Chapter One: The Train
Crowds of students and their families surrounded Lily's view of the scarlet steam engine. There was a thrilling feeling in the air—of hope in what the new year would bring, and joy in reunion with friends missed over the summer holidays. Lily Evans closed her deep, emerald eyes and took in the sounds and smells of the magical world to which she belonged. How she had missed it.
"Lily!"
Her eyes snapped open as the enormous magical clock over the station chimed quarter to eleven.
"Lily! Hurry!" It her was her mother calling her urges through the crowd. "The train is leaving soon!"
Lily pushed back her long, fiery red hair that stuck out sharply against the black of her school robes. She fingered her shiny, new Head Girl badge and took a deep sigh. This year was going to be difficult.
With a great heave, she attempted to pick up her enormous trunk with her delicate arms. Blast, why did I have to pack so many books? she thought to herself, as sweat appeared on her pale forehead and dripped down her lightly freckled nose.
"Here! Let me help!"
Suddenly tanned, very toned arms were gripping the sides of her trunk and lifting it off the ground. The intruder stood tall, he had more than a few inches on her petite five foot two frame. His arms and chest bulged in his Muggle t-shirt, and his mouth was dipped in a cocky grin. His hazel eyes sparkled as he messed up his hair with his free hand.
James Potter.
"Alright, Evans?" He grinned, with a wink that would melt the hearts of weaker girls. Thankfully, she told herself, she had an iron clad resolution.
"Oh, Potter, no. Seriously, I can do that perfectly fine on my own," she grumbled, attempting to tug her trunk back out of his grip.
"Seriously Evans, if you had to drag this trunk all by yourself it would take you so long you would miss the train. And we know what a tragedy that would be. Why, without a Head Girl, what would Hogwarts do?" He grinned cheekily down at her.
"Oh God, I cannot even imagine the horror your Marauder's clan would concoct without a Head Girl to keep you in check. You lot would blow up half the castle without me," Lily said, pushing back her hair that had plastered itself to her sweaty face.
"Lily, flower, you flatter yourself," he said, beginning to drag the trunk alongside them toward the train. "We can manage perfectly fine on our own." He attempted to grab Lily's hand as they walked, but Lily, ready for this, swatted it away. "I mean we made it six years without getting kicked out of the castle, have a little faith that we could finish the last one."
"You know I do believe that fact is entirely because of our dear friend, Remus. He's the only one with any sense. Thank god he's Head Boy now, then he can really knock—"
"Moony's not Head Boy," James cut across her. "I am." And he pointed to the badge on his chest with the initials 'HB'.
"Whaaaat?" Lily screeched, causing several frightened first years to cower in fear. "What the bloody heck is Dumbledore thinking?"
"Hey now!" James said defensively. "That hurts, Lily-kins! I am perfectly capable—"
"You're perfectly capable of being the most conceited, trouble-making git who's ever been in Gryffindor! You're not even a prefect! Ugh!"
And with this little rant, she stalked off, leaving a faint hint of flower perfume and a very bewildered James behind her.
Lily straightened her blouse, and set off for the train in a huff. James Potter. Always getting under my skin.
She swung herself as daintily as she could onto the deck, glancing behind her to wave at her mother, assuring her she made it on time. She whipped around to walk deeper onto the train and Wham! A tall, slender, beautiful blonde girl crashed into her, sending both girls to the floor.
"Ooof!" exclaimed the girl, rubbing her white-golden head where it collided with the wall. "I'm so sorry, Lily!" she apologized again and again, as she helped Lily to her feet. "I didn't see you coming."
"Daisy!" Lily squealed, squeezing her best friend and lifting her off her feet. "Let me look at you! Oh, it has been too long!"
Lily stepped back to gaze at Daisy Meadows, a fellow Gryffindor Seventh year.
She thin and curvy, with an elegant grace about her. Her long, long, wavy blonde hair was braided in a small circlet around her head, and embroidered throughout with small wildflowers. Daisy loved Herbology, and it was her greatest desire to be a Healer.
She was still dressed in Muggle clothing, wearing fitted jeans and white frilly tank-top. She beamed down at Lily, emitting a faint white glow. "Oh, dearest friend, how I have missed you! But where is your trunk?"
"Ugh," Lily sighed. "Long story. Potter—"
"Did someone mention my Jamesie-poo?" Sirius Black bounded toward the two girls, swooping back his mane of dark hair. His chocolate brown eyes sparkled with glee. "Oh lookie! What do we have here?" he barked, catching sight of the two girls. "If it isn't two of the lovely Flower Power sisters!" He engulfed them in a sweaty bear hug, much to their disproval. "Where, may I ask, is your delicious third amiga?"
"Black…ger'off!" Lily moaned, as his arms threatened to crush her ribs.
"Hey, hey, Padfoot! Hands off my Lily-flower." James appeared on the scene, leaning casually against Lily's trunk.
"PRONGSIE!" Sirius shouted with glee, right in Lily's ear. "Down dog!" she commanded, and he obeyed, swooping up James in his own manly hug.
"Pads, I just saw you about ten minutes ago," James said, laughing, trying to beat back the advances of his best friend. "Go find Remus and Peter."
"Whoo-hoo-hoo! Will do, mate!" And with a streak of flying black hair, Sirius was gone.
"Woah, cool trick," came a cool voice from the end of the hallway. "If only I knew how to get rid of Sirius that quickly. That is truly an art-form James."
"Why Rose, my dear cousin," said James, walking over a giving her a hug. "It's getting Sirius to sit still that is truly the art form."
"Rosie!" squealed Lily and Daisy together, sprinting forward to hug their best friend. "You cut your hair!"
"Yes I did," Rose laughed, touching her short, spiky raven hair. "I couldn't stand it long. It was driving me mad."
Roseanne Diggory was by far the darkest of the three girls, with killer curves and long eyelashes. She never sought beauty or admirers, yet she got plenty of them. She was full of sarcastic remarks, always seemed to find herself in the midst of trouble, and was James's only challenger on the quidditch field. Despite the many enemies she made on and off the pitch, no one in Hogwarts could deny: she was heartbreakingly beautiful.
Suddenly, a dark hairy arm snaked itself around Rose's bare shoulders.
"I smell roses in the air," whispered Sirius is Rose's ear, at what he believed to be a seductive voice. "May I say you are looking absolutely ravishing darling." Sirius's eyes wandered down to Rose's halter top over a jean skirt.
Rose swatted him on the nose. "Bad dog!" Sirius whimpered.
"Tough luck, mate," James grinned as he clapped his hands together and looked around at his friends. "Shall we find a compartment then?"
"You and I, James," Lily said, her hands on her hips. "Have to go the prefects carriage, where I'm assuming Remus already is."
"Oooh, right," said Sirius, looking thoughtful, which was quite a rare moment. "That'd be why I couldn't find him. Peter either. Wonder where he scurried off to. That rat."
"You can't have looked very hard," giggled Daisy. "You were only gone about a minute."
"That's right!" exclaimed Sirius, snapping his fingers together. "Because I was distracted by the divine appearance of the Lady Rose." He bowed to her.
"Ugh," sniffed Rose, pushing Lily in between her and the drooling Sirius. "Keep away from me!"
"What?" pouted Sirius. "How do you always resist my devilishly good looks?"
As Rose reached dangerously for her wand, to prevent Sirius's bloodshed James put in: "Lily, shall we go then?"
"Yes," she said, turning to her two friends. "Go find a carriage without me." As she began walking away with James she called back "and save me a chocolate cauldron!"
"Oh don't worry, Lily-flower," said Sirius, putting his arms around the two girls. "I think we'll manage just fine without you."
"Sirius," James warned, but a hint of smirk appeared on his face. "Mind yourself."
"Will do," said Sirius weakly, his eyes watering. Rose had elbowed him hard in the ribs.
At the end of the meeting, Lily called out "That's it everyone", and the carriage broke out into excited chatter. Whew, Lily thought. One day down. I can do this.
"Good job, Head Girl," said a deep voice in her ear.
Lily jumped a little, and goose bumps appeared on the back of her neck. "What the heck, Potter? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She looked up into a pair of deep hazel eyes.
What is he playing at standing so close to me? Lily thought. Does he think he smells good and then at one whiff I'm going to swoon in his arms? Ha. What a conceited prick. He probably smells like sweat. Eew. Boys are so gross. Well, ok, he doesn't smell like quidditch. He actually doesn't smell half bad, kind of a mixture of…
"Lily?" James asked, his face appearing level with hers. "Are you ok?" He was looking concernedly down at her. You know, for a girl so smart, she is such a space head, James thought.
"W-What?" Lily stammered, fumbling with the stack of prefect schedules in her hand, and tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm fine, Potter. Why wouldn't I be fine?" She snapped her bag closed behind the papers. "Let's go find the others."
"Hey Lily, can I talk to you about my rounds schedule?" It was Remus, looking tired and worn as usual, but with a healthy glow on his handsome face due to the summer sun.
"Oh, Rem, did I do it wrong? I tried so hard to work around, you know," she looked around to make sure no one was listening. "You're specific schedule."
"That part's fine," and he smiled his thanks at the redhead. "It's just… I hardly ever have duty at all. The rest of the prefects have almost twice as many hours."
"Oh," Lily said, fiddling with her bag again. "Well, I'm sure it's just a fluke, it probably just appears that way."
"Lily," Remus said, putting a hand on her shoulder and looking her full in the face. "I am perfectly able to complete my prefect duties. You didn't have to cut my hours down."
Lily's eyes shifted around the room guiltily, flicking past James's face, who was surprisingly not looking at her, and finally resting on Remus's determined one.
"Remmy," she began. "I'm sorry. It's just you work so hard on your studies, and prefect duties, and keep those hooligans that you call friends out of trouble…" James smirked at this. "And so few could handle what fate puts you through once a month. I just wanted to make life easier for you.." Lily looked searchingly into the face she knew so well. "Please don't be mad."
Remus looked at the floor for a moment, his sandy blonde hair falling over his pale blue eyes. Then he looked up at Lily, who looked miserable.
Oh, I'm so stupid. How could I hurt Remus like this? He's the most honorable guy and the truest of friends, and now I've embarrassed him. Good going, Lily.
Remus sighed deeply, then wrapped his friend in a hug. "Thank you, Lily," he said pulling away. "You truly have a warm heart."
Lily smiled at him, glad her actions had done no permanent damage. Behind them, a loud gurgling noise filled the compartment. Remus and Lily turned to see James, clutching his stomach, a look of pain on his face.
"God, I'm so hungry," he whined. "Can we please go find the others now?"
Lily laughed, and swung her bag over her shoulder.
She has the most beautiful laugh, James thought, as he watched her loop arms with Remus and exit the compartment. Like an orchestra of fairies…No, of bells chiming their good news to all of the world...That's it.
The train ride to Hogwarts and back is always chaotic. Lily, Daisy, and Rose gabbed about the summers, and their hopes for the school year; Remus attempted to read while Sirius tried to arm wrestle him, glancing furtively over at Rose to see if she was watching; James played with his snitch, letting it fly around the compartment, and making several spectacular catches, coincidentally right under Lily's nose; and Peter stared at the others with his mouth slightly hanging open, in awe of the entire scene.
About halfway through the journey, Sirius announced that they were all going to begin a game of Exploding Snap, and the winner had to kiss the loser. They all agreed, except to the last part, which earned Sirius a kick to the shins from Rose.
As the sun began to set, their tummies and hearts full, they all gazed out the window in peaceful silence, watching the red-bathed countryside disappear behind them.
"What do you think this year is going to be like?" Lily mused, resting her head on Daisy's shoulder.
"The best prank year ever!" yelled Sirius, throwing his fist into the air.
"Oh, I can't wait to begin Herbology," Daisy said dreamily. "And my internship with Madam Pomfrey."
"Your internship?" Remus asked, sitting up straighter and looking over at the blonde beauty. "What are you going to be doing?"
"Well," said Daisy, in her slow, careful way of talking, as if she put careful consideration into each word. "Whenever I have free classes, and one night a week, I'm going to be helping her with patients. I want to be a Healer, after all. It will be great practice."
"Yes," Remus smiled. "I knew you aspired to be a Healer. I wouldn't expect anything less from someone as self-sacrificing and gifted as you."
Daisy blushed, dipping her head into her chest, but her smile glowed all the same. "You're very sweet, Remus."
"That's my ickle-Moony!" said Sirius, clapping a hand on Remus's shoulder. "Always the gentleman."
"Ow, Padfoot," said Remus, rubbing his shoulder where Sirius had slapped him. "How much dog food did you eat this summer? You're enormous."
"I do not eat dog food!" said Sirius, pouting at Remus. "Just because…"
"Oh hey! I think I see Hogsmeade Station," said James, cutting across Sirius and giving him a warning look
"Oh," said Sirius. "My bad."
Daisy looked around at the boys, confused, but Rose cut in. "Don't mind these idiots, Daisy dear, they sometimes forget they're not animals but actually human."
Sirius stuck his tongue out at Rose, who whipped out her wand. "Want me to cut it off, Black?" she threatened.
As Sirius whimpered, Lily cried "I see it, too! We're here!"
To my readers: Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please review. I greatly appreciate it.