muttered, slamming his potions book shut and resting his head on the hardbound cover.

"You've barely gotten through one chapter." James snickered from beside him, shaking his head. "Power through this. It's the last test we have before winter break, then you are free to rest to your heart's desire."

"I know, it's just that Potions is so...boring." Peter replied, drawling out the last word with a breathy sigh.

"Hey! As your Potions partner, I take offence to that." Remus objected from across Peter. "Don't I make those classes fun for you?"

"Not with you nagging me every two seconds every time I try to brew something." Peter said, rolling his eyes. "And your fun 'potions facts' of the day are the opposite of fun."

"I'm just trying to make sure you do it right and keep you interested." Remus said, holding his hands up in mock surrender before turning his attention back to revising.

"Jeez, who pissed in your cereal today Wormtail? Why so snippy?" Sirius teased. "I happen to like the fun potions facts, Moony."

"Thank you, Padfoot. I'm glad someone here appreciates them."

The four marauders, huddled over a table in the common room, continued their reviewing for an upcoming Potions test. Sprawled across the table were stacks of books, scrolls of parchment, a handful of quills, and bottles of spilled ink. As they hunched over shared already graded essays, earlier quizzes, and Arabella's neatly written notes, they didn't notice somebody enter.

"James."

The four of them looked up to find Lily Evans standing in front of them, looking rather nervous and avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"What is it?" James asked, a small smile on his face.

"I need to talk to you."

"Sure, what about?" He shifts in his seat, turning to face her, and signals for her to continue.

"Actually, I was hoping that we talk in private." Lily said, tugging on the sleeves of her maroon coloured jumper.

Sirius' brows shot up as soon as the sentence left Lily's mouth, alarm bells beginning to ring inside his head. "Why does it have to be private? Whatever you have to say to James, you can say to us."

Lily's cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink as she feels the sweat form on her skin. "Uh...it's about head boy/girl things."

"Oh, alright. You want to talk in the prefects' meeting room?" James asked. Lily responded with a nod, stepping aside to make room as James pushed his chair back.

The rest of the marauders watched cautiously as James fixed his things. Sirius stared at Lily, as if he was attempting to read her mind; however, she avoided his gaze and continued to fixate her eyes on the ground. With a wave of his hand, James turned to his friends to say goodbye. "I'll be back in a bit."

As they were about to leave, James and Lily come face to face with Arabella, who had just entered the common room. She looked at the pair with a confused expression, "Where are you two heading?"

"Prefect meeting room. Head boy/girl stuff." James replied, shrugging.

"Oh, okay." Arabella's gaze travels to Lily who is unable to look back at her. She brings her attention back to James. "Hurry back, yeah?"

"Alright, mother." James replied, a teasing grin spreading on his face. Arabella steps aside so James and Lily can leave the common room. She makes her way to the table where the rest of the marauders sat.

Sirius taps on Remus' shoulder and tilts his head towards Arabella, signalling that he move seats so she can sit beside him. Remus sighs, but moves to sit next to Peter anyway.

"I can't be the only one concerned about that right?" Arabella asked the group as soon as she sat down.

"About what?" Remus asked, eyes trained on his Potions book.

"She means James and Evans." Sirius responds, his arm casually resting atop the back of Arabella's seat.

"What is there to be concerned about?" Remus still not bothering to look up from his book, his tone laced with boredom and the slightest hint of annoyance.

"You're not blind. Don't you think they've been getting closer?" Sirius asked, his voice accusing and frustrated. Arabella places a hand on his shoulder, calming him down.

"I think they have been too." Peter agreed, looking nervously at Remus who huffed at Sirius' question.

"Has Evans ever told you anything about James?" Sirius turned to ask Arabella.

Arabella bit her lip, she knew Lily's feelings were not her secret to tell. But she'd be lying if she said that it didn't bother her. Truth be told, she had been getting more nervous with each passing day since her previous conversation with Lily. Regardless, she shook her head in response to Sirius' question. "No, not that I can recall."

"Hmm." Sirius mused, "It's just these past few years Evans barely even breathed in Prongs' direction. He gets in a relationship with Diana, and suddenly they're best friends? Something's up, I just know it. What if Evans is jealous and has feelings for him now? What if James—"

"Stop it." Remus interrupted, running a hand through his already hair. He sighs heavily before continuing, "Here's what we are going to do: we are going to study for this test and we are going to trust James and his feelings for Diana."

"But—"

"What are we going to do?" Remus asked, cutting him off again. His gaze pointed, eyes challenging as he stared down his friends.

"Study for the test." Sirius, Arabella, and Peter echo unenthused.

"And?" Remus asked, eyebrow raised.

"Trust James." The rest continue, almost in a mumble.

"Good." Remus grinned before turning his attention to Arabella, "Now, Ara, did you get the books that I asked you to?"

walk side by side the halls towards the prefect meeting room. There were little to none students milling about, most of them in the library or respective common rooms trying to revise for upcoming tests. James attempts to make small talk with Lily as they headed to their destination. He asked about her plans for the holidays and talked about the bitingly chilling weather; however, to his surprise, she just stared straight ahead and left him unanswered. James was confused, but decided not to push further and assumed that Lily had just a lot on her mind. They walked the halls to the meeting room in silence.

"What's up, Evans?" James asked when they had arrived, sitting in one of the chairs and making himself comfortable by resting his feet on top of the table.

"Well, um, you see..." Lily started, beginning to fidget with the ends of her sleeves.

James leaned back and looked up, tapping his chin with a finger, "Let me guess, the prefects messed something up and the holiday decor is not to your liking."

"Not exactly, no." Lily mumbled as she gathered every single ounce of courage within her to prepare herself for what she was about to say.

James continues, not hearing her, "We've been over this, Evans. I told you to take it easy on them. I know that the dark crimson and mint green motif isn't the easiest on the eyes, but you have to cut them some slack. They worked really hard on those and—"

"I like you." Lily blurted out, effectively cutting him off.

"Excuse me?" James asked, taking his feet off the table and sitting properly in his seat. He had heard her clearly. He just hoped that he misheard, or at least that she hadn't meant in the way that he thinks she does.

"I like you. In the way you used to like me."

"Oh."

James stares at her, speechless. His mind going a million miles hour. He opens his mouth to say something, but not a single sound comes out.

Tears well up in the corners of Lily's eyes and she attempts to blink them back, to no avail. She lifts her arm to her face, using the sleeve of her jumper to wipe the teardrops that escaped. She bit her lip in an attempt to suppress the whimpers that threaten to leave her mouth. Lily stared up at James' dumbfounded expression, and finds herself unable to breathe. "I've ruined it. I shouldn't have said anything," she thought to herself, but at the same time something deep within her didn't regret it.

Lily heads to the door, wanting all of this over as soon as possible. Hand on the doorknob, she lets out a shaky breath before telling James one last thing, "I don't expect anything from you. I know you're with Diana and I respect that. I just needed you to know. For whatever it's worth."

She exits and James is left alone in the deafeningly quiet meeting room, too shocked to even begin processing what had just transpired. His thundering heart was more confused than anything else, but the sound of its beating was ringing in his ears. A single thought crossed his mind, his long forgotten plan had worked.