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Chapter Text

Lily always thought of herself as a self-aware person. In a world full of mysteries, she couldn´t be another one of them. So, yeah, Lily knew exactly what kind of personality traits she had. And being a rule breaker wasn't one of them.

Chapter Text

“Lily, you can’t be serious about accepting this.” Sev looked at her with a hint of disdain.

"Look, they're offering me extra for this," Lily tried to justify herself. As soon as she got the news from Slughorn and told him she'd think about it, the first thing she did was head back to her desk and spill everything to Sev. And then she regret it. "And you know it's a great opportunity. Just look at Skeeter, she went out in the field years ago and now she's the company's spokesperson.”

“Skeeter’s an idiot, and you’ll be one too if you accept this.” Sev’s words cut through the air, sharp and painful as a knife.

“Hey!” Lily protested, not even sure how to respond.

“No ‘hey’!” Sev’s tone rose, his mouth twisting to one side. “They’re trying to exploit you, Lily. They’ve put you in the most abusive position possible. Babysitting four brats who'll be a pain in the ass and get paid ten times more than you for it.”

“And what’s my other option?” Lily asked, scooting her chair back a few inches. “Sitting here answering stupid emails? That’s not what I want, Sev.”

“Then what do you want? That?” Sev raised an eyebrow.

Lily fell silent. She couldn't answer, not right away. She wanted so many things. She wanted success, stability, independence. She wanted to be someone respected and valued. And maybe taking on this new task could bring that to her.

“I'm sorry if you can't be happy for me, Sev," Lily finally said, disappointed.

When she looked into Sev's eyes, she saw the regret. She knew he wanted to say something, but his pride wouldn't let him.

Realizing there was nothing left to say, Lily got up and went to her desk, fuming. She packed her things into her backpack and quickly headed for the exit, but not before saying:

"See you tomorrow, guys." To her department colleagues.

And when she saw their faces, Lily realized everyone had heard that disappointing conversation.

- - -

"Girl, I can’t believe it!" Alice gasped, covering her mouth, but her eyes were filled with excitement. "This is so amazing!"

Lily and Alice were sitting on the floor of their flat, sharing a plate of nachos and chili that Lily had grabbed on her way home from work. Cults was playing in the background. 

"I know!" Lily replied, smiling. On the way back, everything about the offer seemed perfect. She didn’t even mind that she’d have to keep an eye on four rebellious teens. It couldn’t be that hard, right? "I’m really excited."

"You should be!" Alice said in her usual friendly tone. "You’re going to be part of a production that thousands of people will watch."

"It’s pretty wild," Lily sighed. "Only Sev wasn’t too thrilled about it..."

"That workmate of yours?" Alice asked, pulling a face. "He’s such a weirdo, don’t listen to him..."

"I don’t know..." Lily suddenly remembered, feeling the weight of the situation. "He thinks they’re giving me a role I’ll regret."

"Why would you regret it?" Alice waved her hands dismissively. "You’re great at what you do, and I bet you’ll have way more fun in this role."

Lily smiled at the thought and grabbed another handful of nachos.

"You know what I need?" Lily suddenly remembered, jumping up with her own idea.

"Oh my!" Alice was startled by the sudden tone. "What?"

"Your hacker skills," Lily grinned mischievously.

"Absolutely!" Alice leaned in closer. "What are we gonna dig up?"

"The boys I’ll be looking after," Lily replied, excitement in her voice.

Alice didn’t need to be asked twice. She dashed off to grab the computer. The girls’ flat was exactly what you’d expect—chaotic but full of their personalities. Lily left books scattered everywhere, and Alice was a fan of cat-themed items. So, the flat was a cozy visual mess.

In less than a minute, Alice returned, skidding into the room with her laptop in hand.

"Okay! Tell me what you’ve got."

Lily pulled out her phone.

"Right," she said, starting to scroll through her messages. "Soon after I left, I texted Molly, one of the casting department girls. She sent me their names and a few details about them."

"This is so exciting!" Alice cheered, clapping her hands.

Lily laughed and continued:

"Molly told me this: 'We’ve got Remus Lupin. The kid’s got talent. He’s still a bit rough around the edges, having only done a few school plays and then tried out. We were impressed.'"

"Uh! Let’s dig in," Alice said, typing eagerly.

Lily glanced at Alice’s keyboard, and the girl was so quick that she had already found a blog review about the play Remus had been in.

Remus Lupin’s performance in St. Edmund’s latest play was nothing short of impressive. The young actor displayed a remarkable depth and focus, bringing his character to life with a maturity well beyond his years. Lupin’s portrayal suggests a promising future in theatre, showcasing his ability to fully immerse himself in his roles.

“Wow. He seems really involved,” Alice remarked, impressed. “But do you think we can find anything about his personal life?”

Lily watched as Alice navigated through the search results like a pro, but there was nothing about Remus.

“He’s probably just like us,” Lily concluded, shrugging.

“Alright, who’s next?” Alice asked, her eyes glued to the screen.

“Hmmm…” Lily scrolled through the messages. “Peter Pettigrew: A sweet kid, a bit shy. He needs some guidance, but he’ll manage.”

“They’re not setting the bar too high, are they?” Alice chuckled at her own comment. “Okay, let’s see what I can find…”

The screen suddenly filled with results.

“Son of Robert Pettigrew… Who’s that?” Lily wondered as the results loaded on the screen.

“A director of documentaries and corporate films,” Alice read from the Wikipedia page, sounding confused. “What the hell are corporate films?”

“They’re like… documentaries that double as ads for companies. Kinda lame,” Lily replied casually.

“Boooring,” Alice rolled her eyes. “Is there anything el… Look, a photo!”

Lily looked at the family photo in front of her. Peter had a round face, with short, reddish-blonde hair just above his ears. He was shorter and chubbier than his father, with an expression that was a mix of boredom and discomfort. Peter didn’t look anything like what Lily imagined a teen series star would.

Next to him was a sweet-looking blonde girl, probably his sister, smiling gently. His parents, however, had less friendly expressions. Robert Pettigrew didn’t have even the slightest hint of a smile, and his wife seemed lost, unsure of where to look.

“Who does he play in the series?” Alice asked, and Lily knew exactly why she was curious.

“I don’t know yet,” Lily admitted. “I barely skimmed the synopsis; I need to catch up!”

“You’ve got time…” Alice said, waving her hand casually as she settled into the girls’ yellow sofa. Lily followed, excited about what they were uncovering. She felt powerful, knowing more about these boys than they did about her. “One more, let’s go!”

“Sirius Black, ooooh!” Lily laughed at how fancy the name sounded. “He’s playing the villain, but has an unmatched sense of humor. He’s eager to break into the entertainment industry, and we believe he’s got what it takes.”

As soon as Alice typed his name into the search bar, both girls’ jaws dropped. Thousands of news articles and photos appeared. Silently, they scrolled through the information on their screen.

It quickly became clear that the Black family was once considered nobility. They were descended from an English duke with a notorious reputation, including scandals involving slavery and embezzlement of public funds. Numerous photos, particularly of Sirius’s father, Orion, were accompanied by headlines like:

Orion Black Shares His Thoughts on the British Economy: ‘Entrepreneurs need guts; not everything is handed to you on a silver platter.’

Tycoon and Heir, Orion Black, Opposes Immigration Law Reforms

Scandals, Wealth, and Nobility: What Orion Black Has to Say About the Massive Financial Hole at Black Financial Center That Shook the Stock Market

Black Family Spotted at Equestrian Club; Staff Allege Rude Treatment

Lily wasn’t quite sure how to feel, but looking at that man was almost intimidating. And his wife? Just as much. Her skeletal, pale face radiated no warmth at all. Then there were the boys. The older one, likely Sirius, looked utterly miserable in every photo. He had dark hair parted down the middle, a chiseled face, and thick eyebrows. The younger one had shorter, curly hair, the same pale skin, and a distant gaze.

“Why aren’t there any pictures of him when he’s older?” Alice wondered aloud.

She was right. The photos of Sirius only went up to a certain age, maybe fourteen or fifteen. After that, he disappeared from the family pictures. The younger brother, however, continued to appear. In the most recent photos, he looked about seventeen.

But Lily didn’t have an answer for Alice’s question, and both girls just shrugged. They agreed that it was an odd family, which made Lily wonder what it would be like to meet Sirius in person. Would he be arrogant? Rude? Would he treat her the way those club staff had described?

She tried not to dwell on it too much. There was no point in getting anxious when she would soon meet them and form her own impressions.

"And now, the last one..." Alice announced, almost disappointed that their stalking journey was coming to an end.

Lily unlocked her phone, scrolling through Molly’s messages. She had to go back quite a bit to find where she’d left off.

"James Potter. Oh, well…" Lily paused for a moment.

"What?" Alice asked, trying to peek at Lily's phone.

"All Molly said was... You’ll see."

Lily couldn’t quite make sense of it, but all she could think was that maybe she didn’t want to see nothing at all.

Chapter Text

Even with the warning, Lily had no idea what she was about to uncover about James Potter.

The results still managed to exceed all her expectations.

When Alice looked up the actor's name, the girls quickly realized why it sounded so familiar. The real surprise hit when they discovered that James was practically royalty in the industry. His father was none other than Fleamont Potter, one of the most famous cinematographers of all time. Fleamont had worked on productions like No Country for Old Men, Fargo, The Shawshank Redemption, and so many more. It was an impressive résumé, but it still didn’t compare to his wife’s.

James’s mother was the one and only Euphemia Potter. Oscar-winning Euphemia Potter.

Her filmography read like a list of the decade's best films. She won the Best Actress award for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a movie Lily had seen in cinemas a few years ago and considered a gem. Euphemia was also one of Wes Anderson’s muses, playing quirky but brilliant roles. And among a thousand other things, she voiced various animated characters, like Kaa from The Jungle Book. Euphemia was the kind of actress everyone, from kids to adults, couldn’t help but know.

“Bloody hell, Lily!” Alice exclaimed. “You’re about to work with the offspring of pure talent. That’s insane!”

“My mum is going to freak out when I tell her this,” Lily marveled. Even though she dealt with celebrities from a distance in her role, Lily had never been this close to a concrete interaction. She could already imagine Euphemia dropping James off on set, like a mum leaving her kid at nursery school.

Lily realized that it was James’s information she needed, so she asked Alice to click on the images tab.

The moment Alice clicked on the first family picture, she let out a loud gasp.

James was just as expected. With his tousled, shiny curls and green eyes peeking out from behind round glasses, he looked every bit the prom king. That bored Lily. Her prejudice against guys like him was often spot on, as most turned out to be as deep as a teaspoon.

And so, Lily Evans decided she had no interest whatsoever in getting to know James Potter.

- - -

Alice was upset when she found out she’d temporarily lose her flatmate.

“They want me to live with them,” Lily grumbled in frustration.

“What a nightmare,” Alice moaned, perched on the edge of Lily’s bed, the only spot not covered with clothes, towels, and makeup. Lily was packing, and the room looked like a whirlwind of chaos. “How do you feel about living with guys who are clearly spoiled and probably don’t even know how to do the dishes?”

“Let’s hope MTV pays for a cleaner,” Lily sighed. Moving to Richmond didn’t seem so bad in theory. It was a posh area, far from the turmoil of central London. But living with men had the potential to be a nightmare. And living with trust fund actors? That sounded like purgatory.

For the past three days, Lily had been mulling over what her dynamic with the four guys she’d be living with might be. Would they see her as the killjoy? She was likely the same age as them, but she feared they’d view her as an old grouch who hated fun. While Lily wasn’t the most wild and carefree person, she did enjoy stepping out of her comfort zone from time to time. She didn’t want to be seen as the school principal, waiting to catch them in the act and punish them.

Obviously, Lily wasn’t going to be foolish either. She’d keep the boys in line and do what Horace needed her to do, even if it cost her their goodwill.

"I’m going to miss you." Alice moved closer to Lily, who was anxiously folding her clothes, and hugged her. "Promise you'll call me if they throw a massive party?"

"Alice!" Lily protested. "There won't be any parties on my watch!"

- - -

The taxi driver shot Lily a glare when she tried to cram three large suitcases into the trunk. Unfazed, she calmly settled into the back seat on her way to Richmond.

Her phone buzzed. It was her mum. Lily had called her parents earlier to share details about her new role. They were so proud, and her mum’s message only bolstered that:

Hope you enjoy this new chapter! Keep those boys in check and show the company you're no pushover. We’re so proud of you, Lily. You’re going to do great.

Lily smiled, but the silence from her sister gnawed at her. Surely, she’d heard the news by now, but still—nothing. Not even a single message.

But Lily had grown used to the rift that had widened between them. She regretted it, but she no longer carried the pain.

As the scenery began to change, the LED lights of the city were replaced by the warm glow of old-fashioned street lamps, lending an air of elegance to southwest London. Mansions and parks came into view as they entered Richmond, and everything felt like a life out of reach. She wondered if she’d ever live in a place like this.

It was a Friday night, and the driver sped along, eager to catch more fares during this lucrative time. Lily and her bags jostled as they drove through the neighborhood’s wide streets.

The taxi driver, who had been quiet until now, suddenly asked, "You moving in here, miss?"

Lily had been warned about the weirdos in London, and although he didn’t seem like a creep, she answered cautiously, "I’ll be working around here."

"Nanny?" the man asked, disinterested.

"Something like that," Lily replied, a small smile tugging at her lips.

- - -

Lily had been given the address and a photo of the boys' house via email. It looked like a family home—but of a wealthy family. It was on a blind alley, one of the last houses on the street, and the neighborhood had a welcoming atmosphere.

She planned to arrive around eight in the evening, but due to her unusual disorganization, it was nearly nine when the taxi driver asked:

"That street there, right?"

Lily glanced at the sign. Yes, Nurmengard Street.

Her anxiety spiked. Lily had already imagined a thousand and one scenarios for how meeting them would go. They’d curse her out and send her packing immediately. They’d be clean, well-mannered boys who’d give her a group hug, accepting that they needed to change their behavior on set. They wouldn’t be home, and Lily would be left outside.

All of these scenarios were ridiculous, but Lily was anxious. In the email, Horace had told Lily that the boys would be informed of her arrival. So, everything was fine, right?

Lily took a deep breath as the driver rounded the final corner.

But just when her nerves seemed to settle, something started to go awry.

Because Lily heard music.

At first, it wasn’t even music, just a bass. A strong, loud beat echoing down the street. As the driver got closer, the beat morphed into a sax, then a guitar, then a piano, and suddenly a voice. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE?

Holy shit, it was fucking Rock Your Body.

No, no, no, no, no. Please, don’t let it be coming from their house.

But when the taxi stopped right in front of the house from the photo she’d been sent, Lily realized the music was indeed coming from the same place, complete with bright lights flashing behind the windows.

Those little shits were throwing a fucking party.

- - -

After Lily paid the cab driver, who looked at her with amused sarcasm, and put her bags on the curb, she figured out what to do next.

Should she barge in shouting? Should she just leave?

She had barely arrived, and the job was already ramping up her anxiety.

After a thousand scenarios flitted through her restless mind, she decided to just… Go in.

So, struggling, Lily dragged her bags to the front door of the house. She rang the doorbell and waited.

And then nothing.

Lily rang the bell again. She waited a few more minutes. And still nothing. The music was so loud that Lily was already regretting her eardrums. She rang the bell one more time, and clearly, no one was hearing.

So Lily just tried to open the door. And it worked. The idiots hadn't even locked it.

Her immediate view was a complete whirlwind.

It was clearly a living room. But Lily couldn’t see a piece of furniture in its proper place. There were so many people there, that Lily imagined it was necessary to move everything around just to fit them all in. And, oh boy, those people needed space.

Lily saw everything at first glance. There were guys drinking from a funnel and shouting something inaudible. There were girls sticking stickers on each other’s foreheads. There were two couples making out on a sofa in the corner of the room, almost overlapping due to the lack of space. There were two girls crying and hugging each other. The air smelled like they all had smoked a bag of weed each. Everything looked so chaotic that Lily couldn’t even imagine what time the party had started. Everyone was clearly high and drunk.

And the worst part? No one noticed when Lily opened the door.

The girl took a few steps, still trying to understand what was happening. The place looked like a dump, with ashtrays and red cups scattered across the floor. The red and blue light coming from a gigantic speaker gave her a headache. If Lily had a meltdown and screamed there, no one would even hear.

Suddenly, one of the guys with the beer funnel, whom Lily remembered as Peter Pettigrew, turned to her with curiosity and said, looking at his right, his words almost inaudible over the music:

— Hey, Black! Looks like you’ve got a guest!

And then Lily saw Sirius Black. He didn’t look like the unhappy boy from the gossip blog photos anymore. His hair was longer, and his demeanor was clearly confident. He was wearing a black sweater and a leather jacket. His eyebrows were thick and groomed, and Lily could see pieces of a tattoo on his neck. He was tall and imposing, but when he looked at Lily, his quick thinking made his eyes fill with panic.

Sirius just ran out of her sight, disappearing into the small crowd towards the bedrooms. Lily, stunned, stood there, confused.

Peter approached, with a slight smile. The guy was wearing a beige sweater with yellow stripes. He was clearly drunk, holding a nearly empty cup, his reddish-blond hair tousled. He was older than the photos she´d seen.

— Hey, what’s up? — Peter made a face that seemed like an attempt at flirting. — What’s your name?

Lily opened her mouth to indignantly say that she wasn’t any guest at this party, but before she could, she was interrupted.

The music suddenly stopped. The shock was immediate when everyone heard a clear, commanding voice shouting at the top of its lungs:

— Everyone out!

No one moved, still confused by the abrupt end. Then the voice yelled even louder and firmer:

— NOW, FUCKING MOVE!

Lily looked to the opposite end of the room, and James Potter was staring at her.

Chapter Text

The Previous Night

James' POV

Man, I feel like these guys could be my best friends.

James exhaled the smoke from his menthol cigarette with a crooked smile on his lips. The days couldn’t get any better when it was summer in Richmond, and every day felt like school holidays.

Lupin had put on some depressing shit on the speaker that James secretly liked, but couldn’t admit. The Smiths. The guys were sprawled on the sofas of their basically student frat house. The house that MTV had given them still didn’t feel like home, but it was enough for four guys who didn’t have the slightest sense of decoration.

James laughed at some stupid joke Sirius was telling, but all his jokes seemed stupid at that point. Sirius was naturally funny, which James found genuinely satisfying. It was almost like having a worthy competitor for the “life of the party” award.

Lupin also seemed more cheerful than usual, but it was probably the joint. The blond must have been on his third or fourth of the night.

Peter was fiddling with his deck of cards, trying to learn some trick that required too many moves for James to understand.

And the boy didn’t want this feeling to end. This peace that only a uncomplicated camaraderie could provide.

But yeah. The MTV execs wanted it to end.

“Man,” James said, suddenly sitting up and feeling his mind reel. “I can’t believe they’re sending someone to keep an eye on us.”

The guys had been informed the previous night by Frank, one of the producers. Frank was one of the only cool guys on set, not as freaked out as the rest of the crew, and the guys almost always communicated with him, even though it wasn’t really his job. From what James understood, Frank handled special effects or some shit like that.

Frank called the guys on Wednesday, letting them know that the production company wasn’t happy with the series’ pilot. When he announced this, the boys felt the mood in the room shift. James and Sirius took the lead in talking to Frank, though Lupin and Peter frequently cast guilty looks at the producer.

“Why didn’t they like it?” James asked, right after Frank’s warning.

“They don’t think you’re…” Frank hesitated a bit before saying, “Committed.”

“What the fuck are they talking about?” Sirius protested, leaning toward the laptop’s webcam. The guy sounded offended.

Frank looked at Sirius with boredom as he replied, “Dude, cut the crap. This production has fifty people, and all they can remember about you guys on set is you talking shit, smoking, and forgetting your lines.”

James shifted uncomfortably on the couch. He knew they could have been more serious, maybe. But he believed he was taking the job seriously. He had even studied acting methods. He was writing bullet points about his character, Aaron, in a notebook he kept by his bedside. And even though he had stumbled during the filming of some scenes, he was a beginner actor. Shouldn’t they cut beginners some slack?

“And now?” Peter asked, his voice shaky. “Are they going to cancel the series or something?”

“No,” Frank replied with a sigh. “You can keep going and shoot the episode again. But with supervision.”

“What do you mean?” Remus asked timidly.

“The higher-ups are sending someone from Public Relations to monitor your routine.” And when Frank saw their terrified faces, he added, “And yeah, this person will probably live with you.”

James felt a deep sense of indignation but didn’t have the courage to voice it. He looked at Sirius, who seemed ready to explode. Thankfully, Frank quickly said goodbye and ended the video call.

“What the fuck is this shit?” Sirius slammed the laptop shut with force.

“They’re treating us like kids,” James huffed, getting up from the couch and starting to pace, something he always did when he felt stressed. Peter laughed with indignation.

“They’re disappointed in us,” Remus said suddenly, and everyone stared at him in surprise.

Sirius looked at him with irritation, but Remus stared at his hands as he continued, “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m scared.” The boys didn’t interrupt him. “I can’t lose this contract.”

“Well, neither of us can!” Sirius said, his tone a bit defensive.

Remus didn’t respond to that. He just stood up and headed toward the hallway, grabbing his pack of cigarettes from the table in the living room and saying, “Look, what I’m trying to say is… I’m just going to accept whatever the fuck this supervision is.”

And so the boys fell silent, pondering whether they were indeed being childish with their reactions.

James had been anxious all night, and when he suddenly got up to complain, Sirius gave him a sarcastic look and said, “Last hours of freedom.”

Peter tossed his deck of cards aside and agreed, “This is the end of the squad’s golden era.”

Everyone looked at Remus, eager for his response. The guy looked at them, annoyed, and replied, “Look, I also think it’s all bullshit, okay? The last thing I needed was someone breathing down my neck and telling me what to do.”

James smiled in agreement. He knew that even though Remus was accepting what MTV had imposed, he wasn’t happy about it.

“What’s the plan for dealing with this so-called babysitter?” James asked.

“Oh, I have so many ideas…” Sirius rolled his eyes, a mischievous grin on his face.

“You’re looking at it the wrong way,” Remus said, waving the joint and smiling knowingly. “The question is: What are we going to do with these last hours of freedom?”

“Well, well, Lupin…” Sirius approached Remus and gave him a pat on the collarbone. “Who would’ve thought, huh?”

Lupin pushed his hand away, shaking his head in indignation.

“That’s the spirit!” James jumped back onto the seat. “Peter, grab Sirius’ phone! Let’s send out some invites!”

- - -

That afternoon, James returned from the market with bags and more bags of drinks, snacks, and sweets in the trunk of his Mini Cooper. After all, he wanted to throw one last great party for his guests.

When he opened the door to the house, he found Peter shoving the furniture around in the living room and Remus and Sirius sitting on one of the sofas, leaning against the wall with grumpy expressions. As usual, they were arguing.

“What kind of tacky crap do you want to put on?” Remus complained to Sirius, angrily gesturing at the computer screen.

“Why do you hate fun music, Lupin?” Sirius laughed at his friend’s irritation and casually crossed his legs. “Pop can be cool too!”

“What’s going on?” James asked Peter, who was sweating from the effort that, apparently, only he was putting into the preparations.

“They’re arguing about the music,” Peter rolled his eyes and wiped his forehead with his forearm. “What did you bring?”

“Oh, little Pettigrew…” James laughed and gave the boy a side hug. “Everything we’ll need, you can be sure.”

“You even brought Pop Tarts!” Peter smiled in surprise.

“It’s for when some idiot wants to puke,” James raised an eyebrow, and his friend quickly blushed. The last party had ended with Peter throwing up his guts in a filthy bathroom, Remus holding his head, Sirius taking pictures with his digital camera, and James just laughing at the whole situation. That night had been fun.

“OH NO!” Remus shouted suddenly. “JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE?”

Sirius could barely speak, he was laughing so hard, but between laughs, he managed to say:

“What… What’s the pr-problem, Lupin?”

“Hey!” Remus turned to James. “Give me a hand here.”

“Don’t look at me!” James dropped the bags on the floor and shrugged, enjoying the situation. “I’m against all the depressing music you put on the speaker.”

“I know that,” Remus replied, his eyes widening. He looked like a madman. “But are you going to let our party turn into an NSYNC concert? What the hell!”

“I think I prefer Backstreet Boys…” James replied thoughtfully.

“OH, SHUT UP!” Remus said, throwing his hand to the air.

Peter and Sirius laughed like children.

James looked at the living room, bathed in the dim light of the late afternoon, and all he could think was that he wanted things to always stay this way.

Chapter Text

So Lily focused all her attention on that demanding voice. And her gaze locked onto James Potter’s.

The boy had climbed onto a chair on the opposite side of the room, and with just one command, without any further explanation, everyone began rushing to leave the house. They looked like scared little mice, scurrying past Lily with guilty expressions, clearly altered by all the drugs and alcohol they had consumed. They all seemed so... unreachable. Half had cosmetic procedures hidden under layers of smeared makeup, while the other half wore clothes far too cool for Lily to ever feel confident pulling off.

James didn’t move at first. He waited for the house to empty, still holding Lily’s gaze, almost as if he was studying her. Embarrassed, she looked down at her sneakers, hoping that the flow of people would end soon. She was still furious about the situation, but her anxiety overpowered that feeling, and all she could focus on was how to confront those boys.

Once everyone had left, with grumbles, laughter, and winks at the hosts, Lily found the courage to look forward.

James jumped confidently off the chair, and almost instantly, the boys formed a line in front of her. Lily analyzed how each of them was completely different in style and appearance, yet they still seemed like a perfectly harmonious group.

Even though they were altered, each of them exuded an aura that was hard to ignore.

Sirius looked like a rockstar. His piercing gaze at Lily was somewhat intimidating. The boy looked like he could devour her at any moment. Hatred? Curiosity? Lily couldn’t tell.

Beside him was a new figure. Oh, so this is what Remus Lupin looks like. Remus looked like a pretentious guy who’d take you to a museum date and make you feel dumb the whole time. He wore a beige and white sweater and tailored trousers, was tall, and had honey-coloured hair. He could easily pass for French, with skin that pale.

Then she managed to take a proper look at Peter. With his urban style and cargo pants, Peter was clearly the younger brother of the group. Probably trying hard to be cool enough to hang with the rest of them, but with a gentler nature.

And in the middle, a step forward, was finally James Potter. His hair was spikier and shorter than she had seen in pictures, but still, the boy was exactly as Lily had imagined. He wore a white shirt under an open red one, jeans, and Converse. His skin had a golden hue, like a Californian surfer, and his eyes behind the round glasses… they were green, very green. The boy clearly came from a wealthy family, standing even straighter than the noble-looking Sirius Black himself.

There was so much to take in that Lily barely managed to say a word before Potter tilted his head and asked:

"You must be…"

"PR!" Sirius answered with a sarcastic smile.

"Lily," she replied defensively. And then, she remembered that she was furious with those four idiots. She was angry because she was failing at the only task they’d given her on her very first day.

Was it because she was late? Maybe they thought she wouldn’t come at all and decided to throw the party. Damn it, was that what they would report to Slughorn, and then she’d be fired?

She opened her mouth, ready to unleash all her indignation, but before she could shout, James stepped forward, cautiously:

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." As he approached, Lily suddenly felt her senses heighten. "Before you say anything… We’ll explain, okay? Everything." Then James turned to the other three boys. "Right, guys?"

"Yes, everything," Remus and Peter said simultaneously but in different tones. While Remus answered with conviction, Peter seemed scared. Sirius didn’t join in; he was still staring at Lily, motionless.

"That’s it!" James said cheerfully. That irritated Lily. Did he think this was all a joke?

Then the boy stepped closer, and now Lily could even smell his scent. Too close. Woody and citrus notes. Whiskey. Cigarettes. Too close.

James bent down at chest level, extending his hand towards her legs, and looked up:

"Need help with the bags?"

"No!" Lily replied, her voice a bit shrill.

"Oh, c’mon." She saw his eyebrow arch with a cheeky smile. "Peter, take PR… Lily’s bags to her room."

That deeply irritated Lily. How could he presume what she wanted or needed? And with that king-like confidence. She pressed her lips together to avoid saying more than she should.

Peter cautiously approached, and when he bent down to grab Lily’s bags, she didn’t stop him.

Now, with Peter struggling to carry three heavy bags, the room fell silent.

"We should introduce ourselves… right?" Remus Lupin ventured for the first time. His voice was respectful and calm.

"She already knows who we are," Sirius Black protested. His voice was the opposite of the blond’s. Harsh and irritated.

What a pain in the neck.

“Hey, Black, is the brandy making you grumpy?”The boy rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow when James gave him a playful shove. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Lily said nothing, so James continued:

"The idiot carrying your bags is Peter Pettigrew, the crabby one here is Sirius Black, and we’ve got the English professor, Remus Lupin. And I’m James Potter."

"Pleasure," Lily muttered with a bitter look.

Peter returned, a bit out of breath. Taking advantage of the moment, Remus timidly suggested:

"We should sit down."

Lily looked at the spot the boys were offering. A couch so messy that she could hardly believe it. The brown leather was almost hidden under coats probably left behind by the guests, red plastic cups, and empty bottles.

Remus, with an awkward smile, pushed all the clutter to one side of the couch and offered the other side for Lily to sit. They sat on the opposite sofa, leaving the mess right on top of it. Boys are such slobs.

"Hmmm..." Remus began, and then Lily realised he was high. Or at least trying not to be, since he seemed like the responsible one who would have to give the speech. "I think there’s been a bit of a mix-up with the timings."

Oh, crap. They’re going to bring up my being late.

"Yeah," Peter mumbled, looking awkward. "We thought you were arriving at eight tomorrow morning."

"What?" Lily said, both relieved and confused.

"Yep," said James. "All Slughorn, the other PR, said was: She’ll be there at eight." He showed her his BlackBerry. Sure enough, the email from Slughorn didn’t specify AM or PM.

"He must’ve forgotten to mention," Lily replied, still puzzled as she looked at the screen. "But even so..."

"We know," James cut her off again. "We shouldn’t have thrown the party."

Lily took in the scene and felt a surge of satisfaction. The four of them now looked like guilty puppies. Even James and Sirius seemed uncomfortable, losing that confident posture.

"Look, this puts me in a tough spot, you know?" Lily said, her tone becoming more assured, almost professional. "I’m here to report on exactly this kind of thing."

"We know," Remus nodded, eyes wide with seriousness. His eyes were almond-shaped, she noted. "It was the last one... We thought we’d have one final party before you arrived."

"As a send-off!" Peter squeaked, looking frightened.

Lily thought it over. If she reported the party, she’d also have to mention that she’d arrived late and thus hadn’t been able to stop it.

But they didn’t know that.

"Well... I can be nice to you guys," she said, shrugging in a relaxed manner.

Sirius lifted his head, surprised. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. As a peace offering," Lily said, locking eyes with him. "But I need you to cooperate from now on. For real."

The boys exchanged glances, smiling in relief. James laughed and then, while the others were still looking at each other, shot Lily a surprised and grateful look.

She quickly averted her gaze to stop a smile from creeping onto her face. Their relief was kind of contagious, enough to make her forget, for a moment, that they were total troublemakers.

- - -

Later, Lily was unpacking in her new room. She was putting away her clothes, but it felt like the pile would never end. She regretted being so indecisive while packing.

The room was simple. White walls, a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk with a chair that she planned to personalise soon. She couldn’t handle staring at all that white for long without losing her mind.

Speaking of losing her mind, Lily was exhausted. After all the emotions from walking into the party and then giving that temporary "let’s be nice" speech to the boys, she still had to go over all the new guidelines the headquarters had sent her to explain to the group. There were about fifty items with ridiculously boring clauses, and clearly none of the boys had the headspace to take it in. They were in a mix of being hungover and still half out of it, and Lily could see in their eyes all they needed was sleep. Especially since they had a shoot the next day, and she’d have to be there with them.

Once she finished reading everything, the boys quickly thanked her and rushed off like zombies. Since then, Lily had been organising her stuff, with the clock nearing midnight.

Halfway through tidying, she decided to just call it a night. She’d deal with the rest later.

Lily glanced at herself in the mirror. She liked this summer pyjama set her parents had given her last Christmas. It was a soft, light green with abstract white patterns, and the colour made her orange hair stand out.

That was something that had always made her stand out, and attention wasn’t something Lily always enjoyed. When she was younger, the girls in primary school used to call her "matchstick." It wasn’t the worst thing ever, but it did bug her a bit. In her early teens, Lily considered bleaching her hair and going blonde. She would definitely blend in more.

But after a while, she just got used to the way she looked. Being a redhead stopped being an issue in high school—there were a few other gingers around anyway.

So that’s what Lily saw now. Her hair, still a bit choppy from her last cut, as orange as ever, her freckles scattered randomly here and there, and her nose, which she liked when she looked straight on, but not so much from the side.

Pretty ordinary, with a splash of colour.

Lily checked to see if everything was ready for bed. Then she realized she needed a bottle of water. It was still warm in London. She decided to head to the kitchen to find something she could grab for herself before resting. God knew how much she needed it.

Lily slowly turned the doorknob, trying not to wake the boys. She glanced at the phone in her hand. Twelve forty-eight. The carpet didn’t make much noise, so Lily made her way to the kitchen, which was still a mess, and began rummaging through the cupboards—Remus had assured her that the cleaning lady, Myrtle, would show up the next day.

When she finally found where the glasses and mugs should be, there was a vibration. And a buzz. A loud buzz. Petunia?

Lily rushed to grab the phone that was resting on the counter, her hands shaking with excitement.

But when she saw the name flash across her screen, it was Sev the one calling.

Chapter Text

Lily answered the phone, her breath steady.

"Hey," Sev’s shaky voice came from the other end.

"Hey," she replied, feeling a wave of relief. She was still upset about how Sev had treated her, but honestly, she missed venting to her friend about work.

"Everything alright... over there?" he asked, slowly. His voice sounded concerned, but also like he was trying to keep it casual.

"Look..." Lily chuckled. "I don’t even know where to start."

"They're not treating you badly or anything, are they?" he quickly shifted to a more serious tone.

"It’s not that!" Lily responded immediately. "I’ve barely even talked to them yet."

Lily then sat on one of the stools at the kitchen counter. It felt nice to talk to Sev after so many days without seeing him. It felt like ages, but it had only been four days.

"Look, Lily, I..." Sev cleared his throat, but then said nothing.

Lily waited. She really did feel like she deserved an apology. A breeze drifted in from one of the kitchen windows, but she didn’t move.

"I´m sorry, alright?" Sev finally said. "You’re an adult, and I shouldn’t be meddling in what you do or don’t do for work."

"That’s not why I was upset." Lily replied, shaking her head. "You just… seemed like you didn’t get it."

"It’s definitely not something I’d do," Sev said. Lily could practically picture the ironic smile on his face. "But we’re pretty different, aren’t we?"

"Oh, for sure." Lily smiled. "So, how’s life at the office without me?"

"Everyone here is unbearable," Sev answered, his monotone creeping back. "Today, Helena cornered me at lunch to tell me all the fascinating details about the healing properties of energy crystals."

Lily let out a snorted laugh.

"Lily, I swear," Sev went on, "why did I sign up to work with this bunch of hippies? Sometimes I actually miss working at that law firm."

"It does suit you better, to be honest."

"I miss you," Sev said, suddenly.

Lily froze.

It wasn’t a strange thing to say, but the tone Sev used... It felt almost like a confession.

She didn’t know how to respond.

"We all do," Sev added, stammering a little. "The department’s falling apart without you."

"Oh… You guys will manage without me," Lily replied, feeling embarrassed.

Silence on the line.

"I think I should be going..." Lily finally said, eager to wrap up the confusing conversation. "We have a shooting tomorrow, and..."

"Sure, sure," Sev replied, his words barely audible. "You should go."

"Good night," Lily hurriedly said.

"Good night, Lily," Sev replied at last, just before the line dropped and the familiar beep sounded.

Lily dropped her phone, lost in thought.

Why had Sev used that tone? It was the most emotion she had ever heard in his voice. And why had he called her at this hour on a Friday night?

They had never hung out outside of work, aside from happy hours or company events. Did they have lunch together every day? Yes. But it was nothing that could be seen as inappropriate. Lily considered Sev a friend, but a friend confined to a specific bubble in her life.

The indecision weighed on her mind, but her whole body jumped when she heard a voice behind her.

"Everything okay, PR?"

Lily's eyes widened as she realized James Potter was standing behind her.

"Uh… yeah, thanks, and..."

"You’re looking a bit red," Potter said with a grin.

He was wearing a baggy gray shirt with USC - Fine Arts emblazoned on it and sweatpants. His hair was messier than usual, and his round glasses looked askew. He probably woke up to grab some water or a snack from the kitchen.

"Hm..." Lily tried to play it cool. "It’s nothing."

"Were you talking to your boyfriend or something?" James said casually, stepping past her to open the fridge. "Oh, crap. Black didn’t refill the bottles."

"No," Lily replied, her eyebrows raised. "He’s my coworker."

"Another coworker spying on us?" James joked, filling a glass with water at the sink.

Work.

Crap! Lily was in her pajamas in a work situation. In front of someone she was supposed to supervise.

Lily looked down and realized just how inappropriate the situation was, especially since her pajamas were made of a fabric that was a bit… revealing. She crossed her arms, trying to cover up a little.

“Yeah...” Lily forced a laugh. “I should probably head to my room. We shouldn’t be seeing each other like this and...”

“What do you mean?” James asked, a frown forming between his eyebrows. Lily realized he was too sleepy to make sense of anything.

“In pajamas!” Lily laughed at herself. “I live with you guys, but in a professional context.”

James, incredulous, set the glass of water down on the counter and let out a good-natured laugh.

“PR, come on,” he said, finally glancing at her clothes. “We’re gonna be living together for a while. You’ll have to get used to a few things…”

“Like what?” Lily asked, almost indignant.

“When you have to hold Pettigrew’s head over the toilet because he got trashed at a party, or cut Black’s hair because he freaks out when it grows too long, or put ointment on Lupin’s back because the bastard can’t reach, you’ll see this isn’t just work, alright?”

James looked deep into Lily’s eyes, leaving her speechless, and flashed a small smile.

“Goodnight, PR.”

And just as he was about to head back to his room, Lily let out an indignant squeak.

“It’s Lily!”

“I know,” James said, at his door, before closing it behind him.

- - -

The next morning, Lily woke up to loud noises coming from the hallway. Groggy, she couldn’t quite make sense of the sounds. They seemed like heavy footsteps. And there was music too. Something really upbeat.

Lily got up, confused, changed her t-shirt, and looked at the clock. She’d set her alarm for eight since they had all agreed to leave by nine-thirty. She’d thought about waking up early to make sure the boys were up if they needed help, especially since they were probably dead tired after last night.

But when Lily opened the door, she was startled by a figure speeding past her. Someone was running—really fast. She poked her head out and saw that Sirius and Remus were… racing?

“You’re slow, Black!” Remus said, puffing his chest out and laughing at Sirius. “You’re slow, and you’ll have to bow to the speed king over here!”

“Shut up!” Sirius replied, rolling his eyes. “I’m still hungover!”

“What an excuse!” Lily heard James call from the living room. “Lupin’s hungover too!”

“Look at the size of this guy’s legs!” Sirius pointed indignantly. To be fair, Remus was the tallest of the boys by a decent margin. “It’s not fair.”

“Wah wah wah,” Peter laughed, mocking Sirius’s whining.

“Whatever, I don’t care!” Sirius shouted as he stormed into the living room, annoyed. “I bet I’ll beat both of you, you mules.”

Lily then heard Peter and James talking over each other, trying to outdo Sirius’s frustration.

“Oh!” Remus finally noticed Lily’s presence. “Good morning, P… Lily.”

His voice was breathy, slipping out from behind a friendly smile.

“Sorry we woke you. We were, uh… warming up! For our busy day, you know?”

“Good morning...” Lily replied, still confused and suspicious.

“Hey!” Sirius called out from the living room. “PR’s up!”

Lily slowly made her way to the living room. It was still just as messy as it had been the night before. Myrtle was supposed to come after they left. She also noticed the boys’ flushed faces—they’d clearly been up for a while. They were all ready, which made her feel a bit unprepared.

James and Peter had scripts in their laps, but the loud music and their grinning faces made it clear they weren’t really focusing. Lily hoped they had everything memorized already. Pump Up the Jam was blasting from the speaker, and she laughed internally at the choice.

“Morning, PR!” James said, beaming. “We saved you pancakes—Sirius made them!”

“And that’s why they’re awful,” Peter added with a grin.

“Thanks,” Lily smiled sleepily and headed toward the kitchen.

When she got there, she found two oddly shaped pancakes on a plate and a jar of honey. Lily opened the fridge to see what else she could whip up. There wasn’t much to cook with, so she just grabbed the milk and started making some coffee. She could hear the boys talking in the background:

“Rehearse with me, Pettigrew. Come on!” James said, jumping to his feet. Lily couldn’t believe how they had this much energy so early in the morning.

“Okay, okay, let’s go!” Peter replied, also standing up but looking a bit nervous. “Can we just run the lines? No acting?”

“Fiiine,” James rolled his eyes. “The scene where we face off, yeah?”

“Okay,” Peter agreed.

Lily straightened up in her chair at the dining table, curious to see how prepared the boys really were.

Potter started reciting his lines:

“So… Can you do this?”

“It’s not like that…” Peter delivered, with almost no emotion.

“That’s what you call acting?” Remus appeared in the hallway with a sarcastic grin.

“We’re just running the lines!” Peter snapped back, as if it were obvious.

“If you can’t act, just say so!” Sirius shrugged, jumping in to tease.

“Shut up and let us rehearse!” James flipped them off. “Where was I…? Oh yeah! I saw you, I saw you, Lewis. In that forest, you turned… into a rat!”

“Wait!” Peter continued. “But there was no one else in that forest. So if it was you there, that means…”

“Yes, I’m a Shapeshifter too, Lewis. I was the stag.”

“This script is trash,” Sirius commented.

“Dude you're INSUFFERABLE!” Peter and James shouted in unison, which made Lily laugh.

James shot her a look and raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, the pancakes seemed really interesting.

Chapter Text

By 9:30, everyone was ready and waiting by the door for the production van to pick them up for the set.

After breakfast, Lily had taken a quick shower and got dressed in comfortable clothes. She knew she’d be on set all day, and it would be exhausting. As she got ready, she could still hear the music and the occasional indistinct shouts from the energetic boys in the living room.

While they waited for the transport, the boys were quieter, scripts in hand. Maybe reality has finally hit, and now they’re nervous. Lily deeply hoped they were more prepared for the day´s shoot. It wasn’t anything too major—she had seen the schedule, and the boys were only filming indoor scenes, like the ones set in the characters' homes. All the scenes at the school or outside were scheduled for the next day. She estimated they had about six or seven scenes to get through, nothing too complicated, and she took a deep breath.

“Feeling confident?” she asked, trying to strike up a conversation but also subtly checking in.

“I think we’ll manage,” Peter replied, not sounding too enthusiastic. The others just shrugged, going back to their scripts.

Lily felt a bit awkward, unsure of what to say, so she grabbed her own copy of the pilot script and started flipping through it.

The show was, in fact, pretty unserious. The premise was simple—three boys suddenly gain the ability to transform into animals overnight and have to deal with that, all while navigating the usual teenage struggles. And yes, it was just three. Apparently, Peter was more of a supporting character, playing Remus’s younger brother, which was actually pretty funny, considering Peter was the same age as the other guys—twenty-one. Lily had thought about that too, since she was twenty-two and already in a supervisory role.

Lily had also looked into the characters a bit. James’s character was called Aaron, the typical boy next door. Lily found it odd because James seemed more suited to playing the spoiled playboy of the school. Remus’s character made more sense though—Andrew, Aaron’s funny and nerdy best friend, who would dive into researching their newfound powers.

Peter’s character was named Lewis, and his shapeshifting ability wouldn’t be revealed until later in the season as a plot twist. And finally, there was Sirius’s character, Ben, the school misfit who bullied Aaron and Andrew. Lily thought that casting was spot-on.

There were also two actresses cast as part of the main crew, from what Lily had seen. One played Aaron’s love interest, Sophie, portrayed by an actress named Marlene McKinnon. The other played Sophie’s best friend, Bryanna, who came from a family of supernatural hunters, played by an actress named Mary Macdonald. Lily didn’t know anything about them but hoped they’d be nice—it would be great to have some female friends on set.

Suddenly, everyone heard the sound of a van turning the corner. Lily calmly slipped her script into her backpack, waiting to board. But as a brand-new, gray van finally pulled up in front of the house on Nurmengard, the four boys exchanged quick glances and then sprinted toward the vehicle. Sirius even shoved James aside to get to the back seat door first. Lily was baffled. Why are they doing this? The van’s big enough for everyone.

Then she noticed they’d left the front seat empty and assumed it was because it made sense for the MTV rep to sit with the driver. But as she approached, Lily realized the driver was... strange. He had thin, long hair and a bit of a menacing scowl.

Lily leaned in through the window and introduced herself:

“I’m Lily, from headquarters.”

The driver gave a slight nod that somehow said Hello and Whatever all at once. So, Lily opened the passenger door, but the driver’s eyes widened in irritation, and he snapped:

“OUT!”

Lily looked at him, bewildered, then turned toward the boys, who all looked like they were about to burst out laughing. Then she glanced down and saw a cat lying on the passenger seat.

“Is this... your cat?” Lily asked in a low voice.

“That’s Mrs. Norris’s seat,” the driver replied curtly and rudely, referring to the strange, red-eyed cat. “Take a seat in the back.”

Lily found it outrageous. The cat got the front seat? She shot a questioning look at the boys, still not understanding, but they just seemed to find the whole thing hilarious.

With a sigh, she went to the back door. Remus stepped out of his seat and, with a shrug, said:

“Looks like there’s a seat left in the back.”

Lily was confused as he lowered his seat, revealing a tiny bench behind the boys, which looked more like a storage area than an actual seat. The ceiling was so low she’d have to hunch over to sit there.

Lily took a deep breath and climbed in, enduring the boys’ smirking glances.

“I think we’re all quite comfortable now,” Sirius announced to the driver. “Step on it, Filch!”

The boys laughed, and Filch indeed floored it. Lily felt queasy as he took the corners even faster. The cramped space only made things worse. She couldn’t understand why this tiny bench even existed back here.

Her view was basically the backs of the four boys’ heads—their hair and their long necks. Peter’s hair was the straightest of all of them. Remus… What’s that?

The van’s movement made it hard to see, but thanks to his loose shirt, Lily noticed something on Remus just below his neck—a mark or something similar. It could’ve been a scar or something, but she knew it was none of her business.

The scenery began to change. The luxurious surroundings of Richmond started fading away as Filch hit a smaller highway, giving a view of the city’s buildings. Apparently, the studio was in an industrial area south of Greater London.

The boys chatted the whole way, but Lily paid little attention, feeling irritated and physically uncomfortable. They seemed excited, talking about the scenes they’d be filming.

Then suddenly, James leaned forward, closer to the driver’s panel.

“Mr. Filch, I’m plugging in my MP3 player, alright?”

The driver grunted irritably, like James could do whatever he wanted as long as he didn’t interfere.

“What’re you putting on, James?” Peter asked.

“Well…” James glanced back with a grin and locked eyes with Sirius.

Suddenly, a sugary pop song blasted through the speakers. It was a track Lily couldn’t escape on any radio since the beginning of the year—Friday, by some new singer named Rebecca Black.

“Oh, c’mon…” Sirius sank into his seat, embarrassed.

“Come on, Sirius!” Potter laughed, moving to the beat. “You’ve got to support your girlfriend’s art!”

Sirius is dating Rebecca Black?

“Girlfriend or cousin?” Remus chuckled, giving Sirius a nudge.

“Guys, I told you it was a mistake, alright?” Sirius said, raising his hands as if begging to be heard. “It’s already weird enough that we have the same last name…”

“Didn’t seem weird when you were grabbing her ass last week!” James said, flashing his trademark grin. Lily wondered what kind of parties those boys must go to. Celebrity parties?

“Turn it off alreadyyyy!” Sirius begged.

Everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend, weekend… Peter started to hum, and soon James and Remus joined in.

Friday, Friday… Gettin' down on Friday! They all belted out at the top of their lungs, playfully shoving a slightly red-faced Sirius back and forth.

“Oh, bloody hellllll!” Sirius yelled as Lily struggled to hold back her laughter.

After plenty of laughter, the boys finally calmed down, now focusing on giving their scripts one last look before they arrived. Lily guessed they’d been driving for about 15 minutes. Filch had switched to a local classical music station, but his sour expression lingered as he glanced at the rearview mirror.

Meanwhile, Lily was discreetly observing the boys while jotting down notes in a little notebook, keeping track of the past few days to compile later into a report.

On the first day, they seemed restless, but they work well as a team and understand their roles in the production.

They have a lot of energy, though it’s not always channelled into the right things.

Remus seems like the intellectual leader, James is the charismatic one, Sirius the intimidating one, and Peter is adaptable.

Lily was obviously softening her observations a bit—part of the deal was giving them the benefit of the doubt. And so far, they were holding up, one way or another.

“Hey, PR!” James’ voice boomed in her ear, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She jumped in her seat, fumbling awkwardly to stash her notebook, not wanting him to see her notes.

“Can you run this scene with me?” James asked, staring at his script with a slightly puzzled look. A crease formed between his eyebrows, as if he were deeply focused.

Lily glanced around, thinking, Me? Why not the other guys?

But they were all engrossed in their own scripts. Lily let out a small sigh, turned to James, and noticed his hopeful expression.

“Alright.” Lily gave a half-smile, her lips tight. “Who am I supposed to be?”

“Sophie,” James said. Ah, the love interest. “Do you know how to read a script?”

“Of course I do!” Lily shot back, her tone slightly defensive. She wasn’t clueless—she’d taken some dramatic reading courses at uni, even if it wasn’t her forte.

Sirius stifled a laugh, and Remus gave him a shove. Lily ignored them, snatched her own copy of the script, and flipped through it.

“What scene?” Lily asked, exhaling as if bracing herself.

“Scene 14,” James replied confidently. “It’s the one where Sophie confronts Aaron for skipping out on their date.”

“Hmm… You don’t want me to act for real, do you?” Lily asked, a little nervous about opening up like that in such a cramped space. Now, she just hoped they’d arrive at the studio soon.

“At least a little, if you can,” James said, scratching the back of his neck. He looked unsure, but seriously, Lily was way more unsure than he was.

“I’ll give it a shot,” Lily said with a comical lift of her eyebrows, her lips curling into a sheepish smile.

James turned to face her, and Lily could finally see his expression. The boy was staring down, clearly focused, but there was something fleeting in his gaze—a hint of insecurity. Was it shyness? No way.

He straightened his posture, and Lily realized he was slipping into character.

"Sophie. Sophie, wait up!" James acted, his voice realistically pleading. Then, he reached out and grabbed Lily’s wrist. Lily wanted to widen her eyes in surprise but quickly glanced down at her script. That was the direction given: Aaron grabs Sophie’s wrist.

"Look, I’m sorry I didn’t show up yesterday. I…"

James looked up. It was Lily’s cue. The girl could still feel the warmth of James’s touch on her skin. She glanced at the script, which instructed her to respond with resentment.

"I don’t need this, Aaron," Lily said, trying her best. She actually sounded convincing. Then she continued, "If you’re just going to make excuses for why you didn’t want to come…"

For a moment, James broke character. He glanced at Lily, startled, but quickly shook it off and returned to the scene.

"I wanted to come!" James exclaimed, loud and desperate. Filch let out an annoyed huff from the driver’s seat, but James didn’t even flinch. "I… Something came up. My mum… She freaked out at the last minute. She asked me to stay."

"What happened?" Lily replied, following the note to sound annoyed but starting to soften. She couldn’t help but notice James was still holding her wrist. Maybe he’d forgotten he could let go.

"She… fought with her boyfriend again." James transitioned into a more serious tone flawlessly.

Lily couldn’t hide her surprise. She was catching a glimpse of his craft, and it was genuinely impressive. The girl knew that in this scene, Aaron was telling the truth in parts. In the series, Aaron’s mom really did have an abusive boyfriend, but she also knew that wasn’t why Aaron hadn’t shown up to meet Sophie—it was more about a transformation of the character.

Maybe James Potter really is talented.

Lily then glanced at the boy’s hand still holding her wrist. James noticed and, in the same instant, let go, like it was no big deal.

The scene now asked for the character to console Aaron, by putting a hand on his shoulder, but Lily didn’t do it. Not necessary, she thought.

“I’m sorry,” Lily said. “I just… I thought you were standing me up. Now I feel bad.” Lily wasn’t totally happy with how she delivered the last line, but whatever, it was just a rehearsal.

“You couldn’t have known,” James replied, still in character. “But hey, we can reschedule. How about I pick you up tomorrow? We’ll stick to the plan, cinema.”

“Okay,” Lily followed the script. “I’ll see you there.” The script called for her to give a little wink, but that idea made her blush. She would never wink at a coworker.

End of scene. James gave Lily a smile, and she didn’t know how to react. Why is he being so nice?

Suddenly, Lily was startled by slow claps. Sirius was looking at them, clearly impressed.

“Well done, James... and surprisingly, PR!”

“Cheers, mate!” James nodded.

Lily noticed the other boys were watching her curiously.

“Are you an actress too, PR?” Peter asked.

“Oh, no…” Lily smiled, a little embarrassed. “I took some classes in college, but I’m way too shy for that.”

“You read the script better than half the girls in the courses I took in Kensington,” Sirius said, surprisingly friendly.

“Oh, Sirius, but those were Kensington girls…” Remus laughed. Lily figured half the rich girls from Kensington probably bought starring roles in TV shows and plays.

“I just did the basics,” Lily shrugged, looking out the window to hide her smile.

“Maybe we’ll sneak you into the show as an extra, huh?” James suggested.

“Oh, absolutely not!” Lily said seriously. “That would never fly under my contract.”

The boys shrugged but still looked at her with a bit of surprise. Lily thought this was a good lesson. Imagine, a regular girl doing a better job than trained actors like them. It was kind of ironic. Touché.

Chapter Text

Peter looked around nervously as the van pulled up to the gates of the MTV studios. Lily had never been there either, though she'd seen pictures in the headquarters before.

In front of them stood a tall, wide building that looked more like a warehouse, its brown bricks darkened by the rain. The sprawling parking lot was packed not just with vehicles—cars, trucks, trailers, and vans—but also with equipment for filming, like scaffolding and hydraulic jacks.

“Time to shine, lads,” James said, his tone mock-inspirational.

Filch parked without a word, but everyone knew it was time to get out. Remus graciously pulled the seat forward to let Lily climb out, and she thanked him. The heat of the morning hit her as soon as her feet touched the warm asphalt.

“Oi, Amelia!” Sirius greeted a woman who was clearly part of the production team. She wore a black uniform with the MTV logo on her sleeve, a walkie-talkie, and a clipboard. Her expression was almost alarmed.

“Hello, boys,” she said with a strained smile. “Shall we head to the trailers? The costume and makeup teams are waiting.”

Then Amelia’s eyes landed on Lily. With a relieved sigh, she said, “You must be the PR rep from headquarters, right? I’m Amelia Bones, production assistant.”

“Lily Evans,” Lily replied, offering a friendly smile.

Amelia led them around the side of the building to an open area with about 20 trailers. The place was bustling—crew members darting around, scenery pieces being moved on carts, and the cast of some reality show enjoying breakfast under a large tent.

“Is that Amber Atherton?” Peter whispered to Sirius.

“It is!” Sirius replied, suddenly excited. “Her family’s got a house on my street. Hey, Ambs!” Sirius shouted at a girl with unmistakable posh vibes, dressed in low-rise jeans and a lacy crop top.

“Sirius!” she called back gracefully. “You here?”

“Two stars in one place, darling,” Sirius teased with a wink, leaving her with a playful smile.

Lily realised they must be filming Made in Chelsea, MTV’s series about the rich and glamorous lives of elite youth. Totally frivolous, but ever since Keeping Up with the Kardashians became a hit on E!, MTV had been chasing similar concepts. Despite their elite status, the cast’s trendy outfits made them look like any other stylish young Brits. Lily spotted a guy wearing a bowler hat and stifled a laugh.

She glanced down at her own outfit: black skinny jeans, a loose burgundy tank top, a leather bracelet, and plain boots. It was simple but functional. The girls around her, though, wore ruffled tops, patterned tights, stacks of jewellery, and even layered belts and vests—all of it somehow working together in a chaotic harmony.

“Sometimes, it’s tough keeping up with the fashion crowd,” Amelia murmured, as if reading Lily’s thoughts.

“Trust me, I’ve had my share of practice,” Lily replied, nodding at the boys ahead, who were walking like they owned the place. Hard to believe these were the same guys nervously rehearsing their lines in the van minutes ago.

“Look at him,” James joked to Remus. “He could be mayor of this place.”

Sirius, indeed, was chatting up everyone remotely camera-worthy. After Amber, he’d introduced himself to two grunge-chic guys who looked like millionaire rockers and a brightly dressed girl with one side of her hair pinned back, giving her the edgy yet glamorous look of a rising pop star.

“Who’s that?” Lily asked Amelia, feeling nosy but comfortably curious.

“You didn’t watch the last The X Factor?” Amelia asked, eyes wide.

“I caught bits of it,” Lily said defensively, smiling. “That’s where that boyband was formed, right? One Direction?”

She glanced toward the four stars ahead, and the thought of a boyband made her chuckle internally.

“Exactly!” Amelia perked up, clearly delighted to talk shop. “That’s Cher Lloyd over there,” she said, nodding toward the colourful girl, who seemed to be casually flirting with Sirius. “She came fourth, I think, but her new album’s supposed to be huge.” Lily wondered if she should be more tuned into this stuff. After all, wasn’t that why MTV hired her? “I think she’s shooting a video for one of the songs in Warehouse 7.”

Looking around, Lily took stock of her surroundings. Some of the warehouses were noticeably larger than others. The trailers were in front of one of the big ones, Warehouse 2.

“Amelia,” Remus called from up ahead, “Are we in the same trailers as last time?”

“No,” Amelia answered. “Check the nameplates carefully so you don’t mix them up, okay?”

The boys scattered, searching the parking lot for their printed names. James and Peter were sharing a trailer, while Remus bunked with Sirius. As they started filing into their respective trailers, Lily lingered between the two.

“Lily,” Amelia said, suddenly breathless, “I’m off to fetch Mary MacDonald and Marlene McKinnon from the gate. Can you keep an eye on the boys?”

“It’s my job,” Lily replied with a shrug, offering Amelia an encouraging smile as she headed off to collect the girls.

But the next moment, Lily heard a chorus of horrified feminine screams from nearby. Following the sound, she spotted Sirius slamming a trailer door shut, his usual mischievous expression now mixed with panic.

Lily sprinted over, her mind racing. Oh my God, what an idiot! He didn’t hear Amelia saying the trailers weren’t the same as last time because he was probably busy wandering around and just opened the wrong one!

“Sirius!” Lily scolded, breathless.

“I thought we’d have the same trailers!” Sirius defended himself, laughing nervously. “Makes sense, doesn’t it?”

“This is serious!” Lily snapped, realising this was the first time she was truly laying into one of them. “You could get reported for harassment or something!”

“Oi, oi, oi!” Sirius interrupted, his grin dropping instantly as his natural arrogance took over. “I’m not here for a lecture.”

“That’s exactly my job here!” Lily shot back, her voice tinged with desperation. “You can’t just—”

“Can you take me to my trailer?” Sirius cut her off, his tone calm and assured.

Lily froze, words caught in her throat. She glared at him, but Sirius simply raised an eyebrow, waiting impatiently.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Lily stomped off, leading him to the trailer he was sharing with Remus. As Sirius climbed the small metal stairs, he paused before opening the door. Turning to face her, he locked eyes with a steady, unflinching gaze.

“Don’t try to rein me in,” he said firmly, his voice low but resolute. “You might manage that with Peter, Remus, maybe even James. But not me.”

Then he disappeared inside, leaving Lily standing there, speechless, her eyes stinging with unshed tears under the blazing heat.

A whirlwind of thoughts raced through Lily's mind. So this is how it’s gonna be.

Sirius Black was arrogant. And Sirius Black was trying to mess with her head, to make her feel small.

And for a split second, Lily thought he might actually pull it off.

Lily wasn’t the kind of person who got intimidated easily. Sure, she’d been a know-it-all preteen and had dealt with insecurities about her looks growing up, but she wasn’t one to pick fights.

And yet, she was sharp. Sirius Black isn’t getting in my head.

She took a deep breath and stood up. Checking her BlackBerry, she noticed it had been fifteen minutes since everyone went in to get ready.

Just then, Amelia came into view with two other girls in tow—Mary and Marlene, probably.

Lily was stunned. Both of them were captivating in their own ways.

One was tall, with a radiant smile. She had warm brown skin and curly brown hair pulled into a fluffy ponytail, with a fringe of curls framing her graceful, friendly face. Her outfit was stylish yet unique: a white lace-trimmed blouse paired with a flowy ruby-patterned maxi skirt. Lily got a confident but chill vibe from her.

The other exuded raw power. Her choppy, almost-white hair gave her the aura of a rockstar. She wore a leather jacket over ultra-short shorts layered with ripped smoky tights. Her smile was more reserved, but Lily had a gut feeling she could trust her.

“Lily!” Amelia beamed. “I want you to meet the girls from our cast: Mary and Marlene.” She gestured to the elegant one first, then the fierce one.

Mary barely finished introducing herself before throwing her arms around Lily in a cheerful embrace.

“Hiya!” she said, her voice bubbling with energy. “Lovely to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you too!” Lily chuckled, gently untangling herself. “I’m Lily.”

“You doing alright, Lily?” Marlene asked with a small but discerning smile, her sharp eyes scanning Lily’s face.

“Yeah, I’m good. And you guys? Ready for filming?” Lily replied, feeling a little out of her depth but doing her best to appear composed.

“She’s from PR,” Amelia chimed in, gesturing toward Lily before the girls could answer. “Here to, well, keep an eye on the boys.”

“About time,” Marlene muttered, her expression somewhere between judgmental and amused. “We’re ready for filming. Them, though…”

“Marls…” Mary teased, her tone playful as she shot Marlene a mischievous glance. “Don’t be like that.”

“What?” Marlene shrugged, the edge in her voice hard to miss. “I’m not anyone’s mum to deal with their nonsense. No offence, Lily.”

“Oh, none taken,” Lily answered quickly, though her tone was a little flustered. “That’s kinda my job, isn’t it?”

“I bet they’ll be angels today!” Mary said with a beaming, encouraging smile.

“Speaking of…” Amelia interjected, glancing down at her clipboard, her expression suddenly all business. “We’ve got an issue. Some freelance dancers reported that a white guy with long hair and a leather jacket barged into their trailer while they were getting changed.”

“I already gave Sirius an earful,” Lily said, shaking her head. “He totally missed your instructions about the trailers.”

“Lily.” Amelia stepped closer, her serious gaze sending a ripple of unease through Lily. “This is exactly the sort of thing you need to watch for. We’re lucky they didn’t file a formal complaint—they figured it was a mistake.”

“Was it, though?” Marlene asked, rolling her eyes skeptically.

“It was!” Lily defended him immediately, surprising even herself. Why? Because it was the truth. “He looked absolutely horrified, like he had no idea what to do.” Lily immediately felt the weight of her oversight settling on her shoulders.

The girls shrugged it off, and Amelia quickly directed them to a trailer to get into costume. Watching them go, Lily found herself wondering, How will the boys’ characters look? Will they be totally transformed?

She didn’t have to wonder for long. The first to emerge was Peter.

His character, Lewis, had a somewhat clumsy vibe. Being six years younger than Peter himself, the costume team went all out with childlike attire: a white t-shirt with a skater graphic, a long-sleeve navy top layered underneath, and bright red pants. They’d even slicked his hair back with gel to give him a neater appearance.

“Peter…” Lily’s eyes widened, unsure how to react.

“I know,” Peter sighed, shrugging. “The guys already roasted me last time.”

“They definitely managed to make you look younger!” Lily tried to sound encouraging, though it was hard not to laugh at his transformation.

They sat in awkward silence after that, neither quite knowing what to say. Lily still didn’t feel at ease around the boys. The whole situation was uncomfortable.

She knew they were being polite to her mostly because of her position. And, to be fair, she was putting on an air of flexibility she didn’t truly feel—or even need to.

The atmosphere in the lot felt oddly stagnant. Radios crackled, phones buzzed, and people scurried about. The air smelled of coffee, overworked AC units, and a cloud of Victoria’s Secret Mist. So far, Lily hadn’t spotted any major celebrities. Not that it mattered—she probably wouldn’t have recognized them if she had.

Lily kept a mental list of who truly mattered to her: pop divas, legendary TV hosts, acclaimed actors. But following the ever-changing roster of reality show stars and emerging talents? That was a full-time job she didn’t sign up for.

Speaking of full-time, the remaining three troublemakers emerged from Sirius and Remus’s trailer almost simultaneously. Lily hadn’t even realized James had gone in there, but plenty of time had passed.

The boys were laughing as Remus snapped pictures of them with his digital camera. I need to remind him about the no-unauthorized-bts-photos rule, Lily thought, a pang of guilt hitting her. God, I’m such a buzzkill.

The boys still looked like themselves, but in completely reimagined versions.

James’s hair had been straightened! It was surreal. He now looked like a brooding magazine model, with a melancholy air that didn’t suit him. The glasses were gone, replaced by contacts, and he was wearing a slim-fit ¾ sleeve V-neck shirt that, in Lily’s opinion, clung a little too snugly.

Remus, on the other hand, looked utterly ridiculous. Normally well-dressed with a timeless, vintage edge, he was now the epitome of a stereotypical nerd. A plaid shirt and oversized square glasses framed his face, and his dark blonde hair had been styled into a comically sharp quiff.

Then there was Sirius, whose transformation was perhaps the most jarring. His hair had also been straightened, falling over his shoulders like that of a vain biker. He wore a heavy brown jacket reminiscent of a trailer park kingpin, paired with makeup that made him look beaten up, complete with scratches and bruises.

“Oh my God, I forgot how they make you look,” Sirius laughed, taking in Peter’s costume.

“Look who’s talking, truck driver,” Peter shot back, clearly still a little hurt.

“We all look ridiculous, okay?” Remus shrugged, ever the voice of reason. “But we’re also going to be famous.”

He finished with a wickedly charming smile, one so sweet it felt like honey dripping from his lips.

Chapter Text

A filming set was so much more than Lily could have imagined.

The dark warehouse loomed as high as a five-story building. Inside, it felt like a simulation—like those furniture stores with fully styled rooms. The set featured several scenes: character bedrooms, a living room, a police office, a school corridor, and a classroom. All life-sized, fully functional spaces.

Beyond the scenes, it was all structure, equipment, and zones for the cast and crew. There was a breakfast table set up for everyone on set, and Lily fought the urge to raid it before tackling anything else.

The boys instantly soaked up the atmosphere. Sirius puffed out his chest more than usual, and even Peter seemed more at ease now that they were the center of attention.

James and Remus walked, heads buried in their scripts, even as multiple production assistants rushed to them with instructions.

Then Lily noticed Amelia chatting with Mary and Marlene, who were seated in chairs with their names printed on them. At first, Lily barely recognized them; their costumes had altered their looks almost entirely.

Marlene wore a brunette wig and, honestly, looked like Bella Swan. Her plain outfit and rosy makeup completely muted her usual grunge aura. She was far less striking now—but still pretty.

As for Mary? Lily was outraged they'd straightened her hair. It dulled her personality, making her seem far more serious than her bubbly self. They’d also given her green contact lenses, which gave her a slightly eerie vibe.

Lily waved to the girls, who waved back, before she moved to follow the boys as they headed toward the producers.

“Look who it is—the gang!” a tall, handsome man greeted, holding a hefty plastic folder.

“Frank!” James pulled him into a one-armed hug. Lily couldn’t tell if they were truly friends or just acting friendly.

“And this must be…” Frank shifted his gaze from James to Lily, as though he’d noticed her arrival the entire time.

“This is PR!” James chimed in before Lily could speak.

“Lily Evans,” she introduced herself, extending a hand. Frank’s was warm when it clasped hers.

“Frank Longbottom,” he said with a smile. Lily felt a little flustered. He seemed older than her, but not by much—probably around 24. “I’m a producer and handle the visual effects for Shapeshifters.”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Sirius got overly excited, making Lily’s blood run cold. “You’re gonna turn us into beastssss,” he hissed, punctuating the sentence with exaggerated animal noises.

Lily rolled her eyes and suddenly noticed Remus watching her with a puzzled expression. She quickly looked away.

“Only if you behave…” Frank teased, though there was an edge of seriousness. “Lily, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I was the one who had to address the boys’ lack of professionalism last time.”

The boys visibly squirmed, shuffling uncomfortably. Peter stared at his script.

“You can’t mess around in a production like this,” Frank continued, now entirely serious. “It costs a fortune, and reshooting an episode is something very few producers would agree to.” Lily took in his lined jacket, the way his chestnut hair was styled upward but still fell to the sides, and his eyes—sharp and almost square, like someone who truly had their act together. “But they understand now, don’t you?”

“It’s not like we have much choice anymore, right?” Peter quipped, pointing at Lily a bit too pointedly.

Remus shoved him lightly, making Lily feel slightly better. But the truth remained: she knew she wasn’t wanted there.

"Looks like Lily's doing a decent job," Frank remarked. "I even saw you holding the script, Pettigrew."

The boys burst into laughter, Peter joining in with a slightly sheepish grin.

"Well, I think everything's set. Shall we roll?" Frank asked, and the atmosphere suddenly grew heavier.

The next few hours felt endless. Lily wasn’t entirely sure what she was doing there.

The boys took a while to adjust to the cameras, some more than others. Remus was undeniably the best actor among them. He was effortlessly funny, his comedic timing so distinct from his usually reserved nature. Andrew was clearly the show’s standout star—Lily could already picture his character becoming a fan favourite, with girls swooning over him on Twitter.

James was competent and effective, though his character felt a bit shallow. Lily knew this was often the case with lead roles—they tended to lack depth. Still, James barely missed a beat during filming, quickly adapting to the director’s notes.

Ah, the director. Her name was Minerva, a seasoned veteran of the television world.

Lily was surprised to see someone of her calibre working on a teen drama. Minerva, despite being older than the typical director for such projects, was sharp and crystal-clear about her vision. She didn’t tolerate nonsense on set, and the boys seemed to respect her authority. Lily noticed they were much better behaved once the cameras started rolling.

“This director’s different from the last one—they switched,” Mary whispered to Lily, looking tense.

Everything made sense then. The poor previous director, likely fired because of these four troublesome boys.

Sirius loved to improvise, though he was occasionally called out for it. Especially during the pilot, things needed to stick to MTV’s blueprint—it was crucial for securing a renewal for future seasons.

And Peter? Well, Peter wasn’t great. Fortunately, his scenes in the first episode were minimal, as his stiff, unconvincing acting left much to be desired. This probably explained the over-the-top effort put into his character’s styling.

“CUT!” Minerva shouted during a scene where Peter interacted with the actress playing his mother and Remus’s character’s mother. “Pettigrew, you’re pausing way too much. This isn’t a contemplative play, all right? AGAIN!”

Peter swallowed hard, visibly shaken. He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders. When Minerva called “Action!” he delivered his lines again. The pauses were fewer this time, but he replaced every comma in the script with filler phrases like “well” and “um,” which Lily found mildly annoying. She glanced at Minerva, who looked equally irritated but chose to move on—time was ticking.

Lily couldn’t help but wonder about the boys’ acting backgrounds. She knew Remus had some experience in community theatre and had likely attended local acting workshops. After last night, she also knew James had studied at USC, presumably in their prestigious acting program. But as for Peter and Sirius, their résumés were a mystery.

“Girls’ turn!” one of the producers called, as a team of makeup artists rushed over to the two girls, touching up their looks before they stepped onto the set.

The girls had incredible chemistry. They played best friends on screen, and it showed in the authenticity of their performances. Apparently, they were about to film a school scene, so several extras were brought in. The extras looked thrilled to be there.

The boys began leaving the set, and James called out:

“Great work, everyone!”—directed at the extras.

The girls giggled and whispered among themselves, clearly delighted that the great James Potter had acknowledged them.

Meanwhile, Lily overheard the makeup artists chatting as they returned to their station:

“Did you know he’s Euphemia Potter’s son?” one whispered.

“Really? That makes so much sense!” the other replied, eyes widening. “They look exactly alike!”

“Sometimes, having parents in the industry helps, huh? Landing lead roles right off the bat,” the first added with a wink and a slightly sarcastic tone.

Lily paused, mulling over the idea. How much had James’s family connections helped him? He seemed hardworking and wasn’t a bad actor, but how many smaller actors’ opportunities had he taken?

Then, to her surprise, James walked up to her.

“So, what do you think? Are we behaving on set?” he asked, his confidence restored after nailing his early scenes.

“Nothing too alarming,” Lily replied, attempting some humour.

“Looks like you’re proving yourself, Potter,” Frank chimed in, suddenly appearing. “Hey, Lily, can you gather the boys? I need to show them something.”

“Sure.” Lily sprang into action, dragging the boys—who were huddled by the water cooler—over to Frank. She barely glanced at Sirius Black.

Frank was in a corner of the warehouse surrounded by screens, computers, and high-tech controllers.

“It’s finally ready!” he exclaimed, a brown lock of hair falling onto his forehead. Frank gestured toward the monitors. “We’ve got the 3D models for the CGI versions of the creatures.”

“You’re kidding!” Remus leaned on Frank’s shoulder, practically bouncing. “Show us!”

“Calm down, Lupin,” Sirius chuckled. “We all know my creature’s going to be the coolest by far.”

“Mate, it’s just a dog,” Remus replied with his usual wit. “How can that possibly top my WOLF?”

“They’re all amazing!” Frank interjected diplomatically. “Come closer to the screen.”

The boys, in their colourful outfits and wild hair, crowded around, blocking Lily’s view. Her curiosity pushed her to squeeze into a spot between Peter and Remus.

One by one, Frank showcased the stunning, almost magical creature designs. Aaron’s shapeshifting form was a colossal stag with monumental antlers. Ben’s was a massive, sinister black dog, with dripping fur and menacing fangs. Andrew’s was a lean, eerie grey wolf—perhaps the scariest of all, which was ironic since Andrew’s character was the sweetest. Lily thought that was brilliant. Lewis, on the other hand, was a grubby, creepy rat missing a pinky.

The boys cheered excitedly at each model, leaving Frank visibly proud of his work.

“This is insane!” Remus gasped, unable to believe his eyes.

“You’re a genius, Longbottom!” James exclaimed, wiping his brow dramatically before clapping a heavy hand on Frank’s shoulder.

“The VFX team helped, of course,” Frank said with mock modesty. “I just created the designs!”

“Why’s my rat missing a finger?” Peter asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked far less thrilled than the others—understandably, since his creature wasn’t as impressive.

Frank turned, ready to explain.

“I figured, since Lewis’s powers are only revealed at the end of the season, it makes sense he’s transformed multiple times without the others’ help, getting injured in the process. The producers loved that detail.”

“I guess it’s cool…” Peter tried to sound enthusiastic.

“Or we could just say I ate your finger—HA!” Sirius lunged toward Peter, who dodged quickly. The boys burst into laughter.

“And why’s Andrew’s animal so terrifying?” Lily asked suddenly.

Everyone turned, as though they’d forgotten she was there. Sirius shot her a look that seemed to say, And why do you want to know?

“Great question, Lily!” Frank perked up. “The idea was to create unexpected duality. Aaron’s good as both human and animal; Ben’s bad in both forms. But Andrew’s a good guy in everyday life, while his animal form channels the worst of his inner turmoil.”

“Wow,” Lily said, impressed. “And what’s his trauma?”

“I talked with the writers,” Remus offered. “Apparently, Andrew feels guilty about his mum’s death. She had postpartum depression.”

“Wow,” Lily repeated, this time more solemnly. “That’s pretty heavy for a teen show.”

“Teens are getting more into dark stuff these days,” Frank shrugged. “They like this kind of thing.”

“Yeah,” Remus agreed. “Look at the Skins phenomenon.”

Lily was about to reply, but the boys quickly got distracted when Frank displayed an image of all the creatures together.

"Just one thing left," Frank said, taking a deep breath, his eyes scanning the group. "When I’m talking to the artists, I hate saying stuff like ‘Lewis’s rat,’ or ‘Aaron’s stag.’ We need proper nicknames for the creatures..."

"Sounds like a job for you, Lupin!" James exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face as his eyebrows shot up. "Our resident genius..."

Remus chuckled nervously, leaning toward the monitor. "I’m not sure I’m that creative, but..."

The group fell quiet, anticipation hanging in the air. After a moment, Remus smirked and looked at Sirius.

"Is it weird to say that even as a dog, Black somehow manages to look cocky?" he teased. "How about... Padfoot?"

"Ugh, no way..." Sirius groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically. "That’s awful."

"It’s brilliant!" James said, practically bouncing on his heels.

"And for Peter, how about Wormtail? Since he’s a weird little rat..."

"I like it!" Frank laughed.

"And for James?" Peter ventured after a pause, his voice hopeful. "What about... Prongs?"

"A bit too literal, isn’t it?" Remus pulled a face, clearly unimpressed.

"It’s great, mate," James said warmly, throwing an arm around Peter in a side hug. The smile Peter gave him was so radiant, it caught Lily off guard. She thought, James Potter might be a lot of things, but he’s undeniably a good friend.

""And for creepy Lupin... How about Moony?" Sirius blurted out, his tone deadpan.

Everyone turned to stare at him. He shrugged. "What? The wolf looks like a bloody werewolf."

Remus hesitated, then broke into a grin. "It’s perfect, Padfoot." He held out a fist, and Sirius bumped it with a cheeky smirk.

The air seemed lighter, filled with laughter and excitement as the boys tested their new nicknames. Lily, standing a little apart, couldn’t help but smile. She had no idea that this moment would mark the beginning of something much bigger—the birth of a bond so strong that even their silly nicknames would stand the test of time.

Chapter Text

The day ended with the entire cast and crew gathering to hear what Minerva McGonagall, the director, had to say:

"Alright, everyone, that’s our wrap-up for day one!" Her announcement was met with enthusiastic applause and whistles. The boys exchanged fist bumps and hugs with the cast and crew. Standing atop a crate, McGonagall looked sharp in a sleek grey suit, her hair tied in a slightly messy bun, and round glasses perched at the tip of her nose. She exuded power, yet her usual sternness was softened with a comforting warmth.

"I know the challenges everyone faced to make today happen. Thank you for welcoming me as the new director of this project. If it’s up to me, we’ll have a series without major hiccups, yielding fantastic results. I hope to see the same teamwork tomorrow. Good night, and get some rest."

A cheer erupted, and slowly the crowd began to disperse.

"Great job today, McKinnon!" James grinned at Marlene. The two had just wrapped up filming a few scenes together, and Lily couldn’t help but notice they had fantastic chemistry as the leading couple.

Marlene was a impressive actress. It was evident how her gaze transformed from passionate when looking at Aaron to indifferent the moment they shouted "Cut!" and she was looking at James.

"Wait, did you guys kiss today?" Sirius interjected, his voice brimming with exaggerated disbelief. "I can’t believe I missed it!”

"No…" James laughed, blushing slightly. "Not today, Black!"

"Padfoot!" Sirius corrected, grinning. The boys were already adopting their nicknames.

"Those nicknames are stupid," Marlene rolled her eyes with a clever expression. "And besides, they’re not inclusive. Where are the girls' nicknames?"

"Exactly, Marls!" Mary chimed in, draping an arm around Marlene’s shoulder. "We need a feminist revolution on this set. You lot get far too much attention."

"It’s only natural, darling," Sirius quipped, winking at Mary, who stifled a laugh and looked away.

"You’re all so full of yourselves!" Marlene exclaimed, throwing her hands up dramatically, much to the boys' amusement.

Lily looked around and realised it was time to guide them to pack up and leave. She spotted Peter eating leftovers from the buffet, but Remus didn’t seem to be anywhere.

Her concern grew as she searched the set. Frank noticed her worried expression and asked, "Hey, are you alright?"

"I can’t find Remus," Lily replied, a little out of breath.

"Oh!" Frank softened his expression. "I saw him going into the dressing room. He’s probably grabbing his stuff."

"Oh," Lily finally exhaled. "Thanks!"

"Hey," Frank called out as she was about to walk off. "Good job today. I don’t know when you got here or what you did, but they seemed much more focused today."

"Oh, it has nothing to do with me," Lily replied. "I literally arrived just a few hours ago. I think they were terrified of losing this job."

"And they should be," Frank pursed his lips, and Lily took it as her cue to leave.

The girl hurried to the dressing room, which she had seen earlier was actually a large storage area for the crew’s backpacks. The door was made of plastic because, like everything there, it was set up only for the recordings.

But when Lily, suddenly and without much thought, opened the door, she came across something that made her freeze.

Remus was shirtless, which would already have been embarrassing in any other situation, but this one was way worse. The boy’s back was slightly hunched, giving her a full view of a skin that seemed patched together.

The scene lasted no more than a second before Lily quickly stepped back and shut the door, but she clearly saw scars, bumps, and discoloured patches across his skin, around his spine.

"Sorry!" Lily shouted a little bit squeaky, but trying to sound as natural as possible, as if she hadn’t completely invaded Remus’s privacy.

"I’m coming out!" came a weak but embarrassed shout from inside.

The seconds that followed felt like hours. I can’t believe I did the same thing Sirius did with that trailer.

But that was different, right? She was there to actually supervise these boys, even if she had messed up.

She tried to push the thoughts aside when Remus opened the door and started walking toward the group, without so much as a glance, his expression stiff. He didn’t say a word to Lily, and she, feeling guilty, said nothing to him either.

When they joined the rest of the group, everyone walked silently toward the van. In truth, Lily heard whispers and low laughter but couldn’t focus on what they were saying.

She just wanted to leave quickly. Finally, rest and enjoy some peace without having to play the bad cop.

Lily noticed the girls were also heading to the van but didn’t ask questions, assuming they were hitching a ride. She knew they lived in a small apartment near Nurmengard Street.

"Is everyone here?" Lily asked, her voice subdued.

"Yes!" Sirius replied, leaning against Filch’s window. Lily found it odd that he was answering her after actively ignoring her all day.

Lily just nodded and noticed everyone watching her intently, tension filling the air.

She looked up, and everyone began moving, awkwardly climbing into the van. Mary sat on Sirius’s lap, warning him not to "try anything funny." Lily wanted to say something about boundaries but decided to let it go.

The back seat now felt ven more cramped as Marlene sat with her, refusing to sit on anyone’s leg.

On the way, Peter played some upbeat rap on his MP3, and Filch kept asking him to turn it down, saying it would hurt Mrs. Norris’s ears. The cat still rubbed heavily against the front seat while everyone squashed into the back.

James and Peter began freestyle rapping, each taking turns improvising lines with surprising synchronicity.

"Who knew you two were the rappers of the group?" Mary teased.

"We’ve been practising since we were kids," James said proudly, grinning at Peter.

"Wait…" Marlene’s voice cut in from the back. "Since you were kids? How come I didn’t know you two already knew each other?"

"We went to school together!" James explained. "Pete here was my right-hand man for all our pranks."

"Wow," Mary said, raising an eyebrow sceptically. "It’s wild that you’re working together now. What are the odds?"

"Seems like everyone knows each other in this industry," Peter said, scratching his neck uncomfortably. "My dad works with documentaries."

"Oh!" Marlene let out a slightly mocking laugh but didn’t say anything else.

So Peter was admitting to nepotism? That was a bit pathetic.

Lily rested her face against the window, watching the scenery pass by. It was getting dark, and her phone told her it was nearly eight in the evening. The lifeless streets of the MTV warehouse district were slowly being replaced by the glowing lights... of London.

Wait a minute! That was the opposite direction they were supposed to be heading. Lily furrowed her brows, noticing that no one else seemed bothered by the sudden change in route. In fact, when she glanced to the side with a puzzled look, Marlene met her gaze with a guilty expression.

Oh my god, you sneaky bastards!

  - - -

"Look, it wasn’t like… a secret!" James defended himself. "You just didn’t ask!"

"It was on the schedule that we’d go straight home after filming!" Lily snapped, clearly annoyed.

"Lily, come on…" Remus turned to her, his face calm but firm. "We’ve been well-behaved, and honestly…" He met her eyes directly, as if he knew something no one else did. "We deserve this."

Lily swallowed hard, the memory of the incident flashing in her mind.

"Doesn’t matter!" she shot back, turning to face everyone in the van. "Taking all of you to a nightclub is practically IMPOSSIBLE for one PR person! It’s the perfect environment to ruin all your reputations at once!"

"We’re not kids," Sirius muttered, head down.

Mary shoved him lightly in the chest.

"What Sirius means is that we’ll behave, okay, Lily?" she said, blinking her big brown eyes at her. "Marlene and I can help keep an eye on them."

"DO NOT INCLUDE ME IN THIS!" Marlene and Remus yelled in unison.

Remus continued, "I’m not as reckless as the rest of these playboys!" He flicked his hair back dramatically. "I know how to behave at parties."

"And I’m not babysitting anyone!" Marlene shot back, narrowing her eyes at the so-called golden trio.

"Besides, no one’s even going to recognize us!" Peter piped up, glancing around for some kind of validation.

"Well…" James’s guilty expression betrayed him.

"Oh, you’ve got to be joking!" Mary clapped her hands on her thighs in frustration.

"It’s just because of my parents!" James protested. "And it’s not all the time… Sometimes people say I look familiar but can’t actually place my name."

"I get it, mate." Sirius gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Mary, however, glared at him in disbelief. "My parents are always in the spotlight too…"

"See!" Lily nearly shouted, eyeing the small space of the van as if calculating whether yelling at Filch to turn around would actually work. "This is the perfect recipe for your names to spark a buzz…" They all looked at her with hopeful expressions. "And not the good kind."

Their faces collectively fell.

"Just one beer!" James pleaded. He turned to the others for backup. "One hour tops, then we head home."

"Yeah!" Peter chimed in. "No one will even notice we were there!"

"Pfft!" Sirius tried to stifle a laugh but stopped when James shot him a glare. "We’ll be… professional," he added, albeit less convincingly.

Lily thought hard, her gaze shifting between the group, who were all looking at her like abandoned puppies.

“I’ll have to check with my boss.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine…” James agreed quickly, nodding. “It’s a start.”

Lily pulled out her phone, scrolling through her contacts until she landed on Slughorn’s name. It was late, and she hated to bother him, but it felt like the safest move.

The phone rang a few times as Lily stared at the floor of the van, avoiding eye contact with the group to keep herself from feeling pressured.

“Lily?” A smooth, playful voice answered. “Good evening! Is everything all right?”

“Mr. Slughorn!” Lily greeted, her voice tinged with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry to call this late, it’s just…”

“Go on!” Slughorn encouraged, though he sounded hurried.

“Well, it’s just that… the cast wants to go to a party after filming, and I haven’t even gone over the guidelines for that sort of thing and—”

“How was filming?” Slughorn interrupted.

“Everything went smoothly, but—”

“That’s fantastic!” Slughorn exclaimed, and Lily let out a breath of relief. “Well, Lily, let them go, alright? Just keep an eye out for any trouble, and the moment you sense paparazzi, get them out of there, understood?”

“But sir, I—” Lily tried to explain her concerns about some of their less-than-appropriate behavior.

“Enjoy yourself too, Lily!” Slughorn interrupted again, clearly eager to end the conversation. “Have a beer, alright?”

“Alright, sir.” Lily conceded, resigned. “Goodnight.”

“Have a great weekend!” Slughorn said cheerfully before hanging up.

As Lily slipped her phone back into her pocket, all eyes were glued to her, looking as though they might devour her whole.

“He said yes.”

The van exploded into chaos, with cheers so loud they practically rattled the windows. The commotion got so wild that Filch slammed on the brakes, turned in his seat, and gave them all a stern lecture.