They broke apart abruptly as he looked up. His mouth opened slightly as he caught sight of them, Lily with her hands still on Remus’ shoulders. She jerked them away quickly. For a reason she could not explain, her face burned and she felt a strange pang of guilt. They all stood there in the horribly thick silence, James with his mouth open in the doorway, Remus standing awkwardly trying to explain non-verbally, Lily facing him but watching James. After what seemed like forever Lily gathered herself together enough to speak.
“Er…” she said quietly, “well, goodnight.” And without further ado, she rushed up the stairs to the girl’s dormitory. She didn’t even bother to knock but opened the door swiftly and threw herself onto her bed. Thankfully, the lights were out and Jen and Anne appeared to be asleep. She buried her face into her pillow and let out a little scream. James thinks I like Remus! she thought in agony. Well, I mean I like him because he’s nice, but not like that! She couldn’t explain the feeling of guilt inside her. It’s not like I have anything to be ashamed of. But then why do I feel like this?
It’s because you like Potter, said a small voice inside of her head. For what seemed like the first time in her life, she actually listened to that voice. And for some reason it did not nettle her as much as it usually did. What if it was right? What if she did like James? Impossible! But if that wasn’t the explanation, what was? You like him. Maybe that was it. Maybe she felt guilty because she liked James and was just too proud to admit it. It was a little bit funny…she hated him for six years, and now that he thought she didn’t like him, she realized she did. Just my luck. She loosened her death grip on the pillow and laid her head down. For a while she lay there, trying to hear if they were yelling at each other downstairs, but with no luck. After a long while, she began thinking about James. The way he rumpled his hair, the way he grinned at her, the way his hazel eyes sparkled when he laughed. She felt herself drift off to sleep…
“She WHAT?”
“Anne, keep your voice down, someone might hear!”
“I can’t believe he thinks you’re a couple now…”
“Yeah, he’s being a bit thick.
Jen, Anne, Remus, and Sirius sat in a corner whispering furiously. They had definitely not counted on the plan going this way.
Practically overnight, the supposed Potter-Evans-Lupin love triangle had become the most famous gossip topic in nearly a decade. Two fourth-year ‘eye witnesses’ swore they had seen James and Remus duel rigorously for half an hour. Rita Skeeter, the school’s biggest snipe, had even said she had seen Remus and Lily snogging in the Charms corridor.
“It’s all complete rubbish, of course,” whispered Jen vehemently. “These people will believe anything. I mean, Remus is loyal to James and always has been! He’d never go out with the girl James fancied.”
“Hear, hear!” said Remus. Sirius sighed and brushed his dark hair out of his eyes.
“I swear, when James comes out of that dormitory, I’m going to have a serious word with him,” he said. “And I’m going to make him talk to Moon-to Remus. Whether he wants to or not.”
“Good,” said Jen. “So, meeting adjourned then?” They nodded and began to depart.
“Wait!” cried Anne. Everyone stopped and turned to look at her. “Aren’t we going to make a name for our club?”(“Ridiculous,” Jen muttered.)
Sirius rolled his eyes. “This is not a club. We’re just helping two people form a relationship.”
“That’s what I mean!” said Anne. “We need a name, if not for safety purposes.”
“Okay,” Jen sighed. “You all have two minutes to think of a name.” They all sat for a while in silence. Finally, Remus spoke up.
“What about the ‘Foundation of Lily Potter’?” Anne clapped her hands in excitement. “That’s perfect! Okay, all in favor for the F.O.L.P., say ‘pickles’.”
“Pickles.”
“Pickles.”
“Pickles.”
“Anne, I am NOT going to say-“
“JUST SAY IT!”
“Okay FINE, PICKLES!”
“Right,” said Jen in a businesslike manner. “Until tomorrow, then.”
Lily awoke unrested next morning. She yawned and stretched, then looked out the window. Good, it was sunny today. She got up from her bed and noticed that Anne and Jen’s beds were empty already. Lucky. They got actual sleep, she thought. Then the memory of last night washed over her. With a groan, she walked over to her trunk and grabbed her robes. All of a sudden, she cocked her head. The room was silent. Funny…she thought she heard someone yell ‘pickles’.
James lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He was thinking about Lily. Lily and Remus, a couple. Well I can’t hold that against her. She’s always liked him more than me…life goes on.
No, it doesn’t. said a small rebellious part of his brain. You know you can’t live without her.
I can too!
Liar, liar, pants on fire, ten feet higher, chicken frier, hanging on a telephone wire...
I get it. But what am I supposed to do, just make them break up? I can’t sever my friendship with Moony. I became an Animagus for him. I broke Wizard law for him! You don’t just decide that you’re going to hate your best friend of seven years! It doesn’t happen that way!
Talk to him. He’ll understand.
…Okay, I will. James sprung up out of bed and grabbed a pair of robes off the floor. But if this doesn’t work, it’s your fault.
As Lily came down the stairs from the girl’s dormitory, loud shushing noises came from somewhere. Rounding the bend in the staircase, she saw Jen, Anne, Sirius, and-her stomach lurched a little-Remus standing in the corner of the Common Room. When they saw her Jen shushed the group more desperately. Lily continued pinning her Head Girl badge on her chest as she stopped to look at them.
“What are you guys doing?” she asked curiously.
“Studying,” said Sirius immediately. Lily dropped her hands from her badge and raised an eyebrow skeptically. “You? Study? The day you begin studying is the day pigs fly, Sirius Black.”
“Hey!” said Jen, going into defensive mode. “I’ve seen him study before! Like yesterday when-er-“ she struggled, trying to remember when she had actually seen Sirius study. Sirius himself raised his eyebrows.
“We’re not doing anything bad, if that’s what you mean,” said Anne loudly. Everyone turned to look at her. Lily shook her head in amusement.
“I won’t ask,” she said, laughing, as she walked towards the portrait hole. Jen gave Anne a death glare behind Lily’s back. Anne shrugged. “What? It worked, didn’t it?” She and the others turned when someone came down the boy’s dormitory stairs. A head of messy black hair appeared. Sirius and Remus stiffened.
James looked up and saw Anne, Jen, Sirius, and-he felt a pang of hurt-Remus. They were all staring at him in a ‘so-when-is-he-going-to-attack’ way. He stopped and turned towards them.
“Remus?” he asked, and he was surprised at how calm his voice was. “Could I have a word?” Remus nodded and followed James over to the opposite corner of the room. Despite all outward appearances, this was exactly what Remus was hoping for. A chance to explain himself. Anne made a scared little squeaking noise and covered her eyes.
“I can’t watch! You guys tell me what happens!” And she ran out the portrait hole after Lily. Jen and Sirius were left standing there, watching James and Remus talking. Well that’s good at least, thought Jen. They’re talking, not yelling.
“Well, looks like just me and you, beautiful,” came Sirius’ voice from her right. She was kicked abruptly out of her train of thought. She turned and looked at him. He was grinning at her in that cocky way he had. He was joking. She almost felt a little disappointed. But then she noticed there was something else in his eyes; something really-was it seductive? Yes, she was sure it was. She had seen that look in all the eyes of every guy she had dated. With Sirius it was different though. Fiercer. She wondered why she had never seen it before. Maybe it was because she had never been this close to him before. He grinned wider. A little nervously, she realized that she had leaned in so that her face was a foot from his. Wait a second-since when do I get nervous around guys? With reluctance, she pulled away from him and rolled her eyes.
“Come on, lover boy. Let’s get to breakfast.” She walked hastily towards the portrait hole. Sirius followed her, leaving James and Remus to their conversation. He chuckled. She so wants me.
L'Amour Commence by Pinkerton
Chapter Notes: Things continue to chug along a-okay. Here's another chapter-bon appetite!