I'm sorry for the long wait! I've been having fun preparing for NaNoWriMo (I know it's still a while til it starts, but last year I gave up so easily – I'm getting ready this year), and I have had so much homework. Figure skating practice on top of that... :) So here's a new one for you all. 3

I have been telling you six times... I'm not JKR! Isn't that enough?

How to Survive James Potter for Dummies

Written and experienced by Lily Evans

Chapter 7: The Green Monster's Blade Part II

There are so many things Lily Evans can stand. She can almost stand her best friend betraying her, she can stand friendly teasing from Sirius, she can sort of stand being the apple of James Potter's eye for six years straight. When it comes to public displays of affection, she can stand hand holding, hugging, a peck on the cheek... but when you walk in on full-out snogging, that's another story. Lily considered running again, but no. James and Emily were already staring at her awkwardly, now sitting on opposite sides of the couch. The two of them looked windswept, embarrassed, and slightly breathless."Er, I'm really sorry," Lily apologized, face burning. "I … I didn't think ..."

"It's alright, Lily. It's our fault. After all, you live here, you couldn't stay outside," said Emily. She was smiling. "I think we already know each other, I suppose, but I'm Emily Ackerley." She held out a hand. Lily smiled back, praying to Merlin that she wasn't blushing as much as she felt she was.

"Lily Evans," Lily said, thinking that it came out a bit like a sigh. "Er." She quickly thought of something to avoid an awkward silence and complimented, "You did excellently last game, Emily. I was rooting for Ravenclaw."

"Good," said Emily, with a small laugh, "because I would be worried if you were cheering for Slytherin."

Lily laughed a little, as well, remembering back to when she sometimes did root for Slytherin. Severus beside her, both of them cheering on the players of green and silver. "You're very talented, Emily. I'm impressed with anyone who can fly and hit the bludgers at the same time." James beamed proudly, and went over to give Emily a one-armed hug.

"She's amazing, isn't she?" he agreed, pressing his lips to her forehead. Lily wanted to look anywhere but at the two of them, at that moment. "Alright, my two favorite ladies, I'm … off … to hang with the Marauders. You can stay and get to know Lily, Em. I'm sure you two will like each other."

Emily stage whispered to Lily, "He means break some rules with the Marauders." Lily nearly had to force a laugh.

"He better not be meaning that," Lily said, glaring jokingly at James, who smiled at her.

"Of course not," said James, waving a careless hand. "Until we meet again, darling!" He curtsied and pretended to blow kisses as he walked out of the dormitory. Lily wanted to reply... after all, he did call her things like dear, darling, sweetheart. Emily, instead, pretended to catch his kisses.

Emily flopped onto the couch as soon as James had left. "Goodness, Lily."

Lily's eyebrows furrowed. "Hm?"

"He's so sweet, he's hilarious, and you would have to be blind not to see how gorgeous he is," said Emily, closing her eyes. She sighed contentedly. "I cannot believe you turned him down for two years straight."

**

It was a month. A month of James and Emily. Emily was probably doodling "Emily Potter" all over her notebooks, by now.

Those who were betting on the Lily and James couple were starting to get worried. Especially since Lily was getting close to Emily. The two of them could have been best friends. Emily started hanging out with the Gryffindor girls just as much as she spent time with her Ravenclaw friends. Mary, who was getting dangerously close to losing her bet, tried as much as possible to find something wrong with Emily, but the girl was virtually perfect.

"Get ready to get crushed, Potter," said Emily, smirking. James' arm was around her waist, the eight of them walking out of the Great Hall. The two of them were ready to play the only Quidditch game they did against each other while dating. Not only that, but it was the Quidditch Inter-House Cup. This was worth a lot.

James laughed and kissed her shortly. "Mm..." he said against her lips, in full view of the Marauders, Lily, Alice, and Mary, "... that's wrongly phrased, Em. It is, 'I'm ready to get pummeled, Jamesie', what you should be saying."

Emily laughed and gave him her own brief kiss. She wrenched herself out of his grip, smiling, "You're the gentleman, James, aren't you?" She grinned "We have to get ready. Come with me, Lily, Alice, Mary?" The four girls left the four boys.

James seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when Emily left. Relief, not giddiness. Sirius was able to catch the tone of his exhale. He asked, "Something up, Prongs?"

"Yes," said James hesitantly.

"With Emily?" Peter asked, almost hopefully. He had only this weekend until all hopes of winning the bet flew out the window. It would take a miracle, but he had to at least try.

"Sort of," James replied slowly. "I mean, she's great. Just like Lily, almost. Just a bit..."

"You're not still fancying Lily, are you?" asked Remus worriedly, "The two of them are close friends now, James. You can't -"

"No, no," James interrupted, shaking his head. "Dating Emily is how I dreamed dating Lily would be like, I mean. Of course I don't have feelings for Lily anymore. Maybe, little moments, I start... well... but that's because it's hard to quit fancying someone you've fancied for so long. Anyway, I'm kind of worried."

"About?" Sirius asked. "Prongs, what's going on?"

James winced. "Pads... er... I said the two of them were really alike, right? Just in one small detail..."

"James, what is it?" the three other Marauders demanded.

"I just noticed... that Emily's really competitive. This is the first time we've played against each other since we started dating, remember?" James reminded them. "I'm worried."

"You'll be fine, Prongs," Remus assured him.

"You might lose," Peter pointed out.

"Yes, Peter, certainly. Thank you for that even more enlightening perspective."

**

"Ackerley with the Quaffle! She makes a fantastic pass to Diggory, and he goes for the shoot – and a fantastic save by Bones!" echoed Sirius. The Gryffindor supporters roared with excitement. Emily looked frustrated. James took the Quaffle, speeding towards the Ravenclaw goal. "And James, Chaser spectacular, prankster extraordinaire, proud Marauder – yes, yes, Professor, can't a man be proud of his best mate? James makes the pass to Prewett... and here it goes... GRYFFINDOR SCORES!"

Lily gazed on anxiously. "How do you think Em looks, girls?" She turned to Alice and Mary.

"I saw her glare daggers at Edgar," said Alice, making a face, "I think her competitive instinct is kicking in."

Mary nodded. "This can't be good." Of course, in Alice and Mary's mind, they were thinking that it was a good thing. The needed their galleons, and frankly, they were getting close to losing them.

"Longbottom takes the Quaffle from Ackerley – well done, Frank, sorry, Emily!" Sirius' voice boomed over the pitch. "Gryffindor Chasers speeding toward the Ravenclaw hoops – hold on a second: has Wood seen the Snitch?" The crowd seemed to move in one motion, eyes turning toward Richard Wood, the Gryffindor seeker. Mark Davies, the Ravenclaw seeker, seemed to see the same thing. The two of them sped towards the Snitch.

Lily was screaming: "Come on, Richard!!! Get it! Get it!" Her eyes flickered towards Emily, who looked angry, disgruntled, and sour. Richard knocked Mark's hand out of the way, and seized the Snitch. The Gryffindor supporters were going crazy. Lily was hugging Alice and Mary excitedly. "We won the Cup!"

Beside them, a second year pointed at the bottom of the pitch. "Look!"

James was striding toward Emily, who stomped towards the Ravenclaw changing room. "Em!" he called out to her desperately. "Emily!" She didn't turn around.

Lily looked to Alice and Mary. Their expressions were carbon copies. Their features said everything. What now?

I'm sorry; this was slightly rushed. I wanted to get the chapter to you ASAP :) REVIEW PLEASE.