A/N: Okay, guys…I just want to apologize for how LONG I took to update this story…or any of my others for that matter. I'm gonna try to work on it, but it's *really* hard now that school's started. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and don't forget to review if you did!!
Chapter 3
James glanced at his watch that read 11:23 as he sat in his chair located outside of a amiable wizarding café known for its sandwiches. As each second passed, James grew increasingly impatient. He had to be finished with this meeting before his scheduled 2:30 Quidditch practice. He thought to himself, What in the world is keeping him? He was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago.
*~*~*~*~*
"Lily!" Jim yelled as he stepped into her office doorway. "I need your copy now! We release in seven minutes!"
Lily, who was currently on her hands and knees reaching for a quill that she had dropped, replied, "It's on my desk, Jim. Can you get it?"
Jim walked to the desk, grabbed the parchment with her article and rushed out the door, pushing right past Leigh without uttering a single word.
Leigh watched as her boss disappeared down the hallway and then said sarcastically, "Oh, I'm sorry, Leigh….Oh, it's no problem, Mr. Andover. I'm just sorry I didn't sprinkle rose petals and lay out the red carpet for you."
Lily giggled as she heard Leigh. "Oh, ignore him. He's five minutes from deadline and he only just got my article."
"Well, that explains the fire in his pants," Leigh replied. Suddenly realizing what her friend was doing, she asked, "Um…Lily, you are a witch, right?"
Lily stood back up, quill in hand, and said with a confused look on her face, "Yeah…"
"Then why didn't you just summon your quill?" Leigh asked with a laugh.
Lily scoffed as the realization dawned upon her. "Unbelievable….I've been a witch for almost ten years and I still forget…"
Laughing, Leigh sat down in the seat by Lily's desk and placed her feet on the surface. Changing the subject, she asked, "So…write a nicer article?"
"Yes," Lily retorted, "I did. And one that was much too nice if you ask me, especially considering the way they played yesterday. The only good thing about the whole game was Ally."
"Well," Leigh said, "I'm sure the team will appreciate it. You know, I've heard that most of them really do value your opinion about how they played. They know that when you give a complement, you really mean it."
"Yeah," Lily remarked dryly, "I'm their toughest critic."
"That's not a bad thing, Lily, but maybe you could pay more attention to what they do right as opposed to what they do wrong."
"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, wanna go grab some lunch?"
"Actually, that's what I came to talk to you about. Jason's asked his Aunt and Uncle to have a dinner tonight. He hasn't told them about our engagement yet and wants to do it tonight."
"Uh-huh…and what does this have to do with getting lunch?"
"Well, one, I was hoping to go buy them a gift during lunch and two, that you would come with me tonight."
"No…definitely not…not happening."
"Lily, come on! I need you there with me! Moral support!"
"Moral support? What do you need moral support for?"
"I've only met them twice and the engagement might seem a bit…sudden to them…."
"Leigh…" Lily replied as she felt her resolve weakening.
"Oh, Lily…please!"
Lily looked as though she wanted to cry. "The things I do for you, Leigh…the things I do."
Her best friend squealed. "Thank you! You won't regret it! Now let's go shopping!" Leigh exclaimed as she basically hopped out of the office.
"Somehow, I get the feeling that I will regret this," Lily murmured, rubbing her forehead.
*~*~*~*~*
Just after 11:30, James saw his sandy-haired friend making his way through the lunchtime crowd toward their table.
"Remus," James said as he stood up to greet him, "I was starting to get a little worried. What kept you?"
Remus looked at his friend with a strange look on his face. "You don't remember?" he asked. James gave him a questioning look in response. Remus chuckled slightly as he added, "We moved lunch to 11:30 because I had an interview this morning."
James sucked in a breath and closed his eyes as a look of realization dawned on his face. "I can't believe I forgot," he said.
"Yeah," Remus joked, "I should've known you would and owled you this morning."
James sat back down in his seat and remarked, "For your sake, I'm gonna forget you said that."
At that point, a waitress, a young brunette with a kindly face, came over to take their orders.
"Two butterbeers, please," James requested.
"Sure thing," replied the waitress.
Remus asked, "Your accent….American, right?"
"Yeah," she replied with a laugh, "it is. Good ear."
"It's kind of hard to miss since you're in England."
"You're probably right."
Remus glanced at her nametag. "Anne…" he read aloud.
James cast a look at his friend and smiled to himself.
"You're new here, aren't you?" Remus asked.
"Today's my first day here, but I've been a waitress since…I dunno, forever. I guess that means you two are regulars."
"At the best restaurant in town?" James asked. "You bet."
"Ahh, I see," Anne replied. "So does that mean I should go ahead and memorize your orders?"
Remus laughed. "Sure, you can if you want."
"I'm gonna go get your drinks," Anne said with a smile, motioning inside.
Remus' gaze followed her as she made her way into the kitchen.
James teased him. "Looks like somebody has a crush."
Remus blushed and turned his gaze to the table.
"You should ask her out, you know."
Remus sighed. "It'd never work out."
"Why? Because you're a werewolf?"
"Yes," Remus replied bluntly, "because I'm a werewolf. It's the reason no one wants to hire me. Why shouldn't it be the reason no one wants to go out with me?"
James grimaced. "I take it that the interview didn't go well…"
"That would be correct."
"Here you go, gentlemen. Two butterbeers," Anne said as she placed the bottles on the table. "So, can I take your orders?"
"I'll have the Turkey Sandwich Special and some potato soup," said James.
"I'll have the same thing," Remus added.
Anne gave him a suspicious look. "You're not just trying to make it easy for me to remember, now are you?"
Remus blushed again, laughed, and shook his head. "No."
"All right, then. I'll be back in a little while with your food."
After Anne was out of sight, James said, "I still think you should ask her out. She seems nice."
"They always do, James. Come on, let's not talk about me. Besides, I really came here because I wanted to talk about you. Sirius, uh…told me that he benched you, he said that you were being too reckless at practice."
"Oh, jeez," James said, "don't tell me that you think I'm not being a good leader too."
"It doesn't matter what I think, Prongs. Do you think you are? Honestly?"
James sighed. "I guess not."
Remus smiled and joked, "Good job! You just completed `Step 1: Admitting You Have a Problem'!"
James laughed. "Shut up."
"Seriously, Prongs," Remus added, "what are you gonna do about it?"
"I don't know," he replied. "I haven't really thought about it."
"Well…what are your plans for the rest of the day?"
"Um…practice in a couple of hours and then dinner at my parents' house."
*~*~*~*
Lily and Leigh were walking on the streets of Diagon Alley looking for possible gifts for Leigh's future in-laws.
"Leigh…what can we possibly buy for the Minister of Magic? I mean, I'm sure he already has everything under the sun."
"Um…well, Jason said that they love anything from China…"
"Oh, well, great then…why don't we just Apparate to China?" Lily said sarcastically.
"Or…" Leigh replied, "we could just go to Wong's."
"Oh, right…forgot about that store."
*~*~*~*
James stood up from his chair and reached into his pocket for some galleons to cover their lunch. "It's my turn this week, right?" he asked.
Remus nodded his head in response.
James quickly dropped the coins on the table.
They waved good-bye to Anne as they departed the restaurant to take a short walk around the shops of Diagon Alley. As they walked, James kept throwing looks at Remus.
Finally, Remus stopped abruptly, sighed, and asked, "What is it, James?"
"Ask her out, man."
Remus tightened his lips and glared at James.
"Fine. Whatever. Don't have a social life," James said as he resumed walking.
"I can't afford a social life if I don't have a working life," Remus retorted.
"That's a good point, mate. You need a job," James replied. "Oh, hey, try the classifieds in the Daily Prophet."
"Might as well," said Remus. "I've tried everything else and it's back to square one…again."
They stopped at a newspaper vendor and Remus quickly purchased a copy.
They stood there briefly as Remus skimmed through a couple of articles. "Uh-oh," he said as his gaze fell upon one in particular.
"What?" James asked.
"Um…Prongs, you're not going to like this," Remus said as he handed the paper over to James.
James quickly read the article that Remus pointed out. His jaw clenched more with each word he read and he shook slightly as he struggled to keep his rage in check.
Hearing laughter, he turned his face only to see Lily Evans walking out of a store with some woman. Remus followed James' gaze and instantly knew what his friend was going to do. "Prongs, don't," he warned.
James, however, paid him no attention as he headed straight for the auburn-haired journalist. "Evans!" he spat out.
Lily turned to face him with a bewildered look on her face.
"What the hell is this?" James asked, as he motioned to her article.
"What are you talking about?" Lily asked. "I gave you guys a good review…not that you deserved it."
"Good? You call this good?" He brought the paper up and read an excerpt from her article, "It was merely a shoddy display of their obvious and sickening lack of talent."
Lily's face paled as she snatched the newspaper from James. "Oh, crap," she said as she saw her callous version of the article printed in the newspaper. "He grabbed the wrong parchment. Damn it!"
"Oh, don't give me that bull, Evans! You just wanted to stab us in the back again…try to make us look bad."
"I wrote this version because what you said after the game yesterday pissed me off! I figured that after I got rid of all my anger and animosity towards you, I might actually be able to write an impartial article!"
Remus interrupted them, saying, "Um, guys…you're kind of drawing a crowd here."
"Good!" James said. "Then I have witnesses."
"Erm…witnesses for what exactly, Prongs?" Remus asked.
Ignoring him, James motioned to the paper again and said, "Why don't you put some proof where your mouth is?"
"What?" Lily asked.
"If you're so confident you can beat us, why don't you play against me in a game of Quidditch?"
"You're serious?"
"Yeah."
"Fine. You're on. When and where?"
"Today….4:00…right after our practice is over."
"Deal."
-->