"I mean that we each try to get Lily to go out with Prongs using our own method… like a game! I use magic, Moony uses… er, diplomacy, Wormtail uses pressure, and Prongs uses his supposed 'charm'. Whoever's method works gets bragging rights - and thirty galleons from each of the others!" he declared. 

I was quite pleased with the terms of the bet. If I won, I would finally show my rather stubborn friends that diplomacy was the key to solving problems, not the brute force, persistence, and magical methods that they always seemed to resort to. And if I lost… well, maybe I'd be the one learning the lesson.
 

"Ugh. What kind of reward is this whole Head Boy thing, anyway? It's just more work," I grumbled as I began throwing my belongings on the floor, finally finding my clothes near the bottom of my trunk.


"Well, considering you get to do your duties with Evans…" Sirius began mischievously.

I smiled. "I think I'll be okay," I conceded. 

I grinned as I strode to Potions, Lily laughing by my side. Our friendship was truly flourishing. I mean, anyone could tell by just looking at the facts - We could both relate to each other in many subjects and we shared the same view in nearly all the matters we brought up, making conversations between us both easy and enjoyable. It had only been a day, but I was certain that she trusted me completely by now, and I trusted her just as much.

 

"All right," Lily breathed, dropping my hand and looking at each of us in turn. "We have to find out exactly what's up with her and fix it before dinner's over. Any ideas?"

I heard a strange laughing and was surprised to see it was coming from Lily, who was looking happily around her as she was guided in by James. And James had his arm firmly around her, smiling broadly. My mouth dropped open. Lily Evans laughing crazily next to James? Had I lost? Had one of the other three managed to convince her to go out with James?