Later that night, Head Common Room, Gryffindor Tower
James Charles Potter was in the head common room, talking with his best friends Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin and his close friend Peter Pettigrew. His friends were currently teasing him about being the head boy. Being the ever dramatic, ever since he came to know James was the head boy, Sirius had been wailing, saying, "Oh the tragedy. Oh, the travesty. The leader of the Marauders, the boy who has broken most rules in the history of Hogwarts, is the head boy. Where did we go wrong Moony?" Remus was chuckling at this and said, "I don't know Padfoot. Maybe you aren't quite the bad influence your girlfriend claims you to be." Sirius said, "Well I know for a fact that I am not the goody two shoes of this group. Prongs here is not even close to being that. What do you say Peter? Who do you think is the goody two shoes in this group?" Peter laughed and said, "We all know it is our dear Moony here who is the little good boy. After all, he is the Gryffindor perfect along with Evans." Sirius said, "See Moony. Peter gets it. But let's keep that aside. How will we pull pranks now? Both you and Prongs are a perfect and Head Boy now. Is this the end of the Marauders? Is this what the Marauders legacy would become? Two of its members becoming perfect and Head Boy?" James rolled his eyes and said, "Enough with the antics Padfoot. Moony becoming a perfect didn't stop us. Why will me being a head boy stop us from pulling pranks?"
A fifth voice spoke, "Because you are the Head Boy now and you have to act the part." The four boys turned and saw Lily Evans standing there along with her friends Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadows. James said, "That is where you are wrong Evans. Just because I am head boy doesn't mean I have to stop having fun. I just need to have fun in a responsible way." Everyone except him and Lily laughed at that. Marlene asked, "And what is your definition of responsible fun James?" It was Sirius who said, "That will mean telling you about our plans. Can't do that Marlene. That is a Marauders level secret." Marlene laughed at that and said, "Like I won't be able to get it out of you later Padfoot." Sirius said, "Last time you cheated and unfairly won. This time, I am prepared. Your tactics won't work on me this time." Marlene smirked at him and said, "Whatever makes you sleep better at night Padfoot. We will see who wins." Sirius gave her a look that said to bring it on. Dorcas said, "Why don't you try it now Marlene? Who knows, maybe we will get many of their secrets." Lily said, "I am serious James. If the head boy himself isn't following the rules, why will any of the student follow them?" James said, "Don't worry Evans. I never got caught, didn't I?" She looked at Remus and said, "Can't you try and help this idiot see sense and reason?" Remus sighed and said, "I wasn't able to control him as a perfect Lily. Do you think he will listen to me when he is the Head Boy?" Everyone laughed at that. Lily said, "I hope you know what you are doing James. But if you do get caught, or do something harmful, I will tell it to Dumbledore myself. Merlin only knows why he made you the Head Boy." She then went to her room. Dorcas went along with her. Marlene gave Sirius a short kiss and then joined her other 2 friends.
Sirius then asked, "So Prongs, what's the new way you will ask Evans out this time?" James said, "There is no new way Padfoot. She hates me. No matter what I do, she will always think I am an arrogant, obnoxious guy who bullies other and thinks of himself as Mr. Perfect. I am done. I give up." Sirius, Remus and Peter were shocked by this. Their jaws dropped down when they heard this. James, who never gave up on anything and did anything and everything to get what he wanted, had given up on Evans. The one girl he had pinned over for last six years. It wasn't like James. They were too shocked to say anything. Seeing them not speak anything, James went to sleep in his room. He had meant what he said, he had given up on her. It was time to move on. He needed to focus on his studies and get great NEWT scores if he had any hopes of not only joining the aurors, but also join Order of The Phoenix, Dumbledore's resistance group against Voldemort and his death eaters. Before, he had wanted to join the group because it was the right thing to do, because it was for a cause he believed in. But now, the fight was personal. His parents had been attacked by the death eaters when they had gone to Diagon Alley one day. They had survived the attack and were safe now. But that made James swear that he would do everything to make sure that every single death eater was arrested and in Azkaban. And he would do everything to make it happen.
He would however still have some fun. He knew that Lily thought the pranks they did on the Slytherins were cruel and unnecessary. But what she didn't knew that they targeted the Slytherins who bullied the younger students and those who weren't pure-bloods. They knew the teachers couldn't do anything without proof and hence the pranks as retaliation. But now, he was the Head Boy and it was time he took direct action against them.