Summary: James Potter and Lily Evans are going to get married in a week's time. They meet in Hogsmeade and reminisce their school days and talk of how the ends met...
Categories: James/Lily Characters: None
Warnings: None
Challenges: Series: None
Chapters: 4
Completed: No
Word count: 8927
Read: 9661
Published: 02/27/06
Updated: 08/31/06
1. On a Date in Hogsmeade by james_fever
2. Impressed and... Depressed? by james_fever
3. Problems and Solutions by james_fever
4. Payback by james_fever
On a Date in Hogsmeade by james_fever
Author's Notes:
An introductory chapter about best "wiz and witchard" of their age - Lily Evans and James Potter.
It was a pleasant day in the village of Hogsmeade. Everything lay quiet, as it wasn’t the day when the Hogwarts students came for their weekend trip. A gentle wind blew through the streets and the sign outside the Three Broomsticks creaked, as a couple entered the pub. James Potter, tall with untidy black hair, led his fiancée Lily Evans to their favourite table near the window.
“What’ll you take?” he asked her.
“Butterbeer!” she said, her bright green eyes twinkling, “for old times’ sake.”
James grinned and went to the counter where a young girl stood in place of the fussy, old Madam Zelda. James carried their drinks over to the table and they sat sipping the butter beer Lily spoke.
“It’s nice to be with you again. Two months is a long time, you know. It has been awfully lonely without you. I really missed you.”
James had been busy working for the Order of the Phoenix for the past two months and Lily had just cleared the last of her Auror exams.
“I missed you too.”
“It’s a good thing we chose to meet here. It has been more than a year since I saw this place last,” said Lily, looking around the pub which was, for the first time in her memory, empty except for themselves. It always used to be packed with Hogwarts students enjoying their day out.
“I missed this place,” she said to James.
“Lets visit Hogwarts before we leave.”
“I was gonna suggest the same,” she smiled at him. “So, how has it been working for the Order?”
“Oh! It’s the usual stuff. We try and guess Voldemort’s motives and think of plans to counter him. Dumbledore is a great man. He’s got some brains! He counts me as one of the best members in the Order. Only the other day Padfoot and I stopped a Death Eater from torturing a Muggle family. We would have caught him had he not apparated. It is exciting work and-”
He stopped at the expression on Lily’s face that was one of controlled laughter.
“James! You’ll never change,” she laughed.
“That would be a shame,” he grinned across at her, “if a perfect person like me changed.”
Just then the door at the back of the pub opened and Madam Zelda walked in, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Rose,” she addressed the girl at the counter, “the washing’s done, just dry the stuff and put it away and “ Oh! We’ve got customers.”
“Hello Madam Zelda,” James called out to her.
“It’s James!” she cried, “Goodness! Lily too. What a pleasant surprise! Haven’t seen you here in a long time,” said she as she walked towards their table.
“I’m enjoying a last week of freedom,” James told her.
Lily glared at him and said, “We are getting married next week Madam Zelda.”
“That’s wonderful! Congratulations dears. Lily you had better keep an eye on him. I’ve never seen anyone half as naughty as this one. Except his friend Sirius of course!”
Lily laughed as James gave a sheepish smile. Madam Zelda then hurried away to attend to a tall, dark man who had just entered the pub.
“You know James, if anyone had told me four years a go that I’d be marrying you, I’d have thought that the person lost it,” said Lily.
“Yeah, you hated me, didn’t you?” James asked her.
“Well, you were a prat!” said Lily smiling at him. “But you always loved me, didn’t you?”
“Since the third year,” replied James. “I was impressed by you and my opinion of girls changed greatly.”
“How?!” Lily asked.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A thin, pale-faced third year boy, with a hooked nose and greasy black hair, was walking with hurried steps, his books in his arms when a small first year came running around the corner and collided with him. The pale-faced boy snarled at him and ordered him to pick up the fallen books.
“If you don’t mind yourself next time, I’ll hex you,” he scolded the timid, young boy, who was almost trembling.
“Why not pick on someone your own size Snivelly?” said a voice behind him. “Or do you just lack the guts?”
Severus Snape reacted as though he’d been stung. His hand immediately jumped to his wand but James Potter was too quick for him.
“Expelliarmus!” he shouted and Snape’s wand flew into the air and landed ten feet away from him.
“Petrificus Totalus,” said James and Snape froze on the spot, unable to move due to the body-bind curse.
“Ah, Snivelly, you make a very ugly statue you know,” laughed James.
“Expelliarmus!” yelled someone, as James’ wand flew out of his hand. He turned around in surprise to see a very pretty girl with red hair and bright green, almond shaped eyes, glaring at him, with her wand drawn. She was in the same class as him but he had never spoken to her before.
“Potter! You are not supposed to duel in the corridors. You disgust me. Absolutely no regard for rules! I dunno how you got to the third year. I’d have expelled you on the first day! You go around hexing people just because you can and love being a deluded show off. You deserve detention everyday of the year. Come to think of it, you probably do get it everyday and still rules do not get into your fat head,” shouted the girl.
And for the third time that morning, a shout of “Expelliarmus” rang through the corridor. It was Sirius Black.
“Mind your own business if you know what’s good for you!” he said to the girl.
James Potter was too much, but James plus Sirius was unbearable. With an angry look at the pair of them, the girl picked up her wand and walked away.
“Why did you stand there listening to her like an idiot?” said Sirius, throwing James’ wand to him.
“Isn’t that girl in our year?” James questioned Sirius.
“Yeah. She’s called Evans or something. She looks like the ‘no-rule-breaking’ and ‘do-your-homework-on-time’ person. A favourite with the teachers,” he answered rolling his eyes.
“How come I never noticed how pretty she is? Two years I’ve been in the same class!” said James in some wonder.
“That’s because you’ve done better things than notice girls. Stupid. That’s the definition of girls in one word. They are a big waste of time. You know how they get worked up if a toe nail breaks and all they care about is gossip,” said Sirius. “We know to do better stuff like explore the castle and trouble Filch instead of noticing those sillies.”
James didn’t share Sirius’ thoughts about girls at the moment, not about all the girls anyway. Something about Evans had struck him as different. Or it was just that she was the first person in class to counter James Potter. Whatever the reason was, James realized that he liked that girl and she was his first major crush.
“I’m gonna marry that girl someday, Sirius. You’ll see!” said James determinedly.
“You’re gonna marry a GIRL?!”
“What else am I supposed to marry? The giant squid?”
Laughing, Sirius went on a rant about girls when James reminded him that they needed to hurry for breakfast or go to their first class without eating anything. So the pair of them walked away, leaving Snape frozen and forgotten in the deserted corridor.
Impressed and... Depressed? by james_fever
Author's Notes:
The beginning between young Lily Evans and James Potter.
After breakfast, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter headed for their first lesson of the day, Transfiguration. As they were climbing the stairs, James tried to flatten his untidy black hair that had made it their business to stick up at the back.
“How do I look?” he asked.
“Like a prat!” said Sirius promptly.
“Oh no! I think you look very nice, James,” said Peter.
“Peter, it’s a relief that you and I don’t think alike,” said Sirius in a solemn voice. Peter scowled at him as the others laughed.
“Why are you concerned about your looks all of a sudden?” said Remus, eyeing James suspiciously.
“Just asking,” said James quickly, before Sirius could answer. He tried to make his tone casual as he foraged for a change in the topic, “Do you think Hufflepuff will win against Slytherin next week?”
“They have a chance if the brainless gits in Slytherin don’t play dirty,” said Sirius. “By the way, James, we have a detention tonight. They might give us separate ones so don’t forget to carry your mirror. You’d forgotten it last time and it spoilt everything.”
“I won’t,” started James, “It wasn’t my fault…”
Remus interrupted him, “Can’t you two stop playing pranks for a while?” Seeing the incredulous looks on their faces he hastily added, “I mean do it so you won’t be detected. You could get chucked out you know.”
“But what’s the fun in playing a prank if you don’t take the credit for it?” demanded Sirius.
Remus rolled his eyes, “You’ll want to hurry before you land yourself in another detention,” he said, “for coming late to class.”
The four entered the classroom. Sirius began walking towards their usual desk at the back when to his astonishment he saw James heading to the front and taking a seat in the second row. He discerned the cause immediately - Lily Evans was seated right in front of James. Sirius looked around and saw Remus and Peter, still at the door, gaping at James. Sirius hurried over to them as Remus whispered.
“What’s up with James?”
“He’s in love,” said Sirius, restraining himself from rolling his eyes.
“James? In love? With whom?” spluttered Remus.
Sirius was about to answer when McGonagall’s voice made them jump, “Are you three waiting for Eternity?”
James grinned as his friends took places next to him. Sirius however scowled back.
“Did you have to sit here? You knew we were gonna plan our next prank in this class. You ruined everything,” said Sirius, trying to ignore Peter who was eating the peanuts left on their desk by somebody and was offering Sirius one.
James was saved the necessity of answering when Professor McGonagall started class.
“Today you will be transfiguring peanuts into goblets. You have already done transfiguration of animals into goblets, but a peanut being much smaller requires some concentration and practice. Watch me do it,” she said and pointing her wand at the peanut spoke the incantation and turned it into a goblet.
“Your peanuts have already been kept on your desks. Please begin now,” she said.
Peter groaned.
“Is there a problem?” she asked, turning to look at him.
He was almost shaking as he answered, “I ate mine.”
“And ours too,” pointed out Sirius. The entire class was laughing now.
Professor McGonagall glared at Peter and said, “You abysmally foolish boy! I don’t understand how you manage to look dim-witted on every occasion.” She conjured four peanuts for them and moved around to watch them work.
James stared at Lily as she pointed her wand at the peanut and said, “Ferverto.” She managed to transfigure it on her second try and sat talking to her friends who were still struggling with the peanut.
“What is wrong with you, James?” said Sirius, exasperated.
“Nothing,” said James quickly, tearing his gaze away from Lily. “Er- we’re supposed to turn this into a goblet?” he said looking at his peanut. On his other side Remus finally succeeded on his fourth try.
“Oh no! McGonagall!” said Sirius out of the corner of his mouth and pointing his wand at the peanut, muttered, “Ferverto,” turning it into a goblet.
“Still didn’t get it, Potter?” said McGonagall surprised as she came to their table. James saw Lily turning around to look.
“Oh no, Professor. Been waiting for you,” smiled James and after transfiguring his peanut into a beautiful goblet he filled it magically with wine and handed it to her. She was impressed.
“Good!” she said and moved over to Peter who was down on all fours searching for his peanut that had fallen on the ground and desperately hoping that the powdery substance near Sirius’ foot was not a once-intact peanut.
After lessons, everyone was relaxing in the common room. James went up to the dormitory to get his Two-Way mirror. He was coming down with it when he glanced at his reflection in it. His hair was sticking up as usual. He knew Lily was in the common room and he wanted to look really good so he tried to make his hair as civil as possible. He had to give it up as a bad job ten minutes later and in frustration, rumpled up his hair entirely. To his utter surprise the look suited him! His hair looked windswept as though he had just got off a broomstick. He grinned as he stood admiring himself in the mirror when to his horror, he saw that his black hair had turned brown, his glasses had disappeared, his hazel eyes had changed colour. When comprehension caught up with his senses he realized that the face grinning up at him from the mirror was Sirius’.
“What are you doing?” said Sirius.
“I’m coming to the common room. We don’t have detention until nine, right?” inquired James.
“Yeah. At nine we have to meet McGonagall in her office and she asked us not to bring wands along.”
“Right-o,” said James stowing the mirror in his pocket.
He came down and saw Remus, Sirius and Peter seated in armchairs near the fire. Lily was seated not far from them, watching her friends play wizard chess. James took the empty chair next to Remus and noticed his friends staring at his hair.
“Sirius told us you had done something to your hair to make it better but I hadn’t believed him. So how did you finally conquer your hair?” asked Remus.
“You know me, there is nothing I can’t do,” said James, beaming and running a hand through his hair and ruffling them again.
“Shut up!” said Sirius and Remus together.
James sat quietly and watched the chess match between Alice Andrews and Melody Brown. He didn’t know Remus was looking at him.
“Do you really love Evans?” Remus questioned him.
“Oh! Er- Sirius told you?” said James.
“Of course.”
“Should I ask her out?” said James.
“Do you think she’ll go out with you? I mean, I heard she shouted a lot at you.”
“That was only because I had frozen Snivelly. I’m sure if I impress her a bit, she’ll be more than willing to go out with me,” James said confidently. “Watch me,” he said, looking at Remus’ hesitant face.
James walked over to Lily’s friends and said, “Hi.”
Alice and Melody replied, Lily however didn’t look up. He drew up a chair and, sitting next to Alice, asked her to move her rook four places in front. Alice analyzed the move and beaming, ordered her rook to move. That got her into a winning position.
“That’s not fair!” said Melody. “It’s two against one.”
“I’ll help you,” said Lily and joined the game. James couldn’t have hoped for better. He smiled at her but she just gave him a suspicious look. He saw her eyes travel to his hair before turning to the game and he grinned to himself.
James and Alice won the game. Lily scowled as she saw the pair fire sparks into the air to celebrate their victory.
“It’s okay,” James said to her, “don’t get so upset. Not everyone is good at everything they do.”
She raised her eyebrows and said, “If you want a real game, Potter, then play with me, one-to-one.”
“With pleasure,” said James happily.
The game culminated in the draw. James was really impressed by the way Lily played. He thought now was the chance to speak to her.
Stretching out his hand for her to shake he said, “You already know me.”
“Yeah. Who doesn’t know you, James Potter,” said Lily without taking his hand, “the biggest spoilt brat of the century.”
“Is that good or bad?” said James innocently.
“She grows prettier and prettier everyday,” said James to Sirius, watching Lily do her homework in the common room.
“Really? How come I see no difference?” said Sirius in a bored voice.
“Good. I don’t even want you to,” said James.
“Did you see the notice board? First Hogsmeade trip this weekend,” said Remus excitedly, coming towards them.
Sirius whooped, “Excellent! I’d been waiting for this. I can’t wait to go to that place. I heard it’s really good. James, why don’t we plan something spectacular for the weekend?”
“I’ve already got a plan,” said James. Sirius clapped him on the back, thoroughly overjoyed and asked what the plan was.
“I’m gonna ask Evans out,” said James. Remus burst out laughing at the look on Sirius’ face.
“But, James, I didn’t get the impression that she wants to go out with you. She didn’t even speak to you properly yesterday,” said Remus.
“She was just cross yesterday because she didn’t win the chess match. I’m sure she won’t turn me down. Not James Potter!”
“Evans! Hey Evans!” called James, catching up with her as she left the breakfast table.
“Yes, Potter?” she asked.
“It’s Hogsmeade trip this weekend and I was wondering if “ er- you want to go out with me.”
Lily looked at him in surprise.
“You think I’m stupid enough to give you a chance to get back at me for what I did to you in front of Snape?” she asked him.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m not dumb Potter. Everyone knows what you do to people who annoy you. I certainly had interfered in the duel between you and Snape. But I’m not going to give you a chance to take revenge and hex me.”
“Can I ever hex you?” said James incredulously. “And I only hex people who deserve it.”
“Yeah. Right. What about the Ravenclaw beater you hexed because he hit a bludger at you like he was supposed to?”
“That hurt, okay?”
“It was meant to!” she continued. “And what about the Slytherin third year’s hair you turned green -”
James grinned.
“You seem to know a lot about me. But the point is, do you want to go out with me?”
“You? I’d rather go with Severus Snape!” Lily screamed and stomped off.
“She turned me down,” said James, still in shocked disbelief.
“You probably hurried, that’s all,” said Remus trying to make him feel better and throwing a disgusted look at Sirius who was sniggering uncontrollably.
“She said she likes Snivelly!” moaned James.
“She “ what?” said Sirius shocked. “Can anyone like Snivelly? James I don’t think you should go after her, mate. Anyone who favours the slime ball has got to have a serious problem.”
“Shut up, Sirius! James, she probably didn’t mean it. She just said it to “ I dunno, not go out with you,” said Remus. “I’m sure she doesn’t like Snape.”
But James was totally unconvinced. Hadn’t Lily Evans stood up for Snivelly in the corridor when James had frozen him? Snivelly knew James loved Lily. He was right there when James had been talking to Sirius. He groaned at the thought of Snape going out with the only girl he loved.
“Snivelly?” he thought miserably. “Why him of all the people?”
Problems and Solutions by james_fever
Author's Notes:
Lily vs. James?
“There, I’m done,” said Alice, holding up her Transfiguration essay. “It’s exactly a foot long.”
It was late in the evening and Alice, Melody and Lily were sitting in the library doing their homework.
Melody looked up from her work and said in disbelief, “Done so soon? I haven’t even written five inches yet.”
“What about you, Lily?” asked Alice, turning to Lily. But Lily wasn’t listening. Her mind was elsewhere and she was doodling on her parchment.
“Lily!”
“Wh - what?” she stammered, coming out of her trance.
“What’s wrong with you today?” asked Melody. “Is something bothering you, Lily?”
“Yeah. You’re so lost today,” said Alice.
“I made a humungous mistake and I don’t know what to do now,” sighed Lily. “I caught Potter hexing Snape in a corridor the other day and I shouted at him.”
“You caught Potter hexing Snape and you stopped him?” asked Alice, frowning. “You should have helped him.”
“You did make a big mistake, Lily, you know how Snape is…”
“I know he is really horrid and everything, but that doesn’t give Potter, or anyone else for that matter, the right to go against rules and hex Snape or anyone in the corridors!” debated Lily. “And I wasn’t sorry I stopped Potter - until last night. If I knew what I was getting myself into, I would never have interfered.”
“What happened then?”
“I came to the library last night to get the book I had left here and I bumped into Snape,” started Lily, “and he was furious to see me. He pulled out his wand, probably to hex me but quickly hid it when Madam Pince came along and asked us to leave. But before we went, he warned me never to interfere in his matters again and said that he doesn’t need girls, especially Mudbloods like me, to stand up for him, ‘cause he is not a coward and is capable of looking after himself.”
“That git had the nerve to treat you like that after you stopped Potter from hexing him?” hissed Alice.
“Don’t worry, Lily,” said Melody. “He can’t do anything to you.”
“That’s not all, Potter caught up with me this morning after breakfast. I was expecting another warning and you won’t believe this - he asked me out!”
“What?” gasped Alice and Melody at the same time, their mouths dropping open.
“They’re both such gits, the one I stand up for, warns me never to do it again and the one I insult, asks me out…”
“Well thank goodness it’s not the other way round. Imagine going out with Snape!” said Melody, disgusted.
“No wonder Potter is so friendly with us all of a sudden,” beamed Alice. “He likes our Lily!”
“So, are you going out with him this weekend?” asked Melody excitedly.
“Have you two lost it?” asked Lily, incredulously. “He obviously only wants revenge. He thinks he’s the only one in the world with a brain. Stupid James Potter with his stupid plans. But he can’t fool me! I am not gonna give him a chance to pay me back…”
“Nonsense! Boys don’t ask girls out to take revenge,” said Alice, “they ask them out because they like them.”
“Yeah, right! He likes me for insulting him I suppose,” scoffed Lily.
“Lily, be sensible. If he wants to hex you, he can just do it. He doesn’t have to take you out for that,” reasoned Melody.
“Yes, he does,” argued Lily. “He obviously won’t do it in front of the teachers and risk...”
“He isn’t scared of teachers or detentions. You know that, so stop finding excuses,” scolded Alice.
“Even the prefects don’t like messing with him and Black,” said Melody.
“Imagine being his girlfriend,” said Alice with a dreamy expression on her face, “no one would dare to trouble you.”
“He is so cool,” said Melody, bearing an expression similar to Alice’s.
Lily frowned, “I do not believe James Potter capable of loving anyone but himself and no matter what you two think, I shall never go out with him!”
“Yeah. Why would anyone want to go out with him?” asked Melody, sarcastically. “It isn’t like he is clever, smart, cute, popular…”
“Those aren’t the only qualities I look for in the person I want to date,” spoke Lily. “I think it is more important that he is good hearted with a clear conscience.”
“A clear conscience is usually the sign of bad memory,” laughed Alice and Melody.
“That’s enough,” came the stern voice of Madam Pince, as she emerged from behind a bookshelf. “You three have been making a lot of noise. Out!”
Alice, Lily and Melody started collecting their books, parchment and quills and got ready to leave.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the library James, Sirius and Peter held a whispered conversation while Remus sat a few tables away from them, doing his homework.
“I don’t think this is something we’re gonna find in a book. We have searched almost the entire library. We’ll have to apply our brains to figure it out,” said James.
“Then, this is not a task for Peter,” declared Sirius. “He makes a troll look intelligent.”
Peter opened his mouth to retort, couldn’t think of anything and closed it again, scowling.
“Well, until I get some brainwave I’ll just continue hunting in books,” said Sirius, picking up a book from the pile in the center, and beginning to read. Peter screwed his face in concentration but gave up and followed Sirius.
James sat thinking of the various possibilities by which the three could be with Remus when he transformed. Invisibility cloak? We ruled out that one long ago. We will be sensed by Remus. It’s a pity he doesn’t keep his mind when he transforms. If we look at it that way then it’s impossible for any human to go near a werewolf. That means we’ll have to stop being human when we are near a werewolf. How silly…Hang on, may be we should transfigure ourselves when we go near Remus. That’s an idea! But transfigure ourselves into what? It’s no use turning into anything that’s inanimate. What good will it be, turning into a stone or tree and watching Remus transform? We have to keep him company. We’ll have to change into something that can think, act and is not human. Think…act…sense…That’s it! It’s so obvious now! How come I didn’t think of it before? The problem is now solved!
“I’ve got it!” exclaimed James to Sirius and Peter.
Sirius frowned. “You mean you actually figured out the solution?”
James did not answer immediately. He settled himself in the chair more comfortably, rumpled up his hair and then spoke, “With a brain like mine amidst us, there is no problem for which we can’t find a solution. I’ve thought of the perfect way in which we can be with Remus when he transforms.” He spoke casually but the excitement in his voice was evident.
“Shut up and tell us what you’ve thought,” said Sirius, excitedly and controlling himself to keep his voice down.
James leaned closer and whispered, “Since werewolves attack humans we will have to change into something else when we go near them. We will have to become…”
“Werewolves,” interrupted Peter. “I was just gonna give this idea.”
Sirius clapped a hand over Peter’s mouth and said, “Continue, James.”
“We’ll have to change into animals, Sirius. That’s the only way. He won’t attack us then.”
“Brilliant! You’re right!” exclaimed Sirius, releasing Peter. “We should tell Remus about it. This is simply great. We’ve finally found the way!”
He got out of his chair and made towards Remus. The other two followed.
“Sirius, wait!” called Peter. “If we are going to turn into animals can I be a…”
“Peter, shut up and come here. And keep your voice down!” hissed Sirius.
“Remus, we need your help,” said James.
Remus sighed and looked up at them.
“I am a werewolf and nothing can be done about it. There is no way you guys can help me so just forget it! I’m not in my senses when I transform and I don’t want to put any of you in danger so I’m not going to help you research werewolves. I don’t want any accidents happening so please give up on it,” he begged.
“Shut up, Remus. We still haven’t forgiven you for hiding the truth from us so you’ll have to listen to whatever we say. In any case, we don’t have to research werewolves now because James has found a solution,” said Sirius.
“You’ll need a problem tougher than that to stump James Potter. I got the answer in less than a minute…” began James.
“James, we’ll give you a chance to show off later,” interrupted Sirius and James scowled at him. ”Our plan is to turn into animals when we transform. You don’t attack animals, do you?”
“No, I don’t think I ever go for them,” answered Remus. “But if you’re thinking of Polyjuice, it doesn’t work with animal transfiguration. Besides-”
“Animagi!” said James and Sirius together.
“Animagi! You need to register with the Ministry. They’ve got very strict rules for it. Do you think they are gonna allow three thirteen-year-olds to become Animagi?” laughed Remus.
“James Potter sets his own rules. We won’t register with the Ministry.”
“This is the law! Not the school rules you are used to breaking.”
“Big difference,” said Sirius.
“There is,” retorted Remus, “a lot of difference. Animagi transformation is very complicated and it can go horribly wrong. I don’t want you to take the risk for me. Please. Drop the idea.”
“We are not going to back out now that we are in it. I’m sure we can do it,” said James.
“I know I can never dissuade you people once you’re into something. I have never succeeded in that. But this is taking a very big risk for me. You are risking your lives! I don’t want this.”
“Come on, Remus. The risk is what makes it fun!” exclaimed James.
“We will be risking our lives?” whimpered Peter.
Sirius frowned at him. “You’re doing this for Remus, Peter. Surely you’re not gonna back out because it has a little risk involved?”
“No, er- of course I’ll do it…” mumbled Peter.
“He’s right. You shouldn’t be doing…” Remus had started to say when James stopped him with a movement of his hand.
“I think there’s somebody behind the bookshelf.”
“Let’s get out of here. We can talk in the dormitory. It’s safer,” whispered Sirius.
“Yeah let’s go.”
The four of them picked up their books and emerged out of the library just as Lily and her friends were leaving it too. Lily completely ignored James. As he stared at her, he didn’t realize where he was going and walked straight into solid wall. Sirius’ laughter brought him back to his senses and he picked himself up from the floor, embarrassed.
“That was so stupid of you, James,” laughed Sirius.” I can’t believe you still like her. Anyways, that girl is good for your ego. She’ll help bring it down.”
“I’m over her. I don’t like her anymore,” said James indignantly. “She is just not my type of a person. Besides, she likes Snivelly.”
“Sure you don’t,“ said Sirius disbelievingly.
“I really don’t like her! I, er- sort of tripped and banged into the wall. It wasn’t because of her,” protested James, massaging the side of his head where it had hit the wall.
“I don’t believe you,” said Sirius.
“Why not?” asked James, quickly. “Look, I thought about what you’d told me about her liking Snivelly. And she is also the very rule abiding type of a person. She’ll never see the fun in playing pranks on people. I’m sure she’ll be Head girl one day. Pathetic!”
“That, or is being turned down by that girl too much for your touchy ego?” asked Sirius, with a shrewd expression on his face that James didn’t like at all.
“It’s not that!” cried James, turning red.
“Admit it, James. You’re still not over her,” laughed Sirius. ”I’m sure you’re still brooding over her.”
“Believe me, I’m not brooding,” lied James. ”Actually I never did really like her, and I’m not too fussed that she’s not going out with me. It’s her loss not mine.”
Remus raised his eyebrows at him.
“Prove it! Then we’ll believe that you don’t like her,” said Sirius.
“How?” snorted James.
“Play a prank on her,” said Sirius, after a moment’s thought.
“Prank?” asked James, trying to think of a way to wriggle out of the situation. “We need a plan for that, Sirius. We’ll have to think properly and…”
His sentence trailed away into nothingness when he saw Sirius smirk. He knew exactly what Sirius would say if he tried to find excuses.
“Alright. I’ll do it to prove you wrong,” said James, desperately.
“I don’t believe you can be so stupid as to get talked into this by Sirius. What has Evans done to you that you want to play a prank on her?” said Remus.
“Remus! What has she done to him? You act as though you don’t know the whole story. That girl disarmed James in front of Snivelly…” began Sirius.
“It made no difference. Snivelly was frozen.”
“She was about to hex James!”
“There’s no proof of that.”
“She turned down James and she loves Snivelly!”
“She never said she loved Snivelly,” asserted Remus.
“I’d do it if I were in your place, James,” said Sirius. “She chose the biggest slime ball of the century over you! She’s definitely mental.”
Remus shrugged and James grinned at him. “Don’t try to stop us from playing pranks, mate. They’re too much fun. Sirius, what’s the plan?”
“Should I give one?” asked Peter, who had all this while been eating ‘Every Flavour Beans’ and making grotesque faces.
“No,” replied Sirius. “I’ve already got one. James, I have a trick flower. I’d got it long ago but didn’t know who to use it on. This is the perfect situation. Give the girl the flower and just before she takes it, press the stalk. Then watch the fun!”
“What’ll happen if I press the stalk?” questioned James.
“Trust me, nothing dangerous. But it’ll be fun.”
“How will I get her to take the flower?”
“Oh! You can think of something. You’re ‘James Potter,’ remember?” said Sirius. “Now let’s not waste time. I want to see this.” He started running with the others at his heels. The four reached the common room. James looked around to see if Lily was present and after spotting her, continued up the stairs to the dormitory after the others.
Sirius searched frantically in his trunk and after a few minutes, held up a flower for James to take. “Here it is. Don’t forget to press the stalk. And have you planned a way of giving it to her?”
“Yeah. Brilliant as I am…”
“Go!” said Sirius and pushed him out of the dormitory.
James walked into the common room and went to where Lily was seated.
“Hi!” he said to Alice and Melody.
“’Lo!” they replied, brightly.
“All right, Evans?” he asked.
“What do you want?” snapped Lily. People close to them turned around to look.
“I thought I’d bothered you a little, you know, today morning and the other day. And I thought that may be I owe you an apology.”
“James Potter apologizing?” exclaimed Lily. More and more heads were turning in their direction now and Lily felt pleased that she had been able to make ‘The James Potter’ see sense.
“Yeah,” said James uncomfortably. How does she manage to snub me all the time? But I am more than a match for her, he thought.
“Well,” she said, coolly, “if you’ve already started your apology, Potter, let me tell you you’re not doing a very good job of it.”
James rolled his eyes. “Right. Then, if this is how you want it - Evans I’m really sorry for making you mad. I regret deeply for ever having cursed Snivel- I mean Snape,” he said with tremendous effort. “I truly apologize. Please forgive me! Do you want me go down on my knees or something?” he scowled and held out the flower for her to take.
“No,” said Lily. It was her turn to go red as people around them laughed. She hesitated, with James Potter you never knew.
“Come on, Lily, he’s really sorry!” her friends urged.
Everyone in the common was looking at her expectantly. She sighed and got up. Meanwhile James was having an inner battle.
She’s so pretty.
But she favours Snivelly and she's turned me down, so I should just do it.
She’ll hate me for this.
I shouldn't really bother. I'm over her.
But I don't want the prank to damage her face.
What’s it to me if it does? I shouldn't care, really.
But I do care. I don’t want her to dislike me more than she already does.
I'll have to do it or else Sirius will never let me forget this.
He hesitated and shot a glance at Sirius who was standing near the stairs to the common room. His smirk goaded James into pressing the stalk before Lily could grab the flower. She saw something liquid squirt out from the flower and her face was wet. Shocked, she let out a scream of fury that was drowned by the laughter from everyone in the common room. Her face had turned a vivid red as her hair. But it did not stop there. It slowly turned blue, then yellow and then red again and blue, yellow…
“Colour changing ink!” someone exclaimed.
She turned to look at James with an expression of utmost fury on her face. He was grinning from the outside, but inwardly thinking that he was extremely lucky she didn’t have her wand at that moment.
“I’ll pay you back for this, James Potter. I swear I will!” she screamed and stomped off to the girl’s dormitory.
Author's Notes:
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"I can’t wait to get in there!” exclaimed James. There was a lot of excited talking around him because the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year had finally arrived and everyone was eager at the prospect of visiting the village. The third years specially were thrilled about being able to go at last after having heard so much about it.
“Today’s gonna be fun,” said Remus as he walked down the stairs with the others. After a hurried breakfast they had collected their bags from the dormitory and were now leaving the castle. “Hogsmeade is the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in the whole of Britain, right?”
“Yeah. That’s the only reason why my parents signed my form,” said Sirius, trying not to sound bitter.
“Cheer up,” consoled Peter. “We had been waiting for this day for so long. It’s here!”
“I want to get into Zonko's,” James moaned longingly as they reached the oak double doors of the Great Hall. There stood Filch with an enormous list in his hand from which he checked the names of the students going to the village. As the four came towards him his eyes narrowed with dislike.
“You four are going too, are you?” he grumbled.
“Yes, Mr. Filch. I’m sure you would be glad to have us away from the castle for a day,” answered James in his politest voice which annoyed Filch more than anything else.
“I would have you away from the castle forever if I could,” growled Filch. He was checking the list as though wishing that their names had disappeared from it. He resented students going to Hogsmeade for they would only bring nasty stuff from there to make his job more difficult.
“Ah now, Mr. Filch. There’s no need to be so rude,” said Sirius playing along.
“I recommend you take a day off yourself and visit Hogsmeade. It would do your temper a lot of good,” suggested James. “I heard Zonko’s is a terrific place. I can hardly wait to go there.”
“See here,” barked Filch stopping his checking of list for a moment. “Most of Zonko’s stuff is banned. If I catch any of you four causing trouble in the castle it will be bad for you. I will get permission from Dumbledore to suspend you by the ankles and…”
“Mr. Filch we wouldn’t dream of disturbing the peace and quiet of this castle,” interrupted James innocently as Filch finished checking the list and ticked their names.
“Honestly, Mr. Filch, we won’t…” Remus had begun when Sirius pulled him away. The four ran towards the castle gates and out towards Hogsmeade where the older students were walking. It sure looked like a promising day.
“I’m glad you decided to come and not stay behind and brood over what happened last night,” said Melody to Lily as they walked down the path that led to Hogsmeade.
“Oh, I am not going to give that idiot the satisfaction of knowing that he’s got to me!” exclaimed Lily.
“I am still surprised at what Potter did last night. I honestly thought he liked you.”
Lily snorted. “I told you he’s only a stupid prat. The most conceited, addle-headed and intolerable being I ever met. I’ll get back at him for what he did.”
They entered Hogsmeade and kept walking while they looked around at various shops packed with Hogwarts students.
“I don’t think you should bother about him at all,” said Melody. “You're just gonna give him a reason to hurt you again. Just forget about him.”
“You are probably right, Melody. But you know I don’t stand nonsense from anyone! I’ll give James Potter what he deserves. I will not let him get away with this. This time, it’s Lily Evans he is up against.”
“Are you seriously thinking of a payback?” asked Alice.
“Yeah. I can’t just shut up after what he did to me. I wanna teach him a lesson.”
“I’ve an idea. Let’s go to Zonko’s and buy some prank stuff to teach Potter a lesson. I’ve heard they’ve got some really good stuff.”
“Hey! That’s an idea!” cried Lily.
“Let the punishment fit the crime!” exclaimed all three together.
“Oh, here’s a pub,” said Lily pointing at the Three Broomsticks. “Let’s drink to the potential ruin of James Potter’s ego and then we’ll go to Zonko’s to carry out the wonderful plan.”
“So this where you transform?” asked Sirius standing near the barbed wire fence of the Shrieking Shack.
“Yeah, looks quite different from the outside,” smiled Remus.
“It’s spooky,” squeaked Peter.
“Cool!” exclaimed James and Sirius looking at each other with a mischievous gleam in their eyes.
“I'm gonna take a closer look,” announced James going forward. The others followed him. They tried to peep in through the windows but they were all boarded up.
“Nothing to see really,” said Sirius.
“Yeah. I can’t wait to become an Animagus,” grinned James.
Remus sighed and Peter was stared around nervously.
“Just think of what we’ll be able to do once we turn into Animagi. We can even go around Hogsmeade and out of the school without anyone knowing,” spoke Sirius excitedly.
“It’ll be wonderful, but we have to figure out how to do it,” said James.
“We’ll be able to come to Hogsmeade whenever we want to through the Whomping Willow passage,” said Sirius dreamily. Suddenly he looked around in excitement. “This can’t be the only passage out of Hogwarts. There have to be more!”
“What are you talking about?” asked Remus.
“Think of this “ we know one passage way that leads out of Hogwarts. Bet there are more like this one,” voiced Sirius.
“That’s a possibility!” exclaimed James.
“There are people coming up the hill. Let’s move away,” said Remus. Peter and Sirius started walking towards the fence with him.
“No, let’s stay,” whispered James suddenly. They looked at him in surprise. “Those guys think the house is haunted, right? What if we haunt it for a while?”
“Awesome! Let’s hide. Quick!” said Sirius. All four of them ran to a thick clump of bushes and hid themselves there. Three Hufflepuff fourth year boys came panting up the hill.
“It seems that very strange noises are heard from this Shack, sometimes in the night,” spoke one of them. “Some vicious spirit is supposed to haunt it.”
Behind the bushes where the four crouched, Sirius yielded to his temptation and let out a long and realistic moan surprising not only the Hufflepuff boys but also Remus, James and Peter. The boys near the fence stiffened on hearing it and looked around amazed. James suddenly got an idea. He pulled out from his bag his most prized possession, his Invisibility cloak that he carried at all times. He put it over himself and stepped out from behind the bushes. He walked slowly for a few paces and stood near the Shack. The boys were now looking scared on hearing Sirius’ ceaseless moaning. Then James began to walk around making as much noise as possible. The visitors were almost trembling. James walked towards the fence kicking stones that were in his way and stepping hard on twigs that lay in his path. When he neared the fence it was the last straw for the boys and turning on their heels they ran down the hill as fast as possible pushing each other out of the way and yelling at the top of their voices about a certain “Moaning Phantom.”
On the hill the Moaning Phantom had stopped his cry owing to the fact that he was doubled up with silent laughter. Sirius was trying so hard to stop himself from laughing loudly that he feared he would seriously injure his ribs. Remus and Peter had water filled eyes. James made sure that the boys had gone and he came back to where the others were hiding. They all burst into loud laughter.
“Let’s get out of here before anybody comes,” said James. They all got up and walked down the hill taking care not be seen by anyone especially the boys.
“Let’s go to Zonko’s. We’ve got a lot of work there. Then we can see the rest of the village,” said Sirius.
“Look for something else. Check the third shelf,” said Alice to Lily.
Lily, Alice and Melody were standing in a corner labeled “Trick Edibles” in Zonko's.
Rainbow Sweets “ Spit in Seven Different Colours (“We don’t need that!” giggled Melody.)
Exploding Toffees “ For Enemies (“Oh no! That’s too dangerous,” said Lily.)
Mothballs “ Mouthful of Moths (“Urgh, no!” said Alice.)
“What are you doing here?” said a voice making all three jump. They turned around to see James standing behind them, his arms laden with Zonko’s merchandise and a look of great surprise on his face.
“What are you doing here?” he repeated. “Zonko’s is not a place for Miss Goody-two-shoes!”
“That’s none of your business, Potter. So why don’t you make like a banana and split!” said Lily in a sweet voice.
“I will,” replied James coldly. “I was only wondering why the slime ball isn’t with you.”
“Slime ball?”
“Yeah. Your boyfriend. Snivelly Snape,” said James.
“What?” yelped Lily. “Severus Snape is not my boyfriend and don’t you go spreading stories like that around, Potter. I’m warning you!”
“He isn’t?” said James, who for some reason sounded exhilarated. “That’s some news!” Before Lily could say anything else he turned and walked away towards his friends.
“I expected him to apologize!” said Alice angrily.
“I don’t need any more apologies from him,” said Lily. “We can keep an even score after this. I wish I could give him an Exploding Toffee. But - no, let’s just look for something else.”
It was dinner time and the Great Hall was filled with a buzz of chatter. Everyone was talking about the Hogsmeade visit and how much fun the day had been. At the Gryffindor table, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter were listening with great enjoyment to a fourth year boy telling everyone about how three of his Hufflepuff mates had encountered a ghost near the Shrieking Shack. While they listened with interest and apparent fright nobody noticed a small white sweet being levitated towards James’ goblet. They didn’t see it fall into his pumpkin juice with the tiniest of splashes. Nobody was aware that Lily Evans’ plan had succeeded.
James ate his shepherd’s pie and unsuspectingly lifted his goblet to drink. He didn’t know Lily was sitting a few seats away hoping that her luck would carry till the end. As James set his goblet down after a drink, there was a loud ‘pop’ and much to the amusement of the people around him, James grew old. He had aged seventy years in one sip and his hair was white. The Great Hall was filled with laughter that was especially loud from the Slytherin table. James was intensely embarrassed and his first thought was that Sirius had done something. But the astonishment with which Sirius was looking at James was a plain indication that it was someone else. James stood up with a plan to exit the Hall as fast as possible. But he really was an old man now and was slowly shuffling along, unable to walk fast. To add to his embarrassment the effect of the drink was over when he had gone halfway down the Hall and he changed into himself. He couldn’t decide if he should just carry on and leave the Hall or go back and face everyone laughing at him. He decided to carry on and left for the dormitory, wondering who had dared to do such a thing as prank him.
“Moltenmelon,” he said and the portrait of the Fat Lady swung forward to admit him. He headed for the dormitory stairs and was about to climb them when the portrait hole shut and somebody spoke.
“So tell me, have I managed to deflate James Potter’s ego at least a bit or is it still the size of Jupiter?”
James felt great surprise and a stab of annoyance and when he saw that it was Lily Evans. Pretty though she was, he felt that she had no right to insult him in the Great Hall like that. In her hand was a box that said, “Grow up “ Act more than your age”. He had seen it in Zonko’s and knew it contained a very small dose of a strong ageing potion. He had even considered buying it to trick someone and groaned.
“It was you?” he said.
“Yes, Potter. It was me. I can’t tell you how nice it feels to see you beaten. I hope you understand now that not everyone you bully is gonna shut up and take it, especially me. I also hope this has taught you a lesson. Now you know how it feels to be made into a laughing stalk in front of everyone."
“Well, Evans, I dunno what lesson you’re talking about. All I can say is that I’m very much impressed. Not by your prank but by your guts.”
Lily gaped at him in surprise. “I…” she began but he cut her.
“Not many people like to mess with me and those who do, get what they deserve. There was this Slytherin who spent the day in the Hospital wing getting his foot long fangs shortened because he tried to hex me. There was another idiot who was trying to fool me and he found himself hanging upside down from a tree...so what do you want me to do to you, ’cause nobody makes a laughing stalk out of James Potter and gets away with it.”
“I am not scared of you,” Lily almost sneered.
“You are the first person to succeed in tricking me and you can be sure I’ll get back at you with something special. I will… eventually… definitely… this time really make you pay …” And turning, he began to climb the stairs. At the top he suddenly turned to her and added, “But... I'm willing to forget it...only if... you go out with me.”
He said it as though challenging her and Lily’s mouth fell open. “You...you presumptuous insect!” she screamed, "No, I will never go out with you! Never!" but he was gone.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.