"James, where the heck did you put my potions book?" Remus shouted as he ran into the kitchen. He frantically looked through the cupboards, checking behind all of the cookbooks and pots. Once he had triple checked the silverware drawer, he pushed it shut a bit harder than normal. This is ridiculous, he thought, exasperated. He leaned back on his elbows, resting on the counter as he mentally retraced his steps from when he last had it.
"What?" James asked, looking up from his stack of crepes. The Potter’s house elf, Toppy, had been trying French recipes lately, to gain more experience in cooking. His fork was halfway to his mouth. James’ hair was more ruffled than usual, and he was still wearing his pajamas. His shirt was buttoned wrong, leaving a button sticking out the top.
"You know, the textbook about this thick that says 'Advanced Potion Making' on it?" Remus got up and looked under the couch in the Potter’s sitting room. He then moved to looking under each of the cushions and in all of the drawers. Where on earth could it be? It’s almost as if someone vanished it.
"No, I don't. I didn't even know you were taking potions this year." James returned his attention to his breakfast. He spooned up the chocolate sauce and drizzled it on his crepes. After cutting it carefully with a butter knife, James speared it with his fork.
"Well, I am. And you should have known that, James! We talked about this for at least a week at the beginning of the summer." Remus walked back into the kitchen and sat down. The house elf brought a plate of crepes over to Remus and set it down. Remus took the chocolate sauce from James and spooned some onto his breakfast.
James looked at Remus while chewing, slightly confused. Then realization dawned on him. "Yeah, we did. I guess I just forgot, what with all the exciting events that have happened since the beginning of June. You know, Alex coming over and you sneaking out and-"
"Sneaking out? When did that happen?" Remus interrupted. His heart sped up. If James knows that Mary and I have been meeting in the middle of the night to talk about how everything is going, he might have figured out that Lily’s here, and that might wreck everything.
"Oh, just the other day. I was laying in my bed, dreaming of the usual, when I heard your door creak open. Then you walked down the hall, down the stairs, into the front room, and climbed out the window. You didn't come back until after I fell asleep." The two boys went silent as Alex walked into the room. She picked up a crepe from the stack Toppy had left on the counter and rolled it up, taking a bite as she left the room.
"You sure that wasn't just a dream?" Remus asked once Alex’s footsteps had silenced.
"Yep. Positive. I put a pair of socks on top of my sink after I saw you, and it was there in the morning." Remus took a deep breath. James knew nothing.
"Whatever, James. I still think you did something with my potions book." He finished his crepes and left the room, heading back upstairs to continue looking for his potions book.
--
Alex was upstairs in her bedroom, pressing her ear to the carpet. When she heard feet on the stairs, she quickly stood up and resumed folding her clothes and placing them in her trunk. As she did so, Alex couldn't help thinking about the conversation she had just overheard. Remus had snuck out a few nights before, and he had spoken with two girls across the street. She couldn't hear their words, but something about the girls seemed rather familiar. And Remus' potion book- that was situated under her bed. The two boys were much too friendly for her taste. Alex felt as if Remus was a block in her relationship with James, and the only solution was to distance them from each other. Not destroy their friendship, just interrupt it.
--
"Hey, Alex," Remus said as he reached her bedroom. He peered in her room, wondering if he could find an excuse to come in and search for his book. He didn’t want to offend her, by implying that he didn’t trust her, and risk ruining her potential relationship with James. Remus leaned on the doorway to watch Alex for a minute.
"Hey, Remus." Alex continued packing her things, pausing only to shove the potions book farther under her bed with her toe. She pulled open a drawer and emptied it into her trunk, throwing a few items onto the bed to pack later. Then she moved onto the next drawer, and Remus walked past.
As Remus shut the door to his own bedroom, his thoughts began to wander in all directions, eventually landing on James and Alex. All seemed to be going well, but there was something unsettling about Alex. She seemed a little sneaky, but Remus couldn’t figure out why, and he didn’t want to threaten Operation James Isn’t A Total Jerk To Lily just because he didn’t really like the key player.
--
Lily was in Mary’s bedroom, sitting on the bed and chatting with Mary. –I can’t believe this is going to be our seventh year!†she exclaimed. –And that we made it. We’ve survived everything so far, and all we have left is NEWTS and then we’re off to the real world to get jobs.â€
–Yeah, it’s going to be great,†replied Mary very unenthusiastically. –Have you seen my hair brush?†Mary pulled back her covers, just in case.
–I think you left it in the bathroom.†Mary walked to her bathroom. –And this year is going to be great- I finally thought of the perfect spot in the library where James won’t be able to find me!†Lily stood up and straightened the covers.
–That’s great,†replied Mary. She had returned with the blue hair brush and was looking for the next item on her list. –Wait-†she paused, realizing something. –Why would you not want James to find you? And since when is he James?â€
–What?â€
–James. You called him James, not Potter.â€
–Oh. Yeah, I guess I did. Well, that’s probably because he hasn’t been asking me out every three seconds for the last three months. It’s nice to get a break from guys.†Lily glanced at the clock on Mary’s wall before leaving. –Well, I should finish packing. I’ll see you later.â€
Mary just sat there thinking long after Lily left. She called him James. Not Potter. Operation Get Lily To Admit Her Love For James is finally starting.
--
"Time to get up, boys!" James's mother called. James rolled over in his bed and pulled his covers over his head. Do I really have to get up? he thought.
–James! Come on! We’re going back today, and we’re going to see Padfoot and Wormtail and Li-†Remus stopped abruptly. –Everyone!†He jumped onto James’ bed, pulling the covers off his friend.
–That’s lovely, Moony. Now get out of my bedroom.†James shoved Remus off his bed and rolled over. Remus rolled his eyes and left the room, grinning, before skipping off to his own bedroom and changing out of his pajamas.
After a few minutes of silence, James heard someone enter his room. Alex, he thought. He waited until she was right next to his bed before turning around and smiling at her.
–Morning, gorgeous,†he whispered.
–That’s so much nicer than the greeting you gave Remus this morning,†she replied, sitting down next to him.
–What can I say. He’s not as pretty as you,†James laughed. He sat up and stretched, then suddenly remembered he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Quickly, James laid down and pulled the covers back on.
–I’ll go get dressed now,†Alex said before slowly walking to the door, blowing James a kiss before she left.
--
–Lily, dear, would you like some pancakes?†Mary’s mother asked. Mary was already seated at the kitchen table enjoying breakfast.
–Yes, please,†Lily replied. She joined Mary at the table. Mary’s father looked up from the Daily Prophet at the two girls.
–Did you girls sleep well?†he asked.
–Yeah,†they replied simultaneously.
–Then I recommend you both visit the bathroom with a hairbrush before going to the station!†he exclaimed. The two girls giggled.
–Don’t worry. We’ve still got a few hours before we have to leave,†Mary replied. They finished their pancakes and hurried upstairs, excited to get back to Hogwarts.
–Mary!†Lily called after a few minutes. –Do you remember where I put my shirt?â€
–Which one?†Mary called back.
–The blue one with the birds and flowers. I thought I set it out, but it’s not anywhere.†Mary had arrived at Lily’s door.
–Didn’t you take it downstairs last night?â€
–Yeah, but I brought it back up.†Lily popped open her trunk. –I just can’t figure out where it went!â€
–Don’t worry. You can borrow something of mine. I actually have this one shirt I was thinking of wearing but I decided not to because I really don’t think the color suits me. I’ll go grab it.†Mary returned a moment later with the shirt, and Lily pulled it on.
–How does it look?†she asked.
–Perfect. Now, put your things back in your trunk. It’s almost time to go.†Mary and Lily eventually dragged their trunks downstairs and set them by the door. They said a final goodbye to Mary’s father, and then left for Platform 9 3/4.
--
–Alex, we’ve got to leave!†James yelled. Alex had yet to exit her room since James had seen her that morning. –You already don’t have time to eat, and we’re really running late!â€
–Don’t worry, don’t worry.†Alex had finally emerged. –I just need to grab a few things, and then we can go.â€
–Whatever you do, hurry up. We don’t want to miss the train.†Remus checked the clock hanging from the wall. –We needed to leave two minutes ago.†Alex vanished up the stairs. –And I really hope Padfoot is saving us a compartment,†Remus muttered.
–He will. He always gets there almost an hour early, yet he can barely make it to class on time. The mysteries of Sirius Black.†James and Remus sighed.
–Remus, I found your book,†Alex said as she came down the stairs. She tossed it to him before running back into her bedroom to grab her trunk. James and Remus picked it up for her, and they finally loaded into the Potters’ car.