A month passed. James' spirits improved but the Marauders were still subjected to his doldrums. Lily had faltered, but the group attributed the strange behaviour of both to exam season. If they didn't reach their target NEWT grades this year, seventh year would be a pipe dream for them so the pressure was on everyone to do their best.

After their final exam, the group celebrated by lounging by the edge of the lake in the sunshine. The scene was set similarly to the previous year, except for the fact that the sixth year girls and boys were mixed, and enjoying the end of exams euphoria together. Sixth year had been a success for them, and after five years in near segregation, the girls and boys found their common ground and had grown to be great friends, through mutual drama, trauma and interests.

A ball was to mark the last evening of term and was a much anticipated event by the students. One, however, looked unhappy with the end of term frivolities, but was doing his best to maintain a cheerful facade. Sirius was stretched out on his back with his shirt buttoned down, pretending to sunbathe whilst fully aware of the attention he was receiving. Aware too of the silent friend at his side, he opened his eyes, shielding them from the sun's glare, and turned his attention to his best friend, making sure the rest of the group was occupied and out of earshot.

'Mate, you have to cheer up. It's the ball tonight! Wonder if I can beat my all time record of girls kissed in one night?'

'Well there's only one I'd like to kiss, and she's having none of it.'

'You're seriously barking up the wrong tree Prongs, you have to let this go. It's making you more miserable than Snape's childhood.'

James let out a snort of laughter at his best friend's attempt to cheer him up.

'There's nothing more I can do. I've asked her and asked her. I've made myself a pathetic fool and she's having none of it. So that's just my life now.'

'There's always more you can do. Nothing good in life comes easily, perseverance is key, you get what you deserve.'

'Excellent motivational speech. Falling on deaf ears, unfortunately.'

'Well, I tried. Next helpful suggestion...love potion'

James laughed out loud at this and the ghost of a smile remained as they made their way back to the common room to get ready a few hours later. His glum state returned, however, shortly after watching Lily Evans enter the great hall in bottle green robes that matched her beautiful eyes. James felt the image burn in his retinas, and spent the evening avoiding looking at her, frequenting the tables at the very back of the dance floor like a melancholy ghost.

This time, Remus made an attempt at comforting his friend. He slapped a butterbeer on the table in front of James, making him start.

'Sirius has some firewhisky in a hipflask if you need it', Remus stated, flopping into a seat next to him. 'Party's not the same without you.'

'I don't much feel like dancing' James said, taking a hearty swig from the bottle in front of him. 'Sorry to be negative all the time' he added, wincing at his own behaviour in comparison to Lupin's stoic acceptance of his monthly horror.

'Want my advice? Tell her again'.

'Pointless. There's only so much I can take.'

'I don't think you understand it from her point of view. I think she started having feelings for you when you were with Miriella, then you were off-limits for a time, and she was, and still is, worried that she is clutching for the idea of you as she has no-one else. You are guaranteed love, and she's worried that she wants that more than she wants you. So she pushes you away.'

James straightened up, 'so you're saying I have a chance?'

'I'm saying you're going to have to be extremely patient. She's vulnerable, and only too aware of her vulnerability.'

'I can be patient...' James said, nodding in line with his own thoughts as Lily approached.

'Remus, may I have a dance?' she asked grinning, hand outstretched.

Remus hesitated, giving James the swiftest of glances, who returned with the swiftest dipping of the forehead.

They began to dance and Lily laid her temple against his shoulder, facing away from him and into the slow dancing crowd. The song was ' performed by Agnetha Simper who was a former pupil and classmate of McGonagall.

'Is he ok?' Lily asked, not looking towards Remus, but continuing to face the crowd.

'Um, well he's a bit up and down at the moment.'

'Ever the diplomat' Lily laughed, looking into his face now.

'He's hopelessly in love with you, Lily.'

She cast her eyes down now, unable to meet his gaze. 'I know.'

They continued dancing in companiable silence, watching those in the ball room around them. Sirius was dancing with a seventh year Ravenclaw who was telling him how much she'd miss him now she was leaving, Miriella was watching this exchange like a hawk, which did not go unnoticed by her boyfriend. Dumbledore and McGonagall were dancing proper steps in a very formal way, but seemed to be deep in discussion, glancing over at the almost empty tables by the dance floor.

The subject of their attention was James, who had been staring intently at the dancers, lost in thought. They couldn't divine the subject of his thoughts, but he had seemingly decided on action as he pushed his chair back and strode intently onto the dance floor.

'I'm really sorry, but can I cut in Moony?' James asked Remus when he reached them

'Of course' his friend replied, a little apprehensively.

Lily frowned at them both, wondering what was coming. Agnetha sang 'I don't want to run away, but I can't take it, I don't understand, if I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am.'

The music broke into an instrumental as they danced in a stony silence. Lily had hardly begun admiring his confident, knowledgeable slow dance steps when he spoke.

'This won't do. I have to be with you. You might think you know this, but do you know how I feel every time you walk into a room? Every time you laugh at something Miri says, with your head thrown back and eyes wide? Every time you answer a question correctly in a lesson and have a smug little smile that you think no-one notices. Every time you tut at Sirius being smutty, every time you look concerned when Remus is too tired to do his work? I love everything about you; your mood swings, your distrust of almost everyone, your pride, your fierce anger, your kind heart. I love you, even though you have made me into this person that I never was, just because it was the person you wanted me to be. You called me arrogant, I toned it down. You chastised me for hexing people, I put my wand away. You scorned me for showing off, so I became more humble than you. You forced me to mature, to give me the least chance of being with you, and I met all of your demands. Why is this still not enough?'

People had begun to stare; some had stopped dancing. Lily dropped his hands.

'James, I...'

He began to kiss her, in front of everyone. Some people gasped, some wolf whistled.

She pushed him away, and a hush fell over the room. 'I can't do this here; I've told you why I can't be with you.'

With that, she stormed off, ducking through the staring couples. No-one was dancing anymore, some had stopped ludicrously mid-pose. Sirius dropped Theomina's waist and headed over to his best friend, placing a conciliatory hand on his shoulder. James didn't move a muscle, but stared at the doors through which Lily had flung herself, her retreating back now emblazoned in his eyeballs.