James

I stomped blackly up to my room and straight to the corner where an innocent cupboard stood. Mum tried to convince me to throw out the 'ugly old thing', but I never let her; it held all my Zonko's products..

I knelt and opened the last drawer, hoping nobody heard the clinking of potion bottles.

"James…what are you doing? You're mad if you think you can pull a prank in your Mum's Christmas Party!" Sirius said in a hushed voice, coming up behind me. I startled; I hadn't even heard him come in.

"Sirius, are you going to help me or act like my mum?" I said irritably. I kept hearing Evans' tinkling laugh and Cassus working his charms on her.

"Ok, ok…who are we pranking?" Sirius came beside me and peered into the drawer. "Are those?"

"Zonko potions? Yeah. Now, I know they're here somewhere…Let's see…" I rummaged through my vast collection.

"Blimey!" Sirius picked up a shimmering blue bottle and peered at it. "That's a collector's potion!"

"Yeah, I won it two years ago for my 'most original prank'. I made my cousin, Molly, and my cousin, Will, switch bodies for a week," I muttered absentmindedly. "Now…Babbling Drought, Daydream Daze…ah-hah!" I held up a caramel-colored bottle triumphantly.

"What's that?"

"Fanciful Fainting," I told him.

"So…who, exactly, are we pranking?"

I thought fast. If I said 'Cassus and Lily', he would wonder why, and I didn't exactly know why myself. But, if I said 'Cassus', he would probably agree. "Cassus. I can't let him get away with that crack against my best mate, now can I?"

Sirius looked shocked and extremely pleased. He looked up at me, his eyes suspiciously bright (but, of course, us strong manly boys do not cry) and he cleared his throat. "Let's put it in his Butterbeer. It looks sorta like it."

I grinned at him. "Brilliant!"

And while we're at it…we should put one in Evans!" Sirius added cheerfully.

"What?" I wasn't sure if I really wanted to do that. I mean, I'd just thought that I should do that, but for some reason I saw Evans motionless, spread out on the floor, her blood-red hair like a halo around her. I cringed and my stomach turned. (It did not flutter, it turned.)

"C'mon, James…it'll be like killing two birds with one stone!" wheedled Sirius. "And she deserves it, after refusing your offer for peace!"

I squared my jaw. You don't fancy her,my brain told me firmly. I agreed with it, for once. "Definitely."

******

"Maddy," I said, "You know those bottles in the fridge?"

Maddy barely looked up from her work. She was busy rolling out some dough for cookies. "Yes, Master James."

"Can you put this in mine and Sirius'?" I asked, knowing that if she thought it was for us, she wouldn't protest. She didn't have to know that neither of us had any intention of drinking them. Sirius was going to entertain Aliya and Lizzie, and I was going to distract Cassus while Maddy set the bottles out. Then, I would let them knock each other out.

"What is it, Master James?" Maddy said suspiciously. I showed her the (fake) label.

"It's only an energizer," I told her truthfully. I pulled another bottle (this one actually energizer so we wouldn't fall asleep and the prank would look real) and said, "Actually, put this in the other two bottles. It's the same thing, just a watered-down version. Remus and Peter wanted some."

Maddy looked disbelieving and opened her mouth before another house elf popped in.

"WE IS NEEDING MORE APPETIZERS!" He yelled loudly, before popping back out. Maddy threw up her hands in exasperation and made shooing motions with her hands towards me.

"I will put them in, Master James, now get out!" Maddy said absentmindedly, rolling the dough faster and snapping her fingers, making it separate into circles. "I NEED CHOCOLATE CHIPS!"

A bag of chocolate chips sailed towards us and knocked me in the head. "Ow!" I protested, but Maddy made the same shooing motions and snapped her fingers again. The bag spilt open and the chocolate chips flew out, arranging themselves pleasantly on the dough. I snagged a handful of chocolate chips before I slid out of the frantic kitchen.

Boy was I glad I wasn't a house elf.

******

Sirius leaned casually against the wall outside the kitchen. "Mission accomplished?"

"Yeah," I told him before I tossed him some chocolate. "Here, got these for you."

"They're chocolate chips," said Sirius before shrugging. "It's chocolate. So…I'm off to entertain Aliya! You'll be alright?"

"Course!" I told him, rolling my eyes. "Now, go charm Aliya, and remember to watch your manners! Don't want to give them any more reason to hate you!"

"Prat!" called Sirius playfully as he strutted down the hall.

"You look like a peacock when you walk like that!" I hollered, and he gave me a rude hand gesture behind his back. I leaned against the wall, laughing quietly, until a sneering voice behind me stopped me.

"You two think you're so funny, don't you?"

I calmly turned around. "I thought that was pretty funny."

Cassus' eyes narrowed. "Your sense of humor is obviously one of the many qualities upon you that Lily heavily dislikes."

"What have you been telling Evans about me?" I asked, partly to stall him and partly because I was curious.

"Oh, nothing," Cassus' blue eyes were full of malice. "I didn't say anything…dear Lily had enough to say on her own."

"Like what?" I was outraged. Surely she didn't hate me that much.

"Oh, nothing…she just hates how you constantly annoy her and how you pull pranks on her…and how you claim to hate her, but if she talks to any boy besides you, you get jealous and accuse her of betraying you."

"I—" Was that really what I was doing? No! I wasn't jealous…no! She was tricking me, damn it!

Cassus' smile was triumphant. "Anyway, dear cousin, I am going to give her first Butterbeer to her."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "So?"

"So, it's good luck…" his smile turned leering, "Romantically."

"Cassie! She's only eleven!" I said, irritated.

"Don't call me that!" Cassus looked thoroughly irritated and I wondered if Maddy was done already! You see, Cassus had a certain, shall we say, 'feminine' air about him, and a few years ago I'd started to tease him about how no girl would ever look twice at him, and that only a boy would...and that he was secretly a girl in disguise, hence the nickname, 'Cassie'.

"What?" I said innocently. "Cassie?"

"Aurgh!" Cassus let out a half-strangled yell of rage and pounced at me. His fist connected solidly with my nose and gave a sharp gasp of pain.

"Whad da hell is yo' probleb?" I said, feeling my nose, which was beginning to sluggishly leak blood. "Bwoody hell!"

"CassusAerumnosus Potter!" drawled a haughty voice from the end of the corridor.

Cassus stiffened at the voice and turned around slowly. "Hello, Mother."

"Cassus!" Aunt Celcus suddenly snapped. I winced; Aunt Celcus was a haughty, sharp woman who spent more time shopping in France and Greece then take care of her only son.

"Yes, Mother?" Cassus said formally, standing straight and tall. He smoothed back his hair and hid his bloody hand behind his back.

"Show me your hand," she ordered in that condescending tone of hers. Cassus showed her his clean hand obediently. Aunt Celsius barely spared it a glance before saying in an icy tone, "The other one."

Cassus shot me a hate-filled glance and rebelliously showed him his red hand. She inspected it, her eyes narrowing. "Really, Cassus…fighting like Muggles in a corridor? How…beneath you. We will be talking about this when we get home."

"Yes, Mother." Cassus said, shooting me a two-fingered salute behind his back.

"Go get a house elf to patch you off and remove the blood from your new robes. Immediately!" Aunt Celsius snapped and Cassus shot off like a bullet. Aunt Celsius' eyes raked over my blood-sodden face and my Muggle suit. "What is that ghastly thing? I shall have to talk to Elizabeth about portraying the family properly. Make sure you clean the blood off as well, understand? We can't have the Potter family portrayed like this."

I bowed respectfully to her, all the while yelling curses at her in my head. Honestly! She swoops in here, insults me, doesn't care about my broken nose, and orders me around! For the first time I felt a twinge of pity for Cassus…just a twinge, however. Aunt Celcus sneered at me and left. I rolled my eyes.

I called, "MADDY!" My voice echoed off the corridor and Maddy appeared in front of me, some flour on the end of her nose.

"What is it? If you is wanting me to put more potions in bottles—oh my! Master James! What is you getting yourself into now?" Maddy looked shocked.

"Long story—can you heal me and remove the blood?" I asked her hurriedly, needing to make sure Cassus got the spiked bottles.

"One second, Master James." Maddy waved her arms in the air, muttered something, and the blood siphoned off my clothes. Two pops later saw her forcing me to drink a nasty green potion.

I glugged it down and gasped in pain; the bones in my nose roughly realigning themselves. "Whew," I tenderly felt around my nose. "Thanks, Maddy. Can you bring the bottles to me when I call for you?"

"Yes, Master James—now listen to me! You is not to be getting into any more trouble, you hear?"

"Yes, Maddy." I said, grinning at her. I walked down a few halls and corridors before I walked into the living room, where I immediately spotted Evans' red hair in the corner.

I walked down towards her, wondering what to do. How was I supposed to get Cassus to drink the spiked drink? The drinks were ice cold…maybe I could 'leave' them on the table. I was sure that Cassus would find pleasure in drinking my special bottles. Genius!

"So," I said to Evans, sitting next to her, "Like what you see?"

I internally winced at the suggestive slur but Evans just laughed.

"It's…impressive." She said truthfully. I rolled my eyes, feeling more comfortable.

"Tell me about it. This isn't even our normal living room! I mean, we usually have couches and a few chairs, and that's it. Not this…this…" I waved my arms around the impressive get-up and groaned. "Mum was up all day arranging the furniture. I mean, we borrowed couches and chairs from all her friends!"

It was ridiculous! Mum had shamelessly Flooed over to all our friends' houses and chatted with them for hours, returning with an army of house elves and furniture!

Evans laughed again. "Really?"

"Yeah! You didn't think we had this much furniture, did you?" I said sarcastically, but Evans looked down embarrassedly.

"Well…" She said softly.

"Evans!" I laughed, before catching sight of Sirius across the room, who made drinking motions furiously at me. I gave him a 'calm-down' look and leaned forward. "Maddy!"

Evans got an odd look on my face when I said that; she looked like she swallowed a sour lemon. I shrugged it off as one of the great mysteries of girls and watched in amusement as she shrieked and very nearly fell off her chair when Maddy popped into existence. The cooking was obviously done, or had calmed down, since she had cleaned up and put on her red 'company' costume.

"Potter…" Evans said in a shaky voice, "Who is that?"

I was glad to see that she called Maddy a 'who', and not a 'what' like so many people would've. At least she realized Maddy was a creature.

"She's Maddy, my house elf." I said, and Maddy turned to her and bowed. I resisted the urge to groan loudly; Maddy only bowed to the people she liked. No doubt I would get a full interrogation about Evans later on.

"Why is she bowing to me?" Evans said in a confused tone.

"Because you're a guest in our house," I lied smoothly, before turning to my elf companion. "Can you get us some Butterbeer, Maddy?"

Maddy appraised Evans and turned to me, "Should I get the special ones, Master?"

"Er…" I wondered whether I should actually give her one. We had been having such a nice conversation! Don't be a sissy, Sirius' voice said in my head. I narrowed my eyes. I was not a sissy! "Umm…okay, Maddy."

Maddy bowed, squeaked an affirmative (I learned that word from Remus) and popped out of the room.

"Potter, Cassus went to get me a Butterbeer, and what are the 'special ones'?" Evans said, looking defiant. I wondered why.

"Cassus is a pompous git," I said bitterly, emphasizing the 'git' part. Especially after he broke my nose. "And the special ones are the ones from Hogsmeade, instead of Diagon Alley. They're better."

I wondered if I should feel any remorse about blatantly lying to Evans, but…nope. Nothing…except my Remus-conscious twinging a bit, but I'd learned to ignore that.

"Thank you, James, for sharing those with me," She said softly and it took all my willpower to keep my jaw from dropping open at my name. "Potter! He is not a pompous git! Well, maybe when he lied about his name."

For some strange reason I felt relieved that she knew…well, not relieved, exactly, more…proud? Glad? I didn't know, exactly, but I was very whatever-it-was that she hadn't been fooled. "So you did know! I wondered why you were laughing. I mean, really! 'Gift'?"

She laughed quietly and leaned back, her red hair glistening against the snowy-white couch. When Maddy popped back in, she was holding an 'Energizer' bottle and a 'Fainting' bottle. I winced; I couldn't very well ask Maddy for the other bottle? She'd want to know why! Or, Maddy knew what you were doing…I glanced at Maddy and she pretended to drink, and then faint before pointing at Evans and shaking her head. I rolled my eyes at her theatrics. Technically, she was disobeying an order and I could punish her…but, no.. I didn't want to hurt her.

Maddy set the Fainting bottle in front of Evans, and looked

All this ran through my head and my hand seemed to move of its own accord, reaching out and laying it on hers. "Wait," I said softly, ignoring how the way her green eyes sparkled.

She shivered slightly, "What?"

It was my turn to shiver. Her breath was minty and fresh. Unsure of how to react, I ruined the moment with a, "That one's mine." I looked down at our hands and reddened, wrenching my hand out and trying to forget how her small, soft warm hand had felt against my own. I was doing the right thing. I could—would—prank her back in Hogwarts, so I wouldn't get in trouble here. Nobody could prove it was me.

I felt someone's eyes boring into the back of my head and I grinned at Evans. "Did you know that your first Butterbeer is special?"

She smiled, took a tentative sip of the drink I poured out for her, and her face lit up. I knew exactly what she tasted; Butterbeer was amazing, but something people took for granted.

She took another sip and I saw, in the reflection of my bottle, Cassus' face. He glared at me, not knowing I was watching him, and stormed towards us. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he said when he reached us.

I was pleased to see that he was jealous of me; that didn't happen very often. "I'm giving Evans a drink."

"Uh…no. I am." Cassus spat out, his ice cold blue eyes boring into my own.

"Cassus," Evans interrupted. "Both of you can get me one." I nearly snorted with amazement…did she really think we were fighting over who got to get her a drink? Talk about being full-of-yourself! I just needed Cassus to drink my Butterbeer and faint. It would be hilarious!

"Yeah, Cassus," I said, knowing it was a reminder to earlier today, "I'm sure that a gift like you wouldn't be so vain as to not do what the lady wants."

Evans looked amused at my wordplay, and Cassus looked absolutely enraged. I rubbed the side of my nose subtly, letting him know he should calm down. I didn't want to make a scene.

"What is that?" Cassus stared at the ice-cold Butterbeer enviously. Seeing as there were magical coolers full of drinks, I wondered how he would've gotten warm ones.

"That's my Butterbeer," Evans said innocently. I grinned at her and handed Cassus the spiked drink.

"Here, Cass. Have this one…and don't forget, Aunt Celsius is watching us." I said mischievously, knowing he would simultaneously get mad and scared at the two names.

Cassus stiffened hatefully and defiantly grabbed the Butterbeer. He drank it down with a smug look on his face before said face turned pale and he fainted.

I burst out laughing.

"JAMES POTTER!" shrieked Evans, "What did you do?"

Evans' shriek was so bloody loud that everyone looked our way.

"Evans! What the bloody hell is your problem?" I asked, "Everyone's looking at us!"

Evans put her hands on her hips and stood up, "What the...er…what is your problem?"

"I didn't do anything!" I protested, before I turned around and smiled at the hundred-and-one guests gaping at us. "My cousin felt ill. He will be alright."

Mum raised an eyebrow at me from across the room and I gave her a 'Please-help-me-I'm-so-sorry' look. I got an 'I-WILL-deal-with-you-later-young-man' look in return before she stepped forward.

"If everyone is finished with their drinks and appetizers," Mum said charmingly, "Dinner is ready. Please, come this way."

Everyone followed Mum obediently—it was bad manners to disobey the host—and Sirius, Remus and Peter made a beeline for me.

"Brilliant, mate!" Sirius said happily, poking Cassus with a toe.

"I know, right? Serves him right!" I grinned back.

"Excuse me?" Evans put in. "Cassus did nothing wrong! This was uncalled for, immature, and—Aliya! Lizzie! Alice!"

With impeccable timing (that's four syllables! Remus knows his words alright), Evans' friends followed after Sirius and the three of them pulled Lil-Evans away.

"Relax, Evans—it was a prank. You should try it sometimes," Sirius said casually, before the four of us ran ahead of the girls.

"Who is that?" Remus questioned, and I rolled my eyes.

"He's my cousin, and a git! He insulted Sirius and broke my nose!"

"His name's Cassus?" Remus said with a mischievous look.

"Yeah," Sirius said, before turning to me. "JAMES! You didn't give it to Evans!"

"It was all Maddy's fault!" I defended myself. "She only gave me one spiked bottle!"

"Excuses, excuses." Sirius said, and we walked calmly into the 'kids' dining room.

••••••

Lily

"When did you get here?" I squealed, hurrying after thee boys.

"Me?" Lizzie said, "I got here with Aliya…we saw you and a boy walk out."

"Was he nice?" Aliya chipped in.

"Well…" I blushed, as we turned a corner and sped up. "He was handsome, but kind of full of himself."

"Full of himself like Potter or like…a Slytherin?" Alice asked me.

"Like a Slytherin…but he was so charming."

Aliya laughed as we went through a door and into a room with a long table. There were name cards in front of every seat…and as I walked through the doorway, one next to Potter glowed.

I groaned, "Potter!"

"What? It wasn't my idea! We even stole a wand to levitate it out!" Potter protested, and I felt hurt.

"So…you didn't want me next to you?" I said, feeling strangely annoyed. I certainly didn't want him to be next to me. But you want him to want you…

Not.

Do too.

Do NOT!

"Um…no?" Potter caught sight of my face, which must've resembled someone sucking a sour lemon, and winced. "Um…yes? What's the right answer?"

I made a face at my friends and gingerly sat next to Potter. Lizzie walked through the door next and, to my surprise and happiness, the card next to me glowed. Lizzie sat down next to me and I turned my back on Potter.

"C'mon, Aliya…come in," wheedled Black. Lizzie looked at Black curiously and Aliya walked in the doorway…and promptly groaned loudly.

Lizzie and I burst out laughing. The name card next to BLACK glowed brightly, and Aliya looked horrified. "Not funny! YOU planned this, you…you…"

"Prats?" I offered.

"Gits?" Lizzie said.

"Imbeciles?" Alice's voice from behind Aliya tried, and Aliya scowled.

I tried to keep a straight face but the corners of my mouth twitched and when I caught Lizzie's eye the two of us burst out laughing again, and even Aliya smiled grudgingly.

"Hey!" Black protested, and Potter leaned over, whispering something to him as Alice sat down too. It went Lizzie, me, Potter, Aliya, Alice, Black, Remus, Pettigrew. Petunia was sitting at the end of the table with a boy that looked about her age.

Fun, fun, fun!

******

"Lizzie!" I hissed, "Which fork do I use for the first course?"

Lizzie looked amused at my ignorance. "You start with the outer one and work your way in."

"So," Potter said to me, "Um…how's school?"

I stared at him. "Did all the Butterbeer you drank permanently addle your brain? Oh, wait…you didn't drink any! You spiked it and gave it to Cassus!"

Potter groaned. "C'mon, Evans…let it go! He deserved it! He broke my nose and insulted Sirius!"

"Yeah—so you tell your mum and she sorts it out! He gets grounded, you get off punishment free, and everyone gets mad at him! The way you did it, he becomes the victim, you get in trouble, and I bet your mum's angrier at you then at him!"

Potter looked shocked. "Yeah—but this way was fun!"

"You're so insufferable!" I hissed, irritated that he failed to see my logic.

"What the hell is your problem?" exclaimed my personal devil. I threw up my hands, ignoring the amused looks of my friends.

"Stop swearing!" I said in exasperation.

"Why should I?" Potter said, grinning at me. My eyes narrowed and he gulped.

••••••

James

Evans glared at me and I gulped nervously, before realizing thatbeing afraid of her was silly. I straightened defiantly. "You try it, Evans. Swear at me."

Sirius looked at me in glee, Peter looked awed at my daring, and even Remus looked amused. Evans, on the other hand, looked unsettled.

"What?" she said, voice shaky.

"Swear at me." I taunted, and her eyes flashed like two emeralds in the sky—I meant, they flashed like green balls of fire—damn it!

"No."

"Why not? C'mon, Evans…live a little!" I said cockily.

"No."

"Don't be such a goody-goody," I said. "Just say a simple 'Bloody Hell!' or a, 'Damn!'"

Lily looked absolutely terrifying, and her body tensed as she glared at me.

Forget about 'being afraid of her was silly'…I was scared now.

••••••

Lily

What the hell was he thinking? I thought furiously, before I tensed. I just swore. Lily Evans just swore. Damn that James Potter—I just swore again! Oh my god! I just SWORE! I NEVER swear!

I glared at the boy who had made me swear twice for the first time in my life, and he shrank back.

"Why should I swear?" I said icily, determined not to give in.

Potter looked confused. "Because, only nerdy people don't swear."

I laughed derisively. "So, according to your flawed logic, people who don't swear are nerdy?"

Potter looked pleased that I had gotten his point so quickly. "Yup."

"Remus doesn't swear," I pointed out. "Is he nerdy?"

"No offense, Remus—but yup." Potter replied. I turned to Black.

"Black! Aliya doesn't swear," I lied. "Does that make her nerdy?"

Black looked caught. I knew he fancied Aliya…if he said, 'yes' then he would have one mad Aliya on his hands, but if he said, 'no' then he was betraying Potter. He was stuck.

"Yeah, Black," Aliya put in. "Am I nerdy?"

Remus caught my eye and winked at me. I smiled sweetly back at him.

"Um…" stalled Black, and I turned to Pettigrew next.

"Pettigrew…Alice certainly doesn't swear. Is she nerdy?" I said innocently, ignoring the way Potter was mentally boring holes into my head.

Pettigrew looked devastated, and I took pity on him, turning to Potter next.

"Lizzie doesn't swear either," I said to him, noticing the way Lizzie leaned forward expectantly. "Is she nerdy?"

Potter's mouth dropped open and he looked uncomfortably at Lizzie and I. He would either say that Lizzie was nerdy, or admit that I was right.

I smirked at the three boys, enjoying my feelings of victory. All three of them were looking vastly uncomfortable, and all of them were avoiding our eyes.

I turned around and smiled victoriously at Petunia. The table had quieted and everyone was looking at us. Pet looked highly amused and slightly awed.

"That's what I thought," I said icily to Potter, before I promptly turned my back on them and started to talk with Lizzie.

••••••

James

Damn it! How does she do that? I sent glare after glare to the redhead but she casually talked to Lizzie and Petty Petunia.

I mentally reviewed the conversation in my head and I groaned softly. It had gone from me being on top and embarrassing Evans, to her embarrassing all of us! And—why didn't Remus get embarrassed?

Aliya was smirking at the two of us. "As fascinating as your gaping amazement is, could you please stand up for a second?"

Confused, I complied. Aliya smirked some more and slid into my spot, sitting next to Evans. Winters quickly took my seat, so the four demons were sitting next to each other.

Sirius moved over and I sat in between Sirius and Remus. I glared at the latter.

"Why doesn't she ever get mad at you? She calls me 'Potter' she calls Sirius 'Black'…she even calls Peter 'Pettigrew'! You are always 'Remus'!"

Remus blushed and grinned sheepishly, his gaze landing on his food. He picked up his fork and speared a golden potato, chewing it thoughtfully. "I think it's because I've never done anything wrong. You prank her and tease her and make fun of her…and Peter approves. In her eyes, I'm just the quiet Remus who is forced to share a dorm with you."

"Little does she know that you're the fiercest of us all!" chortled Sirius. He made his fingers into claws and growled. "Like a werewolf, Were-Remus only comes out when the moon shines! He plans the pranks with no mercy! Eh, Remus?"

Remus looked away, his tawny eyes sad. "Um…yeah, Sirius."

I wondered why he was so upset, but I quickly chipped in, "Don't blow his cover, Sirius!"

Remus looked at me gratefully and I shrugged.

"James." An icy voice said from the doorway, and I clenched my eyes shut in annoyance.

"Cassie." I goaded him. I know I was being petty, but he was so annoying.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Cassus shouted, and Mum appeared in the doorway after him.

"What's going on here, boys and girls?" Mum looked directly at me.

I held up my hands in innocence. "I didn't do anything! I just said, 'Cass', and he started shouting at me!"

"NO! He called me 'Cassie'!" Cassus had spittle flying out of his mouth and Evans looked unsettled. Good. Cassus and I had a long-standing war between us, but I'd never seen him this angry. Maybe it's a side-effect to the potion. I mused.

"James, why did you call him 'Cass'?" Mum had a look on her face that practically screamed I'm On To You!

"Mum…you're always telling me to be friendlier to him! Cass is a cool name. I wish it was mine." There was actually a Quidditch star named Cass Kurn, so I wasn't worried about her getting suspicious.

"Cassus, did he call you Cass…and do you want him to refrain from saying that?" Mum persisted and I groaned. She gave me an icy glare. Considering the amount of icy looks I was getting, I would be frozen before dessert!

"He didn't call me 'Cass'!" Cassus gave me an outraged look.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Potter…" a light, pretty voice spoke up. "Pothead—er, James, called him 'Cass', and Cassus overreacted. I'm sure he heard P-James wrong."

Mum's glare softened considerably and she smiled warmly at whoever saved me. "James really can be a Pothead, can't he? Tell me, what is your name?"

"Lily Evans, Ma'am." LILY EVANS? THE Lily Evans? SHE saved ME?

"Well, James, Miss Evans has saved you. We will be talking about your stunt in the living room later tonight."

Mum's patented Look was back on, before she turned and grandly left the room.

••••••

Lily

Potter turned to me with an incredulous look on his face and the others looked at me as well.

"Um…" he said. "Did you just get me out of trouble?"

I fumbled for an excuse. "Of course not, Pothead."

"Pothead?" Potter looked confused. "That's new."

"Well, it fits." I said right back. "Your head looks like a pot."

"No, really…why'd you get me out of trouble?" Potter persisted.

"Maybe I felt like it!" I snapped. "It's called doing something nice for someone—you should try it!"

"Yeah, but…to me?" He was bewildered. "Do you have an alter-ego? Like good-Lily, bad-Lily?"

To my horror my lips started to twitch and I felt a small thrill go through me when he said 'Lily'. I cursed my traitorous body. "I only have one when you are involved. You bring out my bad-Lily…and it's Evans to you, Potter."

"Jeez, Evans…why don't you pull down that stick shoved up your—"

"JAMES ANDREW POTTER!" A voice shrieked from the doorway. "Language!"

••••••

James

Evans grinned a huge, smug smile at me and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"I saw that, mister." Mum, for that was who my prosecutor was, scolded. "I leave you alone for two minutes and when I come back you are…are…harassing the ladies! Be polite, James Andrew, or you will go to your room! Now, apologize to dear Lily!"

"Dear Lily," I said in a sweet voice, "I am terribly sorry for sticking my tongue out at you…" I glanced at my mother and grinned wickedly. "And for telling you to pull the stick shoved up your, er, you-know-what."

She glared at me, and Mum ruffled my hair. "Now, dessert is ready—does anyone have any allergies?"

Aliya raised her hand. "I have a nut allergy, ma'am. I have a list from my doctor—er, healer—of the nuts I can eat…here." She pulled out a sheet of parchment from some hidden pocket in her dress and handed it to Mum, which scanned it.

"Well, dear, you might want to avoid some of the pies…I believe we're having pecan pie. Can you eat that? If you cannot there are some wonderful others…" Mum said, and I tuned them out and turned to Sirius.

"Weird, huh?" he said, looking over at Evans. "Who would've ever thought that she would help you?"

"Yeah," Peter chipped in. "And the g-good-Lily bad-L-lily was brilliant!!"

Sirius mimed gagging over the smaller boy's head, and I gave him a Look.

"James—she did say you bring out the bad side of her," Remus remarked calmly. "Maybe you should…I dunno…tone it down a little."

"No way!" I snorted. "If anything I should tone it up! She deserves it."

"Yeah!" Peter chimed in. "She deserves it!"

••••••

Lily

Dessert was delicious, and even Petunia joined in on our conversation, trying some chocolate cake that made you float around the room. She giggled and tossed her brown hair as she hovered next to the window, and I saw one of Potter's cousins—Jack, or John—give her appreciative looks. I smiled; she was looking beautiful in a long, red dress and make-up.

The dishes disappeared in a flash, leaving an empty table. I was used to it, Hogwarts did the same thing.

"Do you have an owl yet?" Lizzie asked Aliya, who moaned.

"No! My parents are refusing to let me get one. It's totally not fair. Lily has an owl!"

I shrugged. "I just told my parents that I needed a way to communicate with them, and it said in my letter that I could bring and owl or a cat or a rat," I sighed longingly. "I really want a cat."

Aliya still looked disgruntled. "Yeah, but…I still don't have an owl."

Alice opened her mouth, probably to offer advice or condolences, but at that moment a loud hooting drew our attention to the window and a beautiful owl swooped in.

I gasped. "She's so pretty!"

Alice walked slowly up to it, cooing softly. "Hello, there, girl."

She reached out her hand to touch it—and it fluttered out its wings and flew away. I started to laugh.

"You try getting close to it!" Alice huffed. Lizzie gave a confident smile, grabbed a napkin off the floor and approached it confidently.

"I have a letter for you," she said, holding the napkin. The owl cocked her head, peered at the napkin, and flew away.

By now, I wasn't the only one laughing. I smiled at the owl. "You're so pretty! Whose owl are you?" I said as I approached her/him. The owl hooted and I reached out one arm…

…and it fluttered up and landed there.

"Aw, that's not fair!" Alice moaned.

Potter, surprisingly enough, walked up to me. "She's mine."

Aliya snorted. "You have a girl owl? Ha!"

I couldn't see Potter with such a pretty owl. The two didn't click. Potter was a mean, rude, pranking prat, and the owl was obviously clever.

"Why'd it land on Lily?" Lizzie asked curiously. Potter blushed and sent an evil look to Black, who winked at him.

Potter's ears were red and he shrugged. "Um…maybe she liked her?"

"Are you asking her or telling her, James?" Black called out. "Tell them her name!"

Potter glared at the laughing Black and looked at the floor. "Her name is…well…Sirius named it, you see, so it's really not my fault…"

"What is it, Potter?" I said exasperatedly. He shrugged.

"Um…Lily?"

*•*•*•*•*•*•

A/N: I'm SO sorry this took so long…but I had family over and it's IMPOSSIBLE to write when you have family! Also, for all you Americans out there, I was busy taking advantage of the tax-free weekend!

So, I'm thinking there will be about 11 chapters, and I might not post Book Two for a while because I think I'll plan out my chapters, so the updates can go faster. Also, school's starting, and I might be swamped down with homework. Ugh.

Hope you like the chapter, and review!

-Zanna