This is for Soul93, who helped me, bothered to talk to me while I was partially bored, and agreed to co-write a story called Off Limits with me once I've got this story under control. So, in reviews, you might want to thank her for actually getting me to write! I do not own Harry Potter! ='(

I Solemnly Swear

By: M4

Chapter One: Marauder's Honour

PROMISE is just a word. No deeper meaning. So don't depend on promises, because it's better to be surprised than to be disappointed-Unknown

Promise: A declaration, or assurance that one will do a particular thing, or a particular thing will happen. Translation: 'I can assure you that I'll do this/this will happen, count on it.' And what was bound to happen? The person who promised, might not have been able to fulfil their promise, or what they said would happen, didn't. And you were left there. Just waiting and waiting for something that wouldn't come. This leads to disappointment. And no one could afford to be moping, or sulking during this time because You-Know-Who was rising more and more, and behind those stone castle walls, there lay a battlefield that they might have to fight on soon. You can't make a promise without trust. You can't have friendship without trust. You need trust especially when it was the 1970s, because chaos and havoc was rising. You didn't know who was your friend and who was your enemy. You didn't know the difference between making a promise, and keeping it. You didn't know that that battle, outside the safety of the school, was going to be yours someday.

Innocence is brilliant. Honestly, it is. It's pure bliss and once it's gone, you wish you could go back to that time when you were innocent. When you didn't do anything wrong, never made trouble, never even spent a Knut too many. Innocence, unfortunately, at that time, was very short.

The messy haired boy stared at the redhead, as she ran away. He heard laughter to his left and right, and then he heard his best friend chuckle, while tormenting the same old bloke who probably didn't deserve it. He always knew this, but he had never listened. Until now.

Knowing exactly what spell he had used, James Potter performed the counter curse, and the boy fell to the ground, in a lump of black robes. James looked over at his friend, and shook his head. He could still see her fadding silhouette.

Don't move. Don't move. He warned himself, though his brain and his feet didn't seem to agree. This will only lead to trouble. She'll hate your guts even more, don't move. And, since he never really did listen to himself, he ran as fast as he could across the grass, after the girl, who hadn't looked back.

How she could do this, was a wonder. But he wasn't giving up. He was going to find her, and he was going to comfort her, and he was going to apologise. He knew he owed her that at least. After all those years of constant annoying her, and all those times she called him a prat, she had been right. He had better tell her that.

'EVANS!'

The girl didn't turn around, her long red hair fell down in locks around her shoulders. She didn't want to have him, near her. Especially not now. He'd just make fun. She ran faster, up the stairs, and towards the last tower. There wer four, one for Professor Trelawney, one for Dumbledore, one for the Gryffindors, and one which she supposed was abandoned.

'Evans!' He yelled, his voice becoming hoarse. Where could she be? Wait, she couldn't possibly be dump enough to go to- He heard a scream, and it confirmed his thoughts.

Running faster, he quickly opened the tower door, to see Lily Evans, standing petrified, looking at the shaking wardrobe. The Boggart inside jumped around, causing her to scream louder. 'Okay, step back.' James instructed, and he unlocked the door.

'What are you doing Potter? Letting that thing out, and how on earth did you know I was here? And, why do you have a Boggart? And-'

'Be quiet,' James snapped, steadying his posture, and staring up at the Boggart. There was a large, coffin. James took a deep breath, and stepped forward, looking inside. With a biting of his lip, he closed his eyes, and said; 'Ridikulus.' Then, he laughed at what he saw, and the Boggart exploded.

'Are you okay?' James asked, turning to Lily, who was trembling. 'Look, give me say five minutes, and I'll explain-'

'I don't want an explanation, I want to be left alone, so if you would for once in your life, listen to me, when I say this; leave me alone.' Lily said, her emerald eyes reflected in James' glasses, and he could see little droplets of water.

'Evans, haven't you met me? I never, do what I'm supposed to.' He smirked, but when he saw her tears threatening to fall, he spoke, 'And, I won't leave, because I understand.'

'What?' Lily asked, looking up at him, as he looked down at her, twiddling with his wand, and then she muttered; 'How could you possibly understand, your life's perfect.'

'No, that's where you're wrong, dear Lily,' Lily was shocked for a second that he had used her first name, but he continued talking. 'I bet you're thinking about Sna- Severus, and how, you don't want to believe he's changed. You want to believe he'll make the right choice in the end, and snap out of it. In your head, you're still thinking of him as Sev, that boy who introduced you to this world, who was your friend, and cared about you, and did everything with you.

'I'm sure he still cares about you. I guarantee it. But, he's not that Sev anymore. He's grown up, and he's a Slytherin, who called you a ... Who insulted you. He took an interest in the Dark Arts, I noticed, during third year. He seems to be sinking to my level, and even lower, if possible. I think you want to be his friend, but not this, side of him. You wish he was still that Sev.

'Lily, look at me when I say this; Severus Snape, has grown up. He's not who he was anymore, and if he called you and the rest of the people from your blood-line what he did to you, he never deserved you as a friend in the first place.'

Lily stared at him. It was like he had read her mind. That was what she was thinking. How could he possibly know? 'But, I've seen you, you've never had a friendship like mine and his, how can you relate?'

'Well, I can because of family stuff, and what others have gone through. I mean, Sirius is worrying more and more about Reg, and well, Reg is like you and Severus, but closer. And, I guess just that feeling where you know that no matter what you do, their opinion, or choices, won't change, how you know, you just don't want to face it. I've had that often.'

'You know, you're not that bad ... ' Lily said slowly. 'If you could just stop chasing me, and trying to get me to like you, and stop asking me out, and just, stop pretending you love me, maybe we could be friends?'

James stared at her. All he ever wanted was that one chance to be with her, and not have her yell how immature he was, or how he never could act his own age. Just once, he wanted that feeling of joy with her and know she felt it too ... but not love her?

Stop pretending ... he wasn't even sure if he had been in the first place! But, he guessed he could try. Love for friendship. Just don't think about her as beautiful, don't be hypnotised by her eyes, don't try and flirt, don't go crazy ... Sure, he could do that. Just don't fall in love with her, you're good ... 'I solemnly swear. Marauder's honour, that I, James Charlus Potter, will not love, pursue, or have any romantic feelings, towards Lily Marie Evans.'

Great, what had he just done? Don't fall for her, and she won't break your heart. Again. 'Great, just one thing,' James raised an eyebrow, 'How do you know my middle name?' And she laughed.

A beautiful, contagious laugh. Well great, this just got a thousand times harder.

Sirius Black stood frozen, and stared at where his best mate had just been standing. Did he just get ditched ... for a girl? 'Moony, you're the smart one. What just happened?'

'Uh, James has grown up? A little, at least.' The light brown haired boy said, looking up from his book, finally. 'I'm not a miracle worker. Anyway, it's about time you grow up Sirius. Because of Snape's immaturity of not respecting Lily, that broke their friendship.'

'Lies!' Sirius said, 'It was because of stupid Dark Arts, and immaturity, because obviously, you'd have to be a complete baby to go to Voldemort! Peter,' Sirius turned towards a watery eyed boy who sat underneath the oak tree, looking petrified, 'I need you to promise me something. Look, stupidity, and Dark Arts, and a lot of wanting of power broke Evans and Snivellus relationship of sorts, and I need you to make a stupid promise.

'I don't want what happened to them, to happen to us, and seeing as we are all stupid, I must say you're the most untrustworthy, no offense. So, I want to know, if you'd tell me this: Voldemort is rising, and he's got recruits, unfortunately, that includes all my family, minus me, promise me, that when the time comes, when Voldemort is at his highest, and when he wants to send all of us to hell for some reason, I mean, what did we ever do to him? You'll stand by us, and fight with us, against him.'

Peter Pettigrew looked at his friend. That was the longest amount of time he had spoken about something and kept the same train of thought. Which, was pretty sad. 'Uh ... I solemnly swear.' Though, this was a lie. The first of many lies.

Sirius lit up like a Christmas tree, smiling, as Remus Lupin, the other fifth year Gryffindor Prefect, noticed out of the corner of his eye, a small boy, probably a second year, getting closer into the hitting range of the Whomping Willow. With a horrific cry, the boy was hit in the gut, and went falling into the muddy grass.

'Sirius, did you see that?' Remus asked. 'That boy just got hit by the Whomping Willow. Sirius, in this war, people are going to get hurt, and much more hurt than a stupid tree. I heard Voldemort is recruiting other types of beasts, like giants, and trolls. What if he tries to get werewolves and vampires next? Sirius, I can't fight this war without accidentally hurting you guys!'

'So, you're not going to fight?' Remus shook his head. 'So you are going to fight?' Remus shook his head. 'So, are you in or out because now I'm really confused.'

'I'm out Sirius! I can't hurt people!' Remus shouted, then regaining control, he took a deep breath. I've got to promise myself this. I just can't see everyone get hurt.'

'Fine,' Sirius said in a huff, letting his back hit against the back of the oak tree. His mind was racing. Remus was so kind all the time. What could he do that was kind? That could help others so he could be selfless like him?

Sirius snapped his fingers. What if, he promised himself not to love? This way, he couldn't get too attached to anyone but the Marauders, and therefore, Voldemort would have no one but his friends to hunt down, since he knew they could take care of themselves, he didn't worry. So, there it was.

I solemnly swear I will not love anyone other than the Marauders.

So, four promises. One not to join the dark side, one not to fight, one to not love, and one not to fall for her. So, can they keep them?