Remembering

Paper Airplanes

I sat in Transfiguration with Remus, folding paper airplanes out of parchment. He watched with amazement.

"So is this how muggles make paper fly?" he asked incredulously.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Remus, this is a muggle boy's way to have fun."

He grabbed some parchment from me, openmouthed. "How do I do it?"

"Well, you have to fold in the middle, like this..." I creased the middle of the rectangular parchment.

As I tutored Remus on the fine art of paper airplane folding, McGonagall continued to lecture us on how to change our appearance.

I finished showing Remus. "There you go, buddy," I said. "Now make your own."

I whispered a charm on my pile of airplanes.

McGonagall stopped talking and narrowed her eyes with suspicion at the back of the room, where the Marauders and I sat. I gave her a sweet smile and waved.

She frowned and waved back. The class erupted into giggles.

"Miss Evans, can you tell me the three easiest ways to transfigure your appearance?" she asked, adjusting her glasses.

"Uh, hair, eyebrows, and skin color?" I answered. I wasn't very good at Transfiguration.

"Correct, five points to Gryffindor," she said. I whooped and did a little celebration dance.

"What?" I said when the class stared at me. "This isn't my best class!"

They started chuckling again. James was looking at me with a bit of -- admiration?

I shrunk down the paper airplanes and propped my head on my hand, staring at the back of James' head. James and Sirius were busy drawing diagrams for a prank that they were planning.

I began daydreaming; James' hair looked really soft. I kind of wanted to run my hands through it...

Bad Lily, I scolded myself. But his hair looked so touchable... and his lips so kissable...

Oh fuck. This was not happening. I was not falling for James Potter.

I was jerked back into the present by the scraping of chairs. Class had ended. Now it was time to prank.

I had decided to pull a couple pranks on my own, see what would happen. My first one would start in about five minutes. I stayed behind, pretending to go the bathroom, while pulling out all my paper airplanes and enlarging them to the size of my head. 

Then I released them. They flapped through the air, almost like birds, zooming around the bathroom. I opened the door and set them free. The paper airplanes hovered in the air near the ceiling, waiting for the final command.

I hurried to lunch, smirking. No one would know what hit them. 

The bell for lunch rang and I followed the mobs of students heading for the food. Finally I sat down in the Great Hall.

"Hey Evans, wanna go out with me?" James called. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This hadn't happened in a long time.

"Better luck next time, Jamesie," I yelled back. The Marauders burst into laughter. I smirked.

I 'accidentally' dropped my wand under the table. I went to retrieve it and said the spell. Any minute now.

I returned to my seat, grabbing an apple. Suddenly a great scream rose from the hall. 

An army, it seemed, of paper airplanes had assembled in the doorway of the Great Hall, filling it completely. 

I adopted a look of shock on my face as the airplanes divebombed every table but the Gryffindor one. The airplanes chased students around the hall, not giving up until they were buried in their chosen student's hair.

The entire Gryffindor table was overcome with fits of laughter.

Remus shot me a knowing look. I smirked.

He elbowed James and Sirius, who were looking around for the prankster. Remus nodded at me, and Sirius laughed. 

"My little Lily flower! All grown up!" Sirius exclaimed, hugging me. I rolled my eyes.

"Miss Evans! Come see me in my office!" Professor McGonagall shouted over the tumultuous noise.

"Yes, Professor!" I yelled back.

James was laughing so hard he was crying. "Best -- prank -- ever!" he choked out.

The girls were looking at me in a new light. "Wow," Dorcas said, shaking her head. "Wow."

I smirked and followed McGonagall to her office.

***

I sat down in the hard chair in front of Professor McGonagall's desk. She sighed, her nostrils flaring.

"Miss Evans, you have been neglecting your duties."

"What duties?" I asked innocently.

"Your prefect duties," she snapped.

My eyes widened. "Oh, I completely forgot, professor --"

McGonagall shook her head. "I don't want to hear it. Badge," she said, holding out her hand.

Reluctantly, I unpinned the badge from my robes and placed it in her withered hand.

She nodded. "You may go."

Hanging my head, I began my walk of shame back to the tower. I doubt anybody had ever had their badge taken from them. And it was almost Christmas, too!

I sighed and made my way back to the Great Hall.

I perked at the sight of many still trying to get away from their paper airplanes.

It had all been worth it.