The Insanity With Dating Padfoot and Prongs

Lily jumped down the last steps from the dorm and into the Gryffindor common room. She ran her fingers through her red locks as she looked around the empty room in search for any sign of a mop of messy black hair. She and James were meant to study that night, but it seems that he had escaped the tedious task and went down for supper a bit early.

Lily sighed and decided to continue on her way to meet the boy in the Great Hall before he decided to take his new little sidekick on a journey to the Forbidden Forest. Just as she approached the portrait, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye that made her jump.

"Hi, Lily!" said Natalina Monroe. She had been sitting in an armchair against the wall, making her invisible to Lily as she walked down the stairs. Natalina was wearing a smile that was way too cheerful to be natural, and she looked especially immaculate without a single blonde hair out of place. Even her shoelaces were tied evenly. It was a little unsettling, to tell the truth. "I was looking for you!"

"Oh, hello Natalina," said Lily with a wary smile. "I actually have to meet James real soon, so if it's something quick..."

"Oh, it's nothing major," she said with a wave of the hand and a practiced air of nonchalance. She got out of her seat and walked to where she was in front of Lily, then leaned back against the edge of an end table. "I was just wondering how you've been doing. We hardly talk anymore." The blonde looked very much the part of a mediocre muggle psychologist with her falsely concerned voice and her eyes attentively studying Lily's face.

Lily gave the girl a hard stare as it was Natalina's fault that they didn't talk anymore, and Lily wasn't too keen to chat with someone who had even one tie to Junior Death Eaters.

"I'm fine," said the redhead. "And you?"

Natalina seemed glad for the opportunity to talk about herself, reaffirming Lily's belief that Natalina didn't care at all how she'd been doing. "I'm doing well, thanks for asking. You know, you'll never guess who I met over the summer!"

Lily tried hard not to roll his eyes, "Who?"

"Sirius' mother, Walburga Black! Apparently, she's a friend of my mother's and she invited us over for tea one day. She's a lovely woman. I noticed Sirius wasn't there though. Any idea where he might've been?"

"Oh, probably spending time with Lyra," Lily said in a nonchalant way, though her mind raced with questions on how anyone could find Walburga Black lovely. If Sirius was as honest as he seemed to be when speaking of his family, that is. "Picking out furniture for his new flat, those sort of things."

The mentioning of Lyra made Natalina narrow her eyes just the slightest bit and her nose crinkle in distaste as if she disapproved. She recovered quickly, but not before Lily had seen.

"Oh and how is dear Lyra?" asked Natalina, false sincerity coloring her tone. "Doing well, I hope?"

"Just as lovely, sweet, and fun as ever, Natalina."

A tight smile ran from ear to ear on Natalina's face, her mouth twitching from the effort to keep it in place.

"You know," Lily began with an air of resentment towards the blonde. "I never thought Sirius Black would ever settle down, but I can see him marrying Lyra. They really are perfect for each other."

"Well," she said. "We'll just have to see about that." Natalina drew herself up to full height, standing an inch or so taller than Lily. She looked down at the redhead with a sickly-sweet smile. "I'll be seeing you again shortly, I'm sure. Ta for now." And then Natalina Monroe disappeared out the portait hole.

Lily glared at her back just long enough to see a confused James climb through the portrait hole. Confused hazel eyes met livid green ones and James smiled.

"I think she wants me, Lily," he spoke. "But don't worry, I'm more of a redhead kind of guy."

"It's not you she wants," said Lily, with worry laced through her words.

James' confusion turned to mild concern. "I know that voice. What's wrong?" He took a step closer and reached for her hand.

"It could be nothing, James..." she trailed off, as she allowed his hand to fit perfectly with hers.

"Come on, something's bothering you. Out with it," he smiled encouragingly.

Lily took a breath before saying, "She's after Sirius."

James gave her a blank stare for a minute before his brain could process what she'd said. "But... what?" he said, rather unintelligently. He cleared his throat and spoke again. "I mean, why? Don't get me wrong, girls have always been after Sirius, but with the company Natalina keeps, you'd think she's want someone more... evil?"

"I think there is an underlying reason," said Lily as she replayed the conversation with the girl in her head, trying to figure out the coded messages behind it.

"Like what?"

"Well, she mentioned that she spent time with his 'lovely' mother."

"That old hag?! She's about as lovely as an acromantula," said James.

"I think she may have something to do with this," continued Lily. "I'm not sure what, but Natalina and Sirius' mother are planning something. If I only had a way to follow her and find out exactly what's going on without her suspecting anything."

James gave Lily a wicked smile, "I think I have a way."

He pulled her along up the stairs to his dormitory. They stopped at the foot of his bed, and Lily wondered what they were doing there.

"What I am about to show you is an absolute secret. No one outside of our group can know I have
it," said James.

"Okay, I promise I won't tell," said Lily, curiosity getting the better of her. She watched James get on his knees in front of his trunk, unlock it, and lift the top open. He rummaged around inside it for a moment, and then withdrew what looked like a thin, silvery sheet.

"Here," said James as he handed it to her. "Know what that is?"

As Lily's hand felt the water-like material, her eyes widened. She knew exactly what it was. To test it, she put her hand underneath it and watched her fingers disappear.

"No," Lily breathed incredulously. "How'd you get it?"

James smiled wide, "It's been passed down in my family for generations. And now it's mine," James took a step closer to her and ran a hand over the strange fabric. "So," he said. "Want to find out exactly what our little friend is hiding?"

"That would be amazing, but I have no idea where she ran off to now," said Lily.

James smirked again and gently grabbed the fabric out of her hand. He folded it up and shoved it in his pocket before saying, "Lets go eat, and I'll retrieve my other secret from Remus. We'll skip studying tonight and find out exactly what Natalina is planning."

In just a few moments, James and Lily joined their friends at the Gryffindor table. They were all eating and listening intently to Sirius, who was complaining about how Professor Binns took ten points from Gryffindor because Sirius had been running in the halls.

"I was just trying to get to Transfiguration on time! I mean, what the bloody hell's his problem?" huffed Sirius.

"Well, he's dead, for one," said Remus.

"That's no excuse. Sir Nicholas would never do something like that," said Sirius. "Right, Nick?" The ghost of Gryffindor House floated up from the table out of a bowl of mashed potatoes.

"I'd never dream of it, sir," said Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington before he glided over to the Grey Lady for a friendly chat.

James turned to Remus, "Mate, you still got that spare piece of parchment?"

Remus pat the breast pocket of his robes and gave a wink. "I've kept it safe."