Although today was the first day of classes and therefore the first day of homework, papers and projects, the general excitement of last night's Welcoming Feast had carried over into breakfast this morning. The mood in the Great Hall was one of happy anticipation. All four house tables were humming with activity as the students compared class schedules and caught up on their friends' summer holiday activities. When breakfast ended, the throng of chattering students swarmed out into the Entrance Hall and split off to their various classrooms. The first year Ravenclaws shuffled off to their first Charms class; the fourth year Gryffindors and Slytherins trooped down to the dungeons for Potions. The seventh years, or at least those of them that were taking NEWT-level Defense Against the Dark Arts, were among the last to trickle out of the Great Hall and head for their classroom, having learned by now that there really was no point in rushing off to class.
Sirius, James, Remus and Peter were, of course, among the last to enter the classroom. As James filed through the doorway, Professor Killeborn, who had stood by the door to greet his students, stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and said gruffly, "I've a message from the Headmaster for you, Potter. He wants you and Evans to meet him in his office at five o'clock this afternoon. Password's 'peppermint.'"
James nodded and took a detour on the way to his customary seat at the back of the class to pause beside the desk that Lily was sharing with Marlene.
"You're a sight for sore eyes this morning, Evans," he said, flashing her a cheesy grin.
Lily sighed and turned to look up at him, thinking it was much too early in the morning to be starting this already
"What do you want, Potter?"
"Dumbledore wants to meet with us before dinner this afternoon. Five o'clock in his office. The password's 'peppermint.'"
"Oh. Okay. Thanks," she responded, then turned her back on him and resumed her conversation with Marlene.
James, understanding that he was dismissed, grinned to himself as he ambled to the back of the classroom to take his seat beside Sirius, who quirked a brow at him.
"At it again already, Prongs? I thought you were going to leave off her a bit."
"Nah. It's just Heads business," James answered, taking out a bit of parchment and a quill as Professor Killeborn began the lesson. The rest of the day flew by in a blur of first classes. Defense was followed by Potions; after a break for lunch, the school day ended with Charms class. It was like a repeat of Fifth Year, with each professor making a point to remind his students about the all-important exams awaiting them at the end of the school year and, as if to prove his point, saddling them with a mound of homework. By the time five o'clock and his and Lily's meeting with Dumbledore rolled around, James was more than ready for a break. Part of him begrudged the large chunk of his evening that he was about to devote to Head duties; the other part was jumping for joy at the prospect of all that time spent with the Head Girl.
Before he left the common room, he debated whether or not he should bring parchment and quill. In the end, he decided against it. If notes needed to be taken, Lily was sure to have the necessary equipment with her. Checking his watch, he noted that he now had only six minutes left to make it to Dumbledore's office. Fortunately, he knew a shortcut, and so he arrived in front of the gargoyle statue on the seventh floor just as Lily rounded the corner. She stopped short in her tracks at the sight of him, unable to fathom why she hadn't passed him on the way over from Gryffindor Tower. When she'd left the common room eight minutes ago, he had still been lounging on the sofa.
"How did you-?" she began, but James cut her off with an easy smile.
"Short cut." He then turned his attention to the gargoyle, gave the password and stepped aside to let Lily through first as the gargoyle leaped sideways to reveal the stone staircase that was the entrance to the Headmaster's office.
When the pair reached the top of the staircase, the Headmaster was already seated behind his desk, waiting for them. As the two new Head students crossed the room towards him he flicked his wand to draw up chairs for them on the other side of his desk. "Good evening Mr. Potter, Miss Evans," he said, the twinkle in his eyes belying the gravity of his tone. "I trust your first day of classes went smoothly?"
"Good evening, Professor," Lily returned the greeting, settling gracefully into her chair. "They did, thank you."
Dumbledore waited until James was seated as well before he spoke again.
"I'm sure you're both wondering why I asked to meet with you this evening. My first reason, I will admit, was that I wished to congratulate you both, in person, on your appointment as Head students. I am confident that both of you are more than capable of shouldering the admittedly large burden I've placed upon your shoulders this year." He paused to smile between Lily and James, his warm gaze lingering on the latter as he deduced that James was feeling less certain than his co-Head of his appointment as Head Boy.
"My second reason," Dumbledore continued, "was to ask if either of you have any questions about what is expected of you this year. I will admit, Mr. Potter-" and here he smiled apologetically at James "-that I did not go into too great detail in your letter. I was assuming that Miss Evans would be able to fill you in on everything you needed to know."
"And she has, Professor," James assured him, glancing over at Lily. "It's been fine so far." He paused, then asked, "So other than organizing Patrols, Hogsmeade weekends and tutoring, is there anything else we're s'posed to be doing?"
"That is all of your stated duties, yes," the Headmaster agreed, "But you are also expected to be an example for the school. I'm sure you both have realized that the state of the wizarding world is not nearly so happy as it was when you began your schooling. Hogwarts is still a safe haven for every student here, but that does not mean some of them will not be touched by the war raging outside these walls. These are dark, difficult days, and the students will need someone to look up to in the year to come. Both of you were chosen for these positions because I believe you can be the leaders that your fellow students need. It will not always be easy, but I know I can expect the best from both of you."
"We understand, Professor," Lily said, her expression solemn.
Dumbledore smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Well then, if neither of you has any further questions..." He paused, but none were forthcoming. "Then Miss Evans, I'm sure you'd like to get to your dinner. Mr. Potter, if you don't mind lingering a moment."
While Lily rose and crossed the room to descend the staircase, James remained in his seat. Once the door was shut behind her, Dumbledore leaned forward once more and gazed warmly, but firmly at the Head Boy. "Mr. Potter, we are both aware that your conduct in the past has been.. less than exemplary. I will be frank with you in admitting that some of the staff questioned my decision to give you your badge, but I am confident I made the right decision. I wonder, though, if you agree with me."
James barely restrained himself from squirming in his seat, his conscience pricking him under the Headmaster's gaze. He had indeed wondered, ever since his owl arrived, why his badge had not been given to someone more like Remus, who was not so flagrant in his flouting of the school rules. "I er... I did wonder...," he began, but trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
"You have the makings of a great leader, James," Dumbledore continued. "The same natural gifts that you have been using to worm your way out of trouble could just as easily be used to unite and inspire your classmates. I gave you your badge this year in hopes that it would motivate you to use those gifts for better ends than mere mischief-making."
The boy felt himself flushing, and now felt strangely even more like fidgeting under the unexpected praise.
"I.. well thanks, Professor," he said sheepishly. "And.. I want you to know I won't let you down."
"I didn't expect you would, James," Dumbledore said, blue eyes glimmering behind his glasses as he smiled at the now-bashful Head Boy. "And with that bit of business behind us, you are now dismissed for dinner."
James excused himself and exited the Headmaster's office. It occurred to him that this was the first time in his six years at Hogwarts that he had been in the Headmaster's office for a non-disciplinary issue. At that thought, he smiled. Within minutes, he was reunited with his friends at the dinner table, and for the moment, he was distracted from his duties by the companionship of his three best mates. At the end of the meal, Sirius and Peter headed back to the boys' shared room while Remus made for the Library. James had caught sight of Lily leaving the Entrance Hall a short while after he arrived. He was disappointed, as he'd been hoping for the possibility of accompanying her back to the common room. Their conduct in the Headmaster's office had been decent, if only a little cordial. Oh, well. She couldn't be expected to fall to his charms after fifteen minutes in close proximity.
The next couple of hours passed quickly; he tried to make at least a small dent in his mound of homework before it was time for patrols to begin, but he was rather distracted. James would be lying if he said he was not at least a little excited about his first real patrols with Lily. As the hour approached, he took care to be in the Entrance Hall, where he had been instructed to meet the Head Girl, well before the scheduled time. Dumbledore had issued James a challenge to prove himself by giving him the Head Boy badge, and James was determined to show that he deserved it. And so he waited in the grand arched hallway, speaking with some Gryffindor hopefuls who were eager to get in a good word with the Captain before training began.
The ever-lovely figure of Lily Evans appeared a few minutes before she and James were due to start the evening's rotation. She had been enjoying a very comfortable chat upstairs with her girl friends about the first day of classes and all of their plans for their last year at Hogwarts. Luckily, she had the presence of mind to check her watch, and realized with a jolt that if she did not hurry, she would be late. With a quick "see you later!" to Marlene and Mary, she was dashing off to meet James for their Head duties. She fixed her badge as she walked speedily into the Entrance Hall, tucking a strand of unruly hair behind her left ear.
James looked up as she appeared, and with a lopsided grin, turned to his companions.
"Sorry to dash off, and all," he said, "but I've got a hot date, you know."
With a wave, he turned toward the Head Girl, pulled out his Head Boy badge, and pinned it to his vest. It was fortunate for him that Lily had not overheard his comment, though it held only a hint of suggestion. James was anxious to get these patrol duties started off on the right foot; however, he had no experience whatsoever in how to do this whole 'being the responsible one' scene, so he merely smiled at Lily as she approached. She shifted her weight, bracing herself for two whole hours of what was sure to be scarcely civil company.
"So," she finally said, breaking the awkward silence between the two. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," replied James. He made a grand, sweeping sort of gesture toward the hallway. "After you, Miss Evans," he said, throwing an exaggerated wink in his friends' direction. Lily stared at him for a brief moment, already feeling exasperation edge in on her consciousness. She made a nondescript grunt of assent, rolled her eyes at the typical grandiose gesture he always seemed to pull, and stepped into the hallway with James only a few steps behind her.
"So, we're just walking, right?" His question interrupted Lily's mental calculation of how much time was left in their two-hour shift. He continued: "I mean, I suppose I haven't exactly patrolled before."
"Hopefully that's all we'll have to do," she replied. Her crisp, cool tone of voice offered him no invitation to continue speaking. His taunt yesterday about their patrols being a date was still ringing in her ears, and she was intent on being very clear and very firm with her obnoxiously persistent suitor.
James, however, was undeterred. If there was one thing that made the boy squirm, it was tense silences.
"Well, I mean, I'm usually the one who's trying to avoid being caught, aren't I?"
Lily had the grace to let that particular comment slip by without remark. Several moments passed, and James tried again, wondering if he was going to have to contend with a stonily silent Lily for the entire school term. Morbid curiosity got the better of him, and he asked a question he had often wondered when theorizing what patrols would be like.
"Have you ever caught someone doing something awful before?
"Well.." she thought for a moment, her surprise at the question causing her to temporarily forget her intention to deter him from making another move on her. "It depends on what you consider awful."
James grinned.
"What do you consider awful, then?"
"Yes, I've apprehended people snogging in corners, if that's what you're after." Lily fought the urge to roll her eyes and won. Boys and their preoccupation with sex! It was just plain silly.
He snorted.
"Ooh, not snogging!" he cried sarcastically, putting his hands to his mouth before laughing heartily. He himself had been caught more than a few times wrapped in an enthusiastic embrace with one girl or another.
Her tone grew sardonic.
"I don't know about you, but I think it's rather awful to round a corner and suddenly be accosted by the sight of much more of Jacob Beldenham than you ever wanted to see. But usually rounds aren't that exciting."
James wrinkled his nose, suddenly struck by the idea that, while he was not bothered in the least at being caught kissing, he wouldn't very much enjoy seeing some pudgy Hufflepuff going at it.
"Yeah," he conceded, "I suppose you're right."
He looked over at her as they rounded the corner on the first floor and headed toward the main stairway. She looked rather traumatized by the memory of too much Jacob Beldenham, and so he decided to change the subject.
"So, how do we make our rounds exciting?"
Lily seemed quite taken aback. She felt her face growing warm as she wondered if that comment was supposed to be as salacious as her over-active imagination had interpreted it to be. James looked at her curiously, and Lily noticed there was no smirk on his face, no joking twinkle in his eyes. A small bit of her relaxed. Perhaps she was projecting motives that were not there. If he was not trying to wrangle her into dating him, there was no point in being unfriendly. It contradicted Lily's nature to be unkind, thus she relented.
"Well," she said, trying to think of a way to liven up their patrols. "We couldÉ Tell jokes? Bemoan the massive pile of homework we already have after just one day?"
"Good ideas, all," he interrupted, "but hold that thought."
Lily froze. James stepped toward her, and for a thrilling moment she thought he was going to be stupid enough to make a move on her during their first-ever patrols. But her worry, she realized, was for nothing as he strode past her and toward a very guilty Ravenclaw boy who was lighting a cigarette.
"Oi!" James yelled. "You! Are you stupid? Put that out!"
The boy looked startled, dropped his cigarette, and stamped on it.
"Honestly," James said exasperatedly, "are you sure you're in the right house, MacLeod? That stupid stuff is reserved for Slytherins."
The boy called Angus MacLeod looked at the ground and scuffed his shoe over the cigarette once more, mumbling something James could not quite make out.
Lily wrinkled her nose at the toxic smell of cigarette smoke.
"Ew, in the castle, too," she said disapprovingly.
"Go on, give them here," James ordered, holding out his hand for the boy's contraband cigarettes.
Angus begrudgingly handed over his pack of cigarettes.
Lily watched the exchange in silence, then realized that James might not have remembered Head students were allowed to deduct house points, as well as assign detentions.
"And ten points from Ravenclaw, too," she added.
James looked at her, an expression of mild amusement crossing his features.
"Ten points? Really? Isn't that a bit.. harsh?"
Lily glared at him.
"He's in the castle."
"Yeah," he countered, "but it's only the second night. I mean, give him a break. He won't do it anymore, will you, MacLeod?"
Angus looked up, seized his opportunity for grace and floundered to make an appeal to the Head Boy.
"N-no. 'Course not. Been meanin' to quit anyway."
Lily glared at James but said nothing, knowing full well how unprofessional it would appear to have two Head students arguing about punishment in front of a rule-breaker. Instead, she turned toward MacLeod crossly.
"See that you do."
"There. Now, off you go!" James said, shooing the boy away. As MacLeod scampered down the hallway and presumably back toward the Ravenclaw common room, James turned his attention back to the perturbed girl next to him.
"Ten points?" he asked, his lips stretching in a smile.
Lily's eyes narrowed.
"Yes, ten. And next time I'll thank you not to argue with me in front of a rule-breaker."
He laughed, shaking his head as they began to walk again.
"Yes, miss," he said, wondering how on earth Dumbledore had honestly thought he would be able to maintain a grip on punishing deviants when he was not all too far removed from being one himself.
Another silence followed, and James decided it was up to him to break the ice that continued to form over their twosome.
"So, give us a joke," he said, referring to her earlier idea of livening up patrols.
Lily was in no mood to joke, having just been undermined for what was sure to not be the last time by her fellow Head.
"You're the supposed Master of Mirth. You start."
James thought for a moment, running his hand through his hair with a faraway look in his eye. Without looking at her, he asked blandly; "Hey, Evans, go out with me?"
Lily stopped dead in her tracks, staring at him. A nagging little voice in her head was shouting at her that she should have known this was coming. There was no way on earth Potter could possibly maintain a professional distance. This was a disaster, just as she'd feared it would be.
"Are you serious?"
He kept his expression meticulously blank.
" Just doing what you asked, Miss."
Lily was utterly confused. What was he playing at?
"What? I didn't ask you to hit on me again, Potter."
He shook his head, smirking at her.
"You did ask for a joke, didn't you?"
She flushed.
"So that's your idea of a joke then?" She could feel the tension in her rise at his immaturity. "Pestering helpless women for dates?"
James' smirk morphed into a real smile.
"You, Lily Evans, are hardly helpless."
She was about to reply with something snarky when she realized his assessment was true. She knew herself to be a capable witch and was glad he would at least admit that fact. With a haughty toss of her head, she began walking again.
"Maybe you ought to be careful, then," she said loftily.
James followed.
"Maybe," he agreed. "Then again, I do like a bit of danger."
There was no suggestiveness in his tone, she was pleased to see. And it was true. All of the boy's public actions in the past six years had been daring, she had to admit.
"Anyway," he continued. "How do you like our classes?"
Lily was extremely glad for the change of subject. Speaking with Potter was dangerous business; every word seemed capable of being heavily flirtatious if she did not watch her step.
"Oh.. They were all right. Though I did find all the beginning 'N.E.W.T.s-are-the-most-trying-tests-you-will-ever-have-to-take-so-start-preparing-now' speeches to be rather redundant."
He laughed.
"I think me and Padfoot had it memorised by the time we got to Charms.."
Lily grinned at the memory of tiny Professor Flitwick trying to be stern and imposing.
"Yeah. I think it's a bit of a downer way to start the year. What happened to the 'Welcome to Hogwarts! You're going to learn so many new and wonderful things' speeches we got back in first year?"
James nodded nostalgically, an easy smile tugging the corners of his mouth.
"Aah, those were the days. We were all a bit star-crossed when we first got in. I don't blame that little girl last night for what happened," he said, referring to the little blonde girl who had cried and fainted at the previous night's Sorting.
Lily's eyes softened and her lips quirked.
" Awww. Poor little thing. She was so embarassed! I'm pretty sure, though, that I spent most of my first night here being just as shocked as she was."
James smiled.
"I keep forgetting that you hadn't seen hardly any magic before school. Could have fooled me, that's for sure."
"Hardly any?" she countered. "More like none at all. Well, aside from Professor McGonagall turning our armchair into a pincushion when she came to give me my letter." The last half of James' comment sank in, and she gave an embarrassed little smile. "Oh.. thanks."
For a while, James didn't say anything. He was simply relieved to be able to carry on a civil conversation with her. Part of him was bursting to show off and impress her, but six long years had taught him to try his best to rein himself in.
This time, it was Lily who broke the silence.
"I was kind of nervous, you know. That I would somehow be behind everyone."
James looked over at her, his eyes brightening.
"Really? Well, you showed them. I mean, gods, you beat me and Sirius both last year for marks!"
Despite herself, she was buoyed by his praise.
"Why, Potter! I never thought I'd hear you admit to someone besting you."
"Well, enjoy this moment. It won't happen again," he said offhandedly, a good-natured smile on his face.
She laughed, and then a silence followed which Lily, once again, was the first one to break.
"So.. er.. we need to write up a real patrols schedule sometime soon."
Admittedly, James had forgotten all about the fact that their duties required of them more than simply patrolling the castle in the evening, but he was more than willing to do the little menial tasks that meant he got to walk around with Lily for two hours at a time.
"Alright," he said, not knowing the standard protocol for deciding rounds. "Are we supposed to make a timetable for the younger prefects to follow, or just our own?"
"We have to make one for everyone," she explained patiently. "We're supposed to have them ready for each meeting, although obviously we didn't have time to before the first one on the train."
James felt like an idiot. Of course, as Head students, they were in charge of the Prefects' duties as well as their own.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Dumbledore kind of skirted over most of the actual things we've got to do in my letter. I suppose he figured you'd explain it to me."
Lily shrugged. "It's alright. Anyway, it's not a very difficult process. Usually you can just assign the pairs of Prefects to patrol together at certain times. Unless, of course," she added as an afterthought, "one of them has something else to do. Like a Quidditch practice, or club meeting."
James, who had been wondering how on earth he was supposed to balance his highly important training sessions with Head duties, found the perfect moment in which to voice his concerns.
"Ye-he-heah," he said, drawing the word out into several superfluous syllables. "Quidditch practice. Meant to say something about that."
"What about it?" asked Lily, one eyebrow raised. "I'm perfectly aware you'll have to spend time on that, if that's what you're worried about." She found herself smiling up at the boy beside her. "I do expect you to win us another Quidditch Cup, you know."
He felt the balloon of worry inside him deflate at once.
"Oh, good. And don't worry, I will. Third year running!" He grinned. He had been made Captain initially in his fifth year, and despite a very near miss, had brought Gryffindor the Quidditch Cup for the past two years. Arrogant or not, the boy was extremely talented out on the Quidditch pitch.
Lily, reasonably wary that this conversational direction would cause the tousle-haired boy's ego to inflate to a dangerous level, added teasingly, "We'll see about that when April rolls around."
It was James' turn to raise his eyebrows.
"It's in the bag. I know it," he said confidently. The pair of them ascended one of the trick staircases, automatically jumping over a trap step as they approached it. "So, how's the Slug Club?" he asked politely.
Lily shrugged.
"Fine, I suppose," she said before looking sideways at him. "You know," she said hesitantly, "I'm surprised he never invited you."
James blinked.
"Yes, well," he said, but gave no indication of continuing his response.
"Well?" she prompted. James was clearly fine material for entry into the club. He came from wealthy parents and an established family, he was talented on the pitch as well as in the classroom (she had to admit), and some people considered him to be attractive and funny. What would Slughorn hold against someone whom he could 'collect'?
"It's not really my sort of thing, you know?" he answered lamely as he realized she was determined to get a better reason than "yes, well." He arranged his features into a disinterested expression, masking the fact that he felt a funny little twinge about not being included in an elite ring at Hogwarts.
Lily was not fooled.
"Why," she asked slowly, "do I feel that there's something you're not telling me?" Though she didn't consider herself and James to be bosom companions by any means, she had been subject to him and his overflowing personality for years. There was no way Potter didn't want to be included in a club that was comprised of the supposed best and brightest at Hogwarts.
"Is that what you're feeling?" James asked, giving her a sidelong look and deflecting the question.
Lily was smirking now, having finally found a chink in his seemingly flawless personal armor. "Uh huh," she said, undeterred by his attempt to distract her. "What'd you do? Fail to laugh hard enough at one of his jokes on the first day of class?"
"What are you on about?" James asked as they walked.
She could see that her ribbing was starting to get under his skin, and, as she was not a naturally vindictive person, she backed down. Her tone softened.
"There has to be a reason why he won't invite you to his club. I just figured you'd insulted him or something. He is a bit touchy," she added.
"Maybe he did," James said, loftily. "Maybe I said 'no'."
"You did?" Lily asked out of genuine curiosity. It had never occurred to her that someone might be able to turn down Horace Slughorn, as the man was rather relentless when he met a promising student. She looked over at James, but he was avoiding eye contact.
"Maybe," he said noncommittally.
Having decided she was not going to get the boy to admit anything, Lily let the subject drop. She was just about to suggest they head to the fourth floor when James sighed.
"I replaced his crystallized pineapple once in first year with little salt blocks." He gave a rueful laugh. "Once Slughorn figured out it was me, I think I was off the list for good."
Lily whipped her head around to look at him.
"You did?" she asked, eyes widened with surprise. She burst into giggles, knowing full well how much the Potions master loved his precious pineapple. It made sense that anyone who tampered with the sugary treat would be blacklisted from the Slug Club. "Yeah," she said. "That would do it."
James' serious expression melted away.
"It was.. priceless.." he said, remembering. He turned to Lily. "What do you lot dothere, anyway?" he asked.
"Nothing really," she replied. "There's usually some guest of honor. Someone who used to be a member and has now gone off to do great things with his or her life." She pursed her lips, thinking. "We eat. He serves really good food, actually. It's just like.. a bunch of schmoozing, really."
"Ah," said James. "Sounds like seventy percent of my summers home with my parents, then. Guess maybe I'm not missing out after all. Do you like it, then? Schmoozing, that is."
Lily raised an eyebrow and answered dryly, "Who wouldn't?" Then, she relented.
"It's not so bad, really. Meetings are only once a month, and some of the guests of honor are really interesting. Plus it's never a bad thing to be on a professor's good side." She wondered idly if James had ever been on a professor's good side for any extended amount of time. Even Professor McGonagall, who taught James' best subject, seemed to have a very fair-weather relationship with the boy. She had her days when she practically threw James out the door.
But James had his redeeming qualities. He was a charming boy, even if he could be unruly. When he so chose, he could dial up the charisma and sway nearly anyone he chose.
"You know," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. "He might be the only person here who flat-out doesn't like me. Of the teachers, that is." A beat of silence followed, and his mind went to the Slytherin crew with whom he was constantly at odds. "Well," he said, smiling. "You can't win 'em all."
He hesitated a moment, then looked down at the winsome redheaded girl next to him.
"Actually," he amended, "I bet you could."
"Maybe he's tired of you picking on all the members of his House," Lily suggested pointedly, ignoring his last comment and the fond tone it carried.
"Maybe they all should stop buying into bigoted nonsense," he countered, his voice growing more serious.
"TouchŽ," she conceded. "Are you sure about all of them, though? Even the first years?"
James shook his head.
"Poor sods are on their way," he said sadly. "Typically, you follow those that lead you. And if their mentors are dragging them down into Dark Magic and things, well.. It's not their fault, I guess. Not entirely, at least. I dunno."
Lily was looking at him with something akin to admiration.
"You really hate the Dark Arts, don't you?" she asked. She wasn't sure she could name more than five Purebloods who felt that way. Fewer still who would be so vocal about it.
"I really, really do," James acknowledged, trying very hard not to read her expression too carefully. "I mean, just look at you. You're Muggle-Born, but you've managed to beat out about ninety-nine percent of the class for top marks, every single term. You're perfectly capable, and you've done it all through your own skills. And then there are a lot of people out there that think you, of all people, don't deserve to be here? It's bollocks." He took a deep breath. "And there's a lot of people out there who wouldn't even blink if it came to the issue of Muggles having any sort of rights. Yeah, they come off as a bit bumbling cos they haven't got magic, but look at what they've come up with! They figured out how to do a lot of things to overcome that handicap. I just.. I just don't get it." He was quiet a moment, then looked at the ground. "It's no one's choice to be a wizard any more than it is to be a Squib or a Muggle or a boy or a girl or a cat. It's just life, and you've got to let it be."
Lily had been silent throughout his entire speech, trying to prevent herself from gaping in awe at the rather sudden realization that James Potter had some very redeeming qualities.
"Well," she said, searching, "wow. That's veryÉ nobleÉ of you." And so as to not make it appear as if she was in any way giving in to him, she added, "I agree with you. Obviously."
James, suddenly realizing he had just spewed his views at her, felt his neck flush.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to preach at you. I..er.. of course you do." He was suddenly worried he had seemed pompous with his mad rush of words, and hoped she didn't think of him as such.
"It's okay," she smiled. "I'm-"-she hesitated a moment before allowing herself to say it "-impressed. Not every seventeen-year-old has put that much thought into.. well.. into life."
"Well, thank you," James replied, thinking of the countless conversations he had held with his parents over the years, trying to convince them of this very idea. They weren't as dramatically bigoted as the extremists that were rumored to be a part of the Dark Uprising, but they were raised in a time when it was generally accepted that Muggles and Muggle-borns were lower class. "You do realize," he ventured, "that you accidentally just said something nice to me, right?"
Lily raised her eyebrows.
"What makes you think it was an accident?" she challenged. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she blushed and turned her attention back to patrols, worried her words could be misconstrued as flirting.
He laughed, looking straight at her.
"The shocked look of panic on your face, right now."
Her face flushed at the embarrassment of being caught.
"I didn't-!" she exclaimed, and then paused. "I really did meant it, though," she added.
James smiled fondly at her.
"You're all right, Evans. Really."
Before she could help herself, Lily quipped, "Well I should hope you'd think so."
"Believe you me; I do." James glanced down at his watch. "And look! We've survived almost an hour without killing each other."
Making an effort to ignore his last comment, Lily nodded.
"So we did."
The pair rounded the corner and found themselves back in the Entrance Hall. They had completed the first loop of the building, and now would continue to do it all over again. Having reached a point of almost amiable silence, James was content to mull over their first extended and civil conversation. After another ten minutes of walking without any truants to apprehend, he spoke up.
"You weren't kidding when you said Patrols were dull."
"Nope," Lily admitted cheerfully.
James thought about it a minute.
"Not that I don't adore the company, of course."
"Potter.." she was torn between amusement and irritation. Was he ever going to get the message and stop trying to win her over?
"Hm?" He looked over at her, apparently unaware that he had complimented her at all.
Lily opened her mouth to speak, but then decided that bringing up the fact that he was persistently flirting with her would not solve anything.
"Nevermind."
One hour and six dungbombs later, James and Lily were headed back toward Gryffindor Tower. The stiff posture and polite distance the two had carried earlier had dissipated, and on more than one occasion, James' hand had brushed against Lily's. He had immediately apologized each time, but truthfully was not in the least bit sorry.
As they rounded the last corner and came in sight of the Fat Lady, James was laughing at a very miffed Lily.
"Ten points!?" he exclaimed. "You are adorably predictable."
Lily, clearly annoyed, retorted, "In case you haven't noticed, Potter, some professors take off much more than that. And those students were planting dungbombs outside McGonagall's office!"
"Oh, I have noticed. I have." He waved his hand, as if to dissolve her words and continue on to his real point. "It's just the way you said it. Like they ought to be shaking in their shoes, from a little slip of a thing like youÉ" He broke off, chuckling at the memory of how fearsome and intimidating she had tried to be, though she was scarcely taller than the fourth-years they had apprehended.
Lily, on the other hand, bristled at his insinuation that she was in any way incapable of being a figure of authority. She tossed her head.
"Perhaps they ought to," she said primly. "Size isn't always indicative of power, you know. I could have a great oaf like you disarmed in two seconds, if I wanted to." She was exaggerating, of course, having seen James duel before. It had, unfortunately, been with her ex-best friend, but she had to admit that he was skilled with a wand. Still, she wanted to make a point.
James paused, looking down at her with a smile on his face as though he was surveying a kitten that thinks it's quite ferocious. He was struck by the desire to pat her on the head, but wisely resisted. Instead, he leaned slightly toward her and said, his eyes shining behind his glasses, "I'd like to see that."
There was a momentary standoff and silent battle of wits. Lily briefly considered pulling her wand out and then thought better of it.
"We're supposed to be setting an example, Potter. Not hexing one another like trigger-happy third years." And with that parting shot, she flounced past him, brushing her shoulder against his as she stepped up to the Fat Lady.
"Hey! Evans!"
Lily whirled around. "What?" she asked, wondering what on earth Potter thought he could say to her now.
James gave her a lopsided smile and a wink.
"Have a good night," he said. Turning and shoving his hands into his pockets, he headed off to meet his mates in the Kitchen as planned.
Lily lifted her chin and turned back toward the Fat Lady's portrait, unable to quite decide how she felt about her co-Head. She was still fuming as she climbed the staircase to the Girls' Dorms and was very much looking forward to chatting with Mary and Marlene. That was uncomplicated. Her best friends, unlike Potter, did not delight in infuriating her.
As he headed down the stairs, James smiled to himself. That Evans girl is something else.
"I think I'm really going to like Patrols.." he muttered as he stepped behind a tapestry concealing a secret passage and made his way down to the Kitchens.