I hopped down off the train, pulling my trunk down after me with a dull thunk. Severus jumped down after, pushing his significantly grubbier trunk before him down the stairs.
"So will I see you over the summer some time?" He asked me, smiling. I opened my mouth to answer when –
"Out of the way Snivellus!" suddenly a hand connected with Severus's head, pushing him down. Sirius Black leapt from the top step of the train, using Severus's head as leverage he hit the ground running, laughing as he went. No sooner had he landed when another black blur leapt from the train, clearing Severus's bent figure altogether,
"Watch it Snape!" James Potter laughed, landing neatly in pursuit of Sirius. His head turned slightly before he disappeared; "Bye Evans!" he winked, sprinting off.
Severus straightened, looking ruffled; "Ugh, I hate them, I don't know why everyone likes them so much!" He glared at the space in the crowd Black and Potter had disappeared into.
"Well, I don't." I sniffed, wrinkling my nose. Severus turned back and smiled; pleased.
I leant out from the compartment door, counting the change in my hand; I didn't look up at the trolley lady as I ordered;
"Pumpkin pasty thanks."
"Sure dear." She said, holding the food out to me;
"Just a tick." I said, flicking through the sickles in my hand, counting the right amount. I heard the door of a compartment across from me slide open with a clunk.
"Here we are." I said, handing her the coins, taking the pasty, and attempting to stuff the other change into my pocket at the same time. As I struggled I heard another voice;
"One pumpkin pasty please."
"Sorry dear, that was the last one." The trolley lady jerked a thumb at me. I looked up and saw Lily Evans with her head stuck out of the compartment door opposite.
"Oh." she said, looking at me, and then frowning, "That's fine then." She brought her head back in and shut the door behind her. The trolley lady moved on, and I deliberated for a minute, looking at the pasty in my hand.
"What's taking so long?" I heard Sirius call from behind me.
"Yeah, one sec." I said, crossing the hall and opening Lily's compartment door.
"Hey, Evans." I said, ignoring Snivellus' hunched form in the other corner.
"What do you want Potter?" She sighed exasperatedly,
"Nothing. Just, here." I held out the pasty.
"Oh...thanks." She said, taking it hesitantly.
"No problem." I ducked out, sliding the door shut before jogging after the trolley; chivalrous or not, I was still hungry.
I slid the next door open,
"Has anyone in here seen Katie?" I asked before fully registering who was grouped in the small carriage. Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter sat huddled around a large book; James seemed to be taking notes. They looked up and upon seeing me Sirius immediately went to shut the book, but I stopped him, grabbing the edge, I saw the title briefly; Advanced Transfiguration: Animagi.
"Is that a library book!" I asked before I could stop myself, alarmed.
"What's it to you Evans?" Sirius said, defensively tugging the book from my grasp.
"Nothing. What you four get up to is not in the slightest of interest to me." I quipped, crossing my arms. "Besides, it's not like any of you could figure out how to become an Animagi anyway." I bluffed, falling back on insults.
Remus jumped in; "We're not trying to become Animagi." He looked at Sirius sharply.
Had I hit a nerve?
"But it's not like we couldn't if we wanted to." James said, smirking. He tossed that stupid snitch he carried around in the air, catching it deftly with two fingers.
"Ugh, get over yourself Potter. God forbid you ever became an Animagi, everyone would know your true character; an arrogant, smug, fool. You'd probably be something silly and self-obsessed, like a peacock, or a stag." I harrumphed; turning on my heel I slammed the compartment door and marched away.
"Here, this one's empty." I said, sliding the compartment door open, but I stopped short.
"Or not..." Sirius said, leaning over my shoulder.
Lily Evans sat in the corner of the compartment, an enormous book open in her lap, her eyes shot up at our entrance.
"What do you want?" She asked, apparently not in a mood to be trifled with.
"Can't you go and sit with some girls in a different compartment Evans? We need one." Sirius said, eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, go sit with Snivellus." I said, frowning.
"No, I don't think I want to do either of those thanks. So leave." She frowned reproachfully.
"Oh, I get it; Snivellus is off with his little Death Eater posse, am I right? Having a fight with future Mr. Evans?" Sirius asked, sniggering.
Lily opened her mouth angrily to retort, but shut it again before replying calmly; "They're not 'death eaters'. And just cos I want to be alone doesn't mean I'm fighting with anyone." Her voice caught slightly.
"Guys, lets jus go; I think there's a compartment further up that way." Remus nudged my arm from behind.
"No, this is ridiculous, she can't just take a compartment all to herself, its self—"
"Remus's right Sirius, let's just go." I said, pulling him away. Sirius turned to argue but caught my look and settled with grunting angrily.
I shut the door gently behind us and we walked down the hall.
"Why'd you do that James?" Sirius asked, frowning, "We totally could've ousted her."
"Yeah yeah, I just don't feel like being on the receiving end of her temper for a bit." I said, bluffing.
"Peh, whatever." Sirius marched ahead, peering in compartment windows.
Remus looked back and nodded at me, he'd seen it too, and although neither of us had said anything, there had been tears in Lily's green eyes, and that just wasn't something you messed with.
"What is that noise?" Katie asked, straining her neck to see out the compartment door. There were loud whoops echoing from the hall, accompanied by loud thunking and clattering.
"It's probably Potter and his gang." Lucy said, eyebrow raised.
"I'll check." I said, standing, I reached for the compartment door and wrenched it open, sticking my head out to see.
"Ahh!" I brought my head back in like a rocket, a black blur shot past, missing me by an inch;
"WATCH IT EVANS!" Sirius Black was on a broomstick. He was flying on the train, on a broomstick.
I opened my mouth to yell abuse at him but—
"Heads up!"
A makeshift ball of what appeared to be socks knotted together shot past and I ducked. James Potter was on a broom twenty foot down the corridor, hovering next to him was Remus, both were grinning. Peter Pettigrew was acting as umpire, using his Gryffindor scarf as a flag.
Others were watching from their compartments laughing and whooping.
"What the hell are you idiots doing!" I yelled, straightening I stampeded into the middle of the hall, blocking Sirius's throwing line.
"What does it look like Evans?" Sirius raised a brow, smirking. "We're playing train Quidditch."
A compartment further down the hall opened and Severus poked his head out, watching.
"Oh this is just an all-time low. Remus! You're a prefect!" I exclaimed. "Get off those brooms before you kill someone!" I placed my hands on my hips, glaring at them.
Remus's smile faltered and he had the decency to look slightly shamefaced. James snorted;
"Oh lighten up Evans, who cares? Sirius, piff it here!" I ducked again as the sock ball flew over head again.
"You heard her Potter, get off it." Severus said, sneering at James.
I wheeled around; "I don't need your help, just stay out of it!" I yelled at him, I think a little too harshly. He opened his mouth to reply, looking hurt, but shut it again and ducked back into his compartment.
"Touchy today, aren't we Evans?" Sirius laughed, scooting past me.
"UGH! I don't care what you do! Just stop making so much noise!" I spat, storming back to my compartment door. I heard James' voice call out just before I slammed the door shut;
"That date is still on offer if you change your mind Evans!"
"Well I'd never thought I'd see the day Lily Evan's sat with the immature, self-obsessed marauders." Remus laughed as Lily entered the compartment and sat down opposite me;
"Hey, just cos I've come to tolerate your stupid games doesn't mean I still can't whip your asses. Besides, Katie's off with Sirius...you know." She finished lamely.
"No, it's a nice change, you not having your wand at my throat." I laughed, ruffling my fringe.
"Like I said, I could still whip you." She smirked.
"We were worried for a while, you always hanging around with Snape." Remus said, an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, thought you mightn't be a true Gryffindor." I smirked.
She looked sad for the slightest of moments, but recovered quickly; "Some people just aren't worth the effort I guess. Took me a while to figure that out."
I smiled genuinely at her; "Well it's good to have you back on our side."
I hopped down off the train, pulling my trunk down after me with a dull thunk. James kicked his trunk off the train and it made an unhealthy thunking noise as it hit the platform. He turned to me and took hold of my hand.
"So I'll see you over the summer some time?" He asked me, smiling. I opened my mouth to answer when –
"Aww, isn't that cute. All warm and fuzzy for each other." Sirius Black grabbed James round the neck and ruffled his hair, knocking his glasses askew. He laughed and let go, sauntering away, he called out over his shoulder; "You'd better hurry up Prongs, I'm not waiting forever."
James shook his head exasperatedly and chuckled. He turned back to me, one arm snaking around my waist.
"So, Summer?" He asked again, taking my hand with his free one.
"Definitely." I smiled, leaning in and kissing his nose.
"Didn't you used to hate me? I don't know why you like me so much."
I smiled; "Well, I do." I smiled and kissed him fully, arms wrapping around his neck.
Severus turned away and frowned, disappointed.