Oh dear! I noticed some bad grammatical errors at the end of the last chapter. Yeah, now go back and find them people, haha. Well, apparently no one noticed, so I'll just ignore them!

I had a major (well not really) technical crisis in uploading this document, mainly due to the fact that I'm still figuring out how to work all this. Anyway, crisis averted, thanks to Jess, aka ForNeverAndNever, thank youuuu!

If I do continue, obviously there would be more J/L action etc, but I have a feeling I may need help with the more...graphic...parts, because although I can read them easily enough, writing them is another matter altogether.

Thanks also to LadyKnightSusan and -Scp- for reviewing!

Okay, so now you can read the story haha.

Chapter 12

A/N: If you are reading this without reading the bit above: STOP! RIGHT NOW! Yes, you! Go back and read it please!

James' POV

"Hey Pads," I say casually, leaning against the doorframe, trying my best to seem friendly, and in absolutely no way homophobic.

He looks up.

"I can see you're doing your best impression of being my friendly and in absolutely no way homophobic best friend," he drawls.

"It's not an impression, I am honestly like this all of the time!"

"Like the time you called me, what was it…?"

"Sick and twisted," I mutter.

"Mm, whatever," he shrugs, turning away from me again.

Okay, so the old James Potter charm won't work on him. I may have to resort to the emotional apology approach. I clear my throat loudly. He doesn't turn around.

"Uh, Pads?"

Still no response.

"I need to uh…say something."

Complete and utter silence. This is not going to be easy. But then, Padfoot was always a stubborn one.

"Along the lines of…an apology?"

I can just sense his eyebrow rising right now. Why isn't he talking to me? Oh, maybe he's actually waiting for me to…actually apologise. Right. That would make sense, I guess. Deep breath, James. Two words. Not hard. A flobberworm could do it. Okay, maybe not, but you're not a flobberworm. Actually, I'm probably lower than a flobberworm after what I did. I can hear Lily's voice in my head: "James you idiot! He's waiting for you to say you're sorry. So stop standing there like a fool and SAY IT."

"I'm…I'm sorry, Padfoot."

He just nods curtly, still not looking at me.

"Oh bloody hell, would you just turn around? This is hard enough as it is without you not responding to a word I'm saying!"

He turns to look at me, doing that annoying thing where he flicks his hair out of his eyes. I don't know how girls stand it. Once again, I hear Lily's voice in side my head: "And I can't understand how girls can stand you constantly ruffling your hair up to make it look like you've just got out of bed! You're just as bad!" What can I say? Old habits die hard. I know she secretly loves it. Very, very deep down.

"Prongs." He interrupts my thoughts. "You can't just say it, you know. You have to mean it."

"I do mean it! I was an arsehold, Sirius, I know I was, and I'm really, really sorry, I--"

"I'm not an idiot, Prongs, contrary to popular belief. I know Lily put you up to this."

"No she – okay, well, maybe she did."

"I don't just want you to be sorry. I want you to actually accept…well, me. Because if you can't do that, then we can't be friends anymore."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" I ask him incredulously.

He gives me a look. It's his 'I'm Sirius Black and I'm the shit' look. Oh wait, no, maybe I'm confusing it with his 'I'm Sirius Black and you're going to do what I say or I'll turn you into a pile of shit' look. Ah yes, that's the one.

"Figure something out."

In Lily's room…

"Figure something out, that's what he said to me, what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Lily nodded, she had known Sirius wouldn't forgive James at the drop of a hat.

"Well, James, it's not as if you just…I dunno, stole his girlfriend or something. I don't mean to rub it in, but he's probably never felt worse in his life than when his best friend basically told him he was the lowest life form on this earth."

"So much for not rubbing it in," James scowled.

"It's true, James, and you know it."

"Okay, but what do I do now?"

"I'm not going to tell you what to do, James, you have to figure that out for yourself. You have to show him that you aren't just sorry for what you did, but that you don't give a damn about who he is."

James just ogled at her, completely confused. Lily just sighed, putting her arms around his neck and hugging him.

"It'll work out okay, you just have to remember that friendship with Sirius is more important than…well, anything else. You wouldn't be James Potter without Sirius Black."

She gently kissed him on the mouth, before pulling away.

"I'm need to get some study done, I'll be back later."

"Okay." James just nodded.

"Hey Montgomery!" A familiar voice sounded through the corridor.

Trent turned around and looked into the malevolent eyes of the one and only Lucius Malfoy.

"What do you want?" He scowled.

Lucius smirked, his thin lips drawn together.

"Oh, I've just been hearing some…rumours, Montgomery. And I thought, that before I let them get any further, I'd just clarify that they weren't…false." He flashed Trent a charming smile.

"W-what sorts of rumours?" Trent asked hesitantly.

Lucius leaned forward so he was whispering in his ear, whilst students around them looked at Trent curiously.

"A little birdie told me you and Sirius Black have quite the relationship," he whispered.

Pulling away, Lucius smirked at the look of shock on Trent's face.

"You may be pure-blood, Montgomery, but it sure got infected somewhere along the way." And he spat at Trent's feet. "People like you should not be contaminating these halls," he hissed maliciously, turning on his heel and striding away.

The next morning at breakfast, Lily and Anna were chatting animatedly to a fellow seventh-year Hufflepuff, when they noticed a commotion at the entrance to the Great Hall. Everyone was whispering and pointing to two boys who were making their way over to the Gryffindor table.

"Oh no!" Lily clapped a hand to her mouth, when she realised in was Sirius and Trent.

Anna's eyes widened. "How does everyone know?"

But Lily knew exactly how, when she looked over at Lucius Malfoy and his cronies on the Slytherin table, laughing heartily.

"Oh that bastard!" She hissed. "I'll kill him!"

Anna grabbed her arm in an attempt to prevent her from jumping up and punching Malfoy in the face.

Sirius came over and sat beside Lily, his expression stony as he nodded at Trent, who made to leave for the Ravenclaw table.

"Where you going, Montgomery?" Malfoy suddenly yelled, causing the Great Hall to fall silent in expectation. "Aren't you going to sit with your boyfriend?"

There were a few gasps of shock as some people realised what he was implying, who obviously hadn't heard the rumours. Everyone else simply looked intently at Sirius, who was sitting, frozen, his face now white.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Sirius growled.

Lucius laughed.

"What's wrong, Black? Don't want to come out of the closet? I can see why, your fan club is most upset."

Indeed, there were several girls with red and puffy eyes, devastated at the thought that they would never be walking the aisle with the handsome Sirius Black.

"If I were you, I would've stayed there, Black," Lucius continued spitefully. "It's enough you already disgraced your family--"

"Shut the hell up about his family!" Lily screamed, standing up.

"No, Lily, please, sit down…" Sirius tugged feebly at her robes, but she slapped his hand away.

"If you're not going to stand up for yourself then I'm going to do it for you," she hissed at him.

"His blood's more pure than yours, you piece of slime!" She yelled at Lucius, her green eyes sparkling with utter hatred. "At least he doesn't spend his weekends hanging out with death eaters."

Lucius simply tossed his blonde hair out of his eyes.

"So, the mudblood is trying to defend you Black. Maybe you should start your own little club, because no one else will want to come close to you and your sick, disgusting--"

Lucius stopped as he was hit hard in chest with an invisible force, stumbling backwards. Looking up, he met the fierce glare of Anna Smirnov.

"Think you own this school, don't you Lucius," she sneered. "Well, let me tell you something. Your beautiful locks will never even bear resemblance to mine. We all know you bought your hair extensions from Russia anyway. They probably came from my grandmother. Secondly, I'm sure your father will not be too happy to hear you are currently failing Potions."

There was a gasp from the rest of the students. Lucius Malfoy, pure-blood, could not be failing a class. Especially when…

"Lily Evans, 'mudblood' as you so put it, is beating you to a pulp," Lily put in.

"And, thirdly--"

"You don't rule this school, I do," came the deep voice of the one and only James Potter.
There were cheers from the Gryffindor table as they saw him standing at the entrance to the Great Hall, one hand through his hair and the other pointing a wand directly at Lucius.

"Never insult Sirius Black," he said, softly, yet everyone could hear his every word.

"James what are you doing?" Sirius whispered, shaking his head.

Lily just watched silently, as Lucius strode over to James, wearing his irritating smirk.

"Oh isn't this cosy," he said, glancing from Sirius, to Trent, who was still standing nervously at the Ravenclaw table, back to James. "Potter's sticking up for his best mate."

"Damn right I am," James retorted, locking eyes with Sirius, who looked back at him.

Lucius' grin widened. "You should have a threesome"

James' eyes narrowed, and he punched Lucius straight in the nose. Immediately, blood starting spurting from his face, and he covered his nose with his hands.

"Fuck you, Potter," he sneered, trying to wipe away the blood.

"What exactly is going on here?"

Professor McGonagall stood, hands on hips, at the entrance to the Great Hall, looking at the scene before her.

"James that was great!" Anna clapped him over the back, grinning widely. "You sure have spectacular timing!"

"Yeah, Malfoy sure had it coming," Remus added.

They were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, surrounded by half-eaten food and Butterbeer the Marauders had smuggled in during the last Hogsmeade trip. James had been given detention every night for a week in Filch's office, but they had decided to celebrate first.

James looked around the room. Anna and Remus were now flirting madly, both having had a little too much to drink. He caught Lily's eye from across the room, she was talking to a fifth-year boy. Excusing herself, she made her way over to him. As there was nowhere to sit, she made herself comfortable on his lap instead.

"That was quite a show, Mr. Potter," she laughed, taking a sip of Butterbeer.

He grinned. "Yeah, I guess it was." His face fell, though, as he caught sight of Sirius coming down the stairs from the boys' dorm.

"I hope he accepts my apology. I can't stand not being friends with him."

Lily looked at him and smiled.

"Don't you think he will after what you did to Malfoy?"

When James continued to look sorrowful, she elaborated.

"That's what he was talking about, James! Sticking up for him, showing him you accept him for who he is. You did that today. In front of everyone. You showed that his friendship meant more to you than your reputation."

"But...he still hasn't spoken to me."

Lily looked up.

"I think he might want to now," she whispered in his ear.

Looking up, James saw Sirius standing behind Lily. She quickly got off his lap and he stood up, facing Sirius.

Sirius took a swig of Butterbeer and eyed James thoughtfully.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," he said.

"Well what was I meant to do, let the girls do your work for you?"

Sirius grinned.

"They didn't do a bad job."

"Admit it, I was better."

Sirius rolled his eyes at his friend's arrogance.

"Well, if by better you mean landed yourself in detention, then I guess you were."

James' face fell. "I keep forgetting about that. Bloody Filch. I'd rather anyone over him, even McGonagall.

"Thanks, Prongs," Sirius said softly. "I didn't think you'd do that."

James shrugged.

"You asked me to prove it to you…that I was sorry. And uh…I'm just letting you know that that's pretty much as far as I'm prepared to go!"

Sirius laughed, and took another swig of Butterbeer, clapping James over the back and pulling him in for a hug. A very manly one, of course. James seemed surprised, but patted Sirius awkwardly over the shoulder.

"You're not going to uh…kiss me are you?" James asked nervously.

Sirius snorted.

"You? You've got to be kidding me!"

James pretended to be shocked.

"Why, you better not be insulting me, Padfoot!"

Sirius clasped a hand to his heart. "Never! Besides, you got Lily anyway," he laughed, winking.

James turned to see Lily standing next to him, smiling. Happily, he pulled her into a hug.

"Ah! James! You're crushing me, I can't breathe!" She gasped, trying to push him away.

"Thanks, Lily, I really appreciate everything you said, it worked."

"What can I say? I'm always right."

James raised an eyebrow. "A little egotistical tonight, are we?"

"Speak for yourself," she snorted. "Mr. I-rule-this-school."

James put his arms around her waist and drew her in for a kiss.

"But you love me anyway," he said, pulling away.

"Only because you're so good at kissing," she replied, and brought her lips to his once again.

"Now…when were you supposed to be at detention?" She whispered in his ear.

"SHIT!"

Right-o. So...it's over.

Maybe.

I hope not. I didn't get enough --

--action with Lily, yes we know.

You sound a little put out, Pads. Disappointed, eh?

Well, it's always sad when a story ends.

Thought you didn't like this one...

It...grew on me.

Just don't tell me you're suddenly in love with me or something. PLEASE.

Haha, sorry Prongs, but no.

I'm kinda interested in how this would turn out afterwards.

Oh, please. Like no one knows already. James and Lily live happily ever after...until they die...because you became a traitor...shut up, Padfoot. And then Sirius and Trent will also live happily ever after, up until the point of course where Sirius lands himself in Azkaban...once again, thanks to you, slimeball...AHEM! And then...well, Sirius also dies. NOT thanks to me, this time. I reckon the author should continue, and put a bit of action with me in there. I mean, the whole JamesLily thing is getting boring, and we all know everyone dies anyway.

Yeah, you too, eventually, Wormtail. You don't get off scott-free here.

But I could at least have something exciting happen to me before I die.

Wormtail, nothing exciting ever happens to you.

And if it did, it was because of us.

So true. Well, I think we should say farewell now, in case we never see these readers again.

Oh, that's sad. I can't bear to think about that.

Well, we may see them again in another story. Perhaps The Exciting Story of Peter Pettigrew...oh such a contradiction of terms there.

Well, I guess it's up to them what happens now. And how lazy/motivated the author is.

True. Well, I think we can safely say that if we don't see these readers again, they'll miss me the most.

Pfft.

What, you really think they'd miss you more than me?

Yes.

You wish.

I know.

No you don't.

Yes, I do.

Don't.

Do too.

Do not.

Oh Mother of Merlin, shut up!

SiriusLoverr (although temporary, I am considering changing it to RemusLoverr, simply due to the fact that he drives me insane far too often. But, as Sirius would say, 'you love me anyway').