I do not own Harry Potter. Thanks to emandem, GinnyWeasley77 and Anti-Banana19 for reviews! A few more won't do any harm though! Things won't be sorted out between Lily and James for a while now, sorry! P.S. I would love to be a red-head. I think it's a lovely hair colour.

When Lily woke up early on Sunday morning, she sneaked into the bathroom and began surveying herself.

She didn't look too bad considering she had barely slept. She had tossed and turned all night which was odd as she usually slept like she had a full Body-Bind curse placed upon her.

Alice was still snoring. She had returned from the party at 3am but Lily pretended to be asleep.

She went down to breakfast alone and found the Gryffindor Table deserted.

She wasn't surprised, but was glad she didn't have to make conversation with anyone.

She started with a glass of pumpkin juice while she scanned the Daily Prophet. Two more wizards had disappeared.

She shivered and was grateful she was safe inside the castle walls.

She loaded her plate with egg and bacon and had just taken her first bite when Sirius strolled easily into the Hall with Remus and Peter slightly behind.

He had just plonked himself opposite Lily when James entered the Great Hall and hesitated slightly. But Chloe Thistleworth then came out of no where, grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the Gryffindor Table.

"Why sit at the bottom of the Table James? Let's go sit with your friends!"

James had no choice but to join his fellow Marauders and Lily. As soon as they sat down, Chloe was whispering and giggling in James' ear.

"Where did you disappear to last night Lily-flower? Is there someone you're not telling us about?" Sirius asked mischievously, while stuffing his face with sausages.

Lily was flustered for a moment but then said the first thing that came to mind.

"I left the party early because I had a terrible headache," she noticed James had glanced down with interest to hear her reply.

"Why don't you whip up a potion Ms. Top-Of -The-Class?" joked Remus.

Before Lily could answer, she heard James mutter "Yeah, I'm sure Snape would be eager to help."

Lily blinked and assured Remus she was fine now.

"So you're well enough to come to Hogsmeade with us today?" Remus asked. "We have lots of things planned."

Lily had completely forgotten about the Hogsmeade trip that afternoon.

James looked at Remus alarmed and shook his head slightly, trying to convey a silent message.

"Sorry guys," Lily said uncomfortably, when she saw James face. "But Alice and I are going shopping."

"Can I come with you James?" said Chloe enthusiastically.

"Yeah, sure," James replied quickly, even though he had not really been listening.

Sirius, Remus and Peter all looked in James direction puzzled. There was an awkward silence before Sirius stood up.

"We better go raid our Nifflerbanks then. Marauders away!" he said dramatically as he jerked his head towards the door.

Lily felt apprehensive when she was left alone with Chloe at the Table.

"I heard Alice made plans to go to Hogsmeade with Frank Longbottom," Chloe said knowingly. She looked at Lily with distaste, like she was muck on her shoes. "Heaven knows why, he's such a drag, mind you it's not like she can do any better."

Damn it, Lily thought and was annoyed at being caught lying by this fifth year and was bristling at the horrible comments she was making about Frank and Alice. Chloe raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"Must be a misunderstanding," Lily retorted coldly, not even attempting to hide her anger. Chloe just checked her refection on the back of a spoon.

"Looks like you're on your own for today ginger," Chloe said spitefully and smirked as she rose from the table and strolled out of the Great Hall.

…...

In the end, Lily decided to go to Hogsmeade. She was sick and tired of moping. She needed to get some things anyway.

Later that afternoon, she walked into a chemist and was searching for her favourite apple scented shampoo when a voice behind her said,

"I don't know why you're bothering, nothing is going to make that ginger mop look decent."

Lily turned with her shampoo in hand, only to see Chloe Thistleworth standing there with her hands sitting critically on her hips, her lips pursed. She looked Lily up and down and then shook her head.

Lily opened her mouth to reply but didn't get that far.

"Oh Miss Thistleworth! Your special shampoo has arrived!" the shopkeeper said.

"Thank you Leanne!" Chloe called to the shopkeeper as she scurried into the back of the store to find her shampoo.

"I only get the best for my hair. After all, look at it! I think it's pretty obvious why James prefers my lovely, long golden hair to yours," she stated to Lily, whose hand was itching to grab her wand, but she managed to restrain herself.

"Maybe if you dye it, it might improve your looks, after all, being top of the class and a teacher's pet won't get you everywhere," Chloe continued.

"Hello Lily! Imagine meeting you here!" Sirius Black said, jumping out from behind a stand of hair gel with extra static. Remus followed him and winked at Lily.

Chloe turned her back on them and faced the approaching Leanne.

"Oh hello Mister Black!" Leanne said breathlessly as she took Chloe's money and handed her the special shampoo which seemed to radiate sunlight. Chloe walked with her head held high out of the shop.

"May I say you look as handsome as ever Mister Black. How can I help you?" Leanne inquired.

"Why thank you Leanne, but I believe this lovely lady was here before me," Sirius said indicating to Lily.

After she had paid, Lily stood aside with Remus while Leanne fussed over Sirius' expertly styled hair.

"She definitely has a hair superiority complex," Remus said, nodding at the door Chloe had just gone through. "She's nearly as vain as our Sirius," he grinned.

"What was that Moony?" called Sirius.

"Nothing," Remus answered lightly and Lily couldn't help smiling.

"Seriously though," Remus continued in a quieter voice, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Lily insisted.

"Well I'm not," said Remus. "Our plans for this afternoon were ruined with Chloe persuading James to go on errands for her and then insulting the rest of us once he was gone. And as for James, he barely talked at all and was like an obedient puppy all day. I don't know where his head is," sighed Remus.

"Wormtail got fed up and disappeared. I'd have gone back to the castle but Sirius insisted that he needed something for his chapped lips," Remus sniggered.

"Well I did have a busy night at the party," Sirius boasted, coming towards them with two bags in his hand.

Lily and Remus laughed.

"Are you going to meet James now?" Lily asked with mild curiosity as they exited the shop.

"No way, I've had enough of Thistleface for one day," Sirius exclaimed. "Honestly, she's just one cauldron full of nasty. She spent half of the day backstabbing her so-called-friends and it was like James didn't even hear her. That chap needs a good Stinging Jinx up the-"

"What's in the other bag Padfoot?" Remus interrupted. Sirius glared at Remus for ruining the punch-line, then said

"All will be revealed soon. Lets just say I think Thistleface deserves a taste of her own medicine."

…...

Early on Monday morning, all the girls in Gryffindor Tower were woken by a commotion in the bathrooms. Lily was still exhausted from the weekend and rolled over as she thought it was only a dream. She eventually dragged herself out of bed when she woke again and realised everyone else had left for breakfast.

Chloe was not there and Lily was glad. She didn't fancy another encounter, for she was sure she would end up hexing her.

Lily was on her way to the Advanced Arithmancy Studies classroom and passing the Hospital Wing when she heard raised voices.

"Ms. Thistleworth you are not ill and therefore must attend class!" McGonagall said briskly.

"Professor, I can't go out looking like this!" Chloe's voice answered.

"You will do as I ask. Now leave the Hospital Wing and get to class!"

She probably has a blackhead or something, Lily thought as she made her way to class.

…...

By lunch time it was all over the school. Chloe Thistleworth no longer had long, blond, glossy hair but a tangled mess of vile puke green coloured hair. Apparently her 'special shampoo' had been tampered with and Professor McGonagall was unable to reverse the jinx and stated she would have to wait for it to wear off.

Chloe had tried to hide her hair at first with a very large beret, but because she had no shortage of enemies, the beret had already been accioed off her head several times that morning.

Sirius winked knowingly as Lily sat down across from him at the Gryffindor Table.

"Sirius! You shouldn't have done that!" Lily whispered, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

"It's not that bad considering Wormtail was researching permanent balding curses," Sirius shrugged mildly. "Besides, it will be gone by the end of the week."

They looked up and saw Chloe enter the Great Hall, beret in place, with James who had his arm wrapped consolingly around her shoulders. They sat together at the other end of the table.

"Great work Padfoot," Remus said sarcastically as he joined them at the table. "You've succeeded in pushing them closer together. James hasn't seen her true colours like we have."

Sirius sniggered. "It's not like he's going to see her true colour until the end of the week anyway . . ."