Disclaimer: All characters belong to J K Rowling and her publishers, except for Jenny Anderson, Elaida Malfoy, Darin Zabini, Elsie Sorenson, and Naomi Redack, who are my original creations. Some of them have appeared in other fics; this fic is not related to any of those.

If you've read much Shakespeare, some of the plot may be familiar to you. I'll explain in detail in the concluding author's note, because I don't want to spoil the plot.

Everyone agreed, later, that it began with McGonagall. After all, she was the one who announced the news at the end of one Transfigurations class.

"As some of you are no doubt aware," she said as the sixth years prepared to leave their seats, "The annual sixth and seventh years dance will be held ten days from today. No doubt you will need the time to prepare for the dance. However, if any of you neglect your homework because of it, you will not be going. Understand?" She glared at a few mischievous boys who she knew would be all too eager to take a chance not to do any homework. They just grinned back at her. She sighed. The days before the dance were always memorable. And with a certain threesome who was just now old enough…

"That will be all. You are dismissed," she said before she could give herself a headache thinking about what disasters might ensue.

James, Remus, Sirius and Peter grinned at each other. Actually, the other three tried to grin at Peter, but he was heading out the door already, eager to get to lunch.

"This is going to be so much fun," Sirius proclaimed.

"What are you talking about? You always said how stupid the dance was before," Remus put in, puzzled.

"Ah, but we weren't old enough then. Actually, I was referring to the havoc we are going to wreak this next week and a half."

"Which havoc would that be?" James asked calmly. "I don't remember us deciding on any havoc for a while."

"I'll think of something," Sirius promised. "I always do." He grinned wickedly. "Remember-"

"We remember everything, Padfoot," Remus said. "Including some of the more memorable occurrences that have gotten us into big trouble. Let's be careful, this time."

"When am I not careful?" Sirius asked with an injured voice. The three boys began to walk to the Great Hall. James snorted with suppressed laughter.

"Padfoot, you and careful are two things that have never once gone together."

"That's not true, Prongs. When I threw that Dungbomb at Filch last week, I was very careful to make sure it landed on his bald spot and not his feet."

"That isn't what I meant," James said, but he smiled. "Oh, well, you come up with a plan and we'll see."

"So, who are you going to ask to the dance?" Remus asked his friends.

"I'm not sure yet," Sirius said. "Maybe Annie Hughes, that cute Hufflepuff."

"I thought you were going out with the Ravenclaw prefect what's-her-name." Remus looked over. "What's up?"

"Eh, Sara and I had some differences. But I'll have a date, no problem. What about you, James?"

"I don't know. Maybe I should ask Sara, if she's over you."

"What about Lily?" Sirius asked slyly.

"Her! You remember what happened the one time I asked her out?"

"She refused," Remus recalled. "So?"

"She doesn't think much of our little pranks," James said. "I think it had something to do with the time we made those potions explode. Remember? We were trying to get Snape but hers exploded instead. And maybe there were a couple other things." He shifted a little, uneasy. "Anyway, she's hardly the only girl in the school. I'll find someone really great." Sirius and Remus didn't reply. If James had looked at Sirius, he would have seen his friend deep in thought, a tiny smile playing across his lips.

"So what was so important, Padfoot?" Remus slipped into a seat across from him. Sirius looked up.

"Moony, great. Hold on, I've invited someone else."

"Look, if you don't want James to know, we'll have to hurry. I think he's looking for us."

"Well, it'll ruin everything if he –wait! Here she is!" Sirius grinned as a slender, dark haired girl approached the place where the boys sat in the library.

"So, Sirius, why did you need to see me?"

"Jenny, you are Lily's best friend, right?"

"I think so," she said. "Why?"

"Because Remus and I have been thinking," here he kicked Remus because the other boy looked as if he were about to deny any involvement in the scheme. "We've been thinking about the dance coming up."

"Yes?" she prompted.

"Well, who do you think would make the best couple who aren't already involved?" Sirius asked clumsily. Jenny frowned for a second, and then smiled as it became obvious what Sirius was trying to say.

"Of course. Lily and James. Everyone except the two of them knows that they'd be perfect together. They're both intelligent, well-liked, they have great senses of humor, he's handsome, she's gorgeous –the prettiest girl in the school, there's no doubt."

"Right," Remus agreed. He, too, saw what Sirius meant. "But James thinks that he doesn't care for Lily."

"And Lily has said time and again that you three boys are the most useless ruffians in the school," Jenny finished. "Sometimes she's just a little too good for her own good."

"Well, that'll change if we get them together," Sirius promised. "And I have an idea how. That's why I asked you here, Jenny. I'll need your help."

"Right," Jenny said. "As long as it won't hurt anyone, I'm in."

"Relax, we won't even get detention," Sirius promised. Jenny looked startled at the causal way he wrote off what was normally a dire threat. But she giggled.

"Of course, you boys have gotten detention so many times you probably don't even care."

"Of course we care," Remus said indignantly. "I hate shining the trophies."

"Although we haven't had to do that this year. Anyway, you'll have to get an accomplice, I think, Jenny. But here's the plan…."

Standing behind a shelf of books, Severus Snape strained to hear the words of the conversation but failed. He smiled anyway, though. He'd heard enough. Perhaps this would give him a chance to have revenge on that insufferable Potter and his miserable friends.

"Where's Moony and Padfoot?" James asked Peter as he entered the boys' room. Peter looked up from his books.

"Oh, they left you a message. They said they'd wait for you in the forest, at the usual place."

"You aren't coming?" James looked at the other boy.

"No, I've got homework, and this cold won't go away. I don't think that I should be running around that damp forest at this time of night."

"Right. You just want us out of the way so you can ask Naomi Redack to the ball."

"Naomi!" Peter shrieked. "Naomi the horse-faced Hufflepuff? Why would I ask her out?" He threw a pillow at James, who ducked out, laughing. James hurried down the stairs and out the secret way. He transformed when he was halfway down to the forest.

"Where are they?" James muttered. He'd transformed back stood in their normal clearing. He didn't see anyone. Then he heard soft voices off to the side. He quietly started toward them, not wanting to disturb any forest dwellers. Suddenly, he heard his name mentioned.

"I don't know what to tell James," Sirius was saying. James froze and stood listening. Sirius continued. "Jenny was absolutely sure we shouldn't tell him, but I don't know what we should do."

"And Jenny's sure that Lily is in love with him?" Remus asked.

"Definitely. She said that Lily's been acting all weird for weeks."

"Weird? How?"

"I don't know. However it is that girls act when they're in love."

"So why doesn't Lily just tell James?"

"Because she remembers how she turned him down when he asked her out that one time, and thinks he'll laugh or make life miserable for her."

"It's too bad," Remus said. "She's pretty, and nice, and she's smart and just about perfect. But remember how James was so indifferent last week?"

"Yeah. So we won't say anything at all. Okay?"

"That seems like the best idea to me," Remus agreed. "I do hope James gets here soon. We do need to get some sleep tonight."

"Maybe Peter messed up the message. Let's go check up by the lake," Sirius suggested. James heard the other two boys leave. He still stood without moving, thinking about what he'd just heard. Lily in love with him? Could it be true? Surely Jenny would know. The two girls were very close. And Lily was beautiful and smart and sweet. Maybe he should try it. Ask her to the dance. It couldn't hurt. With sudden resolve, he headed off for the lake. He'd ask her as soon as he got back. And they'd make this a short adventure, be back before bedtime.

Lily hurried through the library. She was late for her study session with Jenny and Elsie Sorenson. Somehow, she'd misplaced her Potions book and had spent ten minutes searching for it. She just hoped that the girls hadn't waited too long. Hurrying behind the stacks of books, she stopped suddenly as she heard Jenny and Elsie conversing in low tones. Lily could hear their conversation quite clearly, and they were talking about her. She was embarrassed, but she did want to hear what they were saying… Wrestling with herself, she finally decided to listen.

"So, why did Sirius want to see you?" Elsie was asking. "Lily was wondering where you'd gone. Did he ask you to the dance?"

"Me? Not likely. Not when half the girls at Hogwarts are falling over themselves getting him to notice them. I'm hardly pretty enough. No, it was about James."

"Why would Sirius ask you something about James?"

"Oh, see, well, - James is in love with Lily!"

"No! James Potter, the most eligible bachelor in the school?" Elsie joked. "I wish I were so lucky. So what's the problem?"

"Well, James desperately wants to ask Lily to the dance, but he just knows she'll turn him down again. Sirius says he's been mooning over her for hours."

"Really? How romantic."

"Yes. But Lily, I'm sure, is still mad at him. If only she would lighten up a little… she and James would be a great couple."

"Yes, they would. He's sooo handsome," Elsie giggled. "Maybe if Lily turns him down I can get a date with him."

"Yeah, you and the half the school that isn't falling over Sirius," Jenny said dryly. "Sometimes Lily can be a little exasperating, but I can't think of a nicer girl to have as a friend." The two girls started to talk about other things. Lily moved off silently to a place where she could be alone.

"Oh, James," she whispered. "How could I have been so blind? But I'll make it up. Just ask me and see!" She smiled softly to herself.

Now there were only five days until the dance, and everyone was talking about who was going with whom. All the Gryffindors were chattering about how James and Lily had decided to go together. Many students were surprised, but four smiled at each other and knew exactly why the handsome couple was together.

"I can't believe this actually worked!" Jenny whispered to Sirius and Remus one evening. James and Lily were sitting together, doing homework. "Er, any idea why the two of them are hardly speaking to any of us?"

"They're in love," Sirius snickered. "Look at them! Well, I'm sure James will get back to normal after the dance."

"He better not try to dump Lily," Jenny warned. "She's my friend, and I won't stand for that." She glared at the boys.

"James loves Lily," Remus said. "I think he really has loved her for a long time. It just took a little to get him to realize it."

"I think Lily was the same way," Jenny said thoughtfully. "She doesn't change her mind that quickly. If she hadn't already loved James, I don't think that she'd have –well, look at her." The three turned and stared at their friends, who were laughing together.

"Well," Remus said, "Where's Elsie?"

"I don't know, the library, I think," Jenny looked at him. "Why?"

"Oh, I thought that since neither of us has a date for the dance yet, I might ask her." Sirius snickered and Remus blushed. "Anything wrong, Padfoot?"

"Nothing at all, Moony. Go find her." Remus stood and headed for the door. Sirius turned back to Jenny, who was frowning.

"Why do you call him Moony, anyway? Those nicknames are very strange."

"Maybe I'll tell you someday," he said mysteriously. "Anyway, do you have a date?"

"No."

"I'm a little surprised."

"I'm hardly as stunning as Lily. A lot of boys were quite upset when James asked her."

"You're hardly ugly," Sirius said.

"Thanks, I think."

"Would you go with me?"

"You don't have a date yet?" She stared at him. "I'm amazed. I thought that certain girls would be asking you."

"Who's to say they haven't?" He said, grinning wickedly. "But will you go with me?"

"Oh –yes. Certainly, I'd love to."

"Great!"

"So who is Peter asking?"

"I have no idea. Naomi seems to have gotten the idea that he wants to ask her."

"The Hufflepuff girl?"

"That's the one."

"I wonder how she got that idea," Jenny said with a level voice, her eyes sparkling. Sirius grinned in admission.

"Well, maybe I had something to do with it. But he's got to take someone."

"Right. Anyway, we can keep an eye on James and Lily. Make sure they don't dance into the wall or something because they're too busy looking at each other."

"Sounds good. And maybe I can make old Prongs nuts."

"You know, I don't know how your friends can stand hanging out with you. You must drive them crazy."

"I try," Sirius laughed. Jenny just stared.

"That Potter," Snape swore. He was conversing in the dark Slytherin common room with his friend, Darin Zabini.

"So what are you going to do about him?" Zabini prompted. "You've only been gloating for the past week that you had a sure-fire plan."

"I do," Snape said. "I'll need your help, though."

"We won't get in any trouble, will we?"

"No. Don't worry." Snape stared contemptuously at the other boy. "You'll be in no danger. Now we need someone else to help."

"Who?" Snape thought for a moment.

"Elaida Malfoy," he said finally. "She's the right size. And I knew her brother. I think she'll help." He pulled out his wand. "Do you remember that Charm that Flitwick taught us a couple months ago? The hair color charm?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Because you know I'm not that good at Charms, and I'll need you to do it." Snape began to elaborate. Halfway through, Zabini began to smile.

"Potter! Black!" A Slytherin boy came striding down the corridor toward James, Sirius and Remus.

"What?" James asked brusquely. "What do you want, Zabini?"

"I need to talk to you," he said. He dragged the Gryffindor boys into an empty room.

"Look, Potter," he began. "I know that we Slytherins don't much care for you Gryffindors, but we're not all evil."

"So?" Sirius broke in. "What do you want?" Zabini ignored Sirius and continued to address James.

"You're going to the dance with Lily tomorrow night, aren't you?"

"That's right," James said. "Why?"

"Because – because –well, every Slytherin knows, I'm amazed you don't. But it's shameful."

"What?"

"The way she's treating you. You are a decent person, even if you are a Gryffindor. She shouldn't be doing this."

"What?" James asked again.

"I –can't explain. Look, I've got to hurry, someone's sure to be looking for me. But tonight, go out near the Whomping Willow around eight and you'll see – I've got to go. I swear I'm telling the truth. See for yourself." He ran out. The three boys stared at each other.

"You think he's setting us up?" Remus asked. "Trying to get us in trouble somehow?"

"Somehow," Sirius agreed.

"What could he have been talking about?" James wondered.

"If we were there tonight at eight…" Sirius trailed off.

"We've got the Cloak," James said. "I'm going. You can come or stay."

"I'm coming," Sirius said.

"Me too," Remus agreed.

"Don't step on me!" Sirius hissed. "That was my foot!"

"Sorry," Remus muttered. "We're almost there." The boys stopped far enough form the Willow to avoid its branches but near enough to see anything going on. Suddenly they saw a figure nearby.

"Who's that?" James whispered.

"Snape!" Sirius growled. "What's he doing here?"

"Sshh!" Remus said. They fell silent. A moment later, another figure headed down the lawn. It was too dark to make out who it was. Snape reached out a hand and took that of the dark shape.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked. "I can't see!"

"He's –he's kissing whoever it is," Remus said. "Look!" The boys could see Snape and the girl in a passionate embrace. Suddenly, the half moon shone through the clouds and the boys could see long, brilliant red hair.

Only one girl in the whole school had red hair like that.

None of the boys knew how they'd gotten back to the castle and into an empty room without any outbursts.

"How could she do that!" James raged. "Snape!"

"I never would have thought Lily would do such a thing," Remus said. "Has she said anything to you?"

"She said she loved me!" James strode back and forth. "I am so angry!"

"What should we do?" Sirius asked. "Break Snape's head in?"

"Oh, and get expelled?" Remus retorted. "How about we just all not go to the dance. Let everything blow over." He looked at James, his eyes pleading with his friend, asking him to not make a big scene.

"Talk to her," Sirius said. "Tell her what you saw and that you won't take her."

"She lied to me." James spoke quietly now, but coldly. "She deceived me, and you heard what Zabini said. All the Slytherins knew. Who knows who else knew and is laughing at me?"

"What do you want to do?" Sirius asked.

"I'll ask her," James said. "I'll ask her what she was doing. Tomorrow night, I'll ask her. Before the dance, in front of the whole House. She won't lie then." He strode off, still fuming.

"This does not seem like a good idea," Remus said to Sirius.

"Moony, we're responsible. If it hadn't been for us, he'd never have asked her. We can't interfere any more. We'll just make it worse."

"You're probably right," Remus said, staring miserably at the door. "I just don't like this at all."

"Jenny, can you help me with this?"

"Sure, Lily." Jenny came over to her friend and helped her with her hair. "You look lovely."

"So do you," Lily said with a smile. "Are you excited?"

"Yes. And you?"

"Oh, I am. I –I really love James, Jenny. I don't know why it took me so long to realize it, but I do love him."

"Good. I think the two of you are perfect together," Jenny said. "And I'm thrilled that Sirius asked me."

"He is pretty cute, isn't he?" Lily said with a laugh. "Not as handsome as James, in my opinion, but I suppose I'm biased."

"He's quite cute," Elsie said. "Remus is very handsome, too. And much more –well, refined, than Sirius."

"Sirius is a bit of a troublemaker," Jenny admitted with a grin. "Still, his heart is in the right place, and he will do anything for his friends."

"Oh, gosh, it's almost time," Elsie commented. "We'd best get down to the common room." The three girls headed down the stairs.

Most of the House was sitting around already, the younger students staring at the older ones with envy, the older ones conversing quietly among themselves. James, Sirius and Remus were nowhere to be seen

Then the door to the boys' dormitory opened and they came out. They were very handsomely arrayed, but their expressions were more suited to a funeral then a party. Remus looked very apprehensive. Jenny looked at Sirius. She gave him a small smile, but he just stared. The whole House went quiet, waiting for what, they did not know.

"Lily," James said coldly, walking right up to her and staring at her, "Would you care to explain what you were doing last night at eight?"

"I was in the library, studying," she said, bewildered. She glanced at Jenny and Elsie. Their faces showed the confusion that she felt.

"In the library?" James repeated. "Then how could Sirius, Remus and I have seen you on the lawn near the Whomping Willow?"

"I don't know," she said. "I was not outside last night."

"I saw you with my own eyes," he said. "You were out there, kissing Severus Snape!"

"I did no such thing!" she protested.

"I saw you. They saw you too," he said, gesturing at Remus and Sirius. "So why? Didn't you say that you loved me? Why would you treat me this way? What have I done to you?"

"I didn't," she began again. Everyone was staring at her. She was almost crying now. "James, I-" She reached out with her hand. He slapped it away. Without another word, he turned and left. Sirius and Remus followed. Lily stared after them. The world seemed to be fading in and out. Then, suddenly, everything went dark.

Lily pitched over backwards in a dead faint. Jenny helped catch her and lie her down. She and Elsie leaned over the unconscious girl.

"Oh, poor Lily," Jenny murmured. "How could they do this to you?" A sudden, horrible thought struck her.

"If this was all some horrid prank, I swear that I will kill those boys."

"You saw the way James looked. He believed it was true." Elsie felt Lily's pulse. "She's fine, just fainted." Jenny stood up.

"Take care of her. I'm going to straighten this up." She strode out of the now deserted common room, through the empty corridors, and into the brightly lit Great Hall. Everyone was conversing with everyone else; no doubt, word of the scandal had spread like a shot. Jenny saw the three boys standing together near the door. She walked straight up to them.

"How dare you?" She demanded. "How can you even think such a thing of Lily?"

"We saw her," James stated. He moved off. Jenny turned on Sirius.

"Sirius, she didn't do it! I know that, know it with all my heart."

"Were you with her, last night, in the library?" Sirius asked. Jenny hesitated.

"No," she admitted. "She was alone."

"Then how do you know that she's innocent?"

"The way you would know if James told you the truth about something! She's my best friend. We are closer than sisters. She is not lying. She loves James, with all her heart. Did you see her faint after you accused her?"

"No," he said. "But Jenny, we saw her!"

"You idiot," Jenny said. "You saw someone you thought was her."

"No one else here has red hair like hers," Sirius said. Remus remained silent.

"Is that what you saw? Red hair, long like Lily's?" The boys nodded. "You really are idiots. Don't you remember learning that hair-coloring charm a few months back? I know probably every girl in the school can work that one."

"Hair coloring charm?" Sirius asked blankly.

"Don't you ever pay attention in class? Remus, you get good marks in Charms. Don't you –oh, that was one of those days that you were out." Jenny stared at them. "How did you know that Snape was to be out there, anyway? Or were you just up to more mischief?"

"Darin Zabini told us. He said every Slytherin knew," Remus said.

"Darin Zabini is probably the closest thing Snape has to a friend here, and Snape is the person here with the biggest grudge against you boys," Jenny said. "Why on earth would you trust anything you learned from him?"

"It was only after we saw," Remus said miserably. Jenny looked around.

"Snape must have had a girl to help him. Who might that have been? Slytherin, built enough like Lily to fool you, someone with a grudge…" she ran through a list of possible suspects in her mind. "I'll bet it was Elaida Malfoy. She hates us Gryffindor girls. Look!" She pointed across the room to where Snape was dancing with a girl. "There's Elaida. Snape doesn't look happy. I'll bet he had to take her as payment for her help." She smiled grimly. "Those are your culprits. Now, are you going to help me?"

"Help you what?" Sirius asked dumbly.

"We've got to prove to James that Lily is innocent. You believe me, don't you?" Jenny turned her eyes on them appealingly.

"I do," Remus said. "It never seemed right to me, somehow."

"Yeah, I do," Sirius said heavily. "We'll need more evidence to convince James, though. He's really mad."

"So we get some evidence," Jenny said. "Are either of you any good at Illusions?"

"What?" Remus said. "We haven't learned much about those yet."

"That wasn't what I asked," she said dryly. "You boys seem to know a lot that we haven't been taught yet. We're going to turn the tables on Snape. I just need to know if you can make me look like Esmerelda Hogan."

"Why would you want to look like her?" Sirius asked in surprise.

"Because she's the girl that Darin Zabini is sweet on," Jenny explained patiently. "She doesn't care for him at all –smart girl – but she's sick with the toothache and won't be here tonight. But he's going to think that she is. I have to get something from Gryffindor Tower," she said. "And you boys should find somewhere to hide. I'll meet you in the Charms classroom, and we'll go from there." She ran off.

"We might need the Cloak," Sirius said. "I'll grab it, you go to the room."

"Right," Remus said. Sirius took off for Gryffindor tower. He passed through the door and saw Lily sitting in a chair. She turned her head away from him.

"Lily, I'm really sorry," he said. "I know now that we were wrong, and we're going to prove it to James." She looked at him, a tiny hope in her eyes. Jenny came clattering down the stairs, holding a strange looking object.

"One more time, Lily, how does this work?" she asked. Then she saw Sirius. "What are you doing?"

"Getting something that will help," he said, and ducked off up the stairs. He grabbed the Cloak from its customary place under James' mattress. I was an idiot. When will I learn to think things through? He wondered. He took the stairs two at a time, hiding the Cloak under his robes. Jenny stood near the portrait hole.

"You ready?" she asked. He nodded. They both glanced back at Lily.

"Don't worry, Lily," Jenny said. "Elsie –do whatever it takes, but make her fix her hair and wash her face. We'll be up with James to have him apologize very soon." And they climbed out of the picture.

"What took you so long?" Remus asked. "Never mind, let's get moving." Jenny was hooking the odd object up to several wires and clipping it on her dress.

"You'll have to hide this, too," she said. "I know that Darin's a pureblood, but he just might know what this is."

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

"A tape recorder," Jenny said, grim satisfaction in her voice. "It'll record what he says. By the way, you'll have to make me sound like Esmerelda too."

"Right," Sirius said. "Let me think here." He pulled out his wand, studied her, and then waved it, mumbling. A sudden transfiguration seemed to come over her.

"Hmm," Remus said. "I can see the top of her head sticking out, Sirius."

"It's just an illusion, you know, and Esmerelda is much shorter," Sirius said crossly. "I'll give her head the illusion of not being there." The bits of head vanished. "Right. Now, say something."

"Are you sure that this worked right?" Jenny asked. Her voice sounded different too.

"Yeah, it's perfect," Sirius said. "Now we've got to hurry. The spell won't last long. That's why it's no good for sneaking around," he added. "Let's go." Jenny went first, heading for the Great Hall. Sirius and Remus put on the Cloak and carefully followed.

This was harder than any other time they'd used the Cloak, because there were so many other people around. But they hurried after Jenny as she approached Darin Zabini.

"Hello, Darin," she said.

"Esmerelda! I thought you were sick!"

"I was a little ill, but when I heard the excitement I just had to come." She lowered her voice. "Amazing that Lily would do such a thing! Serves her right, getting caught. She always did act as if she were a cut above the rest of us."

"Yeah," Darin said. "About time those Gryffindors learned a lesson, eh?"

"Yes. And that Snape should be the one to give it to them like that! I never thought that Lily would look at a Slytherin." She stared at him. "Or did she?"

"I don't know what you mean," Darin protested.

"Surely you do," she said, her voice low and confidential. "Surely if Snape did anything, you would know. You are, after all, the most intelligent boy in Slytherin."

"I am?"

"Yes, you are."

"Well, maybe so," he said. "But it really wasn't my idea."

"No?" she prompted. "I must know! Please?"

"Will you dance with me?" he asked.

"In a moment," she promised. "Come on, Darin! We're in the same House! You can trust me."

"Well," he said, looking around to make sure no one was near, "You're right. Lily wouldn't have looked at Snape. And she didn't. It was Elaida."

"And those Gryffindor boys were idiots enough to not realize?"

"Well, we did a little something to Elaida's hair. They thought they saw miss perfect prefect Lily, all right."

"But they didn't?"

"That's the best part of the whole business," he said smugly. "She's completely innocent."

"Hmm," Jenny said. "Excuse me, I must use the ladies' room. I'll dance with you when I get back." She hurried out and back into the Charms room.

"Did you hear that?" she asked the boys when they appeared. "I've got it all on the tape."

"We heard it," Sirius said. "Stay here. I'm going to get James." Five minutes later he was back.

"What is so important, Padfoot?" James demanded.

"Sit," Jenny said. She turned on the recorder and played back the entire conversation. James' horrified expression at the end told her that the job had been successful.

"Now see what you did!" she said coldly. "Lily was innocent, just like she said. I have never seen her more hurt. If it would make her feel better, I'd rip your heart out, but it wouldn't, because she seems to still be an idiot about you."

"What have I done?" James whispered. "How can I possibly make it up to her?"

"Start by apologizing," Jenny suggested.

"I'll go now," he said. The other three accompanied him. Not one word was said.

"Wait," Remus said as they were halfway to the tower. "We know the truth. But by now the whole school has heard what's happened. What do we do about that?" James groaned.

"Blast it. It's all my fault."

"Yes, it is," Jenny agreed.

"Look, Prongs, we did help get you into this," Sirius said. "We'll help get you out. I think I might know how. Jenny, get Lily down to the Great Hall any way you can. Explain that James is going to make everything right again."

"How?" James asked gloomily. "By throwing myself out a window? That's about what it will take."

"Not quite that bad," Sirius said. "You're just going to apologize in front of all the sixth and seventh years, plus the teachers. The word will get around pretty fast."

"Yes," James said. "I suppose that would get everything right. I'll do it, of course. If Lily gets down there so I can."

"Right," Jenny said. "I'll just go then." She headed off.

"Blast, what a mess we've got here," Sirius sighed. "And I really didn't have much to do with it."

"It's not a joking matter, Padfoot," Remus said. "We'd best get down and ready."

When Lily walked in, she was very pale, but she held her head high. Jenny and Elsie stood on either side of her, for moral support. All conversation stopped for a moment, then continued in whispers. A few Slytherins looked very pleased with themselves. Lily glanced at Severus Snape and was glad to see that he had the decency to look ashamed.

She walked to the center of the room, where James, flanked by Remus and Sirius, stood. He tried to speak, but the noise was by now so loud that no one could hear. Sirius raised his wand, which emitted several loud bangs. That settled things down.

"Everyone," he said loudly, "I'd like your attention for a moment." Then, with all eyes on him, he walked over to Lily. "Lily, I'm very, very sorry that I accused you of such things. I know now that you are innocent, and I am ashamed that I even suspected that you might do such a thing. I don't know if you can forgive me, but I am sorry and beg you for forgiveness."

"I do forgive you, James. I understand that you were upset, and fooled."

"Yes," James said. He glanced around the room. "I'm not going to say who was involved in that scheme –it doesn't really matter, since I know and they know. But Lily, I love you. That's why I was so upset at the thought of you in love with anyone else. I don't know if you can love me after I did such a thing to you."

"Maybe I'm an idiot," she said, "But I do love you, James Potter." She took the hand he offered her. The crowd was whispering again. It seemed that James and Lily had forgotten that anyone else was in the room, because he kissed her slowly. Jenny could see a number of other couples following suit. She saw Peter trying to kiss Naomi, his date, but the girl didn't want to be kissed and kicked Peter in the shins.

"How come I'm the one that did all the work, and they're the ones who get the kisses?" Sirius complained, pointing to where Remus and Elsie were also embracing.

"You did all the work?" Jenny was quite skeptical.

"Well, the original plot was my idea, and I did help think up most of the solution. And I did do those illusions."

"Yeah," Jenny said. "At least you didn't have to trick that Zabini. Oh, well." And she kissed him.

"Maybe we should dance now?" Sirius asked. He looked at James and Lily. They were waltzing, oblivious to anyone else.

"I think that would be nice," Jenny said. She smiled a little. "You better be careful this evening, or I might decide to make you take life seriously."

"A threat?"

"A promise." She glanced across the floor at Lily, now so happy. "I love happy endings."

"This isn't the end," Sirius said. "It's only the start of a new story."

Author's Note: Do you recognize the plot? Parts of it are based on Much Ado about Nothing, my second favorite Shakespeare play, after The Taming of the Shrew. It occurred to me, after reading yet another attempt by someone to adapt Romeo and Juliet to Harry Potter, that they were trying the wrong play. So I flipped through those I have studied and selected this as having the most adaptable plot. You may recognize that I took bits of things that happened to two couples in Ado and made it all happen to Lily and James. It was just fun to torment them! I've been wanting to do one where they are alive and happy and don't spend the entire fic foreshadowing their deaths… I think this story fits the bill. I wanted to give Peter a better part, but I hate him too much, and it was all I could do not to set him up with Elaida or someone.

For some reason, though, Lily and James don't seem to have a lot of the action. I can't explain why. They just didn't. Anything unbelievable is there because it had to fit the play outline…

And notes on names: if you recognize a name in my story, and it's really unusual and from a fantasy or science fiction novel, I probably did borrow it. I am awful about making up names, and until a year ago, all my heroines had the same three names. So yes, Elaida is from a book. I think Elsie is a character from a book I read many years ago, but I'm not sure.

Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you thought –reviews are always appreciated. Even from dear old FuBaR, because she doesn't seem to realize that even when she's criticizing me, she's telling me that she read my story. Draw your own conclusions.