The Marauder's Tale [MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT, & PRONGS]

XLIII. To Prove Himself

James reached up automatically and rumpled his hair. “Hey, Evans,” he said with a grin.

“What are you doing here, Potter?” Lily asked. She cringed at the sound of her own voice. She hadn’t meant to sound so rude, it was just . . . What was he doing there?

“I’m Head Boy,” James said, completely unfazed by her tone. “I’m here for the same reason you are.”

“YOU’RE Head Boy?” she asked incredulously. What was Dumbledore thinking? James Potter couldn’t be Head Boy. There must have been a mistake. He must have gotten someone else’s letter.

“Yeah, I’m Head Boy,” James replied, still smiling. “Believe me, I was shocked, too. I thought it would be Remus for sure. Honestly, I’m a little surprised to see you here – not that I didn’t think you could be Head Girl, I’ve just never known both Heads to be from the same House . . . but it’s good for Gryffindor, right?”

Lily looked at him, at a loss for words. She closed her mouth, which she had been unaware had been hanging open. She frowned, her temper already starting to boil. How could they have done this to her? James was going to make her look bad for the entire year! She had been so excited about being Head Girl, and her parents had been so proud, but now . . . “Do you know what you’ve gotten into?” she snapped.

“Excuse me?”

“This is responsibility, Potter,” she said harshly. “To be totally honest, I’ve never known you to be the most responsible person in the world. This isn’t something you can use just to keep yourself and your mates out of detention. You’re going to have to actually work, which is something else I haven’t seen you do much of over the past six years. If you don’t think you can handle this, maybe you should turn in your badge.”

James narrowed his eyes, his temper flaring to the surface. “You know that I didn’t ask for this, Evans. I’m just like you. I got a letter from McGonagall telling me to be here. And, I’d like to point out, I was on the train well before you. I may not have applied for the job, but I am more than willing to take it, and to do it well.”

“Look, Potter,” she sighed, “everything we do this year is going to reflect on each other. I can’t afford for you to make me –“

“I will not make you look bad!” James yelled, cutting her off. “Are you listening to a word I’m saying? Honestly, Evans! Stop thinking the worst of me for two seconds! Did it ever occur to you that I might be able to do this? Because that must have crossed Dumbledore’s mind at some point! I’m sorry if I wasn’t your first choice for Head Boy, but I was his, so there’s nothing either of us can do about it!”

For the first time in her life, Lily Evans was struck speechless during an argument. The thought that Dana, Olivia, and Kathleen would have paid to see that happen flitted across her mind. That only made her even angrier – how dare he render her speechless?

“Here,” James said, shoving the scroll he had read earlier at her. “This has our instructions in it. I know this will probably shock you, but I’ve already read it. So, you take your time with it, and whenever you’re ready, we’ll go talk to the prefects.”

Lily took the scroll without a word, and began to read over it. James wandered away from her, and looked out the window. What was going on here? Why was he yelling at Lily like this? He had never been anything but nice to her in the past. Well, she hadn’t been nice to him. She deserved the full force of his temper. She didn’t need to act like he didn’t know what he was doing. To be fair, he didn’t really know what he was doing. But he could learn. He was willing to accept this responsibility. He was willing to do his job. Was she willing to work with him to do hers?