************ Prologue And Perfume**************
James Potter was sitting in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express with his friends, on his merry way to the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, now in his 6th year.
She was sitting there with him, smiling and looking better than ever. He couldn't understand how anyone could be so beautiful and smart, and still want to be friends with the Marauders as everyone called him and his best friends; Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. His mind wandered off and he shifted his gaze from Lily Evans, the red-haired Gryffindor girl all the boys drooled over, to the window and the quickly shifting landscape outside.
The summer before they started their first year of school, he and Sirius had made friends with the sandy haired shabby-dressed boy they had pulled a prank on, Remus obviously, and Peter who had suddenly burst into their compartment on their first train ride to Hogwarts telling how he had just barely escaped the claws of some older students looking for fun.
Lily had joined them soon after they had so bravely rescued the damsel in distress from TALKING to a certain Severus Snape. She had put on a reprimanding glare and started telling them off for being so impolite, before she suddenly burst out laughing when Sirius started mimicking her behind James' back. After introductions they started their potential friendship with a game of Exploding Snap which terrified Lily so greatly (it wasn't her fault she wasn't used to exploding pieces of paper, which in muggle eyes was one of the most quiet games in the world. with the exception of strip-poker naturally) they showed her some of their proudest wizard-possessions instead, among other things a book that copied handwritings from a single letter (as in the letter 'A') and wrote disgustingly perverted suggestions to the person it copied the handwriting from.
She 'oohed' and 'aaahed' much to their likings (but not in favour of the perverse notes they noticed), and demanded she showed them something magnificently and marvelling muggle. When she fished out a book of song- tunes that DIDN'T SING they practically laughed their heads off and wanted to go show everyone aboard the train, before she could even begin to tell them she had really wanted to show them a walkie-talkie set.
Together they had all been sorted into Gryffindor, after a lot of discussion and anxious feelings aboard the train that same afternoon. Over the next few months they had become the best of friends, and shared a passion for troublemaking and Quidditch, except for Lily of course, who settled for an undying LIKE of fussing over the troublemakers. And she loved pranks. Except when she was pranked of course. Hypocrite? As one of Hogwarts more brilliant students she chose to ignore comments like that.
They had also worried over Remus' disappearings, and after confronting him one night in the Common room; he had admitted that he was a werewolf. James and Sirius had stayed up late the night before trying to figure out what was wrong, since they had already agreed on the fact that Remus had ALOT of unhealthy relatives, when they suddenly saw a pattern. Having one ill relative was bad enough, but more than two every month showed lack of respect for family morals. Anyway, Remus had been devastated that they had found out, almost to tears when he told them, but Sirius had cracked one of his jokes again, something about "Jus' don' ask any girls out before they agree to kiss your furry face, now" and James had said that they would do something that could help him when transforming. Lily shocked them all by giving Remus a big kiss on the cheek and a hug, and comforting him by promising that this would never ever affect their friendship, because she knew that lycanthropy had nothing to do with how you were the rest of the month. They had all sworn to secrecy, and out of the blue one afternoon; James himself had come up with the idea of becoming animagus, although they knew that it was near impossible to do. But James wasn't Mr. Two-Hundred-and- Twenty-Three-Percent on His Transfiguration Exam for nothing. Sirius was just a few points below him as well, so they both helped Peter, who still had difficulties with the turn the hairpin into a needle thing poor lad, and soon, they were all studying late into the night deciphering runes of ancient times, steadily learning how to turn into an animal at will. They practised as well, but that was risky, so they settled with turning the fluffy armchairs of the Common Room into hippos, but it made such a hassle that Prof. McGonagall gave them detentions for a week.
But then, they had their breakthrough in their 3rd year, and amusedly they gave themselves nicknames related to the animals they transfigured into.
Sirius, the big and black grim of a dog, they called Padfoot.
Peter, who had to settle for a smaller animal to transfigure into, a rat, was Wormtail, and he really didn't mind it at all, he was happy just to be in the group. And such an important part as well, after all, Peter was the one who had to press the knot on the Ruddy Tree (read Whomping Willow).
Remus, whom they all respected as the best DADA (Defence Against the Dark Arts) student and feared the moon because of his health state, they named Moony.
He himself, James, the stag among fainting girls (he shrugged easily) and as an animagus, was Prongs. At first they laughed and joked about the nicknames, but then they decided that this was their trademark, and it reflected their ability and personality that they were rightly a bit proud of.
But Lily. She had been there as well during all those late night study sessions in the "Restricted Section" of the library, pointing out crucial material and facts they needed to know before completing a transformation. It had always disturbed him however, that Lily had refused to become an animagus herself. Very eager to learn and help the marauders, but secretive when it came to why she didn't want to take the last step towards becoming an animal. He knew that Remus had something to do with this secret as well, because he always seemed to take her side when they pestered her about her refusal. She had looked them sternly in the eye, her own special temper trademark, and told them she didn't believe she could do it, and that she didn't want to do something illegal. When they pointed out that if Peter could do it, she could, and that she had already done something illegal when she helped them, she had practically steam coming out of her ears and she walked off in a brisk trot. After that she had never said anything about it again, politely avoiding any later questions.
* * * *
James thoughts were abruptly ended when Lily tugged at his elbow gently, looking up at him with those wonderful green eyes. - James, what are you thinking about? she asked.
His heart leapt, Great Wizards, she was so close he could smell her perfume. Naturally, boys his age never recognized perfume scents, but curiosity killed the stag, and he just had to find out what was giving him sleepless History of Magic classes. He found her perfume bottle one night they were pranking the girls last year, (no harm in a bit of green goo, honestly) and spent the rest of the night silently marvelling over muggle creations. Wizard perfumes had mooncalf eyelashes and unicorn aura as most important ingredients, but Lily's had just ordinary flowers and spices. And alcohol? What utter rubbish.. It smelt wonderful all right, but whatever happened to dawn-water from Norway? Maybe the wizarding world had something to learn from muggles after all? James fidgeted and decided it was best to answer before she felt his forehead or something just as distracting no matter how innocent the gesture.
- Ehrm, eh, just how scared I was the first day at Hogwarts, he replied after struggling inwardly to divert his eye contact with her before he did something dim-witted. She smiled and nodded, and turned to look at the game of Exploding Snap that Sirius and Remus were playing.
James let out an inaudible sigh of relief, how could he become so weak whenever she was so close to him? In one way, he felt stronger, like he could do anything as long as she was there, smiling at him. But in another way, he felt as though he would collapse any second from his wobbly knees and sharp intake of breath. Maybe if he inhaled fast and strong enough he would pull her mouth towards his? He blushed profusely and pretended to tie his shoe so as to hide his face. But Remus saw him, and winked pointedly and lifted his eyebrows looking at Lily's proximity to James. James blushed again, and pulled a hand through his hair as if he was wiping away any more certain thoughts.
As the brilliant and clever wizards they were, his friends had quickly found out about his infatuation with their mutual female "acquaintance". At first he had been the butt end of all Sirius' teasing, and still Remus just wouldn't stop hinting to it every time they were together. And not in very subtle means either.
His crush was discovered when he saw her studying alone one very late night in the common room last Easter holidays, after having slept very badly himself. In her nightgown she had never looked more serene or stunning, her red hair in an adorable disarray. She had cupped her face on her hand, and yawned when she looked up and smiled sleepily to him. Sweetly, she had asked how long he had been standing there looking quite dumb, and if he felt like joining her over to the fireplace. He had stood there, the stupid git he was, and with his mouth partly open looking at her like she was a mermaid, that is, not one of those European mermaids, rather those he had seen in pictures from the Pacific, much more beautiful and refined. She had come up to him grinning, and bit her lip when she gently put her index finger under his chin and pushed his mouth closed. Still wearing that awful precious grin, she said: "Is drooling while you're awake a general habit for boys that I have completely missed after knowing you for a couple of years, or is it something that you lads have perfected over the summer?"
She had asked him as if she had not a tinkliest inkling of an idea that he might be drooling over her, but as if she was merely stating that his body functions were a bit out of sorts in the middle of the night.
Then he had snapped out of it, as if by some miracle, and smirked before huffing and dragged her over to the chairs in front of the fire. They had talked all night, laughing and eating some candy they had found hidden under a pillow that turned out to be old and stale and for some reason loads of fun, and he realised he had always liked her, more than any other girls he had ever met or dated. He winced at the thought of his last girlfriend, steady for almost a year, a sweet Hufflepuff girl by the name of Kristine Qualmers. She was very nice, and surprisingly bright (no offence to Hufflepuffs), but she wasn't what he was looking for, she was a little too dependent on others. Like that Diggory fellow, who she just happened to start dating after their break-up. But first of all she wasn't Lily, as he had admitted to himself after a while.
James chanced a glance in Lily's direction, and met her eyes. 'Damn those green eyes.' he thought.
James Potter was sitting in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express with his friends, on his merry way to the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, now in his 6th year.
She was sitting there with him, smiling and looking better than ever. He couldn't understand how anyone could be so beautiful and smart, and still want to be friends with the Marauders as everyone called him and his best friends; Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. His mind wandered off and he shifted his gaze from Lily Evans, the red-haired Gryffindor girl all the boys drooled over, to the window and the quickly shifting landscape outside.
The summer before they started their first year of school, he and Sirius had made friends with the sandy haired shabby-dressed boy they had pulled a prank on, Remus obviously, and Peter who had suddenly burst into their compartment on their first train ride to Hogwarts telling how he had just barely escaped the claws of some older students looking for fun.
Lily had joined them soon after they had so bravely rescued the damsel in distress from TALKING to a certain Severus Snape. She had put on a reprimanding glare and started telling them off for being so impolite, before she suddenly burst out laughing when Sirius started mimicking her behind James' back. After introductions they started their potential friendship with a game of Exploding Snap which terrified Lily so greatly (it wasn't her fault she wasn't used to exploding pieces of paper, which in muggle eyes was one of the most quiet games in the world. with the exception of strip-poker naturally) they showed her some of their proudest wizard-possessions instead, among other things a book that copied handwritings from a single letter (as in the letter 'A') and wrote disgustingly perverted suggestions to the person it copied the handwriting from.
She 'oohed' and 'aaahed' much to their likings (but not in favour of the perverse notes they noticed), and demanded she showed them something magnificently and marvelling muggle. When she fished out a book of song- tunes that DIDN'T SING they practically laughed their heads off and wanted to go show everyone aboard the train, before she could even begin to tell them she had really wanted to show them a walkie-talkie set.
Together they had all been sorted into Gryffindor, after a lot of discussion and anxious feelings aboard the train that same afternoon. Over the next few months they had become the best of friends, and shared a passion for troublemaking and Quidditch, except for Lily of course, who settled for an undying LIKE of fussing over the troublemakers. And she loved pranks. Except when she was pranked of course. Hypocrite? As one of Hogwarts more brilliant students she chose to ignore comments like that.
They had also worried over Remus' disappearings, and after confronting him one night in the Common room; he had admitted that he was a werewolf. James and Sirius had stayed up late the night before trying to figure out what was wrong, since they had already agreed on the fact that Remus had ALOT of unhealthy relatives, when they suddenly saw a pattern. Having one ill relative was bad enough, but more than two every month showed lack of respect for family morals. Anyway, Remus had been devastated that they had found out, almost to tears when he told them, but Sirius had cracked one of his jokes again, something about "Jus' don' ask any girls out before they agree to kiss your furry face, now" and James had said that they would do something that could help him when transforming. Lily shocked them all by giving Remus a big kiss on the cheek and a hug, and comforting him by promising that this would never ever affect their friendship, because she knew that lycanthropy had nothing to do with how you were the rest of the month. They had all sworn to secrecy, and out of the blue one afternoon; James himself had come up with the idea of becoming animagus, although they knew that it was near impossible to do. But James wasn't Mr. Two-Hundred-and- Twenty-Three-Percent on His Transfiguration Exam for nothing. Sirius was just a few points below him as well, so they both helped Peter, who still had difficulties with the turn the hairpin into a needle thing poor lad, and soon, they were all studying late into the night deciphering runes of ancient times, steadily learning how to turn into an animal at will. They practised as well, but that was risky, so they settled with turning the fluffy armchairs of the Common Room into hippos, but it made such a hassle that Prof. McGonagall gave them detentions for a week.
But then, they had their breakthrough in their 3rd year, and amusedly they gave themselves nicknames related to the animals they transfigured into.
Sirius, the big and black grim of a dog, they called Padfoot.
Peter, who had to settle for a smaller animal to transfigure into, a rat, was Wormtail, and he really didn't mind it at all, he was happy just to be in the group. And such an important part as well, after all, Peter was the one who had to press the knot on the Ruddy Tree (read Whomping Willow).
Remus, whom they all respected as the best DADA (Defence Against the Dark Arts) student and feared the moon because of his health state, they named Moony.
He himself, James, the stag among fainting girls (he shrugged easily) and as an animagus, was Prongs. At first they laughed and joked about the nicknames, but then they decided that this was their trademark, and it reflected their ability and personality that they were rightly a bit proud of.
But Lily. She had been there as well during all those late night study sessions in the "Restricted Section" of the library, pointing out crucial material and facts they needed to know before completing a transformation. It had always disturbed him however, that Lily had refused to become an animagus herself. Very eager to learn and help the marauders, but secretive when it came to why she didn't want to take the last step towards becoming an animal. He knew that Remus had something to do with this secret as well, because he always seemed to take her side when they pestered her about her refusal. She had looked them sternly in the eye, her own special temper trademark, and told them she didn't believe she could do it, and that she didn't want to do something illegal. When they pointed out that if Peter could do it, she could, and that she had already done something illegal when she helped them, she had practically steam coming out of her ears and she walked off in a brisk trot. After that she had never said anything about it again, politely avoiding any later questions.
* * * *
James thoughts were abruptly ended when Lily tugged at his elbow gently, looking up at him with those wonderful green eyes. - James, what are you thinking about? she asked.
His heart leapt, Great Wizards, she was so close he could smell her perfume. Naturally, boys his age never recognized perfume scents, but curiosity killed the stag, and he just had to find out what was giving him sleepless History of Magic classes. He found her perfume bottle one night they were pranking the girls last year, (no harm in a bit of green goo, honestly) and spent the rest of the night silently marvelling over muggle creations. Wizard perfumes had mooncalf eyelashes and unicorn aura as most important ingredients, but Lily's had just ordinary flowers and spices. And alcohol? What utter rubbish.. It smelt wonderful all right, but whatever happened to dawn-water from Norway? Maybe the wizarding world had something to learn from muggles after all? James fidgeted and decided it was best to answer before she felt his forehead or something just as distracting no matter how innocent the gesture.
- Ehrm, eh, just how scared I was the first day at Hogwarts, he replied after struggling inwardly to divert his eye contact with her before he did something dim-witted. She smiled and nodded, and turned to look at the game of Exploding Snap that Sirius and Remus were playing.
James let out an inaudible sigh of relief, how could he become so weak whenever she was so close to him? In one way, he felt stronger, like he could do anything as long as she was there, smiling at him. But in another way, he felt as though he would collapse any second from his wobbly knees and sharp intake of breath. Maybe if he inhaled fast and strong enough he would pull her mouth towards his? He blushed profusely and pretended to tie his shoe so as to hide his face. But Remus saw him, and winked pointedly and lifted his eyebrows looking at Lily's proximity to James. James blushed again, and pulled a hand through his hair as if he was wiping away any more certain thoughts.
As the brilliant and clever wizards they were, his friends had quickly found out about his infatuation with their mutual female "acquaintance". At first he had been the butt end of all Sirius' teasing, and still Remus just wouldn't stop hinting to it every time they were together. And not in very subtle means either.
His crush was discovered when he saw her studying alone one very late night in the common room last Easter holidays, after having slept very badly himself. In her nightgown she had never looked more serene or stunning, her red hair in an adorable disarray. She had cupped her face on her hand, and yawned when she looked up and smiled sleepily to him. Sweetly, she had asked how long he had been standing there looking quite dumb, and if he felt like joining her over to the fireplace. He had stood there, the stupid git he was, and with his mouth partly open looking at her like she was a mermaid, that is, not one of those European mermaids, rather those he had seen in pictures from the Pacific, much more beautiful and refined. She had come up to him grinning, and bit her lip when she gently put her index finger under his chin and pushed his mouth closed. Still wearing that awful precious grin, she said: "Is drooling while you're awake a general habit for boys that I have completely missed after knowing you for a couple of years, or is it something that you lads have perfected over the summer?"
She had asked him as if she had not a tinkliest inkling of an idea that he might be drooling over her, but as if she was merely stating that his body functions were a bit out of sorts in the middle of the night.
Then he had snapped out of it, as if by some miracle, and smirked before huffing and dragged her over to the chairs in front of the fire. They had talked all night, laughing and eating some candy they had found hidden under a pillow that turned out to be old and stale and for some reason loads of fun, and he realised he had always liked her, more than any other girls he had ever met or dated. He winced at the thought of his last girlfriend, steady for almost a year, a sweet Hufflepuff girl by the name of Kristine Qualmers. She was very nice, and surprisingly bright (no offence to Hufflepuffs), but she wasn't what he was looking for, she was a little too dependent on others. Like that Diggory fellow, who she just happened to start dating after their break-up. But first of all she wasn't Lily, as he had admitted to himself after a while.
James chanced a glance in Lily's direction, and met her eyes. 'Damn those green eyes.' he thought.