Author's Note: I'm thinking about making this a series, but I'm not sure if I want to. Feedback on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Actually, feedback in general would be greatly appreciated.

"Detention, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said as James and Sirius walked towards the Great Hall.

James stopped in his tracks. "For what?"

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "I think you know very well what, Mr. Potter."

"Normally, I would say yes, but right now I honestly don't know," James replied. "But it's only the first week of school. I haven't really had any time to think of anything good to do yet."

"Because you didn't spend half the summer planning new pranks for this year," Sirius snickered.

"Shut up, Padfoot," James snapped. Actually, he'd spent very little of his summer planning pranks what with feeling guilty about what had happened with Lily and Snape after the Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL and Sirius moving in with the Potter's that summer.

"Let me refresh your memory," Professor McGonagall said dryly gesturing towards the Great Hall.

James and Sirius shrugged and entered the Great Hall.

"Woah," was all either of them could say. The east wall of the hall read, "I'm sorry, Lily. I love you." The words were bright green (the color of her eyes) and took up the entire wall. With the sun coming up through the windows, the greens words seemed to glow. It was a very simple charm; someone had merely written the words with his wand (very similar to the Muggle art of spray-painting), but James could tell that the spell would not come off so quickly. Several people were pointing at it and giggling. People craned their necks to look at James or Lily. Lily. She was just sitting there eating her breakfast indifferently as though nothing were going on.

"I didn't do that," James said, still in shock. He recollected his thoughts. "I mean, that's a pretty good idea, but I didn't think of it." He grinned, "I wonder if he'd mind if I stole that idea?"

"And who do you suppose it was?" McGonagall asked.

James shrugged. "How should I know?" As a matter of fact, James knew very well who had done this, but he kept his mouth shut, knowing McGonagall would never believe him.

McGonagall nodded, disbelieving. "Your detention will be cleaning the wall. You will do this every evening until the wall is spotless….."

"He didn't do it, Professor," Lily Evans said. James and Sirius jumped; neither of them had noticed her arrival.

McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "And how do you know this, Miss Evans?"
"He was practicing for Quidditch tryouts yesterday," she said. "I was in the library studying and I could see the Quidditch pitch perfectly from my window. Around…..7:30 maybe, he came into the library to work on his Transfiguration essay. He was sitting at the table next to mine and he didn't leave until I did." She looked guiltily at the floor. "I lost track of time and we didn't leave the library until after curfew. I'm sorry, Professor. I had several books with me and he helped me carry them back to the Common Room."

James didn't know why Lily was lying. Well, actually, he was at the Quidditch pitch until around 7:30, but the rest was a lie. He had gone straight to the Common Room and did his Transfiguration essay (yes, the great James Potter does his homework on time) with Sirius, Remus and Peter. The other Marauders of course would be willing to vouch for him, but it was unlikely Professor McGonagall would listen to them as they were his friends. However, Lily was a model student and would never lie to a teacher (until now).

"You can ask Madame Pince," Lily added.

James' face fell. Lily lying for him was unfathomable stroke of luck, but Lily and Madame Pince? Never.

"That won't be necessary," McGonagall answered. James looked up, unable to believe his luck. Of course, Lily never actually counted on Professor McGonagall asking Madame Pince; Lily knew she'd believe her without any proof. It was a risky move, but then again, James liked risks. "But still," Professor McGonagall continued, "Mr. Potter could have very easily vandalized the wall after you two had returned to the Common Room. What time did you say you left the library?"

Lily considered. "10:30 maybe? Yes, I think that's about right."

Professor McGonagall nodded. She beckoned Professor Flitwick over. "A simple time-checking charm will determine when the spell was cast. Filius, if you'll do the honors."

Professor Flitwick strode over to the wall and traced the words with his wand.

"I didn't do it, Professor," James said once again.

"That's not even his handwriting," Lily pointed out.

James hadn't thought about that. But as she said that, he noticed how the handwriting on the wall was far more feminine than his.

McGonagall considered this. "Potter, go get your Trasfiguration essay." James and Sirius began to leave, but McGonagall stopped them. "Potter, you go get your essay, alone. Mr. Black, you may go have breakfast." She pointed to where Remus and Peter were sitting, and looking very worriedly at James.

Throwing an apologetic glance in James's direction, Sirius sat down across from Remus and James ran back to the Common Room. Only moments later he returned, out of breath, with his essay in hand.

McGonagall only had to glance at it to see that it clearly wasn't written by the same person who wrote on the wall. She noticed how the words on the wall were rather feminine while James's essay had the appearance of penmanship that had been carefully instructed, but then the writer realized that it was more efficient to write quickly than neatly.

"Around 9:30, Minerva," Flitwick hurried over. "No later than ten."

McGonagall nodded. "Mr. Potter, you may go. Thank you Miss Evans."

Lily hurried off and James in quick pursuit behind her.

"Hey, what was that about?" he asked. "Why did you lie for me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lily replied, treating him like she usually did whenever he tried to talk to her.

"Yes, you do. Why did you say I was in the library with you?"

"Because you were, James," Lily said innocently. She smirked. "Are you afraid of ruining your reputation by it getting out that you were in the library?"

"Lily," James said firmly, starting to worry that maybe she'd been Confounded or something, "you and I both know that I wasn't in the library last night. But we both know I didn't do it. So why did you lie to McGonagall?"

"Potter, I just got you out of trouble. Why are you questioning it?" Lily asked. "Now leave me alone or I will be forced to hex you."

James sighed, but knew it was time to let it go. He told her he'd see her in class and left.

But as matter of fact, Lily had a very good reason for lying for James. While he hadn't been in the library with her (it had actually been Frank Longbottom and she'd been counting on Madame Pince only remembering a redhead Gryffindor girl and a black-haired Gryffindor boy), she knew he was innocent, or at least, innocent for that crime. Upon seeing the words written on the Great Hall, Lily knew exactly who it was. Hadn't she seen his handwriting a thousand times before? But she didn't turn him in because she knew that she'd have to face him if she did and she really wanted nothing more to do with him. She sighed. It was a sad day when she'd rather lie for James Potter than forgive Severus Snape.