Lily Evans and the Marauder's Secrets

Chapter 10: Tutoring, Take Two

"Well, it sounds very dangerous, doesn't it?" Emmeline says. "Is this really something Professor Dumbledore should even be asking of students?"

"Potter and I aren't just students, though," I point out. "We're the Heads. And in any case, none of us are going to be students for much longer. We're already all of age now."

"I guess..." Emmeline says, still gnawing at her fingernail.

"Don't worry, Em," Marlene reassures her. "Like I said, Lily has me to hunt down the Slytherins with."

"And James," I say, without thinking.

It's like I've set off one of Filibuster's fireworks right there on my bed. Marlene shoots straight up from where she's been laying. Emmeline's hand drops from her face and she stares at me with her mouth hanging open. Alice lets out a small shriek of laughter and turns to look at me, all thoughts of Severus and Death Eaters swept cleanly away.

"James?" she says incredulously. Delightedly.

"Potter -- whatever," I mumble, looking decidedly at anything in the dormitory except them – Emma's collection of quills, my Transfiguration textbook, Merlin, even Marlene's dirty socks on the floor.

"It's not whatever," Marlene says. She's grinning so wide, her freckles are threatening to pop right off her cheeks. "It's been 'Potter this' and 'Potter that' forever and now you think you can just brush it aside when you call him 'James'?"

"It is his name," I say, a little exasperatedly. "You all call him that too!"

"But we haven't been rowing with him for the last six years." Even Emmeline is in on it, eyes sparkling.

"Do tell us, Lily. Whatever happened to make this change? Any romantic trysts you're hiding from us?" Alice teases, throwing an arm around me.

"Oh great Merlin, you guys are blowing this way out of proportion," I insist, pushing her away. "All I did was use the prat's actual name and now we're apparently – what – in love or something?" But my cheeks feel hot and I'm honestly equally shocked at myself. James? Really? Where in the bloody world did that come from? Honestly!

Emmeline giggles. "Lily, you sure are red for someone who isn't romantically involved with 'the prat' James Potter."

Marlene and Alice have dissolved into giggles too now. "You all are ridiculous," I say, rubbing my eyes in exasperation. "Look... LOOK," I say louder, to get them to stop laughing and listen, so that I can immediately squash any inkling of romance between Potter and myself. "Potter --" Marlene lets out another little snort of laughter. I glare at her and she claps a hand across her mouth, stifling her giggle. "Potter," I say emphatically, "and I have just been spending more time together lately and, well, I guess he's not as horrible as I thought. Maybe."

Movement in the dormitory catches my eye over Marlene's head. A moment later, Carol and Mary breeze in. Carol gives me a sticky sweet smile, pausing at the end of my bed and resting a hand on one of the posts.

"Talking about James, are you? Yes, he was just telling me how... interesting it is working with you, Lily."

"Oh, go mark your territory somewhere else, Carol," Marlene says dispassionately. "You and James are old news now, right? I heard he ditched you over the summer."

Carol frowns at Marlene, but I hurry to put in a word before this can escalate any further. "Not that it matters," I say through gritted teeth, glaring at Marlene. "There is absolutely nothing going on between Potter and me."

Carol laughs a light, tinkling kind of laugh. "Oh, of course there isn't! James does have some standards." She gives me a once over. "Not that you're not pretty, Lily," she says patronizingly, "but I do think a Potter is worth someone whose parents... well, whose parents can navigate the wizarding world easier than your...muggle... ones can."