Lily was trying to stay mad as the prefects swept up the confetti in the Great Hall that night. She grumbled loudly to James and Remus about how "whoever thought up this prank should have made the confetti vanishable, only to be ignored as the Head Boy challenged the Gryffindor prefect to a confetti war.

Sighing, Lily chose to let them be…after warning James that he was going to clean up any new messes they created himself. She watched them speculatively as they charmed the confetti into machine gun shapes and shot confetti bullets at each other. It was nice to see Remus laugh so much, he was usually so serious (pun not intended). She wondered if she could get the opportunity to talk to James about Remus and Dorcas – surely he must want his friend to be happy too.

Speaking (or thinking) of friends, Lily was worried about Emmeline. Once Dorcas started dating Remus (and she would), Emmeline would be alone. Well, Lily wasn't seeing anyone either, but she spent most of her time with James. And Lily liked being alone with James. Casting a speculative glance around the room, Lily's gaze fell on Amos Diggory. He was a good-looking Hufflepuff prefect, who was always dressed in expensive clothes. Rumor had it he was headed for a job in the ministry after graduation, and he had apparently just split up with Hestia Jones over the summer. He would be Perfect. Seeing James still engrossed in his "fight" with Remus, and deciding it was pretty unlikely that James was going to be joining her anytime soon (not that she was disappointed), she marched over to Amos, friendly smile and determined gleam in her eye in place.

"Hello, Amos having trouble with that?"

'Well, I HAVE never used a broom for anything other than flying before' Amos smiled charmingly at the red head in front of him. Well, he thought it was charming, anyway.

"You have to admit this IS much easier than the pumpkin juice fiasco last Halloween"

'Why they haven't been expelled by now is beyond me'

Lily frowned at that statement. She'd done her fair share of griping about the Marauder's pranks in the past, but she'd never wanted them expelled. Besides they were (usually) harmless and (she hated to admit it) pretty funny. The serenading turkey that night had been classic.

"They're not hurting anyone. Besides, no one could actually prove it was them." It was true. After dinner, when Mcgonagall and the other professors had tried to give the Marauders detention, James and Sirius had protested (loudly) of their innocence. And there was no way anyone could pin it on them. That had always been the most annoying (and impressive) thing about the marauders. Privately, Lily also always thought that Dumbledore enjoyed their pranks.

'Of course… and they are rather amusing, I suppose'

"Yes… they are" Lily was rethinking her plan to hook Emmeline up with Amos. He sounded so… snobby. She was about to make an excuse and head off when she caught Hestia Jones looking at the two of them strangely.

"Why did you and Hestia break up, anyway?"

'You mean you don't know?' Amos looked shocked, and almost stricken. 'She was cheating on me'

"You're kidding" Lily was shocked, and starting to feel sorry for him again. Amos Diggory and Hestia Jones had been going out since fifth year, and had seemed crazy about each other. They had even been voted Hogwarts cutest couple for the past two years (something that Alice had spent many long hours complaining about in their dorm).

'She was having an affair with…. Sirius Black this summer. I caught her when I Floo-ed over to surprise her on our anniversary' Amos looked down, a mournful expression plastered on his face. Lily bit her lip; maybe Emmeline would go out with him after all. Merlin knew, the boy could use a break – he'd probably just been bitter earlier, anyway. After all, Black HAD stolen his girlfriend.

"Oi Evans, you going to slack off all night, or are you going to help us like a Head Girl should?" James Potter seemed to materialize in front of her, interrupting her train of thought with his twinkling eyes and lopsided grin.

"Says the one who was shooting confetti a few minutes ago"

"It was Moony's idea"

'It was NOT' Remus' indignant tone caused Lily to laugh. One thing she could safely say about being friends with the marauders – they made life interesting.

"Besides, we DID clean up… the hall is almost completely cleared. As Head Boy and Girl though, we do have to patrol the halls tonight. You know, to catch all those nasty little rule breakers" James Potter's face was the picture of innocence. He was looking at Lily with wide eyes, his most angelic grin and a halo hovering above his head for effect.

Faking an exasperated sigh, Lily took his arm, waving goodbye to Amos and Remus as she allowed him to march her out of the hall. The most annoying thing about being friends with James bloody Potter was, of course, the fact that it was now almost impossible to stay mad at him. All he had to do was flash his pearly whites and Lily would find herself reluctantly smiling, no matter what he did.

"Damn you and your charm" Lily grumbled as they walked along the empty hallway.

'So… I have charm now, Evans?'

Lily blushed slightly. She hadn't intended to grumble OUT LOUD.

"No"

"You just said I did"

"No I didn't"

"Lily…"

"James…" Lily was being stubborn; she had her story and was sticking to it. They stared at each other awhile before Lily suddenly grabbed his arm, remembering what she wanted to talk to him about.

"James- Is Remus asking anyone to the beginning of term ball?"

James Potter stopped in his tracks and eyed the redhead next to him suspiciously.

"Why?" James was no stranger to Lily's many matchmaking attempts. And Remus was her favorite target. Last year she had tried to force him to go out with three different girls from Ravenclaw; it had reached a stage where he had barricaded himself in their dorm and refused to set foot in the Gryffindor common room without James' invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map. Only when Lily had given James her solemn word to leave Remus alone would he agree to be seen in public again.

Lily squirmed uneasily under James' gaze. She had promised not to try to fix Remus up with anyone – but that was before she knew Dorcas liked him. And Remus was a nice guy, who deserved to have someone care for him! And think of the double dating possibilities! Lily's eyes widened at the last thought – she did not just think that. Mercifully, James didn't seem to notice her sudden blush.

"Lils…."

"Dorcas likes him" Lily mumbled, eyes at her feet. Since when was James bloody Potter allowed to be the one to make her feel ashamed of herself, anyway.

James sighed, absently running his hand through his hair.

"Please tell me you haven't already come up with some elaborate plan to get him to ask her out"

"No… well… it's not elaborate" James bloody Potter was one to talk. He was the one who had gone down on one knee in the great hall at the start of fifth year insisting he wouldn't move until Lily agreed to go out with him.

"Lils…."

"All you have to do is mention the dance at breakfast tomorrow. That's it, I swear!"

"Lily… you don't understand. Remus won't ask her out"

"He doesn't like her?" Lily was indignant. What was wrong with her friend?

"It's not that… it's… complicated."

"Don't you want him to have a girlfriend?"

"It's not that I don't want him to… the git isn't interested. He thinks – " James suddenly broke off, aware of how he had almost given away his friends' secret.

"What, just because he's a werewolf he can't fall in love?"

James gaped at the girl next to him, his hand freezing in mid hair ruffle. How on EARTH did Lily know?

"Yeah I knew… when you were all passionate about helping werewolves, and when he disappeared again at the full moon, Dorcas, Emmeline and I did some research. She knows, too, and she doesn't mind…"

"So… you were trying to force him to date all those girls…"

"I – couldn't stop thinking about what you said… and I was imagining him all lonely every full moon. And we read about the transformation process – it looks so painful. And he has to go through it every month all by himself…."

"I wouldn't say he was all by himself" James suddenly flashed his trademark smile, causing Lily to stop and look at him in horror.

"No. You lot don't actually –"

"I'd say enough secrets have been revealed for today, don't you think?"

Giving her a peck on the cheek, James grinned cheekily at her wide eyes and took off down the hall.

"Come back here… you don't actually mean… James…James…. POTTER!