As soon as it was announced that they would be learning how to cast a patronus, the marauders immediately moved to the back of the room and prepared themselves for a relaxing lesson. They'd all taught themselves how to make one in their fourth year, just like they had taught themselves to be animagi. They each knew what form their patronuses would take, a dead match to the animals they adopted during the full moon.

The room was shrouded in silver mist, making it hard for everyone to see, which allowed the four boys to get away with not doing anything. Remus, although still lounging with his friends, was still intently watching the people he could see out of mere curiosity. Peter was feebly trying to make conversation, but couldn't get a lot in due to Sirius making loud, inappropriate jokes every few minutes to entertain the group. James of course was only looking for one thing: a flash of red hair.

It was all going well for them until their professor had asked to see their individual progress. It had started out as expected, a few students producing nothing more than a few wisps. Mary Macdonald had conjured up a swarm of butterflies that flittered about wherever she moved, but no one else was really successful. And then it was Lily's turn.

James sat up, intently watching the redhead as she moved tentatively up to the front of the classroom. She held out her wand, her face screwed up in thought as she uttered the incantation. There was a split second pause, and then a beautiful doe emerged from the end of her wand and cantered about the room. James' mouth was wide open; his face expressing nothing but shock. The marauders all whipped their heads around to see James' reaction. He was frozen, unmoving as the professor then called out his name. He only came out of his shock as Remus nudged him, pushing him onto his feet.

James shakily walked to the front of the room. He didn't want to conjure his patronus, not straight after Lily's. He didn't want to humiliate her, not any more than he already did on a daily basis by asking her out so often. The whole class is waiting, their eyes all locked onto his wand. He took a sideways glance at Lily, seeing slight confusion in her eyes. James swallowed and lowered his wand.

"What is he doing?" Sirius muttered to Remus, who responded with a baffled shrug of his shoulders.

"I... I can't do this professor. Is it okay if I stay back and show you later?"

The professor gave James a nod of approval as the bell rang.

As the rest of the class packed their things and left, Lily was feeling quite confused about the whole ordeal.

"Why wouldn't Potter want to show his patronus to the class? He's probably just trying to bend the rules again. He hasn't changed in the slightest," she muttered to herself.

She had just walked out the door, ready to move to her next class when she paused. Lily quickly turned and slowly nudged the door open slightly with her foot. She could see James' back as he faced the teacher, wand out in front of him.

"He's obviously capable of performing a patronus charm, so why didn't he-"

Lily's heart went into her mouth as she stood in silence. James had produced a silvery stag that was cantering around the room. Lily's hand had moved to cover her mouth as shock ran through her. Their patronuses were a pair. A stag and a doe.

Lily's eyes widened as she realised that James didn't want to push that onto her in front of the whole class. He didn't want to embarrass her. She was breathing fast and could only look on as the professor gave James full marks and let him go. Lily knew she had to move fast if she didn't want to be spotted. She quickly raced down the hall and turned the corner, breathing hard.

Lily brushed a hand through her hair and sighed, a small smile on her face. It looked like Potter had begun to change after all.