A/N: Just got back from seeing Melissa and John of the Leaky Cauldron and PotterCast-- this chapter is dedicated to them simply because they loved the cookies I baked for them so much. J
Chapter 1: One Minute And the Earth Begins to Shake…
If you were ever to ask James exactly how he knew where Lily Evans was at any point throughout the day, he would probably respond with something along the lines of having a built in Lily-Radar. For all anyone knew, James very well may have had a built in Lily-Radar, but in the instances where his radar failed him, it was always handy to have the Marauders' Map lying around. Which is exactly why, after checking the trusty map, James headed immediately toward the library, opening the double doors quietly so as not to disturb the librarian.
He swept the library once over with his eyes, and there she was: the apple of his eye sitting alone at one of the many tables. James watched her green eyes move rapidly back and forth as she scanned the open pages of her book, bottom lip between her teeth and a long strand of her auburn hair twisted around her index finger, obviously deep in thought. She dropped the strand in favour of picking up her quill and quickly jotted something down on a spare bit of parchment. James sighed, a goofy smile plastered on his handsome face-- he loved watching Lily study….and eat….and read by the fire in the Gryffindor common room…and walk down the corridors between classes…okay, fine, James loved watching Lily in general. In a completely normal, un-stalker-ish sort of way, of course.
Goofy smile still in place, James walked confidently over. He paused dramatically when her reached the end of Lily's table, waiting for some sort of sign of recognition, but Lily simply kept studying.
He cleared his throat loudly.
"Hello, Lily."
A rather loud Shhhh! Came from the direction of Madam Pince's circulation desk located in the centre of the library and Lily winced visibly before lifting her eyes almost lazily as if resisting the urge to roll them as she acknowledged his presence.
"I'm busy, Potter…" Lily sighed in a bored voice before going back to her book.
"I know, and I'm sorry for bothering you…but I promise, I won't be long…"
Again, there was no answer and James took this as a good sign-- at least she had not yet flat out told him to go jump off the North Tower.
James pulled out the chair directly across from hers and took a seat.
"I don't recall inviting you to join me…" Lily said still not looking up from her book.
"Sorry, it's just…well, the reason I came over was to see if maybe you'd like to--"
"No." Lily said, cutting him off before James could even get the question out.
"I…W-what?" James said, not expecting to get cut off before he even got the chance to ask his question.
"The answer to your question, Potter, is no."
"Okay…. but, don't you think you should at least let me--"
"No."
"But, I haven't even asked you--"
"No."
"Do you even plan on letting me--"
"NO."
"--LET me get a coherent sentence out?" James asked, finishing the second part of the statement he had started before Lily had cut him off.
Another angry shushing noise came from the Librarian's direction.
Lily put down her book, clasping her hands in front of her, shooting James a sweet but rather deathly glare.
"Hmm…let me think about that for a second," Lily averted her eyes up to the ceiling as if trying to remember something. "NO, Potter!"
"But why? You don't even know what I was going to say---"
"Maybe I don't Potter-- not exactly anyway-- but if it involves you and me in any way, shape or form, or carrying on this pointless conversation any further, the answer is NO."
"If you two cannot keep your voices down I will throw you out of this library myself!" Madam Pince said in a deathly whisper, now towering above them.
"I'm sorry, Madam Pince!" Lily said in an apologetic whisper, "we won't disrupt you again-- Potter was just LEAVING." Lily said, the last part through gritted teeth.
And suddenly James found himself subject to deathly glares from both Lily AND Madam Pince. Not sure which one looked more deathly, James simply grinned sheepishly, letting out a titter of nervous laughter.
He looked up at Madam Pince who's stony expression was fixated on him, a single stiff arm, pointing toward the door of the library.
"Okay, okay, I'm going!" James whispered, admitting defeat.
"Before I decide to throw you out myself-- forcefully." Madam Pince nodded.
James didn't need telling twice-- the wrath of Madam Pince was not to be trifled with.
The remaining three Marauders had barely reached the grand doors of the library before they spotted their fourth counterpart walking out toward them.
Sirius was the one who spotted James first,
"That's one, boys." Sirius said, unable to help the laugh that came through in his words.
Remus smiled good naturedly at the fact that James' supposed infallible plan had quite obviously sunk.
"Cough up, Pete, Prongs here barely stood his ground for one minute!"
"Aw, nuts!" Peter said, scrunching up his nose in disappointment as he fished out the correct amount of money from his robes.
"Ready to go back to the drawing board?" Remus asked, rather teasingly.
"Nope." James said, a smile on his face that was most definitely sure and confident, "Six minutes. I'm telling you, Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail-- you'll see."
James walked ahead of the rest of the marauders, heading for class although there were still a good fifteen minutes left until the period started. Tomorrow, he knew, was another day.
A/N: Chapter three is on it's way, ladies and gentlemen! Hopefully I can update both this and 'That Summer' before I head off to LA-- oh yes, did I tell you all? I'll be in LA for the OotP premiere! Anyone else out there planning to attend?