As It Was and You Were

Chapter Nineteen

Red Flags

"Yes?" Lily was looking confused.

"I… I was wondering… you were going…"

"Going where?" Michael began to look stressed, falling over his words. Well more than he was in the first place.

"Going to um… the fall with anyone?"

"The fall?" a stronger look of genuine confusion crossed her face.

"I mean the-the ball,"

"Well no," her expression changed to one of delight.

"Look out! There's a dragon!" James stood up and shouted. A few stupid people, who would believe pretty much anything, screamed and hid under the tables.

"James Potter! Out of my library! I will not have you disturbing the peace!" Madam Pince jerked her wand at James' belongings and they chased him out of the room, smacking him over the head. He ran, thinking about his dismal attempts to stop Michael. Which were rather dismal. Who would believe the dragon thing? Obviously, the stupid people.

"Wow," Lily stated, shaking her head and turning her attention back to Michael. He stared. "Yes?"

"Oh… um… doyouwanttogototheballwithme?"

"Sorry, I didn't catch that,"

"Do you want to the ball with… with me?" Michael looked as if someone had just pulled out his teeth. Every single one of his teeth.

"Yes,"

"Oh… well. Great that's just really… great," he smiled, exhaling, as one does after doing something similar to having an asthma attack.

"Yeah,"

"I have to go. I've got work," he gestured to the huge pile of books waiting for him. He grinned, if possibly even wider, walking away.

"Bye," Lily went back to her work with a small smile on her face. James, who was looking through the gap in the doors, saw this and smacked door with his fist.

"Curse him and his… charm,"

--

The school was buzzing with talk of how James Potter had yet another attack of insanity in the library. Also of how it wasn't James that was taking Lily to the ball but Michael. The handsome, charming, smart, sharp, astute… off track. James could hear this talk swarming in on his ears compressing his head until he thought it would explode under pressure.

This had happened the year before with little Arthur Mackey, who was under immense pressure after hearing that he, had cooties.

James had decided he had best get back at Lily and show her that he could get a date to the ball just as easily. And there was only one option he was willing to take other than Lily…