"According to this letter," Lily began, tapping her finger against a piece of parchment with the Marauder's scrawl on it, "Their pranks this week will be small things all at once. They suggest we get out of the great hall before the first one starts."

Gracie glanced around at the full breakfast hall, as if expecting an assassin to pop out of nowhere with a knife in hand. "When you say get out of the great hall, do you mean now? Or later? Because I don't know about you, but these are the best damn pancakes I've ever had."

It should be mentioned that said pancakes were green. Every food item at the table was green. It was, after all, St. Patrick's Day.

Emmaline rolled her eyes and returned to her cup of (green) tea. "I wouldn't worry. They can't do much for a prank. At least, it won't be as good as ours."

"By the way," Lily said quietly, smiling to her friends, "Happy St. Patrick's Day."

As Emma and Gracie looked up from their food to return the greeting, both of their eyes narrowed.

"Trouble in testosterone form at twelve o clock." Emma stated blandly, returning to her tea.

Gracie stabbed viciously at her pancakes while Lily sat as still as possible, as if trying to make herself invisible.

Sirius and James walked forward, looking rather bouncy.

"Good morning, ladies!" They shouted cheerfully.

Sirius swooped down and pinched Gracie on the cheek.

"OW!" Her first reaction was to swing her fist around and punch him. "What the bloody hell was that about?"

"You're not wearing green." He said flatly, grey eyes twinkling as he reached forward to pinch Emma as well, who promptly chucked a biscuit at him.

"You're not wearing green either." The brunette pointed out sullenly, a smile growing on her face as she reached out to pinch Sirius.

"You haven't asked to see my underwear, have you, now, Gracie?"

Grace glared and turned back to her pancakes.

"How come Lily doesn't get pinched?" Emma whined, while Lily stuck out her tongue childishly.

"That's obvious," James cut in, "She doesn't need to get pinched because of her eyes." He glanced wearily at the back of Lily's head, but she neither moved nor made any motion to speak to him at all.

"Where is the rest of the gang?" Emma asked tonelessly.

"Getting the prank ready." Sirius yawned, wedging himself in the seat next to Lily and Gracie. "Though I think Pete is still sleeping."

"Hey, Lils!" Chase jogged over to their table. "Happy St. Patty's Day."

"Thanks Chase," The red head said, beaming and ignoring James, who had seated himself directly opposite of her, "We're still on for the Library tonight, right?"

"I wouldn't miss a study session with you if my feet and arms were missing." Chase winked. James mimed gagging, much to Sirius' amusement.

Remus came jogging up to the table, seating himself next to James. "Prank is ready."

"Good," James snapped, "Because I've already chosen my next victim." He glared murderously as Davies leaned over and pecked Lily on the mouth.

"Is that honestly a good idea, mate?" Sirius whispered, leaning across the table. Gracie watched with mild interest at this exchange. "I mean, you've already established the 'we're-no-longer-friends' deal with Evans, but is it necessary to go all this way to piss her and her boyfriend off?"

It was too late, of course. James was already muttering under his breath, his wand pointed from under the table at the back of Davies's retreating figure, hand in hand with Lily.

Students who had been looking towards the Marauder's general direction might have seen that cream puff fly by, but what most of the students saw simply consisted of the SPLAT sound of the cream puff meeting the back of Davies's head.

What seemed like an eternity later, Lily flipped her wand out and made the cream puff vanish from her boyfriend's head.

And then continued to send a bowl of raspberry jam at James Potter, who wasn't even able to dodge some of the sticky red substance.

Gracie, inspired by the true madness written in the air, took the contents of her pancakes and dumped them on Sirius' lap. To which he poured pumpkin juice on her hair.

After this exchange, the hall erupted into chaos.

As was planned originally, of course.

It wasn't even the students that instigated the food fight itself. No, it was the fact that the food seemed to be revolting of its own accord against the humans. Pelting left and right, haphazardly landing on everyone in plain view. No inch of exposed skin was not touched by some edible object.

In the middle of it all, Lily had last all sense of dignity and decided to devote herself to covering James in whatever food was in reach at the moment. He didn't hesitate either, dumping pitcher after pitcher on her head. Grape juice, tea, milk, her hair was changing colors alarmingly fast. Chase stood behind Lily, looking uncertainly at the nearly beside herself red head, who was looking honestly pissed off.

The teachers and staff sat at their long table, almost dumbfounded as the entire school, first years through seventh years, went bonkers, covering each other in food left and right.

Of course it was a prank, everyone knew that, and made mental notes to vote for the Marauders because food fights like this one never ever happen.

"How dare you!" Lily shouted throughout the tumult of screams and squeals. "I'm so sick of your childishness James!" She stuffed a handful of whip cream onto his head, smearing it around.

"I'm childish?!" The now white haired James shouted. "I'M CHILDISH?! Who was the one to throw a hissy fit because her boyfriend got a cream puff in his hair?"

"At least I've got the dignity to respect my friend's choices to date someone, even if that choice was the most tasteless one in the history of dating choices!" Her rant was stopped for a moment as he shoved a syrupy pancake down her shirt.

"Are you saying I make poor choices in who I date?" James roared, ignoring her as she chucked several crackers at him and dodged his hurled fruitcake.

"I'm merely saying that maybe if you weren't such a right prick, you might find a nice, un slaggish girl who will like you for you!"

"ENOUGH!!!!!" McGonagall's shriek rang throughout the hallway and with a flick of her wand, the food all stopped moving in mid air and fell to the floor.

She was livid, that much was clear. It was a maddening sort of livid. Her eyes were wide and her lips were pressed so thin they might not have been there.

"Everyone, go to your classes." She said quietly and clearly. "No one is allowed showers until the end of the day. Students absent from class or late to class because they were showering will be given a detention. You will hopefully learn a lesson from all this."

"The Headmaster is absent, but I assure you all that Marauders and Marauderesses will be punished most heavily when this prankwar is over, am I clear?" Her cat like eyes traveled over every one of the boys and even the girls, but only slightly.

Everyone in the hall nodded and shuffled off to class. Lily sneered once at James before proudly walking with Emma and Gracie out of the hall. With her chin held high, it was impossible to tell that her eyes were watering.

"Ugh," Gracie groaned, "Now I know how a waffle feels when it's been dunked in syrup."

"At least you don't have a smell combination of milk and jam." Lily moaned, un-sticking two jam-sealed pages of her text book.

It was a rather comical picture, the entire class covered in one substance or another. No one had taken a shower, and a rather unpleasant smell was starting to waft everyone's nostrils, much to their chagrin.

"Good prank though," Emma said, taking notes down from the board, "Almost as good ours."

The girl's prank had been revealed at the beginning class, when everyone was asked to open their textbooks. It turned out that every time a book, door, window, or object of any sort was opened, a jolly leprechaun popped out, singing rather raunchy and inappropriate songs at whoever owned said opened object. It was amusing enough, especially when the leprechauns exploded ten seconds after their appearing.

"True. But I hate the feeling of sitting in raspberry flavored underwear." Gracie grunted sourly, slamming her stuff on the desk.

"What's this about raspberry flavored underwear?" Sirius popped up suddenly, leaning over Gracie's s shoulder like a towel on a clothesline.

"Just go away." The brunette groaned. "Leave. Me. Alone."

"No can do, Gracie. Plus, you'll want me around some day, just you wait." Sirius grinned, chucking her under the chin.

"I believe the fact that I dumped my breakfast's contents on your lap this morning speaks for itself."

Emma turned to Sirius, whose grey eyes were nearly dancing with merriment as Gracie glared furiously at him. It was the middle of charms class, and she couldn't very well reach out and introduce her first to his face. "Is there any way of knowing when this insane prankwar is going to end?"

"I believe the Marauderesses said they were going to propose a final end date, because it ended too soon before exams." He shrugged, "But that doesn't mean it ever truly has to win. Because once we kick some girly arse, it'll be pranks for the Marauders non stop."

"Psh, says you." Gracie said, before opening her text book in his face, laughing out loud (much to Professor Flitwick's disgruntlement) when a small, swearing, leprechaun came soaring out onto Sirius' face.

"What?" Peter leaned over his desk as well. "You don't think we'll win?"

"No offense, Wormtail," Lily cut in, "But no one usually expects boys to win in any contests that require a maximum amount of intelligence."

"Gryffindors quit the chatter now!" Flitwick chirped as he bustled over to show some poor Ravenclaw how to perfect his heating charm. Sirius and Peter sat up properly in their seats, expressions of innocence written on their faces clear as day.

The moment Flitwick turned his back, Sirius was right at Gracie's ear again, "Rubbish. This isn't some sort of exam we're taking to compete. This is pranking, Grace my love. I wouldn't worry about us much."

"Do you want me to open this book again in your face again?" The brunette seethed, looking at her notes with alarming venom.

"No need to get those raspberry flavored knickers in a twist, alright Gracie?"

Making sure Flitwick was occupied, Gracie whipped around and opened her text book again, sending another foul mouthed leprechaun to attack him.

James, who was sitting directly behind Lily but really trying not to make any contact with her whatsoever, stared off into space. He was so far off in his daze that he almost missed the letter than appeared on the edge of his desk.

"Sirius..." He was already unwrapping it. "The Marauderesses wrote back."

Leprechaun successfully thrown off his face, Sirius sat back up in his seat and looked at James. "We can't open it here. Remus is in Arithmacy and we need to read it as a group."

"Need a distraction, boys?" Emma and Gracie, bearing smirks on their faces, were already prepared to make ruckus.

"Please and thank you." James nodded.

Emma glanced pleadingly at Lily, who, after a moment's consideration and a quick glance at an indifferent glance at James, whispered something and swished her wand three times. All the text books in the rooms slapped open, and twenty three leprechauns popped out, barreling forward and rendering chaos.

Ink bottles were smashed and hair was pulled and ears were screamed into.

In ten seconds, the green little beasties vanished and Flitwick tried in vain to get everyone under control as three quarters of the Marauders slipped out the classroom door.

"I'm telling you, these girls, or guys, have got the right idea." Sirius said, spreading the letter out flat on the desk. "Ending the prankwar on April fool's day, it's brilliant. Everyone expects big pranks. We can give them the best of the best."

"Shhh!!! No talking in the Library." Madame Pince hissed.

The four boys ignored her.

"I'm not sure," Remus said uneasily, "That means we only have about two weeks or so to plan the biggest amount of pranks ever seen in magical history. And for all we know, the Marauderesses could already have theirs ready."

"But in substance, it's a good idea." James agreed with Sirius. "Right?"

"Regardless of good idea or not," Remus said, glancing at his watch, "We need to get to the Quidditch pitch for practice. We'll discuss this later, alright?"

"What about showers?" Peter whined. "I've got cottage cheese in my ear."

"We'll shower later, Wormy." Sirius said reassuringly, patting his friend on the back. "Now c'mon, we've got some quaffles to throw and catch."

James stood up, gathered his stuff and started to follow his friends, but stopped, his eye catching on a patch of red hair hidden deep within the library amongst the many study tables.

"Oi!" Sirius stage whispered. "Prongs, let's go! Practice!"

Some unknown force was pulling James towards the end of that library, right to where that patch of red hair sat.

"Prongs!" Madame Pince eyed Sirius with loathing.

"I'll catch up with you guys." James stage whispered back, not really sure why he was saying these things. He was mad with her, he knew that, so why was he finding himself taking time to go and talk to her?

"But Prongs...."

"Leave it, Sirius." Remus grabbed his friend's arm as he started to walk towards James. "He's clearly got business to take care of."

"I-..." Sirius cut off as he too saw the patch of red hair. "Oh." He looked back at James and shrugged. "Do what you need to do, mate. But I'm so going to laugh and say I told you so when we're looking at your mangled body."

"I just need to talk to her," James said, glancing back at Lily, who had no idea he was there. "I'll be to practice on time, I swear."

Sirius looked perplexedly at his friend, who was clearly suicidal at this point. "Well," He sniffed, "Good luck with THAT."

James smirked and waved his friends farewell, nodding curtly as he walked by an extremely irate Madame Pince.

"Sorry for talking." He murmured.

"If you do it again, I can assure you will be removed from this library." She spat, as a means of accepting his apology, cold blue eyes following him as he headed for the study tables.

Ducking behind a shelf, James watched Lily, sitting daintily at her desk. She seemed to be waiting for someone, and it was with a dagger like pain that James realized she was waiting for Davies. Her boyfriend.

James ran a hand through his hair, something he hadn't done in weeks, and smiled in spite of himself.

Well, He told his conscience, here goes nothing.

Like Sirius said, good luck.

Hey, I don't need your input. Go away.

Yeah, yeah.

His legs moved where his brain would not and before he could stop himself, James was slipping into the seat beside Lily, who visibly stiffened as soon as she saw his mop of dark hair.

James reached over and snatched a piece of parchment out of his own bag and scribbled something down on it.

Hi Lily.

She threw the paper back. Blank.

He tried again.

How are you?

No reply.

You look.....uncomfortable.

She raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing, quickly scribbling her first reply.

Well, not to sound vague, but one does tend to feel and look uncomfortable when they're soaked with every sort of breakfast food imaginable. It's just a normal fact of life.

At last, success.

About that....I want to talk to you.

The paper hit him straight on in the face, and she didn't even have to throw it at him, they were sitting so close.

What the bloody hell could you want now? Come to make fun of Chase? Or, better me? Save it, James.

Well, that was quaint.

You're still here? Did I not make it clear I want you to leave?

Can I just explain, please?

............

Is that a yes?

No. That's a you-have-ten-seconds-to-explain.

Ignoring Madame Pince's rather menacing warning, James forgot the note and looked up at Lily for the first time. She wasn't smiling, and she wasn't frowning. Her expression was impassive, the way it always was when James wished it wasn't.

"I'm sorry." He whispered it in a rush.

"And?" She showed no intention of forgiving him.

"I just..." James trailed off. What could he say? The truth? As if she'd believe him when he described the perilous amount of jealousy that raged in his stomach every time she so much as looked at Davies.

"I was sort of unwilling to let my best friend have another guy to spend time with." It was sort of stretching the truth, but he bit the rest of the story back anyway. "I guess I just have to get used to it. Sharing you, I mean."

Green eyes still stoic, Lily turned back to the table, voice hard. "What about the other stuff you said? The insults? I know that it's strange I've never had a..." She paused, "A boyfriend before Chase, James, but how could you possibly say there something really wrong with me?"

"I don't know," James ran a hand through his hair, cursing himself for using the old habit same as always. "Lily, I....you know that you're a brilliant girl. I just said that in the moment because I kept thinking 'No more fun with Lily. We have to be formal now because she has a boyfriend.'"

Lily's brow furrowed and she turned back to face him in full once more. "But don't you know that that could never be true? I will always be your Head Girl, your homework helper, and your partner in crime when it comes to stealing cookie dough from the kitchens." Lily instinctively reached for James' hands. "You're my mate, James. No boyfriend could ever change that."

James squeezed her hands, ignoring the must-distance-myself rule. He'd almost forgotten how small and soft her hands were, and how bright her eyes were.

"No amount of galleons either?" He asked. "Just to make sure. I've heard we make the James-Potter-fanclub quite the jealous ones."

"Well, we'd have to see how much money their talking."

James couldn't help it, he burst out laughing right their in the middle of the library. And Lily, having a sense of humor to match his, joined in. It was an ice breaker, the perfect thing to make both of them smile internally and externally. It was the kind of laughter that nobody-- even those who had been eagerly listening to the conversation in hopes of gaining some juicy gossip-would have understood but them. This clearly explains why Madame Pince did not take sympathy on the Head Boy and Girl in their moment of making up, promptly kicking out of the library with her screeches. And leave they did, cracking up all the way.

"Merlin, I missed you." Lily cried as they exited the library, still in relieve hysterics. "You have no idea how much it sucks to be hated by the guy that matter's most in your life." It was true. She didn't even want to think of all those hours she spent wistfully thinking of James, his jokes, his nuances, and the absolutely mad conversations the two of them would share.

James started at the sentence, but found he could relate to it all the same. "I missed you too." He smiled, and still felt slightly guilty, however. Apologizing was not enough. He knew that ignoring her surely did a number on both of them these last two weeks or so. Though neither of them knew it.

He stood there, smiling at Lily, marveling at the way her smile seemed to light up his line of vision when suddenly, an idea struck, so quickly that James nearly toppled over. His smile grew ten times in width.

"I still need to make it up to you, Lils." He said quietly.

"You really don't." She smiled. "Unless you were serious about that whole galleons thing."

"How about I become your permanent slave for life?"

The question was random, Lily told herself, but it was James, after all.

"A lackey?" Lily offered, eyes sparkling.

"Sure. I'll be known as Lily's lackey and everywhere you go I'll follow to serve your needs!" James proclaimed loudly, walking to the edge of the staircase and declaring these words rather loudly.

"Get down before you hurt yourself, Lackey!" Lily yelped, struggling to keep her expression stern as she yanked him down from his rather ridiculous pose.

James leapt down and stood, grinning at Lily, who colored slightly.

"So I'm forgiven for being an arse?" He asked softly.

The way he was looking at her, the greens and browns and blues of his eyes nearly dazzling her senseless made the red head want to do more than just smile and smile at him.

"Oh, you'll always be an arse, Lackey," She informed him, chucking him lightly under his chin, "But yes, you're forgiven."

Such a rush of euphoria ripped through James that he almost missed the joking insult in her last words.

Almost.

"Ouch." He said, before leaping forward and tickling Lily viciously, making her scream and laugh.

"Stop it, you bloody arse!" She shouted, making the paintings among the corridor raise eyebrows in curiosity.

"Alright, alright. I can't help it if you're a weak little squealer." He laughed.

She nudged him. "Hey, I've got strength."

"Sure you do."

"Jaaaaaaames." She whined. "Don't be mean."

"Yes ma'am."

The two of them were grinning ear to ear, the both of them, standing in the corridor like idiots. The paintings stared amusedly and whispered to one another. The moment was lasting too long and James knew it. This was a beyond platonic thing to be doing. He promptly changed the subject.

"So...erm...what were you doing in the library?" James asked, shouldering his bag and walking beside her. He knew the answer to the question already, and tried to ignore the unpleasant swoop of his stomach when she answered.

"Chase was supposed to be there. But I guess something came up." Lily answered, ignoring the rather remorseful pang in her stomach. She felt embarrassed, all of a sudden, and flushed.

"Oh." It was a subject that James felt he really shouldn't ask about. "Listen, I've got those nasty runes problems to work on. Do think that after patrols tonight we could-?"

"PRONGS!" Sirius' oddly feminine yell rang in the hall. "You're ten sodding minutes late to practice! What happened to 'I'll be at practice on time, I swear.'? Huh?"

Lily stuffed a hand in her mouth to keep from cracking up.

"Sorry," James blurted, rushing down the corridor towards his fuming mate, "Lost track of time."

"Women...." Sirius muttered darkly, whipping around and stalking ahead of James.

"So....I'll see you for Head's Patrols tonight?" Lily called, still standing in the corridor with a ridiculous smile on her face.

"Eight o clock, right?" James shouted back, keeping apace with Sirius.

"Of course!" She called.

The Head Boy turned one last time to wave at his Head Girl, her flaming hair the only real give away in the hundred feet or so between them. He barely even felt it when Sirius smacked him upside the head as soon as they rounded the corner.

A/N: I know, I know, it's been a long time. And this chapter is on the suckish side. Good news, though. After the weekend of the 18th, I will be updating a lot more often because a) my musical will be over and b) I'll have so much more time on my hands. I basically have the rest of the chapter planned out, it's just the act of writing that's irking me. Please review and vote on which prank this chapter had that you liked best. Oh, and if you haven't been to my profile poll, please do. I'll try to reply to your reviews if I'm not too busy. Any questions, feel free to ask! Look for info. updates on my profile.