The Transfiguration Assignment

"Class! Class, settle down!"

The voice of Professor McGonagall shot through the noisy classroom, stomping down on conversations and laughter until the entire room was silent. Except, of course, for a particular bunch of noisy boys in the back corner. Three dark heads were put together, bent over a piece of parchment, and a shout of laughter and a loud snicker carried across the room.

"Potter, Black, Lupin!" Professor McGonagall barked at the back row. "I am certain that whatever it is that has captured your attention is far more interesting than my lesson plans. Far be it from me to ruin your fun, so the rest of the class and I will just wait until you've finished your little plot before carrying on." Her mouth was thin with impatience, but if you looked closely, you'd be able to spot a glimmer of amused fondness in her eyes.

"Aw, you know nothing is as interesting as you, Minnie," Sirius said with a grin, as James and Remus quickly hid the parchment from view.

The professor, while heartily amused at his answer, narrowed her eyes at the last word, and it did not escape her notice how James and Remus were trying to look innocent.

"Now that you've assured me, Mr. Black, do I have the Marauders' permission to proceed with the lesson?" she asked

Sirius simply waved his hand in a regal manner and leaned back in his chair.

It was early in the year, the middle of October. The leaves were starting to turn red and yellow and orange around the edges. In the mornings great screens of mist hovered above the lake and around the castle, obscuring the Forbidden Forest from view. Pumpkins were growing larger and students were starting to get back into the rhythm of school after two months of holiday. Professor McGonagall prepared herself.

"Now that I have everyone's attention," Professor McGonagall said, with a sly look towards the back of the room, "I am sorry to say--for your sakes--that our next section will commence with a project that will count for fifty percent of your grade--"

She was interrupted by a loud, large smattering of barely repressed groans from the class in front of her.

"Yes," she said, bringing the noise level back down. "Yes, it will count for fifty percent of your grade. You will do it in pairs"--everyone seemed to brighten at this bit of news--"which I will assign." It was as if someone had let all the air out of a balloon, that's how deflated they looked.

Professor McGonagall seemed unfazed as she continued, ignoring the glowering looks she was receiving and the nervous, jumpy people who were hoping with all their might to be paired (or not to be paired) with certain someones.

One of said jumpy people was one Lily Evans. She had been in Advanced Transfiguration ever since fifth year, and she had not, so far, been paired with any of the famous (or, depending on who you were talking to, infamous) Marauders. Crossing her fingers under the desk, Lily, determined not to glance towards the back of the room, hoped with all her might to be paired with someone else.

For the past two years James Potter had relentlessly asked her out, nearly every day, and while at first it had been sort of annoying in a charming, flirty way, it had quickly turned into a vulgar, unbearable process that Lily couldn't stand. She had never agreed to go out with James, and she promised herself that she never would. When Lily had discovered on the train, just last month, that she, Head Girl, was to be sharing her new rooms with James Potter who had somehow miraculously hoodwinked Dumbledore into making him Head Boy, she had nearly died from a coronary. But James had been all politeness to her all year, at least so far. He hadn't asked her out once and mainly kept to himself or was with his friends, which was just fine with Lily, so long as they weren't bothering her. In fact, she preferred that their relationship stay that way, in the civil, just polite atmosphere.

She listened as Professor McGonagall went on to explain the project and what would be expected of them in their assigned partner groups. The project was due in a little over two weeks, on the first of November, and they'd have to give a presentation to the rest of the class as well as write separate essays on their topic. The essays were to be two rolls of parchment dedicated to the history of their topic, the correct way to use it, mishaps that had perhaps happened if it had been misused, and, of course, the real dinger, why it is important to wizarding society and how wizards depend upon it in everyday life. They were free to choose any subject, so long as it had to do with Transfiguration, and Lily already had some idea of what she wanted to research.

Taking out a list from her desk, Professor McGonagall started to read aloud. "Albani, Yewer . . . Attkinson, Willis . . . Bath, Warrington . . . Catly, von Lisbeth . . ."

It seemed to Lily that McGonagall had taken the class list and folded it in half. A few names were out of order, and she supposed that the professor had gone through the list, making sure everyone was paired up with someone of the same skill.

" . . . Black, Tuttle . . ."

Lily turned to Margaret Tuttle, who was sitting next to her. The poor girl was brilliant at Transfiguration and was being paired with Sirius Black?! What had McGonagall been thinking? Sirius gave a little wave at his partner, a broad grin on his handsomely smug face. Margaret started at the pat of Lily's hand on hers and gave a rather watery smile that was more of a grimace. Most girls Lily knew would have jumped at the chance to be partners with Sirius "Bad Boy" Black, but Margaret was one of the few, like Lily, who usually preferred brains over looks.

". . . Dean, Snape . . . Duncan, Sannet . . ."

Perched on the edge of her chair, Lily could barely refrain from biting her nails. Oh, please, she thought desperately. Mentally pairing up her classmates by their surnames, Lily sighed once she realised she had missed being James Potter's partner by one person. A relieved smile lit her face, and she slumped in her chair, happy to have the weight of worry taken off her shoulders. Thank Merlin!

". . . Edwing, Rochester . . . Elwell, Rastner . . ."

Lily's head snapped up. No! She had forgotten that Cecily Elwell took Advanced Transfiguration. She had been added a month ago, though Lily had no idea why, as in her opinion Cecily was one of the dumbest people Lily had ever had the misfortune to meet. She was as stereotypical as a person could be without blowing up and becoming a rude picture in a magazine. She was pureblood, Hufflepuff, as blonde as sunshine, as curvaceous as a ball, as dumb as pond scum, and had a nasty, high-pitched giggle to top it all off--the real icing on the cake. Lily knew her grades were not the most desired letters, so she didn't see why McGonagall didn't just throw Cecily out.

Lily couldn't help but feel sorry for George Rastner, though. George was Muggleborn, a likable guy, and dependable and honest. Lily would not have minded being his partner in the least. They had Potions with the Ravenclaws, and she had been his partner in that class for more than one project. But if Cecily was paired up with Rastner, that meant--

". . .Evans, Potter . . ."

The clipped, efficient tone of McGonagall made her want to scream. Lily had always liked Professor McGonagall. She was strict and to the point. There was no foolishness in her classroom, and since praise was so rare from her, it was cherished all the more whenever it was given. Lily had thought Professor McGonagall had known how much she detested James Potter, but perhaps she had been mistaken. Teachers couldn't be all-knowing, now could they? Though Lily had always thought Dumbledore to be as near all-knowing as possible, and look at how he had paired them up. Maybe it was all a conspiracy...

Peeking over her shoulder, Lily looked back at the corner of Marauders. Sirius and Remus were laughing loudly, but James was just sitting there, looking over at Lily. When their eyes locked, he smiled good naturedly, but his attention was diverted when Sirius leaned over and slapped him on the back, obviously making some rude comment about the opposite sex, if Remus's blush or Meryl von Lisbeth's disgusted glare accounted for anything.

Jerking around, Lily flushed with indignation. James probably thought she would do all the work and he could just sit there, fooling around with his stupid friends. Well, he had another thing coming that was for sure. Lily didn't understand how he got such good marks when he never seemed to study. There was a rumor that he was a bit of a prodigy when it came to Transfiguration, but Lily had somehow always doubted that, even if the subject did seem to take no effort on his part.

She seriously doubted that they could work together. He was such a bigheaded idiot, only using his own ideas, never giving anyone else a chance to get a word in edgewise. Manipulative bastard. And missing all those Head and prefect meetings because of Quidditch practice?

Lily would rather French kiss Snape than bet that James was telling the truth.

She wondered if McGonagall would let her switch partners if she asked. Cecily would be much more suited to James Potter than she was. He was always dating bimbos anyway, why not give him another one? At least then he'd have to actually work if he wanted to get a good grade.

Determined that this was what she'd do, and very pleased that she had a plan, Lily lived through the rest of the class tolerably well, focused only on what she'd say to McGonagall after class was over, and never realising that a pair of hazel eyes from the back row were gazing at the back of her head.