A/N: I cannot take all the credit for the witty lines. I do description, but the only reason my lines are funny is because of Caroline. I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters, only Kay, Tara, and Sari. I also don't own Green Day, or any of the groups/singers I mention, and the music isn't relevant to the time period, but it's what I'm listening to Jango so whatever. This is my overall disclaimer, I don't like constantly putting them up.

Lily Evans sat outside her dormitory window, which was thrown wide open. Rain poured inches from her face, and so she was gently splattered by water. A great flash of light appeared, along with a resounding crash. Lily loved late-night thunderstorms. It was perfect to rock a person to sleep, or to think. Often on these nights she would just lay in bed listening, but tonight even her own bed seemed like a prison. What she wanted more than anything was to be in James Potter's arms, and if she slept she knew she would dream of him. So tonight she sat on the windowseat she had made back in first year and let the rain, thunder, and lightning wash away all thoughts of James Potter. Nearby, her bed sat with its covers thrown wide open. The covers were black, with gold interlaced in patterns all over. Her canopy had been charmed so that it, also, was black and gold. Lily had always loved the way those two colors looked together. In her 'area' there were many drawings attached to the walls- she and her friends wanted to start a fashion business. Lily's head girl badge sat on her tabletop, next to a picture of Lily, Kay, Tara, Sari, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Next to that was her lamp, charmed with a black and gold lampshade, and the light normally gave off a warm, golden glow. Her windowseat was black and gold, with a black fleece-like blanket and gold throw pillows. Lily had on black and gold pajama pants and a large black shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. To the other side, her friend Kay lay fast asleep. Kay's brown and pink hair fanned across the pillow, and her bed was identical to Lily's, except all the gold parts of Lily's part of the room were pink. The two best friends were like twins except for their looks. Like Lily's, the wall was plastered with drawings, but the drawing style was different. Lily's had a more of an anime look, but Kay's were the tall thin women with the billowing hair and little berets you see in commercials. On the other side of Kay, a completely different bed and area dominated almost one third of the dorm. It was a flurry of orange and pink, with flowing materials you expect to find on Indian women in Bollywood. There was an oak desk, with a pink sewing machine and an oak chair with an orange pillow. Sari lay on the bed, an Indian girl with long black hair that reached her waist. It, like Kay's, was sprawled across the pillows. On the other side of Lily's bed, green curtains were pulled back just enough to see a green and brown color scheme- with lots of plants and trees. Lily's other friend, Tara, wore green silk pajamas, and had medium length brown hair that went with the color scheme perfectly. She slept on a Japanese-style low to the ground bed, and had a brown blanket and thousands of green pillows. Her walls had flowers growing out of them in wild directions. In the corner, an area was curtained off where Tara's cotton grew, along with her silk worms. Back in that same corner was also spider webs, but nobody knew that but the four girls that occupied the dorm. Almost the entire school knew about this famous dorm, where the master creations four fashion geniuses emerged from. Lily and Kay designed, Tara made the fabrics, and Sari made the clothes. And then they wore them. Lily was assigned to Kay and Sari's clothes, while Kay did Lily and Tara's. All four girls counted on each other for ideas. At around three a.m., Lily crawled back into bed, and soon the only sound that could be heard was soft, even breathing and a thunderstorm.

Lily awoke to the sound of yawning. It was Saturday, the day that the girls slept in and had their "sleepovers", and also their day to design and planning upcoming outfits and accessories. As she stretched and yawned herself, Sari mumbled "We should go downstairs. I want food."

"You always want food." Tara mumbled back. The foursome trudged down the spiral staircase into the common room. Christmas Break had just started, and they, along with the Marauders, were the only ones staying behind in Gryffindor. Therefore, the 8 of them had the common room to themselves. The boys never woke up even semi-early and so the girls had the common room for the taking. The common room itself had a sort of beauty. The two large chairs in front of the fire were red with gold embroidery, and the table was a mahogany. There were more chairs and tables throughout the room, but there were no other fireplaces. The 7th years got that special place, even though the 1st years got it sometimes but eventually grew out of their infatuation. Today, this is where the girls gathered.

"So… Lily." Tara said, grinning evilly.

"Yeah?" Lily asked, already scared of the question.

"You were in your window seat again last night. Who are you thinking about?" Tara said, now smirking

"I just couldn't sleep. I wanted to watch the thunderstorm. You know how I am about that. And why do you think I'm thinking about a guy? You know I don't like a guy right now. I just don't like any of the boys. All of the boys in Gryffindor are…"

"Lily, shut up now." Kay advised.

"Kay, why'd you stop her? Next thing you know, she'd have blurted out a name, and we would know by now!" Tara complained.

"Tara!" Sari said, shocked. "Kay was being a good friend, unlike you."

"Thank you, Kay and Sari." Lily said, fake offended.

"Now, who is it?" Kay said.

"Yes, who is it?" Sari agreed while Tara grinned and all three looked at her.

"You guys!" Lily said, taken aback. "Now there's no way I'm telling you! Not that I like anybody!"

"Lily likes a guy, Lily likes a guy!" They sang, and Lily pouted.

"No I don't! I don't want to like him, so I don't!"

"You sound like Tara when she's refusing that she likes Sirius." Sari laughed.

"What! I do not!" Tara said, but you could see by the look on her face that she was lying. Tara was an awful liar.

"Whatever you say." Kay smiled angelically. "At least it's not as bad as Sari and Remus!"

"Excuse me!" Sari gasped. Sari wasn't such an awful liar, but it was well known that she and Remus liked each other.

"You know that if Remus wasn't as shy and worried about his 'furry little problem' you guys would be together by now!"

"You guys…" Tara said, grinning evilly again. "If we can accuse each other of liking the Marauders, except Peter, than who does Lily like?"

"Oh. My. God." Kay said, turning to Lily. "I can't believe you!"

"What?!"

"You're right! Lily, are you serious?"

"What?!?!"

"She is. You can see it written on her face!" Tara said.

"Tell me! What? What is it?"

"Now you guys can finally get together!" Sari squealed.

"I can't believe you guys? Who do I 'like'?" Lily said, exasperated.

"I still can't believe you!" Kay said, awestruck.

"AHH!" Lily yelled.

"You like James Potter!" The three of them yelled back.

"Shut up! They can hear you!" Lily panicked.

"So you do like him!"

"No! No! I just don't want him to get the wrong idea and be all smug. And then, he'll go and tell the whole world that the girl he's been chasing for years likes him. And then, I mean, it's not like her really cares anyway; I'm just the only girl who ever would turn him down! And then…"

"Lily! Shut up! The boys! I can hear them!" Kay whispered.

"Did they hear us? Ohmigawd!"

"Ohmigawd! Remus will hate me!"

"Sirius will freak!" Tara whispered.

"So you do like Sirius!"

"Will you all SHUT UP?" Silence reigned for minutes while they waited to see if the boys were coming down. They moved towards the boy's dorms and crept up the stairs, pressing their ears against the door. Then, howling laughter came from the depths of the dorms. The girls, excluding Kay, darted down the stairs and up their own, all freaking out. At the same time, just as the other girls disappeared behind the other door, the boys' dorm door flew open, revealing four laughing boys.

"Hi!" Kay said, before quickly fleeing the vicinity.

"That was odd." A boy with glasses and black hair that stuck up in the back said.

"James, you will never understand girls." Another boy with longer black hair said.

"And you do?" James said.

"No." Sirius responded. "You, Peter?"

"Never. Remus?"

"You people are pathetic."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius complained.

"Sirius, that question answers itself."

"I resent that."

"It's true."

"I resent that too!"

"Sirius, stop digging. I'm hungry. Let's go see if the girls want food." James said.

"Of course, you would want to go see the girls. Seeing as you've been practically stalking Lily. For seven years. It gets old, James. It gets old." Sirius said.

"I think James is right." Peter said meekly. Of course, nobody pays any attention to whether or not Peter thinks they are right, so this comment was ignored.

"Remus, what do you think?"

"We might as well go ask them."

"Fine! But I'm waking up Tara."

"Sirius, you say I'm obsessed." James said.

"I resent that!"

"Is that your only comeback?"

"No! I resent that!"

"I'm not going to comment."

"You just did! Ha! There's that comeback!"

"…"

"I'm done now." The four boys continue out of the dorms, heading across to the stairs that led up to the girls' dorms. They then stood there, contemplating.

"They'll be mad."

"They'll be furious."

"Lily will be mad at me."

"What the hell, James?"

"Well, she will be!"

"Let's go." The boys muttered a quick levitation spell, and floated up the stairs. At the top, Peter fell down the stairs. He decided to wait for the others at breakfast.

"Ok then. Let's go." James led the small group up the stairs and banged on the door.

"You guys want to go to breakfast?" he called. A series of screams came from the inside, followed by whispers.

"Oh my god! They know, they know. They know!" Sari shrieked.

"Calm down, let's go!" Kay said, bored with her friends antics.

"I can't!" Lily freaked. "He'll bug the hell out of me!"

"Maybe they didn't hear us!" Tara said.

"You guys need help." Kay said, and swung the door open.

"No!" The other girls screeched.

"What's so bad about it?" James said from the other side. "We won't bite."

"It's not like you're naked!" Sirius said.

"Sirius, you creeper!" Tara said.

"You're digging again. Stop!" Remus said. "You want to go eat?"

"Yeah, sure. Let us get dressed. We'll meet you in the common room." Lily said, finally giving in. James grinned at her. "How did you guys get in here?"

"Levitation." James said to her. "Figured it out last year."

"Why were you trying to get in here?" Lily said suspiciously.

"We just felt like being able to, in case we wanted to." James responded nonchalantly.

"Okay then. Out!"

"Meet you down there!"

The seven Gryffindors headed downstairs, looking out for Peter as they went. Of course, chances were Peter had really gone back to bed, but they looked anyway. When they got to the Great Hall, they all sat down at the Gryffindor table. It had scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, waffles, crepes, croissants, strawberries and pancakes all piled high.

"The house elves are going to make us explode one day." Sirius said knowledgably. Everyone gave him odd looks. "What? There's so much food!"

"Ok then." Kay said, turning to the food. They all dug in, and sometime during their feast Peter came wandering in, looking lost. Nobody questioned him, and when they all finished they split of into their two groups and headed off. The girls went back up to their dorm, and the boys went off to the quidditch pitch.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No."

"Yes! Yay!"

"No, no, no, no, please no." Lily begged. "Please, no."

"Oh, no," Lily sighed in relief. "It's yes."

"AHHHH!" Sari, Kay, and Tara had been annoying Lily about James since breakfast. She simply couldn't take it anymore! "I'm going for a walk." She said, and grabbed her charmed earphones.

"Wait! No!" Her friends called out.

She left anyway, listening to the music she grew up to. Muggle music always helped her to focus. As she played Green Day's Welcome to Paradise, she thought about how the song was relevant to her life. Sure, her friends made her beyond mad sometimes, and she was confused about Potter, but her life was basically paradise. Her world was basically untouched by the war that was brewing. She was lucky that way. Many of the kids at her school had been hit hard blows by Voldemort, and it was getting so bad that people were afraid of his name. She knew that Ali, a sixth year that she was close with, was suffering because her dad had been captured and nobody knew where he was. Since she was muggle born, something was likely to happen soon. She had been protected by Sev earlier, and really didn't have to worry because of his 'connections.' Lily didn't like to think of Sev- he had really hurt.

"Lily!" Kay called from across the lake. Lily knew that Kay didn't really see her, but she was the only one who knew her hideout- here. Kay started around the lake, continuing to glance behind her. Kay knew that if anyone found this place because of her, Lily would just about throttle her.

"You found me." Lily joked.

"It's not hard. We didn't mean to make you go away. Come back- please?"

"It's not that… it's that you guys are right." Lily sighed. "I like James Potter- a lot. But I'm not going to tell him! As I said before, I don't think he really cares. If I could know he really, truly, liked me, then I might say yes. Before, I hated him, that's true. But Sev influenced that. And when… when Mary told me he really was a good guy and that Sev wasn't… it made me hate him more. He was better than Sev, and I knew it. I was so stupid. I'm hurt because of Sev, and because of the whole James thing. I just don't know what to think. I know that my life is pretty much perfect right now, and ever since Mary left I didn't know how much longer I had to have a perfect life. And now I feel like I'm complaining something I shouldn't be complaining about it."

"It's okay- you have something to complain about, but don't be so open about it. The Marauders are suspecting something. I'm the closest with them out of all of us, seeing as you all like each other."

"You make me feel so much better."

"You're welcome."

"We should go though- they're all looking for you. They wanted to have a picnic."

"Tell them I'm coming- I'll be just a little. I want a little time on my own. Don't worry- I just need a little time to think."

"Okay- I'll tell them. Meet us by our tree."

"M-hm." Lily murmured, turning up the music.

"Lily!" Sari called. "We're so sorry about bugging you about…" Tara covered her mouth.

"You idiot." Tara said, rolling her eyes. "What song?" She said, knowing Lily all to well.

"Live your Life." Lily said. "I know. Shut up."

"What?" James said.

"When Lily is upset, mad, bored, confused, annoyed, or just lonely she listens to muggle music. It cures her." Kay said.

"Pretty much sums it up." Lily said, shrugging.

"Can I listen?" He asked, holding out his hand for the earphones.

"Uh… let me check the song. Yeah, this works. Some songs you wouldn't get, and others I'd rather you not listen to."

"Why?" James asked, but didn't push it when she didn't respond. He tugged the earphones on and adjusted them. When the song was over, he passed it to Lily. "It's good. What's this one?"

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Green Day is one of my favorites. It's kind of depressing, but still good!"

"Anyway, we brought food!" Sirius said, rubbing his hands together and opening up the picnic basket and waving his wand.

"Is this safe?" Tara asked.

"Yes! I resent that!" Sirius said. Everybody just rolled their eyes and reached for their food. When they were done, they all laid back.

"Let's play a game!" Kay said excitedly.

"Like what?" Remus said, leaning against the tree.

"I never. It's fun! For example, I could say 'I never got detention for three months straight.' Anybody who had gotten a detention for three months straight takes a shot of butterbeer. We keep a tally, and whoever takes the least amount of shots wins."

"What do we get if we win?" Sirius asked.

"Actually, we do a punishment for the loser." Kay said, smirking. "Want to play?"

"We're not cowards!" Remus said, looking at James, Sirius and Peter, who nodded.

"Alright!" Kay waved her wand, and a shot glass and bottle of butterbeer appeared in front of everyone.

"How'd you get the butterbeer?" James asked.

"Your room. I know where you hide it." Kay said, smirking as the boys, namely James and Sirius, pouted.

"I'll start!" Tara shouted. "I never turned down somebody I liked." Lily scowled at Tara and took a shot. So did Remus and Sirius.

"Lily?" Sirius asked. "Who?"

"Nobody said I had to tell!" Lily said. "Who's next?"

"We'll go clockwise so Sari's next." Kay said knowledgably.

"I never… lied about my feelings." Sari said. Lily groaned, took another shot, along with Remus and James. Then, after many nudges, Tara and Sirius did the same.

"My turn?" Peter said. When everyone nodded, he continued. "I never told somebody I hated them when I didn't."

"Are you all out to get me?" Lily said, exasperated and taking another shot, along with Tara, Sirius, James, Peter and Kay.

"I never… was best friends with Snivellus." Sirius said, just to annoy Lily, who threw a pillow she conjured at him. She took the shot, this time alone.

"I never constantly asked a person out." Remus said, and Lily let out a sigh of relief as James took a swig.

"I never ate a banapple." James said, and Sirius took a shot. Everybody looked at him, and he sighed.

"I made one with magic- combined a banana and apple. I wouldn't recommend it, but they're really good!" Everyone looked at him strangely again. "Lily's turn!"

"I never bugged my best friend for three hours straight about their crush." All of her friends took a shot, looking guilty. All of the boys looked at her and laughed. The game continued on.

Kay-I never called somebody and then hung up four times; James and Sirius

Tara-I never watched somebody sleep creepily; Sirius, James and Remus

Sari-I never told somebody to bugger off even though I didn't want them to; Lily

Peter-I never kissed somebody I hated; Lily, Tara, Kay, James, and Sirius

Sirius-I never stay up thinking of a person I like; Sari, Lily, James, and Remus

Remus- I never exploded the kitchens; Sirius

James- I never have been in the Slytherin common room; Lily, Peter and Sirius

Lily- I never snuck out to go to Hogsmeade; Tara, Sirius, James, Peter and Remus

Kay- I never played 7 minutes in Heaven; Lily

"Okay! Here are the results." Kay said. "Sirius lost, with 10 points, then Lily with 9, James with 8, Tara and Remus with 5, and Me, Sari, and Peter win with 3."

"How about instead of punishing Sirius, the winners get a point. Throughout the break, we'll play as many games and tournaments and the overall winner(s) get points. At the end of break, they win something like everyone else pays for a surprise for them." Peter said. They all stared, as Peter wasn't particularly smart.

"Brilliant, Peter!" Sirius said, clapping him on his back. Peter smiled sheepishly.

"Alright. So overall, Kay, Peter, and Sari are winning with a point." Tara said. "What's the next game?"

"Well, I think we should play a game per day." Peter said. "So, we'll decide tomorrow."

"Makes sense." Lily said.

"Lily Evans!" Professor McGonagall called over the grounds. "Can I see you in my office for a minute?"

"Ooooooh! Lily's in trouble!" Sirius said childishly. Lily just rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Kay, if you need to find me later, you know where. I need to think some more." Lily said. "I'd prefer to be by myself, so unless you really need me…" Lily trailed off. "See you guys later!" She followed McGonagall towards the castle.

A little while later, James was walking around the lake when he heard somebody crying.

"Hello?" he called. The crying ceased instantly. "Is anybody there?" he shrugged it off and continued on his way along the lake towards his rendezvous point with Sirius.

"James!" Sirius called. "Hurry up!" he was complaining because James was at a standstill. He had heard that crying again.

"Do you… hear somebody crying?" The crying stopped again.

"No. Are you out of your mind? Come on, we've got to get going!"

"Okay…" James said uncertainly. "You know what; I'll meet up with you in a few minutes at that huge tree in the center of the forest. I want to find the crying."

"James, you're mad. Meet you there."

James headed partway into the forest, waiting to hear the crying again. It came from his left… He pushed through the trees and ended up at a part of the lake he'd never come to before. A weeping willow sat in the middle of a tiny bank. It was wide and had branches that hung to the ground. The bank was rocky, and many of the rocks were perfect to sit on and dangle your feet in the water. One rock in particular was overlarge and slightly flat, and if you sat on it, you could skip the rocks that surrounded it like an altar. The crying James had heard earlier seemed to come from inside of the willow. He pushed aside the branches, and Lily Evans sat leaning against the knotted trunk, her head against her knees.

"Lily?" James asked, and she raised her head, her eyes slightly red from the crying. "Are you okay?" he sat down next to her.

"I'm fine." James laughed inwardly at that.

"No, you're not." James said. "Was it the meeting with McGonagall?"

"No…"

"Lily…"

"Maybe a little."

"What happened? Why didn't you go to your friends? As far as I know, you guys are peas in a pod." He said, now genuinely concerned.

"I wanted to be alone for a little bit."

"If you don't want to tell me, that is fine. But I'm here if you need me." They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"My parents died." Lily said, and promptly burst into tears. James sat there shocked and then held her close.

"It's okay, Lily." He whispered, letting her cry. After a few more minutes, she sat up and dried her eyes. "I think you should tell your friends. They might help." She nodded.

"I was going to… but I wanted to be by myself for a little bit." She waved her wand and her eyes lost their red, puffy look. "James… thank you." She kissed his cheek and left the bank. James stood there, shocked.

"Lily!" Kay jumped up and went to her friend. "Are you okay? We were so worried. You're not usually not gone this long. I thought about coming to get you."

"I'm okay." Lily said softly.

"You've been crying." Sari said, coming over to sit with her on the bed. Tara sat with them, and they turned around. The girls sat in a circle.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked, her kinder, friendly side kicking in. Lily just let a few tears leak out.

"Lily! What's the matter?" Sari said, reaching over and hugging her. They all knew Lily didn't cry easily, especially in front of other people. The only time she had ever cried in front of them was in fifth year after the Snape incident. But they had all seen it coming, and been surprised it had lasted. This time, none of them had the vaguest idea what was going on.

"My parents died." Then, once again, she began to sob. The three girls looked shocked. This time, Kay hugged her.

"It'll be okay, Lily. It'll be okay." Tara said.

"That's what he said." Lily said, smiling slightly through her tears.

"Who?" Sari asked

"Never mind." Nobody pushed it.

"What convinced you to come back to us? Knowing you, you would have stayed there all night if we had let you."

"James found me crying. That's who said what Tara said. He convinced me to come back to you guys. I was planning on staying there, yes." She said, trying to steer the conversation out of the 'James' area. Three squeals resounded through the room.

"Tell us everything!"

"I was crying, he found me, I told him, he told me to go to you guys too."

"Nice explanation." Kay said. "We mean everything." Lily sighed, but at least it took her mind slightly off her parents.

"After McGonagall told me, I went to my place. You know, where I go to listen to my music."

"That you still haven't showed to us." Tara said.

"That's the one! Anyway, he heard me crying. He called out, but I stopped for a minute because I tried to recover so that he wouldn't find me. When I thought he was gone, I cried again. I heard him talking to Sirius and I stopped to listen. They started off someplace and I started to cry again, but I guess he looked for the crying. I didn't hear him until he said my name. He was there, and he asked me what was wrong. I didn't really want to talk about it, so he just sat next to me and we just sat there. I eventually told him and he held me while I cried telling me everything would be alright. He talked to me, saying that he was surprised I didn't go to you guys. He said that I really should go to you guys."

"That's so sweet!" Sari said, smiling. "It'll all get better, you'll see."

A/N: So that's the first chapter. I'm going to put up a poll asking if you would read more. Unless that poll says yes, I won't be able to update. Thank you guys so much!