Dates, Pranks and Marauders

Chapter I- The Invitation

James Potter stared nervously down at his shoes. He chanced a look over at Lily Evans, who happened to glace up at the same time...damn those brilliant emerald eyes. Why did she always look over just as he looked up? James noticed Sirius sniggering next to him and shot him a warning glance, making him snigger even more loudly.

His quill, which had at one point been quite straight, had become a gnarled mass of matted feather in his palm, what with him having fidgeted anxiously and gnawed incessantly on it for the past half hour of History of Magic.

`Are you going to eat that or can I have it,´ Sirius hissed in his ear.

`What?´ James whispered back distractedly, still glancing over at Lily.

`Your quill, Jamsie, are you quite finished?´

James looked slightly puzzled and then replied simply, `It´s not a sugar quill.´

Sirius grinned wildly, then said in a voice that earned a glare from the monotonous Professor Binns, `You could´ve fooled me with the way you´ve been sucking that thing. Anything-ahem-particular on you mind just now?´

The back of James neck had taken on the color of an overripe radish, and he seemed to be sweating quite a lot. Remus noticed that James had to keep pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his sweaty nose.

`Today we have a very interesting event, Mr. Moony, don´t you think?´ Sirius began a mock commentary of James peculiar behavior to Remus and little Peter Pettigrew, holding up his quill in the fashion of a muggle microphone.

`Yes, there he goes, making another move, he looks right-left-down-left again. My that blush was spectacular, and here he goes again- Mr. Wormtail, I think he´s going for and- YES Potter scores another eye contact with Lily Evans. Mr. Potter is having quite a match today, can you tell us more on his stats, Mr. Moony.´

`Sirius, I really don´t think this is the time OR the place for that,´ Remus replied quietly, `can´t you see James is having enough embarrassment already? Besides, we´re having an exam over this material just next week, and I for one want to take notes-´

`Nonsense Moony, my friend, this is the very same material we´ve been covering for the past five years! Just get out your old notes, I know you have a better filing system than those crazy goblins at Gringotts!´ Sirius seethed in mock rage, then he straightened his tie angrily, picked up his quill and began again, `So, anyways, like I was saying before my fun was SO rudely interrupted, young Mr. Potter has scored seven eye contacts with Miss Evans in this class alone, Mr. Wormtail, what do you make of this outstanding feat?´

Peter looked from Sirius to James, then back at Remus, obviously looking for some sort of direction, then said slowly, `Well I- I think that, well you know we shouldn´t talk in class.´ Sirius looked slightly offended, then slapped James heartily on the back.

`So, old chap, finally going to ask her?´

`What are you talking about, Sirius? Ask who? What?´

`You know entirely too well who and what. Are you deaf, or didn´t you hear the commentary?´

`I really don´t know- honestly- what in the world-you´re hallucinating...´ James began mumbling indistinctly under his breath about Sirius´ `strange´ behaviour. Sirius laughed cheerfully, and even Remus and Peter chortled appreciatively.

Just then, James looked over again at Lily, who looked up from her neat notes and smiled prettily. James swallowed deeply and turned his head quickly away. Sirius snorted and then said rather loudly, `And another score for Pot- oof!´ Earning a harsh elbowing in his ribs from James.

****

`So, are you going to ask her or no?´ Sirius continued later, as they walked to lunch, still massaging his sore, thanks to James, ribs.

`Well, I just don´t- you know that I want- well...´ James seemed to have developed an abnormal speech impediment whenever the subject of conversation turned to Lily.

`I reckon you´re going to pieces over this girl, Prongs. Perhaps you just want me to ask her for you?´ Sirius said.

`NO! Anything but that. I want you to say nothing to her. In fact I don´t think that you should come to lunch. Perhaps you have some unfinished homework back in the library that you really need to do immediately.´ James said, the volume of his voice increasing threateningly.

`So, are you going to ask her or no?´ Sirius continued as though he hadn´t heard a word.

`Well,´ said James, apparently also forgetting his previous tirade, `I suppose I could always write her a note...´

`A note!´ Sirius exclaimed, looking scandalised and outraged at the very idea. `You can´t simply write a note! That´s preposterous! You´d come out of that looking like an even bigger prat than you already are! Are you right in the head?´ Sirius asked conspiratorially.

`In fact,´ James resumed his previous vein, `I think that you do have something that you really must attend to right now, and that you can´t make it to lunch. Don´t you agree Remus?´

`You know, Sirius, James does have a point. Besides, you´ve never even been to the library before. Won´t it be a nice change of scenery?´ Remus asked with a wry grin.

`Fine. I know when I´m not wanted. It seems that you all don´t want me to stick around for the fun. I think I will pay a little visit to Madam Pince. But mark my words,´ Sirius said, suddenly trying to look dark and sinister, `you´ll get it when you least expect it.´

With that having been said, he spun on his heel and strode off purposefully.

`Now, what do you suppose he meant by that?´ Peter asked thoughtfully.

`Empty threat,´ muttered James, now approaching the door to the great hall,

turning to the task at hand.

`You know, you could always just go and ask her to her face,´ Remus, always the voice of reason, commented wisely, `She´d respect you more for that.´

`To her face...hmmm...crazy enough- it just might work... well when would I do it, though?´ James said, still seeming quite preoccupied with...something. Remus rolled his eyes at seeing his usually down to earth friend going crazy over some girl.

`You could even ask her now...at lunch...in just a few minutes.´

`At lunch?! How romantic would that be? Sure, I´ll just waltz in there, set down next to her, and say `Hiya Lily, want to go on a date with me this weekend, pass the spotted dick, would you?´ Yeah. That´ll work great.´ Laughter began to spill from Remus´ mouth, as he tried to keep his face serious for the benefit of his friend, and Peter began to grin in a bemused sort of way.

`James,´ Remus started, `don´t be so melodramatic. You like her, she likes you, you both like each other, you both stare at each other in every bloody class. Ask the girl out.´ James rubbed the back of his neck, shot Remus a searching look, and then strode into the hall.

****

Lily had already begun eating when a girl in her year, Rebecca Duffy, plopped down next to her and whispered urgently, `D´you know what Marsha Higgins just told me she overheard James telling Remus Lupin?´

`No, what?´ Lily replied, slightly puzzled.

`She said that he said that he´s going to ask you out on a date, today, during lunch,´ she squealed.

`A- a, date. But where would we go? I mean, really, it´s not a Hogsmeade weekend, and the astrology tower is always- ahem- busy.´

`Hey, I´m not the one asking you out, I´m just the messenger. Oooo! Look here he´s coming over now, I think I´ll just leave this seat vacant.´

Lily was in shock when a red-faced James came and seated himself directly across the table from her. He seemed to be avoiding her eyes, and kept staring down at his empty plate, and clearing his throat.

`Hello, James.´ Lily greeted him kindly.

`Er- hi,´ James said meekly, still not looking up.

`You´ve been avoiding me all day James, is something wrong.´ Lily tried, hoping to get this conversation going, since James obviously was having some trouble. James swallowed deeply and then tried speaking again.

`Lovely lunch, this. Have you tried the pudding?´

`Not just yet. Is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about? Where´s Sirius at today?´

`Library´

`But Sirius has never been to the library before. Does he even know where it is?´

James laughed a little, and then turned even redder than before- if that was even possible. If Lily hadn´t spoken earlier with Rebecca, she would have thought he had had a bad bout of the flu and been force-fed large quantities of Pepper-Up potion.

`So Lily, you. What are you doing?´

`I´m eating lunch.´

`Oh,´ said James looking pained, `I mean this weekend.´ He then blushed furiously and avoided her stare again.

`Well, since its not a Hogsmeade weekend, I think I´ll be hanging around the castle. Like everyone else.´

`Right.´

`So, any reason why you ask?´

`Well it, ah, you see, er, if you really aren´t doing anyth-,´ he tried, then suddenly his eyes went wide and he muttered, `I really need to check on Sirius in the library!´

`I´ll talk with you later then,´ Lily called to his retreating back.

****

Remus sidled out of the hall after James. After that he was going to need some serious comforting, and Sirius was definitely not the one to be, well, serious in a situation like this. He smiled gently. He really had never seen his charismatic friend ever stutter, but it seemed that the moment he came within a ten-meter radius of Lily he turned into a bumbling fool.

He walked down the halls to the library, knowing his way quite well having been at Hogwarts for six years now. And the library really was quite familiar to him, unlike Sirius.

He opened the door to find James looking as though he´d seen a ghost, mumbling incoherently as Sirius laughed without restraint and tried to look comforting at the same time.

`I think that the old boy finally tried to ask her.´ Sirius grinned, `Hard to tell though, he hasn´t put together one coherent sentence yet.´

`Oh, he didn´t actually ask her just yet,´ Remus nodded to James, `He sure as hell tried, though.´

`It really wasn´t too terrible, James,´ Peter squeaked.

`Yes, it was,´ James lamented resignedly, and with a look of utter horror on his now white face, `I´ll never be able to face her again. She´s probably having a good laugh at me now with all of her friends. Giggling should be made illegal.´

`You´re probably right, Prongs old pal. But you just can´t worry about it. If she still likes you, she still likes you, and if she now thinks you´re an ugly git, well, there´s really nothing any of us can do about that, now is there?´ Sirius said. `It´s not your fault you can´t be as cute and charming as me. No one is.´

James scowled, and Remus gave Sirius a `I really don´t think you´re being very sensitive but yes it is quite funny´ look.

`You know, I still could always ask her for you.´ Sirius suggested with laughing eyes.

`NO!´ Remus, James, and Peter all shouted at once, getting a reproving stare and quite a `hush´ from the formidable librarian, Madam Pince.

`Alright, alright. No need to get all huffy about it. How about this, I´ll go and talk- don´t say anything yet James, just hear me out- I´ll talk to her about it and get her all prepped, so by the time you ask her, she´ll say yes before you even have to say anything.´

`Sirius,´ James said, looking murderous, `you are not to go near her. You should not even be allowed alone in a room with any female, much less Lily. You are an evil, evil person.´

`What, afraid that my stunning good looks and irresistible charms are going to seduce your girl?´ Sirius said with a canine grin, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head. `Well, I suppose you really can´t blame- `

`That´s it, you´ve done enough damage for one day!´ James interrupted, pushing him all the way to the floor where his head hit with a resounding thump. He then turned without adieu and stalked off the to the dormitory. Sirius began to extricate himself from the legs of the chair, rubbing the back of his head.

`My does Jamsie get violent over his woman,´ he commented, wincing as he touched the tender spot on the back of his head.

****

Lily was very baffled by James´ earlier behaviour, as she sat in the Gryffindor common room that evening revising for Binns exam that next week. She looked up and smiled as she saw Sirius approaching her. She really did feel lucky to have four great friends that were also boys, which is why she couldn´t understand James´ freakishly abnormal behaviour.

`Hello Sirius,´

`Good evening, young lady,´ Sirius grinned back.

`I heard you were in the library today, did you find it alright?´

`Well, considering I had in fact never been there, I found it easily indeed. I heard that you had a very interesting conversation today at lunch.´

`Yes, well, interesting is one way to put it. D´you know why James is acting so strangely? I have an idea, but I really don´t want to assume too much, you know?´

`Right, well, I think James wants to talk to you right this instant over by the fireplace. So, you go and wait right there and I´ll tell him you´ll speak with him, alright?´ Lily raised her eyebrows as Sirius ushered her over to the squashy crimson sofa that was positioned comfortably near the cheerfully crackling fire.

`OI! JAMES!´ Sirius shouted up the staircase in the direction of his dormitory, `Get your arse down here now!´ He then turned to Lily and put on the air of an extremely pompous and old butler.

`Well, madam, Mr. Potter will be down to see you momentarily.´

When he heard the familiar footfalls of his friend, Sirius bid Lily goodbye and ran from the common room like a man on fire.

`Wait! Where are you going?´ Lily called after him.

`Library!´ Sirius yelled back mysteriously.

James stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked surprised to see Lily.

`Sirius said you wanted to see me, James?´

`No!´ James answered shortly, his eyes widening with horror.

`You mean you didn´t ask to see me or you don´t in fact want to see me?´

James looked confused and seemed to be thinking it over.

`No!´ He shouted again.

Lily then looked confused as well as a bit irritated.

`Well, right then, I´ll just go, shall I?´

`No!´ He shouted again, `No, wait.´ He walked over and sat next to her, swallowed loudly as he seemed to gather up his courage, then finally uttered those fateful words.

`Dyouwangodatemethisweeknd?´

`Er- what?´ Lily asked confused.

`D´you want to- to go on- on a date with me? This weekend?´ He finally asked with a look of disbelief on his face that he had actually done it.

`Alright, then.´ Lily smiled.

`You mean it? You´ll really go? Saturday alright? Pick you up `round five?´

`Sounds perfect.´ She answered sweetly, blushing slightly.

`Great, well, yes- I´ll just go now. Have to get to the library.´

Lily couldn´t help but sigh as soon as he was out of earshot, then sank back into the couch. She looked perfectly contented for a moment, then sat bolt upright and uttered to no one in particular, `But what will I wear?!´

As she stood up to retreat to her dormitory, she could have sworn she heard a faint whoop from the direction of the portrait hole.

END OF CHAPTER ONE