Here we are. Just bear with me, this is my first story, and the first chapter isn't much Lily/James, because i just wanted everyone to get a feel for the story (myself included). Happy reading!

DISCLAIMER: I own about... diddly-squat.

Lily Evans sat with her two best friends, Mariel Wallace and Alex Denegre, in the middle of the Gryffindor house table. The three sat laughing and talking, doing the yearly post- summer girl chat/ catch up.

"Well, my summer was incredible! I met this great guy named Nordan when my family went to Poland. He has the greatest eyes, and he's of age…" Said Alex. Alex was the beautiful, smart, and charismatic girl of the group. With her honey brown hair, deep ocean-blue eyes, and soft curves, she was a charmer. She was also very choosy about who she spent her time with and what guys she dated, as she liked to feel safe and guard her heart.

"Ah, of course. The ever important summer-fling. One simply can't imagine summer without one." Said Mariel.

Then, without warning, Mariel stood on the bench that the girls were eating on and said, loudly, to the whole hall, "Is this what he said? ALEX! ALEX! LET DOWN YOUR MEDIUM- LENGTH HAIR!" This, of course, was done with a hair toss and a hand raised towards the ceiling that was bewitched to look like the ever changing sky. The boys in the hall all cheered to Mariel's bows while the girls pulled her off the bench with smiles on their faces. Mariel was an exotic beauty- with pitch black hair, a tan complexion, brown eyes, and an angular face, many boys tried (and most failed) to date her. Mariel had very high standards. She was also funny, sharp as a tack, and approachable with problems. All in all, she was a very loveable person.

"Mariel! Do you have to outdo yourself every year when you return to Hogwarts?" Said Lily. Lovely Lily was the life of the group. With beautiful auburn hair flowing halfway down her back, startlingly beautiful green eyes, and a welcoming face that carried a perpetual smile, she had her own type of beauty. She was also very smart, and the head girl this year. People described Lily as uncommonly kind, which everyone knew was the truth.

"Oi! You three!"

The girls turned their heads to the ever- familiar voice. James Potter, the Hogwarts heartthrob, sat with his three best mates a few seats down on the opposite side of the table. The 'Marauders', as they dubbed themselves, consisted of the three men-of-choice when it came to the Hogwarts dating scene. There was James, the ringleader of the pack, who took pride in his charming good looks, brains, and skills on the Quidditch pitch. He was, arguably, the most sought after boy in school, and harbored a mile deep crush on Lily. Then there was Sirius Black. Sirius came from a very pro-pureblood family that he was always trying to break free from. Sirius was devilishly handsome, also harbored excellent broom-handling skills, was exceedingly smart and funny, and, common knowledge to everyone, held a bit of a sweet spot for Mariel. Remus Lupin was the quiet, charming, smart and gentlemanly man of the group, and Peter Pettigrew found himself a spot among the marauders simply by sheer luck. There was absolutely nothing remarkable about Peter Pettigrew.

Mariel was the one to respond.

"What now James?"

"How were your summers?" Asked James, with the other three marauders listening in intently.

"They were just fine, thanks. And yours?" Asked Alex, always the diplomatic one.

"They were excellent... and we feel even better after seeing you!" Replied Sirius with a wink and a smile. Mariel rolled her eyes, although a smile was visible at the corners of her mouth.

"ATTENTION!" There was a roar of sound through the hall as Dumbledore's magically magnified voice carried to every nook and cranny of the Great Hall.

"Welcome! Welcome everyone. Before I begin my start-of-term address, I'd like to welcome two new students. Everyone, please give a warm Hogwarts welcome to Miss Avery Andrews, and her brother, Mr. Nathan Andrews." The occupants of the hall turned to the back as the huge double doors opened to reveal two siblings standing facing each other, clearly squabbling.

"You don't know anyone, Avery! How can you possibly know-"

"I just know, Natey! I know those girls will be there, always, they'll become my bestfriends-"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. The two new students turned sheepishly to the front, and whispers spread through the hall like wildfire. These were the two most handsome children the students and teachers alike had ever seen. With their oval faces, kind chocolate eyes, and wavey, near black hair, they were going to give James and Lily a run for their money for the two best looking students in school.

"Would you two kindly step forward to be sorted?" An amused Dumbledore said. Avery squared her shoulders as if preparing for battle, and marched towards the sorting hat, saying hellos and nice to meet yous as she stepped to the hat. The hat barely touched her head before it roared, "GRYFFINDOR!"

There were many claps that rang through the great hall as Avery took a seat next to Mariel. The marauders and the surrounding males looked at her with gazes of awe, and Avery just looked around, said,

"Nice to meet you too!"

And stuck out her tongue. That sent the boys' stares away from her,and to the front, where her brother, under the same occurance, had just been sorted into Gryffindor as well. Nathan sat next to James, who was talking excitedly to Sirius, but turned to talk with Nathan once he sat down. Nathan spoke first.

" Hi, I'm Nate. My sis and I are new from the states. Our parents work the for the Wizarding relations branch of the ministry. My sister and I are Quidditch fanatics. I play keeper, she plays chaser, and we're pretty good, if I do say so myself. Oh, and one more thing you should know about me," he added in an undertone to Remus, James, and Sirius, "I LOVE pulling pranks!"

Avery shouted from across the table where she was having an animated conversation with the three girls, "Hey! Way to tell them my life story! I'm Avery, the talented and beautiful sister!" She added with a toss of her flowing mane.

James looked at his three best friends, who gave him a nod, and then at Nate, and said, clearly, "Well, Nate, as your Headboy, I'd like to welcome you to Hogwarts, and welcome to the marauders!"

Nate and Avery continued to introduce themselves to everyone around the table, getting themselves instantly catapulted to the top of the popularity chain. To Lily, Mariel, and Alex, it looked like Avery was making good conversation with Remus. So good, in fact, that she moved down the table to sit next to Lily and across from Remus.

"I just don't understand why they don't stretch the laws on Dragon Count a bit more. Limiting the number of animals allowed in each country will just limit the growth of a beautiful spieces!"

"I completely agree," Said Remus , leaning forward with a twinkle in his eye, "Dragons need open space and more room than most countries have to offer, but they still need to be able to breed freely." And to the other side of the table-

"No! Blake is not the best keeper the Wasps have had," Said Nate, with a charming smile, "It was Gordon all the way!"

"Whatever you say, pretty- boy," Alex said, using her already- coined nickname. "It was definitely Blake."

Nate coughed, "Gordon."

"Blake."

"Gordon."

"Blake."

"Gordon!"

"BL-"

"Alrighty then!" Yelled James. "Who wants to go up to the dormitories?"

"James! We need to oversee the prefects, and the heads have their own dorm, don't you remember?" Said Lily. The boys snickered as James blushed, thinking about sharing a common room with his beautiful Lily-flower.

"Oh. Of course. Silly me."

The night ended in laughs, and the promise of new friendships for everyone.

Review please! any comments are welcome, any time!