-Chapter Three: Sexy Beast -
-By Natali-
"Dotcher, William."
"Here."
"Evans, Lily."
No reply.
"Evans, Lily," Professor Binns repeated more loudly. "Does anyone know where Miss Evans is?"
"I have a class with her and her mates. Arithmancy. I think they stayed after to speak with Professor Vector," said one of their closer acquaintances, Catalina de la Prada. "I could be wrong though, sir."
James Potter raised an eyebrow, glancing at Sirius, who took a moment to notice his glance because he was busy making eyes at some girl.
"Sorry," Sirius mouthed, and shrugged. "Should we be scared?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned back to the girl.
Girl-crazy idiot, James thought to himself, writing something down on a bit of parchment, smiling. As if I've got a right to say anything to him about that.
He continued to write, wishing he'd brought the Quick Quotes Quill; writing was such a waste of time. After his long paragraph, he waited until Binns had his back turned to the class, balled up the parchment, and tossed it at Remus's head.
Remus jumped, and whipped his head around, scowling.
Some example for the younger years… What was Dumbledore thinking when he made James Head Boy, Remus chuckled, only half joking. He unwadded the paper, reading what James had written.
Lily and co. are off doing something really scary-at least to my personal being. I can swear that they're doing something to get back at the Marauders. What if they know?? I know you three don't believe me, but there's not another group of girls clever enough or close enough to do what the Divines have been doing for years: keeping up with us. She's also got something else up her sleeve, even if it has nothing to do with a prank. She just told me that she'd go out with me-after two bloody years of saying no most adamantly, if you'll remember.
We need to investigate.
Remus rolled his eyes, and got out his own quill. James tended to overanalyze things, and just when the girl he'd been trying to shag for two years finally accepts to undergo step one, he's doubting her motives. Which perhaps wasn't the stupidest idea, but still.
James, I think that you're a paranoid freak with an over-analytical mind. Really, as if Lily, J. Mo, Brandy, and Meggie could ever be smart enough to be the Divines. They're not idiots, but they don't have the bullocks to stand up and do something so utterly… forbidden. They'd get expelled because of a few pranks that they've done. Then again, so would we. Ha, ha.
I know that you're growing used to the idea of Lily Evans being your main shag. You can hind it from Sirius, but not from me. (Alright, so I heard you saying her name in your sleep. Is she really as good as "Sexy Beast" claims? I love the nick name you gave yourself, mate.)
So relax, sit back, shag her, or don't. Preferably don't, because I need a new broomstick. What a shitload of money. How naïve we were in Fifth Year.
My wallet thanks you.
He threw the paper back at James, who read it with a scowl slowly appearing on his face. He began to scribble away just as madly, a wicked smile growing on his lips. Remus slowly began to feel trepidation fill him. It wasn't long before he had the note back.
You annoying little thing. FYI, I've got dirt on you too. Who was it last night? The American president's wife? You're sick, old friend.
As for them being the Divines, just watch. I bet they are.
And I'll have the pleasure of saying that I got to screw one dirty.
(In case you haven't noticed, I jipped your wallet three days ago. Nice.)
"You bastard," Remus muttered, tossing the note into bin.
"You're late," Professor Binns said, jerking everyone's attention back from their dreamland.
"Sorry," Lily said as spokesperson. "We… were speaking with Professor Vector a moment. We lost track of the time. It won't happen again."
"I was right!" exclaimed Catalina, blushing when she realized she'd said it so loud. Everyone sniggered.
"Have a seat."
James, smiling coyly, whispered quickly to the guy sitting next to him, who moved into Lily's seat quickly. He crossed his arms, surveying the upcoming scene with deep amusement.
Lily's friends sat down immediately-they sat near the front. But when Lily came around to her seat, and found someone in it, she did the unexpected.
She sat down in the seat next to James, whose mouth was open.
"Close your mouth. You look moronic," Lily said smoothly. With a sigh, she took out a parchment, but didn't begin to take notes. "Potter-"
"James," he interrupted, pushing his luck and well aware of it. "My name is James."
"James," Lily bit out, knuckles white from groping her quill so tightly, "could you do me a small favor?"
This time, he nearly pissed himself. Lily Evans was sitting next to him, not complaining, calling him James, and asking him for a favor?
Where were the flying pigs? Where is the evidence of hell being frozen over? Where was the end of the earth?
"Erm, sure," he grunted stupidly. "What could I do for you?"
She shoved the paper at him. "Tell me all you can about the Marauders. Please?"
James glanced at her warily. The Marauders? And the others swore she wasn't a Divine. Lord knew she was divine… Might as well be one.
"Why?"
"Because… I need it."
"For what?"
"You sure are nosy."
"You sure warm up to me pretty quick. Why do you need it, Lily, and I'll give it to you. Promise."
There was a short silence, the drone of the teacher humming in their ears.
"All right. I'm… trying to find out who they are," she admitted.
"Why?"
"Because I…" Lily searched for a reasonable excuse. When in doubt, be a mindless bimbo. "Because I think I sort of like one of them. I like their… minds. Very imaginative. I want to get to know them. The main one must be so sexy," Lily said, not truly lying.
"Why?"
Lily hesitated, but decided that it wasn't harmful, and maybe it would encourage him. After all, James knew everything. If he didn't know about the Marauders, then no one did.
"There is something about the cleverness of the pranks that I like," she replied truthfully. "I'd… like to meet him. Personal reasons only, of course." And that wasn't a lie. This war was very personal.
James thought about it for awhile. Well… That was an interesting revelation. So, should he help her?
Duh.
He shoved the paper back to her, and for a moment she seemed ready to protest, but he leaned in close and began his discourse.
"They're guys, obviously," he muttered. "They… like to have fun, but try to avoid really hurting people. They are upset that the Divines always show them up, and their main goal is to beat them-as well as buy out Zonko's some day. They remain a mystery because that's part of the fun-and it drives the girls wild. If they can move Lily Evans, they can move anyone."
"How do you know so much?" Lily asked, genuinely intrigued. She had doubted for a few minutes that James knew anything about the Marauders; they were so… untouchable.
James waited a moment before venturing to say what he had a 50/50 chance of getting slapped right in the middle of class.
"At our date. It's… It's still on, right?"
For the first time in years, James Potter sounded uncertain.
Lily didn't even look at him. "Yes. Don't get used to it. I'm trying to shut you up."
"Of course," he nodded, hurriedly trying to remember what Professor Binns had been saying. "Naturally. Eight on Saturday-tomorrow-sound good?"
"Whatever."
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"Madness," J. Mo said incredibly. "Pure madness, Lily."
"You look so pretty," Brandy sighed, clasping a hand to her chest. "How is it that you manage to look so simply stunning in just about anything?"
"Forget that," Meggie giggled, popping a grape she'd brought from the Great Hall into her mouth. "The real question is: why are you getting so dressed up?"
"I'm not," Lily scowled. "It's jeans and a white halter. How the bloody hell is that dressy?" She applied a thin layer of lip gloss, then shut her make up case. "Really, you're all so exaggerated. In case you haven't noticed, not only am I going to win my bet"-she smiled wickedly-"but I'm also going to find out things about the Marauders. James seems to know a thing or two about it."
"James?" J. Mo asked softly.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't be getting any ideas!" She pointed a finger at each one. "None, do you hear? I'm going to win the bet, and beat those Marauders once and for all."
The other three glanced at each other, but didn't say anything. James and Lily were a lot more alike than they realized…
"I'm heading on then," Lily said finally, waving. "Don't wait up, girls."
"What, are you planning to stay overnight?" Brandy giggled.
Lily leaned against the doorframe, swinging her purse and looking oddly model-like. "Well…" She shrugged. "I haven't gotten some in awhile, you know. If the things I hear about Potter are any indication…" She wiggled her eyebrows and laughed. "Don't be stupid. I meant that I'll be drilling him. And hey, if you really want to stay up, I'll be back at about eleven-at the latest."
Lily headed down the steps, looking around immediately for Potter. Where was he? She was five minutes late, and she wasn't very patient.
"Prick, I knew he wouldn't be serious about this," she muttered to herself. "You're thick, Lily. Thick."
"Talking to yourself?" said an unmistakable voice. She whipped around, and found a slightly sexy dark-haired boy with his hands in his pockets.
"Wondering where you were," is what she wanted to say. What actually came out was, "I see you've finally decided to join me. Most civil and respectful people are on time."
He only nodded slightly, frowning. "Of course. I'm sorry."
She felt bad, but she didn't apologize for it. "Where are we going?" Why do I sound so bitchy? she asked herself.
"You'll see."
"Well if that isn't the most uninformative answer, then I don't know what is," she said, playing nervously with the belt loop on her jeans.
He shrugged in such a casual, Devil-be-damned way that it awed Lily to the point where she was going to ask if he could do it again. But she didn't. She wouldn't.
"You didn't have to say yes," he muttered, turning around so quickly that he nearly slammed her to the ground, but he caught her before that could happen. "Sorry about that."
"It's alright. I… I know that I didn't," Lily stuttered. "I just…"
"Just what?" James asked, almost angrily. Almost, but not quite. How could he be angry? "After two years, you suddenly agree to a date out with me, and you're still treating me like shit."
"I didn't mean it to come out like that."
"You did. You're just sorry for it now. I was late because I always am." He did another beautiful shrug. "It's a curse, I can't help it. Something always keeps me up, no matter how hard I try. Seems that the harder I try, it just gets worse. And I've been ready since seven too, except that a box of bowling balls fell on me-"
"What? Are you ok?" she interrupted.
"Yes, of course," he smiled, then sobered. "Forget it. Let's just go. You don't mind leaving the castle?"
"I told you I didn't want to go to Hogsmeade-"
"I know, that's why we're not going there. I do listen sometimes, you know. Just not during class." He grabbed her hand-the nerve!-and headed for the front doors.
"We're not just going to walk out of here, are we? As if it's all right?" she sputtered, trying to stop.
"The trick of things, Lily," James said, tugging her along, "is not to seem as if you're doing something wrong, and doing things perfectly normal. See, if a teacher passes by, sees that we don't scatter, they'll just keep on."
"And if they ask you what you're doing?"
"Ah, the joys of making up a lie."
And he shrugged-again. And it was killing her. Amazing how something so simple as a shrug could totally turn her whole world upside down.
"So… how are we getting to where you want to go?"
"You'll see, now won't you?"
"You're so stubborn, Potter," Lily scowled, trying to keep up with his long legs as they stepped down the stairs. It was already pitch black outside, and she nearly tripped, but he caught her.
Again.
"My name," he said hoarsely, so much so that she wondered if she'd accidentally hurt him in some way. Just when she was about to ask if she had, he finished, "My name is James."
She could be his breath on her face, and she looked into his eyes. "Alright. I've got it. Your name is James."
The wind rustled their hair, but they didn't move. They watched each other, and Lily was disconcerted by the way that his eyes roamed over her face, her hair. And the way he kept following this one particular strand that flew around.
The breeze blew harder, and they were now both chilly. She shivered, unable to help it.
"We should go. You might catch a cold," he whispered.
"Yeah, you too." They had shared an odd moment, and Lily wasn't sure that she liked it.
James, on the other hand, wasn't trying too hard to resist it. And that teasing hair of hers; almost touching him, promising so much, yet out of his reach… In more ways than one.
"Let's go then."
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-A/N: Yeah, I know. Unwadded isn't a word. Lol. But I liked it, and therefore I used it. I'd typed this up last night, but I'd been too tired to post it. Sorry, guys. First and foremost, Rosie, who's been delightful and always seems to brighten up my day. Thank you, I love you more than you know.
Thank you all for reading.
That was my chapter, guys. Amanda will go next. Please read and review, reviewing makes us work faster. Thanks a whole bunch, I'm loving this story.
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