On the morning of September the 1st an intelligent and intriguing young girl lay in bed, her head completely hidden from view under a mass of pillows. Sunlight squeezed its way into the otherwise dark room through small gaps in the curtains. There was silence: bar the girl's muffled breathing until…
"Get up! You are going to be late!" a voice cried wrenching open the curtains and spilling forth light. Suddenly a frenzied head of dark red curly hair appeared from under the pillows.
"Oh no," she said catching sight of the time.
Lily Evans leapt out of bed, running for the shower. When she returned refreshed she slipped into a pair of jeans and a tight t-shirt. Lily left her ringlets to hang loosely around her face and smiled at her refection in the mirror. Lily turned to see her trunk, at the foot of her bed. It was packed ready for her seventh, and last, year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Throwing a few last minute things into her trunk Lily Apparated into the kitchen with a 'pop!'
Her sister Petunia shrieked as Lily appeared beside her at the kitchen table out of nowhere.
"Lily!" her mother warned. "What have we said about Apparating? You know it freaks your sister out." Her mother brought over her breakfast. Lily's 'going to school' breakfast consisted of two poached eggs on toast covered with melted cheese.
"Sorry Mum," Lily guiltily began to eat her breakfast. She knew how hard it was for her mother to have her two only daughters at each other's throats all the time and Lily felt bad for escalating the problem.
Lily arrived at King's Cross station just in time to pass through the barriers between Platforms Nine and Ten and cross magically onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters to catch the Hogwarts Express.
"Be good," her mother kissed her goodbye.
"As if I'd be anything but!" Lily exclaimed. "Say goodbye to Petunia for me won't you." Petunia had conveniently chosen to remain in the car.
"I will-just make me proud my little Head Girl," her mother beamed, tightly hugging her. Lily always cherished these last few moments she had with her mother.
"I will, I promise!" Lily called running after the departing train. "Bye Mum!" Lily yelled as the train slowly left the platform.
Once on the train Lily was immediately immersed in chatter and 'return to school' hysterics. Lily smiled to herself and made her way to the Head's compartment wondering who was Hogwart's Head Boy. She hoped it was Remus Lupin who had been her fellow Gryffindor prefect. Lily entered the compartment to see another Gryffindor get to his feet.
"Nice Evans." James Potter smirked, looking her up and down.
"Very funny." she said crossing her arms. "Where's Remus?"
James Potter stood before her in jeans and a fitted polo shirt, his hair ruffed up and his hazel eyes smiling.
"No joke Evans." he retorted, grinning as her jaw dropped.
"No way. Dumbledore must have had one too many Pina Coladas when he was in the South Pacific."
James laughed. "Look at it this way. Now you have a legitimate reason to always be around me."
Lily rolled her eyes. Head Boy or not he was still the same arrogant, cocky full of himself James Potter who she had hated with a passion since the start of school. True he had stopped hexing people in the hall but he was still that boy that levitated Severus Snape by the lake.
"Don't make me Hex you Potter," she warned tiredly. "C'mon let's go meet the Prefects."
They exited and walked to the next compartment in which the Prefects all waited for their instructions.
"Welcome back to all of you." Lily began once everyone was comfortable. "I'll try and make this short as I know you all have better places to be right now. Just a few start of term things. Potter will hand out your new passwords to your common rooms and the prefect's bathrooms etc. Make sure to notify all in your house. Fifth years don't forget that at the end of the feast you must escort the first years to their house common rooms. And finally could you all put your names down for a night to patrol." Lily finished and lay down a roster.
What should have taken a few minutes took fifteen as people attempted to work around conflicting schedules.
"Okay." Lily pronounced once it was finished. "Unless Potter has anything to say you can go."
James shook his head and the prefects bustled out. He stayed behind while Lily collected her papers.
"You can leave Potter I don't need an escort." she grumbled impatiently.
"And miss a chance to watch you in those jeans?" he scoffed. "I-don't-think-so!"
Lily's bright green eyes looked at him dangerously, "You are so immature!" Lily interjected, passing him and leaving the compartment. James grinned.
"Any time Evans!" he called as she slammed the compartment door shut. He leant so as to watch her sashay down the aisle. Then he banged his head against the wall. What made him so defensive and such a smart arse around her?
There was something about Lily Evans that made him almost loose his cool; he wanted to impress her above anything else.
Finally, James left the compartment looking for his friends. He had made a vow on the holidays that this year he would go out with Lily Evans, the girl who had persistently occupied his heart since fifth year. Unlike a similar vow he had made every other year this year was going to be different; he was Head Boy.
James found his friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew sitting in the last compartment. When he came to the door he also noticed Lily sitting there with her best friends Felicity Randleman, Hannah O'Reilly and Carol Austin. He smiled and entered the compartment.
"Prongs!" James's best friend Sirius Black boomed. Like James he was handsome but had his black hair longer, and daring gray eyes. Sirius lived with James after leaving his prejudicial pure blood home in their sixth year. Sirius was what you could call a 'ladies man.' However Sirius was (most of the time) oblivious to the many girls gushing after him; tending to be exclusively concerned with his mates. He possessed enough charm to woo himself out of detention with McGonagull once a week.
Sirius was immersed in a game of Exploding Snap with Remus Lupin who had scraggly brown hair and deep brown eyes. Unlike his two 'to die for' friends, he was the reasonable and sensitive one of the group. This got him just as many looks as did James' Quidditch skills and Sirius' smile.
"Hey Marauders," James sat in a seat by the window opposite Lily. Once settled her intently watched her. She had not noted his presence and was immersed in a conversation with Felicity Randleman; who like Lily had ringlets, but blonde hair and blue eyes. She too like Lily had an animated face when she talked which intrigued James.
He watched as Lily recounted her summer; her green eyes lighting up her entire face. He wished she would talk to him like that. Instead they generally flashed angrily as she called him a prat or likewise.
"So Prongs, what have we got planned for the first day?" Sirius queried, a grin on his face. Ever since their second year the four 'marauders' had devised a prank for the start of term.
"Sirius you can't seriously ask James to participate!" Lily interrupted suddenly. Sirius eyed her. "He's Head Boy!"
"Ah she acknowledges my presence!" James called out grinning. Lily rolled her eyes.
"Oh excuse me please let me start to stammer because I am in your presence. Oh James Potter you are my hero." Lily fawned, fanning away a pretence heat.
"Oh please do. It would be such a refreshing relief from all the ladies who follow moi." Sirius boasted. "And you're oh so right," Sirius eyed James in a mock sternness. "James is Head Boy he is not to be gallivanting around with such miscreants."
James just laughed, "Yes Padfoot it would be very-" he looked at Lily, "reckless and irresponsible of me to partake in such silliness." he finished mimicking Lily, who rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. Sirius just laughed.
"We won't succeed without him. Sirius is terrible at Transfiguration Lily. Just think of what could happen," Remus joked, looking up from the game and laughing.
"You'll be saving all of Hogwart's from death and destruction!" Peter Pettigrew a small chubby boy with watery eyes exclaimed. Peter was the weak link of the group possessing neither real talent nor personality.
"She'll be saving James from detention!" Hannah O'Reilly protested flicking her long silky brown hair over her shoulder. Hannah was in a sense beautiful; she had the perfect face, body and personality.
"Mmmn now this saving would it involve touching? Maybe even a date perhaps?" James mused. Lily swept a sideways glance at Felicity who giggled and Lily waved her wand.
"Scourgify!" Pink soapsuds spewed forth from James' mouth.
"Wawasatvor?" he asked through bubbles. Lily frowned at him.
"Sorry Potter I didn't quite get that?" Lily performed the counter-curse.
"What was that for!" he exclaimed.
"Well honestly Potter, when filth stops coming out of your mouth I will not have to curse you." The girls giggled.
James was restricted from retaliating when the lunch lady came past with her trolley of goods. The eight of them loaded up on sweets and sat in silence for a few moments as they ate.
"So James, you're our new Head Boy. Who'd have thought?" Hannah noted, wistfully opening a Chocolate Frog.
"It would appear so wouldn't it Hannah," he said sarcastingly. Sirius laughed.
"Perhaps Dumbledore is delusional." Carol remarked. "We all thought it would be Remus,"
"Yeah well he wasn't good looking enough." Sirius proclaimed with a grin.
"Sirius! You are so superficial!" Hannah exclaimed looking at him with immense dislike, "Remus is responsible!"
"Are you saying I'm not?" James interrupted. All four girls looked at him pointedly as if to say 'was that a serious question?' "Maybe not." He said quietly.
"Look at it this way how many hot girls here are going to be breaking every rule they can just to get noticed by James-" Sirius stopped himself. "Actually you could be a bad influence on them!"
"Oh we'd hate for James to be a bad influence." Remus grinned and the Marauders began to laugh.
"Mmmn so you and Lily will be spending a lot of time together." Felicity said at James, trying to steer the conversation so the girls were involved. .
"He'll be dead by the end of the week," Hannah muttered and they all laughed.
"Or she'll be ridiculously in love." Sirius winked at James and pinched his cheeks. "Who could possibly resist this cute little boy?" he mimicked Mrs. Potter's voice,
"Thanks Mum." James muttered sarcastingly, as the door of the compartment opened and standing in the door way was Ravenclaw Chad Gehrig.
Lily immediately felt Felicity whimper. Chad Gehrig was one of the best looking guys in the year. He had wavy blonde hair, sparkling eyes and was Ravenclaw's Quidditch Captain. Lily had also run into him at Diagon Alley and the two had chatted for-what had seemed to Felicity who was waiting at Flourish and Blotts-ages.
"Hey Lily!"
"Hi Chad!" she replied. "How was the rest of your summer?"
"Great, I'm sorry you didn't make it to my family's dinner. I missed you there." Lily grinned feeling Felicity going all fluttery beside her.
"I'm sorry too! It was my Dad's birthday so we were at the Club. Maybe next time?"
Chad smiled in return. "Sure thing. That's if I invite you," he teased. "Well I best be going back to my compartment-just wanted to see how you were." he said sheepishly.
"Cya later!"
The moment Chad closed the compartment door the girls were all over her in giggles.
"I can't believe Chad Gehrig talks to you!" Carol squealed.
Felicity flushed. "He is so divine Lily." She said dramatically.
"He just came to ask how she was," growled Sirius angrily as the girls got all excited.
"He didn't just come to ask how she was! He obviously came to flirt!" Carol squealed again.
"What are you talking about it was an innocent conversation," James justified. There was a dull ache in his stomach as he saw Lily blush at the attention.
"Yeah Potter is right. It was really just a simple innocent conversation." She said looking to James confused. He had looked so hurt when Chad had came in. She wondered if his claims to like her were in fact not entirely baseless but real.
Before she could delve into it any deeper the train began to slow down. They were almost at Hogwarts.
"We should get into our robes." Lily noted and they all frantically changed while the boys were out of the compartment.
When they reached Hogsmeade it was raining and the students hurried into horseless carriages. Lily, Hannah, Felicity and Carol climbed into one and settled themselves as the carriages took them to Hogwarts.
"I have to ask." Hannah piped up after a few minutes. "What is with you and Potter?"
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"Oh c'mon Lils we all saw his face when Chad arrived. It was like someone had said Christmas was cancelled."
"So?"
"So go out with him!" Carol chirped excitedly.
"With James Potter? I know you're not meaning the arrogant, senseless, 'look at me' James Potter?" Lily laughed.
"He's crazy for you," Felicity insisted.
"Oh come off it! He's crazy about an illusion he has of me. He doesn't even know me." Lily was getting annoyed with her friends.
"Admit it though Lils you flirted with him a little today." Hannah nudged her. Lily sighed.
"Okay-maybe. But only a little!" But her attempts to redeem herself were drowned in giggles and squeals from the girls.