A Siriusly Good Prank (Marauders/Jily/Wolfstar)

2-Lacewing Flies

James Potter was out to win this year's Prank-Off, but never let it be said he would resort to cheating.

So when Peter asked if he needed any help, he just shook his head.

"Have you got any plans today?" Peter asked as they walked to Potions, scurrying to keep up.

James grinned, pulling the Snitch he always kept with him out of his pocket and tossing it up in the air, catching it as it landed. "Maybe. I can't tell you, Wormtail. Can't risk that you'll accidentally go blab to Padfoot."

"I will not," Peter huffed.

"You're supposed to be neutral, anyway." They rounded the corner, spotting Slughorn standing outside the entrance to the Potions classroom. Ahead of him, James could see Lily, red hair bobbing in a much neater ponytail than it had been in that morning.

"I am neutral," Peter said. "I'm going to ask Padfoot the same question. And you're not even listening to me, you're ogling Lily Evans again, which means I'm not going to have a partner in Potions today, because you know Remus and Sirius will—"

James's hand shot out out, covering Peter's mouth. "Do me a favor and be quiet," he said. "Yes, I'm going to sit with her. Thirty Galleons, remember?"

Peter sighed. "She's never going to go for you."

"We'll see about that," James said confidently, striding into the classroom. "Hello, Professor Slughorn. Hey, Evans."

"Don't even think about it," Lily said frostily, but James dropped into the seat next to her, hair rumpled and grinning.

"Oi, Potter." Sirius's voice floated across the room. "Brushed your hair recently?"

"About as recently as you've cut yours," James fired back.

Lily stared at her Potions book, trying to hide a smirk. Peter clapped his hands once, then dove into his book with a barely concealed squeak.

"Settle down," Slughorn said, shutting the door with a bang. "And turn to page 78 in your book, we're covering Polyjuice Potion today. You'll all be taking a Potions N.E.W.T., which we have discussed, and this will be on it. Now, can anyone tell me what Polyjuice Potion does?"

Lily's hand shot into the air so fast it almost knocked James's glasses off. Over at the next table, Peter reached over to give her a high-five, but slipped and fell out of his chair.

"Nice one," James laughed.

Lily gave him an ugly look.

"Yes, Miss Evans?" Slughorn glanced at the calendar, looking physically pained when he saw the date. 

"Polyjuice Potion is a substance which, when you add something from a person such as a piece of hair or a toenail clipping, allows you to physically transform into that person for a period of one hour by drinking it," Lily said all in one breath.

"Nerd," Sirius whispered.

"I thought it was impressive," James said loudly. Lily swung an elbow at him, forcing him to duck.

Slughorn rolled his eyes skyward. "Thank you, Miss Evans, quite right. Now, we're not going to be attempting Polyjuice Potion, but I will ask you to make something else. Flip to page 42 of your books and, with your partner, make the potion listed there." He lumbered over to his desk with a stack of papers and a quill and sat down, presumably grading them.

Lily flipped to the page in her book. "Hiccuping Solution," she mumbled. She turned her gaze on James. "You had better do some of the work, Potter."

James scrambled to his feet. "Yes. Definitely." He quickly set his cauldron on the table. "What's the first thing to do?"

Lily regarded him with mild surprise. "Um...gather some lacewing flies, and a couple of burdock roots," she said. "I'll light the fire."

"Got it." James walked around the tables, weaving between them, bumping Sirius on the shoulder. He glanced behind him, noting that Lily was watching him.

"Lily's looking at you," Remus whispered, passing James a few burdock roots.

"I know," James grinned. "Isn't it great?"

Remus shook his head. "It's only because you're not acting like a complete arse for once. Don't ruin it."

James shook his head in mock indignation, grabbing a couple of lacewing flies. "I resent that—"

There was a yell, and James turned to see Sirius jump backwards as his cauldron dissolved and his potion spilled all over the floor. James suppressed a grin as Sirius sent him a murderous look.

"I take it back," Remus said. "You are acting like a complete arse."

"You can't prove that was me," James said quickly.

Remus raised an eyebrow. "No points for you, then?"

James scoffed. "I mean, she can't prove it was me. I want points for that."

Remus closed his eyes and sighed. "You get six, because that was petty. You can do better than that."

"Excellent." James gathered his ingredients and went to rejoin Lily.

"James Potter, that was ridiculous," she said. "Just when I start to have a little faith in you—"

"You have faith in me?" James said quickly. 

"No." Lily slammed her book on the table savagely, her cheeks coloring.

"Lily..."

Lily's eyes widened, and she gave James a reproachful look.

"Evans," James corrected. "It's just a thing we do...you know that...every October..."

"It's childish."

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me the weekend before Halloween?"

Lily blinked in surprise. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to." She gave the cauldron a clockwise stir. "Lacewing flies, please."

James scooped up the flies and dumped them in. "Evans, give me a chance." 

Lily took a deep breath and shook her head. "No, Potter. I won't go with you."

"I'll stop the pranks," James swore. "I'll quit and leave the competition if you go out with me."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "You? Quit Pranktober? That's likely."

"I would."

Lily pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile.

"You'll go with me?"

"No," Lily said.

"Evans!"

Lily burst out laughing, and then quickly composed herself. "Potter, I'm sorry, I don't like you that way."

James sighed dramatically. "Fine. Fine. Be that way."

Lily looked as if she were about to say something else, but she watched James as he read the next step of the potion.

"James," she said, then stopped talking.

James glanced up at her. "Lily."

She shook her head. "Nothing."