Saying that the Marauders were discreet with their ways of prank pulling would be an understatement. No students would believe the amount of precision and caution the four boys put into it all. No one thought they were capable.

That, however, was exactly how they liked it. If it stayed that way, it lead to very little suspicions. No one ever suspected the gang had a secret which could very well land them in trouble worthy of Azkaban. Or the very least, outcast one for the rest of their schooling and working years.

Similar to how no one would suspect they were capable of creating a map which tells you the whereabouts of everyone inside the castle at anytime. One which would be exceedingly useful in the hands of You Know Who.

No one thought these boys could hold such a bone-breaking responsibility on their shoulders. Most viewed them as light-hearted.

Lily Evans, however, was beginning to have other ideas.

In the late of her sixth year when it had been revealed to her of Remus's true form, Lily began to look at the four boys in different eyes. Of course Sev had always had his suspicions but she'd never quite believed him. Thought it was a ugly manifestation to his loathing of the group. But the truth was revealed to her late one fateful night.

That was the day when everything starting making sense.

The disappearing, The scratches, the constant bags which lay under Remus's eyes which seemed to etch deeper into his skin as every full moon passed.

This was when Lily Evans began to suspect that the piece of parchment the boys huddled around ever so often on late nights in the common room was a little something more than 'Potions Homework'.

Really, she thought, they used that excuse every time. And then half the time they didn't even hand it in when it was assigned.

Potions homework my ass.

Although, the problem, was, Lily could become a little 'obsessive' over these things....

--------------

"Alice!" Lily grabbed her best friends arm so quickly the short haired girl gave out a shriek of surprise.

"You scared me half to death!" She said, clutching her chest.

"Did you see? Look at Potter over there! He's got that parchment hanging out of his trousers again!" Lily whispered to Alice and she watched a laughing James talk excitedly with many gestures.

Alice sighed.

"No Lils, I didn't see, because I don't spend my free time looking at James Potter's arse." She said, with a hint of exasperation in her voice. Although this bothered Lily less than the smirk etched onto her face.

"I was not looking at.... Well..." Lily stumbled, becoming angry at herself for the pink shade which she could feel decorate her cheeks. "It's sticking out right there! How was I not supposed to look!"

"Oh don't get your knickers in a twist." She said while patting her red headed friend on the arm. "I was only joking. Although... the fact that you got so defensive might hint to some truth behind my statement." She added slyly.

She glared at her best friend while blushing furiously. Her eyes now looking anywhere where the pre-mentioned parchment was tucked away.

----------

Free period well spent, Lily thought as she walked contently back from the kitchens. Her arms bundled with various kinds of comfort foods.

She was about to take a bit of her first cupcake when she was very rudely interrupted by a booming laugh explode through the otherwise empty corridor which she could recognise a mile away.

She felt her body stiffen, cupcake halfway to mouth and all. For some reason wished not to be seen by the four boys who she was sure stood just around the corner.

"Padfoot!" Yelled a boy's voice she recognised (with a slight blush) was James, laughter ringing through his voice. "That's brilliant!"

"Who's got the map?" Sirius asked.

Lily's eye's widened at the word map. Map. Map? Map. Could that be what the parchment was?! The formidably mentioned parchment which always were shoved into their pockets?  It explained why they were always looking at it.

"Pete, didn't I give it to you last night?" James spoke once more.

"No, you put it in your trunk last night." Peter said.

"Crap, that's right." James sighed and then paused. Lily waited with baited breath. "Alright who's going to go get it?"

"I vote Peter." Sirius said immediately, clearly still angry at the boy for pulling a prank which shone Sirius in a fairly embarrassing light the earlier Monday.

"What?" Peter's squeaky voice squealed. His high pitch bounced around the corridor while causing Lily to almost drop some of her éclairs.

"It is your turn Wormtail." Remus reasoned.

"Fine." The short hair boy huffed, a sound of footsteps fading away from Lily's ears.

Suddenly Lily was struck with an idea.

Now or Never.

It was unreasonable, it was stupid, and they were probably going to kill her. She shouldn't. But she'd been curious for so long. And the biting urge which began growing inside of her the more she thought about it, pushing her over the edge.

She found herself pulling out her wand and opening the nearest broom cupboard. Pulling out the dusty broom which stood propped up against the mahogany coloured sides. 

Her mind was whirring yet somehow she felt she didn't feel like it was her telling her body what to do. With a quick flick of her wand and a murmur of her breath, the old broom turned into something much more useful for Lily's needs. A very large woven basket.

Dropping her load into the container and shoving it back in the broom cupboard for use later, she began running. It was probably the most exercise she'd done in a month. Her red hair flying in every direction when she ran past the now only three boys leaning against the hallway walls.

Remus let out a yelp of surprise while James called out with a concerned, "Alright Evans?"

But she was not alright. Far from it. Because she was either about to find the greatest discovery of her life, or get jinxed by four boys at once while attempting to do so.

She only slowed down when she reached the bottom of the staircase, meeting the same blonde boy who's voice she had heard minutes before.

"Oh hi Lily," Peter said cheerily.

Everything seemed so far away.

"Hi Peter." She said in a huffed, bending over slightly to catch her breath. "No time to chat. I'm running late." She heard herself speak.

And with that she was off again, stopping only when she reached the stairs of the boys' common room. She was seriously out of breath now. Her uniform sticking to her back with sweat on the hot, humid day. Carefully, she surveyed the Common Room to ensure no one was watching, before slipping up to the 7th year boy's dorm.

The first thing she noticed was the mess. Clothes and spell books lay across every inch of the floor. With only one clear space and a bed made in the left corner she was certain belonged to Remus.

She surveyed the bed with all the sheets lying on the floor, obviously disregarded in the hot summer they were experiencing. Spotting the copious amount of Quidditch posters surrounding the one bed, she took a guess that the trunk which lay before it belonged to James. Without another thought, she wrenched open the trunk. The Map lay neatly on top, Lily grabbed it before shutting the lid again.

She was certain she did not want to know what else was in James Potter's trunk.

Her heart was beating fast. All she had to do was get out of this room and hide somewhere until she could figure out what this 'map' was.

She was all but ready to sigh in relief when she reached the bottom of the staircase until she ran into an alone Peter once more.

Seriously?

"Lily!" He exclaimed surprised, clearly seeing her just exit from the boy's section of the room. "What were you doing up there?"

"Uhhh well... I was... er... getting Marlene's brother's... er.... Charms Homework!'' Lily stumbled awkwardly. She would've given herself a pat on the back for that excuse but she had a suspicion her delivery had ruined it.

Peter just stared at her confused, clearly waiting for a better explanation. But the sound of three Gryffindor boys entering the room saved her as Peter looked away. Or at least she thought, until she saw their faces. 

"Oi Peter!" Sirius sad grumpily, "What's taking so long. We got bored."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm just getting it now." He mumbled and began walking up the stairs, deliberately slow, before shooting Lily another suspicious look.

All she needed to do now was just to slip out of the common room and she was free. Lily's cheeks burned with determination. She thought it would've been hard. But it turned out all she needed was a simple charm to blow up a few chess pieces in the corner.

She heard the Fat Lady's portrait slide close behind her.

She breathed in the fresh air of the hallways, so this is what freedom tastes like.

-------

She'd already decided where she'd go, the library, she'd never run into them there. She didn't think any one of them had ever stepped foot in the library in fact. Except, maybe Remus.

She sat down in the corner of the stacks, away from public view near some beginner spell books so she was unlikely to be disturbed by any of her classmates and opened the stained parchment. She blinked at it for a second. Was she sure this was the same one she always saw hanging out of one of their pockets?

Her curiosity burning inside of her, she took out her wand, a rising feeling as she felt she would finally understand this mystery.

She tapped the parchment thrice.

Nothing happened.

Much to her disappointment, the parchment remained blank and Lily couldn't help but huff.

She didn't have that much time. Surely they would've figured out she'd taken the map by now with Peter basically catching her in the act.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

'What charm did Flickwit say showed all truth?' A small voice inside her head whispered.

"Revilous." She whispered hesitantly, waiting eagerly for the ink she hoped would spill across the page.

She let out a gasp.

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs offer their compliments to Miss Evans that congratulations she got of her lazy backside and did some good old maraudering for once.

Had she been fooled? Had they been planning this all along, stringing her along just so they could charm some old parchment to insult her in the end. She was about to give herself up and give a good old slap to the four boys when she saw more words begin to appear on the page.

Messr Moony would like to suggest that Miss Evans kept her cupcake covered fingers off other people property.

Lily couldn't help but gasp again. Were these really Remus's words?

Messr Wormtail would like to agree with Messr Moony and add that did Miss Evans really do that much study to even deserve those sweets?

Lily couldn't help but scoff at that one. Like Peter's one to talk about eating habits. Although at the same time, she felt herself move to wipe her hands on her skirt.

Messr Padfoot would like to add that Miss Evans should lighten up some of the time because when she's angry her face really does clash horribly with her hair.

Finally Lily sucuumbed, she let out a slight giggle at Sirius's words. She supposed this really was a little funny and it sounded so much like Sirius. It's not like any of the stuff they were saying really were mean. But... was this map thing really one big joke? Although a part of her couldn't help but feel anticipation at James's response...

Messr Prongs would like to grant Miss Evans a good day and comment that she is looking awful...

Lily's eyebrows creased when the words trailed off into what seemed to nothingness. That's when she heared a yell.

"I found her!" Boomed Sirius, triumphantly.

Crap.

Suddenly Sirius's figure was accompanied by James, Peter and Remus.

"Lily!" James yelled again, although considerably less loud than Sirius considering the amount of shh's which were hissed in their direction.

She moved to put the map behind her when Sirius snatched it from her hand.

"Uh-uh-uh." He tutted, "As proud as I am in you in finally doing some prank worthy, I'm afraid this is my property."

Lily couldn't help giggle.

"That's exactly what the map said you guys would say."

"What?" Sirius said confused, Remus took the parchment from his hands.

He let out a laugh himself.

"Guys! The charms! The ones we put on years ago, you know how we never had anyone to test them out to see if they worked? Turns out they do!"

"What?" The three boys said excitedly while rushing over to Remus.

"Wait." Lily said, comprehending the situation. "So this really is a map? Not just something designed to insult me?" She joked.

"It is a map." James confirmed looking up from the parchment to look at her. Lily couldn't help but stiffen a little when he looked at her directly in the eyes. "But a few years ago, when we were making the initial design we decided to make sure no one but we could read it right? So we did this charm, it was pretty complex actually, it's designed to reflect not only our feelings toward the person but also to update with the situation at hand." He said proudly as the boys still read the parchment.

Suddenly Remus let out a laugh worthy of Sirius. Clutching the paper to his sides, he boomed uncontrollably.

"Remus?" Lily asked concerned momentarily for the boy's sanity. 'You okay?"

Wiping tears from his eyes Remus began to respond.

"Lily, did you finish reading this?"

"No, you guys snatched it out of my hands before I could."

"What is it?" James asked and Sirius and Peter began laughing after reading the parchment over Remus's shoulder.

Lily watched as his hazel eyes scanned the words, until the widened in shock. Also noticing a faint pink tinge appeared on his cheek.

"That doesn't count! I wrote that in fourth year! I was obsessed with her then!"

"Na-uh Prongsie." Sirius said, twirling his fingers. "You said so yourself, the charm is aimed to reflect how the person feels about them while relating to the situation."

"So?" James said, the colour of his cheek's becoming more noticeable as Lily watched the situation unfold, thoroughly confused.

"So... it means that your feelings of the person ties in with the present." Remus said smugly. "And you said you were over her."

"Moony!" James squeaked.

"What is going on?" Lily demanded, feeling for some reason, she too should be embarrassed but couldn't quite place why.

All she got in response however, was the piece of parchment being shoved in her face.

Messr Prongs would like to grant Miss Evans a good day and comment that she is looking awful...

 ...awfull-ly smoking today and wow that necklace really brings out her eyes.

Oh.

So that's why she should be embarrassed. At the sight of her expression, eyes wide and unable to tear them off the parchment, the three boys began howling in laughter once more.

Leaving Lily and James to awkwardly stand in the cramped bookshelves, while James flashed her a very uneasy smile while running a single hand through his messy hair.

Lily wanted to slap herself for the feeling of tremendous joy that ran through her body in that moment. She just wanted to beam (or maybe shove her tongue down his throat) at the awkward looking boy standing in front of her. She'd waited so long for this. Denied herself to admit anything close to liking James Potter because of the literal zero interest he'd shown to her In the past year. But this was all the proof she needed.

Gosh, Alice was going to kill her.

Finally, she allowed herself to break out in her smile.

"So, you like this necklace do you?" Lily asked innocently.

Obviously, James caught the hint, because soon he was beaming too.

(Sorry for the late update but I was just having a bit of a break before school started again and good news this is the longest one shot I've ever uploaded so ;)

Sorry this isn't as fluffy and it felt a little rushed but I wanted to update for you guys :)) 

I'm so glad you guys liked the soulmate AU i last updated, some of you wanted to see some more of that sort of stuff so I might be doing some of that seeing as I love to write it. Thanks for all the comments! Ily all, enjoy! 

❤❤❤❤❤ )