" she repeated with fury, her voice going hoarse from shouting at James.
"Yes."
"You—Potter, you're just so—so arrogant! You're full of yourself, and all you do is tease and humiliate others for fun. It's absolutely sickening!" Lily said, her cheeks burning rosy with indignation. She got up from the armchair huffily and slammed the Common Room door after she left.
"Evans will never like me," James said mournfully to the air. A few minutes later, the door swung open again, and the three other Marauders came into the Common Room.
"We just saw Evans in the hallway. What did you say to her, Prongsie?" Sirius asked with one eyebrow raised. "I don't think I've seen her that mad since you hexed Snape by the lake last week."
"No luck?" Peter asked, sitting down on the sofa.
James shook his head and sighed.
"Well, at least Lily came to see you that one time you were hospitalized. She could have not come at all," Remus pointed out, trying to find some hope.
"That's because she's nice. It had nothing to do with me," James said dully.
"Oh, Prongs, old pal, don't say that. It's depressing to see you like this," Sirius said, frowning.
"I don't even know what to do anymore."
"I think it's time to puncture that inflated head of yours a bit, Prongs," Remus offered.
Suddenly, James straightened up and nodded at Remus. "You're right, Moony. She said that as long as I'm still the arrogant prat that I am, she'll never go out with me. So, all I have to do is stop being arrogant right?"
"And a prat," Sirius reminded with a grin, earning him a deep scowl from James.