Disclaimer: However much I might wish I did, unfortunately I do not own any of these characters… They all belong to JKR.

Chapter 4 – Consequences - REPOSTED

In this chapter it seems like Lily has no girlfriends. This is not true, she does have friends, but the point is demonstrating that the Marauders have become her friends, rather than seeking each other out for an argument.

Previously: (Dumbledore, gardens, Lily's present memory)

I tapped the eyes of Minerva, James and Lily so they could see through James's invisibility cloak. I watched the Slytherins invade, not knowing that they were being overheard. I looked at the marks on James's face, and heard the howl of a werewolf in the distance.

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As Sirius, Remus and Peter walked into the Great Hall for breakfast they were met by a crowd of Slytherins roaring with laughter. They looked at each other uneasily. As Sirius was marching towards them, they spotted Lily and James. Whistles surrounded them and Lily's eyes blazed with anger.

Lucius Malfoy turned to smirk at Lily as James beckoned for the Marauders to come and stand with him behind Lily. Malfoy walked slowly up to her and tilted her chin up with a long, pale index finger. "My," he drawled, "don't you look cute when you're angry." Lily wanted to slap his hand away from her, but she just smiled up at him and replied,

"Wow, thanks. You know you look really hot today." Remus, Sirius and Peter looked quizzically at James, but the corners of his mouth twitched and he winked at them, plainly telling them to wait and see.

The Slytherins guffawed and from any other boy, the sound emerging form Malfoy's mouth would have been called a snort. "What's this, Evans? Declaring your opinion so widely?"

She smirked back at him. "I think you may have overheated a bit, Malfoy. Here let me help cool you down!" She reached behind her on the Slytherin table, lifted a full pitcher of pumpkin juice and splashed the whole lot over him. The hall erupted in gales of laughter and Malfoy came up spluttering, his long blonde locks drenched. Lily spun around, placed herself at the Gryffindor table and began to serve herself some breakfast. The Headmaster strode through the Great Hall, his brow furrowed, but the sparkle his eyes twinkled as he looked at the scene before him. When the Slytherins realised the Headmaster was behind them, silence filled the hall. Dumbledore spoke quietly; the Marauders could not hear what was being said. Malfoy, Macnair, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle followed Dumbledore out the hall shooting death glares at the Marauders. Remus reached over and tapped Earnest McMillan on the shoulder.

"How far did they get through the story?" he asked, jerking his head in the direction of the Slytherin table.

"Just to the end of the diary entry," the Hufflepuff's eyes widened, "There was more?" The Marauders shook their heads and sat on either side of Lily, James and Remus on her right, Sirius and Peter on her left.

During the day that followed, the story had circulated round the entire school, the Fat Lady having been informed by a dim-witted first year; the Ravenclaws had heard from her friend Violet who in turn felt the Hufflepuffs should know so as not to feel left out. None other than Narcissa had previously boasted the story to the Slytherins. However, Lily turned a blind eyes to the leering snakes, smirked as they would suddenly found themselves inconvenienced in various ways as a Ravenclaw passed, and accepted kind words and loving embraces from the Hufflepuffs. It seemed only the Slytherins had found the torture amusing. The Marauders had placed Lily in the middle of their gangster line, protecting her on either side, Remus walking in front of her while Peter walked two paces behind her.

The culprits sauntered down the marbled staircase flanked by a horde of tiny house elves laden with trunks, brooms, and various other belongings. As they faced the Marauders, other students halted to stare at the rivals.

"So, Malfoy," Sirius began, "it seems your actions have caught up with you."

"Oh, well observed Black, make note it'll happen to you one day, you're all in our prayers. We're leaving now a little earlier than we planned, but make no mistake about it, we'll be back next year." He added in an undertone," The mudblood hasn't gotten away with it." James started towards Malfoy, but was held back by Sirius. He was about to shake off his friend, when a cool hand enclosed around his flexed biceps. Lily's voice whispered in his ear, her breath tickling the back off her neck. James burst out laughing as he broke his glare on Malfoy's' eyes to notice his hair. When prompted by Professor McGonagall, the Slytherins stalked out the door unscathed. James was still chuckling as he collapsed onto the sofa in the Gryffindor common room.

He hadn't realised pumpkin juice stained.

Yes, ok, it's still too short, but I was stuck for ideas and if the end of the next chapter was now, then people might get a little frustrated with James.

Reviews would be appreciated xXx