James And Lily Potter: Third year

Chapter 12: Third Year

"Tsk, tsk, Lily, why must you hang around with Potter so?" asked Snape, as he breathed down her neck again in Potions.

"First of all, Snape," said Lily calmly, gripping her wand, "I do not hang around with Potter. He hangs around with me because we have no life and because there's nothing better to do. Second of all, why do you, of all the people care about who hangs around with me or not? Certainly you don't like me, do you?"

Snape was silent, and Lily had to resist the urge to laugh. Nearly the whole school knew that Snape "loved" her, and that he would do anything to get her attention and kiss her. The Gryffindors thought it outrageous, the Ravenclaws could have cared less, the Hufflepuffs were giggly about it and found it funny, and the Slytherins were furious. There hadn't been a single Gryffindor-Slytherin romance since Violet's parents. Of course, they were a different situation, but they were a Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Sirius and Arabella remained "friends", as they put it delicately, though one may think that they were just on speaking terms. They would pass each other with cold civility, while Lily and James watched angrily in the background. Lily was furious because her best friend had gotten such a sweet, loyal, and caring boy, and now she dumped him for some pathetic argument they had. James, on the other hand, couldn't even express his livid feelings towards the whole situation. He shot daggers at Sirius snogging with some girl every day, and bit his lip whenever Arabella walked by, laughing and joking with some boy. He even wondered viciously if they were desperate enough to hide their hurt feelings by dating Slytherins. Nah, those two idiots had their prides at times.

Remus and Jennifer remained very close for the time being. Jennifer didn't really pester Remus anymore about the secret they were planning to help keep Remus in check as a werewolf, much to the relief of Remus. They tried to calm down both sides of Lily and James, and to comfort Sirius and Arabella; both pairs had turned them down with a stuck-up nose and a snort.

Violet and Peter were both oblivious to the whole situation and didn't really participate in anything. They still had shallow affections for each other, but they really didn't go deep enough to start a relationship. Violet remained sweet and good-natured as always, and Peter remained quiet, stupid, and sullen. No one really cared about him, as far as he was concerned.

Today, however, things were going to be different—very different.

James was walking with his current "best friend", Remus, while he considered Sirius as "an acquaintance". Lily was walking with her "best friend", Jennifer, and both pairs were heading off towards Gryffindor Tower after lunch.

Since that day was Saturday, no one had anything better to do than just lying around and doing basically nothing. James was so put-off for some reason that he didn't feel that even Quidditch could take his mind off his misery. Remus was doing his best to joke around and comfort James, but nothing was working. So he finally cornered Lily and Jennifer just as they reached the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Lily," he panted. "I need—to talk—to you."

"Why?" asked Jennifer suspiciously. She was quite protective of her boyfriend. Remus rolled her eyes.

"I'm not about to dump you and ask Lily out, you prat," he chided. "I only need a favour from her."

"So she can help you can ask someone else out?"

Remus closed his eyes and slapped himself. "No! I told you, I have to ask her a favour."

"Does it have to be in private?" said Jennifer stiffly.

"Er—kind of."

"Fine." She marched off, said the password to the Fat Lady ("Pig snout"), and entered Gryffindor Tower.

"So...what did you want to talk about?" asked Lily curiously, after Jennifer had stalked away.

"James is moping around," said Remus, sighing heavily. "Even Quidditch won't take his mind off his depression."

"What the hell is he depressed about? He has a perfect life!" Lily snorted.

"Look, he's just as upset about Sirius and Arabella just being friends as you are. So...can you just please help me?" Remus made his best puppy dog face. "Please?"

"Oh, fine." Lily sighed. "But what do you want me to do? We hate each other, for God's sake!"

"Er—I know! Play a prank on him." Remus grinned devilishly, and Lily slowly gave a grin that matched his.

"Deal. I know one that will re-ally cheer 'im up."

Half an hour later, Gryffindors in the common room could hear screams echoing in the third year boys' dormitory. James ran down the staircase to the common room, livid with anger.

"EVANS! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME?"

James' usual untidy black hair had turned completely orange and pink, and even messier than before. They clashed horribly with his outfit, which consisted of a clown's costume, shoes, and even a large, red nose on top of his own one. Sirius and Arabella, who were currently snogging with their current girlfriend and boyfriend, respectively, shrieked with laughter when they saw him. Remus and Jennifer had to clutch their stomachs from laughing so hard, and even Violet and Peter were laughing (mildly, of course). James had never been so embarrassed in his life and wanted to kill Lily at the very moment.

"EVANS! WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU AND I'LL—"

"Aww...Potter, I was only doing what Remus told me to do," said Lily innocently. "He was the one who wanted me to make you more cheerful and stop moping around by pulling a prank on you."

"REMUS, YOU DID WHAT?"

"Come on, James, you were depressed because there was no Sirius." Remus' voice was as serious as ever, and he was frowning deeply. "Sirius was the one who always kept you sane, and who always comforted you and entertained you when you were bored or depressed. Now you consider me to be your best friend, but I know I can never do it the way Sirius can. You two make up now, or I will not be very pleased."

James bit his lip; he knew that getting Remus mad was not very smart. He stepped in front of Sirius and said, "Friends?"

Sirius stared at him, and then grinned. "Friends."

And so they reformed their long friendship over again.