Putting The 'M' in Mystery~ Hinny/Jily

Betcha a galleaon they'll marry

"So, how did you get here?" asked Harry of the glaring Weasley beside him. She gave a quick glance around to make sure no one was listening and lowered her voice.

"Dumbledore sent me. He said that you needed someone with you, because he was worried that you'd do something stupid."

"So I'm still being babysat, am I?" asked Harry bitterly, stabbing a sausage violently. "I thought he'd at least leave me alone now he's gone."

"Harry, it wasn't like that," said Ginny earnestly, forcing him to look at her, "I mean, it's pretty obvious that you'd want to warn them. He does trust you, I swear, but he just didn't want you to be tempted to..."

"What?" Harry asked, his voice silkily poisonous, "Be tempted to what?"

"Oh Harry, stop trying to be superhuman," Ginny snapped, "You're an amazing wizard, and I know you wouldn't try to tell them without thinking, but I'm pretty sure you'd do anything for all those horrible memories to be erased. And hell, I so wish you could. But you can't, Harry, and I'm here to give you a poke if you start thinking about it. Plus, I really fancy myself a teacher." She giggled, and Harry forgot to scowl as the two started throwing good-natured insults at each other.

"Snake gobbed prat,"

"Freckle faced weasel," "Changophobic," (referring to Cho Chang, if you hadn't guessed that already)

"Boy who Lived number one fan,"

"Arrogant prick."

Harry gave an evil smile and leaned in close.

"Best friend's kid sister," Ginny let out a string of swearwords that would have made an Auror blush, and brandished her wand with an "Ooh, you'll pay for that, Potter."

"Whatever. Hey, look at my mum!"

Ginny turned to see an extremely angry looking Lily Evans shouting red faced at James Potter. All of the Marauders looked from Lily to James, who was wearing an extremely meek expression and patiently waiting for her to finish her rant. Ginny turned to Harry and laughed.

"Remind you of anyone?"

Harry burst into a hacking cough, which sounded oddly like "RonandHermione!"

Ginny raised an eyebrow as she thought of the previous summer, when the pairs loud bickering had fallen silent and she and Harry had emerged from their cover to see the two lip locked.

"Betcha a galleon they end up married."

Harry considered.

"You're on. I can imagine the two of them at the alter," he raised his voice in a shrill imitation of Hermione. "I Hermione, take thee ... Oh, honestly Ronald! Your shirt's untucked! For heavens sake, can't you be a bit more..."

"Blatantly adoring?" Ginny filled in, "Have you seen the puppy dog looks he keep giving her. It's identical to how James is looking at Lily."

Harry craned his neck to see his father-to-be gazing worshipfully at the red head, who was throwing him the occasional dirty look. She laughed. "Isn't it hilarious watching them bicker and knowing they'll end up married?"

"Yeah. Hilarious." Harry muttered, staring wistfully at his parents. Remus had told him before he died that even when they'd started going out, and even when they were married, they still argued constantly.

They'd all be about forty now, he thought sadly. But no, none of them would ever grow any older since the day they'd died. Wormtail had died in Azkaban a few years ago, and it was only six months since he'd seen Remus die at the wand of Lucius Malfoy. Lucius had died as well. He and Bellatrix had both been killed by Harry's hate. He hadn't cursed them, but the power within him had grown so strong that they had simply fallen lifeless to the ground. Harry didn't regret it, as far as he was concerned there was no shred of good left inside them, and it was a good thing they were dead. But still their blank, empty eyes haunted his dreams.

"Harry?" asked Ginny tentatively, snapping him out of his daze.

_._._._._._._

The Marauders were sprawled over a few armchairs in front of the fire by the common room talking about nothing in particular. Lily watched them. Sirius said something and James laughed, his head thrown back and lit by the range glow of the fire. He was handsome, Lily had to admit. He was also charming when it struck him. She remembered the previous year, when she had been forced to work on her Potion assignment with him. Only she'd just broken up with her first ever boyfriend, and James had quietly done the work by himself and left her alone. She recalled the awful certainty that she'd fail for the first time in her life, only to find a twenty page evaluation and perfect potion sample handed in for her. When she'd asked James about it he'd simply shrugged and told her he didn't mind. That was sweet of him.

She shook herself mentally. This is James Potter! She told herself firmly. She hastily reminded herself of how he'd called her carrots ad pulled her hair in first year, how he'd turned her robes hot pink in second. Grudges are so much easier to hold than to forget.

You hate James Potter!

He turned and looked at her, and something seemed to register in his eyes.

"Hey, Evans!" he called to her "Will you... She quickly put on a glare.

"No, Potter, I will not go out with you! I hate you, remember?"

He gave her a hurt look.

"Actually, I was just going to ask you to set the password for the Heads Common Room.

"Lily felt her face flush. She felt strangely guilty for biting his head off, yet again.

"Lily? Earth to Lily, are you receiving?"

Lily's friend Alice waved a hand in front of her face. She closed her eyes for a second, then slapped on a smile and opened them.

"Yeah?"

_._._._._._._

"So, Prongs, what's the 'Get Lily' plan this year?" asked Sirius expectantly. The other two Marauders also turned their attention to James. He sighed.

"There isn't one, guys. I've given up."

Peter gasped, and Sirius reached out and shook his shoulder, looking unnerved.

"Prongs, are you OK?"

James looked up at him. "What's the point? You heard her, she hates me. I don't want to make her unhappy." Peter and Sirius both glanced at Remus, who shrugged.

"She hates me." James repeated bitterly, and put his head in his hands.