Hello fellow fan fiction addicts! Thank you for choosing my story, and I hope you all enjoy it. This is a Lily/James, but hopefully it'll be different then others that you've read. I'd do a short description here, but hey what's the fun in that? Enjoy, and if you have comments please let me know. I love feedback, whether positive or negative (not that I'm begging, but I would love to hear what you think, especially as it just starts out. I know where I want it to go, and we all know where it's eventually going to go, but it's always fun to get input).
For my Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it's not mine, but it's probably JK Rowling's or I got inspiration from somewhere. I am putting my own spin on things, however.
The World Isn't Really Perfect:
The Beginning of the End
Last Week of School: Hogwarts, 1975 4th Year
"That's it, James Potter. You just think you're so smart, don't you?"
The common room came to a hush as Lily Evans interrupted the chess game he had been playing with his mates. They should have become used to the arguments between the two this past year, but every one of them was different.
James looked up at her as if he had no idea what she was talking about. "Well, I do think I'll get high marks on my exams." He smirked at her. That smirk that Lily had so often been able to laugh at. Only it wasn't funny now. "How did you do?"
"You know very well how I did." Lily spat out. "I could fail my potions exam. We're preparing for our O.W.L.s!"
He grimaced. "That bad, eh? Probably should have studied."
A few people chortled who were listening and it seemed that Lily finally realized that there were other people around.
"James, maybe we should talk about this outside?"
"Really? I don't see why. I offered to help you study, and you said you had things under control. Obviously, I was wrong." He wouldn't get that stupid smirk off his face.
"Fine. Just add to my embarrassment. I don't give a damn." She was quiet for a minute, and everyone was on edge as they could see something building inside of her. Turning to walk up the stairs to her dormitory she swept around and looked him in the eyes again. He stood there looking completely nonchalant. He was slouching somewhat and had his hands in his pockets with his tie loosened and the top few buttons undone. "You ruined my potion! On purpose no less. During an exam! And you don't even care that because of you, I'll never be a prefect, let alone Head Girl. I may even have to take the class again, James. How sad would that be? A fifth year who is supposedly a whiz, taking fourth year classes? And in front of Slytherins! What is wrong with you?"
"Wrong with me?" James asked incredulously. "You're blaming failing Potions on me?"
"Stop acting like you didn't do anything. I saw you do it. Everyone but the professor saw you do it. But of course, you're James Potter, so who would say anything about it?"
Looking at her in what she knew was his innocent look, he said, "I don't like you accusing me like this, Lily. After all, we're friends."
"Friends? Friends!" That was just too much. "We may have been friends for a while James, but you bailed out on me somewhere in the middle of the term."
Some people started to leave, realizing that this was going to be a somewhat personal conversation, but there were those who just wanted to stay to see what really happened. Everyone wanted to be able to talk about it on the train ride home, especially those who could say they had been there when it happened.
Lily continued her rant. "You changed into some egotistical fanatic. Friends? No, we haven't been friends for a while."
James' eyes changed for a moment, going softened, but they hardened so quickly that she wasn't even sure if she'd really seen it. "Oh come on, Lil. You know it was a joke."
"Everything seems to be a joke to you lately." She said in a softly. "But I won't be your joke James. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of…of not being one of you. Not one of the mauraders." She looked over at all of them and Remus wouldn't hold her eye, Sirius moved closer to James, and she didn't think Peter had looked up for any of it. Getting even quieter and stated, "And what I'm really sick of, is you."
Lily then turned and walked up to her dorm room. She didn't even hurry. Walked away as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn't just told James Potter that they weren't friends anymore, as if the look on her best friends' faces didn't look shocked and hurt. And they just sat there.
Train to Hogwarts, September 1st 1975 (Lily's Point of View) 5th Year
Lily was sitting on the train with a few of her mates from school before heading off to the Prefects compartment. This was supposed to be the start of a great year and she had somehow managed to make a Prefect even though James had bludged her potions grade. The situation had been ramified by James a good score and her failing the exam. Thank heavens she'd done extra work and Slughorn liked her. She would have felt bad about it, but she was trying hard not to think of him at all. He hadn't written her once, not once, since they had argued in June. Everyone else had written, some more than others, but even Sirius and Remus had. Sirius, because he had moved out of his house and into James', and Remus because that's just the way they were. Her friend Jess looked over at her and sighed.
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" She asked. Everyone's attention turned to her, but luckily it was only Lily, Jess, and Kristen. The boys hadn't arrived yet.
"No." Lily said, unconvincingly.
"He was busy over the summer, what with Sirus moving in and all the…different…things one does…during the holiday." Kristen added, helpful as usual.
"Did he write you?" Lily asked them.
They were both quiet and then murmured, "Well I got one or two letters…."
"It's not a big deal." She said, trying to convince herself as well. "It's not like we were that close anyway."
"Lil, he was your other half." Jess put in.
Lily glared at her. "Well I obviously wasn't his."
Jess looked hurt, but Lily didn't know what to do. Last year had been torture for her. Ever since coming to Hogwarts, her and James had just fit. It had been just her and James, then he'd become so close to Sirius Black. At first that had been awkward, not because Lily didn't like Sirius, he just didn't like her. She figured it had something to do with being raised in such a "pro pureblood" environment, but then they started to bond as well. Eventually it was the three of them, and then Remus joined, just because. She couldn't really remember a specific reason, it didn't even matter. Remus had just been a part of them. Soon Peter was there as well and they were a group.
Then in second year, Jess and Kristen had joined and it was a blast. It stayed that way for a while, and things were great. Only something changed in the end of their third year. Maybe it was just her, but there were more blatant secrets. Everyone had always kept a few, the girls didn't want Sirius to know they liked him, and James, and almost anyone. And she was sure that the guys had stuff they never told her, even James, although she basically had told him everything. But suddenly it was as if she was in the way more than usual. During the summer, she would get letters from Remus telling her how much fun they were having, and how she had missed out by not coming, but she had never been invited. She just wasn't part of their group anymore, it seemed.
Fourth year started, and Lily had hoped that everything would be better. Seeing each other everyday, taking classes together, all of that. But it only got worse. The summer had been awkward and it was as if James knew she felt that way, but didn't try to fix anything. It just got worse, and soon she was the brunt of jokes as much as the people he hated, like Severus Snape. Everyone would be together, but James would treat her as if she wasn't even there. As if he was purposefully trying to push her away and every time she would try to get close enough to talk to him, he'd have to leave for something more important. It didn't help that other girls had started to notice him. Girls who thought he was great because, well he was. Only they didn't even know him. All they knew was the James who was great at Quidditch, fooled around in classes, and was attractive. He had changed then. Soon it was as if everything was all about him, the great James Potter. She seemed to be the only one in the group who was sickened by it. Yeah, he had changed, or she had changed, but either way it was better that it was over. At least she wasn't going into this year with the same expectations.
Suddenly the compartment door opened and James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter walked in. Lily smiled, but avoided eye contact with James. They had all changed. They seemed taller. Sirius' dark hair was shorter than when he had left school last year, so the summer had obviously been good since he hadn't let it grow past being manageable. He looked good, more at peace with himself, with life. Peter was only a little taller, but he seemed a bit tanned. It looked like a summer in Spain had done him well. All the boys seemed a bit more toned. James probably from quidditch practice, the others from who knew what. As she looked them over, she noticed Remus wearing a prefect badge and jumped up to hug him.
"You git!" She hit him softly on the shoulder. "You didn't tell me you were a Prefect."
He just grinned and rubbed his arm as if she really had hurt him. "I should take points away for that. Abuse of an authority figure."
She looked at him expectantly and he smiled down at her. "I wanted to surprise you. Didn't think I'd end up being abused for it."
"I'm so glad it's you." She hugged him again. "I was worried it would be someone awful to work with, like Barry Norvits or Marl Snife."
"You really should learn to be more tolerant of people, Lily." James said coldly.
She looked over at him and tried to smile, but she couldn't. "Some people just always succeed at proving why I shouldn't have high expectations."
The room was quiet for a while as they both glared at each other, and then Sirius decided it was his turn to break the silence. "So…I've decided it is to my benefit to have two of my best friends as prefects. Less trouble, right Remus."
Remus didn't say anything, but did smile mischievously. Lily rolled her eyes. "And here I thought you'd changed over the summer."
James sat down, right where Lily had been sitting and shrugged. "I don't see how it will be any different. Remus will be with us with whatever we're doing, and it's not like people can catch us if we don't want to be caught."
Lily looked as though she was about to say something, but Remus took her arm and started to pull her out. "We should go to our compartment, there's a meeting soon."
Pulling her arm out of his reach she grabbed her robe and put it on over her muggle clothes. "Fine." Glancing once more at James, she shook her head in disgust and started to walk out. "Let's go."
As soon as they were out Remus was ready for the explosion. "I can't believe him! He can't even be civil for five minutes."
"Come on Lil, You know he isn't that bad"
She glared at him, but didn't say anything. So he started to talk again as they walked down the corridor. "It's not as if you were civil either."
"So this is entirely my fault? It's my fault that we aren't friends and he is horrible to me? That's nice to know. Now I can always say that I'm a friendship ruiner." She was getting louder and moving her arms around. "Stay away Remus, I'll just end up ruining the friendship."
He sighed out of frustration. "Lily, you know that isn't what I meant. James wasn't right either, I'm just saying—"
"Remus, this isn't your fault, and this really isn't something that I want to talk about with you right now."
"Fine. But who are you going to talk about it with, Lily?"
She looked up at him sadly. She didn't know. That was part of the problem. She was about to respond when she accidentally ran into someone, only she was knocked to the floor. Scrambling up she looked over. "I'm so sorry!"
Black eyes flashed at her. "You should watch where you're going Mudblood." Before she could reply he noticed her and Remus' badges. "So you two are the best Gryffindor had? Pathetic." And he went into the corridor, shutting the door behind him.
"It just isn't my day, is it Remus?"
He looked over at her. "I don't get how you can try to be nice to someone like him, but you won't even make an effort with James."
"Remus, Severus Snape can't hurt me. No matter what he says, it doesn't matter. James mattered. He mattered a lot."
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and brought her in closer. Lily sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. This is what she'd been needing all summer, a guy to try to understand, and she hated admitting it to herself. Remus sighed yet again. "You matter to him too."
"Remus," She stiffened slightly and pulled away, looking up at him with hardened but sad eyes. "I know you have to defend him, because he's your friend. But don't. Please…just…don't."
And she entered the compartment.
Hogwarts, Two Weeks Later
School had started and things were going relatively well. The only downside to things was that Lily had to see James everyday. It seemed their friendship was beyond reparable. She could get along with Sirius (it was hard not to forgive him), Remus, and Peter, but she just couldn't look at James and not feel hurt and disgusted. What had happened? He had changed, beyond recognition. And she couldn't get away from him. Not only was he in all of her classes, but her group of friends. That was the hardest, everyone felt they had to pick sides, but no one acted like they had. Lily knew that Remus would be in the middle, pretending that everyone was right. Sirius would defend James to the death, even if he was wrong and Sirius knew it. Peter would follow James because they were closer. The girls she wasn't ever sure on. They didn't seem to understand how betrayed she felt. Sure, they thought James had said and done some hurtful things, but they also thought Lily was being silly in not forgiving him. And maybe she was. So really, the only person she felt was really there for her was Remus, and even he wasn't.
It was their first night on patrols and it was weird. They'd been friends for years, but had never actually done anything one on one. Plus Lily was sure he felt that James would take this as consorting with the enemy, even though it was required by the school.
"So," Lily said, deciding that she was not going to spend the evening in an awkward silence, "I know you wrote me a little bit about your summer, but how was it?"
He paused for a moment, and Lily realized it was because he wasn't sure how much he could say. That hurt too, she wasn't included anymore. "It was good. Visited friends, just the norm, basically. You?"
Friends meaning the Marauders. She knew it was stupid, but she was still jealous they hadn't included her in that…but she shrugged it off. No more focusing on the past. "It was great. As you know I was pretty much with my family the whole time, but that was good. Petunia and I needed the time."
"How is that going? I know you were feeling like you two weren't as close."
She didn't know how honest she could be. How do you tell your friend who didn't mean to hurt you, that he did? That he and all of your friends abandoned you, just at the time in your life when you could have used them most. "Well, it's safe to say we aren't going to be best friends. She's actually getting married. During the school year, she doesn't think it's safe for him to know what I am until they're actually married." She tried to laugh, but it came out harsher than she expected. "When it's too late for him to escape."
"It's hard to have the people you care about not accept you for what you are, instead of who." Remus stated, somewhat bitterly.
Lily looked over at him as they walked down more stairs, deeper into the school. "Remus, anyone who truly knows you, couldn't judge you."
"Lily, let's just change—"
Before he could finish what he was saying Lily stopped and turned towards him. "Look, I've known this for a while but I haven't said anything because it wasn't important. Because it doesn't change anything for me. But maybe it will for you, so I figure I should just tell you. I know."
His eyes got big. "Know…what exactly?"
"That, you'll just have to guess." She grinned and started walking again.
Remus grabbed her hand and forced her to turn around. "Know what, Lily?"
"What a great friend and person you are." She grinned again, tapped him on the shoulder, and started to walk away.
He walked faster to catch up with her. "Lily, this isn't funny. I need to know." She kept quiet and just grinned. "You're going to make me go crazy."
"Of course I am. I try very hard to drive every man I know nuts so that he goes berserk and leaves me. It's one of my emotional complexes so that I don't have to wonder what's wrong with me. I already know."
"Ha ha. Seriously. Tell me." His eyes were pleading with her, and if he hadn't looked so…pathetic..she probably would have held out longer.
"I've known since third year, suspected for longer."
"How? Did James tell you?" Only Remus wouldn't look upset by that statement.
Lily laughed softly. "James tell me something secretive about the Marauders? Never." He looked confused. "I'm not an idiot. I read, and study." She shrugged, "You showed the signs. And with my cursed curiosity I had to find out."
"I'm sorry." His head was down and he wouldn't look her in the eyes. "I'm sorry that I'm not who you think I am, or who you want me to be."
Grabbing his chin she forced him to look at her. "Remus, you are exactly the same person I've always thought you were. Don't ever let anything make you think differently."
He shuffled his feet, trying his best not to keep direct eye contact, but then looked at her. "Thanks. That means a lot to me."
Trying to keep things light, she smiled and pushed him a little. "Yeah well, I guess you should know that I'm taking an extra astronomy class, meets evenings, especially on full moons. So we shouldn't have to worry about patrols."
He grinned mischievously and pushed her back. "You just want extra kissing time. This excuse won't get past me. You just want everyone to think you're an astronomy whiz so you can monopolize the tower for yourself."
Last year she probably would have been disgusted, but the summer had changed her too. She moved closer to him and batted her lashes. "Is that an offer?"
He stepped back, looking shocked and somewhat awkward making Lily burst out laughing. "Note to self, don't tease Remus about kissing."
Remus looked over at Lily, who was walking straight forward pretending that they hadn't just had one of the more serious conversations of his life.
After the patrol, Boys Dorms
It was after midnight and Remus was going back into his dorm, hoping that the boys would all be asleep, but knowing that they wouldn't be. He walked through the common room, trying to be quiet. You could hear people moving around in their dorms, but it was only the fifth year's dorm that he was worried about. He didn't realize that this was the first time since coming to Hogwarts the first day. Why didn't he want to face them? Only one reason came to mind. James.
As soon as the door opened his three mates all toasted him with their cups of butterbeer. "A bit later than usual." Sirius said. "Hope you don't mind, but we started out without you."
He smiled, some of his nerves fading. "And what is it we're celebrating tonight?"
"Friendship!' He shouted. A few of the other boys who were trying to get to sleep, but failing, threw pillows at him."
"You won't be alive to have friends if you don't shut up." One of them muttered.
The marauders laughed and hushed down a bit. "To friendship then." Remus added to Sirius' previous statement.
James looked over at him. "Anything interesting happen on patrols?"
He shrugged, "It's a patrol around Hogwarts. How interesting could it be?"
Sirius and Peter laughed. But James was still looking at him. How could Sirius not realize how much the loss of Lily's friendship was affecting him? Since he was sitting closer to James he figured he could be more honest.
"She's fine, mate."
"Are you su—Who?" James stuttered slightly as he tried to make up for his slip.
Remus chuckled. "No one. But I am sure that if I was talking about someone, that person would be fine."
"Still mad?"
"Oh, that's a given."
James smiled ruefully. "Yeah I couldn't really expect anything differently."
At this point Sirius realized that he wasn't in a conversation. "What are you too blabbering on about?"
"Quidditch." James answered quickly. "Remus here was thinking of trying out for the new team."
"Ahhh," Sirius grinned. "Trying to get an in with the captain, eh?"
Remus just shook his head and smiled up at his friends. "You know me."
A few days later—Transfiguration
James was trying to focus on the lesson…well…as much as he ever did. But it was difficult. He'd already studied up on this last year while trying to become an animagus. They just had a little bit more tinkering to do and then they'd have it. Not only was that on his mind, but Lily Evans was sitting two rows in front of him.
'I just want her to notice me again.' He wasn't sure where that thought had come from, but it was true. He grinned mischievously and took out his wand. Sirius looked down at the movement and where it was pointed. Then he grinned too.
Each student had been handed an animal opposite to their partners. Sirius had a hedgehog and James had a fish that had been charmed to breathe in air. The point of the assignment was to transfigure your animal, into that of your neighbors. While everyone was practicing James winked over at Sirius. "Ready?"
He whispered the spell, but his wand was still pointed at Lily, as well as Sirius' now. Jess suddenly stopped and just looked at Lily with her mouth open.
"What?" Lily asked.
James could only see the back of her head, but her hair had been replaced by the soft quills of Sirius' hedgehog. The rest of the class had started to notice and a few of the Hufflepuff's started to giggle.
"What?" She asked again.
"Uh…Lily. I think we should go to the hospital wing."
"I feel fine Jess."
Kristen got out a mirror "Now, when I show you this I want you to be ration, calm, and to breath."
Lily shrieked.
"I love that sound." Sirius said as he leaned back in his chair, satisfied.
James waited for her to turn around, for when her eyes would meet his for the first time in weeks. A few seconds later she did, and he tried not to laugh. Her face had taken the coloring and a few scales from his fish.
"At least it was a rainbow trout." He muttered to Sirius, and they both burst out laughing.
She glared at him and he smiled while shrugging his shoulders innocently.
Then there were hands on his shoulder. "You two." McGonagal glared as well. "Come with me."
"Our wands must have slipped, Professor." Sirius started to say, but his excuses were drowned out as he and James were pulled out by their ears.
James rubbed his softly, but was still smiling. She had looked at him.
That evening
"Maybe he just—"
"Remus you always stand up for him!" Lily ranted as she paced the unused classroom while Remus was sitting in one of the old desks.
"Lily. I know James. You know James. He may have done this on purpose, but I'm sure he didn't do it just to rile you up."
"Ha! He did to. You should have seen the smirk he gave me."
"Ok, but really Lily. Can't you both just get over whatever is between you and—"
"And what? Forgive and forget. That isn't going to happen, Remus."
"Why not?"
She turned and could see the strain this was putting on him, but she couldn't change how she felt despite it. "Because James isn't who he used to be. We've changed! He used to be…well, more like you."
Remus laughed at the absurdity. "Lily, first off, James has never been like me. Plus I'm sure that James has a reason for acting the way he has been lately."
"Because he has a stick up his ass?"
"Lily Evans." Remus said, trying to get her to see reason.
"Remus. You're the only person who pretends to understand. Please, just try to understand."
He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I do. I really do. I just want you to try to understand him as well."
She shook her head. "I tried that. I spent all last year trying that. And I was miserable. At least this way I'm moving up and not down. I'm not going to go through that hell again."
"You're amazing. You know that?"
"Oh yes." She laughed at the sarcasm. "The amazing Lily Evans. I could have my own tent at a circus."
"You know what I mean, Lil."
She looked over at him sideways. "I think you're insane. But thank you."
They were in silence for a moment, and then Lily sat down next to him. "Thank you for
sitting with me. For being a friend. I've missed this."
Remus put his arm around her shoulder. "I know."
Two and a half months into Hogwarts
James ran into the common room, searching madly for his friends. They weren't there so he ran to the dorm room. A few minutes later he was back down again.
"Has anyone seen Sirius, Remus, or Peter?"
Everyone in the common room just shook their heads. "Jess or Nicole?"
Once again they didn't know.
James didn't want to ask, but he did. "Lily?"
Most people shrugged, a few said he could try the library, or the grounds. All very helpful answers.
Where were they all? Just when he had possibly the most exciting news of their lives, they were nowhere to be found. They really needed a system for this or something. He needed to speak the boys, but they could be anywhere. He decided his best bet would be to check the kitchens.
Rushing to the main floor and then down the stairs to the kitchens, he lightly tickled the pear. A nice trick him and Sirius had picked up their second year. There sitting jauntily on a stool stuffing his face with chocolate was Peter. He looked a little ashamed to have been caught but then saw that it was only James.
"You look awful." Peter said. "What happened to you?"
James looked down and saw that bits of the potion he had been working on had eaten away or discolored parts of his clothes. He laughed and looked back up. "I do look a right mess, don't I?"
Peter wasn't quite sure why it was funny, but laughed a lot.
"We need to find Sirius. And Remus if possible."
"Why?" Peter asked, putting more food into his mouth.
James eyes started to gleam. "I've got it."
"Got what?" He stumbled off his chair and moved back a few steps. "If you're sick you should go see Madame Pince."
"I'm fine, Peter." He moved closer, grinning like a maniac. "The spell, the potion. I've got it."
Realization hit Peter's eyes and he started to grin slowly. "You got it?"
"Yes! It's finished. We should be able to do it tonight." He scowled for a moment. "If we can find Sirius that is."
Both boys looked at each, Peter dropped his chocolate, and they ran to search Hogwarts.
Dungeons
Sirius walked away slowly, trying to keep to the shadows. He needed to get an idea of their schedule before anything could happen. He didn't need to know how their minds worked; he was already well established with that. People came and went for about ten minutes before he heard someone speak from down the hall.
"Decided to become a Slytherin after all?"
Sirius turned and glared at him. "Snivellus. Fancy meeting you here."
"Too bored with your own friends you had to plague us with your presence?"
"Just working on a little project." Sirius grinned. "You know, keeping my enemies closer then my friends."
Severus made a sound of disgust. "You shame us all."
Sirius' grin just got bigger and his eyes shone in the darkness. "Really? I've finally made my goal then."
"You've forgotten who you are."
"I've forgotten who I am? Look at you, Mr. Pretending to be a pure blood."
"I'm twice the wizard you are." Severus was glaring at him, and his body had stiffened.
Sirius laughed bitterly. "That may be true, but I'm three times the man you'll ever be."
"Have you forgotten everything you ever were?"
Sirius looked down at him with disgust. "I was never like you."
"You've already turned your back on your friends. What's next?"
"I was thinking about going to the kitchens now and getting an early lunch."
"You're ridiculous. How can you keep pretending that nothing is going on? You could still save yourself. The Dark Lord knows where your families loyalties lie."
"I have saved myself." And he walked away.
The Sixth Floor
Remus was walking around, trying to figure out what he was doing. It was a full moon in a week and his emotions were already starting to be unsettled. He hated the transformation, what it did to him. If it wasn't for James he didn't know what he would do. He didn't deserve it, but he didn't have the strength to push the away. He didn't have the strength to push anyone away. James couldn't know. After everything that he had done for him over the years, he was repaying him by liking the one person James had ever had sincere feelings for. What a great friend.
He turned at the pounding of feet behind him. James and Peter were running, and seemed completely out of breath. "What? Is something wrong?"
James just grinned. "We did it."
Remus looked at him, not wanting to hope. "It? You did it?"
He nodded his head, his grin getting wider.
"It meaning what I think it's meaning?"
"Well, if your it means the same as my it then you're a bit faster then our friend Peter here."
"It's done?"
Now James was laughing. "Do you honestly lack my abilities that much?"
"No. No! I didn't mean it like that, it's just—" Remus ran a hand through is hair turning the other direction. "I just can't believe it. After all this time." He then turned around really quickly. "Are you sure it'll work. I don't want you doing it if it's going to go wrong."
"You worry too much." He grinned again. "Let's to find Sirius. We could do it tonight!"
They ran off together, Peter and James trying to think of a place Sirius would be while Remus was trying not to worry about his friends not worrying enough.
Back at the Kitchens
After searching most of their normal spots in Hogwarts and still unable to find Sirius, James was getting frustrated. This was the biggest day of his life! He could be an animagus by now if they'd only been able to find that stupid git. They all walked into the kitchens looking a bit disappointed, when Sirius bobbed his head up from a table.
"Oh it's just you. You never know who's going to come in here when it's a Saturday and I really didn't want it to be the Slug. I've been on his bad list ever since…well…I can't think of a time I haven't been."
James walked up to him and hit him on the shoulder. "Where have you been? Didn't you think to tell anyone where you were? I've been looking all over the entire castle for you!"
He rubbed his arm and looked at James like he was crazy. "What's wrong with you, mate? You sound like your mum."
"Like my mom would ever care if I was missing." He then got excited about the news again. "I've finally done it."
Sirius' mouth opened in shock. "I didn't think you were even dating anyone. With who?"
"Not that you git!" He hit him again. "I've finished the you-know-what in the you-know-where."
Now Sirius' mouth opened even wider. "Are you serious, mate? You mean, tonight? We can do it tonight and be ready for next week?"
James sat down and took a bite out of a chocolate stick. "Yeah. Tonight's the night."
The Girls Dorm
Lily sat on her bed, books sprawled around her.
Kristen looked up from book that she was reading and chuckled. "Lil, you've been up here all day with those books. Exams aren't for another two weeks."
"Do you not realize how important this year is? We take our OWLS, which set us up for our entire careers! Our lives Kristen."
Jess looked up, suddenly paniced. "Your right….I…I'm not prepared for this. I'm going to fail and have to take classes that no one cares about. Classes that you can't specialize in. I'll be stuck in something like Divination, where as long as you fake it well you pass. I don't want to pretend to be a Seer my whole life!"
Kristen looked at them like they were both insane. "OWLS aren't until the end of year. This test is just a review of things that we've learned so far, just like it has been every other year before Christmas holidays."
"Are you sure?" Jess mumbled through the pillow she had put over her head.
"Yes. It's not a big deal. I mean, it's a test and that's always somewhat important. But come on. You are both ready for these tests."
Lily hadn't paid attention to anything. "Professor Slughorn said that he would help me with potions and anything else that I needed, but it'd have to be with Severus Snape." The girls all groaned at that, Kristen especially.
"Lily. We're fifteen years old, almost sixteen. You already only have free time on the weekends, and barely at that. We hardly see you as it is."
"Just because I'm realizing that we all have responsibilities—"
"Have fun! You used to always have fun. Now you go to class, do homework, and then you're always off doing prefect work with Remus Lupin." Lily was about to say something, but Kristen put her hand up. "Nothing is wrong with that. But you've missed out."
Lily rolled her eyes. "Just because I take things seriously and don't want to pretend to be a seer the rest of my life," she said winking at Jess while throwing a pillow, "does not mean that I am not fun. I am…I do exciting things all the time…"
Kristen folded her arms and looked at her again. "I'm sure. Oh what was it you were excited about yesterday…let try to remember..." She looked over at Jess. "Do you remember what our dear exciting friend over here was so excited about yesterday?"
Looking confused Jess looked over at Lily, "No…"
"My point exactly. Face it Lily. James Potter was the only reason you were fun, and now that he's not a part of your life you're just as boring as Petunia."
Jess gasped and Lily looked as if someone had slapped her. Kristen's eyes opened wider and she realized what she said and she put her hands to her mouth. "Oh my stars! I'm so sorry Lily. I didn't mean it. Honest I didn't."
Lily sat there in silence with that stricken look on her face, staring where Kristen had been. Was it true? Had she really only been fun because James forced her too? Her life had become routine.
"You're right Kristen." But she suddenly got a very determined look in her eyes. "But that is going to change."
Room of Requirement
James stood over the simmering cauldron. "Are you guys ready for this?"
Sirius and Peter nodded excitedly but Remus looked somewhat sick.
"You don't have to do this. It's great that you would, I know that you would, but you don't have to."
Sirius looked at him like he's just gotten hit by a curse and had worms coming out of his nose. "Are you serious, mate? This is the coolest thing we've ever done! We are becoming illegal animagi. I'm just sorry that you can't join us."
"Transforming once is enough for me, thanks." Remus said, smirking back at him.
James was just getting more frustrated. "Come on, I've been finished for nearly 4 hours and I'm not going to wait any longer."
Pulling out the ladle he put in the right amount in each of the three glasses. It was thick and bubbling, but the color was amazing. Out of the two years it had gone from every disgusting color the boys had imagined, but it was now the clearest thing they had ever seen.
"Must have been the unicorn hair." Sirius said, trying to lighten the mood. "Maybe we should have Peter take it first. Just to make sure it's ok."
Peter glared at him, but stiffened his shoulders. "If you're too scared to take it." And drunk the whole glass in one swallow. He stood there for a few moments, nothing happening, then suddenly he started to shudder a bit.
"Uhh..I don't think this looks too good." Remus said quietly, wanting to look away but unable to look away.
He's stopped shuddering and had started to shrink. His skin was getting more brown by the second, and Sirius stepped back. "You did something wrong James. He's rotting!"
James was looking very closely, his mouth changing from disgust to the smirk that everyone knew so well. "Not rotting. Changing. It's fur…he's…"
Remus finished the sentence because he was closest to Peter. "A rat."
Sirius burst out laughing. "A rat? Never would have thought that one. Lets see what I become."
Him and James looked at each other and both drunk their potion at the same time. Remus just watched as they each shuddered for a bit and fell down on their hands and knees. Sirius' hard started to cover his entire body and James' head started to sprout branches, he was also turning white and fuzzy. After watching hands turn into paws, hooves, getting tails, and everything else, Remus was amazed at what stood before him. Peter: the rat, Sirius: some sort of dog, and James: a stag. He couldn't have imagined it any other way.
James started running into Sirius with his antlers and Sirius started to pounce. Peter just tried to get out of the way and transformed back into his normal self.
"Oy! Be careful. You could have squashed me."
Remus was just laughing and the two other boys transformed back into themselves. James look rather pleased with himself.
"Well, I think that turned out rather well."
Sirius was laying on the floor, laughing. "That was the most amazing experience of my life."
"Better than kissing Jennifer Prewitt?" James asked mischievously.
Remus hit him in the shoulder and laughed. "Any experience is better than kissing Jennifer Prewitt."
Sirius laughed as well as they all looked over at Peter who was glaring at them. "It was third year. I think we should just forget about it already."
James almost had tears coming out of his eyes he was laughing so hard. "But…she was the…most amazing…ex…experience…" He couldn't even finish his sentence.
Suddenly Peter wasn't there any longer and James started wiggling around and he felt something shoot up the leg of his trousers and a sharp pain above his ankle. He flicked his leg and stood on the tail of a squirming rat and then Peter, who was laughing hysterically.
Sirius and Remus were still laughing, but James had stopped and was rubbing his leg.
"Merlin, I feel violated."
The three boys just burst out laughing even harder. Sirius still on his back, holding his stomach. Peter also on the floor, curled almost into a ball. Remus with one hand against the wall to hold himself up.
"And it wasn't funny. You try enjoying the experience of tiny claws and some worm like tail going up your pants."
The laughter just kept on going and Sirius tried to say something but nothing could come out. James tried to hold it in a bit longer but he couldn't. He started to laugh as well and kicked lightly at Peter. It seemed as if nothing in life could go wrong. They were anamagi.
Ok, so I think that's it for now. Let me know what you think (aka review please!) Now to clear up a few questions that might be had: Sorry if people thought that I've included Lily and her friends into the Marauders. They're just friends, not part of that group. Does that make sense? And yes, Remus does like Lily. But don't freak out! I promise that no matter what happens between those two, Lily and James will get together! Promise! Also, I'm sure people think it's weird that I had Sirius and Severus as friends pre-Hogwarts—but in my mind it works. Their families would have been in the same circle. Plus old friends make the best enemies. If you don't like it, that's alright, but this is the fun of fan fiction (for me at least…buahaha! Thanks for reading and to those who review.