Hi! It's been an unacceptably long time since I updated this, and the following chapter probably can't make it up to you (if you were an early reader of the story). I'm hoping I'll have the time — and the drive — to write a couple more chapters and finish it up. I'm very sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy this update!

Cheers.

CHAPTER 2

Even after James leaves, it takes a fair amount of circular argument for Lily to convince herself that he might not be joking about the whole thing. For all she knew, he had planted the blasted scrap of paper in the common room as part of an elaborate end-of-year prank. Knowing that she would likely be the one to tidy up, and then be forced to confront him about the coincidence of her initials, he would profess his undying love for her and embarrass her in front of the whole school… Or something. It was the Marauders, after all, so this sort of joke would not be out of their purview.

Then again, he had looked so genuinely nervous and flustered when she brought it up. Lily may not have liked the boy, but he was awfully adorable when he was nervous. That was just it, though—she didn't like him. She had never liked him, because he never gave her a reason to. Always swanning around in his beloved clique, downright mean to certain people and arrogant towards most everyone else, Potter had certainly never lacked confidence. Lily supposed this was manifest in his constant attempts to win her attention: it's not as if she was the only girl he was asking out for those four years, she was simply the only one who refused him, hence his repetitive offers.

Yes, Hogwarts was often abuzz with gossip of the latest skirmish in the Potter-Evans feud, but it's not as if they were really enemies. They were both stubborn, and neither willing to lose an argument, so they tended to drag things out, often resulting in a shouting match in the corridors (not unlike the one witnessed earlier in the Common Room). But beyond this verbal relationship, Lily basically had no feelings about the tall bespectacled boy.

She did not approve of his imperious attitude, but many of her other classmates were far worse; she found him entertaining enough, but not so much to make her attracted to him in any way. As far as Lily Evans was concerned, she and James Potter moved in entirely different circles, and she had no problem with that. Until today.

This random doodle had captured her attention, and her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her. What began as a note that should have simply been scrapped was now fueling all sorts of elaborate plans in Lily's mind. She still could not track Potter's intentions—if indeed he had any—but she was determined to solve the mystery. Assuming that the L.E. was specifically placed for her to find, Lily decides to retaliate in kind; in other words, she decides to taunt him.

The next morning marks the day of the sixth years' Transfiguration final exam, and Lily is as prepared as she possibly could be. She traipses into McGonagall's classroom after breakfast, ready to get the period over with. Luckily her hours of studying have indeed prepared her well, and she finishes with a full half hour to spare.

She hadn't anticipated having extra time, and since it was just an exam she didn't have any other books with her to pass the last bit of class. She spent a few moments of frustrated boredom gazing around the classroom, noticing that Sirius and James were the only two other students finished with their test. Transfiguration was a notoriously difficult subject in sixth year, and Lily knew most of her classmates had been spending more time slacking off than studying.

Sirius was trying industriously to fold his extra exam paper into some kind of origami animal, probably concentrating harder than he actually had on the essay questions. James, on the other hand, was aimlessly twirling his quill over a page that looked like random sketches and scribbles.

At this moment an idea came to Lily: the perfect way to retaliate against Potter's potential prank. She smiled a small, wicked smile before taking up her own quill and pulling a spare piece of parchment toward her. In elaborate block lettering, she began to sketch out "L.P." — for Lily Potter.

Fifteen minutes later, Lily was satisfied with her drawing. Smiling again, she crumpled it up and gathered the rest of her things, waiting for the bell to signal the end of the period. When it did so a moment later, half of the class bolted out of the room, ecstatic to be done with their last test of the year. The Marauders took their time, though, James even approaching McGonagall's desk and transforming his quill into an apple for her, like the true joking kiss-ass he really was. Lily inwardly snorted, but controlled her features as the four boys headed back toward the door. She had to time this perfectly.

Pretending to focus only on her bag, Lily pushed in her chair and stepped out into the aisle, holding the crumpled doodle in one hand. As if on cue, Potter knocked into her, but with much more force than she was expecting. Lily tried to get her baclance as he made impact, but couldn't quite find her footing, toppling to the floor with James Potter following on top.

With the wind completely knocked out of her, Lily felt time stand still for a second as she lay flat on the ground, Potter's body covering her own. She blinked at him once, and that seemed to be enough for him to regain his composure, hastily pushing himself back into kneeling position and helping her up.

When they were both standing, James seemed somewhat speechless. Instead, it was Sirius who, after a moment, broke the silence.

"Err, you alright Evans?"

Blinking again, and blushing now, Lily responded that she was, indeed, alright.

"Uhh, yeah, sorry about that Evans, I didn't see you," James says, having finally found his tongue again.

"It's no problem, really," says Lily, flashing a quick smile as she reaches down to retrieve her bag, purposely leaving the crumpled parchment at James' feet. "I've got to go, lads, but see you later!" Lily waves briefly at McGonagall — who is watching these proceedings with (maybe) mild amusement — and swiftly exits the classroom, heading toward Gryffindor Tower.

She vaguely hears James call after her that she's dropped something, and smiles to herself without turning around.