When the time for dinner came, even James couldn't resist his stomach, calling him to the delicious dinner that awaited him.
'I couldn't find her anywhere, even the bathrooms,' James said to his fellow Marauders as he sat down and shovelled some potatoes and chicken onto his plate. He then proceeded to bore his friends with a rather long list of the places he checked.
'Have you forgotten that certain cartographic item of yours? The special one?' Sirius asked, devouring a entire roasted pig(with the help of Remus), with the cliché apple in it's mouth.
You're right! Thanks Padfoot!' James responded excitedly as he ran off to a private room.
'Idiot, that boy is,' Sirius muttered as he inhaled a plate of steaks.
'I agree, Sirius. James is a bigheaded, old, dumb codge-...' was all Peter was able to say, before getting a fist in his nose from Sirius.
'Only I get to insult James, got it?' Sirius said dangerously.
Peter nodded his head.
Frank Longbottom sniggered and flicked a few potatoes at Peter's head. Peter turned around at the exact wrong second, and was rewarded with steaming oily chunks of potatoes in his eyes. Sighing, Peter reached for his napkin and wiped his face clean.
'Why is it always me, eh?' he asked, frowning and leaving the table.
-----
James stepped into a empty corridor and pulled out the Marauder's Map.
'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,' he whispered.
Ink appeared on the page that read, 'Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, and Padfoot are very pleased that Prongs remembered he had such a item that has the ability to reveal the location of certain people on school grounds.'
The ink then vanished, and the map appeared.
'Show me Lily Evans!' he ordered.
The map changed to the sixth floor, the 7th-year's dormitory. Slapping himself for not checking there, he whispered ‘mischief managed!'
James shoved the map into his pocket and rushed out of the room. He climbed up the six flights of stairs with such speed, an Olympic gold medal winner would have been put to shame.
As he entered the 7th-year's common room, (The password was 'Shagadelic'), he heard two female voices coming from Lily's room. The door was open just enough for James to slip in. He got his Invisibility Cloak out of his trunk and snuck into Lily's room.
'But if you don't like him, why did you kiss him?' Robin Potter, who just so happened to be Sirius's girlfriend of four months, was saying, sitting up on Lily's bed. She was running a silver comb through her hair. The comb in particular was rather special, as James had bought it for her for her coming of age party. It has the ability to perfectly smooth out hair and even shape the hair into an assortment of simple hairstyles.
'I don't know, Robin! I've told you a hundred times, it just happened. I wasn't thinking. I just... forgot myself for a moment,' Lily replied, laying back on her couch, looking up at the ceiling she had charmed to show the sky.
'Lily, I think the only answer is that you like him.'
Sitting up, Lily said, 'Robin, I don't know. Yes, I like him. But I don't want to like him. He's a jerk, a bully, and his overgrown ego drives me crazy.'
'Lily, imagine your children, in about, say, ten years. Got that picture?' Robin said.
'Yes, I do. So what?' Lily asked impatiently.
'Answer these two questions: what colour are their eyes, and what colour is their hair?' Robin asked, eyeing the spot where James was standing.
'Well, there are five of them. Two boys, three girls. Four have reddish brown hair, the eldest has jet black. Three have bright green and the other two...' she shrieked.
'Oh Merlin! Robin they look like you! Do you think..?' Lily asked.
'No, I don't. What you are seeing are the children of Lily Anne Potter and James Edward Potter, and you know it!' Robin declared triumphantly.
'No, it's not! It can't... I won't...' Lily cried.
'Lily, just listen to your heart. What is it telling you?'
'That I really like him. But I don't want to!'
'Lily, would you date me if I was a guy?'
'Sure, Robin. you’d be a awesome guy!' Lily exclaimed.
'So, you would date James?' Robin asked.
'No! I didn’t say that!' Lily shrieked.
'Lily, I have to go; Sirius will be looking for me. Just remember, only your heart can bring you to where you know you want to be. We both know that's in James Potter's arms. Chances like these are once in a lifetime. I wouldn't just pass it up. Besides, if you two ended up together, we would related... kind of.'
'Robin? Do you love Sirius?'
'Well-' Robin started.
'What does your heart tell you?' Lily asked quizzically.
'Hey, that's not fair. That’s my weapon.'
'Robin, I need to know.'
'Yes, I love him. And if you follow your heart, you will see that you also love someone. You know which someone I'm talking about.'
Robin stood up and as she walked to the door, she grabbed the cloak, forcing James to follow. She dragged him into the hallway and he asked ‘how did you know I was there?' frowning at the fact that Lily was probably getting undressed to take a shower and he was missing it.
'Get that dirty thought out of your mind right now, James. As for how I knew you were there? Please, you have to give me more credit. I'm dating Sirius after all, and you're my cousin. It's like a double dose of evil,' Robin simply stated with the famous lopsided Potter grin stamped across her face. Her black hair twirled as she paced around James.
James nodded; Sirius did rub his skills off on people. Unintentionally, of course; he didn't need another dark lord of mischief wandering around, now did he?
'James, listen. After all you just heard, you must be thinking quite a number of things. Just give her some time. She does care about you, but that spark needs time to grow into a flame.' She winked, and ran off looking for Sirius.
James spend the next hour wandering the Astronomy tower, mulling things over. After a while, he did a quick patrol, then headed back to the 7th-year's common room. He laid back on a couch for a few minutes, sipping a soda that he took from his mini-fridge.
Suddenly he heard a noise. He sat up and saw Lily, in nothing but a large Gryffindor towel wrapped around her body, step out of the bathroom. As Sirius would say: 'Perfect situation for a booty call.'
'Oh, hi, Potter,' Lily said timidly, trying to cover up any bare skin.
'Hey Lily, can we talk?' James asked, summoning as much courage as he could. 'After you get dressed of course,' James commented, motioning to Lily's lack of clothing.
'Sure, Potter,' Lily said shyly. Smiling, she dashed into her room, threw some clothes on and charmed her hair dry.
As she entered the common room, James tried to keep his jaw from dropping. Even when she was hurried, she still looked beautiful, he said to himself silently. She sat down and brushed her hair.
'What is it, James?' she asked.
'Lily, I have a confession. I heard what you told Robin. Well the last few minutes anyway,' James confessed.
'Yes, I thought I saw Robin grab something as she left. Well, is that it, because I was going to go do a patrol...' Lily said, her voice wandering.
'Well, then why don't I come?' James asked, standing up.
---
'You do know that this is breaking our agreement?' Lily asked as they strolled around the corridors.
'Which one, Lils?' James asked, not really paying attention to what she meant, but just how beautiful and perfect her voice sounded when she spoke, ever so soft yet strong.
'The one in which you don't bother me when I go for my evening patrol, or I'd tell Professor McGonagall about you being a illegal Animagus,' Lily answered, noticing that James wasn't really listening.
'Ah, yes. But you don't seem to be bothered, do you? Am I really bothering you that much?' James questioned.
Lily thought about this for a moment.
'No, no you’re not. I suppose you could even call it, enjoyable company.' she said but right away regretted
'I can't believe I just said that!' Lily exclaimed.
'Nor can I, but there is something I have to say to you,' James smiled, sitting down on a bench, that had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere. 'I just want to say that I would never hurt you, if that's what your afraid of. I haven't dated anyone since our fourth year to prove my devotion to you. I love you, Lily Evans.'
'I know, James. You've told me twelve times everyday for nearly five years.' Lily sighed and sat down next to James.
'Yes, but you think that I'm just saying that to annoy you. I truly do love you. I would battle Voldemort and all his Death Eaters just to spend one minute with you.'
James leaned forward and took her hand. To his delight and surprise, she didn't flinch or pull away. He tilted his head and placed his lips on hers. Lily wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him. She pushed and James laid back on the bench, Lily lying on top of him, snogging the life out of him.
'Ehm!' The voice of Albus Dumbledore cracked through the air.
James and Lily sat up abruptly.
'Hello Lily, James,' he said with a twinkle in his eye. 'I was just heading down to Hogsmeade for a drink; would either of you like to join me?'
'Erm, no thanks, sir, but do tell Aberforth I said hello,' James stammered, embarrassed, but not nearly as embarrassed as Lily was, as she was blushing redder than a Weasley.
'Well, then, good night. Remember, persistence is not so futile, James,' he said, disappearing into the night.
'What did he mean about persistence?' Lily asked, following James as he rushed up the flights of stairs.
James didn't respond, and together they walked upstairs.
'Could you wait here for a moment? Just count to sixty,' James whispered when they entered the common room.
'Sure, James.'
James ran in to his room, and after a few seconds, called Lily in. Lily gasped as she caught sight of James, standing bellow a banner that read in pink scribble ink 'I LOVE YOU LILY EVANS!'. A small coffee table was set up with a two chairs, complete with two large mugs, and several bottles of butterbeer and assorted wines.
James took her hand and they sat down together and James poured a bottle of wine. After two large glasses, Lily put her mug down.
'Are you trying to get me drunk?' Lily asked, suspiciously.
'Will it help?' James asked hopefully.
'How about this?' Lily said, pulling James in for a kiss. The kiss grew stronger and they fell onto James' bed.
'You said you don't want to love me. Let me give you a reason to want to,' James said, pulling her tightly in a warm bear hug. His lips met hers, and James grinned again. Double Victory!