I know, this is really, really late, but updates will be slightly slow due to AS levels *groans* I have no idea if Divination could be taken during James and Lily's time, but for the sake of the story, I'm including it.

Happy reading (hopefully) :)

Disclaimer: *gets up on a box and shouts into a microphone* Harry Potter belongs to me - *gets tomatoes thrown at me* No okay, its a lie.

James stared intensely into the crystal ball. Why, oh why, did he have to be persuaded by his friends to take Divination, he had no clue. The professor simply couldn't engage a class, was wispy, and obviously HAD to insist on them climbing a bloody rope ladder to reach her classroom.

Seriously, he was going to kick Sirius in the nuts for this.

James heard a scrape of a chair and saw out of the corner of his eye, a familiar redhead sitting at their table. Lily.

James made a mental note to kiss Sirius for persuading him to take Divination.

Lily looked at them all warily. "Much as I think all of you lot are idiots, none of my friends take Divination, and the Slytherins would Avada me if a Mudblood walked by their pureblooded table," she said loftily.

Don't ever call yourself that, James wanted to say, but Sirius cut in.

"Well what about Snivellus?" he retorted. "Would you rather stay with your Dark Arts buddy? I wouldn't, if you hear the rumours – "

James elbowed him sharply, noticing that, for the first time, she had become extremely stressed when the topic of Snape was mentioned.

Remus glared at Sirius. "Shut up Sirius," he snapped, then turned around to Lily, who had made a movement to get up. "Lily, sit down of course you can work with us."

Lily sat back down and gave him a grateful smile.

James felt the familiar stab of jealousy he was accustomed to feeling whenever he saw Remus and Lily being friendly. Get a grip Potter, he mentally scolded himself, he says he doesn't like her.

"Today," the professor's voice suddenly rang out and startled him, "We will be interpreting the future in crystal balls. Please turn to page six and interpret the signs…"

Signs, he thought wryly. What he would do to get a sign from Lily.

The four of them stared into the milky orb. James looked surreptitiously at Lily, marvelling at the way the light of the crystal ball reflected in her eyes.

Lily, unaware of his gaze, frowned at the crystal ball. "I can't see a thing. Am I supposed to be seeing something here?"

Remus squinted at the ball. "I'm supposed to be seeing shapes, but I can't see anything either."

Sirius scoffed. "It's a bullshit subject you guys, she's just making all of this crap up."

James's elbow suddenly slipped off the table, startled, for he thought he had seen a dog across the surface. He rubbed his eyes furiously.

The rest of the table stared at the activity.

"Mate? You look as if you've seen a ghost…" said Sirius, chortling.

"Black, he's pale," said Lily, looking at James curiously.

"Nice to show you care Evans," he tried for a cheeky wink, but he could not share the cold feeling going down his spine.

"James, you've obviously been frightened by something…" started Remus, but James shook him off.

"I'm fine, I just… thought I'd seen a dog in the blasted thing…" said James, trailing off.

"A dog you say?" All four of them jumped as the professor suddenly appeared behind them.

"Professor I was probably hallucinating - " James tried to say, but the professor was already looking into the ball.

Her eyes widened as she backed away from the table. "Haven't seen the Grim in years…" she whispered.

"Okay, what on earth is a Grim?" burst out Lily.

The professor's eyes met James's slightly sceptical ones. "It is a large, black dog," she hissed. "The omen of death."

James wanted to scoff incredulously, just as Sirius had, but he could not shake that cold feeling. Once outside the classroom he shuddered violently.

"Mate, you aren't still thinking about that dog are you?" asked Sirius.

"I – Of course not," he said, attempting a laugh and shoving Sirius.

"Such a liar, Potter." Lily walked up to the three of them, determinedly.

James thought his heart would stop. Is she talking to me? Civilly?

"Divination is a load of rubbish, Potter," said Lily frowning. "You're not about to die because some dog showed up in your teacup."

"I love that you care so much about me Evans," said James, much more cheekily.

Lily turned pink. "Of course not," she said loftily. "I'm just telling you to not be such an idiot about it." She turned and flounced away from them.

Remus groaned. "You were starting to redeem yourself, then you just had to blow it with her…" he said, slapping his hand to his forehead.

"He wouldn't be Prongs if he didn't mess things up," said Sirius, laughing. "I swear, James, you'll never win her over…"

James felt his whole body relax and he stared after Lily, sighing. Merlin, Evans. He thought. Thank you for your common sense.