I'll Take it Shaken, Not Stirred

Chapter 12: November

A/N: Not as much mystery in this chapter, sadly, but we'll get to that soon enough. We need some character development. LoL. For those wondering, LJ-ness is coming soon! (in conservative doses, sadly).

Recap of last time: James helps Lily pull a prank to cause a diversion while the two search Praedam and Silth's respective offices. Lily is almost caught, James lies on her behalf to Praedam, and the final evidence is inconclusive about Silth, but makes Praedam seem pretty damned innocent. Aw shucks. The two proceed to drive each other and their friends crazy with incessant bickering. New Characters from ch. 11: Delilah (mentioned in a letter to Praedam), Elliot (wrote said letter to Praedam), and "Dee" (signed a picture of herself and Silth: "love, Dee").

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"Let's have some new clichés..." –Samuel Goldwyn (The Great!)

Twelve-year-old second year, Lily Evans held in a blush. She hated blushing, because it made her look rather like a tomato, what with her violently red bob of hair. She was not particularly fond of tomatoes anyway (except for, on occasion, the little ones in her salad).

"What did he say?" pleaded Alice Prewett and Eden Dearborn- fellow Gryffindor second years- in unison. The three girls sat at breakfast one Monday morning in late November.

"Nothing," said Lily in reply; "never mind it. Okay?"

"No! Not okay!" insisted Eden adamantly; "tell us, Leeeely!" She stretched the name unnaturally long.

Lily rolled her startlingly green eyes as she served herself potatoes and a biscuit. "No," she said simply.

"Oh I know it," teased Eden, tearing a bit of her blueberry muffin and consuming it playfully; "he fancies you, doesn't he?"

"You're sounding like one of those first year gossips, Eden," Lily pointed out coolly.

"Johnny Sharp fancies Lily Evans," murmured Eden in a singsong voice. Lily rolled her eyes again, but said nothing.

"C'mon, Lily," Alice begged adorably, trying a different- probably less annoying- tactic. "What did he say?"

Lily sighed, giving in, and the other two knew it. "It was... something about... flying?" she said uncertainly.

"Flying," repeated the other two.

"Mhm," said Lily, with a little more confidence.

"Well what about flying?" Eden persisted.

"Nope."

"Leeeely!"

"Nuh-uh."

"Well it doesn't matter if you tell us," Eden said; "we know he fancies you."

"Him and every other boy, first through third year," Alice added. "Except for the ones who like Eden."

"Ya right," chorused blonde and redhead. "Shut up, Eden, or I'll sock you one," the latter added.