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Summer break had left the Gryffindor common room empty and drained. Now that the students had returned with smiles on their faces, life had fallen upon it with an exhausted flop.
Sat next to James on the velvet loveseat, Genevieve was trying her hardest not to cringe at the new flavour her taste buds had yet to adapt to— a single Mandrake leaf.
While everyone else had been enjoying the feast presented to them, James, Sirius, Peter and Genevieve were all too busy raiding through Professor Slughorns potion cupboard. Peter was complaining about how he missed out on the best food ever the whole time though, which led to Sirius and Genevieve searching the shelves by themselves as James practically dragged Peter to the kitchens in order to satisfy his hunger and drown out his moans.
At first she was certain she wanted to do this. While creating the plans, she was certain. While gathering the ingredients, she was certain. But now that the Mandrake leaf was stuck to the roof of her mouth with a spell, Genevieve couldn't help but feel guilty for the empty promise she made Remus not so long ago.
Genevieve's eyes wandered to where Remus was sat in a sofa chair with his head tucked behind a book, wondering if he could tell by the look on her face that she had done something wrong. He could usually tell, anyway.
"My mouth feels weird," Genevieve muttered to James in attempts to distract herself.
"You only have to keep it in for a month," said James lowly in reply.
"A month is too long," Genevieve tittered to herself.
A burst of sweet laughter erupted from the corner of the room, successfully catching James's attention although it wasn't supposed to. Sat around a table, Lily and Alice had bursted into giggles at something Marlene had said, both of their faces going red as they clutched onto their stomach. As Lily laughed away animatedly, James gandered after her with his lovesick eyes.
It took Genevieve snapping her fingers in front of his face to break him from the trance.
"Merlin Prongs, your eyes are going to roll out of your head from gawking at Evans so much," Sirius snickered. His own eyes drifted back to the game of chess in front of him. "Pawn to C6."
Peter brought his nails to his mouth as he tried to determine what his own move would be.
"I'm going to talk to her," James announced, readying himself by brushing a hand through his curls. He stood up, an egotistical smirk already engraved on his face only to be pushed back down by Genevieve.
"Before you do anything I think it's best we have a preparation talk," she declared.
James scoffed and stood back up. "I don't need anything, my skills in the area of women are completely fine, thank you."
Everyone either exchanged a not so discreet glance or snorted in disagreement.
"That's what you think," Remus commented, his face still hidden behind his book. Genevieve had thought he was too absorbed in it to even hear the conversation going on, but she was proved wrong.
"Coming from the guy whose never had a girlfriend," James argued back defensively.
"And you have?" Remus countered, an amused edge to his voice. Now he was looking at James.
James opened his mouth, his brain trying to scan itself for anything to fire back with yet nothing was able to surface. Instead he snapped his jaw shut and sat back down with a slump. "Fine."
"Good, then lets get started." Genevieve placed a hand on each of James's shoulders, her eyes staring intensely into his. "Now remember Jamesie, you're a new man this year. Not a boy– a man."
"I'm a man already."
"Yeah, one with the mentality of a two year old." Genevieve grinned at the offended scowl on his face.
"Act casual," Peter piped in, wanting to be involved in the conversation somehow.
Genevieve gave Peter an agreeing nod. "Precisely. Be as cool as a cucumber," she advised. "Don't throw yourself at her."
"But I always throw myself at her–"
"–And she ends up wanting to throw you into the Black Lake," Sirius butted in.
"And just be yourself!" Genevieve added. "It's awful watching you out on that fake persona around Lily just to impress her."
Remus nodded in agreement. "It's not awful to watch– it's painful. Please stop, if not for Lily's sake then my own."
James appeared to be deep in thought for a moment before nodding to himself. "Got it. No throwing myself at her. No fake personality. Anything else?"
Everyone looked around at each other expectantly, before shrugging and nodding their head no.
"Then you're all set to go," Genevieve said happily, removing her hands from his shoulders. She gave his hair a quick ruffle so he didn't have to. "Go get her, tiger."'
James flashed them all his best grin before pushing himself up from the seat. With all of the confidence that he could muster up, he swaggered over to Lily with his shoulders rolled back and his head held high.
"Do you think he's actually got a shot this time?" Peter asked nervously, his attention no fully drawn from the game of chess he and Sirius were both once consumed in.
A long sigh came from Genevieve. She pondered Peter's question over as she watched James attempt to converse with Lily. Her face went red in a matter of seconds, but she had a feeling that it wasn't because of James.
"I think that right now he hasn't got a shot, but later he will," Genevieve stated. "And for once, it won't be because of James."
Peter furrowed his eyebrows. "What will it be because of then?"
"Lily's own stubbornness," Genevieve muttered grudgingly.
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a/n: TYSM FOR 100K READS YOU GUYS HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA HOW APPRECIATIVE I AM OF YOU ALL <3 I LITERALLY STARTED THIS FANFIC CAUSE I GOT BORED I DIDNT EXPECT IT TO RECeIVE THIS MUCH ATTENTION LMAO BUT TY ILY ILY ILY
THIS CHAPTER IS KINDA SUCKY AND REALLY SHORT BUT I HAVE NO INSPO RIGHT NOW SO PLEASEEE BARE WITH ME