The Next Great Adventure (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Chapter Eighteen

“I’m surprised that you’re actually coming to this Cass,” Lily said as she worked through her Transfiguration essay.

Cassie peered over the top of the book she was reading and said, “Well you know me, I never could resist a party.”

“More like the free food,” Mary sniggered and the book wiggled in the air slightly as she shrugged. “That too,” she agreed. “But really I just thought I ought to turn up to at least one event during my time here; all of you are going anyway so who would I have to hang around with that day?”

“You have other friends,” Lily pointed out dryly.

“Yeah but none of them are as cool as you lot,” Cassie said. Suddenly Lily’s quill flicked ink across her pristine parchment and she glared at Cassie as she undid it with her wand. “Keep your feet to yourself Jones!” she cried as Cassie smiled at her, feigning innocence.

“Well I’m going with Frank,” Alice said as Mary groaned. “Oh we don’t have to take dates do we?” she cried in dismay.

Lily shifted round the table a bit and returned to her essay, eyeing Cassie warily. “Yes I think most people do.”

“We can probably just turn up together though,” Cassie added. “I doubt anyone will care that much.”

“Won’t you be taking Rob though?” Alice asked.

“I’d rather not,” she replied casually. “It would be nice to spend that evening just with you; I like him but I don’t want to be inseparable from him.”

“Fair enough,” Mary said as Lily leafed through her textbook. “Guess I won’t bother finding anyone either then. What about you Lily?”

Lily hummed noncommittally as she skimmed the paragraph she wanted, looking for a sentence she could quote which she was sure she had seen there earlier. Everyone’s eyes – well apart from Cassie who had returned to her book – were on her but it took a minute for her to look up. “What?”

Alice smiled as Mary said, “I asked you whether you were going to be taking anyone to Slughorn’s party. A certain Mr Potter, perhaps? You seem to be getting rather friendly with him of late.”

Lily rolled her eyes at them even as she felt her cheeks heat up. “I highly doubt it,” she said coldly.

“But you’ve been getting on so well lately,” Cassie teased from behind her book, “I saw you walking together a few days ago and I didn’t hear any shouting.”

“Yes you have been surprisingly quiet on the Potter front recently,” Alice agreed.

“Could it be because she no longer has anything to complain about?” Mary whispered as Lily returned to her essay.

“He does seem to be acting rather more maturely at the moment,” Alice replied.

“I haven’t seen him hex anyone in ages,” Cassie added. “Oh actually that’s not true; I saw him curse a Slytherin a couple of weeks ago.”

“Yeah but wasn’t that the one that was dangling the first year upside down?” Alice said and Cassie’s nodding head was just visible behind her book. “So Lily,” she said, turning to the blushing redhead instead, “James Potter?”

“Yes?” a voice said from behind Lily and she shut her eyes. It was bad enough that her friends thought she liked him but for him to witness it – knowing them and seeing the evil glint in their eyes they were going to tell him that she liked him and then she’d never live it down. “You called?” Alice and Mary exchanged mischievous glances and Mary shrugged. “Oh it’s nothing Potter, don’t worry,” she said. “We were just talking about you.”

James looked intrigued and he smiled, ruffling his hair restlessly. “Oh really?” he asked, trying to sound disinterested. “You were?”

“Yeah, Lily,” at the mention of her name Lily tilted her head so that her face was shielded by her hair and tried to focus on her work, “was about to explain to us why you two are suddenly such good friends. Obviously she likes you now and we were just wondering what happened,” Alice explained, shooting an amused look at where Lily was cowering in the corner, tucking herself further and further down between the sofa and table.

“And we were thinking maybe she likes you,” Mary added as James turned to look at the mass of hair which now hid Lily as she gathered her wits about her. “They’re lying Potter,” she said as she shook her hair out, “they just think it’s funny. Really we’re just working and talking about McGonagall’s Transfiguration essay; somehow your name come up, maybe because you actually did it for once.”

James pouted and said, “So you don’t like me Lily? Wow that hurts, I thought that we were going to get married and have twelve children; that’s what you said last time we talked.” Alice and Mary giggled and even a snort from Cassie emerged from behind her book. “Also I completely reject that last accusation; I do all my work! Barely any of it’s late any more too.”

“Go away James,” she said, rolling her eyes as she smiled, “go and annoy your real friends.” James gasped and laid one hand on his chest as he feigned hurt. “Ouch Lily, you wound me.” He strolled back over to where Remus was sitting and working while Peter was counting his Chocolate Frog cards. Sirius, on the other hand, was rolling around on the floor laughing as a cushion – bewitched by Remus – hit him repeatedly over the head.