From Under the Cloak by Prongs92
Chapter Notes: Let's observe what happens when James brings the news that Lily agreed to go out with him to his friends. Then let's observe their reactions. And then let's leave me a review! I'd like to send a tremendous thank you to Victoria for being a great Beta Reader! What would I have done without you?
Four students sat in the Gryffindor common room on a Saturday afternoon. Instead of enjoying the beautiful weather as other Hogwarts pupils were, they were stuck inside the castle, due to the fact that three of them had left the task of their homework until now. The trio which had delayed their schoolwork begged the fourth student, who had sensibly completed his essay the date it was assigned, for help (with high hopes that he would allow them to copy). The boy refused to offer his aid (“You had all week!”) but the three irresponsible students continued to plead until he finally sighed heavily and agreed to lend a hand.
All was silent as Remus Lupin looked over his friends’ essays, tapping the parchment with his wand wherever a correction was needed. Peter Pettigrew watched Remus and nervously bit his fingernails as he saw how much improvement his own essay required. Sirius Black stretched while stifling a monstrous yawn and leaned quite far back into his chair causing it to topple over backwards. James Potter looked up from his writing to chuckle at his best friend.
Sirius sat up and groaned. “Hasn’t this been the worst week ever?” he asked the others, examining his bruised elbow.
“Hmmm…” Remus hummed, not taking his eyes off from his reading. “You could have been outside with everyone else at the moment had you completed your homework before.”
Sirius ignored him. “I’ll never finish this ruddy Transfiguration essay and I still have to label my diagram of the Chinese Chomping Cabbage.”
“And practice the Enlargement Charm,” Peter added.
“I dunno why Flitwick wants us to know that charm. Seeing his height, he’s probably in more need of it than we are,” Sirius said.
“Are you alright James?” Remus asked peering up at him. “You’ve been strangely quiet all day.”
“Yeah mate,” Sirius said. “Now that I think about it, you haven’t spoken much at all. Homework has never made you this miserable before.”
James looked up at the three of his friends who were now all staring at him questioningly. His hazel eyes appeared to hold a mysterious twinkle and James’ face displayed a smile that neither of them had ever seen before. He seemed to harbor a secret.
“Well, if you really want to know…” He paused for effect. “Lily agreed to go out with me.”
Peter gasped. Remus knocked his ink bottle over. Sirius and his chair fell back once again.
A loud silence fell upon them for a moment that Sirius broke. He rolled around the floor, positively howling with laughter. Gasping for breath and clutching his ribs, he said, “Wow, Prongs. I really believed you there for a second!”
“What are you talking about?” James asked furrowing his brow. “I’m not joking, she really said yes.”
“James, my good friend,” Sirius said, putting a hand on James’ shoulder as though advising him. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but the day Lily Evans agrees to go out with you is the day I lose my incredibly charming good looks.” He smiled mischievously at his reflection in the window behind James.
“Exactly,” James said, smirking.
“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Sirius protested.
“She actually said yes?” Remus, who had lost all interest in correcting their essays and failed to notice that the ink he had spilled began to soak the parchment and damage their books, was wide-eyed. “When did this happen?”
“Just earlier today at breakfast,” James explained, looking as though he himself didn’t even believe it. “I just sort of approached her and asked if she wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow. And, well, she said, ‘I’d love to James.’ and she gave me a smile.”
James looked away from his friends and truly grinned. He had a dreamy gaze in his eye and his face showed every sign of euphoria and joy. Remus, Peter, and Sirius exchanged looks of astonishment. James had never behaved in this manner, nor had they ever seen him so pleased and content. Throughout all his years at Hogwarts, James had constantly chased Lily and asked her out again and again. She always refused because in her eyes, he was nothing more than an arrogant, bullying toe rag and a selfish prankster. But she had treated him differently since the start of seventh year. Perhaps it was because he was finally attempting to deflate his head and reduce his cocky behavior for her. He must have impressed her because she finally said yes, finally…
James snapped back to reality. “Have any of you seen my Transfiguration book?” He scanned the table. “I must have left it in my trunk,” he said more to himself than to the others. He stood and left to fetch his book.
An awkward stillness followed James’ departure. It was then that Peter noticed the parchment that lay among James’ belongings. He held it up for the other two to see that James had not been writing his essay at all and was, in fact, doodling Lily’s name the entire time.
“Blimey, he’s lost his marbles,” Sirius muttered, looking amused.
“Well,” said Remus cheerfully, returning to his reading, “at least he’s happy.”
Sirius suddenly leaned forward towards Remus. His expression could not have been any smugger. Remus looked up tentatively.
“Sirius…” he said slowly. “I know that look."
“I’ve just been hit with the greatest idea,” Sirius said slyly.
“Pity it didn’t knock you out,” Remus teased.
Sirius’ grin grew wider. “It’s a brilliant plan…”
“You’re going to help me out with this essay?” Peter asked hopefully.
Sirius sputtered and waved his hand impatiently. “No, to hell with that rubbish! You know, I’m feeling extremely rebellious and…naughty.”
“How unusual,” Remus said in a bored tone.
Sirius continued as though this interruption had not occurred. “Yep, I’ve thought of an excellent scheme…”
“Whatever it is, count me out,” Remus said quickly.
“At least hear what I’ve got to say!” Sirius argued.
Remus sighed. “Fine then. What do you want to do to satisfy your crave of causing destruction, misery, and hell to innocent people?”
Sirius smirked. “Tomorrow, we should follow our dear Prongsie while he’s out with his darling Lily flower.” Peter laughed nervously, while Remus’ eyes widened.
“Definitely count me out!” Remus said, horrified.
“Oh come on, Moony!” Sirius pleaded. “It’ll be fun.”
“Fun? Fun? This is James we’re talking about!” Remus was appalled. “Why would you ruin this for him, Sirius? Didn’t you see how happy he was?”
“Are you kidding me?” Sirius said incredulously. “He’s a hundred times happier when I’m around!”
Remus shook his head. “No, Sirius,” he said firmly. “He’s our friend. James has fancied Lily for ages. He’s been waiting for this moment ever since he set eyes on her. Don’t spoil it for him.” He said this in a very final way.
Sirius frowned. “James is my best mate. I would never do anything to seriously anger or hurt him.” Remus eyed him distrustfully. “I’m not trying to ruin his date with Lily. I just want to trail them around under the invisibility cloak,” Sirius said, as if following people around to spy on them was something completely normal and innocent.
“It’s an invasion of his privacy!” Remus said, starting to get angry now.
“Moony! We’re his best mates. We run around with him as animals once a month, for Merlin’s sake! He has nothing to conceal from us! Don’t you think he’s going to tell us everything that happened with Lily anyways?”
At this Remus hesitated. He seemed to be fighting an internal struggle as he tried to make up his mind. He sighed exasperatedly before saying, “Oh, alright!”
Sirius punched the air in triumph and yelled, “HA!” He turned to Peter. “What do you say, Pete?”
Peter shrugged. “Okay.”
“What seemed as though it were the worst week ever is turning out to be quite better than I thought,” Sirius said with another of his signature roguish grins.
“But you have to promise that you won’t do anything to disturb Lily and James or ruin this moment for them.” Remus said strictly. “And if James ever finds out about this, it was all your idea, understand?”
“Don’t worry! He’ll never find out,” Sirius said waving his hand carelessly. “What happens under the cloak, stays under the cloak.”
“What happens under the cloak?” James asked curiously. Neither of them noticed that he had just reappeared with his Transfiguration book tucked under his arm.
Sirius turned around to face him. “I don’t know, because it stays there!” Laughing hysterically at the confused look on James’ face, Sirius climbed the stairs to the boy’s dormitories. “I’m going to sleep now,” he called to the Marauders. “I’ll need lots of energy for tomorrow.” He winked at them and the last thing he saw was Remus shake his head disapprovingly.