Lily watched her potion bubble, torn. Snape was going out of his way to be nice to her - apologetic, even. And Lily, who had made it quite clear that an apology was no longer welcome, found herself almost forgetting what had even passed...

A laugh sounded from across the room, and she turned to see James and Benjy chuckling over their cauldron. In that split second, James looked up and caught her eye, and smiled. Lily smiled back, and as she did so, she felt Snape stiffen beside her, affronted.

"That's new." His voice was soft, and yet Lily didn't miss that tone of resignation.

She nodded and glanced sideways at him. "He's a good person, Sev."

Snape scoffed, leaning over the cauldron and examining its contents, in an attempt to hide the hurt in his eyes."Well you deserve to be happy, Lily."
His tone was lighter than he intended, and so false that Lily saw right through it. "After the disaster with Scamander I thought maybe... But no, if you really do like Potter, if you're sure that he's..."

Lily opened her mouth to respond, surprised. "James is a good person, Sev. I know you don't believe me, but frankly-"

Evidently, Snape did not wish to be frank. He produced three vials and proceeded to fill them, lips tightly drawn together. He pushed two across the table towards her.

"Here. Tell your friend to try this. It might help with..." He trailed off, shrugging. "I'll hand this in."

Lily bit her lip, eyeing the vials. Snape was quite correct; he was not the only one who had helped to produce the potion, after all. Lily knew very well the potential that the contents of those two small vials could fulfil. The trouble was, she also knew the risk.

On the other hand, Snape had gone to such a length to produce a peace offering... Lily pocketed the vials thoughtfully.

Somewhere toward the end of the double period, James and Benjy's potion exploded. James, who had been away from the cauldron, was talking to Sirius and Emmeline, and testing their Amortentia. Leaning in for another long whiff, James caught the scent of dewy grass, sweet vanilla and a hint of citrus that reminded James intensely of Quidditch and Lily.

Sirius leant over, in suit, and inhaled deeply. James watched him carefully, and didn't miss the flicker of surprise in his eyes, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

"What was it?" James asked, grinning.

Sirius simply shook his head.

"Well I smell a wood fire, and old parchment, and caramel fudge," Emmeline announced, smiling dreamily. She turned to Sirius, raising her eyebrows in a look of superiority. "And none of that reminds me one bit of you, Black."

James could have sworn he saw Sirius wince.

"Caramel fudge?" Benjy had called from beside his cauldron, before ambling over. "I love caramel fudge. Mum makes it every week and sends me some, you know."

"Back to your cauldron, boys!" Slughorn berated them.

Obediently, Benjy hurried back, and that was when it happened.

"Gah!" cried the poor boy, covered head to toe in a sticky brown substance.

Slughorn waddled over, with a haste that was unusual for such a large man.

"Vance!" he barked. "You and Black seem finished, can you take Fenwick up to Madam Pomfrey? With the utmosthaste. You were brewing Firewhisky?" he demanded, disbelievingly. "Boys! I'm extremely disappointed in you both."

"It was actually troll brandy," Benjy clarified miserably as Emmeline gently led him out of the room.

Slughorn waved his wand, and the sticky mess disappeared. He sighed, resting his hands on his extensive stomach as he surveyed his remaining students. James was now helping Sirius bottle their Amortentia.

"And this," Slughorn announced," Is why you should never leave a cauldron unattended!"

As class was dismissed, Sirius made an extremely hasty escape. James went running after him, and finally catching him as he entered the Great Hall for lunch.

"Well?" James asked expectantly.

Sirius glared. "She forgave me," he sighed.

James rolled his eyes. "I meant what did you smell?"

Sirius choked on the mouthful of chicken he had just taken. "Soriz?" he muttered.

"In the Amortentia," James prompted gently, knowing as well as Sirius did that they had both understood his question.

Sirius swallowed with one gulp, and looked around for eavesdroppers. The rest of the Potions class was just starting to trickle into the Great Hall, and there was currently no one sitting near them.

"I – I don't want to talk about it."

James leant back and smirked. "Perhaps the better question, considering your reaction, is whom did you smell? I smelt Lily, naturally."

Sirius rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath.

"Sorry?" James asked, leaning forward.

James was fairly sure that if looks could kill, Sirius would have murdered him there and then.

"Emmeline, all right?" he replied roughly, before standing up and pushing his plate away. "I'm not hungry anymore."

James stared at Sirius' retreating back, shocked. Sirius actually liked Emmeline?

Shaking his head, he offered Remus a smile as he slid into the seat beside him. James had a nasty feeling things were about to get even more complicated.

That evening, Lily entered the Head's Tower to find the Marauders lazing about on the lounge. James and Peter were playing chess, Sirius looked to be asleep, and Remus was gazing into the fire. He looked awfully pale, and by Lily's calculations, full moon was only a few days away. Clearing her throat, she smiled at the boys.

"Who's winning?" she enquired softly.

James grinned. "Peter," he admitted, in a way that made Lily sure James was letting Peter win. "How's Benjy?" he asked.

Lily shrugged. "All right. His face and hands are a little burnt, but he doesn't really seem to mind. He just asked Emmeline out," she grinned significantly.

Sirius groaned in his sleep and rolled over, brow furrowed, to hide his face in his pillow.

Lily raised her eyebrows, and James just shook his head, signaling that she really didn't want to know.

Lily stood for a moment, just watching the boys. The vials were a consistent presence in the pocket of her robes, a constant reminder of the lengths that some people would go to for forgiveness. Of the lengths that one would go to prolong their moments of friendship.
Except that sometimes, and Lily understood the significance now, a moment of friendship would pass; and one would have to let it fade into the past, and there it had to stay, in order for a person to move on with life.

"Remus, can I talk to you?" Lily asked tentatively, nudging the werewolf with her foot.

Remus looked up, startled.

"In the study?" she added.

Getting slowly to his feet, Remus complied.

"What's up?" he asked softly, settling himself into a chair as Lily shut the door.

Turning, Lily drew out a small vial. "I made this today, with Snape," she said softly. "It's for you. I think it might help with – with the transformations."

Remus looked at her questioningly. "With Snape?" he asked suspiciously.

Lily nodded, not missing the significance of Remus' look. She brushed it off with a lazy hand. "I'm sure it's safe, Sev- Snape wouldn't dare it. I think he's sorry, Remus, I really do."

"I'm not sure about it, Lily..." Lily's smile was overly bright. "Oh, he wasn't the one who made it. I know exactly what's in there - wolfsbane with lavender and honey, batwing, milks thistle, and witch hazel. It's safe," she reassured him. "I think it will help – and if it doesn't, it certainly won't harm. If you want to try it…?"

Remus uncapped the vial and sniffed. Much to her relef, he didn't flinch.

"It feels calm," he murmured, impressed. Smiling, he recapped the vial and slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks Lily."

Lily nodded. "That's all right. Anything for a friend, Remus."

"I'm bored," Sirius growled, staring at the closed study door. "What do you think they're talking about in there?"

James shrugged as Peter checkmated his king. "I don't know and I don't really care either, Padfoot."

Sirius frowned. "You're no fun," he complained, pulling out the Marauders Map. "Can we at least go to the kitchens, or something?"

James took the map from Sirius and spread it across the side table, scanning it. Filch was in his office; the corridors were clear. He sighed. Although Sirius was obviously not going to say anything, he seemed acutely upset that Benjy Fenwick had asked Emmeline out; even more so than Peter, who seemed resigned to the fact that Emmeline would never notice him.

"Fine. Get Moony and we'll go."

Sirius was already knocking at the study door. "C'mon Moony, we're going to the kit-"

Lily opened the door, and Sirius froze, as if her sudden visible presence had made him cautious and secretive. He gave her a weak smile and physically reached in to drag Remus out of the study. Lily raised her eyebrows at James, who shrugged.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Peter moaned, clutching his stomach and pushing away the plate of cheesecake that he had been working on for at least ten minutes.

James and Remus rolled their eyes: Peter's eyes were notoriously bigger than his stomach, so to speak. Although to be fair, James conceded that Sirius could probably have given Peter a run for his money. Evidently, conscientious drinking was not Sirius' only speciality.

James checked his watch. "Well, it's well and truly after curfew, boys. I say its time to head back up."

Sirius scoffed. "If you were so concerned about curfew you wouldn't have come down here in the first place, Prongs."

James rolled his eyes at Sirius' sullen mood. As he was wont to in such situations, Sirius was taking out his frustration on his friends. What Sirius really needed, as far as James was concerned, was a good Quidditch session.Except that Em was on the team too…

James sighed. Obviously, he wasn't going to win tonight.

"And who do we have here?"

No, James decided, standing and reaching for his wand.Definitely not his lucky night.

Severus Snape, Ruttegar Bulstrode, Fitzroy Crabbe, and Regulus Black stood in the doorway to the kitchens, looking generally unpleasant.

James stomach gave a nasty lurch when he saw Sirius' eyes light up: and if that look was brotherly affection, James would kiss the Giant Squid.

James was dancing. He was dancing, and he didn't like it.

"Starnuto!" he retaliated, and watched, mildly satisfied, as Snape began to sneeze.

"Finite Incantatem," Remus muttered, dashing past in pursuit of Crabbe.

James collapsed onto the floor in relief, and shot a grateful look at Remus, but he was already levitating Crabbe on the other side of the room. James turned once more to Snape, who was still sneezing uncontrollably.

"Petrificus Totalus," James added, flicking his wand toward Snape and catching him mid sneeze. James paused, watching him fall to the floor, satisfied. He had not missed Snape's whispered discussions with Lily in potions, nor her clear distress, and Snape's obvious resentment. He couldn't help but feel a tiny thrill of victory in his chest as he watched Snape's eyes dark around the room. And at the same time - a body bind curse would have to suffice. Lily wouldn't forgive him of anything more harmful.

Turning away from his immobilised opposition, James surveyed the kitchen. Two of the four long tables had been overturned in the course of their battle, and Peter and Bulstrode were taking cover behind their respective tables, which in James' opinion seemed exceptionally intelligent. The house elves had disappeared; and all that was left of what James would call a 'mild disagreement', really, was Remus cornering Crabbe, James having Body-Bound Snape, and Sirius and Regulus, who were having a vicious, seemingly non-verbal battle, with the bright lights of every spell reflecting off the stone walls and floor surrounding them.

Bulstrode had noticed Snape's paralysis while James was busy looking elsewhere. Having rectified it, Snape stood and dusted off his robes. James barely had time to react as the spell flew toward him, knocking him off his feet. His head hit the wall with a smack, and he was left reeling as Snape bore down on him. James met his eyes defiantly.

"Protego!"

A ninth voice was added to the mix; this one was high and feminine, and James had a nasty feeling that…

Lily.

She met his eyes, glaring, as Snape struggled to break what appeared to be a very advanced Shield Charm that had seemingly encased him.

"That's enough," Lily's cold voice rang through the kitchens.

Remus, Bulstrode, Crabbe and Peter complied, freezing where they were as they stared in a mixture of relief, awe and horror at the Head Girl. Even Snape, inside his bubble, froze as he recognised her voice...

Sirius and Regulus, however, continued their spate of sibling rivalry quite rigorously.

"Lets see… yes, 20 points apiece from Slytherin," Lily decided, proceeding to ignore the Black brothers. "Off to bed, now, you three."

Under heavy wand-guard, the three Slytherins trooped out of the kitchen, looking resentful. Snape shot a glare over his shoulder at James, who raised a sardonic eyebrow in reply as he made his way over to Lily, who appeared to be assessing the best method of diffusing Sirius and Regulus.

"Thanks for coming," he breathed in her ear, making her shiver. "How did you know where we were?"

Lily smiled knowingly. "Oh, I found this map sort of thing in the common room…"

James gulped. All of a sudden, he seemed acutely aware of the little sweat beads trickling down his forehead. He wiped them away, avoiding Lily's eyes. She'd found the map…

James smiled weakly. "Yeah, Lily… about that-"