Sweet
By Molly Raesly

Seventeen

"James, I need to talk to you. It's urgent." James turned around and saw a beautiful redhead with the most intoxicating emerald eyes.

"Sure. Is in here okay?" James guided Lily into an empty classroom. "What's up Lily?"

"James, I have been doing some thinking, and I realize that you are the guy for me. I know that I haven't been the nicest to you in the past, but that was because I was scared. I mean you're perfect. You're smart, funny, talented, and really hot. I mean really, really, really hot. What were the chances that the James Potter could actually like a pathetic nothing like me? I thought it was too good to be true. I called you names and turned you down. I was just trying to hide how vulnerable I was. Who can really be calm, cool, and collected when given the privilege of speaking to the James Potter? Please make me the luckiest girl in the world and be my boyfriend."

"I suppose I can do that," James replied smirking.

"Oh James!" gasped she gasped before suddenly throwing her arms around James and kissing him. Lily was a very good kisser. She just kept kissing him and kissing him.

"James, Jaammmees," coaxed a voice from above.

"Oh, Lily," said James opening his eyes groggily.

"Happy birthday, mate!" exclaimed James's best friend Sirius Black.

"What?" James replied stupidly. He reached over and searched his nightstand blindly. After a few seconds, he found his wire-rimmed glasses and put them on. The first thing he saw was a view that most of the girls in Hogwarts would kill to see every morning. He was tall and very muscular, even though he hardly worked out. He had gray eyes that often twinkled mischievously. The most amazing thing about this person's appearance was his hair. It was long and dark, and it rested elegantly on his head. James had often tried to make his hair look like that, but his efforts failed. It seemed that no force or magic on the earth could make James Harold Potter's hair lie flat. This was not a problem, however, for James's best friend Sirius Black. Indeed, James and Sirius thought of each other as brothers. They would do anything for each other. Sirius came to live with the Potters over the summer and during breaks ever since fourth year. His family was full of dark wizards with high and mighty pureblood personas, and Sirius had had enough. The Potters, although they were also purebloods, accepted Sirius with open arms.

To the right of Sirius was James's other close friend Remus Lupin. Remus had shaggy, sandy blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He was also on the skinny side. Unfortunately, that was pretty much inescapable due to the fact that Remus was a werewolf. James liked to refer to it as Remus's "furry little problem" while in the presence of anyone besides the Marauders. However, unlike most wizards, the Marauders were not prejudiced against Remus for his monthly transformations. In fact, they rather liked it because it gave them something to do. Remus was the most responsible of the Marauders, and was even a prefect. 

Too often, Remus would spoil Sirius and James's fun because the prank was "too dangerous." Like that could ever happen! Nevertheless, he did give excellent advice on women. All of the quiet girls liked Remus because he had a sensitive side.

Peter was on the other side of Sirius. He was short and rather chubby, and he looked like rat even in his human state. He had mousy brown hair and shifty eyes. Peter was a follower and James knew it, but he was also his friend, so James was loyal to him. Remus and Peter came to the Potter Mansion just the day before to celebrate James's birthday. Fortunately, they would be staying for the rest of the summer holiday.

"It's August 4th, your birthday," answered Remus.

"Now Prongs, ol' buddy, did you have a good night's sleep?" questioned Sirius.

"I suppose so. Why?"

"Well," Sirius said grinning like a mad man. "I figured you were having a good dream since you kept snogging your pillow. Oh Lily!" Sirius moaned in a perfection imitation of James. James immediately turned a bright shade of red as Sirius, Lupin, and Peter all sniggered. After a while, James grinned back apologetically.

"Now, as it is my birthday," declared James, regaining his composure, "I believe presents are in order."

"Of course," replied Peter. "Right this way, Master Potter."

"Good man, Wormtail," said James. "I knew I always liked you."

"Well there had to be some reason," said Sirius grinning at his own wit. All four boys made their way through the Potter Mansion to the kitchen where Mr. and Mrs. Potter were waiting for them.

"Oh darling, can you believe it?" exclaimed Mrs. Potter. "Our little boy is finally of age!"

"I know Shannon," Mr. Potter reminisced. "It seems like just yesterday he was dancing around with his underwear on his head and singing into a hairbrush."

"Uh, that was yesterday," Sirius smirked.

"Oh shut up, Padfoot!" said James.

"I'm hungry," Peter announced. "Let's eat breakfast." Then everyone started getting plates, utensils, and glasses. Breakfast was truly scrumptious. Mrs. Potter, as she always did on James's birthday, made him sweets and desserts for breakfast. Soon everyone's stomachs were filled with chocolate frogs, treacle tarts, fudge, pie, and pumpkin pasties.

"Mum," said James, "that was delicious, as usual, but now I really want to open my presents."

"Of course, honey," said Mrs. Potter. She knew James had used up just about all of his self-control making it through breakfast without ripping open the large pile of presents that were egging him on from the kitchen table. "Here, open this one from your father and me."

James greedily tore the paper off of the indicated parcel and gasped. A large folded piece of shimmery—to the point of being transparent--material sat before him. "Wow, is this really a --"

"Yes," Mr. Potter answered. "It's an invisibility cloak. It's been past down for generations. I figured that since you are of age now, it should be yours. Besides, I think you will find that it will be useful in sneaking around at Hogwarts."

"Harold!" snapped Mrs. Potter. "Don't encourage him. We already get about a hundred owls a year."

"It's got to be more than that. Remember that prank week in fifth year?" Sirius's eyes glazed over in the memory of some of the best pranks Hogwarts has ever seen. "Anyway, that cloak will definitely be useful when Moony has that time of the month—"

"What he means is," explained Remus quickly. "The cloak is a very nice gift and will be used in the future." He then sighed in relief. Sirius had almost let the Marauder's secret slip. You see, the Potters knew that Remus was a werewolf. However, James had neglected to mention to his parents that Sirius, Peter, and he were three unregistered Animagi. Whoops!

"This is amazing," said James after a long awkward pause. He rushed over to the other side of the kitchen table and gave his parents a big hug. "I love it."

James continued opening his presents. Remus gave him a book about anger management, which he obviously thought would amuse James. Peter chose a more practical idea: a huge bag of Zonko's products. James also received various gifts from his relatives that he hardly ever saw. Finally, there was only one present remaining.

"Okay Prongsie," said Sirius smiling, yet again. "It's my turn. You see, I wanted to get you something extraordinary for your seventeenth birthday. I mean you are the last of the Marauders to come of age." The Marauders, except for James, leered at this. They often teased James for being the baby of the group. "I decided to get Evans to pop out of a cake for you."

"You what?" interrupted a shocked James.

"I know, I know," Sirius continued cheekily. "It would have been perfect. Too bad she said no when I showed her the costume I had picked out for her." Remus and Peter were positively howling at this point. "It's such a shame. She would have looked lovely in it. Ah well, I suppose this will have to do."

James began to tear the paper off more carefully this time. When enough paper had been removed, it was clear to see that Sirius had bought James a Nimbus 100.

"Whoa!"

A/N: hi! i'm molly! it's nice to meet you all. i have already posted this story at hpff, but i thought it might be nice to expand my horizons a bit. i hoped you enjoyed the first chapter of sweet! oh, and please excuse any canon discrepancies. i started this story a few years ago (hence the poor quality of the first few chapters), and some marauder facts were unknown to us as i wrote this. thank you!!