Dear diary,
James got quidditch captain! I know I usually start with some stuff about myself but this is just too important to wait for. None of us can believe it considering his grades and reputation, but he deserves it the absolute most.
He's having a party tonight in the boy's dorm, but Remus, Lily, Peter, and I got a surprise Arithmancy group project due tomorrow that we can't mess up. They're about to come over which is why I'm writing this so early, but I hope that we can finish quickly so that we can celebrate with him. Even if it's only for a little while...
"It's official. We're never getting out of here." Penelope was pacing around the room holding her head in her right hand.
"Don't be so dramatic, Penny. We're only half an hour past curfew." Lily rolled onto her front on her bed, head tilted down to continue reading the Arithmancy textbook.
"Actually, it's been three hours since curfew." Remus put down the book in his hand to look at Lily.
"Really?" Lily's head snapped in Remus' direction.
"Yeah, and none of us even understand this. Let alone enough to write an essay on it." Penelope let herself fall onto a group of pillows on the floor next to Remus. He reached over to hold her hand for comfort, rubbing his own temple in frustration.
There was a moment of silence between them all as they thought about the project. It was already a lost cause, but you can't hand in a blank piece of parchment.
The girl's dorm door opened quickly. "Maybe you just need a break instead." Lara's voice carried through the room as Jame and Sirius came into the room after her.
"A really chill and low profile party for a celebration, perhaps?" James leaned in the doorframe, staring at Lily with a smile.
Lily reciprocated the smile as she sat up on her bed. "As much as I would love to..."
Everyone looked between themselves at the lack of sarcasm in her voice. She means it...?
"We still have the Arithmancy project to finish."
"Oh come on Lily Flower, you haven't even started it." James argued, tilting his head to the side.
"You don't know that." Lily defended.
"Pete's the one writing, right?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah, what does that prove?" Remus moved closer to Penelope, feeling the drop in temperature from the open door.
"He left his quill and parchment in our dorm." Sirius shrugged his shoulders.
"And he's asleep..." Lara pointed out. All eyes went to the blonde laying on Sophie's bed, hugging the pillow with his eyes closed.
Before Lily could give another excuse, James spoke up again. "An hour is all we're asking for. Please."
"Give us a minute to pack up and we'll be there." Penelope answered for her, sitting up and laying her head against Remus' shoulder.
"We'll be in the common room awaiting your arrival..." Sirius and James walked out of the room with smiles, leaving Lara alone at the door.
"The common room? I thought you were in the dorms?" Remus picked himself up off the floor and offered his hand to Penelope.
"Yeah... we were." A grin took up Lara's face. "Turns out Sophie and Harvey want to be really good friends."
"Oh my Merlin." Lily looked scandalised as she closed her book and put it on the table next to her bed.
"I think Lily would have a heart attack if you had that party here instead." Penelope laughed as she thought back to the original plan. "She's probably thinking up some anti-boy enchantment in the dorm."
"I was thinking more of a stairs turned slide for boys." Lily suggested, going along with the joke.
"Woah, Lily Evans is plotting... Never thought I'd see the day." Lara exaggerated as they headed to the common room.
"She's been spending too much time with James." Penelope commented as she closed the dorm door, leaving her brother to sleep a bit longer.
The four headed into the chilly air, taking their places in the empty common room. Remus and Penlope sat next to each other, cuddled up to fight the warmth. Lara hid under the blanket on the sofa, chatting to Sirius already. James was sitting on the floor next to the chair, gesturing for Lily to come and sit next to him. As she headed over, she shivered and James took it as an opportunity.
"Wear this for me, Lily." Knowing Lily would have declined, he had already taken off the jersey and held it out for her, catching the attention of the others too.
"Thanks..." Lily smiled and lifted the jersey over her head, smiling when the sleeves dropped down past her hands.
She sat next to James on the chair, and the two chatted quietly without a care for who was watching.
"My Merlin." Lara whispered.
"He's done it." Sirius added.
"Lily Evans likes James Potter."