Chapter 1: Ticket To Ride

She must have been a fallen angel, because she had left a serious dent on his head. She, being the lovely Lily. Lily Marie Evans, James Potter's love, who sadly did not return the feelings. This year was going to be different though, James was sure of that. He had matured over the summer, and grown several inches, making him now stand at just over 6 feet. Obviously Professor Dumbledore agreed with James, about the maturing part anyway, and that was why he was sitting on this compartment of the train. Silver badge gleaming proudly upon his new black robes.

James Potter was sitting in the Head's compartment, waiting for his Head Girl to arrive. James was sure it would be Lily. She was top in their year at almost everything, apart from Transfiguration, as James had that particular title, and such a kind and caring person, you couldn't help but like her, and she liked everyone back. Well, everyone except, to his own dismay, James and his best friend Sirius Black. Calling Sirius James' best friend was a serious understatement, no pun intended. The two were brothers in all but blood, and Sirius now lived with James in his family home in Somerset. They had met at age eleven on board this very train, the gleaming scarlet Hogwarts Express. Of course, Sirius was not with James now, as the compartment was only for the Heads of School, and Sirius was anything but Head Boy material. As a matter of fact, neither was James, and it appeared that a certain someone else had noticed this too.

"YOU!" the shout came from the carriage door way, and James' head shot up to see the gleaming emerald eyes and fiery red hair of Lily Evans, "What are you doing here? This is the head's compartment! Where's Remus?"

"Why would Remus be here, Evans?" replied James, matter-of-factly, "After all, he isn't Head Boy."

"What? Who is then? It can't be that Boot chap in Ravenclaw can it.. Unless…" then realisation dawned upon her angelic face, "No! You…no… What kind of old nutter would make you Head Boy?"

"Apparently the same kind that made you Head Girl," replied James smugly. Lily shot daggers at him.

"So," she began, as if trying to convince herself that she was not infact dreaming, "You are the Hogwarts Head Boy, and I'm Head Girl, which means we're going to have to work together on things… you've ruined everything, Potter!"

Her words stung James worse than a Bat-Bogey Hex. He had been in love with Lily since their third year, she had become a task for him, almost an obsession for him. She was the one girl he could never get, James Potter, the boy with care-free good looks, and incredible talent for Quidditch and Lessons. She was the one who always said 'No.' The only one who never gushed, and hung on his every word. She was the only one who hated his guts before she'd given him a chance. James sighed, ruffled up his hair, and sunk into a chair behind him, allowing his Lily-Flower to rant.

"See!" she continued furiously, "That's exactly your problem! Ruffling up your hair, and lazing in a chair! You think because you're attractive and good at Quidditch that you don't have to work, that you can let the house elves do all the work, while King James of Gryffindor sits back on is lazy ass!"

James chuckled at her, and she looked at him questioningly, "What do you want, oh Mighty King?"

"I was just going to say that you think I'm 'attractive' and 'Good at Quidditch'. You've never given me a compliment before now, Evans."

Lily blushed furiously, and continued her rant, allowing James to zone out and stare at her beautiful face. Her skin was pale, like polished sand-stone, and covered in tiny brown freckles, each one like a perfectly painted tattoo, framing her face. Her face could have been carved by a Goblin Sculptor, like a Greek Goddess, she had a small nose and high cheek-bones. Her red hair hung in loose curls around her thin face, like a lions mane. It was long and had so many shades in it, James felt as though he could get lost trying to name them, it looked silkily smooth, and he longed to stroke it, feel it against his face. Her hair, however, was nothing compared to her eyes. When ever she looked at him his heart skipped a beat, they were so green, like two perfectly cut emeralds of the finest quality. Each like a deep green ocean, which James could loose himself in, like a drunken sailor. They flashed when she was happy, or angry, and when they were sad, they looked like grassy hills after a heavy rain.

Lily had noticed James was staring at her, and blushed even more furiously, "Potter, if you keep staring, I'm going to start charging."

"Hey!" James said indignantly, "You would never lower yourself to that, Evans! Anyway, its not my fault that you're so beautiful. I just want to bask in your glory."

"Ugh," she gave him a disapproving glance, but he could see laughter in her ever changing eyes.

"The prefects'll be arriving soon," said James, casually, "We need to brief them."

"Look at you, Mr. Responsible," said Lily wryly, and James grinned proudly.

There was a knock at the door, and eight fifth years appeared in the doorway, looking most nervous. James recognised a Slytherin, Cid McKlayn, who had once tried to curse him, and ended up in the hospital wing for a week, (Sirius' fault, not his.)

Lily put on her friendliest smile, and looked at each of their faces, "Hello everybody! I'm Lily Evans, your Head Girl, and this is James Potter," she spoke the words with utmost dislike, "Your Head Boy. You must be the Prefects, I've been asked to brief you about…"

James zoned out once more, and watched her speak, each of her words sounding like a song in his head. Lily was an amazing singer too, she had sung once at the Hogwarts annual concert. James had felt like angels were touching his heart with every pure note she sang. God, he loved her so much, and she thought it was just because she didn't like him back. She was so wrong, that just made it all the worse.

The country side was racing past now, and James could tell that they were somewhere in Scotland, as the track was surrounded by heather. However James wasn't focussing on what was outside the train, as it was what was inside the train that interested him. Lily was sitting in the seat opposite him, reading a novel, Pride and Prejudice. Her face was screwed up into a cute little ball, as it always did when she concentrated, and there was a little line in between her sculpted brows.

"I'm going to patrol the corridors for a bit," he announced, and she nodded, and pointed to the door. James got up and walked across the compartment, took one last look at Lily, ruffled up his hair, and slid the door closed.

James wandered idly down the train corridor, not noticing the extreme use of Filibuster Fireworks going on around him, his mind still firmly on the compartment which he had just left. He suddenly heard a familiar barking laugh, and his head shot up, recognising it to be his best friends. He looked around, and saw Sirius, Remus, and Peter sitting in a compartment with two girls. One had dark black hair, which was incredibly messy like James', the other had a chocolately brown colour. They were Alice Prince and Marlene McKinnon, Lily's best friends. James' heart jumped for joy at the sight of his friends mixing with Lily's, and only hoped Sirius didn't get involved with any of them, and that Remus did.

Sirius was a notorious Lady's Man, to put it nicely, or as James called him, the ultimate Player. Sirius had probably dated almost every girl in their year (apart from Slytherins) except for Lily, Marlene and Alice. Alice had a long-term boyfriend, Frank Longbottom, who had left Hogwarts last year. James wondered how the two would cope, as they had been practically inseparable, and were now engaged. That left Marlene, who was far too feisty, like Lily, for Sirius to dare approach her.

"Sirius!" James called out, and slid open their compartment door, "I haven't seen you in like, 3 hours!"

"James, my love!" Sirius said in mock theatrics, "I have missed you like a sheep misses hay, craved you like Flower craves water, I…."

"Ugh! Sorry Padfoot, but you know I don't swing that way!" replied James, pushing his friend off him, and grinning mischievously.

James was suddenly distracted by a shriek of excitement coming from Marlene, "Oh My God! James, you are not Head Boy! What on earth did Lils say?"

James grinned even wider, "She ranted for half an hour while I basked in her beauty."

"I see nothings changed over the summer then," said Alice slyly, she had a wicked temper, and was very blunt most of the time.

"Only that I'm far hotter than ever," replied James, "You know you want me instead of Frank, Alice my love!"

He bent down to kiss her, and she pushed him away, "James, seriously, save the lovey-dovey stuff for Lily." she said.

"I would, but in case you've forgotten, she hates me," said James sadly.

It was James' friend Remus who spoke this time, "Prongs, Lily doesn't hate you, she just doesn't realise she loves you," he said wisely.

"And that is where our plan for the year comes in," said Alice, grinning at the boys.

What do you think? it will get better, i just needed an introduction chapter, and i know its not very origional, but its hard to make a L/J fic. that... please reveiw!!!!! xx