A/N: Hey, sorry it's taken so long. I've had other things on my mind =/
Hope you enjoy the chapter x
Chapter 18
GLTFFJWBE part 2 (Get Lily to fall for James without being expelled, Part 2)
James slouched moodily at the back of his Defence Against the Dark Arts class staring transfixed at the blackboard and not paying any attention to what was happening around him. He'd just arrived back at Hogwarts after two weeks of being at home comforting grieving relatives and generally being the joker of the pack in an attempt to cheer them up. It had worked, much to James' delight, but it didn't leave the young boy time to himself to mourn the loss of his older brother. After the funeral one of James' uncles, he could never remember their names, had been staying in his room with him and the rest of the time he had to spend with various other family members. This is why he just sat still, not talking to anyone, not even pretending to pay attention, and just lost himself in his own deep thoughts.
"James?" Peter's nervous voice broke into his mind, disturbing him for his reflecting on the past. He nodded to show he was listening.
"Um, James," Peter repeated, his voice still on edge "It's the end of class, we've got to go"
The raven haired boy blinked. The classroom in front of him was empty save for himself and his three friends. They watched as he reluctantly pulled himself out of his chair and trudged sadly towards the door.
"We gotta do something about this" Sirius whispered as he, Peter and Remus followed the sorrowful boy from the room. "Get the old James Potter back"
"Defiantly" Remus agreed quietly
"But what're going to do?" asked Peter
Sirius watched his best friend sulk off ahead of them.
"I don't know what, but I know who"
80)
"Welcome to the second meeting of the Get Lily To Fall For James Without Being Expelled Organisation!" Sirius proclaimed loudly to the group of first years in front of him.
"We're an organisation now?" asked Tasha "I thought we were a club last time?"
"It's not important" Sirius answered the short girl "What is important is our friends' happiness"
"And sanity" Emma chimed in with a small smile.
It was just after dinner and the eight Gryffindors were huddled around the largest table in their common room discussing the state of mind of their fellow student. James himself had spent the whole of dinner staring glumly at his plate, not even acknowledging anybody who tried to strike up a conversation. Even Lily had tried to encourage the boy to eat but when he tipped the plate she had offered to him away, she'd taken offence and stormed up to the library. No one had seen her since.
"You really want to try this again, Sirius?" Remus asked "Remember what happened last time?"
"Yeah, but it won't happen again" the taller boy said confidently. "Cause this time James isn't going to be a prat"
He smirked at the first years surrounding him, each of them looking slightly confused. When no one spoke, Sirius pouted.
"Well, is nobody going to ask me what my big plan is?"
"Oh, do tell us what your big plan is Sirius, we're dying to know" Sally asked humour him.
Sirius glared at the brunette who was grinning at him in a very sarcastic way. He pointedly turned away from her before addressing the rest of the group.
"Ok guys listen up. What we need to do is set Lily and James up on a date-"
"Lily would never go on a date with Potter!" Hannah interrupted loudly, causing some of the other students in the common room to glance over at them curiously.
"That's why we're not going to tell them" Sirius hissed through his teeth, now narrowing his steely grey eyes at the fair haired girl "We're going to split off into our little groups, fine Evans and James and get them to the kitchens by-" he quickly checked the oversized watch resting on his wrist "Eight fifteen."
"But" Tasha interjected quickly, sensing the boy was ready to start his plan "there are a couple of problems. First, we don't know where the kitchens are and second, why the kitchens!"
"The kitchens are located directly beneath the Great Hall" Peter recited before his friend could answer and looking rather smug "There's a staircase just off to the left that leads to the Hufflepuff common room. You've got to turn right at the bottom of the stairs and tickle the pear in the portrait"
"Tickle the pear!" Sally laughed, making the mousey boy blush.
"Yeah, tickle the pear. As for why the kitchens, well, you'll see" Sirius winked. "Now, off to find our friends! Remus, Peter, Travis, you'll have to look for James on your own, I have important business to attend to"
The long haired boy strutted out of the common room quickly before his classmates had even left their seats. Sharing looks of bemusement, the young Gryffindors followed him out of the portrait hole.
80)
"What's he doing here!"
"Yeah, why am I here?"
It was quarter of an hour since the first years little meeting and now all but one of them stood beside a large portrait of a fruit bowl with their two rather confused friends. Sally, Hannah, Emma and Tasha had found Lily hidden away in the corner of the library where the red head had surrounded herself with books and refused to be moved for a good five minutes before her friends had convinced her to explore their "new discovery" of the kitchens. James, on the other hand, had been sulking in an empty classroom where he was flicking his wand aimlessly while staring glumly at the blank blackboard. Remus, Peter and Travis were only able to find him due to the fact that his random wand movements had caused a neatly stacked pile of books to crash to the floor. The four boys had just managed to escape before Filch hurried around the corner.
No one answered. Instead, Tasha reached out an arm, pulled back her oversized sleeve and brushed her fingers lightly over the large green pear in the painting. The pear giggled quietly at her touch then, to the girls' surprise, turned into a giant green door handle.
"Ladies first" Remus offered politely as he held the newly formed door open.
Six of the nine students gasped in amazement as they looked around the huge room they had just entered. Immediately, House elves appeared beside them offering different foods on small silver platters. James, Remus and Peter were used to this by now and weren't so enthralled by the room. They did, however, notice one little difference.
"Ladies, Gentlemen" Sirius called, coughing to gain their attention. He stood in front of a small round table squeezed between the teachers table and the ends of the four house tables. There were only two chairs positioned either side of it and upon the red cloth lay two golden placemats, two freshly burning candles in golden holders and a small glass vase in the middle which contained a single white lily.
The taller first year marched up to his fellows with a look of pure smugness plastered across his pale face. He gave an exaggerated bow to Lily whilst taking her hand and brushing his lips softly against her skin.
"If you would like to take a seat, my lady" He smiled, gesturing towards the wooden chairs.
"Erm, sure?" Lily replied, perplexed. She glanced over at her girlfriends who nodded encouragingly before taking a seat at the tiny table.
"And you good sir!" Sirius exclaimed as he turned to James and gave him an over the top bow too "If you would be so kind as to be seated at the table with your red haired maiden"
James gawked at Sirius "You've gone completely bonkers haven't you?"
Sirius pretended to look shocked at the raven haired boys' words.
"Just do it, James" Remus sighed, giving his friend a small shove towards the middle of the room.
The bespectacled young man sat down opposite Lily who didn't look too pleased at her guest. Sirius, now grinning from ear to ear and practically bouncing up and down, stepped back with the remaining first years.
"The lovely house elves will be here to wait on your every need" He instructed. He snapped his long fingers and two of the small creatures darted forward each supporting a silver tray. "This is your starter. There are two more courses afterwards and once you are done you will return to the common room. We shall now leave you in peace"
Without warning, Sirius swept up his friends and shoved them out of the kitchens.
"Oh, and behave yourselves" He added cheekily, winking at the couple before disappearing with the others. Once the door had closed too, he flopped down on the floor, looking exhausted.
"Do you really think this will work?" Emma asked him worriedly.
"It best bloody do"
80)
"What just happened?" James questioned, bewildered, as a house elf placed a rather large bowl of salad in front of him.
"I have no idea" Lily answered, staring at her own salad with an equal look of bemusement. "But I have a feeling they're trying to set us up"
"Really!" James asked excitedly.
"Don't get your hopes up Potter; it's not going to happen. Now just hurry up and eat, you hardily touched your dinner"
Deflated, the first year poked at his starter, shoving away mouthfuls in silenced. Lily ate her meal politely as she observed her surroundings.
"It's mirrored to be like the Great Hall" She said after a while, more to herself than to James "I wonder how they make the food appear above"
James swallowed his last lot of lettuce before shrugging "I dunno" He muttered, looking up at the ceiling "I guess some sort of magic"
"No duh" The red head scolded
They ate their way through the second course of chicken, potatoes and cabbage, in silence broken only by a house elf asking if they need a refill of their pumpkin juice and asking if they were enjoying their meal. Only when they moved onto their pudding (treacle tart) did James dare to speak.
"You know, you have really pretty eyes" He complimented in a bit of a mumbled rush causing him to blush slightly.
"Thank you, James" Lily said, slightly taken a back but happy none the less.
"And… and you're a really kind person" He added hurriedly
"Erm, thanks" Lily replied "I guess you're not all bad yourself"
A big, cheesy grin split across James Potters face. He shoved an over large helping of tart into his mouth just as the door of the kitchens opened.
"Oh, I do hope I'm not interrupting something" said a familiar voice.
The two first years span around to see Professor Dumbledore standing at the end of the room. His eyes twinkled as they set themselves upon the small table.
"Headmaster!" Lily exclaimed, turning bright red and leaping out of her seat "We're… it's just…. Not our idea…."
"Calm down, calm down Miss Evans" Dumbledore smiled, waving a hand dismissively at the young girl "It's fine by me whatever you are doing here as long as you are back before curfew. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to help myself to a jam doughnut before I head back to my study" As he finished his sentence, a group of elves rushed forward holding out a pile the treats. The headmaster helped himself to a handful "Ah that shall do. Now I shall bid you goodnight"
The elder wizard vanished behind the wooden door leaving his students to stare at the spot he had just vacated.
"Great man, Dumbledore" James said eventually, taking another forkful of his pudding.
Lily, who was still stood, rooted to the spot, gasped as she examined her watch.
"We've got ten minutes until curfew! Come on Potter, I for one most certainly do not want to be caught out of bed!"
James gulped down the last crumbs of his treacle tart and followed a panicking Lily back out to the Entrance Hall, thanking House elves on his way. They made it up to Gryffindor tower in record time and entered the common room to find all of their friends awaiting their return.
"So, how'd it go!" Sirius asked eagerly, running forward as soon as he spotted them.
"Well, I guess it was ok" Lily said after a moment. She smiled at the two dark haired boys then gave a small yawn "I think I'm going to go to bed now, good night guys" She added "And thank you for a lovely meal, James"
To everyone's surprise, the green eyed girl stood lightly on his tip toes and kissed James delicately on the cheek before bouncing up to her dormitory. The other girls quickly followed their friend up after giggling their good nights to the boys', who they left looking stunned. Sirius recovered first.
"Told you it'd work!" He said loudly, clapping his bespectacled friend on the back. "I am a genius. Next will be Pete and Tasha"
"What!" Peter spluttered
"Don't deny it, we all know you fancy her"
"Do not." Peter sulked, blushing.
"Come on, lets go to bed" Travis said quickly when Sirius opened his mouth to retaliate.
"Fine" He huffed "You coming James? James?"
The messy haired first year was stood; carefully touching the place Lily had kissed him. He seemed to be recalled to reality by the sound of his name, well, almost.
"She kissed me guys! She actually kissed me!"
Groaning in unison, the four Gryffindor boys dragged their dorm mate up to bed.
A/N: Would you be so kind as to review? It'll keep me motivated and hopefully mean more chapters sooner than usual =) love love x
