A/N: This chapter is more humorous than the last (yay for those who like it!) Doesn't move the plot along much but those are the most fun to write. Marauder chapter (my fav kind), but I PROMISE Lily and her friends will get their turn (they are in ch. 4 if you look real close). I try to post a chapter a day. DESPERATE for feedback PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!
CHAPTER FOUR
"You did what???"
"I already told you, I asked her to Slughorn's masquerade."
"Were you trying to commit suicide, Prongs? Bloody hell, mate, why didn't you just fling yourself off the astronomy tower?"
"Might've been a bit less painful."
"Shut up! She didn't say no."
"Ha! But she didn't say yes," Sirius taunted with a smirk, running a hand through his dark lustrous hair.
"Let's just go over the facts aga- PADFOOT touch that one more time and I'm going to make you eat it," Remus snapped, whacking Sirius on the arm with a trowel.
"Touchy! Fine, I'm not doing anything. I know when I'm not wanted. You had just better remember to put my name on it, though. Sprouty knows I do fine work."
Rain splattered relentlessly against the large transparent window panes, sending a chill over the normally stuffy greenhouses. The N.E.W.T. level Gryffindors, accompanied by the Hufflepuffs, diligently planted amber seeds of fluxweed and gurdyroot, potting and re-potting the soil in preparation.
"I'm quite for certain Professor Sprout actually detests your presence, and is in actuality surprised you managed to weasel your way in to her rather exclusive N.E.W.T. level class."
"Oh sod off, Moony, nobody asked you," Sirius said with a snort as he laced his fingers behind his head, tipping his chair back in the process. "'Least I didn't cover her office in Devil's Snare."
"That was actually an accident, and she thinks you did it," James retorted with a fleeting glance and a shake of his head.
"Who told her 'I' did it?? Granted, I probably would've taken the credit anyway, but I would have at least liked to have done it of my own accord."
Remus rolled his eyes, jabbing his spade in the blackened soil before turning his attention to James.
"Anyway, Prongs, Lily didn't say yes and she didn't say no. What exactly does that leave then?" Remus inquired with a hand in the dirt and a highly arched brow.
"Look at 'im over there, playing handsey with Bones and Cauldwell, pretending to drop his trowel so he can peek under their skirts. Pathetic, Wormtail. Absolutely disgusting."
"Padfoot, you're only jealous because you didn't think of it first. Now, Prongs, for the third time what happened?"
"Jealous? Jealous?? I'll have you know I already have several dates for the Slug Ball thank you very much," he said snapping all four legs back on the ground, "and I can do a hell of a lot better than Gwendolyn Bones."
"SEVERAL dates? Merlin's beard, Padfoot, who did you ask?"
" 'I' didn't ask anybody," he said with a flip of his hair and a cheeky grin, earning longing glances and batted eyelashes from an assembly of surrounding witches. However, who he didn't seem to notice was one witch in particular, concealing her lustrous look behind a pair of pearly frames.
"You dog you-"
The trio stopped suddenly, erupting with uncontrollable laughter, completely abandoning their lonely pot. They continued for several minutes, receiving a variety of numerous puzzled glances, until Lily caught James' eye.
The redhead's cheeks suddenly turned a dashing shade of pink and she quickly turned away, strands of silken scarlet lashing in her wake, apparently realizing she had been caught.
"Told you all hope wasn't lost," Remus whispered matter-of-factly, leaning in to James.
"Well it's about to be," Sirius added with a smirk.
At that moment Benjy crossed the aisle, offering Lily and her friends a shining golden spade, completely void of any trace of filth, and placed his hand on the small of Lily's back.
"Prongs, we're really not going to help you anymore if you don't tell us what happened."
"Yeah, mate, are you two just gonna share the poor bird?"
"He's not you, Padfoot-"
"Technically wouldn't it be Lily isn't me?"
"ALRIGHT! If you both shut up I'll tell you! Fenwick already asked her and she told him if he caught the snitch on Saturday she'd go with him, but now he's got competition. There. Satisfied?"
The two merely looked at him with blank expressions, trying to decipher what had swiftly tumbled out of James' mouth.
"So let me get this straight, you are competing against Fenwick in order to escort Lily to the masquerade?"
"She's playing you like a bloody harp, Prongs!"
"Does Hufflepuff play Gryffindor Saturday?"
"Yes," James and Sirius echoed in unison.
"Is she assuming you're going to play the part of seeker?"
"Prongs, you haven't been seeker since second year!"
"I KNOW THAT," James hissed, hazel eyes wide with impatience as he clenched his fists, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks.
"Interesting. Very interesting indeed," Remus replied with a stroke of his chin, his piercing blue eyes suddenly fixed on the dripping panes overhead.
"And what, may I ask, is so very interesting?"
"The fact that you're going to make a fool of yourself Saturday when you look like an old man searching for his cane on the pit-OW!!! Would everyone stop HITTING ME?"
"Hand slipped."
"Anyway, Prongs," Remus continued, ignoring Sirius' muttering complaints, "the battle is no longer yes or no- all you've got to do now is win the match. And not really even that, just catch the snitch before Fenwick does. Your whole family's made up of seekers and that's how you made the team in the first place- it's in your blood, Prongs. Lily's as good as gotten."
"Yeah, mate, she basically made a bet with you. If you beat out Benjy, you get the broad. Easy as that."
"I don't want her to go with me because she has to-"
"PRONGS, are you mad? A year ago you would've soiled your knickers to be in a situation like this, now you don't want to force her??"
"No, Padfoot, I understand where he's coming from. But, James, you've got to realize, if Lily hadn't wanted to go with you she simply would've said no. She set it up to where she has to accompany either you or Benjy. If she really wanted to go with Fenwick she would've simply told him yes right off the bat. Now when has Lily ever not thought things through?"
A slow smile made its way across James' face, remaining there for the rest of the hour. Remus continued to work alone, his partners being of no help what-so-ever, continually swapping Fenwick's seeds for Every Flavor Beans.
A/N: No, this chapter wasn't my best, but a necessary installment nonetheless. Hope you enjoyed anyway! Though, I did leave some badgering questions that have yet to be answered. Who is Sirius escorting to the masquerade? Who was the girl he didn't notice? Will it be James or Benjy who catches the snitch? Will Remus find a date? What exactly did he find so interesting? Will we ever get to meet Lily's friends? Dun dun dun……all these questions and more will be answered in the oncoming chapters. Coming soon to a Portkey near you! (P.S.- please read and review, let me know what you think!! : )