Chapter Thirteen: "Let's go!"

~~* Lily's POV again *~~

I opened the small parcel attached to Aunt Alex's card. I tipped it upside down and a small necklace fell out. It was a thin silver chain, with a sun and a moon joined together hanging from it. I immediately put it on and hid it under my pyjamas.

"Evan… I mean, Lily? Are you okay? I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm sure you'd be upset if you have this on your forehead. But my behaviour was unacceptable. Can you forgive me?" Potter stuck out his right hand.

"By my calculations, you should be grovelling on the floor by now." I grinned slightly as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"I didn't have to apologise!" He stormed off. I could tell I'd annoyed him. The set of his shoulders and his angry pose as he paused to say something to Sirius and Remus said more than words ever could.

I began to ferry my presents upstairs. As I passed, I muttered instructions discreetly to Sirius. On my last trip upstairs I heard Sirius' unmistakable bark-like laugh.

"I won! I won! Checkmate, ha ha!" He was dancing around the common room, earning startled glances from a group of first-years. As I reached the last step, he caught my hands and swung me round.

"Well done Sirius. Now PUT ME DOWN!" I laughed. Then I caught sight of James' face. He looked like thunder. My eyes widened alittle and I poked Sirius. "Why is James glaring at you?" I whispered.

"Probably because I'm touching and holding you." Sirius didn't bother keep his voice down.

"So?" I looked bewildered.

"For someone so smart, you can be incredibly thick sometimes. He. Likes. You." He spoke as if he were talking to a three-year old.

"Don't be so god damn spastic. James Potter does not like me. He hates me! We hate each other. It's an unspoken rule." I nodded to emphasize my point.

'But you like him, don't you? Otherwise you wouldn't have been so cut up about the Halloween Ball.' A nasty little voice in the back of my head voiced its opinions.

'I wasn't 'cut up' as you so delicately put it. I was angry at how quickly Potter can move on to greener pastures, that's all.'  Another voice disagreed.

'But you as good as told Arabella.'

'Did not.'

'Did to.'

The voices argued back and forth, till I shook my head. "I do NOT like James Potter!" I said loudly.

'Yeah, whatever.'  Both voices said doubtfully. I could almost see them raising an eyebrow, like Bella would have done.

"You don't have to shout!" Sirius' voice brought me crashing back to earth.

"Sorry!" I whispered.

"What's that?" Remus asked, pointing to my necklace.

"Uh, nothing." I said, quickly shoving it beneath my pyjamas. It must have appeared when Sirius was swinging me around.

"Oh, okay." Remus said no more about it. I bounded up the stairs to our dorm.

I flung myself into the shower and let the water wash away my worries. After about ten minutes, I climbed out and stood face to face with James Potter. Clad in just a towel.

I screamed.

"Shh!" He whispered impatiently. He clamped his hand over my mouth. I glared at him with every fibre of my being.

"Lilyflower, chill. It's just us." Sirius whispered in an assuring tone.

"Yeah, I'm not worried. I'm alone with three boys and I'm NAKED! What could possibly happen?" I said sarcastically, whilst grabbing a pair of grey slacks and a green jumper. "Remus, as you're the sane one, why are you all up here?" I asked patiently.

"We're bored." Sirius whined.

"What he said." Remus nodded in agreement.

"Hey!" James held up his hands. "I just got dragged along for the ride."

~~* James' POV *~~

Lily disappeared up the staircase to the girls' dorm. Sirius sat with his head hanging over the arm and sighed heavily.

"I'm bored." He whined. "Lily will know what to do!" He sat up and in a flash he was up the stairs.

Remus and I followed.

When we arrived, the shower was on. Before we could get out, Lily appeared, wearing only a fluffy white bath towel. Her pale skin glistened with water droplets and her hair hung in a wet mass down her back. Her eyes were wide as she caught sight of me… I mean us.

She screamed.

"Shh!" I whispered, clamping a hand over her mouth. She glared at me with her large emerald orbs. I fought with every fibre of my body to step away from her.

"Lilyflower, chill. It's just us." Sirius whispered, lying on her bed.

"Yeah, I'm not worried. I'm alone with three boys and I'm NAKED! What could possibly happen?" She snapped. Sarcasm was evident in her voice. She grabbed some clothes and turned to Remus. "Remus, as you're the sane one, why are you up here?" She asked, trying and failing to be patient.

"We're bored." Sirius whined.

"What he said." Remus agreed.

She turned on me, eyes blazing.

"Hey! I just got dragged along for the ride." I said, holding up my hands.

"Well? Get out!" She shooed us away with her hands and closed the door firmly on us.

We tumbled down the stairs and sat in the comfortable chairs infront of the fire.

"Did you see Evans? Talk about hot! I was practically…" Sirius began.

"Shut up." Remus glanced at me as he snapped at Sirius.

"But did you see her… shutting up." He was on the receiving end of one of my stares.

Just then, Lily appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed in her slacks and an emerald green jumper.

"Are we ready?" She asked, looking around. We were the only ones there. Everyone else was down at dinner.

"Let's go!" She giggled, taking Remus' proffered arm.