I love you guys.

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The Red Card

Three: An Ultimatum

-

"Oy… He's waking up."

James Potter opened one eye to the blindingly bright lights of the Gryffindor common room, trying to rise up from the uncomfortable sofa he was placed upon. Groaning loudly, he could still feel the kick from Evans – who knew the girl could pack so much power behind a kick? – and he knew he probably had a concussion. Looking at his friends who were quickly whispering about something (he had a sneaking suspicion it was about him).

"You know… Evans is hot when she's pissed like that," Sirius muttered loudly. He chuckled at James's obvious discomfort with the topic at hand. "I mean – really, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that punch, but…" He let loose a low whistle, "She sure doesn't pay attention to that skirt of hers."

James looked over at his two other friends, Remus appeared to be calm and collected over the whole matter, whereas Peter's face flushed brilliantly. The chubby seventeen-year-old began to stutter loudly.

"W-w… well, you know…"

"Remus – the boys told me you broke up Evans' punishment," James interrupted. Remus merely raised an eyebrow, his eyes closed as he leaned against a crimson settee. "She deserved what would happen…"

"You purposely had her get raped?" Remus butted in. His amber eyes opened an inch. "You intended for her reputation to be soiled?"

James quickly flushed, "Well… no, not exactly… Er…" Why the hell am I stuttering? "The deal was to just scare her! … I didn't… I didn't tell them to rape her…" Remus closed his eyes again.

"You shouldn't have put your trust in Slytherins, mate," Sirius told him. The onyx-haired Black stretched and yawned widely. "Trust me – Regulus is enough of a reminder for me." Sirius shivered at the thought of his brother. Then his eyes brightened, "Speaking of siblings… you mentioned Tiffani earlier."

James looked away quickly, "Really? I wouldn't know why – other than the fact that she physically abused me for half of my life," he said sarcastically. "Anyway – why're you bringing that up?"

Sirius snickered, "You mentioned Evans in the same sentence. I kinda put two and two together – isn't Evans a lot like Tiffani?" A book – from some unknown source – was tossed towards him. Sirius ducked quickly, still laughing. "Y'know, that kick of Evans looked just like the one Tiffani bestowed upon you right before you broke up with that Angela girl."

"Evans is nothing like my sister – Tiffani is much better than her."

"Oh yeah – keep telling yourself that, mate," Sirius answered, yawning widely.

-

Lily's Point of View

The next day, I couldn't look Professors McGonagall or Flitwick in the eye. I just kept hearing the heated whispers, moans and 'I can't do that in front of the students!' in the back of my mind. It was rather worse than any prank the Marauders could bestow upon me.

However, besides avoiding my Charms and Transfiguration professors, that day was amazingly different than any other.

"Hey, Evans!" Someone greeted me when I left the portrait hole.

And that, dear readers, is what was so odd. People started to greet me. And talk to me.

"Oy – Evans, need any help with your books?" Lance McDermott, a fifth year, asked me when I reached the Great Hall for breakfast. I shook my head, too confused to speak, and he just winked at me as he stepped out of the Great Hall with a few of his friends.

Curious, I decided to follow – just to hear from him why he was so nice to me.

"Oh my gosh – did you see? I spoke to her without getting a red card!" He exclaimed once I was out of sight. My blood curled – the morning greetings were only a game to them! "Still," I continued to hear Lance as he kept speaking, "I think she's cool. I mean – she took on the Marauders and she's still here!"

"What a girl… y'know, if she didn't have a red card, I'd ask her to Hogsmeade," One of his friends answered.

I froze. They thought I was… cool?

A smile lit my face, and I started to waltz back to the Gryffindor table. I grabbed a large croissant from the table and munched. Today was the start of a good day.

-

Luckily, that day was a Hogsmeade trip. I needed to get my mother and my sister Petunia a gift – in a few weeks Petunia would be married to her longtime sweetheart Vernon Dursley and my mother's birthday was a few days afterwards – and I was hungry for some Honeydukes' chocolate.

I was just about to head into a romantic store for Petunia's wedding present when I felt a few hands grab me. Panicking, I started to remember what happened the day before – those four boys still terrified me – and I began to thrash around. Surely someone would see me.

"Eh… James, she's not staying still."

Sirius Black.

I thrashed some more – the last thing I wanted was Sirius Black running his paws on me! I was able to hit someone behind me, and I turned my head to see.

Oddly enough, I didn't see anyone.

"Gerroffme!" I growled out, kicking and thrashing. "Sirius Black! I'll declare rape if you don't let go!"

A pair of hands dropped off of me, but three other sets held on tight. I had a feeling of who those three were.

"Use this. It'll calm her down." I heard Potter. Of course, they were trying to prank me.

"Potter – if you're using an Invisibility Cloak, I'll inform a professor! I know you're not allowed to have one!" I warned just as a dripping wet cloth was placed over my mouth. Its fumes overwhelmed me, and I recognized it just as I passed out.

Chloroform…

-

"Goodness. Look at this rat's nest."

I felt miscellaneous poking and prodding and hair pulling as I awoke from my drugged state. A bright light was focused upon me – it was so bright I couldn't see those who were surrounding me. I could only see their silhouettes – apparently, two men and a woman were near.

"Pretty color of hair, but it's so hideous. It's not very fashionable, and it has too many split ends!"

My… hair? Why were they talking about my hair?

"Look at this skin! It's so dry!"

I felt a bit nervous as my eyes focused on the people around me.

"Er… where am I?" I asked nervously, covering myself up. Apparently, whoever kidnapped me – most likely Potter and his friends – took my clothes and put a towel around me. The people around me grinned.

"Why – you're getting the best treatment for hair and skin available!" One of the men next to me exclaimed.

"Er…" I started, but I wasn't able to finish when a new uniform was brought to me, as well as a beautiful set of emerald-green dress robes. "Wow…" I could feel myself unravel – it was all so much… who would do so much for me?

"Miss – you must hurry up," A woman informed me. "Get dressed in your dress robes – immediately."

Doing as she asked – I was quite nervous – she shooed me into a brightly colored apartment. It was rather cool… I guess. The color scheme – different shades of aqua blue – seemed calming, and I felt myself relax… that is, until I remembered I was kidnapped.

I noticed a picture out of place on the wall – while most of the pictures on the walls were painted, this one was a photograph. It was a picture of three smiling boys, about the age of seven, with one boy sulking. Each boy looked familiar.

One boy had long, jet black hair, olive skin and dark eyes, the second with messy black hair and glasses, the third was short and chubby with watery blue eyes, and the sulking boy had blonde hair and amber colored eyes.

My eyes continued to lock with the sulking boy's, so much so that I didn't hear the footsteps behind me.

"That's a picture of us when we were starting primary school."

I turned to see Potter there, hands in his uniform pockets, wearing a pair of dark green – a few shades darker than mine – dress robes. His normal smirk was plastered on his face.

"You seem to be watching Remus quite a lot," he mentioned. His smirk grew, "You don't fancy him, do you?" I flushed as I shook my head quickly.

"What… what am I doing here?" I asked, looking around, "That is… where is here?" I threw my arms in the air in desperation – where was I?

"You're in my apartment – well, my parents' Hogsmeade one," Potter answered simply, "And you're here because I want to make a deal with you." I raised an eyebrow; I didn't really believe him…

"What kind of deal?" I asked suspiciously. He better not ask for anything perverted, I thought.

There came that smirk again, "I'll let you hang out with me," he said arrogantly – as if he didn't speak in that tone all the time! – "Well… just by ourselves. In front of everyone else, I'll have to prank you and whatnot, but… alone, you can hang out with me." My jaw dropped.

What an arrogant prick!

"What makes you think I want to hang out with you?" I asked in disbelief, "I kicked you in the face!"

"Oh, come on! Look at this place! I can buy you anything you want – trust me, I have enough money," Potter bragged. I wanted to roll my eyes at his audacity. "Believe me; any girl would want to be in your shoes now."

I glared at him, "Then ask any other girl!" I messed up the nice hairdo that was bestowed on me, "I'll pay you back for the facial and hairdo, and I'll give you back the dress robes when I get back to the castle." I stormed towards the front door.

"Oy – are you nuts or something?" Potter exclaimed, "I'm giving you anything you want!"

I turned on my heel to look at him, "If you think you can buy me off, you've got another thing coming!" I turned back around and stormed out the door, ignoring Potter's incessant stuttering.

-

I could not believe Potter's gall! Buy me off? What a fool!

Once I reached my dormitory, I quickly shed the pretty silk robes for my school uniform. I was so mad! Who did he think he was – some famous pop singer that could sway any girl into following him? Well, this is one girl that refuses to be swayed by Mr. I'm-too-good-for-you James Potter.

Still, I hurried out of my dormitory, heading straight for the library. Hopefully I'd be able to hide my frustrations against Potter with a good book – after all, NEWTs were coming up soon.

I just reached the library doors when I saw the crowds in the hallways separate.

Oh, Merlin – not now!

I turned the doorknob quickly – hopefully, they wouldn't see me.

Just as I stepped a foot in the doorway, I could hear the loud cawing of an owl.

"Oh look, Prongs," I heard Sirius exclaim. Prongs… who is that? "Yorick's here. You know what that means." He and Peter, I could hear from the doorway, chuckled. "Tiffani. Poor soul – having a sister as cruel as Evans."

He had a sister? Odd.

I sighed – forget about them! You need to study Transfiguration! – and was about to walk to a nearby table when I realized something.

My Transfiguration book lay in my dormitory. In my frustration, I had forgotten it.

Groaning, I walked back out only to be met with the chests of the Marauders.

Oh, God truly loves me that much I'm sure.

I tried not to look at Potter – I was way too nervous – and instead looked past him at Lupin. My heart raced – oh no… I don't fancy him, do I?! – and I quickly dashed off.

I hope to all that is holy that I didn't blush.

-

Third Person P.O.V.

James Potter watched the red-haired girl dash off, a pretty blush lighting her cheeks.

She was looking right at me… and she blushed

He could feel his face heat up – Lily Evans didn't like him… or did she? Was she just playing 'Hard to Get'?

He smirked, Lily Evans, you're gonna get your heart broken!

-

A/n: Poor, foolish, ignorant James.

xD You all are evil – truly evil.

Info You –May- Need to Know:

Emma will not be showing up later in the story! She will fall into some unknown plot hole and never return.

For those who have read Hana Yori Dango, you may remember the character Shizuka. She (or a character based on her) will not be in this story. I don't want to complicate the whole thing more than it already is.

This is a Lily x James fiction… Lily's just crushing heavily on Remus right now.

No, I'm not planning on disemboweling James… though I will write an omake (joke) chapter for you all who are bloodthirsty for revenge.

I have a few pictures to go along with this story. The links for them are in my profile. Check them out if you have time!

This story will be finished soon! I have it outlined for 10 chapters total.

Sakurako and Thomas, from HYD, will be making an entrance in the upcoming chapters… beware.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Harry Potter or Hana Yori Dango.

Sneak Peek: "The Blackboard Knows All"