Forever A Marauder

Twelve: James

JAMES

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"Lily Evans, the girl who no one thought would go on a date with James Potter," Sirius titled her, earning himself a half-hearted glare from Lily. Sirius laughed at her reaction.

"Lily Evans, the girl who thought she'd never find James Potter appealing and lower herself to his level," She teased. James pouted his lip at her, giving her puppy-dog eyes. She sat with the Marauders in the train compartment now, their finger tips brushing.

"I still remember how freaked out she was about the date," Calysta laughed. "But I talked her into it. You're welcome." She flicked her hair dramatically. James rolled his eyes at the girl.

"And now she's one of us. I mean, she knows almost everything." James nudged Lily's side. She smiled.

"I don't need to know everything, though. I've been let in on enough." She said with a face to match her exasperated tone.

"One thing I'd like to be let in on is why in bloody hell James was made Head Boy!" Remus roared with laughter. James narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"It's not that hard to believe. A lot of things have happened that I wasn't planning on."

"I wasn't planning on Lily going out with you," Remus smirked now. "More than once. Or dating you for that matter." James kicked Remus' foot.

"Oi! Lily does what she wants!" James defended. Lily looked pleased at his statement.

"He's more a gentlemen than I thought," She admitted, giving them a small shrug. "He's an okay boyfriend too." She poked his ribs. James lifted his head proudly.

"Hear that, mates? I'm an okay boyfriend." The compartment broke into a fit of laughter.

"It's going to be an interesting seventh year." Peter joked.

"Isn't every year interesting?" Sirius asked.

~~~~~

Lily's mouth hung open at the tales the Marauders began to tell her. Just like they had told Calysta, Remus shyly explained how he was a werewolf. Lily blinked, then nodded at him.

"Every month?"

"Every month," Remus confirmed. Lily's bottom lip pouted slightly.

"Are you...okay?" She asked, tucking a piece of hair behind each of her ears. She was leaning forward in her seat, with James arm on the back of the couch behind her. Sipping at a stolen goblet of juice, Calysta reclined her feet over Sirius' legs and her back against the arm of the couch, watching Lily's reaction closely. Remus let out a short laugh.

"I guess so. I've been going through it since I was a child." He expressed. Lily gave him a sympathetic smile.

"That's...good." She was often hesitating her words during this conversation, James noticed. Remus shrugged.

"It's not a big deal anymore, really. With the help of Calysta's brother, the Moonbane potion prevents my changes every once in a while." He insisted. Lily smiled again.

"And you call yourselves the Marauders. And you're unregistered Animagi...And no one's supposed to know except you four." She directed her finger between the four boys. "Then Calysta came-- she's now one, a Marauder, also." Lily squeezed her eyes shut.

"Never would've guessed, huh?" Sirius smirked.

"Ha! No way." Lily agreed. They all smiled at her distress.