Disaimer: Ok, all characters that you recognise belong to JKR, I own nothing but the plot!

******

“So, Prongs, cooked up any ideas for pranks over the hols?” Sirius asked.

“Well…” James smiled his cocky grin at his three friends.

“Oooh! I knew it, I knew it! So, spill,” Sirius said eagerly to his friend.

“Ah ha! I have your interest, goody. Moony, would you care to take your nose out of what I must say looks like the most boring book ever, and join our little pranksters meeting?”

“Hmm?” Remus said, looking up from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.

“Prongsie here said, in the nicest way he could, that he thinks you should stop reading that book immediately and become a proper Marauder again, seeing as we have not heard from you the whole time over Christmas, and although a book by an extremely old muggle author may be excruciatingly fun and enjoyable, stop now! That was the jist of it anyway.” Sirius said from his bed. Remus laughed and put the book down.

“Well, actually, it is pretty interesting. I’ve just got to the bit where Titania wakes up and…”

“Yeah, sure you did Moony, but as interesting as this Titanni, or whatever is, we must get to discussing what marvellously thought up tricks we’re going to play on some poor, unsuspecting human, this term,” said Sirius, “Prongs, you said you had an idea, or implied it anyway, go on.”

The four Marauders were in their dormitory, on their first night back after the Christmas holidays, discussing the coming terms events. The boys were in their seventh and final year at Hogwarts, and this term sure was to be an interesting one.

******

The Marauders, Lily and her friends were sitting at the Gryffindor table eating breakfast, James trying to engage Lily in conversation, the others looking on to the scene, trying to contain their grins. Among with Lily’s friends there was Jasmin (a stunning, tall girl Lily had known since her first train ride to Hogwarts) and Maya (not so stunning, or as tall, but she was very clever, and had known Lily since they were six).

“Hey Evans, well, I’m sure you’ve thought about me plenty over the holidays, and is dying to get me into a broom cupboard to…well, I won’t go into details, but I was wondering if-” James was cut short by Lily Evans interrupting.

“No.”

“No?” James said, shocked.

“No. You have already asked me fourteen times this year, and the answer is, has, and always will be: NO!” Lily getting angrier and angrier.

“Jeez, calm down Evans, no need to make a big speech, and anyway,” James smiled charmingly at her, “I was only going to ask if you could pass the toast!”

“Oh, well…I…I…well…just…um…um…assumed…tha-” Lily stuttered.

“That just because I have asked you out many times before, I may have something to ask you that does not pleasure me in the slightest?” James enquired, still grinning, the charmingness of it becoming slightly more arrogant.

“Um...I…well I…” Lily trailed off leaving James looking highly amused.

“Wow. I’d never thought I’d live to see the day that Lily Evans can’t string a sentence together because James Potter’s charms are wearing her out,” Sirius said, grinning as cockily as James, and trying to edge closer to Jasmin without her noticing at the same time.

“Oh shut up Black. The only reason I’m finding it difficult to string a sentence together is because that is the first time this year that James Potter has not said something to me that implies him trying to ask me out!” Lily exclaimed, put big emphasis on ‘trying’, as though to make a point.

“Oh. So you don’t think James is even slightly good-looking?” Sirius said, grinning at James, and trying not to laugh.

“I…I…mean…I…” Lily started stammering again, and Sirius took this chance to throw a significant look at the rest of the Marauders, “ No! I don’t” Lily finally managed to say.

“You took your time Evans, wow, so there is a chance that you might end up with my old pal Jamsie, then?” asked Sirius.

“No, I can’t say that there is actually.” Lily said, her nose in the air.

“Oh, come on Lils, give the guy a break, he’s really ok,” said Jasmin. She was James’ second cousin, and had spent almost the whole Christmas with James’ family, which happened to include Sirius. Therefore, she’d gotten to know the two boys much better.

“Well, if you like him so much, you go out with him!” shouted Lily, and stormed off without a backward glance.

“Ewwwwwwwww! It’s like me going out with Bellatrix! Ewwww! It’s gross! Incest!” Sirius yelped.

“Bella would eat you for breakfast Pads!” James giggled.

“Jeez Padfoot! Calm down! You don’t have to go out with Bellatrix!” Peter piped up.

“I’ll go and see if she’s ok,” said Maya, from beside Remus.

“So, Jas, you gonna take up Evans’ suggestion and go out with James?” said Sirius, his eyes sparkling.

“Ew NO! No offence James, but that’s gross!”

“That’s really very ok, Jas,” said James grinning.

“So, would you say that you’re a ‘free agent’?” said Sirius.

“Yes, I believe I am, why?” asked Jas.

“Oh, well, I was just wondering, if…um…um…maybe…” Sirius trailed of blushing. Sirius never blushed in front of a girl. Something was going on.

“Yes, ok,” said Jas.

“Yes what?” said Sirius, the blush turning maroon.

“Yes, I’ll join you on the next Hogsmeade weekend,” said Jas, grinning broadly. As she got up to follow Maya’s footsteps out of the hall, Jas winked at Sirius, and left, glancing back at him every dozen steps.

“Wow! I thought I’d never live to see the day Padfoot, Player Of All Girls, gets tongue-tied in front of Jasmin Cooper.”

“ Oh shut up Moony. Mmmm…she’s so beautiful and gorgeous, and mmmm….” Sirius trailed off, dreamily gazing into space. James, Remus and Peter all burst out laughing.

******

“Come on Prongs. Everyone’s going. Sirius, Jas, Peter, Maya, Me, oh, yeah, I’m sort of going with Maya. I asked her, with Sirius persuading me of course, and she said yes! To me! Me!” Remus looked extremely chuffed that Maya, who had a good number of guys after her, agreed to go out with him. “Oh, and Lily’s coming.” Remus was trying to get James out of the comfort of his bed, and to go to Hogsmeade. It was proving more difficult than he thought.

“Don’t wanna!” mumbled James from underneath the pillow. He’d been a wreck ever since Lily had yelled at him in the Great Hall. Her bad mood had subsided, but she had now taken to completely ignoring James. This was much worse. At least when she shouted at him, she was paying him some attention, however, this thought seemed to cross Lily’s mind too.

“Oh come on. Speak to her. Ok, she may not want you to, but try to show her that you’re not the cocky, immature, selfish bastard from fifth year. Show her, to use the cliché, the real you. Remus was always the sensible one, but, there was some sense in what he was saying.

******
3 days previously

James sat the Marauders down.

“Look guys, this is really hard for me to say, but I’ve decided, no more pranks. I can’t. I’m doing this for Lily more than anything else. No more. My prank pulling days are over.”

They’d all been gobsmacked. Remus had been half surprised, half admiring. Peter had just gone along with it. Sirius. Sirius was the worst. He was shocked, sympathetic, indignant, and heartbroken all at once.

“But Prongs, do you not remember our masterpiece of yesterday? Do you not remember turning Professor Sluggy’s hair that disgusting greeny yellowy colour, and then making him think it was Vincent Vackal? Do you not remember-” Sirius was cut off.

“Yeah, Pads, I remember, but I can’t. Lily really hates me. I have to change that.”

******
Now

“Ok, look, if you come, I’ll use my powers of persuasion to try and get Lily to hear you out, ok?” said Remus.

“Ok, ok, I’ll have a shower, get dressed and meet you outside the front doors in 20 minutes.”

“That’s more like it Prongs!” said Remus grinning.

******

“Oh god, sorry Prongs. She said she’d meet me. She didn’t say anything about bring someone!” Maya said to James. The Marauders, Maya, Jasmin and Lily were walking down the drive on their way to Hogsmeade. The thing was, there was someone else with them. Rob Burban from Ravenclaw was walking with them. Well, no not with them, with Lily. James felt like the bottom of his stomach was filled with metal. Churning round and round. Jealousy. Hatred.

“I can’t stay. I’m going back up to the castle.” Said James, and left the group to continue their walk down to Hogsmeade, without him.

******