Hello there! Chapter Seven is being beta'd as we speak and as soon as I get it back from my lovely editor I will put it up! Chapter Eight should be up shortly after that because it's basically finished right now. So, yes. :)

When James banged into the dormitory Peter started awake, shooting up out of his blankets with a startled yelp. James ignored him and crossed the room to Sirius's bed, where he dropped onto the edge and stared at his obviously awake form.

"What do you want, James? I'm not in the mood for any of your righteous preaching," Sirius grumbled, trying to roll over and away from James's storming glare.

"What the fuck was that?" James snarled, "You've never called someone a Mudblood in your whole life - it reminds you too much of your family."

"Yeah, well," Sirius stopped and then pushed himself up onto his hands, "She's jerked you around for years, mate! I don't exactly like her at the moment. You thought the same just last week!"

"Because you were insisting I could do better, and I was interested in not being infatuated anymore," James snapped. "Only to learn you've been calling her a Mudblood behind my back."

"Well, are you?" Sirius asked, "Infatuated?"

"I'll be infatuated with Lily Evans until the day I die," James told him, in such a tone that insisted that it was a well known fact, "I've just decided I'm not going to chase her anymore - I'm not going to expect so much of her anymore."

Sirius sighed, "She's always been..." He trailed off. "She was jerking you around."

At that James began to laugh, clutching his side and laughing long and loud. "I'm beginning to think you've never met Lily. She's one of the kindest people I know. She was never jerking me around."

"What do you call it then?" Sirius asked, throwing his hands up in the air. "What do you call the flirting and then the rude denials? You're my best mate; I'm trying to look out for you."

"I call it fear," James said softly. "Lily is used to controlling everything - her and I would be unpredictable."

"Are you writing a book?" Sirius snorted, "How to Sound like a Bird by James Potter." He paused, "I'm sorry."

James nodded, "I know. Tomorrow, tell Evans."

"I will," Sirius shook his head, prompting the fall of his long hair. "Merlin, I've been a right prick, haven't I?"

James nodded and went to speak; only to be interrupted by Peter from across the room. "Yeah, Paddy, you treated Lily Evans like rubbish. Lily Evans: Friend to all. Nicest girl at Hogwarts."

With a sigh Sirius dropped back onto his pillows. "I was trying to look out for you, mate."

James patted his shoulder, perhaps a bit rougher than he should have. "I know."

"So, I'm sorry," Sirius finished, pushing his hands into the pocket of his wrinkled school pants. "Forgive me?" He sported a dark black eye and a split lip. Despite the fact that she hadn't seen James that day, she could assume that he looked just as bad.

"Of course," Lily answered, reaching across the common room table to touch his hand. "It's okay, Sirius."

"It's not, but..." Remus piped up from behind her, "You mean it?"

"'Course, Moony," Sirius snapped. "I was a prick."

"Yeah, you were." Remus nearly growled, leaning forwards so he was beside Lily.

"Remus," Lily said softly, "It's done."

With a heavy sigh Remus flopped back against the couch, sliding his hand in between the small of Lily's back and the cushy material.

At that moment their saviour came in the form of Marlene, who bounded down the stairs and skidded into the common room, "Are you ready for Potions, Lil?" Her eyes strayed to Sirius and narrowed. "Look it's the git of the year."

"He's just apologized, Marlene," Lily said softly, "I forgive him."

"You shouldn't have," Marlene snapped, "But if it's done..." She raised her eyebrows at Lily, who nodded firmly. "Then I guess I'll speak to you again, Black."

"Wow, McKinnon," Sirius snorted, "How generous."

Marlene cracked a smile, one that reached her eyes with ease. "I thought so."

Lily stood, twisting around to press a light kiss to Remus' forehead. "I'll see you after class."

He nodded with a smile and pushed himself up. "Padfoot and I have to get to Charms."

"See ya," She said, moving around the couch, pausing only when she scooped her bag from the ground. Marlene slipped her arm through Lily's and they walked to, and then through, the portrait hole and out into the corridor.

"So, what do you think Slughorn has planned?" Marlene asked, "Something ridiculously hard?"

"I doubt it - it's only been a few weeks since the holidays." Lily steered them around the corner, towards the dungeons and the Potions room.

"So," Marlene started, "You and Remus..."

Lily brightened, a smile smoothing out over her face, "Yeah. It's great, Mar. He's fantastic."

"I'm just surprised," Marlene answered, "I thought you two were just friends."

"We were, but then he was on my side over Christmas and we spent so much time together," - and he told me he was a werewolf - "It just feels nice."

"Hmm," Marlene mused, twirling a strand of her chestnut hair around her pinkie finger and chewing on her bottom lip.

"What?" Lily said sharply, "What does hmm mean?"

"Nothing, just hmm," The other girl said softly. "I mean, it doesn't seem like there's much... passion there."

Lily laughed, "Passion? Are we living in a cheesy romance novel?"

"No," Marlene huffed, "I don't mean it like that! I just mean that you two seem to make good friends, but a relationship between you two seems weird."

"Thanks Mar," Lily snapped. "That's fantastic, really."

"No, listen, Lily," Marlene pleaded. "It's great that you're happy and Remus is wonderful, and you know I love the awkward little thing dearly, it's just I don't think you two have chemistry."

"I like him, Mar," Lily said firmly. "He likes me, too. That's all there is to it. There's no fighting, no squabbles-"

Marlene cut in with, "Like with James. That's what you mean. Are you just with Remus because he's the opposite of James? The opposite of what you're afraid of?"

"Don't tell me what I mean!" Lily snapped, "I have no feelings for James that are not platonic."

"Really, Lily?" Marlene looked at her sceptically, "Don't feed me that crap. It's me; I know everything that goes on in that little head of yours. You insist you hate him and will do every single thing possible to make sure that everyone believes it. There is something between you, something strong and incredibly powerful. Eventually, you won't be able to deal with it anymore and neither will he." Marlene shook her head, her newly cut hair shaking around her face, "How long do you think Remus will be willing to compete with James for your attention?"

"He is not competing for my attention!" Lily yelled back, taking three large steps away from her friend. "Remus is special to me and we are happy being together. So don't you dare say that to me."

With a firm shake of her head Lily moved off in the direction of the Potions classroom, pushing herself into the flow of students and putting as much space in between her and Marlene.

Bloody Merlin! If she wasn't fighting with James she was fighting with Marlene. She understood where Marlene was coming from, but she was way off base. There was nothing between her and Potter. Nothing at all.

Lily glided through the doorway and into the Potions room, casting her eyes over the heads of students, only to have them land on James' messy black hair, currently angled downwards as his chin was balanced on his palm. She bumped into a collection of glass beakers with the edge of her bag and they clinked and dinged, sending noise throughout the bustling classroom.

James turned at the sound and Lily nearly gasped at the deep bruising around his eye, and his newly crooked nose. Despite the obvious pain that came with the gesture, he smiled and waved, gesturing her over to the empty seat beside him. With a glance at the empty table she normally shared with Marlene she smiled back, moving around a cluster of Hufflepuffs and sliding onto the chair next to him.

"Morning, Evans," He greeted, watching intently as she bent and set her bag on the ground, smoothing her hair from her face. "Did- uh, did Padfoot apologize?"

"Yes," Lily answered, flattening her palms on the table. "Are you two... alright?"

James nodded. "I might rough him up a bit at next week's game, but, we're good."

"Really?" She asked with a small laugh, "You beat the holy crap out of him last night and you're good?"

James tugged on his hair and then began talking with his hands, "Y'see, Evans," He paused to tap the table in front of her, "When blokes are mad at each other, they throw a few punches, leave a few bruises and then it's all good. There's no tittering and backstabbing like with you birds."

"Yeah, well," Lily began, then with a smirk bent down and pulled her wand from her bag, "We birds don't have to worry about the pain of fixing a broken nose."

"What?" James said quickly, "No, wait!"

"Episkey!" Lily said sharply, snapping her wand in James' direction.

"Ah!" He cried out, slapping his hands up over his nose, "Merlin's pants, Lily! Give a guy some warning!"

"I did," Lily smirked, twirling her wand between her fingers and then blowing the top as if it was an old Western gun, "You just didn't react quick enough."

Out of the corner of her eye, past the outline of James' jaw, she saw Marlene take her usual seat, flashing her a look and raising an eyebrow that clearly said: Platonic?

Lily narrowed her eyes, sending back her own: Completely.

James glanced over his shoulder only to find Marlene quickly looking away, rushing to speak to the boy who sat in front of her. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Lily answered, "Girl stuff."

He watched her for another moment and then nodded before saying, "There have been more killings y'know."

Her head snapped around and she leaned towards him as Professor Slughorn cleared his throat at the front of the room. "Who? Where? When?"

"I got a copy of the Daily Prophet delivered during the holidays," He said. "It's all in there. Haven't you been reading it?"

With a sigh Lily shook her head, "Too much going on." She glanced away from his penetrating gaze and then back again. "Who, though?"

"Do you know Amelia Rayne?" He asked quietly, "Ravenclaw girl? Third year?" When she nodded he said: "Her parents. Both of them. On Christmas day. She came home from the shop and the mark was over her house."

"God," Lily sighed, tuning out Slughorn as he explained some simple potion they'd all learnt in third year, "What the hell is happening, James?"

"I think-" He paused and lowered his voice, leaning closer, "I think we're on the brink of a war."

Lily looked away, revulsion bubbling in her gut, "How though? It's happened before, sure, but-" She shook her head, "I always said it wouldn't happen to us."

"Yeah," James sighed, "Me too."