Chapter 2…The Clever Potter

Lily was sleeping soundly on her bed. Suddenly she heard she heard the bed creak.

"Alice. Just five more minutes and I'll be up. Promise." And she slept again. Then she thought that Alice didn't have the Head dorm password. Then with a bang she realized and opened her eyes. " AARRRRRGHHHHHHHHH…… POTTER GET OFF MY BED."

"what are you doing here." She shouted at the top of her voice.

To say James was surprised was an understatement. He had never seen Lily go so wild, just when two seconds before she was looking like a peaceful angel.

"I had come to wake you up for the meeting with Dumbledore." James answered slightly scared.

Scared… its just Evans.. she can't hurt a fly…

"So you could have knocked. Who gave you the permission to enter my room. Out." She was getting madder every second and James considered leaving that room at the earliest to be in the best of health for him if he didn't want to get cursed at the very early morning.

He got up to leave but then suddenly took a u-turn, gave a fleeting kiss on her cheek and before closing the door behind him said "Relax Evans. One day you yourself will invite me to this room and I promise not to enter until that happens." and then Lily heard the door knob click. He was gone.

Lily got up to get ready.

She entered the dining hall and went straight to Alice without once looking at James.

She was telling Alice about her morning experience then a hand covered her eyes from behind and he gave a full kiss on her lips. Lily smiled and lowered his hand to look at him and said, "I missed you Ralph."

"I missed you too love." He kissed her again and sat besides her. James was looking at both of them from the corner of his eye.

Lily and Ralph, though not a very hot couple looked really cute together. He was an ideal boyfriend. He used to bring her flowers every evening, held her hand when they walked together, wrote sweet love letters to her, used to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted and above all he was there for her every time she needed him.

He was everything a teenage girl would want his prince charming to be. Their relation was not a casual school fling. It was something really beautiful. Something that they both prized and cherished.

Lily was really happy with him. And James was not.

Both of them got up and headed for the Headmaster's office. James told the password and they both entered.

"Don't you think you are a little late kids." Dumbledore chuckled, "I am sure Mr. Potter might have to say something."

James opened his mouth to say something but Lily cut him in between and said, "Well actually sir, it was me who got up late. Potter actually came to wake me up." said Lily clearly very ashamed of herself.

"Hmmm.. I think that's a first for Mr. Potter. Getting up early is clearly a good sign towards understanding your duties."

James did not know what to say. It was the first time Lily had taken his side. Though not exactly his side, she had just said the truth. But he wanted to believe that she had said this for him. She could have very easily lied and blamed him for it. It wouldn't have been difficult to believe too. But she didn't. Today was going to be a good day.

He just nodded.

"Well sit down both of you."

Both of them sat and looked up at Dumbledore.

"As all of you know about the HAWKS, I would like both of you to plan everything and carefully assess what all is needed. I want this fest to be the best for all generations to come. I hope you understand." he looked at both of them and they nodded in approval.

He continued, "Ok, so I hope to see some progress by the end of this week. Meet me in the evening. Good bye."

They got up and left for the class.

McGonagall was teaching animal transfiguration today. Potter was really good at transfiguration, rather the best at it in class. The only subject where Lily lagged behind him and she did not like it. Though Defence Against Dark arts was also pretty much his domain than it was Lily's.

"Class, animal transfiguration is a very complex form of magic and I do not expect you to produce excellent results just at the first few attempts but I would like you to work hard towards it. It's really important from the NEWTs point of view. So lets begin. All of you form pairs." Minerva announced.

There were a few hushing sounds and the whole class was divided in pairs. Lily was paired with Ralph, James with Sirius and Alice with Frank.

After a lot of futile attempts and a number of whoosh sounds James succeeded in transforming his rat into a dog. In fact he was the first one to do this. Ralph was not looking interested in the class hence was not trying hard. Lily was also having problems achieving the desired.

"Very well Mr. Potter. Ten points to Gryffindor." Exclaimed McGonagall.

Watching Lily struggling with the wand and Ralph quite not paying attention she said, "Mr. Potter can u help Ms. Evans with the exercise and Mr. Ralph pair up with Mr. Black and pay some attention."

James went to her side and started teaching her how to do it.

"Place your wand like this in your hand, move your wrist anticlockwise, and say rodentocaninous."

Lily tried it twice but did not succeed. Then James stood behind her, took her arm and then moved her arm in the same fashion and transfigured the rat. He could feel Lily's back pressing on his chest and her short breaths tensing the air around him. He suddenly left her arm and went back to his seat, his hormones were running wild.

Lily was slightly surprised at his reaction. He was a really good teacher and of course handsome, she wondered. Had he been a little more sensible and not irritate her so much she might even like him.

Like him…. Are you going insane Lily… its Potter… you can't possibly like him.

She shuddered at these emotions and started concentrating on the class.

The class got over and she went straight to her dorm.

Meanwhile James was talking to his Marauder mates.

"So how was she?" Sirius asked James.

"Hmmm…. She smelled good." And started laughing. "How was her ultra-gay boy friend? You must have had a good time making him pay attention Padfoot." he asked mockingly.

"Don't ask. He is the dumbest jackass I have ever seen. God only knows how Evans tolerates him. I mean she is so smart n all." He shrugged.

James' spirits soared a little and Lupin seemed to notice this.

"May be it's her little game." Said Lupin. It was his first proof of interest in James' not-so-good love life.

They both looked at him.

Game…

"I mean the girls have this thing. They can't go out with guys smarter than them. How else do you explain them making those dumbasses do whatever they want." Lupin had a point.

"So that means she thinks I am more brilliant than her. Yeah… that's why she doesn't go out with me." James was ecstatic at this sudden discovery.

He looked over Lupin and said "Lupin you are a bloody genius. You should write a book on females-The cryptic beings. It would be a bestseller." He jumped off the bed and went to his room hopping, extremely happy with himself.

"I am a genius, I am bloody intelligent. I am better than LILY EVANS. Yoooohoooooo."

When James left for his dorm Lupin asked Sirius, "Do you reckon James likes her?"

"You kidding. All he does is prank on her. He can't possibly like her. Don't you remember last year when he said that she is the most annoying witch he has ever seen."

Lupin merely shrugged.