Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you guys know that I don't own Harry Potter, only Winnie.

Chapter 3

I sat down at my usual place in the Great Hall, next to Sirius who was looking at the time table, an expression of pain on his face. I rolled my eyes at his exaggeration and grabbed a slice of toast and some jam. I peered over his shoulder to see why he looked like he was going to smash his head onto the wall but he didn't let me see the timetable.

"Let me see, you big baby." I said as I tried to grab it from him, after minutes of physically hitting him repeatedly on the shoulder he let go and I finally saw why he was in pain.

My eyes widened. "Godric's left eye, do they want to kill us?" I say loudly. "Ancient runes, arithmancy, herbology and then potions!"

Sirius poked his food with his fork, "I'm seriously contemplating stabbing myself in the eye with this fork." he grumbled.

I took a bite of my toast and decided on replying in a Sirius-like fashion, "Oh, no. That'd be a shame since the only pretty thing about you is your eyes." I said fluttering my eyelashes at him.

He looked up from his food and poorly stifled a laugh, "Was that a flirtation?"

I laughed, "No, I was trying to act like you."

He scoffed, "I don't flirt like that."

I raised my eyebrows at him, leaning my chin on my hand. "Oh, do you have any flirting tips you'd like to share with me oh great and mighty one?"

He gave me a arrogant smile as if he was waiting all his life to tell someone this, "Of course, I do! First of all, you shouldn't include a insult in the middle of your sentence. Secondly-"

I cut him off and laughed "Sirius, I was kidding Idon't actually care."

He scowled, "That was incredibly rude."

I nudged him slightly hoping he knew that I was kidding and turned to face the door when I saw a flash of fiery red hair enter The Great Hall. I grinned and kicked James's leg from under the table.

He winced and shot me a glare. "Ow! what was that for?!"

I cringed slightly, "Sorry, but remember what I told you yesterday? about Lily?"

"The part where I should leave her alone." He said miserably.

I nodded excitedly, "Exactly! She's going to be sitting down any minute now and you have to ignore her." I said wisely.

His eyebrows shot up, "What? you said I should leave her alone not ignore her." He looked like he was about to cry.

I leaned forward and whispered, "Yeah, change of plan. Leave her alone and ignore her."

"Why would I do that?"

"Trust me, it'll work."

"I don't trust you that much Winnie,"

I stood up and grabbed my bag, "Well, you better learn to. See ya James." I said with a wink.

I decided that I wouldn't be going to Ancient Runes today because I didn't really have any interest in Ancient runes and for some reason I felt the need to take a break and just get away from it all, it wasn't because I didn't like my friends or anything - I did. A lot but I just felt like I needed some time to do nothing and just think.

I went up the stairs and slowly slipped into the corridors that reached me to The Clock Tower, as usual it was abandoned. This was my favorite spot because you could see everyone, but since nobody would ever look up - no one would see you. My eyes glazed over the students who were outside, there I spotted the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw who was currently being tormented by Slytherins.

My eyes narrowed at them and I took out my wand and muttered," Tarantellagra." The dancing feet spell.

The Slytherins who just so happened to be Mulciber and Avery suddenly started to dance uncontrollably, they looked at each other yelling at each other to make it stop. The students around them began to notice their odd actions and started to laugh and whistle, some even calling their friends to come watch Mulciber and Avery make a fool of themselves.

I stifled a laugh as I watched their legs moving at erratic speeds. "Serves them right." I said, proudly.

Then I saw the marauders arrive with confused looks on their faces, suddenly when James and Sirius see Mulciber and Avery dancing uncontrollably they begin to laugh loudly, Remus and Peter were there too however they were trying to keep their laughter to themselves. Remus suddenly looks around the open field, then pauses and looks up and somehow manages to lock gazes with me. He shoots me a questionable look and then looks at Mulciber and Avery and raises his brow, silently asking if I did this.

I grin while nodding 'yes' and he looks away with an impressed smile on his face as if he were saying 'good job'. I smiled and then proceeded to turn around and looking for a comfortable spot to read.

...

"Today class we will be learning about the Venomous Tentacula! A very poisonous and fatal plant with deadly spikes! I know you're all excited to start but don't forget to write the heading and the date please!" Professor Sprout said, a young and short woman who always seemed to be excited when teaching.

I eyed the strange looking plant, with its giant eye-less head and sharp looking spikes. Professor Sprout said it was permitted to swear loudly if it happened to attack or strangle us.

"Look at that, they expect us to go near that thing?" James whispered incredulously.

"Anything is possible at Hogwarts." I whispered back.

"Be careful students because some of these plants can even shoot spikey spore-like balls into your mouths, if that happens or attempts to happen use the spell Difindo, now get to work."

A hufflepuff boy in front of us raised his hand and shyly asked, "Can we work in pairs?"

Professor Sprout got an excited look on her face, "Yes! that's a great idea young man- ten points to hufflepuff!"

I turned to James, "Look's like we're partners, partner."

He started writing down things on his parchment, "Do you want to be my partner for life?" he says in a monotonous voice.

"Was that a marriage proposal?" I said faux flirtatious tone.

"Sure, if I don't marry Evans I'll marry you instead." He said jokingly.

I raised my eyebrows, pretending to look insulted. "Piss off, I'm not anyones second choice. I'm either number one or nothing."

"Come on, you don't wanna be my backup plan?"

I laughed, "Your backup plan? Aren't you organized."

"Of course I am, I need one because if things don't work out with Lily and I, I'll at least still have you in my life." He said and looked up from his work.

I rolled my eyes, "We don't have to be romantically involved so I'll be in your life. I'll always be in your life- you're my best friend." I said without much thought, my eyes widened when I realized I had confessed to him that he was my best friend. Which was downright embarrasing.

He sat upright and turned his body to me while slightly leaning on his arm, "Is that right?" He said and smiled proudly, probably because I had never admitted the fact that he was my best friend. Even though I was sure he knew.

I slumped my shoulders and tried to hide behind my hair; a little embarrassed of my confession and turned my body towards Professor Sprout who was explaining the uses of Venomous Tentacula leaf.

"Shut it, Potter." I said quietly.

"I didn't say anything," James said smirking, he then paused as if he were trying to remember something. "Oh Winnie I forgot to tell you! Lily was acting really weird today."

Weird and Lily? That word did not match the redhead who was usually calm, composed and mature..except when she was around James, obviously.

"What'd you mean?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Well, you know how you told me to ignore her right, so I did and it was like she was interested in me! Can you believe it? She kept looking at me every minute or so, she even asked Sirius if I was feeling okay."

I laughed not believing the situation, "When did all this happen?"

"During Ancient Runes, it's the first time I actually enjoyed that lesson. You weren't there though, where'd you go?" He did the infamous puppy-dog eyes, it was the face he did when he wanted to gain something, luckily I knew how to resist it.

I dismissed his questioning with a wave of my hand, "Don't worry about me, what else happened?"

He seemed like he wanted to question me more about where I'd disappeared off to, but thankfully he didn't. James then began to ramble about Lily again and I took the time to really take in his features. His annoying dark, messy hair, his protruding cheekbones and his infamous hazel eyes that were hidden by his round glasses. The hazel eyes that made all the girls crush on him. I also noticed that he had a new scar near his right eyebrow, probably from quidditch.

"Hey are you listening?!" James said in an annoyed tone as he pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, you said something about Lily."

He ran a hand through his hair, "No you muppet, I was asking you if you were going to re-join quidditch this year."

I pondered over it for a minute, "I don't know, I mean last year was great and everything but I just don't feel like it anymore."

"Oh," he said solemnly, "Okay, try-outs are next week on Wednesday if you want to come- you don't have to but if you do end up changing your mind."

What I loved about James Potter was that if I was sad or angry or annoyed he would know when to back off. He didn't pester me about it or stick his nose in my business, he knew when to lay off and he knew that eventually if it was a big deal that I would come to him. We were silent for a moment. But it wasn't an awkward silence, it was more of a comfortable silence. Where you didn't really have to say anything if you didn't want to but at the same time you could.

I turned to him and with a smile I said, "I hope you know that regardless of the fact that I probably won't be joining quidditch this year I still intend on making this year the best year ever."

He returned the smile with ease, "You keep saying that but how are you going to actually have the best year ever?"

I shrugged, "I guess we'll find out."

...

"Winifred?" A gentle voice said, I groaned at the mention of my horrid name but lowered the book I was reading and sat up from the couch. I was surprised when I saw Lily Evans in front of my face.

"Winnie, please." I said with a smile. "What's up?"

Lily shifted her weight from one foot to another and shot me a curious look, "Alright Winnie..Did you do or say something to Potter?" she said after a moment of hesitation.

My eyebrows shot up, "That's a strange question to ask. Why would you out of all people be asking that?"

"It's just.." She tucked a red strand of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat, as if ready to present a speech. "He's been acting funny all day and I'd like to know what's going on with him!"

An amused smile feasted upon my lips. "Well if you must know, I asked him to stop bothering you..I mean, you want that don't you? A permanent break from James Potter."

"Um, yes. I suppose I do," She replied unsurely. "Well, thanks Winnie. I'll see you later."

I watched Lily walk out of the common room with a smile growing on my face. I jumped up and mumbled a spell that allowed me to go to the boy's dormitories and ran up the boys staircase which led to the sixth year dormitories. I knocked on the door rapidly, jumping up and down in excitement. I wasn't usually a giddy person but sometimes you just had to be.

"Who is it?" Peter said from behind the door.

"It's me, open up!" I said excitedly.

There was shuffling at the door before he finally unlocked it and opened it, I pushed the door open and scanned the room for James Potter eventually I found him playing exploding snap with Remus and Sirius. I ran to them excitedly, my curly hair flying around from the speed I was running at.

"James, you'll never believe it - I don't believe it! Merlin's hat, I can't believe that actually happened!" I said very quickly.

They all looked at each other with puzzled faces.

"Come again?" Remus asked.

I took a breathe and turned to James and said, "Lily was asking me about you. You!" I punched his shoulder at the you.

He looked like he had just invented a spell that would grant his every wish because his face was in permanent shock and happiness, "Are you being serious?" he said in the most delighted voice I had ever heard.

"No, I'm being Winnie." I said sarcastically.

I felt a pillow collide with the back of my head.

"Stop trying to be me, darling." Sirius said, clearly amused.

"I can't believe- what did she say! tell me everything and don't miss a single detail." James said, overjoyed.

I laughed and told him word for word about the conversation that happened between Lily and I, I explained to him that she was unsure of the fact that she didn't want him around. Which obviously meant that if he kept this up and showed her how different he could be, then there might be a chance that he could actually end up with her. He was smiling so much you would've thought that his face was stuck that way.

James threw himself onto his bed, "This is probably the best day of my life."

Remus looked at him, "You said the same thing when you won that quidditch game, last year. Remember?"

James sat up and leaned on the bed with his arm, "You're right Moony, this is the best day of my life- so far."

He then turned to me and shot me a grin. "Thank you for existing, you provide me with happiness."

I laughed and pretended to tip my non-existent hat, "It's what I do, Prongs. It's what I do."

Sirius turned to me and said, "So now what? we know that Lily is interested- which is good of course, but what do we do now?"

I sat down on his bed and faced all the marauders, "Now, gentleman. We plan."