AN: SO thanks to my reviewers… all three that is. I know it's a slow start but it'll get better I hope.
so thanks: lily-james123 and xXJPLEXx for the encouragement. And thanks to IAMaMUDBLOOD for some great ideas.
P.S. this chapter isn't funny at all. But it's a necessary chain of events.
The first class of the day was potions, which Lily always looked forward to. She was one of the best students and a great favorite of Professor Slughorn.
As the group entered the classroom, the Professor's voice boomed, "Ah, Lily m' girl! Long time no see."
"Hello, Professor. How was your break?" she asked politely. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sirius mimicking her eagerness. She gave him a stare and James quickly slapped him.
"It was very relaxing, thank you. I trust you'll be attending our little get-together tonight?"
"Wouldn't miss it." she replied somewhat unenthusiastically.
"And how about you Mr. Potter? Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin?
Sirius put a regretful smile on his face. "Sorry, Professor, but I have to deep-condition my hair. No one can look this good naturally, you know." He gave a fake little chuckle.
"Ah, of course, dear boy. Must keep up appearances for the ladies eh?"
Sirius shot an obvious look over at Adelle, who in turn rolled her eyes.
Remus said, "I need to get ahead on my work."
Slughorn turned to James with a hopeful look on his face.
"I'll be there. Could never let Lily go alone, you know," he said with a charming smile on his face.
"That's m' boy! I'll see you at about 7:00 tonight then." He made his way to the front of the classroom.
"Settle down, Settle down. Now, as is my tradition, we are going to be making a potion today and the student with the best potion will receive a little bottle of a custom-made potion. You're choice. So let's get started, then."
After an hour and a half of slaving away, Lily's potion had reached the precise forest-green color that was necessary for it to properly work. With dismay, she glanced over at James' potion only to see that it was the exact shade as hers.
Slughorn came around to judge making an occasional comment or criticism. When he reached Lily's potion, he let out a gleeful sound.
"Here we are! Very very good Miss Evans. 10 point to Gryffindor!" he exclaimed.
He moved on to James' and let out another happy cry. "Oh ho! It seems as if we have two winners today. 10 more points to Gryffindor-" James shot Lily a triumphant grin, "Now if you two will just stay afterward and tell me which potion you would like me to brew for you…"
The rest of the class shuffled out, and Adelle and Courtney said that they would meet her in Transfiguration.
"So, what will it be?" Slughorn asked them pleasantly.
Lily immediately knew what she wanted. "Would it be too much trouble to ask for a bottle of Felix Felicis?"
Slughorn grinned. "Of course not. I have a bottle back in my stores. And what would you like, Mr. Potter?"
"Well I was thinking just a standard pain-relief potion," he said, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Lily was surprised. She thought he would have wanted a babbling beverage or love potion or something of that nature.
"Of course, of course. I'll be back in a few minutes with the potions from my stock," Slughorn said as he left the room.
Silence.
"SOooo..." James said.
"What?"
"Just trying to make friendly conversation… Will you-"
"NO I will NOT go out with you Potter, for the last time!"
"…I was just going to ask if you were bringing Adelle or Courtney to Slughorn's get-together tonight." he said a bit awkwardly.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well I am."
"Bringing Adelle or Courtney?"
"Yes. Courtney has a study session tonight but Adelle's up for it, I'm sure. I wouldn't want to be stuck with you all night," she spit, trying to recover from her embarrassment.
"Maybe Sirius will actually decide to come, then. He really was serious about the hair thing, though. He does it once a week."
Lily snorted unflatteringly. "I'm not surprised, somehow."
Just then, Slughorn returned with two small bottles in his hands.
"Here you go," he said merrily, "I will be seeing you two tonight then!"
Lily and James started towards the Transfiguration room with a note from Slughorn excusing their tardiness.
"So, what's the pain-reducing potion for?" Lily asked as they ascended the stairs.
"Er- It's just good to have in handy, you know?" He tried. He couldn't tell her that it was for Remus after his transfigurations. Not yet atleast.
"Oh come on Potter. I can tell when you're lying."
"It's not my place to say anything," James told her as he sped up his pace, trying to avoid any more questions.
Just as they neared the classroom and he was about reach for the doorknob, she put her hand on his to stop him.
"Please."
Then, she gave him the look. Yes, that look; the one all females have and use to get whatever they want.
James sighed. Truth be told, Remus had wanted to tell Lily long ago. It was for James' own selfish reasons that he had stopped Moony from telling. He did want her spoiling their once-monthly fun.
Lily and Remus had always gotten on quite well, and he wanted to do some research with her about ways to ease the pains of transformations, her being the brilliant witch that she was.
He had, in fact, given James permission to tell her whenever he was ready. Now was as good a time as any.
"Come on," she prompted, "The note from Slughorn's already written. Why not put it to good use?"
He looked at her and saw something that resembled genuine concern in her eyes, something he had never seen before; well, not towards him atleast.
This being a completely new experience, James decided to give in.
"Okay. Let's just go somewhere more private."
She raised her eyebrow slightly.
"I just don't want anyone to hear alright?"
Lily followed him without question, completely thrown by this serious side of him.
They walked up many flights of stairs to the astronomy tower which was completely deserted since it was only used at night.
James took a seat on a wide window ledge and Lily did the same.
"There's a reason that Remus disappears mysteriously once a month, you know," James started.
"I thought his mum was ill."
"That's just the cover story. When he was younger, he was playing in the woods behind his house and he-.. well, he was bitten."
A look of confusion passed over Lily's face…
"By a werewolf."
..and then it completely vanished, only to be replaced by an unreadable expression. He hoped she would still be friends with him after this.
Her eyes began to tear up a bit and she looked quite distraught.
Ok.. maybe this wasn't such a hot idea…
He really thought that of all people, she would have accepted Remus most.
"So, He's a werewolf but he still goes to our school? What about the possibility of someone getting hurt?..."
Uh-oh.
"I mean, that poor boy. He has to live his life with the fear that he could really hurt someone. I can't even see how he manages it all. How horrible..." She started crying a little.
Well, that was unexpected. I knew I loved her…
…And he really did.
She still looks hot when she's upset… how amazing…
"I'm sorry I kind of forced you to tell me. I'm guessing that the pain reliever is for him after transformations?" She inquired.
"Yeah, he always gets some from Madam Pomfrey, but sometimes the time it takes to walk from the forest to the hospital wing is too long. Since I'm already with him, I can give it to him immediately after."
That's so sweet, she thought to herself- WAIT…
"And why exactly are you with him? Isn't there a possibility that you'll get bitten," she asked him suspiciously.
"OH- errm. Well- funny story actually. See, I'm an Animagus," he said nervously.
"…WHAT?!"
"And so are Sirius and Peter."
"WHAAT?!"
"Well, we go along to keep him in line. Keep him from hurting people, you know?"
She looked thoughtful, "Well you aren't registered then are you?"
"Uh well no. But it makes it so much easier for him. so.. yeah."
And I'll bet she hates my guts again. She's a stickler for rules, he thought.
"That's actually…," she started (here it comes, he thought), "…kind of sweet." She looked shocked at her own words.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you said that to me," he said, as if reading her mind. "Err- shall we go to class then?" she asked him
He nodded, "I suppose, but Minnie cant be too happy with me after I revealed our steamy love affair to the whole school at breakfast this morning," he said, getting up from the ledge and following her towards the hall. "Thanks again for that," he said sarcastically.
She laughed. "Any time. Really."
Finally, they approached the classroom door, and once again, just as he reached for the doorknob, she felt the need to stop him.
She laid her hand gently on him, ignoring the tingling sensation that was shooting up her arm. What the heck? It's just James, she though. I mean POTTER, she scolded herself.
"What's your form?" she asked him quietly.
"A stag."
Immediately, she began coughing and turning red in the face, seemingly and embarrassingly choking on her own spit. For the past few years, she had been having a recurring dream about a stag showing up and saving her in her dream whenever she was having a nightmare. But she definitely wasn't about to tell James that.
"Uhm- are you alright?" he asked concernedly.
"Yes yes, just fine," she said very quickly. Maybe a little too quickly…
A few seconds later, when she had recovered, she said softly, "Thank you James."
Realizing her hand was still on his, she snatched it away, turning very very red again, then opened the door to the classroom and walked inside.
James???...
"She called me James!!" he yelled incredibly loudly, for the whole world to hear. A few students in neighboring classrooms stuck their heads out to see what all of the commotion was about, and in a matter of seconds, a few students had started-
The slow clap…
Eventually, it turned into a roar of applause and cheering, and Sirius could be seen standing on top of his desk jumping up and down like a mad man.
"Well done!" he yelled to James, "That's step one in my 33 step guide to success with girls. Get them to call you by your given name! You, my friend, are well on your way to becoming just like me. You are one lucky bloke!" Sirius finished.
James then scanned the room for Lily, and spotted her in the corner of the classroom, looking like a giant tomato about to burst. He feared that she would never EVER call him by his first name again, much less talk to him…
AN: Sorry for the wait. Microsoft word kinda crashed on our computer. Anywho… Reviews would be lovely. And would encourage me to update even sooner.
I actually had this chapter written the day after the first was posted but like I said.. stupid computer.
So review. But no flames please. I love constructive criticism. Key word constructive. And ideas.