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Ok...one chapter away from the seventeenth...just gotta wait...

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'Well, I suppose I should go tell White that I'll go with her. She's been hinting so heavily that it gave me a headache,' James muttered. He shuffled towards the portrait hole.

'Is it just me or do I get the feeling that…ah never mind…' Remus said.

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The night before the Ball Lily and her friends were in Lily's friend's dormitory.

'Ooh Lily that blue floor - length dress is perfect!' Ami sighed.

'Lily turned around in the mirror and smiled. 'Hmm, thanks Ami.' But she still had guilt jabbing her every now and then about her turning James down.

'It's so nice! There's a touch of sparkle, the long sleeves look really nice, low neckline, and the dress just flares.' Ai said as she examined Lily in the dress. 'Oh! And it's got a gold lining down the bottom near the seam!'

'We don't need every single minor detail Ai!' Ami said.

'Yeah, I mean she looks gorgeous, and if Ami does Lil's hair tomorrow, she'll be the centre of attention!' Ruth said.

'No doubt!' laughed Malana. 'I love how Ami does her hair up. If she can do her own hair up so nicely and cute, she can do anyone's!'

'Sure! No problem! Just tell me how you would like your hair to be done Lils.'

'I-'

'I think a tight bun should look nice on her. She's got hair that is actually manageable.' Ruth butted in.

'Yeah, I think she'll look nice with a bun.'

'That'll just make James jealous and he'll do something unexpected…which would be expected…is it too late to tell Drey no?' Lily thought.

'Thanks girls!'

The five friends gathered around and hugged each other.

When the finally broke apart Lily asked, 'So who is everyone else going with?'

'I'm going with Seung Komoro,' said Ami, 'the Gryffindor Seeker.'

'I'm going with Dean Washington,' said Ruth, 'the Gryffindor Beater.'

'Ooh…Quidditch players huh?'

Ami and Ruth grinned.

So who are you two going with?

'Remus,' whispered Ai.

'Ah yes, we should have figured that one out eh?'

They giggled.

Just then Alice Prewett came into the dormitory.

'Hi Alice!' Lily said.

'Hi. So what are you all up to?'

'Talking about the ball,' replied Ruth.

'And we all know who Alice is going with…'

'Yeah, she's going with Frank right?'

'Uh huh.'

'Well we all know that you two were made for each other,' Lily said. She moved over and made room for Alice to sit on the bed.

The girls continued to talk about the ball late into the night.

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'C'mon, we need to think of something. I can't let Lily go with that git!'

'Prongs, listen to me. It's the night before the Ball. There's not enough time!'

'Not enough time Padfoot? We have a whole twenty-four hours!'

Remus sighed. 'Prongs, do you think twenty-four hours is going to be enough time?'

James opened his mouth.

'The answer would be no ok? Can't you just accept the fact the Lily is going with someone else?'

Peter piped up. 'You've got to give her time mate, time.'

James glared at his fiends. 'Fine, if you done' want to help me, then don't!' he huffed.

'Prongs, we didn't say we didn't want to help, we just meant that-'

'I think you did mean it though. Can't you accept the fact that I am in love with Lily Evans?'

'Listen,' said Peter, 'I'm heading back to Gryffindor tower. You can devise some sort of plan through the whole night and I'll help carry it out in the morning. Mind you, if you don't get much sleep you probably wont even be able to think of a plan…'

'I'm with you Wormtail.' Said Remus.

'Ditto,' replied Sirius. 'But don't you think it's scary when Wormtail starts making sense?'

'Too true,' muttered Remus, 'too true.'

'Fine! Leave me alone!' growled James.

'G'night Prongs.'

'See ya James.'

'Good luck!'

Three of the Marauders clambered out of the portrait whole leaving only the echoes of their footsteps behind.

James went up and sat on his bed and started to think…

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The next morning arrived too soon for dear James, who fell asleep a few minutes after he sat down on his bed the night before and started to think.

James got up and sat on the side of his bed and buried his head into his hands.

This is it James. He thought. This is the day you see Lily floating in someone else's arms smiling while the monster inside your stomach is roaring fire.

James stood up, yawned and stretched his arms up and dragged his heavy legs into the bathroom.

James opened the door at the same time Lily opened the other door from her room.

'Oh James!'

'Lily!'

'I'm terribly sorry!' They both cried in unison.

Both their faces grew red.

'I'll leave now…' they both replied.

Both stoped midway to the door that lead to their rooms.

'Are you leaving or I?' They asked.

Lily smiled and held up her hand to signal for James to keep quiet.

'How about we both brush our teeth together since we can't decide who should brush first and there's also two sinks.'

'Oh, I thought I was the only one who brushed before breakfast.' said James as he reached for his toothpaste tube.

'Actually,' replied Lily as she squeezed her chocolate flavoured toothpaste onto her toothbrush, 'I brush me teeth before breakfast, I quickly rush back up here to rinse after, and I brush my teeth before bed.

''ow come?' came James's muffled voice. He still had bubbles and froth inside his mouth.

Lily spat out some of the froth which was in her mouth out. 'Well I was brought up that way. My parents are muggles so we didn't have magic to magically clean our teeth. Do you use magic to clean your teeth sometimes?'

James remembered to spit this time. 'Well yeah, there are humbugs and gum that clean your mouth, but isn't that a muggle invention?'

Lily spat. 'Yes but it isn't as effective as brushing.'

Lily rinsed her mouth and brush and put it back on the shelf.

She splashed her face with water and pulled down some cleansing lotion off the shelf while James finished brushing. She applied some to her face and lathered it gently.

'What's that?' asked a curious James.

'It's a muggle thing. It's something to keep the face clean and fresh.'

'Why don't you use magic?'

'Well I'm used to the muggle way and I think this is just as effective and it doesn't get Petunia jealous.' Lily bent down and rinsed her face.

'Jealous?'

Lily pulled a towel over and tried her face. 'Yeah, jealous. She tries to act as if I, being a witch, am a freak. Though I know that Petunia was Jealous of my ability, gaining praise from my parents…' Lily turned around and leaned against the sink basin and sighed. 'I don't blame her for being jealous, if she was a witch and I was a muggle I'd also be jealous, but, I wouldn't consider her a freak…'

James looked at her hurt face. More than I expected…I didn't mean to get her sad and everything… 'I'm sorry Lily.'

She sighed again. 'Well cheer up Lil, you've got a whole day ahead of you including something special tonight,' she muttered to herself. The she spoke up to James. 'You've got a big day ahead of you too James. Every day's a new day. Good luck!' and with that she left.

James stood there thinking. Lily really had it bad didn't she? She had a sister who called her a freak because of her magical ability. Well at least at home Petunia didn't have words that were more offensive; he thought thinking about what the Slytherins all called her.

He shook his head, ruffled his hair and headed down to breakfast.

'Hiya Prongs.'

'Hey Moony.'

'So,' asked Peter, 'got any brilliant idea to get Evans tonight?'

James's heart slipped, he had forgotten about trying to think up of a plan. 'Unfortunately no, not yet.'

'Well then how come you were just smiling when you strutted into the Great Hall like you did have a plan?'

'What? Oh, er nothing.' Said James trying to keep a straight face.

'Oh really?' smirked Sirius. 'Did anything happen between you and Evans this morning?'

James chose to ignore that. 'Pass the jug of milk please.'

The rest of the Marauders ignored this. 'What happened between you and Evans this morning?' Sirius repeated.

James had decided that what had happened that morning was something he didn't want the whole world knowing. He got up and moved a few seats down and used the jug of milk from there.

'Don't you think that James is acting a bit weird today?' James heard Remus say.

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one chapter away from the seventeenth...please review if you want to read it! just say...I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT...

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