STORY NOT COMPLETE.

THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS CHAPTER CAME FROM THE IDEA THAT JAMES AND LILY COULDN'T ALWAYS HAVE SWEET MOMENTS. I WANTED TO SHOWCASE THE DEPTH OF THEIR RIVALRY AND JUST HOW STUBBORN THEY COULD BOTH BE. SO I PICKED A SCENARIO WHERE LILY WOULDN'T MAYBE EVER FIND OUT WHAT JAMES DID FOR HER IN ORDER TO PLAY WITH THEIR LESS FRIENDLY INTERACTIONS. IT WAS A LITTLE HARDER TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER BUT HOPEFULLY IT PAYS OFF AND I'M NOT AVERSE TO DOING SOME REWRITES ON IT SO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU LIKED AND DIDN'T LIKE! I LIKE HOW THIS SHOWS MORE THE FRIENDSHIPS ON THE MARAUDERS AND A TYPICAL DAY AT HOGWARTS BETWEEN THE FOUR FRIENDS AND LILY EVANS.

"You could at least hear me out before you hex me," James said calmly, backing up against the wall.

"And what makes you think you deserve that?" Lily glared.

Well, lets see," James ticked off on his fingers as he spoke, "I helped you find friends last year, I let you cheat off my homework that one time yours was dropped in the toilet, I made you a potion for your acne to go away—"

Lily only rolled her eyes. "I only needed help with friends because you made me an outcast. I only needed to cheat off your essay because you threw it in the girl's bathroom. And you, James Potter, were the one that fed me the acne potion to be funny so I wouldn't have needed the antidote if you hadn't been such a jerk in the first place!"

THE FIRST TIME…James Protected Lily

"Jaime Wylls? Jaime Wylls? Really, Evans?"

"Yes, Potter, really," Lily snapped.

"But—," James spluttered. "You cant! He's such a douchebag. Everyone knows that!"

It was a Friday afternoon in Lily and James's Fourth Year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The corridors were bustling, students were laughing, and the euphoria the weekend always brought was apparent as swarms of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins, and Ravenclaws pushed their way through the crowds. But James Potter was anything but excited for this weekend. In fact, he was downright dreading it.

"You're just jealous," Alice said with a grin, putting an arm around her friend's shoulders. She turned back to Marlene. "Can you believe our Lily just landed a date with a Sixth Year who's also a prefect?"

"And top of his class," Marlene pointed out. "So, what are you going to do, Lily? Something amazing, I hope. I mean, its Jaime Wylls! Half of the girls in this school want to be with him."

Lily flushed with pleasure, smiling from ear to ear. "Well, its nothing big. Just a study date. We're going to go to the library tomorrow afternoon and skip dinner together. He said he would find a way to smuggle some food in past Madam Pince. Then he said maybe we would go to the Astronomy tower at night to go stargazing."

"I'm so jealous," Marlene sighed.

James snorted, still trailing behind them. "The library? What kind of date is that?"

"Potter, will you please go away?" Lily scowled, looking over her shoulder. "Who I date is none of your business."

"Er, yes it is," James told her as Lily rolled her eyes. "I just want to know why Jaime only has to ask you out once and you're swooning all over him whereas I'm on a running streak of rejection over here?"

"It's because unlike you, Potter, Jaime is kind and compassionate," Lily told him haughtily. "He appreciates me."

"I appreciate you!" James exclaimed.

"Give it up," Lily whirled around to face him. "I'm not going out with you and I never will! Just admit you lost to a better man."

"He's not a better man!" James yelled to her as the crowds swallowed her and the other two Gryffindors up. He sighed. Stupid Lily Evans. How could she fall for a guy like Jaime Wylls? Sure he was handsome and funny and, like Alice had pointed out, half the girls in this school did want to go out with him, but he was a terrible Keeper for Ravenclaw and barely passed his Transfiguration O.W.L. last year. James strongly suspected he cheated.

It wasn't until a Hufflepuff Fifth Year ran straight into him that James realized he'd been holding up traffic for a solid thirty seconds.

"Sorry, er sorry," James said, darting through the crowds. "Excuse me, sorry."

He turned a corner towards the heart of the school where, thankfully, the crowds had thinned. James supposed the beautiful autumn day outside had caught the attention of most students, leaving the castle free to roam uninterrupted.

"Oi, Prongs!"

Or not.

"Where did you get off to?" Sirius, Remus, and Peter all emerged from down the hall. "The minute Charms let out you were off!"

"I had to talk to Lily," James mumbled as the others joined him.

"About Jaime?" Remus asked. He shook his head. "James, I'm sure nothing will come of it. That boy has to have dated most of the girls in the school by now. It never lasts."

"But what if this is different?" James exclaimed as they headed towards the Gryffindor Common Room. "What if this time, there's a second date and then a third? What if they stay together forever?"

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Lily did seem pretty excited," Peter offered innocently, earning a shove and a glare from Sirius.

"But er-not that excited," he tried to correct.

"What am I going to do?" James put his head in his hands. "This is terrible."

"James, maybe there's nothing you can do," Lupin said gently.

"Optus Domini," Sirius muttered as they reached the Fat Lady. She swung open.

"Maybe you have to let go of Lily," Remus continued as they stepped through the portrait hole. "Maybe…you have to move on."

"I don't want to move on," James said sulkily.

"Why don't you go ahead and date Marlene or something?" Sirius asked, as they settled into their normal spots by the fire. "It would sure as hell piss Lily off. Make her jealous."

"Marlene wouldn't fall for it," James chewed his lip. "She's too loyal to Lily."

"What about Emmeline or Mary then?" Peter asked. "They aren't as close with her."

Lupin rolled his eyes. "James, you're not going to charm Lily by dating one of the girls in her year. She'd see through it in an instant."

"So what do I do?" he asked miserably.

"Let her go," Remus shrugged. "If it's meant to be, she'll come back to you."

And just like that, his friends dropped the matter as if it'd been a pleasant discussion over the weather and turned to the chessboard Peter brought out.

"I'm sensing a rematch, old friend," Sirius crowed as Peter handed him the black pieces. "Get ready to be demolished."

It seemed stupid that James couldn't drop it. In fact, it didn't seem stupid, it was stupid. But something about Jaime Wylls struck a chord with the Gryffindor Chaser. Tall, dark-haired and handsome, the girls at Hogwarts who weren't after James often found themselves swooning over the Ravenclaw's brawn and brains. Or at least James liked to think he claimed some girls from Jaime. The good-looking Keeper was extremely intelligent, except in Transfiguration, and it earned him a spot in the Slug Club from the moment he walked into Hogwarts. When he wasn't working late in the library to ensure his spot as teacher's pet, Jaime could often be found surrounded at the Ravenclaw table by adoring girls. His jokes were legendary and if he was feeling generous, he'd deal out exam tips to the younger students. On the outside, he seemed the best student Hogwarts had ever been lucky enough to acquire. Girls worshipped him and guys wanted to be him, but something about the Sixth Year had always just seemed to give James the creeps. And no, he had told Sirius many times, it wasn't jealousy.

"You're becoming obsessed," Remus told him softly. It was dinner and James had spent most of it glaring over at the Ravenclaw table, stabbing his fork particularly violently into his chicken. "What's the big hang-up with this guy anyways?"

"Its hard to explain," he growled.

"Lily's dated other guys before," Sirius said, speaking through a mouth full of potato. "This isn't any different."

"I know, I know," James waved them off. "Its just something about him." An outburst of laughter echoed through the hall from the Ravenclaw table. Clearly, Jaime just said something very funny. James rolled his eyes.

"Who are you guys talking about?" Emmeline asked curiously. She had just plopped down on James's left as Mary MacDonald shoved her way in across from her.

"Jaime Wylls," Peter said with a sigh. "Again."

"Jaime Wylls?" Mary asked. "Why would you be talking about him of all people?"

"Clearly Lily Evans landed a hot date," Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows. Remus rolled his eyes.

"He asked her this morning, I guess," Remus told them.

"Did he really?" Emmeline's interest piqued as she loaded her plate with chicken and potato. She glanced at Mary, whose eyes had narrowed. "That's…interesting."

"Naturally, James is pretty pissed about it," Peter said.

"Am not," the Chaser in question retorted moodily, playing with his food.

"Well, just tell her to be careful," Mary said lightly. "I once got a date with Jaime Wylls and it did not go well."

Her words finally managed to draw James out of his self-induced pity party. So he wasn't alone in his skepticism of Jaime Wylls. Giving his friends a look that smugly said, "I told you so," he sat up straight and turned to Mary with interest.

"What happened?" Remus asked, as they all glanced over at Jaime. "He seems like a decent guy."

"Seems like it," Mary told them darkly.

"So what happened?" James asked, pushing his food away from him.

"Well," she sighed, "At the end of last year, I ran into him in Scrivenshafts during a Hogsmeade trip. I was alone, stocking up on quills for the end of year exams, and he came around the corner too fast and knocked everything out of my hands. He apologized and was very charming and soon enough we were giggling and chatting over butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks."

"So?" Sirius asked quizzically.

"So…" Mary continued. "It all went great until he asked me if I wanted to go for a walk by ourselves. I was pretty excited, only being a Third Year and all, and so I said yes. We headed towards the Shrieking Shack and soon, we were completely alone in the forest." She shuddered. "Next thing I know he's trying to kiss me and his hands are going all over the place. I kept trying to say no but he wasn't even listening. And trust me, he's strong. Eventually I had to nearly hex his ears off to just get away."

She nodded matter-of-factly and turned back to butter her bread, seemingly unfazed by the shocked looks on the Marauders faces.

"Horrible, huh?" Emmeline said with a grimace.

"Did you tell anyone?" Lupin asked worriedly. "Surely you could've gotten him in trouble."

Mary shook her head. "I ran as fast as I could and never looked back. When I saw him at school the next day, he passed right by as if he didn't even know me. Emmeline's the only one I trusted to tell. I figured if I told anyone else, they wouldn't believe me. I mean, little old Mary the Third Year with all-star Fifth Year Jaime Wylls?" She snorted. "It even sounds crazy to me."

"I doubt she's the only one," Emmeline told them in a hushed voice. "Think about it. Jaime's never had a long time girlfriend. He only dates girls for a little while and then breaks up with them once he's used them."

"I knew I had a bad feeling about this," James muttered, glancing to where Lily sat at the end of the table. She was laughing with Alice and Frank. "I have to tell Lily. She has to know what she's getting herself into!"

Sirius snorted.

"You honestly think she's going to listen to you?"

"She might," James said defensively.

"Oh please, that girl's as stubborn as a hippogriff," Emmeline snorted. "And trying to make her listen to you of all people…" She trailed off into giggles that Mary quickly joined in on.

"I cant just sit here and watch it happen," James ignored the girls. "I've got to at least try."

"I don't know, James…" Remus said apprehensively.

"What?" James asked, annoyed.

"Its just that, you know…" Peter looked uneasy. "This is Jaime Wylls we're talking about. There's no way she'd think you were telling the truth."

"You don't think my word with Evans has more weight than his?" James asked incredulously.

Even Sirius looked uncomfortable now. "Its just that… you and Evans, well Prongs, you're not really on speaking terms. She's just going to think you're trying to ruin her date."

"Then I'll get Mary to talk to her," James said. Mary's head swiveled back their way at the sound of her name. "You'll talk to Lily, wont you? Tell her what happened with you?"

"No way," Mary said, shaking her head. "Emmeline and I aren't speaking to the other three since Marlene called me a bitch two weeks ago."

"Girls." Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Well then you've left me no choice," James exclaimed, standing from the table as Lily got up and left the hall. "I'm going to talk to her whether she wants to hear it or not."

"Evans, please just give me a chance?"

"Go away, Potter. You've already reached your quota for the day of pissing me off."

"I'm serious! Its about Jaime."

Lily spun. "Don't. Talk. To. Me. About. Jaime."

Her finger was in his face and they were standing in the middle of a deserted corridor on the Third Floor. She was being utterly ridiculous in James's opinion. This was the first time she'd even bothered to turn around since he'd called her name leaving the Great Hall. You think she'd be a little bit more appreciative that he was trying to save her life. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic. But he was trying to protect her from Jaime Wylls.

"You could at least hear me out before you hex me," James said calmly, backing up against the wall.

"And what makes you think you deserve that?" Lily glared.

Well, lets see," James ticked off on his fingers as he spoke, "I helped you find friends last year, I let you cheat off my homework that one time yours was dropped in the toilet, I made you a potion for your acne to go away—"

Lily only rolled her eyes. "I only needed help with friends because you made me an outcast. I only needed to cheat off your essay because you threw it in the girl's bathroom. And you, James Potter, were the one that fed me the acne potion to be funny so I wouldn't have needed the antidote if you hadn't been such a jerk in the first place!"

She stormed away, leaving James to peel himself from the wall and go racing after her.

"Okay, so maybe that was kind of my fault…"

She glared.

"…Or all my fault." James ruffled his hair. "But can you just put that aside for the moment? I really need to talk to you."

"You are the last person who I want to talk to on my Friday night," Lily told him.

"Well you're not always a walk in the park either," James told her, frustrated. "In fact, you're a downright struggle."

"Fat words coming from you," she retorted with a sneer.

James nearly pulled his hair out. "Okay, that's not the point," he said through gritted teeth. "What I'm trying to tell you is—."

"You know what, Potter," Lily halted. "Save it. Just leave me alone and go along your merry way. I'm sorry if you still think you have a chance with me after the past four years because there is nothing, and I mean nothing, you could do to ever get me to go out with you."

And off she strode, disappearing from sight around a corner.

"Argh!" James exclaimed, slamming a door with his fist.

"You really should be more considerate," the door huffed.

Lily Evans was impossible to deal with, James grimaced as he headed back towards the Gryffindor Common Room. A real ordeal. She was single-handedly ruining his life. Never before had he met someone so utterly self-centered, egotistical, and temperamental. It wasn't a day at Hogwarts if she hadn't found something to scold him for by nine o'clock. If that girl ever became a Prefect, James knew she would have him in detention faster than he could say, "Good morning." He didn't know what her problem was, but he'd never met and probably never would meet again anyone that was exactly like her. What other girl was as vain and as sarcastic as the beautiful yet deadly Lily Evans? If that girl was out there, James sincerely hoped he could meet her. Then Lily wouldn't seem half as bad.

"I'm sorry if you think you still have a chance with me," James mocked bitterly in a girlish voice. "Oh James, what's that? Sorry I didn't listen to you when you were trying to save my life!"

He kicked a textbook that was lying in the corridor. It skidded across the stone with a satisfying hiss, bumping into the wall with a thud. Where was Snivellus when you needed him? James could go for a good hexing right now. It'd be just the thing to get back at Evans.

"I asked that Evans girl to study with me tomorrow."

"The one with the red hair?"

"That's the one."

"You're one lucky man, Wylls. I swear you get all the best girls in the school."

The voices came from around the corner and they were growing louder with each word. Within, the students they belonged to would be in sight. Scrambling, James spotted a suit of armor tucked into a window crevice that looked just big enough for him to squeeze into. James had always been rather skinny for his age and at times like these, he was never more thankful as he knew who those voices belonged to. Jaime and his idiotic friend, Anthony Dorkiss.

"She's rather young for you, isn't she?"

With a scowl, James shrank into the shadows as the two boys paused outside the small alcove.

"Please," he could hear Jaime snort. "The younger, the better. They're more likely to say yes when they're younger."

"But I thought she was smart?"

"Top of her class," Jaime mused. James could see him tousling his hair through a crack in the rusted armor. Douchebag.

"Think she'll give you any action?" Anthony asked. "If you asked me, she seems a little uptight."

"Only around that arrogant Potter," Jaime smirked. James glared, wishing the crack in the armor was just a bit bigger so that he could fit his wand through. Binding his legs together would be quite a treat to watch and the hop back to Ravenclaw Tower would be even more amusing.

"Either way, I'll win," Jaime continued with a sigh. "See this?"

James squinted to see a small clear vial of lavender potion in his hand.

"It's a sleeping draught. I'm going to slip it into her food. She wont even know what's happening."

James's stomach bottomed out as he heard Anthony laugh.

"You're a genius," Anthony exclaimed in a thick voice. "She'll never suspect."

"I just told Slughorn I wanted to work late," Jaime sounded very smug, "I said I wanted to whip this up for practice. He was even impressed."

Anthony sniggered. "I wish I were you Jaime."

"I know." Jaime sounded quite pleased. "One more day and that redhead will be all mine." James heard the sound of a high-five. "By the way, did you get the notes in Transfiguration today? I wasn't paying attention."

The two Sixth Years moved down the hall and out of sight, leaving Gryffindor's star chaser with anger pounding in his ears, his whole body shaking with rage. Who did Jaime Wylls think he was? Who did he think he was messing with? Lily Evans was the last girl in Hogwarts to pick on, the very last. And it wasn't because of her temper was as fiery as her hair, or even that she knew every spell in the book. It was because she had allies, powerful allies. Even if she didn't want them.

James had barely stopped to take a breath on his run back to Gryffindor Tower. Taking every shortcut he knew, he had burst in front of the Fat Lady and shouted the password in such a way that she decided to tell him off for a full minute before Frank Longbottom came to his rescue.

The minutes waiting in the Common Room for the others to return was painful as James paced up and down, up and down, pouring over every idea in the book. There was torture, and death by execution, and also a very disgusting disfiguration potion Slughorn had mentioned in passing last week. That also sounded very appropriate to perform on Jaime Wylls. The scumbag.

It had been a relief when the rest of the Marauders finally wandered in, looking very full and relaxed. Sirius had barely been able to ask how the talk with Lily had gone before James had cut him off, rapidly retelling the run-in with Jaime and the treacherous plan that would occur tomorrow night if they didn't take action.

"We have to do something!" James exclaimed for about the fifth time. "We cant let her go with him."

"No, we cant," Remus shook his head worriedly. "But Lily wont listen to you. You've already tried talking to her."

"We could kill Jaime," Sirius suggested threateningly, standing and pulling out his wand. "I figure we'd be doing the world a favor."

Peter began to nod eagerly but quickly stopped when Remus fixed him with a glare. "There has to be something we can do," the werewolf said calmly. "Maybe I could try talking to Lily? Or maybe Marlene or Alice?"

"She'll just think I'm trying to annoy her," James sighed, frustrated. "Why does she have to be such a stubborn pain in the ass?"

A couple Second Years looked over curiously from the table nearest to the window.

"What are you looking at?" Sirius asked them gruffly. They quickly turned back to their friends, red in the face.

"Its not safe to talk in here," Peter observed. "Anybody could be listening."

"Let them hear," James grumbled.

Remus sighed. "Lets just get some fresh air. Clear our heads, you know? Maybe we can stop by the library for ideas."

"My, my, Moony, I'm surprised you haven't nominated telling a professor yet," Sirius said impressed as the group of friends made their way out of their chairs and towards the portrait hole. "This has to be some sort of record."

"It wouldn't do any good," Lupin said with a glare at Sirius. "Nothing's happened yet which means Jaime would be impossible to convict."

"I'll give them a reason," James growled as they crawled through the portrait hole.

Lupin had been right. The fresh air in the corridors was calming and soothed James's hatred for Jaime down to a boiling fury. It was at this time of night that the Marauders thrived. Long after other students had gone to bed, they were roaming the corridors, searching for hidden passageways and sneaking food from the kitchens. At first it had been a way to break some rules and enjoy an adrenaline rush but after awhile, it had become almost habitual to spent the nighttime beyond their dormitory walls. It was as if they couldn't think straight unless they were out for a night stroll in the breezy corridors of the school they called home.

As they made their way through the castle tonight, they took turns throwing out suggestions for how to make Jaime Wylls's life a living hell. Peter suggested poisoning his food, Sirius begged for a more physical approach, and Remus offered to hex him in the busy corridors the next morning but James just stayed silent. Every plan had a hitch. They weren't Ravenclaws. They weren't Sixth Years. And more than anything, they weren't apart of Jaime's constant adoring posse that surrounded him. There was no way they could even sneak something in his drink without being seen.

But then, just as they were about to admit defeat and James was going to punch another door, it was if fate intervened. For out of all the people in Hogwarts who could've turned the corner, out of all the people that could've hailed them down, out of all the Prefects patrolling tonight, it just happened to be the one they were looking for.

"Speak of the devil," Remus murmured, astonished.

It was Jaime Wylls.

"You four!" he called, waving his arm in the air. "Stop where you are."

"Has curfew already happened?" Lupin muttered, looking at his watch. "We still should have five minutes."

They slowed to a halt as Jaime sauntered their way, looking smugger than usual in James's opinion. He scowled, earning a nudge from Remus.

"Can we help you?" Lupin asked politely. "We're not breaking curfew yet."

Jaime waved it aside. "Even if you were, I wouldn't care," he told them. "I usually leave that sort of thing to Emma." Emma Dorin was the other Prefect for Ravenclaw.

"So why are you stopping us?" Peter asked, eyebrows drawn together.

Jaime's face broadened and he clapped his hands together. "Well actually, I have a bit of business proposition for you guys. A profitable one at that."

The four friends all looked at each other uncomfortably.

"Well…?" Jaime asked.

"What kind of proposition are we talking?" Sirius finally asked.

Jaime smiled again, sending shivers up James's spine. If only he realized what James knew. He bet the Ravenclaw wouldn't be so smug then.

"Rumor has it you're the guys to turn to if we want food from the kitchens," Jaime muttered confidentially. "I'd be willing to offer a fair chunk of money for a basket of deserts by tomorrow at lunch."

"What makes you think we'd work for you?" James sneered. Sirius stepped on his foot.

"How much money are we talking?"

"Lets say a galleon each," Jaime propositioned.

Remus stared open-mouthed at the amount for simply stealing food.

"Two," Sirius demanded.

"Sirius," James whispered disgruntled, tugging on his robes. "Don't."

"Two, then," Jaime said, looking concerned at James's reluctance. "Especially for your silence."

"Our silence?" Remus couldn't help but ask.

Jaime looked uncomfortable. "Well, I have a…special request of sorts."

The four boys were silent, waiting for the Prefect to continue.

Obligingly, Jaime withdrew a lavender vial with the sleeping draught out of his robes. "I ask you to add this to the food," Jaime handed it to Sirius. "And make it subtle. If all goes well and you can guarantee this er… business meeting…isnt mentioned to anyone, I will double the original payment."

"So you'll give us one for the initial deal and then pay us a second galleon later if we don't ruin your reputation?" Sirius asked slowly.

Jaime grimaced at Sirius's word choice but managed a nod. "Correct."

"We'll do it, then" Sirius declared, ignoring James's grunt of protest from behind him. "Meet us at noon tomorrow outside the Great Hall. Your food will be there."

Jaime allowed a brief smile. "It's a deal," he said, shaking hands with Sirius. "Tomorrow, then."

"We'll be there," Sirius said firmly. With a final curt nod, Jaime straightened up and breezed past them, acting as if he'd never stopped them at all. The minute he turned the corner, the disgusted looks they had been trying to hold off finally appeared.

"I really do hate him," Remus remarked mildly.

James punched Sirius in the arm.

"Ow," the handsome Beater exclaimed. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"For supplying him with the food he's using to drug Lily," James exclaimed. He punched him again.

"Calm down, smartass," Sirius raised his hands defensively. "I had that all figured out."

James paused, his fist raised for another strike.

"What do you mean, Sirius?" Peter's look of confusion was mirrored on the faces of the other two Marauders.

"Well, if James would stop attacking me, maybe I could tell you," Sirius glared

James lowered his fist but didn't remove the distrusting scowl from his face.

"Thanks," Sirius huffed sarcastically. "While you idiots were too busy paying attention to how much you hated Jaime Wylls, I was thinking about how we could use this to our advantage."

James and Peter exchanged curious glances

"How so?" Remus hesitantly asked.

"The food," Sirius said simply. "We've been complaining how we can't get close enough to Jaime to touch him. But here, the idiot walked right up and handed it to us on a silver platter."

"You mean do something to the food?" James asked cautiously.

"Exactly," Sirius said. "We can just throw out the sleeping draught and poison it instead."

"Poison?" Peter looked apprehensive. "But what if Lily eats the poisoned food before Jaime does?"

"Oh, I didn't think about that…" Sirius muttered, tapping his foot.

"Okay, okay, so not poison," Remus said quickly. "What if we just make it another prank? Something that angers Lily so much she wont be able to finish her date?"

"Like what?" Peter asked doubtfully.

"I've got just the thing," James grinned.

"We're going to be up all night, aren't we?" Peter grumbled.

"Oh, shut up," Sirius told him, turning back to the bubbling cauldron at the foot of his bed. "It's almost done."

"Just please try and keep quiet," Remus reminded the two friends as he gestured towards a slumbering Frank. "We don't need anyone to tip Lily off before this happens."

"Sorry," Sirius whispered. The cauldron began to glow an electric blue.

It was nights like these that James was sure Frank Longbottom hated them all. Every Christmas they bought him earmuffs, sleeping potions, and an array of chocolates to make up for the times they spent running in and out at all hours of the night and causing general ruckus while he tried to sleep. When they'd exploded a chicken all over his favorite school robes a month ago, James had actually bought him a life-supply of butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks to make up for it.

"And...done!" Sirius whispered triumphantly.

James grinned. "This is perfect."

"I have to say, I'm enjoying pranking someone for their own good," Peter said. "It's a nice change."

"James do you have the cloak?" Remus asked.

"Got it," the Chaser said. "Sirius, scoop it into the vial and lets go."

With a look of extreme concentration, Sirius dipped a small glass vial into the glowing potion and capped it with a cork. "It's a beauty," he sighed.

"Then, out we go," James beckoned. And opening the door, he slipped into the darkness of the stairwell.

Sneaking out of their dorm was second nature to Hogwarts's mischievous Marauders. Sweeping down the stairs and through the Fat Lady was like an elegant dance, in which they glided and twirled, merely skimming the stone's surface as they pranced silently about the school. The four boys knew each other so well that they moved as one, each swaying in time to the night music. Cursing Filch, dodging Peeves, and darting down secret passages, the Marauders moved about the castle in a way no one else ever would.

It was true that, as they'd gotten bigger, fitting under James's invisibility cloak had become more and more difficult with every outing. But they didn't mind. There were never four friends at Hogwarts that more enjoyed the adrenaline rush of almost being caught.

"Now, let me do the talking," James warned as they neared the portrait that would lead them to the kitchens.

"You always get to do the talking," Peter whined.

"Walk faster," Sirius urged as he accidentally stepped on James's foot. "Oops, sorry about that, Prongs. I just can't stand one more minute under this thing."

"Its my prank, so I get to talk," James said bossily.

"But its always your prank," Peter jostled behind James.

"Can someone just please tickle the pear so we can get out of this cloak?" Lupin whispered testily.

Shooting a glare behind him, James whipped the cloak off the four boys and stepped up to the portrait.

"We are getting too old for that thing," Sirius muttered as the pear became a handle and James pulled it open.

The kitchens were probably their most frequented after hour destination. Being teenagers, there never seemed to be enough food in their stomachs and they gladly welcomed the meals the house elves urged upon them. First year alone, James and Sirius had to have made a trip at least once every two weeks. So it was with the deepest pleasure that the four made their way into the warmth of the kitchens, welcoming the aroma of baking bread and sizzling bacon. Breakfast was already beginning its preparation.

"Good evening, everyone," Sirius grinned as he entered. "Whose up for some baking?"

Twenty pairs of eager eyes turned to look at him. The house elves knew the Marauders well by this time and though they always seemed eager to help, James couldn't help but wonder if they ever got sick of funneling half the food they made into four student's stomachs.

"What can we do to help tonight?" an old, wrinkly house elf stepped stoutly to the front of the group. "Perhaps some fresh bread or smoked ham?"

James shook his head as Sirius nodded eagerly.

"We actually have a special mission for you," James said, slightly nervous.

"Anything, anything," they chorused.

James stretched out his hand and let Sirius place the electric blue vial in it. "This," he said, holding it up and showing them. "Is for a friend of ours."

"May I ask what it is?" one house elf inquired.

James suddenly felt nervous. He never considered that the house elves might not agree to add a foreign substance into their food. At least this one had a good intention, unlike Jaime's vial, which had been quickly tossed in the trash. The Marauders were many things, but they weren't criminals. And even if they hadn't known Jaime's intentions, they never would've agreed to something that sounded so glaringly egregious.

"Well, er—," James looked at the vial and tried to think fast. "Its, er—."

"It's a special type of sleeping draught," Peter said quickly. "For a friend of ours whose struggling to sleep at night."

The house elves all nodded, satisfied, and James wiped his brow, shooting a thankful look at Peter.

"What dish would you have us prepare?" they asked.

"Well, just three or four desserts," James told them as one of the house elves took the vial from his hands. "Its up to you which four you want them to be. I have only one request."

"Anything," the older house elf bowed his head.

"Treacle tart," James said. "There needs to be a treacle tart and the blue potion needs to go into it."

"Treacle tart?" Remus whispered. "Why treacle tart?"

"Its Lily's favorite," James whispered back.

"So will you do it?" Sirius asked eagerly.

"Of course, of course, anything for you," the house elf squeaked as the kitchen suddenly burst into life. "We will make it as quick as we can."

"Oh, and add these," Lupin suddenly stepped forward with two more vials. "Any of the other dishes can contain them."

"What are those?" Sirius asked as a house elf removed a green and a gray vial from the werewolf's palms.

"You'll see," Remus smiled. "They're some old potions I had stored up. I figured this was probably the best chance to use them."

"You sly dog," Sirius grinned, putting a reluctant Remus in a headlock and rubbing his head affectionately. "This prank is the best idea we've had in years. Fighting crime while pissing off Evans. What could be greater?"

"Not much," Peter laughed.

"We'll be here in the morning to pick it up," James told the house-elves. They'd already scattered amongst the stoves, a rhythm of clanking pots and pans filling the air.

"Tomorrow then," squeaked the old house elf with a smile.

James nodded with gratitude and suddenly feeling unwanted, made his way from the kitchens, the Marauders behind him.

"Well…" Peter said as the portrait of fruit closed behind them. "I guess that's that."

James nodded, his stomach still feeling queasy as he drew out the cloak. What if it didn't work? What if Lily decided to stick out the date even after eating the treacle tart? Or worse, what if she didn't eat it at all?

"I guess all we can do now is wait," Remus said as looked at each other and sighed.

James nodded. "We wait."

"Move over," Peter whispered.

"No, you move over," James whispered back.

"Be quiet, she'll hear you," Remus retorted as the three boys crammed around a small crevice in one of the library's bookshelves. On the other side of the books sat Lily Evans and her deceivingly charming date, Jaime Wylls. Through the crack in the shelf, they could see the two close together and smiling as they discussed the potential usage of heat to vanquish hinkeypunks. It was taking all of James's restraint not to march over on the other side of the bookshelf and wipe the charming smile off the Ravenclaw's face with his fist.

"They haven't touched the food yet," Remus muttered. It was hard to see through the small hole but it was all they had. They all knew if they widened it even a bit further, Madam Pince would have them out of Hogwarts before they could demand Dumbledore. Currently, it was Sirius's turn to distract the nosy librarian so that the others could watch Lily without interruption but nothing, not even Sirius, could catch her attention for that long.

"Fourth Year Potions isn't too difficult," James could hear Jaime bragging. "But I'm sure you already know that. You're a genius according to Slughorn."

"Is she blushing?" Peter asked disgusted.

"Eww she is," James wrinkled his nose.

"I'm not that good," Lily responded. James could hear the smile in her voice.

"Don't be so modest," Jaime grinned. "Its not everyday you meet a girl who is beautiful as she is intelligent." Lily's face turned as red as her hair.

Its not everyday you meet a girl who is beautiful as she is intelligent," James mocked in a high voice. "He makes me want to punch a wall."

"Be quiet," Remus hushed. "Or he'll hear you."

James rolled his eyes but knew the werewolf had a point.

"So Jaime, I hear you're the Ravenclaw Keeper," Lily said. "Are you ready for the Quidditch season to start?"

"Oh yeah," Jaime said, leaning confidently back in his chair. "We're beyond ready. Ravenclaw might really have a chance at the Cup this year."

"It would be nice to see someone else win for a change," Lily agreed.

James snorted.

Jaime laughed. "You're not happy your own House is on a winning streak?"

"I am," Lily sighed. "It'd just be nice to see some competition for a change."

"Competition for a change?" Jaime put a hand over his heart. "You really hurt me there, Lily."

"Well lets just say the Gryffindor team could serve to lose some ego," Lily laughed. "I think a Ravenclaw victory this year could do just that. It certainly would help to make the team stop acting like gods among men."

"Ah, you're referring to James Potter, I'm guessing?" Jaime grinned. James ignored the glances of Peter and Remus as he pressed his ear against the crevice. "I've heard he's as cocky off the field as he is on it."

"You have no idea," Lily sighed. "He's nearly impossible to deal with."

"I guess he could serve to take some lessons in modesty from you," Jaime said. "You're the one that should have an ego."

"I guess so." Lily smiled warmly. He smiled back. It all made James sick.

"Are you getting hungry?" Jaime suddenly asked.

"This is it," Peter said excitedly, nudging James several times in the arm, but James barely felt it. The conversation about him had turned his innards cold. So Lily really wasn't playing a game. She really did think he was only an arrogant boy who valued reputation more than her. If only she knew what he had done for her.

"I brought some desert from the kitchens." Jaime brought the basket of deserts that had made the Marauders all a galleon richer to the library table. "Sweet, just like you."

Remus made a noise of disgust. "I hope Lily doesn't actually think that line is cute."

"Girls," James sighed, watching with anticipation as Lily opened the basket.

"Treacle tart?" she exclaimed. "How'd you know? Its my favorite."

"I do my research," Jaime grinned, though James knew full well he hadn't.

"If she only knew," James grumbled.

"Well," Jaime lifted a chocolate bonbon, "Cheers to a wonderful date and a wonderful girl."

"Cheers," Lily agreed as she helped herself to the treacle tart.

"It shouldn't take too long," Remus muttered as the Marauders began to hold their breath in anticipation. Lily grinned satisfactorily as she spooned the tart into her mouth and Jaime chuckled as a few crumbles escaped down her chin. She blushed.

"Hey, have they eaten it yet?" Sirius slid in beside them.

"First bites," Peter said.

"I thought you were supposed to be distracting Madam Pince," James chanced a look away from the redhead to glare at his friend.

"I didn't want to miss the fun," Sirius grinned. "Plus, there wasn't much more I could do. She was ready to give me detention."

"She's always ready to give you detention," Remus pointed out exasperatedly.

"I know," Sirius chuckled.

"Lily, is there something wrong with your hair?"

Jaime's simple question jumped the boys back to reality.

"What do you mean?" James saw Lily ask nervously, a hand going to her head.

"Excellent," Sirius grinned. "It's working."

They all squeezed to peer through the crack in the shelf.

"Well, its er—," Jaime looked awkward. "Its, er—well, its not red anymore."

"Its not WHAT?" Lily exclaimed. Suddenly, she gasped. "Jaime, your nose!"

The Ravenclaw's hands went to his face. "What's wrong with my nose?" he asked frantically. "What's happening to us?"

"Its covered in warts," Lily said horrified, dropping the treacle tart. "And they're…spreading!"

"Make them stop!" he bellowed, the look of alarm growing on his face as Peter stifled giggles.

Lily backed against the bookshelf, plunging the Marauder's visibility into darkness. But it didn't matter that they couldn't see through to the other side anymore, as Lily Evans's scream provided everything they needed to know.

"MY HAIR'S BLUE!"

The Marauders burst out into laughter as the whole library looked up with interest.

"Silence!" Madam Pince screeched as she swooped past them. "Silence in the library!"

"My hair's blue!" Lily continued to yell. "Its blue!"

"My face," Jaime wailed.

The four friends ducked from their hiding place to join the throngs that were appearing around the former redhead and her date.

"No food in the library!" Madam Pince continued to squawk as Lily pawed at her hair. "Get out! Detention, both of you!"

Jaime's once handsome face was covered in large warts as students began to point and laugh.

"Move away. Out! OUT!" Madam Pince waved at them all, but the group was growing bigger by the second.

"Nice job with the warts," Sirius whispered to Remus, impressed.

Remus looked smug. "I know."

"Where did you get this food?" Their attention was brought back by Lily's yell. She was towering over a cowering Jaime who was trying his best to cover his face from the gigging onlookers. "Where did you get it!"

"Sirius Black," he spluttered. "And his friends."

"POTTER!"

The roar nearly shook the library.

"Time to go," James whispered. And the four backed swiftly out of the crowd as students began to stare at them.

"POTTER, COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"

"Run!" James shouted.

The four broke into a lopsided jog, swerving around bookshelves and confused students.

"Detention, everyone!" Madam Pince could still be heard as they raced out of the library and into the corridors. Outside, a group of students had gathered, staring with confusion at the usually quiet library. Their astonishment only grew as the Marauders raced through the doors, an enraged Lily Evans behind them.

"How dare you!" she screeched as the boy collapsed into peals of laughter. "How dare you think that's funny!"

"Oh Flower," Sirius could barely breathe. "You should look in a mirror! Its hilarious!"

Lily's hair was an electric blue and some of the potion had even reached the edges of her face and fingers, giving her the appearance of a Cornish Pixie Human hybrid. The students in the corridor began to chuckle as she marched to where the Marauders sat howling with laughter.

"You put this right!" she demanded. "You fix my hair and Jaime's face. You fix them now!"

"We're not fixing anything on Jaime," James grinned. "I rather like him this way."

Lily's eyes narrowed as she saw who spoke. "Potter," she hissed. "Is that what this is about? Jaime Wylls?"

James barely had a chance to get a word in before her wand was out.

"Melongia!" she screamed, nearly throwing James backwards with the force of the spell. The corridor broke out into chatter and more laughter as James felt a sudden dizziness overtake him.

"There!" she said tearfully and James noticed with some regret that she was crying. "Now your head can match your ego!"

The students in the hall laughed as she stomped away, and continued to after she'd gone. The subject of their attention went quickly from the girl with the blue hair to the boy with the— James touched his face. What had she done to him?

"Oh, Prongs," Remus howled with laughter as Peter slapped the floor in amusement. "You should see yourself. She's a genius."

"What is it?" James asked, trying to look at his friends but finding his head was suddenly a lot heavier than it had been. "What did she do?"

"My friend," Sirius clapped a hand on James's shoulder. "Your lover really outdid herself this time. Lets get you to the nurse."

"What is it?" James insisted.

"Your head…is about ten…ten times the normal size," Peter managed to say through gulps of laughter. "You look hilarious!"

James hands went to his head and found he couldn't even reach his ears. He cursed, causing only more laughter as the throng of students grew.

"What happened to his head?"

"Why is the library closing?"

"Did you see Jaime Wylls? His face was covered in warts."

The whole hall was chattering as a ring formed about the Marauders.

"Well, well, I have to say this was one of our more successful pranks," Sirius grinned as he appeared in James's sightline. "Only one man down."

James attempted a glare, which must've looked ridiculous for it only sent Sirius into more howls of laughter.

"Let's get you to the nurse," Remus said, still chuckling as he hoisted James to the feet. "I can't imagine having a head that big is good for you."

James staggered under its weight to the amusement of the onlookers.

"You cant deny that Lily Evans can take care of herself," Peter grinned as he helped Remus support James. "That girl has spirit."

"She has a mind of her own," Remus agreed as the crowd began to slowly clear a path for the awkward group. "But that's why I like her."

"I think she's great," Sirius chimed in.

"I'm so glad we met her," Peter smiled.

James could only scowl. "I hate Lily Evans."

Lily Evans never did find out that James had protected her from the horrors of Jaime Wylls. For by the time they had grown close enough to laugh over their old rivalry, Jaime had long been forgotten and the prank in the library was merely put off onto a long list of James's buried offenses. But James had learned something important about himself on that scarce remembered day. Something that at the time seemed absolutely insignificant but would later change the course of history. For on that day, James found out that he would do anything, and he meant anything, to protect the life of Lily Evans. Even die for her. And in less than ten years time, he would fulfill that promise.

WHAT DID YOU THINK? LET ME KNOW WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T AS I'M CONSIDERING A REWRITE ON IT.

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STORY NOT COMPLETE.