The next morning, Lily awoke in James's bed to the sound of loud chatter and laughter. She blinked groggily, trying to remember where she was. As the haze of sleep lifted, she recalled the events of the previous day and the predicament she was still in.

"Morning, Prongs," Sirius called out, a wide grin plastered across his face. "Tell me you are ready to be back to being the Head Boy and Quidditch Captain without actually doing any work?"

"I don't recall me ever being Quidditch Captain without putting in the actual work," Lily groused in defence of James. That much did know, he took Quidditch very seriously. No pun intended.

"True that, true that. Anyhoo, speaking of Quidditch," Sirius continued, his tone mischievous, "What in Merlin's name happened yesterday? I heard you made quite the spectacle during tryouts."

Lily groaned inwardly, bracing herself for what Sirius was about to bring up. Quite honestly, she should have guessed that word of her Quidditch blunder would make its rounds around Hogwarts faster than you can even say Quidditch.

She pushed herself up on her elbows, blinking at the bright sunlight streaming through the windows.

Peter, sitting on the edge of his bed, burst into laughter. "Yeah, Prongs! I heard it through the grapevine you couldn't even pull off a simple Sloth Grip Roll! What happened, mate?"

Lily felt her cheeks heat up as she remembered the embarrassing incident. She quickly tried to come up with a plausible explanation. "Oh, that," she said, forcing a casual tone. "It was just a prank, you know? Wanted to see how the new recruits would react under pressure. Didn't want anyone on the team who was too uptight and couldn't laugh at themselves."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Really? That's your story? Testing them by making a fool of yourself?"

Peter chuckled, shaking his head. "You sure know how to keep things interesting, Prongs."

Lily crossed her arms and leaned back against the headboard, trying to project confidence. "Exactly. If they can handle a little chaos, they can handle anything on the pitch. It's all part of my master plan."

Sirius smirked, still not entirely buying it but willing to play along. "Well, if anyone can turn a mishap into a strategy, it's you, Prongs."

Peter nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and besides, it gave us all a good laugh, even if we only got to hear about it secondhand. Just try not to pull any more stunts like that during actual games, alright? Gryffindor has to win the Quidditch Cup, it's our final year."

Lily forced a smile, relieved that they seemed to be letting it go for now. "Don't worry, Wormtail. I'll save my best performances for the matches. Though if Sirius had bothered to reapply for the Beater position, he could have seen it in all its glory."

"Nah, Quidditch is not my thing, let the youngsters take a shot at it," he offhandedly remarked.

As the laughter died down, Sirius shot Lily a curious glance. "So, what's the plan for today? More bore with perfect prefect Evans?"

Lily nodded, trying to stay composed. She was not boring! It was not her fault Sirius never bothered to look deeper into her personality. "Yeah, lots to catch up on. You know how it is."

Sirius shrugged, getting out of bed and stretching. "Well, don't let all that responsibility kill your fun, Prongs. We've got a reputation to uphold."

Lily managed a genuine smile this time. "Don't worry, Padfoot. Fun's not going anywhere."

As she tried to rummage for some toiletries in Potter's brand of "organised chaos" she managed to draw suspicious attention to herself again when Sirius spotted the towel in her hand.

"Since when do you shower in the morning, Jamesie?" he was baffled.

"Was absolutely knackered last night and forgot," she shrugged, trying for nonchalance.

Sirius quirked his brow as if this was something unheard of, especially after a day that included Quidditch but after shrugged and let it go.

As the boys got ready for the day, Lily felt a mix of relief and trepidation. She had managed to deflect Sirius and Peter's teasing for now, but she knew she had to be on her toes. Today was another day of pretending, another day of learning how to navigate James's world.

The next morning in the girls' dormitory, James awoke feeling groggy and disoriented, though the cold was definitely over with now thanks to Madame Pomfrey's regimen yesterday. It took him a moment to remember that he was in Lily's body, a situation that still felt bizarre and surreal. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he glanced around the room, noticing the neatness and organization that contrasted sharply with his own dorm again. Though at least he would be able to find anything he wanted without knowing the "system" Lily had for it. It was all self-evident.

He sat up and spotted Lily's toiletries and makeup bag on the dresser. Determined to blend in and not raise any suspicion, he grabbed the bag and headed to the bathroom, hoping to get ready before the other girls woke up. He glanced at the other beds, seeing the girls still sound asleep, and decided he'd better start figuring out how to get ready without making too much noise.

Once inside the bathroom, James opened the bag and stared at its contents, feeling completely out of his depth. There were so many unfamiliar items: bottles, brushes, tubes, and compacts, each with its own mysterious purpose.

Taking a deep breath, he decided to focus on the basics. He spotted a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush. That part's easy, let's start with that.

James then carefully picked up a bottle of what he assumed was face wash. "Alright, Evans, let's see how a girl, or more specifically you start your day."

He fumbled with the bottle, squeezing out more than necessary, and splashed water on his face. As he lathered up, he felt a bit ridiculous but determined to go on with full speed ahead. "How hard can it be?" he muttered to himself.

After rinsing off the face wash, he reached for what looked like a moisturizer, which he applied a bit too generously, leaving his face feeling slightly sticky and shiny. He decided to take the excess off with a paper towel.

James then noticed a small container labelled "lip balm." He opened it and applied a thin layer, marvelling at how soft and smooth his lips felt. "Not bad," he thought, giving himself a small nod of approval in the mirror.

Feeling somewhat accomplished, he moved on to the hairbrush. He carefully untangled the strands, trying to remember how Lily usually styled her hair. After a few attempts at braiding, he gave up and settled for a simple ponytail.

He picked up a tube of mascara and turned it over in his hands, trying to figure out how to use it.

Just as he was about to give it a try, Marlene entered the bathroom, stopping short when she saw him. Her eyes widened in surprise before she burst into laughter.

"James, what on earth are you doing?" she exclaimed, clearly amused by the sight of him fumbling with makeup.

James turned to her, looking sheepish. "Uh, trying to get ready? This stuff is more complicated than I thought."

Marlene shook her head, still laughing. "Alright, let me help you before you poke an eye out." She took the mascara from his hands and motioned for him to sit on the edge of the sink. "First, you need to hold still and keep your eyes open. I'll do the rest."

James complied, watching in the mirror as Marlene expertly applied the mascara. "You make this look easy," he muttered, genuinely impressed.

Marlene grinned. "Years of practice. Now, let's see what else we can do." She rummaged through the bag, pulling out a few more items and giving James a quick tutorial on their use. She helped him with a barely visible layer of foundation, a bit of blush to even out his slightly pale complexion, and even managed to fix his hair in a simple, neat style Lily usually wore.

"There you go," she said, stepping back to admire her work. "You look presentable now."

James looked at himself in the mirror, feeling oddly proud. "Thanks, Marlene. I'd be lost without you."

She smiled, then her expression turned more serious. "By the way, I think we should meet up with Lily later. She has the notes on the tryouts, and we need to tackle the roster."

James nodded, grateful for her suggestion. "Good idea. The sooner the better."

As they left the bathroom and headed towards the dorm room to deposit the bag before heading back out, James found himself appreciating Marlene in a new light. She was more than just a Quidditch buddy, or Sirius's ex-girlfriend. They have always been sort of close over the year, she was always up for a laugh, but she had always been Lily's friend. Now he felt like he could count on her as well.

"Morning, Lily," one of the other girls, Mary McDonald, greeted with a sleepy smile. "You're up early. I take it you are feeling better?"

James nodded, trying to sound casual. "Yeah, just thought I'd get a head start on the day. Much to catch up on."

Mary stretched and yawned. "Well, good for you. I can barely drag myself out of bed. Take it easy, we can't have the Head Girl out of commission. Can you imagine Potter running the show without you?"

James tried to not get offended and instead vowed to do more to take off some of the load from his counterpart's shoulders.

The other girls soon stirred as well, and James watched them out of the corner of his eye, picking up little details about their morning routines, thanking small miracles that even though these girls shared a dorm room for seven years, none of them thought changing in front of each other a good idea. He also realized just how much effort went into getting ready each day as a girl, and how most of this was a societal pressure to appear nothing less than perfect, or else.

Marlene smiled as she finished getting ready. "Alright, let's go. Don't want to be late for breakfast."

As they made their way out of the dormitory they couldn't find Lily in the common room, so decided to head straight to the Great Hall, hoping to find her there.

At the Gryffindor table, they spotted Lily-as-James already seated, reading through a stack of notes. They joined her, James feeling a sense of relief at seeing his own face, even if it was currently housing Lily.

"Morning, Potter," Marlene greeted cheerfully. "Ready to tackle the Quidditch roster?"

Lily looked up and smiled, appreciating the effort to keep up the façade. "Absolutely. Let's get this sorted after breakfast."

She took a look at her own body, giving James a nod of acknowledgement and appreciation that he managed to make her look presentable.

"Where are the other three of the moron quartet?" Marlene asked, glancing around for the absent Marauders as she sat down.

Lily smirked. "Sirius and Peter finished breakfast in a hurry. They're probably off working on some prank. And Remus mentioned he needed to finish an essay, so he went to the library."

Marlene rolled her eyes. "Of course. Those two can never sit still for long, and Remus always has his nose in a book. Well, at least we have some peace and quiet to go over the roster."

They settled into a comfortable rhythm, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate in hushed voices, not that there were too many other people at the Gryffindor table to find Lily giving Quidditch team advice weird.

As they worked through the list, Marlene leaned over to her friend in James's body, her tone more serious and barely a whisper so no one else would overhear. "How are you holding up, Lils? This whole body-swap thing must be incredibly stressful."

Lily sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "It's definitely been a challenge. But we're managing. I just hope we can figure out how to reverse it soon."

Marlene nodded sympathetically. "If anyone can handle it, it's you two. Just know I'm here to help with whatever you need."

"Thanks, Marlene," Lily said, feeling grateful for her support. "That means a lot."

Privately she thought it would be awesome if Marlene could occupy Sirius's time a little so that he would focus less on "James's" weird behaviour, but she couldn't ask that of her friend who was still heartbroken over their break up.

"Alright," James said, glancing at the notes Lily had made. "Let's get this show on the road and finalize the lineup, I'm eager to find out what I have to work with for this year."

Lily and Marlene nodded in agreement, the three of them focusing on the notes in front of them. They listened as Lily shared her observations from the pitch, Marlene adding her professional insights to catch James up to speed on the potential recruits.

"Okay, the Chasers," Lily began, looking at her notes. "I think we have a strong lineup, but we need to make sure they have good chemistry on the field. I think it goes without saying that Marlene is staying on as Chaser, so we only need one more to replace Shacklebolt who graduated last year. From what I saw yesterday, Amy Grant, fifth-year, has great speed, but she needs to work on her accuracy. Compared to other candidates she is still the strongest."

James listened intently, impressed by how thorough Lily had been in her assessments. "No objection to that on my end."

Marlene nodded. "Agreed. She has potential, but she needs more practice to become a reliable scorer. What about the Beaters?"

Lily glanced at her notes again. "Both positions are open since Sirius didn't try out. We had three candidates, all showing promise, but we need Beaters who can stay calm under pressure. Michael Gareth Thornfield and Oliver Flintwick stood out the most, I'd say no to Arthur Campbell, too unpredictable with his accuracy even though he had some good swings at the Bludgers."

James looked surprised. "Sirius didn't try out again? That's odd. He's always been so passionate about Quidditch."

Lily shrugged. "This morning he said he wanted to give the younger students a chance. But honestly, I think he just wanted an excuse to avoid the hard work. Sometimes I feel like he doesn't have interest in anything outside of pranks."

Marlene nodded, that sounded like Sirius alright.

James looked thoughtful for a second. "I can't give much away, it's not my secret to tell, but go easy on Padfoot. He is dealing with a lot at home and needs an outlet. Better pranks and some general mischief than outright hexing and brawling."

"Well, Thornfield and Flintwick seem like a good fit. They have solid reflexes and don't get rattled easily," Marlene stopped the previous line of thinking short, not wanting to dwell on Sirius's troubled home life. That was the exact reason he had given her at the end of last year. Not wanting to drag her into Black family drama.

Lily added, "Thornfield's timing with the Bludger is impressive, and Flintwick has great coordination with his partner. They should make a strong Beater pair."

James made a note. "That settles it then. We have our new Beaters."

"Now, for the Keeper position, Cedric Blackwood seems like the best choice. He was on the team last year as well. He has great reflexes and reads the Chasers well. I didn't really see the potential in the other candidate to surpass him," Lily read from her notes.

Marlene agreed. "Absolutely. Cedric's solid. And for the Seeker?"

"Now that one gave quite a bit of quandary. Eliza Fairchild. She's agile and sharp-eyed. I think she'll make a great addition to the team. The other one was Hugo Pembroke, but he is only a second-year. Eliza is a sixth-year, this or next year is her last chance to make the team. I don't think Pembroke was necessarily better, just approached seeking in a completely different way. They both caught the snitch three times from the six runs we let them have," Lily ranted on, though felt better about her assessment as she saw Marlene nodding along.

"She tried out last year as well," James recalled. "We kept on our previous Seeker, Colin Stonemire, but she wasn't bad at all, I'm fine with her as our choice."

"Alright, I'll get this posted on the notice board and get ready for the day," Lily said, standing up, but suddenly got caught by a dizzy spell and had to sit back down.

James, still in Lily's body, immediately looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

Lily took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, just stood up too fast."

Marlene put a hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy. We can handle the rest. You've done more than enough."

Lily managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Marlene. I appreciate it, but really I'm fine. To be honest it has been a bit weird to navigate a body five inches taller than mine."

James frowned. Even though he could relate. He had similar problems when he first woke up in Lily's body, but he was also running a fever at the time. "But what if it's more than just standing up too fast? What if you're catching the cold I had? Or again the cold you had. Bollocks, this is confusing."

Lily shook her head. "I don't think it's that, but I'll rest a bit longer just to be safe."

Marlene nodded. "I can go post the roster upstairs, and James will stay with you, okay?"

Lily reluctantly agreed. "Alright."

As Marlene left James kept glancing at her worriedly from inside her body, and it was seriously unnerving her.

"Quit your fretting. Pomfrey supplied me with potions, I'll take them if I need them, but seriously, I'm fine," Lily reassured him.

James sighed, trying to relax. "I know, I know. It's just... weird seeing you like this. I mean, seeing me like this."

Lily chuckled softly. "Trust me, it's just as strange for me."

James nodded, still looking concerned but trying to put on a brave face. "Alright. Just promise me you'll let me know if you start feeling worse."

Lily smiled, appreciating his concern. "I promise. Now, let's try to focus on something else. How about we go over some of the notes for our classes? It might take our minds off things."

James agreed, and they spent the next few minutes discussing their coursework, trying to find some normalcy in the midst of the chaos. It was a small comfort, but it helped them both feel a bit more grounded.

"By the way," Lily said. "I have Arithmancy and Ancient Runes tomorrow. I hope you're ready for those."

James winced. "And I have Care of Magical Creatures. Not exactly my strong suit so you probably won't make a fool of me there, you did study it until O.W.L.s."

Lily smirked. "Well, I guess we'll both be learning a lot more about each other's strengths and weaknesses. Why did you continue on the N.E.W.T. level course then?"

James shrugged in Lily's body. "Thought maybe if the Auror route didn't work out, I could try the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

Lily nodded, impressed. "That's actually quite a thoughtful backup plan. I didn't realize you had other interests outside of hexing Slytherins."

James chuckled. "There's more to me than just mischief and Quidditch, Evans. What about you? Why Arithmancy and Ancient Runes?"

Lily smiled. "I've always loved puzzles and languages. Ancient Runes is like a window into the past, a language in a way, but also the basis for a lot of rituals, wards, and even wand movements are based on these in a simplified form, and Arithmancy... well, it's fascinating how numbers can predict and influence magical outcomes. Not a divination kind of way. With Arithmancy you can double-check whether a new spell would work, or what kind of result changing something in a potion recipe would have. Plus, they both open up a lot of career options."

"Like?"

"Well, spell creation for one, though many would think of curse-breaking first probably. There's a lot of unexplored potential in developing new spells, making magic safer or more efficient. And if that doesn't work out, there's always academic research or teaching. Though it's not really a practical career route. Financially I mean, so I'm studying under Madame Pomfrey right now to get the credentials for a Healer program after N.E.W.T.s. to support myself until my first big breakthrough that I could patent."

James raised an eyebrow. "Spell creation, huh? Never pictured you as the inventive type. You are usually a very by-the-book type of person."

But then he remembered that jinx she had placed on him last year that made him say the opposite of what he meant. No one was able to figure out the exact spell, or the counter-spell. Maybe it was one of her own creation?

Lily laughed, and there was almost a sort of mischief in her eyes as she said: "There's a lot you don't know about me, Potter."

"True," James had to concede, though he loved the fact that he got to know more about her through this experience. "Healing I can totally picture you in. Very Charms and Potions heavy career. Your best subjects."

Lily was mollified by the compliment and also the fact that Potter paid enough attention to her academic achievements to know which ones she was exceptionally good at.

Soon enough, Marlene returned, looking relieved. "Roster's posted. Everyone seemed pretty excited about the new lineup. They are already asking for the date of the first Quidditch practice. I told them a tentative next Saturday, but that the Captain will post it on the notice board."

"Great," Lily said, standing up slowly to make sure she didn't get dizzy again. "Thanks for handling that, Marlene."

"I gotta cut and run," the blonde interjected apologetically, knowing that Lily wouldn't be able to join as James, and having James there in Lily's body would just be weird with all the girl talk. "Mary and the girls want to take advantage of the last days of relative warmth in the Scottish Highlands."

"That's alright," Lily replied mournfully. "We should probably head up to the library anyway and see if Remus has found anything. I have a feeling the essay thing was just an excuse made to Sirius and Peter."

James nodded. "Yeah, knowing Remus, he's probably knee-deep in research by now. Let's go see what he's found."

The two made their way up to the library, navigating the busy corridors filled with students enjoying their Sunday. As they entered the quiet sanctuary of the library, they spotted Remus at a table in the far corner, surrounded by stacks of books and scrolls.

Remus looked up as they approached and gave them a tired but determined smile. "I've been looking into similar cases of body-switching spells. There are a few references, but nothing exactly like your situation."

Lily and James sat down, each taking a book from the stack. "Anything useful?" Lily asked, flipping through the pages.

"There are a couple of theories about reversing such spells," Remus said, pointing to a passage in one of the books. "It seems that coming to some kind of mutual understanding between the switched individuals is a key factor in breaking the spell. That fits with the inscription we found on the clock."

James nodded thoughtfully. "So, we definitely just need to continue what we are doing?"

Remus nodded. "Precisely. And based on the other clue, given that the spell started at midnight, it should end at midnight tomorrow, assuming you meet the requirements."

Lily sighed. "Alright, let's keep at it then. We've got our classes tomorrow to navigate as each other as well. That should be interesting."

James groaned. "Great. I'll try not to embarrass you in Arithmancy and Runes."

Lily smiled. "And I'll do my best not to get mauled by any magical creatures."

Remus rubbed at his eyes, obviously this being the day just before the full moon was taking its toll on him. Lily noticed and frowned with concern.

"Remus, you look exhausted. How are you holding up?" she asked gently.

Remus forced a small smile. "I'll manage, Lily. Just the usual PMS as Sirius likes to call it."

James couldn't help but snort at Padfoot's idea of lightening the mood around these monthly transformations, and Remus seemed like he was glad that he broke the sombre atmosphere with that quip as well. Despite this, the de facto leader of the Marauders soon grew serious again and glanced at Remus with a worried expression a second later. "You really should be resting, Moony."

Remus sighed. "I know, but I needed to help you two. This is important."

Lily reached out and squeezed Remus's hand. "We appreciate it, Remus. But you need to take care of yourself too. We can take it from here. All evidence so far led us to believe the only thing we can do is spend time with each other and hope for the best."

"You should do something together," Remus suggested, internally smirking at what an opportunity this is for James, who is in love with Lily. Practically like going on a date, and Lily couldn't refuse. Not like she seemed like she was opposed to the idea of spending time with James.

James's eyes lit up with the possibility, but he quickly masked his excitement. "That's a good idea, Moony. Maybe a walk around the grounds after lunch or something."

Lily, in James's body, looked at Remus and then back at James. She could see the sincerity in their eyes and nodded. "Alright, let's do that. A bit of fresh air might help clear our heads."

Remus smiled, clearly pleased. "Good. You two go enjoy yourselves. I'll be in the dorms with a bar of chocolate and a book if you need anything."

At lunchtime, they headed to the Great Hall. The Gryffindor table was bustling with students, and the atmosphere was lively as always. Lily, in James's body, sat down next to Sirius, who had a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Alright, Prongs," Sirius began, leaning in conspiratorially. "I've already set up the perfect prank for lunch."

Lily, already feeling a headache coming on at just the thought of what the Marauder might have possibly cooked up, looked at Sirius warily. "What did you do, Padfoot?"

Sirius grinned and lowered his voice. "I slipped a modified Aguamenti potion into Snivellus's goblet. Any moment now, he's going to get a face full of water. It'll be brilliant!"

James, sitting across from them in Lily's body, overheard the conversation and looked alarmed. He knew how unpredictable Sirius's pranks could be and worried about the potential backlash.

A few moments later, Snape lifted his goblet to take a drink. As soon as the liquid touched his lips, a jet of water shot out, drenching him and the students around him. The Slytherin table erupted in chaos as students jumped up, trying to avoid the spray.

Sirius burst into laughter, clutching his sides, while Peter, the ever-helpful co-conspirator, joined in, cackling with glee. Even some of the Gryffindors nearby couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

Lily, however, felt another wave of dizziness hit her as her heart rate skyrocketed. She tried to stand up, but the room spun, and she had to grip the table for support.

James, noticing her distress, quickly moved to her side. "Are you okay?" he whispered, his concern evident.

Lily nodded weakly. "Just need to sit down," she muttered, feeling her strength wane.

Meanwhile, Snape, drenched and furious, stormed over to the Gryffindor table. "POTTER!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the hall. He reached them in a few long strides, his face contorted with rage.

"You think this is funny, do you, Potter?" Snape snarled, glaring at Lily in James's body. "How dare you humiliate me like this?"

Lily, taken aback by the intensity of Snape's anger, struggled to find her voice. She hadn't really spoken to Snape since their falling out and his failed apology at the end of fifth year, and facing him now, in James's body, was disconcerting. No matter their differences, she had never felt such hatred directed at her from her former childhood friend. "Severus, I..."

"Don't call me that!" Snape snapped, cutting her off. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but you've crossed the line this time, Potter."

James, in Lily's body, stood up, stepping between Snape and Lily. "Back off, Snape," he said, his voice steady but with a hint of protectiveness. "It was just a prank, alright? Let it go."

Snape's eyes flicked to James-as-Lily and back to Lily-as-James, his expression filled with loathing at the girl as well likely due to not having expected Lily to defend Potter. "Always hiding behind your friends, aren't you, Potter?" he spat. "One day, you'll get what's coming to you."

"Severus, please," Lily tried again, but Snape's glare silenced her.

"You don't get to speak to me," he hissed, his voice low and venomous. "Not after what you've done."

Professor McGonagall, who had witnessed the entire incident, marched over, her expression stern. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.

"Professor, Potter thought it would be amusing to drench me in front of the entire school," Snape said, his voice tight with anger.

McGonagall's eyes narrowed. "Is this true, Mr Potter?"

Sirius, who had been watching the exchange with a smirk until now, quickly stepped in. He wouldn't let the other Marauders take the blame if somebody had to go down. "It was me, Professor. I thought it would be a harmless joke. Didn't mean for it to get out of hand."

McGonagall turned her stern gaze on Sirius. "Detention, Mr Black. And fifty points from Gryffindor."

Sirius's smirk faltered. "But Professor..."

"No buts, Mr Black. This kind of behaviour is unacceptable."

As McGonagall turned to leave, she noticed Lily-as-James's pale face. "Mr Potter, are you feeling alright?"

Lily forced a smile. "Just feeling a bit dizzy, Professor. I'll be fine."

McGonagall's expression softened slightly. "Go to the Hospital Wing if you need to, Mr Potter. And as for you, Mr Black, I expect to see you in my office this evening."

With that, she walked away, leaving the Gryffindor table in stunned silence. Snape cast one last withering glare at them before storming off.

Sirius looked sheepish, while James and Lily exchanged a worried glance.

"Sorry about that," Sirius muttered. "Didn't think he would react so harshly to a hair wash, it was clearly overdue."

James, in Lily's body, turned to Sirius with an exasperated expression. "You can't just go around pranking Snape like that, Sirius. It's not just about the joke—it's about the consequences. We are not twelve anymore."

Sirius, thinking he was being scolded by Lily, looked a bit taken aback. "But it was just a bit of fun, and he deserved it. Are you still siding with that git after everything he put you through these past years?"

Lily-as-James, still reeling from the encounter with Snape, took a deep breath to steady herself. "No one's siding with Snape, Sirius. But there's a time and a place for jokes."

Sirius frowned, looking genuinely confused. "What's going on with you, James? You're acting really weird."

"I'm not acting weird," she tried to come up with something on the fly while her head was still fuzzy. What would James say? "I think we had talked about being subtle before. The best prank is when no one knows it was you. Also, a heads-up would be nice."

Sirius looked slightly mollified but still confused. "Yeah, alright. I guess you're right. I just thought it would be funny."

James, in Lily's body, sighed and rubbed her temples. "Just... no more pranks for a while, okay? We have too much on our plate at the moment. Me getting sick definitely didn't help."

Peter, who had been quietly observing, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Sirius. Let's just take it easy for now."

Sirius sighed, clearly not happy with the situation but willing to relent. "Fine, no more pranks for now. But I still don't understand why you're both acting so strange."

James and Lily exchanged another glance, both knowing that there was no way to explain the body swap without causing more confusion. For now, they just had to manage the best they could.