Coming On Stronger

"Lily, c'mon!"

Lily's head snapped up to see her best friend, Samantha Tchaikovsky waving at her urgently from her position by the Hogwarts Express.

"Hold on!" Lily shouted back, giving her mother and father one final hug.

"Be careful, sweetie," said Mrs. Evans, kissing her daughter's forehead, though the older woman had to stand up slightly to do so; Lily was nearly three inches taller than her mother, who stood at an average five foot four.

"And congratulations," Mr. Evans offered, "again."

"Thank you, Dad," Lily laughed. It was for the umpteenth time that her parents had complimented her on becoming Head Girl of Hogwarts.

"Lily!" Samantha screeched, hanging from the doorway of the train, one arm wrapped about a slim pole, the other waving frantically.

"Coming!" Lily yelled back, laughing to herself as her friend shook her head of long brown hair in disappointment.

"You be careful, too, Samantha!" called Mrs. Evans, looking at her daughter's best friend sternly, "I will write your mother!" she warned.

"Yes ma'am!" said Samantha, looking amused. Lily knew that her mother had become Sam's surrogate mother over the six years that Lily had been friends with her. Samantha's own parents had seen her off earlier that morning, before they had to take her younger four siblings to their Muggle primary school.

"Let's go," Samantha said as Lily met her at the doorway. They each grabbed a handle of Lily's trunk and hauled it onto the train, "How much did you pack, exactly, Lily Dearest?" Sam asked as she hoisted the trunk into the air.

Lily blushed as she thought of all of her textbooks, not to mention her own, personal books, her clothes, and, well, everything, "A lot," she admitted, grabbing the corner of the trunk before it knocked into one of the narrow walls on their way to their compartment. They had been sitting in the same one for six--now seven years. At first it had been difficult to secure the same one, but now that they were in the upper classes, Lily found it was much easier to boss people around.

"Need any help with that, Evans?" came a voice behind her. Lily turned about to see the face of none other than James Potter. Leave it to him to ruin what had up to then been a pleasant day.

"Go away, Potter," said Lily, turning to ignore him.

"You and Chop-Suey got it under control then?" said Sirius Black, Potter's best friend, looking over at Sam.

"It's Tchaikovsky, you prat," said Sam wearily, setting down the trunk. Lily dropped her end too. Sam and Sirius had been at their throats nearly as long as she and Potter had. Both boys leaned lazily against the wall. One of Sirius' favorite antics was to make fun of Sam's second-generation Russian last name.

"So Evans, how was your summer?" asked Potter, surveying her through his glasses. His black hair was unmanageable as ever, going in every direction. He certainly had filled out over the summer though, she couldn't help noticicing, as he now stood a good five inches over her, his body now larger, more muscular. Even his voice was deeper, and he had a small amount of dark scruff on his jaw. His hazel eyes remained unchanged though, as did his cocky smile.

"C'mon, Potter, we haven't even started the term," Sam begged, "Leave her be,"

"Good to see you too, Tchaikovsky," commented Potter, smiling at her. Sam rolled her eyes, but smiled back. Lily couldn't help feeling as if she was slightly fraternizing with the enemy. But just as Lily had never hated Sirius, Sam had never despised Potter.

"Let's go," Lily muttered, picking up the trunk again. Sam nodded as they turned their backs to the boys.

"Seriously, Evans, let us help," Potter said, looking put out. He brandished his wand, waved it, and the trunk levitated into the air. Lily sighed in defeat, "Lead the way," he ordered.

"Where's your trunk, Chop Suey?" asked Sirius of Sam.

"I already got it in our compartment," sniffed Sam, looking down her nose at him, which was quite a feat, seeing as Sam, standing taller than Lily at five eight, was still a head shorter than Sirius, "I wouldn't want your help, besides. Those scrawny arms of yours could barely manage."

Lily stifled a giggle, as she looked sideways at her friend. Sirius Black was perhaps the best-looking boy at Hogwarts, with longer black hair, grey eyes, a straight nose and jaw, and anything- but- scrawny arms. In fact, it looked to Lily as if his arms were straining more against his white shirt than ever. Sam knew this, of course, but she also knew that Sirius was quite vain. Sam smiled as she caught Lily's eye.

"Tut tut," said Sirius, looking just as arrogant as before, "You've developed quite the tongue over the summer."

Sam stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ah, there we are," he said, smiling.

"And here we are," said Lily.

They had finally reached their customary compartment, and Lily opened the door. Potter levitated the trunk, rather neatly, she had to admit, onto the rack next to Sam's.

"Don't worry, Evans, I don't expect tips," he told her with a smirk, "but I'm always grateful for them," he added pointedly, closing his eyes and puckering his lips towards her.

"Shove off, Potter," said Lily as she closed the door firmly in his face.

"You know where to find us!" James called through the door. Indeed, he, Sirius, and their other "Marauder" friends, Remus and Peter, had taken the compartment directly across from theirs.

"If possible, Lils, I think he likes you more this year," said Sam, looking at her seriously as she took the seat across from Lily. Lily blew a stray piece of red hair out of her eyes and looked at her friend.

Sam was the only brunette in her family--the rest had the classic Russian blonde locks--with large, soft brown eyes , dark eyebrows, a rather classic Russian nose and full, pink lips. Her features were strong, but she was pretty, and when she smiled-- which was quite often-- she was beautiful.

"It's the last year, Sam," she sighed, "of course he's going to come on strong."

"Do you think, maybe..." Sam trailed off, surveying Lily with her deep chocolate eyes. Lily shook her head, having heard Sam's argument through the entire summer in the letters that they exchanged, "Lils, I mean, honestly...you two would be so cute!"

"Sam, he's cocky, he's annoying, he's, he's," she had been looking for a word to describe the plague of James Potter perfectly for six years. She had finally decided that one had not been invented, "He's Potter," she said finally.

"Still..." Sam said, pulling her knees up to her chest, "As you said, it is the last year..." she trailed off, looking at Lily hopefully. Though Sam had excellent marks in her classes, it was clear that she was off her rocker, just a bit. Lily would never, ever, look twice at James Potter. Sam sighed.

"So, how was your summer?" asked Lily.

"Hah," Sam laughed harshly, "I babysat my siblings at least four times a week. My mum has been working through some college credits to get her degree, and my dad was gone for weeks at a time," Sam's family were Muggles, much like Lily's, and her mother, Tatiana Tchaikovsky, was a college professor, while her father, Sergei Tchaikovsky, was an airline pilot. Both worked hard to support their large family, and Sam, while she understood their predicament, often commented on the ease of Lily's lifestyle as the younger of two sisters in a well-off family.

"Anything..." Lily carefully tried to pick an apropos phrase, "fun?"

"What, like babysitting four crazy kids isn't fun?" she said sarcastically, "Actually, I did get my wand out a few times. It kept them in check,"

Lily shook her head in dismay. Sam was also the oldest of five children, and, thus far, the only one with any magical capability.

"No, but I did take a few classes," said Sam, now looking brighter, "I took a Russian one, and a few art courses." Sam enjoyed getting closer to her Russian heritage, and had been eagerly picking up the language at Muggle classes. She also was a fabulous artist, who often spent her time with pencil sketches, "What about you?"

"Well..." Lily tried to remember the highlights of her summer, "We went to France," she said, mentioning her parents' summer home in south Paris, "and it was nice."

"Any French boys?" asked Sam looking entertained by Lily's disgusted face.

"Ew."

"Just kidding. Please, continue,"

"No, that was about it," Lily said. It was quiet between them for a few minutes, as they both stared, lost in their own thoughts. It was not an uncomfortable silence--it never had been-- it was peaceful.

"We should change," said Sam finally, checking her wrist-watch. She rose and slid her trunk down from the rack, placing it carefully on the floor. She did the same with Lily's. Both girls sorted through their belongings until each had a set of Hogwarts robes. Instead of going into the crowded, and often trashy, girls changing room, each turned an opposite direction and changed in the compartment. Lily had just begun to take off her shirt when the compartment door slid open.

"Interrupting something?" said Sirius Black. He stood in the doorway with James and now Remus Lupin, a sandy-haired boy with celery-green eyes. Lily dropped her shirt immediately, so that she was still fully clothed. She saw something of a look of disappointment cross James' face, and she glared at him.

"Couldn't you be a faster changer, Evans?" asked James, "Like Tchaikovsky, there, she knows how to get it done."

"You perverts!" shouted Lily, turning to see her best friend. Sam already had her black skirt on, but on top she had her white blouse, which had not been buttoned so that it revealed her pink lace bra.

"Pink. That's cute," said Sirius.

"Bloody hell, Black!" Sam yelled, turning her wand on Sirius, who was staring at her, grinning. Lupin had the decency to look away, but not before grabbing his two best friends around their necks, pulling them back out into the hall.

"Sorry," he said, looking mortified, closing the door.

"Sweet Jesus," Sam cursed, slipping one button through its hole, "I am going to murder someone."

"Not Remus," said Lily, fairly.

"No, not Remus," agreed Sam, "What were they doing?" she demanded. Lily looked over her shoulder to see Sam blushing profusely.

"Do we ever know?" asked Lily, slipping her own shirt and skirt on, though rather cautiously. She pulled on her knee socks. Sam remained standing, in just her skirt and half-buttoned shirt, wand aloft. She kept muttering small phrases to no one in particular, and Lily caught small snippets such as "gits" "reported" "killed in their sleep" and finally, she thought she heard something about "peeping Toms."

"Alright, I'm going in," Sam said, opening the door, looking out into the hall, "You got my back?" she asked.

"Sam," Lily warned. Her friend often overreacted to the Marauders' antics. This time, though, Lily admitted, she had fair reason.

"What?" Sam said distractedly, checking to make sure that the hall was clear.

"Don't you want to finish buttoning your shirt?" asked Lily fairly.

"Oh, sure," said Sam, "Heaven forbid they see anything." she put on a look of mock mortification, but she did button her shirt up further. Lily slipped her grey and red sweater over her head as Sam stepped out into the hallway. She put an ear on the door, then, after a moment of stillness, she flung the compartment dor open.

"Black!" she yelled, a woman with a vendetta, before throwing herself into the compartment. Lily sighed, leaning against the frame of thier own compartment, surveying the scene as Sam exchanged hexes with Sirius.

"Calm down!" Sirius said alarmedly, fending her off with a small shield charm. Sam didn't give up easily, and continued to fire curses at him. They bounced off the shield and hit the walls, leaving small scorches, "Prongs?" he said finally, looking to Potter for help. He sighed before grabbing Sam around the waist and pulling her backwards so that she landed on top of him. Watching, Lily had a strange thought in her head, as if she actually wanted to be in Sam's place. She shook her head firmly, and the image of her wrapped in Potter's arms disappeared. He finally succeeded in securing her arms behind her back.

"Moony, the wand?" Potter nodded to Lupin. Remus plucked Sam's wand from her hand, "Evans?" James said, spotting Lily in the doorway, "Can you control your friend?" Lily shook her head.

"Sorry, Potter, but I think she's bent on revenge."

"Just--what--the--hell--are--you--about?" Sam huffed, trying to pry herself from James. Sirius, feeling it was safe, lowered his shield.

"Prongs wanted to see Evans," he said, "Again," he added, and Lily saw Potter glower at him,"I honestly didn't know you two changed in your compartment. Although," he said, brightening suddenly, "that's pretty hot."

Sam loosened one arm from James' hold and swung her fist as Sirius.

"Have you not heard of knocking?" she demanded, but she seemed to be relaxing.

"Yes," said Sirius carefully, "I just don't feel like doing it."

"You're a git, you know that?" she asked him, wrenching herself from Potter's arms. But she did not attempt to hit Sirius. However, Lily knew, when Sam did not react physically, she had a habit of swearing more often.

"Whatever you say, Chai Tea."

"It's Tchaikovsky!" Sam yelled, "Is that too bloody difficult for you, you bloody Devil Spawn?"

"Pixie," said Sirius, standing so that he stood above her.

"Arse,"

"Satan's Misstress," said Sirius smirking.

"There's no bloody way I would ever sleep with you!"

"Nice one," said Potter, and Peter and Remus nodded appreciatively.

"Aw, come on Tchaikovsky," said Sirus, "Who couldn't resist this?"

"It's not too bloody hard, let me tell you," she said, as she reached out and pushed him as hard as she could, and Sirius, caught off guard, fell back, smacking his head off of the luggage rack above him.

"Ow!" he said, clearly annoyed.

"Thank you," said Sam smartly, snatching her wand back from Remus, then stalking out of the compartment and back into their own. Lily looked back at Potter.

"What is it that you wanted, anyway, Potter," she asked, suspicously.

"Just wanted to ask if you were going to be attending any of our Quidditch matches this year. I don't know if you're aware, but not only am I the Seeker, but I am also captain."

"Yes, I'm aware," said Lily, looking as though nothing could mean less to her, "And yes, I'll probably be coming to a few,"

"Really?" he asked, looking ecstatic, and Lily couldn't help smiling a bit, "That's great, Evans."

Any further conversation was interrupted by a small, first year boy with hair so blonde, it was fairly white, "Miss Evans?" he clarified.

"Yes?" she answered carefully. He smiled enormously and handed her a letter before turning an scurrying down the length of the hall. She held the letter out so that she read her name, clearly printed across the back.

"I'll see you later," she muttered, turning back to their compartment.

"Bye Evans!" Potter shouted before she closed the door. She sat across from Sam, who was sketching rather violently on her small pad of paper. She gingerly slid her finger under the seal, breaking it, and unrolling the parchment.

Ms. Evans;

Please find your way to compartment number 1D at twelve o'clock this afternoon to discuss a few details with me, and the Head Boy.

Wishing you well,

Minerva McGonagall