World of Lies

Chapter 1:

James Potter stared out the window of the Hogwarts express and sighed. Sirius Black looked at him, and then to Remus Lupin, who gave a small nod.

"James?" Sirius said. "James, are you ok?"

"Uh-huh," James said. He sighed again.

"James," Remus started, but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

The door opened and a lovely girl of almost 18 walked in. She was followed closely by a girl who was almost just as pretty. Peter Pettigrew quickly made room for the new comers, but they didn't seem to notice. Nobody ever noticed Peter.

The only one who didn't seem to notice the girls at the door was James. He simply stared out the window.

"James?" Lily said.

James snapped his neck back towards the door so fast there was a bone-crunching sound. Rubbing his neck, he surveyed the two girls. He never had seen the other girl before, but Lily... He had seen her everyday of his life since he had met her. The only problem was it was usually in his thoughts and dreams.

"Evans," James started, but after a moments realization at her use of first names, he started again. "Lily."

Damn it, thought Lily. There I go, calling him James again. He's probably thinking he's as good as de-flowered me now. Stupid big headed git!

"Potter," Lily started over, "I see you've hexed Severus again."

James, who had most certainly NOT been thinking of de-flowering the angel in front of him, looked sheepishly at the accusation. "Aw, Evans, he asked for it. He started on Sirius for being kicked out of his house. You don't know Mrs. Black! She's crazy! Evans, he would've hexed me if I hadn't been faster!"

This was almost true, except, of course, James had conveniently left out the part about calling Snape a greasy-haired git. Well, he is! James thought indignantly. I wish I knew why she sticks up for him when he calls her -- calls her -- well calls her a you-know-what!

Lily wasn't buying his story. "So he just came to the four of you, by himself, and ran his mouth just because?"

"Well, no, but, Evans, listen--"

"No, you listen Potter! Leave Severus alone! He's got just as much right as you to exist as you sometimes accuse him of doing."

"Evans, please, be reasonable!"

"No, Potter! You leave him alone or else!"

That was too much for James and, as usual, he did exactly the wrong thing; he laughed. Hard. "Or else what? You'll tell my mommy?" He laughed harder.

"No, Potter," Lily said calmly. "Or else," she pulled him close so only he could hear, "Or else I will go out on a date with Severus."

James nearly jumped up in shock. "You wouldn't!"

"Push me Potter. Go ahead and push me, and you'll see. Let's go, Avril."

Avril, who had been looking at Peter, who hadn't seemed to notice, walked out with a loud, "hmph!"

James sighed. Sirius suddenly broke into a bark like laughter. "What, you think it's funny?" James demanded.

"No, James, it's hysterical! You are so obvious!" he said, trying to calm himself down. "Jeez, wha'd she say to make you so angry?"

James avoided this question with one of his own. "Who's this Avril?"

"Avril Smith," Peter said. James did jump that time. Peter only talked to tell him how great James was at everything.

"Avril Smith?"

"Yeah, she's in our year. She went to Durmstrang but was kicked out for something of other." He fell silent and didn't talk the rest of the trip.

James returned to staring out the window. Sirius looked at Remus again as if to root him on.

"James," Remus said, "This is out last year at Hogwarts. Who knows who we'll be in close contact to, or who we'll never see again."

James didn't seem to be listening. Sirius got up out of his seat and shook James. "Hello, are you in there?" James looked up at him. "James, if you don't try to hang with Lily this year you may never get the chance. You're my best friend and I don't want to see you hurt anymore. When we get to school you are going to march right up to her and ask her to the first Hogsmede trip."

James looked at his friend, horrified. "You don't know what she said to me! I can't ask her out after that!"

"Then you may lose her forever." James scowled. Sirius rolled his eyes and shook his head. James was always good looking, except for that damned scowl! "Do you need a pin to pop that over inflated head of yours? She is going to leave you forever if you don't bring her back!"

James looked up and realized his friends were right. "Alright, I will ask her out." Sirius smiled. "But not today." Sirius' smile faltered. "But -- er --"

"This month?" suggested Remus.

"Yes, this month. Before the full moon too, if I can manage." He grinned. "Yes, before the full moon, Lily Evans will be mine!" James went back to his own little world and stared out the window again.

Sirius took the seat across from Remus and looked at him. He knew they were thinking the same thing.

Had they deflated his head, or just inflated it to epic proportions?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lily walked into her compartment in the train and "hmph"ed. Then she got worried. What if he does hex Severus again? If I don't go out with Severus, James'll know I’m lying! He'll never listen to me again. Ugh, stupid Potter.

Avril, meanwhile, was rubbing her arm and cringing. What does the Dark Lord want with that stupid git? Peter Pettigrew looks like he couldn't hex the brawn side of a barn! She sighed. She wasn't going to question her master, she knew better than that, but what could Peter possibly bring to the Dark Side?

Avril suddenly noticed Lily staring at her and stopped rubbing her arm. All she needed was for Lily to see the skull and snakes tattoo. "What?"

Lily sized Avril up. She decided she couldn't hold back her curiosity. "I saw you looking at Peter Pettigrew. What do you want with him?"

Oh, no, she figured it out! Avril thought, and got worried. "Uh, well, I uh..."

Avril's worry registered in Lily's mind. "It's ok, your secret's safe with me." Avril looked amazed, so Lily went on. "I just wonder, though. You're a pretty girl, Avril, what do you see in Peter?"

"W-what?"

"Hello! You were checking him out during my conversation with Jame--Potter." She cursed inwardly. What is with me today? "So, spill! Do you like Peter for..." She didn't know what to say. "Er... for his looks?"

Avril laughed. She thinks I like him! HA! Yeah, right. But, it could prove to my advantage if she thought so, being he is my mission. "Yeah, I just go for the..." Boring? Ugly? Un-noticed? "quiet sophisticated types."

Lily laughed. "Sophisticated? Peter?" She walked over and put her hand on her friend's head. "Are you feeling ok?"

Avril faked a laugh and, eager for information helpful to her Master, begged, "What's he like?"

"Well, Pettigrew's...,"Lily stopped to think. "Pettigrew… he's… er…" She scrunched up her face in thought. "I dunno. I've never noticed him before." Nobody ever noticed Peter.

Avril, to keep up her girlish school girl appearance, laughed. "He's a mystery. My kinda man!" She grinned at Lily, who looked thoroughly shocked at any girl falling for Peter, let alone her new friend.

"Well--er--whatever floats you boat, I suppose."

"Yes, like you and Potter." Lily gaped open mouthed at Avril. "What did you say, anyways? He nearly fainted!"

"I told him-- I gave him an ultimatum. Leave Severus alone or-- or else."

Avril knew there was more to this story, but she might as well have been questioning her school bag for all the answer she got. Not that she cared, Peter Pettigrew was all she wanted. And I will get him, she thought. Master, I will not fail you!