Dress up

Fifth year

Gryffindor was brilliant. Quidditch was brilliant. James Potter was brilliant. Even his stupid broomstick, apparently, was brilliant.

And so Gyrffindor house was throwing a dress-up party in honour of their Quidditch success, winning all three of their games. The dress code stated that everyone must dress up, either as a member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, a teacher, or simply something related to either Gryffindor or Quidditch. Lily, feeling unenthusiastic about the worshipping of James Potter rising to a whole new level, wore only a floaty red shirt that her mother had given her two years previously and jeans. Everyone else, however, went all out.

She descended the stairs into the Gryffindor Common Room, where the party was already in full swing. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter stood on chairs, James and Sirius punching their fists in the air to the beat of the music, while Remus attempted to puff air into an old trumpet. The rest of the Quidditch team, too, stood up on chairs with the Gryffindor students laughing and yelling to each other over the noise of the music. Lily headed over to the food and drinks.

"EVANS!" shouted James Potter, catching sight of her.

Of course he would notice her. What sort of awful comment would he come up with now to embarrass her in front of her entire house? She poured herself a drink, pretending that she hadn't heard him. A giggling second year bumped into her, dressed as none other than Potter, and shrieked an apology.

"That's all right," said Lily. "No harm done."

"WHAT?" shouted the girl.

Lily shook her head, mouthing nothing, and the girl moved on.

"EVANS!" yelled James again.

She took a sip from her drink and immediately spluttered; was it Firewhisky? James' roar of laughter at this was clearly audible from across the room. She glared up at him and threw back her head, taking down the Firewhisky in one large gulp, just to spite him. When she looked up again, he looked somewhat impressed, taken aback.

"EVANS!" he shouted again, after a moment.

She had been down at the party for hardly a minute, and he had already found a way to exasperate her. "WHAT, POTTER?"

Looking pleased that she had responded to him, he beckoned to her. "COME AND DANCE UP HERE!"

"WITH YOU? NO THANKS!"

He grinned, expecting this, and jumped off the chair he had been standing on. Another boy hurriedly filled his space before someone else could. James disappeared into the crowd and all Lily was aware of was the beat of the music, thudding through the floor as well as her ears, before he suddenly stepped out from the throng of third-years in front of her. Instantly, she wheeled around to leave, heading through the portrait. James was right behind her, and, as the Fat Lady swung the picture shut, the music was suddenly muffled.

"I saw you down the Firewhisky," he said. "That was a surprise. Never imagined you could have fun, Evans."

She disregarded this.

"Do you like my costume?" he asked, gesturing at himself. "Got the tie off this first year kid."

He wore a black wig cut to hang at the shoulders, which had obviously had a barrel of grease combed through it, a Slytherin tie and too-big clothes. Lily's expression hardened as she realised who he was.

"I'm Snivel–"

"That's breaking the rules, Potter," she said coldly. "The dress code is Gryffindor, Quidditch or teachers."

"I always break the rules," he said with that stupid, mischievous grin. "So do you like it?"

"Give that tie back to whoever it was you stole it from, or I'll make you sorry," she said. "And no, I don't like it at all."

"Why? Cause it's Snivelly?" he laughed.

"No," she shot back. "Because it's you."

"C'mon, Evans," groaned James. He moved closer to her. "Look, we're alone. You can tell me that you actually do like me. That you fancy me. No one else is here to hear it. Go on."

Lily's cheeks burned crimson with anger. But James Potter… he deserved a taste of his own medicine.

She closed the space between them with two small steps, and tilted her head upwards to murmur in his ear, "do you know what – who – I dressed up for?"

James' eyes sprung wide open. "Er… no, I can't say I do."

She raised her hand softly to his face, saw his cheeks flush with excitement, and slapped him.

"You really are a piece of work," she spat, before turning to leave the Common Room with an "Acta non Verba" at the Fat Lady. The Fat Lady swung open, and Lily looked back. "Potter," she laughed, "I'd never dress up for you."

"Ha!" The Fat Lady snorted, before closing slowly behind her, leaving him framed in the moonlight, looking utterly confused.