Deer Diary || Jily

Year 5 XIX

Once they were gone, Lily turned back to Marlene. "So you really don't like anyone at the moment?"

Marlene kicked a rock and sent it flying down the paved path. "Nope."

Lily chuckled. "I had the weirdest dream one night that you were into Potter."

"What?" Marlene choked on her spit. "No... that's crazy."

At her reaction, a realization dawned on Lily. "Oh, Merlin. It's actually true, isn't it? You like Potter?"

"Shhh!" Marlene dragged her away from any stray ears to a part of Hogsmeade that was less crowded. "And no, not really!"

"You do! You actually do!"

Marlene relented, "Okay, fine. Maybe just a little. But I wasn't going to do anything about it," she swore.

"Why not?" Lily asked confused.

It wasn't like Marlene to hide her feelings. She was out there, with a boldness and confidence that Lily admired. Marlene oozed confidence.

"Well," the girl grimaced. "Cause you and James have that thing..."

"Me and Potter? We most certainly do not have a thing!"

First Regulus and now Marlene. Why did everyone assume she and James Potter had a thing?

"Alright, fine, there's nothing going on between you and James," Marlene said, not sounding entirely convincing.

"Exactly," Lily pushed, "which is why you are going to ask him out today."

"I— what? No!"

Luckily they were near Zonko's where she knew James and the rest of them spent a majority of their time. Lily barged into the shop her eyes landing on her target. "Oi, Potter!" she exclaimed, dragging a red-faced Marlene with her. She noticed the lack of companions beside him. "Where's the rest of them?" she asked.

"Remus and Pete decided to stay back at the castle and Sirius is checking out the newest flavors of stink pellets," James explained, nodding to the back of the store where his friend was.

"Flavor?" Marlene said, mostly to herself.

"Hmm?" James said.

Marlene blushed, not realizing she had spoken out-loud. "Oh, um, well, you said 'flavor of stink pellet', but it's not like you're eating them."

"You don't know that," James replied back, which caused Marlene to giggle. James looked pleasantly surprised at her reaction to his lame joke.

Lily couldn't hide her cheesy grin. "Potter, ehm... Marlene, here, was wondering if you would join her for a butterbeer."

Marlene elbowed Lily discreetly. "With- with all of us," she corrected with a strained smile. "Lily, you, me, and, um, Sirius."

James cocked a brow. "Oh, um, alright. Sounds fun. Let me check with Pads first though."

He left the two girls to tell Sirius about the change in plans and when he was out of earshot Marlene groaned. "That was embarrassing. I was such a stuttering mess."

"No, it wasn't!" Lily encouraged. "You were flirting and everything. You totally have the hots for him!"

"First of all, we already established that and second, don't ever say that again."

"Is it hot in here or is it just your passion for Potter?" Lily fanned herself dramatically.

"Girl," Marlene threatened exasperatedly, "I will end you."

"Do it," Lily challenged, wagging her eyebrows. "Then it will just be you and Potter on your very special date."

"And Sirius," Marlene added as she watched the approaching figures come closer.

"Ready to go?" James asked, returning to the girls with his best friend.

"McKinnon," Sirius said with his normal flirtatious tone.

"Black," she returned with a similar flirty voice.

The two of them began to walk ahead, seemingly blind to everything else. Lily noted curiously how comfortable Marlene was with Sirius, when, like she said before, she was a stuttering mess around James.

She and Sirius seemed to know each other quite well, and were even physically affectionate towards each other. Lily watched as Marlene tried to reach up to bat him on his head and how he pretended to duck and cover from her hand.

Wondering if Marlene and Sirius had a history she was unaware of, Lily made a mental note to ask her about it later.

With Marlene and Sirius walking ahead, it left Lily and James trailing behind awkwardly. This was not what Lily was expecting when she tried to set her friend up with James.

"Listen, Evans," James said awkwardly, drawing her back from her musings. "If this is about what I told you that one night... I don't want your pity."

Lily remembered that night as clear as day. The fact that his parents were cursed by dark magic and were now forever isolated from everyone including their own son and they were most likely going to die before James became of age. It was not like it ever truly left her mind.

"Just so you know, I don't pity you and you telling me that doesn't change how I see you. Plus, it was Marlene who wanted to do this, not me. Our wretched rivalry continues."

"Yeah?" James asked, a ghost of a smile on his lips as he trekked forwards. He let his snitch run a bit ahead of him before snatching it back again.

"Yeah."

The four of them eventually found a booth right by the large windows at the crowded Three Broomsticks and settled in. Lily immediately squeezed in beside Sirius, much to his surprise, allowing James to sit next to Marlene.

James gave Marlene a friendly smile which she reciprocated, but when his head was turned, she glared at Lily who winked cheekily in return. That response was met with a swift kick to the shin.

"So," Lily winced, rubbing the spot where Marlene's kick had landed, "quidditch, huh?"

"What do you know about quidditch, Red?" Sirius asked, amused.

"I know some things," Lily defended. She was only trying to find a common topic that Marlene and James shared so they could get the ball rolling.

"How many beaters are on a team?" Sirius tested.

"Two," Lily responded easily. "You and Marley."

"That was an easy one, Black," Marlene teased as she leaned slightly forward. "Lily, how many points does the snitch get you?"

"Uh, twenty?" Lily said unsurely. Alright, sue her, she didn't really know much about quidditch aside from people on brooms throwing things into hoops.

The other three at the table burst out laughing, but the good part was that it did begin a conversation about the recent game between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff team and the different strategies they used.

Lily tried to pay attention. She really did. But sports were never really her thing and so, her mind and eyes began to wander.

She took in the laughter of students as they shared tales and relished their short break from classes and homework. She heard the sounds of butterbeer mugs being refilled and smelled the lovely scent of pastries to accompany it.

She looked out the window to the absolute chaos.