His satisfaction was short lived though, because as soon as Lily had vacated the area, the other Marauders descended on him, crowding around him. Remus and Peter stared at him incredulously and Sirius eyed him shrewdly.

"That was quite some show you and Lily put on just now." Remus smiled as he discreetly cast a privacy spell.

"Show?" James asked warily.

"Yeah, no one could take their eyes off of you," Peter noted.

"People shouldn't be so bloody nosy. It's not any of their business," James grumped, but was secretly pleased they had managed to achieve their goal.

"I agree," Remus nodded placating, "but I have to admit that even I was fascinated." He watched James's reaction closely.

"Why? Is it really so impossible to believe that Lily would willingly have a conversation with me?"

"If you'd asked me that a week ago I would have said 'Yes, it is impossible,'" Remus laughed. "So, come on James, tell us what's changed. What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" James questioned tightly.

Peter spoke up. "Suddenly, you're having conversations in the hallways. You're helping her when she's stuck with something or when she has too many books. And now, you're having dinner together. Come on, James. What's going on?"

"So what, we're spending time together. It's not illegal is it?"

"No," Remus said holding up his hand, showing him that they meant no offence. "We're glad you've finally managed to befriend her… it's just…. we're..." He trailed off, frowning.

"…worried," supplied Peter.

"Why?" James asked, surprise evident in his voice.

"None of us wants a repeat of last time James. You were…" Remus trailed off.

"I was what?" James asked, a dangerous note entering his tone.

"It was rough on you for a while there," Remus answered carefully.

"We were just having dinner," James sighed in aggravation. "I like her. She's fun… it's not a crime!"

"No its not… but just now, in the common room, you we're getting really close…. closer than people who are just having a conversation get. And I know this is going to sound mad, but…" Remus hesitated.

"But it sure looked like you were asking her out," Peter finished.

"So what if I was!?"

Peter's mouth snapped shut at that, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Did you?" Remus asked with awe.

"Yeah, I did," James answered defensively. "What about it?!"

A thick silence followed that announcement.

"What… what did she say?" Remus finally managed to ask.

"She said yes, thank you very much!"

"Sorry," Remus said quickly, noticing that James' anger was rising rapidly.

"James, mate?" Sirius spoke up for the first time, drawing James's attention from Remus.

"Yeah?" he replied, frowning slightly, looking to Sirius warily, knowing that this friend was going to be the hardest to convince. Sometimes James wondered if Sirius knew him too well.

Sirius proved James right when he asked seriously, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Excuse me?" James asked, avoiding eye contact.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Sirius repeated, emphasising each word once he'd gained James' reluctant gaze.

"Doing about what?" James said, purposely trying to be difficult.

"Don't be dense James," Sirius scolded. "Are you sure you know what you're doing with Lily?"

"What about her?" James sighed, starting to get frustrated with his friends.

"Don't mess with me, James," Sirius commanded. "I'm worried about you, just like they are." He continued gesturing vaguely in the other Marauders' direction.

"Why?"

"Well, it's just that, we thought you were finally over her and then you start dating her. Are you sure you want to open yourself up to her again? After last time –"

"This is nothing like before!" James snapped defensively.

"Okay, fine. I'm really pleased for you; that you finally have your chance – you deserve it …but…" Sirius trailed off.

"But?"

"But I'm still concerned… you're not going to be in the same place as her."

"Same place?"

"Yeah, she thinks you're going on a few casual dates to see if there's something between you… and you… you've had a thing for her for years," Sirius explained carefully.

"It hasn't been years!" James denied vehemently.

"Yes it has! I know you think I'm too oblivious to have noticed," Sirius put in forcefully, "and I know you think you were being discreet, but I saw the way you used to watch her. I'm not even sure you knew you were doing it, but still, you watched her constantly… still do, although, now I know why…"

"So what?" James asked, just wanting to get the conversation over with as quickly as possible, and so, not even bothering to deny what Sirius was saying.

"So…this relationship means more to you than it does to her," Sirius replied simply.

"Don't be stupid. Even if that were true, I'd still have to give it a shot – what are you saying? I want to be with her so the best thing to do is not date her? That's -- the most backwards, ridiculous, thing I think I've ever heard!"

"I'm not telling you not to date her." Sirius shook his head emphatically. "I'm just trying to prepare you for the fact that this isn't as important to her as it is to you… not yet at least, and I just don't want you to get hurt…again."

"Merlin, Sirius, you're starting to sound like a girl. All of you are…. I'm a big boy now and if this all goes wrong… at least I'll know that I gave it a shot."

Sirius stared intently before nodding. "Okay, good…. then I guess I'm really happy for you."

"Us, too," Remus supplied for himself and Peter.

James stood up abruptly, the guilt that had been welling up inside of him starting to become suffocating. He hated lying to them, especially Sirius.

"Thanks," he mumbled, before hastily making his way to bed.

--

"Where have you been?" Jennifer questioned lightly from her bed as Lily entered her dorm, having just left James. "You were right behind us one minute and then gone the next!"

"A better question might be who has she been with?" Catreena interrupted snidely as she entered the room, before Lily even had a chance to open her mouth.

"What? I wasn't talking to you," Jennifer snapped harshly at Catreena, before sending a probing look at Lily.

"Oh I know, just thought I'd try and be helpful." Catreena smiled evilly.

"Well, don't," Lily fired back at her.

"I don't know how you manage to keep track of her at all anymore Jennifer," Catreena said, ignoring Lily. "What with her always sneaking out recently…"

"I don't sneak out!" Lily defended indignantly, wishing Catreena would just shut up. She could see from the mean glint in her eye that she was trying to drop Lily in it, and they both knew she would succeed if Lily didn't stop her soon.

"Yeah, twelve o'clock, bit late for a trip to the library, wouldn't you say, Jennifer?" asked Catreena in a seemingly innocent voice, her large smirk the only evidence that she knew what she was starting.

"At that time of night, it's more likely to be boy than the library," joked Emily, who also sat on Jennifer's bed, before shutting her mouth with an audible snap, realising what she'd said and its implications.

"A boy?!" Samantha yelled from the bathroom, her voice echoing loudly through the room and leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

"Oh yeah, didn't you see her at dinner? She was stuck to James Potter's side like some kind of rash," Catreena called back to the clueless Samantha. She watched the circle of silent friends in front of her meanly, before gleefully adding, "When she left, he wasn't too far behind, perhaps that would explain her mysterious disappearance."

Then, talking to Jennifer but refusing to take her eyes off of Lily, she continued, "I was down in the common room just now too, and you should have seen them, all over one another. Oh sure, it started off innocently enough, both of them working on some project, but towards the end it sure looked like he was asking her out!"

Jennifer sucked in a harsh breath. Catreena paused dramatically before taking perverse pleasure in saying, slowly and deliberately, "And judging by the blush, nod, and lingering look she gave him, I'd say she… agreed."

With that last announcement, Catreena called for Samantha to follow her. They both swiftly left the room, Samantha sending her congratulations towards Lily as she was roughly pulled out the door.

Their departure left a stiff and tense atmosphere, but it was soon broken when, just like before, Jennifer's angry voice demanded, "Where have you been, Lily?"

Instead of answering, Lily sighed unenthusiastically. "I'm getting really tired of being greeted like that!"

"Well, stop doing things that require me to want to shout at you!" was the tart response.

"Oh, and pray tell, what is it that I've done?" Lily asked mockingly. "What have I done that has affected you so badly today? Because I know you're not about to shout at me about James again, since I've discussed this with you once already and I refuse to repeat myself!"

"Excuse me for being worried about my friend when she starts to act strangely! Excuse me for worrying when her opinion of one of the most untrustworthy boys miraculously changes within less than a week! Excuse me for thinking that it's not normal!"

"How would you know? Do you follow me around making a mental list of all the people I talk to? Oh no, wait, I know! You're a mind reader?!" Lily said widening her eyes dramatically.

"No, of course not! Please be serious... I'm worried!"

"For your information," Lily coolly replied, "I've had many pleasant conversations with James recently." She knew she was stretching the truth a little, seeing as recently meant since last week, but she saw no other choice. She couldn't tell Jennifer the truth because she'd never hear the end of it. Jennifer would probably wear Lily down until she backed out.

"Merlin, what is wrong with you?!" Lily carried on in a loud voice. "You're acting like you've never liked someone with a shady past! Does the name Sirius Black ring any bells?" she asked poignantly, hearing Emily tut at her in the background for her tactlessness.

"Exactly!" Jennifer shouted. "I've been there, I've done that! I have experience and I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did!"

"I won't!" Lily argued firmly. "James isn't Sirius and, even if he was, it's my choice to risk heartbreak. Just like I let you get on with it even though I knew it would end badly with Sirius."

Jennifer sighed.

"Could we please just agree to disagree?" Lily asked, seeing her friend falter. "I really don't want to fight with you about this – I'm doing it, and nothing you can say will stop me."

"It's my choice who I talk to," Lily continued, taking Jennifer's hand. She really didn't want to fight with her about that, of all things. "And it's definitely my choice who I decided to date," she said softly. "As my friend, it's your job to support me even if I am being an idiot. It's not your job to berate me every time I walk through a bloody door— if this is a mistake let it be my mistake."

Jennifer looked at the floor resignedly, knowing that once Lily made up her mind there was no stopping her. "I'm sorry, Lily. I'm sorry for acting like your mother-- I'm not your mother and I realise that. I'm your friend. It's just that seeing you get involved with them brings back bad memories."

"Okay," Lily nodded, accepting the truth of that statement and the apology.

"I just hope you don't expect me to sit with them," Jennifer suddenly said. "Because I can't promise I won't gouge Black's eyes out!"

"Fine," Lily giggled, acquiescing to her friend's terms, before carefully adding, "But what happened between you and Black was years ago and, if I remember correctly, even at the time he said you had it all wrong. Maybe it's time you listened to what he has to say. After all, what could it hurt?" Lily smiled encouragingly.

"I suppose," Jennifer grudgingly agreed, "but I make no promises. We'll see how it goes first."

"Are you two done now?" Emily wearily asked from her bed, where she'd laid down the moment the two of them had begun to argue.

"Yeah," Lily said, giving Jennifer a hard look.

"Yeah," Jennifer eventually agreed, albeit reluctantly.

"Good," said Emily, bouncing up and over to Lily. "Now tell me!"

"Tell you what?" Lily laughed at her friend's excitement.

"Is it all true?"

"Is what true?"

"That you fancy Potter and that you're going out with him?" Emily breathlessly asked, gripping her friend's forearms tightly.

"Ummm…yeah," replied Lily, smearing a smile over her face as she said it, and only feeling the slightest twinge of guilt for lying.

Emily giggled and pulled Lily into a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you -- and I trust your judgement," she whispered, causing Lily to tighten her hold and prolong the hug a little longer, very thankful for Emily.

Jennifer made a sound reminiscent of a dying cat, but held her tongue. Lily was truly grateful for that, sending a thankful smile at her friend to show her appreciation.

--

AN

I hope you all enjoyed this little insight into their relationships with the friends – I don't think chaps like this will be happening all that often

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

ps. Happy Halloween, Happy Polling Day (for the US) Happy Bonfire Night (for the UK) and.... I can't think of anything else but you catch my drift!