*Disclaimer*- Messrs. Fuzzbutt and Fantail do not now, nor will they ever, claim to be J.K. Rowling. They own none of the characters or situations presented by Ms. Rowling in any of her brilliantly written books.

Authors’ Notes: Welcome to Chapter Six. Dun dun dun. The chapter you’ve all…probably not been waiting for, but a chapter we hope you’ll enjoy, anyway. Here we go now y’all. Ah! And by the way, if the prank seems familiar, it’s because Messr Fuzzbutt once used it in one of her Lily/James fics. However, she abandoned that fic, as she was stupid and did not plan it out well. Alas.

Chapter Six- Of Potions, Pranks, and Pain

Suddenly, there was a flash, and Lily was seeing red. Lots of red.

Literally.

-----

Lily blinked. She blinked again. She rubbed her eyes furiously. Emmeline burst into laughter. Marlene started chuckling.

These events led Lily to believe that there was nothing wrong with her eyesight.

No, she was seeing correctly. Every last occupant of the castle, including the fur-sporting animals, had red hair. Red hair, oddly enough, that was the same shade as Lily's.

Lily glared. Potter.

She spun around to find him. Surely he and his gang would still have properly colored hair. He would never let this happen to himself. Oddly enough, though, she didn't see his black hair anywhere...

Neither did she see the familiar light brown of Remus, or the blonde of Peter. I was just watching Potter a moment ago. He was right down the table from-

But Lily no longer needed to look for the Marauders. They made their presence known, instead.

"Peter!" Sirius wailed. "What did you do?" He was pulling at his own red hair, a look of horror on his face.

"I looked up the spell just like you told me to!" wailed Peter.

"Well, you had to have gotten something wrong! This wasn't supposed to happen to us!"

"Actually," Remus laughed, "I think it suits you rather well."

Sirius scowled. "My beautiful hair!" he whined.

"I know I copied everything right!" Peter said in his own defense.

"That can only mean one thing!" Sirius spun around and poked James in the chest. "James, this is your fault! You were the one that insisted we change the spell from bimbo-blonde to Lily-red. Now look at what's happened!"

"Don't look at me!” James said. “You were the one who tried to modify it to make it stick around for twenty-four hours! That's probably what messed up Remus' inclusion spell!"

Lily snorted with suppressed laughter. It’s about time they found out what it's like to be on the receiving end of one of their own pranks. “Why on earth did Potter choose red?” Lily wondered aloud.

Emmeline and Marlene looked at Lily like she was insane. "Did you just ask why Potter chose red?" Emmeline asked.

Lily blinked. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yes," Marlene said, “and that's an absurd thing to wonder."

"Why?"

"Because everyone with half a brain knows why Potter picked red!" Emmeline exclaimed. "It's because it's the same color as your hair, Lily, and he fancies you!"

Suddenly, the prank just wasn't as amusing. Stupid Potter, he has to ruin everything. "When will he get the hints and not-so-subtle yellings-at? I. Will. Not. Go. Out. With. Him."

"Sure, Lily, sure," muttered Emmeline, thinking about Operation: Flower for Prongs.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Emmeline said innocently.

Lily gave Emmeline a look which clearly showed that Lily didn‘t believe her. "Well, anyway Emmeline, you owe me a galleon."

"But- but we can't prove it was them," Emmeline reasoned.

"Yes we can," said Lily. "Oiy, Potter!" she called. James looked over. "This your work?"

James grinned sheepishly. "Actually, no, we don't kno-"

"Of course it was us, James! What kind of a Marauder are you?" Sirius said, smacking James upside the head.

Lily turned back to Emmeline with a smug look on her face. "Told you. Now pay up."

"Well, the prank didn't hurt anyone,” Emmeline argued. “It wasn't even aimed at the Slytherins. In fact, James included himself!"

"They didn't mean to include themselves, you heard them arguing. Anyway, you bet that he'd changed, and he's still pulling pranks. That's not change. Pay up, Emmeline, I won this bet and you know it."

Emmeline muttered something incoherent and pulled a galleon from her robes.

"Well," Lily said, "this just shows how much of a prat James Potter is. How am I supposed to befriend him? I can't stand him."

"Lily," Marlene said, "sometimes it seems like you look for any excuse to be mad at James. Despite his prank, he really has laid off on his ego. He hasn't hexed Snape, and he hasn't asked you out. You have to admit that that's good."

But Lily was stubborn. "He's still a jerk," she said.

Marlene sighed. "Whatever you say, Lily. You'll see it in time."

"See what? There's nothing to see. You're both delusional," Lily stated. Honestly, what was wrong with Marlene and Emmeline lately? Couldn’t they see how horrible James was?

-----

The next morning, Lily awoke, as usual, and headed downstairs. James was already there. Perfect. She walked over to him. "Potter, last potions session tonight. Be there at seven," she said.

James nodded and grinned cockily. "Right," he said.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "You look horrible with red hair," she said.

"Are you saying I look good with black?"

"You're impossible," she said with disgust. And with that, Lily left for breakfast.

-----

At dinner that night, Lily was almost bouncing with excitement.

"Lily, what has gotten into you?" Emmeline asked.

"Last session with Potter! Last session! I could dance!"

"You practically are," Marlene pointed out.

Lily laughed. "So I am," she said. She laughed again.

Emmeline raised an eyebrow. "You're acting like me," she said.

Lily laughed again. "I'm excited, is all."

"We could tell," said Marlene.

An extraordinarily loud pop filled the Great Hall and the students had their normal hair color back.

This set Lily off laughing again.

Emmeline raised an eyebrow. She must really not be able to stand James, to act like that.

-----

Dinner ended, and seven o'clock came. Lily entered the potions classroom and found James, as usual, already there.

He gave her a grin. "Right on time," he said.

"Ironic, that, coming from you," Lily replied. She grinned. "Alright, so this is our last session. I was thinking we'd do a nice, simple, takes-up-little time sort of potion- the boil curing potion."

"Lily, we did that potion in first year," James pointed out.

Lily laughed. "It'll be quick, then, won't it?" she patted his cheek. "Get to it, then, Potter. Dried nettles, crushed snake fangs, stewed horned slugs, and porcupine quills. C'mon!"

James grinned at Lily's odd enthusiasm. "What is with you today, Lily?"

"Oh, nothing," Lily said, grinning again. "I'm just really excited that this is the last time I have to tutor you!"

James' face fell. "Oh."

"Oh, come now," Lily said. "Don't tell me you enjoy going over things you already know how to do and wasting your precious Marauder time."

"Well of course not, but I love spending time with you. I thought you would've figured that out by now." He gave her a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Not even your flirting can ruin my mood today, Potter."

James shook his head at her attitude and pulled out the ingredients. He loved to see her happy. Even if it was because she'd no longer have to deal with him. She was always yelling at him, and he almost never got to see this side of her.

As James began brewing the potion, he asked her, "So, Lily, how did you like the prank?"

Lily dropped her grin. "How many times do I have to tell you that flattery doesn't work on me?"

"At least once more, as always," James said.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you just go with bimbo-blonde?"

"Where's the fun in that? Too many students are bimbo-blonde already. Besides, your hair is prettier," James added.

Lily groaned. "James Potter, flattery. Does. Not. Work. On. Me! It only makes me resort to one word sentences! And that's horrible!"

James laughed. "Most girls get like that around me. It's alright, I'm used to it."

Lily gave James a death glare. He just has to push my buttons!

Bah! Potter, you're stupid! James thought to himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid! How in the hell do you manage to do things like that all the time? Ah!

While James was thinking this, Lily walked over and right up to James. Her voice low, she said, "Potter, you're a bastard. Emmeline and Marlene seem to think you've changed, but I can see right through your act. You're nothing but an arrogant, pig-headed jerk. I can't stand you. You're just going to have to deal with that, because that's how it's always going to be. All you have is a silly infatuation for me, anyway. You don't like me. You lust after me. So just- just stop, alright? It doesn't work."

James blinked. He was stunned. Lily had never said anything like that before. Sure, she had told him she'd hated him, and she'd told him he was a bastard, and all of the things she'd told him now. But never like this. Never so seriously. He looked up and saw she was blinking too much. Her eyes were shiny with tears she refused to let fall. She'd never gotten so upset at him that she was brought to tears.

Lily sniffed. "James, just please, for me, let this one thing go. If you really care about me, you'll leave me alone. I can't stand this anymore. Let me have my seventh year in peace, okay? Let me be, for once. I‘m tired of your games."

Her voice caught in her throat and she cleared it. "Leave me alone after this."

Lily was furious with herself. How could she let herself cry in front of him? She was furious at him, for being a bastard, and furious at herself, for letting it get to her. She let out a noise of irritation. "Can you just hurry and finish this up, please?" she asked.

James nodded. He hadn't said anything. And he didn’t want to say anything else. He could hardly think straight. His thoughts were whirling. He just wanted to leave and be alone.

Lily sighed. This had turned out awful. Her mood had gone from wonderful to horrible in a matter of minutes. And what were Emmeline and Marlene going to say when they found out what happened? Lily knew they'd find out. Whether from Remus or from herself, they'd find out. So much for befriending James Potter. He probably hated her now. But that was what she had wanted, right? To get him to hate her as much as she hated him? That's what she used to want. And then she had decided, albeit grudgingly, to befriend him, and it had gone like this. Was she supposed to feel this awful?

Lily shook her head. There was no use thinking these sorts of things. She looked up and James was almost done with his potion. "Be sure to add the porcupine quills after the cauldron is taken off the fire," Lily mumbled to James.

James nodded again.

Lily was unused to silence from him.

"Look, James," she said, using his first name, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell you that-"

"No, don't be sorry," James cut in. "After all, it's only the truth. I'm a bastard. I should leave you alone. Hell, I bet I am lusting after you. Yes, I'm sure I'm not attracted to your personality. I couldn't be. Someone like me doesn't know what it is to love, after all, right?"

Lily blinked. Love?

"I'm done. See you, Lily." James put his things away and left.

"Shit," Lily said. She went to go after him, but he must've taken a different route. He wasn't anywhere to be seen down the hallway.

Was I too harsh? Lily wondered as she slowly walked towards the Gryffindor common room. I meant what I said, and I wanted him to leave me alone. Right?

What about being friends with him?

What about it? It wouldn't have worked.

You didn't try.

Lily sighed. This was getting her nowhere. But she couldn't stop wondering if she'd done the right thing. Yes, Lily, you did the right thing.

“Then why do I feel so awful?” Lily wondered aloud.

"It's natural for a mudblood to feel that way," said a voice.

Lily spun around. The speaker had been Bellatrix Black. Behind her stood Rodolphus Lestrange and Regulus Black.

"Fancy a walk in the Slytherin area after dark, I see?" asked Regulus. Regulus was Sirius' younger brother. Sirius couldn't stand him.

"It's none of your business what I'm doing down here," Lily said coldly.

"Oh, but it is our business," Bellatrix said sweetly. "You see, we don't like filth like you dirtying up the Slytherin area. Do you know what we do to Mudbloods wandering around here at night?"

"Do you know what I do to people who have nothing better to do than wander hallways and try to frighten students?" Lily asked back.

Rodolphus growled. "Don't you speak to us like that," he said, advancing towards her. Lily stepped back.

"I'll do what I please," she said, trying not to seem intimidated.

"And we'll do as we please," Bellatrix said, stepping in.

Lily stepped back and her foot hit the wall. She could no longer run. Regulus, Bellatrix, and Rodolphus had her surrounded. She was trapped. Even if Lily had time to pull out her wand, she wouldn't be able to take all three of them. Slytherins or not, they were quick to duel.

"I'll have you expelled," Lily spat.

"Not if we have you killed," Bellatrix said with a smile, raising her wand.

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Authors’ Notes: We must really be evil, because there’s the end of chapter six. And there’s another cliff hanger. We had to end it here, however.

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