Chapter 16

James led Lily off the dance floor, breathlessly. She was red in the face and they both struggled for air.

"I haven't had this much fun since," Lily bit her lip and thought about it. "Well, ever." She laughed.

James beamed with pride. He took her by the hand and they walked out into the chilly night air to cool down.

"I'm glad that you're having fun." He said, unable to take the grin off his face.

Lily looked down at her feet. "Why did you ask me?" She asked curiously.

James pressed his lips together and leaned over the stone railing that lined the vast balcony they were on. "Because I like you."

Lily's eyebrows rose. "You- you do?"

James turned to her and grabbed her hand. "Since fourth year, I just-," He shrugged. "-didn't know how to tell you."

Lily smiled and turned scarlet. "I had no idea."

James laughed. "Well, I didn't really make it all too clear."

Lily squeezed his hand. "I think I like you too James." She said, looking up into his eyes.

He leaned down to her, and kissed her gently on the lips.

Olivia sat on her bed, triumphantly grinning, as Lily waltzed into the room. She stopped and stared at her friend curiously.

"You look awfully pleased." Lily said as she sat down across from her, the sound of bells finally starting to fade.

Olivia smiled shrewdly. "I could say the same to you."

Lily blushed. "I had a wonderful time, I didn't know James could be so-" She bit her lip. "Suave."

Olivia laughed. "He is quite the catch. I think it's great."

"So what about you and-?"

Olivia cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Under control." She said simply.

Lily frowned. "Oh?"

Olivia recounted the evening and Lily's eyes widened.

"You told him no?" She asked.

Olivia nodded.

"That's it? Just- no?"

Olivia smiled. "It took every effort not to start laughing at the look he gave me. Poor chap, he was so confused."

"That's cold." Lily finally said after a while.

Olivia frowned. "It was that or be another one of his," She lowered her voice and made air quotations as she said, "sexual victims."

"I thought you loved him?" Lily crossed her arms.

Olivia wrinkled her nose. "I must have been ill."

"You were crying all night long!" Lily said as she threw her arms up in exasperation.

Olivia sighed. "I'm finding it quite hard to pretend as if it never happened with you bringing it all up again. I'm giving him a dose of his own medicine."

"By being cruel?" Lily asked, eyes narrowed.

Olivia shrugged. "If he thinks he was scared of me before, he has another thing coming."

Lily stood up and walked away. "You two are going to kill each other." She muttered angrily.

James and Remus stood in the center of the room, staring at the broken lamp.

"And tell us again what happened?" Remus asked with a mocking smile.

"I tripped." Sirius said, looking completely guilty.

James looked from the shattered pieces back to his friend. "Tripped on what?"

Sirius looked around the room. "Myself." He said resolutely.

Remus nodded slowly. "And you honestly believe we're that thick?"

Sirius frowned. "Well I was rather hoping the punch had been tampered with, it would have made this a lot less awkward."

James crossed his arms. "Don't make me roll up a newspaper mate."

Sirius glared at him. "Is that supposed to be funny?"

James sighed. "Really, what happened? You don't normally throw things angrily unless you have a reason to be angry."

"I didn't throw anything! I tripped!" Sirius said defensively, muttering angrily to his feet.

Remus rolled his eyes. He was about to head toward his own bed when Peter bustled in.

"So!" He said excitedly to Sirius.

The three of them looked at their friend, confused.

Peter stood in front of Sirius expectantly. "Well, how did it go with Olivia? I saw you walk off with her-"

"AH HA!" James yelled, pointing to Sirius. "I knew it!"

Remus laughed. "That explains everything."

Peter noticed the broken lamp in the corner and frowned. "Not well then?"

Sirius glared at him.

"Serves you right." Remus said, getting into his bed.

"For what? You don't even know what happened!" Sirius said defensively.

Remus chuckled. "I don't have to know what happened. I just know that it was your fault."

Peter shook his head. "You want me to spy on her for you?" He asked eagerly.

Sirius, who had been brooding on his bed, suddenly looked up wide eyed and excited.

"Peter! That is by far the smartest thing you've ever said to me."

He beamed from ear to ear.

"That's cheating!" James exclaimed angrily.

"What happened to calling it off?" Remus quietly muttered.

Ignoring Remus, Sirius turned to James with a smile. "I think fair play has long been deserted mate."

James shook his head. "You've gone absolutely mental."

"Oh that reminds me, how did your date with Evans go?" Sirius asked through gritted teeth, trying extremely hard to look interested.

"Are you asking out of genuine curiosity or are you changing the subject?" James asked with a narrowed glare.

"I'm attempting to be accepting of the union." Sirius said, when James turned he stuck out his tongue and made a silent gagging face.

"I'll have you know it was spectacular." James said, shutting his bed hangings around him angrily.

"You seem so excited about it." Sirius said dryly.

James was silently steaming in his bed. He had never truly been angry with Sirius, until now. Sirius had done many stupid things, but he seemed to be getting into more trouble this year than he ever had. He heard him conspiring with Peter, who excitedly hung on his every word.

James sighed. This was going to end badly; he just hoped it wouldn't affect his relationship with Lily. He smiled at that thought, he really did like her; it was getting past Sirius and his issues that would be the obstacle.

Olivia was restless. She sat in her advanced Potions class, mindlessly staring into space. She couldn't focus, and she hadn't been able to for weeks. It was already well into November.

"Miss Gold, do you mind?" The Professor said irritably.

She looked up, all eyes were on her.

"What is the next step Miss Gold?" He asked, tapping his wand on the cauldron before her.

"Essence of newt tongue." A voice whispered behind her.

"Uh. Essence of newt tongue." Olivia repeated with a weak smile.

The Professor narrowed his eyes and turned back to the board behind him. "Correct. Now in order to obtain the right consistency-"

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to thank her accomplice. She smiled at a thin, almost transparently pale boy with long black hair.

"Thank you." She whispered.

He shrugged.

Something about the boy was familiar. Olivia bit the corner of her lip in thought.

"You're friends with Lily aren't you?" She asked, remembering she had seen them talking once.

His eyes darkened. "No."

Olivia let it go and turned back around to try to pay attention. She wasn't even sure she knew what potion they were working on.

How did you get essence out of a tongue anyways? She thought to herself.

Olivia began to wonder about the strange, pale faced boy behind her. She knew she had seen him around before, but where? An image ran through her mind, four boys laughing hysterically as the boy ran out of a room wearing pink knickers.

Her eyes widened.

She made sure the professor was busy lecturing before turning around again.

"You're the boy Sirius is always picking on." She said quietly to him.

He stopped writing to glare up at her.

She realized her choice of words were a little harsher coming out than intended. Her face softened to a smile as she tried to regain her train of thought.

"It seems we have a common enemy." She said silkily.

The boy continued to glare at her. "And?" He sounded a tad interested.

Olivia smiled brightly, her eyes twinkled mischievously. "And I think payback is in order."