Chapter One – Of Trains and Windowpanes
Love is love in books or in real life
"Bye mum" I said kissing her on the cheek for the last time "I'll miss you"
"Why can't I go" wined my younger sister for what felt like the thousandth time,
"We've been over this Petunia" replied my mum who was beginning to lose her patience.
"Bye Tunney" I smiled patting her on the head, "be good for mum". She scowled.
"Bye sweetie, be good, study hard, I'll be thinking of you every day. Go on. Have fun" mum hugged me one last time, "and write to me about all your boyfriends?" she smiled.
"MUM" I yelled in embarrassment and attempted to hide my head in shame. "I'm going to leave now" I boarded the train still blushing.
Desperate to get away from the platform, I found my friends in a nearby compartment and took a seat near the window.
"LILLLLLLLY" greeted my best friend Marlene, "I missed you so much"
"I missed you too" I choked out trying to escape from her tight embrace, "Hi Alice, hi Mary, how were your holidays?" I asked politely.
"Good thanks" replied Mary "but it's nice to be back"
"Was that your sister sulking on the platform?" asked Alice teasingly,
"Yeah" I sighed, "She's determined to go to boarding school, even If we can't afford it"
"She's a right piece of work that sister of yours" sympathised Marlene.
Storing our bags in the overhead lockers, we sat down and began to play a game of blackjack. Soon after the train pulled away from the station and we continued our five hour journey up into the hills.
"I give up" I sighed throwing my cards down. I looked out the window and noticed the first few patches of snow.
"Oooooo" exclaimed Marlene squealing in excitement and looking up from her copy of Teen Weekly. "A personality test! Quick Lily! Quiz me!" she said throwing the magazine at me.
Mary looked up from her phone, Alice looked up from her Sudoku.
"Alright" I agreed, forgetting just how much I missed her impulsive behaviour over the holidays.
"What type of movies do you prefer, drama, comedy, documentary or action?" I asked.
"Drama"
"I change my mind a lot, true or false?"
"Definitely true" she laughed
"I find it difficult to introduce myself to new people, true or false?"
"False"
"On the weekends I, try to do new things or have one or two faveourite activities that I spend my time doing?"
"Try new things"
"I find it hard to disagree with people?"
"False"
"I find it difficult to keep a secret?"
"True"
After a few more questions I had finished.
"Alright". I read out the passage. "You are social, active and outgoing. You like parties and have quite a few friends. People often notice you. You like to do things as a team, you might describe yourself as "happy-go-lucky". On occasion you also may be a bit of a show off or be bossy some times and there is also a danger that you talk too much."
"I'm not bloody bossy" said Marlene, clearly annoyed at her result.
"Am I?" no one answered "AM I?" she repeated louder this time.
"No" we all agreed laughing silently at just how bossy she was being and proceeded to quiz each other.
By the time the lunch lady came around we were all starving, dunking my bread into my pumpkin soup I suddenly noticed how dark it was getting. I looked down at my watch.
"shi-take mushrooms" I swore realising that I was late for my first prefect meeting.
I stood up to quickly spilling soup down my white school shirt.
"Aughhh", I tried my best to remove it with my serviette but instead ended up creating a huge stain.
I gave up throwing the tray onto my seat. Instead I pulled out my black school jumper from my suitcase and threw it on in a desperate attempt to hide the now ghastly looking orange mess that seemed to get bigger every time I looked at it.
I practically ran out of the room, I was already 10 minutes late.
When I arrived in the prefect's carriage, the meeting had already begun.
"Sorry I'm late", I apologized taking a seat next to Remus, who was the boy perfect from my house.
"No matter" said the Head boy Kingley sternly, "just don't make it a habit"
I nodded and the meeting continued.
"As I was saying" continued Kingsley, "As prefects you have the right to take and give house points, it's your responsibility to enforce the correct behaviour, and ensure proper uniforms". Lily cringed as she thought about the orange stain on her shirt.
"You have no right however to give out detentions" Lily laughed at the groan of the other students. "But any inappropriate behaviour or issues you can report to myself or to my fellow head girl Emmeline. You'll also be expected to spend a certain amount of time each week on safety patrol and hall monitoring."
"Here is the signup sheet" spoke up Emmeline as she began passing it around, "there is some flexibility, but basically you'll have the same time slot all year and you'll be paired with your house prefects, so you'd better learn to get along" she flashed a look at Slytherin house who were already bickering.
I looked up at Remus and smiled. Truth be told I was relieved that I was paired up with him, I got along with him pretty well. He was a shy bookish kind of boy, he didn't talk much but when he did it was only to say nice things about others.
He smiled down at me too. "What time suits?" he asked "Any time it good for me".
"Umm… How about Wednesday afternoons?"
"Perfect" he replied, writing our names scratchily into the time slot.
We walked back to the Gryffindor carriages together and when we stopped in front of his compartment he said goodbye.
"Hey Evans" called a voice from inside his carriage. It was James Potter.
I started to panic, I stepped backwards and in one swift motion tripped on the bin behind me and before I knew it I was sprawled out on the floor along with the contents of the bin.
I heard his friend Sirius snigger, "shut-up Black" came James's voice and before Remus could even bend down to help me James was on his feet and pulling me up with his warm strong arms.
"Thanks Potter" I sighed as I tried to remove banana peel from my skirt.
He broke out into a grin, "anything to save my damsel in distress"
Instantly I blushed a deep shade of red, I cursed under my breath as to why he had to be so witty.
"I'm not your damsel James" I retorted hotly.
"Ha you just called me James" he smirked smiling even wider, he sent his thumbs up to his three friends now sitting in the carriage eavesdropping.
"Correction, you're not my damsel yet. But don't worry Lilly" he smiled at the sound of my first name, which he never normally used. "It's okay, I'll wait for you to come around".
"Git" I muttered under my breath.
"Don't I get a prize?" he asked hopefully.
"Sure" I replied, plotting my revenge.
"A kiss?" he pleaded.
"Maybe" I giggled, "Shut your eyes" he shut his eyes, "lean forward" he lent forward expecting a kiss.
S-L-A-P
I clipped my hand across his cheek, but I didn't do it that hard.
His friends Sirius, Remus and Peter all broke out into a fit of laughter.
I giggled, then I realised he had that look in his eye. I ran, he ran after me.
"I'm going to get you back for that" he called out loudly, but I could tell he was secretly laughing too.
I looked back and gulped, he was gaining ground, but so was my compartment. I ran faster dodging people and trying not to trip on bags that shouldn't have been in the corridor to begin with.
He was almost at me when I ripped open my compartment door, threw myself inside then locked it. Collapsing on the floor of the train, I laughed harder and harder, struggling to breath and letting a few tears escape the corner of my eye. My friends all asked me what I was laughing at, but they didn't have to wait too long.
Moments later James appeared in the compartment window. It only made me laugh harder. He tried to open it, but of course it was locked and he banged on it for a few moments but then gave up when he realised none of us were going to open it.
I stuck my tongue out at him.
"That's not very prefect like" he smiled then stuck his tongue back out at me.
I rolled my eyes, Marlene whispered to me that I was so in love with him, but I was so blind I just couldn't see it.
"No I'm not" I hissed back,
"Yes you are"
"No I'm not"
"Yes you are"
"No I'm not, help me out here Alice" I pleaded.
She smiled, "You don't like him"
"Exactly. Thank you Alice" I smirked at Marlene who was throwing a glance at Alice.
"You love him" finished Alice. Everybody laughed at that while Marlene and Alice gave each other hi-fives.
I tried my best to look annoyed, turning away to look back at James. I couldn't' help but let a lose giggle escape my lips. He was doing that thing where he pretended to walk down steps even though there wasn't any there.
I laughed again, he looked up and smiled happy to see me laughing.
"For you Lily" he mouthed to me leaning into the glass and giving it a kiss so that we could all see his gorgeous lips pressed against the glass.
My friends all squealed in delight and I tried my best not to smile along with them.
"Bye girls" he saluted to them and they all waved back. He walked away, flicking his hair cockily as he left.
"He's so precious" laughed Marlene, "He's going to make a wonderful boyfriend for someone someday"
I glared at her.
"What?" she feigned ignorance, "I didn't name names?"
I just kept glaring at her.
"You've got to admit he is rather adorable Lily" smiled Alice, I glared at her too. This was going to be along train ride…
Author's Note – This idea just popped into my head one day, so here it is. Please review if you like it Don't worry I'm still continuing with Similarily Different, I just wanted to write this because the idea was bouncing around in my head and I wanted to let it out.