[Author's Note: I don't own anything I write about because I'm not that brilliant and I don't actually know the ways by which I can be that creative (my last name isn't Rowling). I hope you enjoy.]

Chapter 1: Golden Boys and Black Sheep

As far as girls go, Lily was not particularly noticeable. She was quiet and not the type for raucous behaviour, and her smile doesn't hide a scandalous alter ego; she was, quite unsurprisingly, an average teenage girl.

As far as boys go, James Potter was extremely noticeable. His acclaimed 'pranking skills', easy-going personality and boy-next-door good looks made him one of the most popular boys at Hogwarts. In Lily's eyes, he was a git. In everyone else's, he was a nice bloke.

In the year 1977, James Potter and Lily Evans fell in love.

But before that, there were fights and fancying. There were incidents with pumpkin juice and chocolate pudding. And, perhaps most importantly, there were declarations… of what, well… that's a secret… but they were rather momentous.

Little children often complain that the shades, shadows and ghouls inhabit the space right beneath their bed. They don't. Shades, shadows and ghouls… well, they're just fancy ways of saying ghost. And ghosts don't actually haunt or scare people. Why would they do that? I'm not exactly a malevolent person and if I were killed, I wouldn't terrorise others. Really, some people make up the most horrid and insulting stories.

I should know all about that; ghosts, ghouls and goblins, I mean. Goblins, well, they aren't the most hospitable bunch, but they are quite nice if you get to know them. Right, yes, the reason I know all this stuff.

The thing is, I'm a witch.

Now, I don't have a pointy hat (I wore the Sorting Hat on my first night at Hogwarts, but haven't worn one since). Or a wart. Or a really horrible nose. My nose isn't the best of the lot but, I must say, I don't look like a hag. My aunt Gladys, she does look like a hag. Poor woman. She's not even a witch.

I am a regular witch. One of many my age. You probably know one; there are lots of us. We blend in, so you might not have noticed. I look just like an average girl; I'm stuck with red hair, green eyes, an abnormal nose (it's not all witches, just me), awkward coordination and slightly pointed ears. The slightly pointed ears, they're not elven or anything; just a little less rounded than most.

Plus, I'm muggleborn. So I don't even have any magic blood in me. I'm just special I suppose.

Harriet Grafton and James Potter were in love. They weren't the most normal of teenagers, nor were they the least. The pair, who once held platonic feelings for one another, developed affection, which led to love. She was horrid and he was charming. He was popular and she was power-hungry. She was crazy and he was crazy for her. Love blinds, it manipulates, and it changes people. Harriet Grafton was never changed by love. She remained exactly the same because, despite her assertions to the contrary, she did not love her boyfriend. Not one bit. The truth came out after three years of ignorance being bliss, two days before the end of the holidays. James was distraught (rather bravely, for he was the disastrously formidable James Potter and didn't like to seem vulnerable), Harriet felt free. So, the day that they were both scheduled to depart for Hogwarts, Harriet flounced her way onto the train platform to meet her friends and James hurtled down the train, flinging himself into the first compartment.

"Um, hello?"

James cringed and turned toward the offending voice (mine). He frowned me. I was curled in the corner of the seat, leaning against the wall. Face half-covered by my book, a muggle classic (Tess of the D'Urbervilles), and hair hanging like a thick curtain around me, I was indistinguishable. I could have been anyone. Anyone but Harriet, thoughts of whom Daniel was desperately attempting to ignore (as everyone knew, since they were Hogwarts' 'It-Couple' of the month).

"Hi?" Git. As if he was going to be nice this year. James Potter had never before tried to be nice. Another Marauder prank, probably.

"You realise, you're in my compartment."

"Your compartment? Yours?"

Royally irritated (I was finally getting to the best part of the book – the drama that ensues when Tess reveals her past to Angel Clare), I snapped at Potter. "Yes, mine. It's not as if you actually want to be here. Go away."

"Here, literally or figuratively? Because I'm quite happy being here literally, but figuratively…" Potter smiled jokingly, still not recognising who I was. The book was, after all, obscuring the majority of my face.

"Oh shut it. Go away."

He had the audacity to look hurt. "What?"

"I said, go away."

"I know what you said, but why did you say it?"

"Because we hate each other, git. Go away."

"We… hate each other? You do realise that I'm James Potter…?"

I finally put the novel down. The boy was so exasperating. Raising an eyebrow, I frowned. "Oh yes.. I do. I hate you, you hate me. Now, go away, you git."

"Evans? You aren't Evans. She's… and you're… but she's… wow."

"Of course I'm Evans. I mean.. I'm Lily. Just shut up and go away."

"You're… wow." Still flabbergasted, Potter mumbled under his breath (mumbling for him is quiet speaking for most people).

"Yes, you said that. Thanks, I suppose. Now leave."

"Leave?"

"Kat will be here soon, and if I haven't murdered you by then, she surely will. Now, do you want that? No… I thought not. Now, go away, Potter"

James sighed and left the compartment, slamming the door in his wake. He'd been beaten by my (marvelous) wits. It was always like that; always the same banter, the same hatred.

Continuing down the train, James babbled to himself, "But that wasn't Lily Evans. No… that was... she was... What on Earth had happened to that girl in the last few months…? She was always… but now… huh."

"Nothing? You did nothing all holidays? Come on, Lily, even for you that's a little morose."

Kat and I were facing each other in my compartment, a selection of lollies around us. No Bertie Botts, though, I learnt my lesson second year… those things have some disgusting flavours.

I hadn't seen my best friend since I'd left King's Cross at the end of the last school year, though we'd traded many a letter by owl post. Quite possibly the most stunning girl at Hogwarts, Katherine Levinson was willowy and tanned, quite the opposite of my deathly pallor and average figure. Dark hair hung straight to her shoulders and Kat's brown eyes glinted warmly.

"Exactly, it was lovely. Relaxing, peaceful."

"And what happened to your face? And your body? Because, love, you were pretty before… but now? Wow."

"Nothing happened."

"Denial. That's a new one." My best friend was acting exactly the same as Potter. I didn't understand it – unless some hex had gone miraculously wrong outside – but I did know what she was talking about. I'd grown into my ears and the sun had dusted freckles across my nose; I was a bit less horrid looking, but nothing like they'd been suggesting.

"I'm not in denial. I didn't do anything. I sat in my room all day and read books. I occasionally went to London and hung out with Sirius. That's all, I swear."

"But… you…"

"Gosh, what is it with everyone today and how I look?!"

"Everyone? Everyone, who?"

"The git. He stumbled in here looking all depressed, so I knocked him down a peg or two. Took him a moment to figure out who I was, though. 'Wow', he gushed. Gushing? Really? What is the big deal? Nothing changed." I hated Potter. So much. And now he had to invade on my conversations with my best friend? No… even if Kat had been friends with him for an eternity.

"Love, you are not the same girl that went home in June with a stack of holiday homework and an innocent smile. You've changed. Somehow, I know you have. Plus, I know it's been three years, but I can't believe you're friends with Sirius Black… it's so bizarre. You two are complete opposites. You're a normal sheep and he's a black one."

"I haven't changed that much. The innocent smile might be gone, it never would have lasted much longer in a town full of hormonal teenage boys… but I'm still me."

"FULL OF… can I move in with you?"

"Do you want to live with Petunia and Vernon?"

"No?"

"No."

I'd had to move in with Petty, my sister, and Vernon, her fiancé, during the summer. Our parents had passed away in a car crash five months prior and it was the first time I'd had to spend time at home without them. I'd loved my parents more than anything and they were gone. Petunia had treated me like a freak, and even called me it to my face, since I was accepted to Hogwarts. Vernon just called me 'girl' and tended to ignore me as best he could. A joyous holiday in that house.

"Fine.. well, at least spill the beans. What happened between you and all these boys then?" Kat shot me a wink, grinning widely. "My little Lily finally becomes a woman. I'm so proud. Took you long enough!"

"Oh dear, no. Not like that. Maybe a little like that. I'm lying. You're right. But it wasn't a big deal. Just for fun. It was just a friendly snog."

She loved giving relationship advice, despite the fact that she openly avoided all relationships. She knew that boys only wanted her for one thing, so she let them and avoided the awkwardness of pretending to be dating the lot of them. "Friendly snogging.. Love, it never ends up as friendly. Someone is going to fall for someone and I have a feeling you're not the one who'll be hurt."

The girls jumped as the compartment door slid open. Sirius Black, friend to Lily and best friend to James Potter, sauntered in, sat down and slid an arm around Lily's shoulders.

"Do you mind, ladies?"

"Yes." "No."

"Which is it?" Bemused, the boy glanced between his two fellow Gryffindors.

Kat shook her head. "Girl talk." She and Sirius were one and the same in attitude toward the opposite sex, yet they still didn't get along all too well.

"So it is 'no'. The infamous girl talk, wouldn't want to get involved with that. Don't forget to mention me, Evans."

Sirius returned to the hallway, smirking all the while. As soon as the door was shut and the boy gone, Kat turned to me with wide eyes.

"LILY GRACE EVANS. WHAT DID YOU NEGLECT TO TELL ME?"

I shrugged. "That.. uh… it might have been Sirius during the holidays. But I stopped the snogging affair a few weeks ago. I did. I promise." It wasn't such a big deal. Just two friends who got bored, not that I'd tell Kat that.. she'd use it as another reason to hate him.

"A snogging affair? You dirty dirty girl." Kat let out a chuckle, "I never would have pegged you for it. Well done, though. Nice catch."

Lily sighed. "I suppose. We're better off friends. It was a laugh and we had fun… but it wasn't love and it never will be. For either of us."

"Sure sure. You wait, love. You wait."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"Did you hear something?"

Sirius dropped his motorcycle magazine and snatched his best friend's discarded quidditch one. "Nah."

"Sounded like a shout." James poked his head out into the carriage hallway, straining to hear the voice again.

"Probably the birds. Girl talk." Chuckling, Sirius beckoned his mate back into the compartment. "Don't worry about them, they're probably plotting your demise again."

James sighed. "Having a crazy girlfr- ex-girlfriend is one thing, but having three potentially-sane maniacs 'plotting my demise' is different. Mate, it's just wrong."

"You love them, admit it. Besides.. there's only two of them for now."

"I do not. Alright, I'll concede that they're evil plotters. And because of that, they do have some admirable traits. But the girls themselves? Utterly repulsive."

"Repulsive? You've been stalking Evans since we met her."

"You're daft, Black."

"It's the truth, Potter."

James shook his head, not wanting to admit his friend was utterly correct. He had been obsessed with Evans since he'd seen her on Platform 9 3/4 before first year. Changing the subject, he asked, "Where's the third one?"

"Bird Number Three is probably already at Hogwarts with Daddy."

"Oh, goody. Another year of nepotism from the Muggle Studies professor. I love school. Remind me why I came back this year?"

"You're my best mate."

"Oh, that. Might be reconsidering right about now."

The mates chuckled, returning to their respective magazines.

"So, let me get this straight… you… and Sirius.."

"YES. Alright? I said yes about a thousand times. Get over it. No big deal. Friendly."

"Sirius. Sirius Black?" Still gaping, Kat shook her head in consternation.

Why was it so difficult to understand? Ugh. "YES."

"Right. Fine. Friendly. Got it." She still didn't appear convinced.

"Mmm.. good."

I returned to Tess and the Durbeyfields, still contemplating Kat's earlier notion. We didn't like each other like that. No. Mates, that's all we were. Good, right, yes. That's all we wanted to be. Mm… did we?

"So what about your monstrous crush on Golden Boy?"

In that moment, I really hated my best friend.

"What about it?"

"You still like him?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Right. Got it." She usually wasn't like this, all short-sentenced and doubtful. Excitable was a more appropriate word.

"Got what?!"

"Well, love, there was a bit of hesitation. You do still love Golden Boy, don't you?"

"There is no one more perfect than Daniel Walters." It was a fact. He was the most perfect boy in the universe. Blonde and blue-eyed, tanned and athletic, Daniel would one day be mine.

"That didn't answer my question."

I protested, tucking my red hair behind my ears. "It so did! Yes, I still like Daniel. I've fancied him since we were 12. I don't think that'll change anytime soon."

"Love, you're going to hate me for saying this, but… why wouldn't it?"

"It's Daniel… I mean-"

"Yes, yes it is." We spun, facing the unexpected entrant.

Smiling manically, my cheeks flamed. "Uh, hey, Daniel. How were your holidays?"

"Good. Went to Paris, learnt some French." He was so tall... and attractive.

"Wow… Paris… Eiffel Tower… croissants." I stuttered. Kat coughed, smirking.

"Yeah, it was good."

"Cool." Cool? What was I, twelve?

Daniel smiled appreciatively. "Yeah."

"Well, you crazy kids, I'm just going to… go… meet some friends." Kat shot me a wink and ignored the protests on her way out.

"What friends?"

"Haha."

The door slammed shut.

I smiled up at the Ravenclaw prefect. "So…"

Daniel smiled sheepishly. "Well, you see, I came to ask you something."

"Really? That's so nice…" I giggled nervously, "I mean, what did you want to ask?"

"Uh, well, it was, uh, if, uh, you, uh… had done the holiday homework?"

"Daniel, You came to ask me if I've done the holiday homework? You, the top of the class?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"I did it, yes."

"Ah, good. I mean, yeah, that's good. Homework should be done. The teachers like it, I think, when we actually do work."

I rested a hand on Daniel's arm. "You alright there? You're kind of rambling…"

"Rambling? Yeah, I s'pose. Well, you see, I actually wanted to ask if you'd, uh, like to sit with me at dinner."

"Dinner?"

"Yeah." He fidgeted nervously.

"Like a date?"

"Yeah?" More nervous fidgeting.

I beamed. "Yeah."

"Yeah?"

Laughing, I grimaced. "I think we've clarified that. Yes. Yes, I'll sit with you."

Daniel lit up. "Really?"

"Oh wow, let's not do this again."

"Alright. So… I'll see you later?"

"Definitely."

As he departed the compartment, Daniel smiled at me one last time, making me break out into her own grin.

Life was wonderful sometimes.

Life sucked.

It majorly, majorly sucked.

Not only did his ex-girlfriend have to be a lying whore (he was angry, she wasn't really that much of a whore), but James was also unlucky enough to go to the same school as her. Every day, for the entire year, he would have to see Harriet. Smiling face, lying face. Flirting with boys, hugging boys, kissing boys. It was infuriating. Not that he still loved her, he couldn't. His heart was in about a thousand pieces and lay on the floor of Harriet's bedroom, the epicentre of the disaster.

"Black Sheep, why so blue?" Kat hugged him in greeting. They'd been mates forever, even if she teased him relentlessly. It wasn't really her fault, it was Evans, stuck-up priss that forced his torture. It wasn't really torture, but at that moment, sitting alone on the train, listening to his ex's demonic cackles, life sucked. Majorly.

"Kitty Kat, you haven't changed one bit."

"I have too. My hair is exactly eight inches shorter and a completely different colour. You're still an arrogant prat." Kat patted his head patronisingly.

"An arrogant prat? Hmm, maybe that's why she dumped me."

"Dumped you? Who dumped you? Not… Harriet. No."

"Yes."

"What? That little bitch."

James' amused smile almost reached his eyes. "Amen, sister."

"Wow."

"Yeah." He turned to the window, watching the sky begin to turn dark.

"This year really is going to be interesting."

"Perhaps."

Kat smiled evilly. "Oh, I hope so."

The prefects' meeting was most often the bane of my trip on the Hogwarts Express. I had to ditch my best friend. I had to sit in a room with Slytherins, including my ex-best-friend Severus Snape, all of whom mouthed off on my blood status. Just because I am a muggleborn does not make me inferior; I aimed to prove this fact when NEWTs came at the end of the year. Prejudiced gits.

However, this year, it was not the bane of my trip and existence.

This year, I was Head Girl.

Quite shockingly, when I'd received my Hogwarts letter for my seventh and final year and the badge fell out, Petty had hugged me. Possibly because she was proud, but probably because she could tell her friends that her sister had earned the best position at her 'freak school'. But that was Petunia… I was used to my older sister. Ever since I'd gotten my first Hogwarts letter at eleven years old, Petty had been jealous, and from jealousy came spite. I didn't like to rehash the past in most instances, particularly ones concerning Petunia.

And yet, I did not know who had been selected as Head Boy. I'd secretly hoped it'd be Daniel, but he didn't have the pin on, so I'd quickly supposed that it wasn't him. Remus Lupin, my fellow Gryffindor, was an obvious choice, he was studious and popular, but Sirius hadn't mentioned anything over the summer holidays… in fact, he'd properly avoided the subject, spouting random quidditch facts whenever it came up.

By the time I'd changed into my school robes, pulled out the schedule for rounds and examined the quality of my nail polish, the room had filled with prefects old and new. Remus, Daniel and Severus were all there, sans Head Boy badge. My fellow Gryffindor kept glancing at the door, as if he was nervous.

Just as I was about to call the meeting to order, wherever the Head Boy may have been, the door slammed open, revealing a slightly disheveled James Potter.

And he was sporting the badge.