A/N: Hello everyone! So I started posting this story, and got to chapter 5, before I realized that I had no idea where it was going. So I took some time and planned it out, before starting again. Here's chapter one, I hope you all like it, and please review!


"But Lily-"

"No, I already feel bad enough, Andrew. Please don't make this any worse."

"I just don't understand why?"

A hand slapped over James Potter's mouth before he could let out a whoop of glee. He was currently hiding behind a heavy tapestry that covered a small alcove on the seventh floor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was quite fortunate that he had known about the alcove, barely more than an indent, that burrowed itself into the stone work of the corridor wall. Sirius was less fortunate, as he had been shoved roughly from behind, and without any warning, into the hole that was only big enough for one. Now he was sandwiched between the cold unyielding wall of stone, and the warm, but equally unyielding wall of James' back. He had just enough room to maneuver his hand and slap it over his friend's mouth before he made a noise that would give away their position.

"I need to focus on my studies." Lily's voice echoed slightly in the almost empty corridor.

"We both know that your grades haven't dropped in the slightest since we started dating."

"I'm also applying for an internship at the Ministry when we graduate. You'll be working in Diagon Alley."

"That's a whole nine months away, and we'll be in the same city."

"But we'll be working different hours, and between that and my extra studies that I'm starting with Professor Dumbledore, I won't have much time off."

"You're doing it again, Lily. How many times do I have to tell you, you don't have to prove anything to anyone. You're already top of the class, why does being a muggleborn matter so much to you anyway, Lily?"

"Because it matters to them!" Lily snapped, "I don't have family connections, or a vault filled with my parents gold, I'm starting out with nothing. I'm going to have to earn my place in wizarding society, and all those crazy fanatics running around, spouting 'death to mudbloods' and 'long live purebloods' isn't making it easier. It's only a matter of time before it turns to violence and I for one would like to be able to defend myself and my family!"

"It's not going to turn to violence Lily, you're just being paranoid!"

"Paranoid? I'm just being paranoid? Did you really just say I'm 'just being paranoid'?" her voice rose to a high pitched screech.

"Lily, I didn't mean that. I just meant that you're taking this too seriously." The poor boy tried to calm her down. James could almost see the hole he was digging for himself.

"Oh, I'm sorry if the safety of my friends and family is important to me." Lily snapped.

"Lily, I didn't-"

"I'm sorry that I'm responsible and mature about this whole situation."

"-mean, I just meant-"

"I'm sorry that I'm not blinded by the Daily Prophets, frankly transparent, attempts at keeping the general populace from seeing the danger that's out there."

"-that it's not our problem right now-"

"I'm sorry that I want to be useful in this imminent war, and not just sit around waiting for-"

"-and if you would just calm down we could-"

Lily cut herself off, falling silent. James could imagine, vividly and with great detail, the way her green eyes would be narrowed now, strands of coppery hair falling out of her high ponytail. The stiff way her shoulders would be held as she slowly cocked her head to one side and brought her arms up to cross over her chest.

The poor boy seemed to have realized that he had reached six feet, and the shovels full of words stopped. The silence hung for a moment more, then Lily's voice rung icily.

"You want me to calm down?" she phrased it as a question, but even Andrew Garrott, for all the things he did not know about Lily, seemed to understand that, really, it wasn't. She paused for a moment, "I'm calm." A wide grin, spread over James' face. He knew what was coming next. He had seen it enough times first hand that he could recite it, like it was a passage he had memorized from 'the bible of Lily Evans'.

I'm calm, James mouthed.

"I'm calm," Lily repeated.

One step forward, he thought. The click of a heel sounded. Two steps forward. A second click followed the first. A moment of silence.

But if I have to look at you face for one minute longer, he mouthed.

"But if I have to look at you face for one minute longer," Lily unknowingly repeated, "I won't be responsible for the Andrew Garrott shaped stain that they find on the floor tomorrow."

Another moment of silence, then the click clack of her kitten heels sounded as she stomped off down the corridor.

James pushed the tapestry aside, his grin turning to a smirk. "Bravo, Garrott!"

"Potter?"

"Not even I've been able to make her that angry this year, and I share a private common room with her!" James exclaimed with glee.

"Sod off!" Andrew snapped, glaring at James before taking off down the hallway, the opposite direction Lily had left.

"We should hang out sometime," James called after him, "See who can piss her off more!"

Andrew ignored him, but quickened his pace and turned off down another corridor.

James let out a whoop, turning to clap Sirius on the shoulder. "Well mate, I think this is cause for celebration!"

Sirius, who had been glaring the back of James head while trying to flatten his messed hair, perched up at that. "Celebration, huh? I won't say no to that!"

James turned to walk down the corridor, "How about Hogsmeade?"

"It has been awhile since I saw Rosmerta," Sirius agreed.

"That's the spirit, Padfoot!"


"Do you think Rosmerta will let us in?" Peter asked, looking warily over his shoulder as the four Marauders strolled down the midnight darkened streets of Hogsmeade.

"Of course she will," Sirius drawled, "I'm here."

Remus rolled his eyes. "No Peter, she'll chase us back to Hogwarts with her wand, as usual."

"Nah, she won't," Sirius slung one arm around Peter's and the other around Remus' shoulders, "We've got an understanding." he winked. "If you know what I mean."

James barked out a laugh from the other side of Remus.

Sirius turned to glare at him, "At least I'm on better terms with her than you and Lily. You're just jealous."

"Oh, but didn't you hear, she's single now."

"Yeah, so she can focus on her studies."

"What do you think we do in our private common room?" James smirked.

"Hey!" a voice cut off any response from Sirius. The four rule breaking Marauders turned to see a figure standing on the side of the street. "You four shouldn't be out here."

"And who are you?" Sirius replied to the obviously feminine voice.

The figure stepped forward from the shadow of the stores, into the moonlight, and her shadow was thrown out across the street.

"Well what do we have here," Sirius grinned.

"You shouldn't be out here," she repeated.

"Tell you what, we'll go if you come with us." Sirius smirked.

"I've warned you; if you don't go back to Hogwarts I'll call your Headmaster," she said.

"Well we don't feel much like going," Sirius replied, "And you'll have to get past us to get to Hogwarts."

The girl took another step forward and the four boys could make out her features. She had shoulder length, wavy blonde hair that framed her round face. Her skin was quite pale, her cheeks a little rosy from the cold. She had a small straight nose above thin peach lips and her eyes were blue. She wasn't tall, or short. She wasn't thin, but didn't have outstanding curves either. In fact she had a rather plain appearance and was dressed in black robes, that she withdrew a wand from.

Remus was the first of the boys to have his wand out, recognizing the situation, and the first to go down. A body bind spell hit him in the chest and he fell backward, his wand wrenched from his grip. It flew through the air and the girl caught it easily in her other hand. The next spell flashed at Sirius and he barely had time to duck. He fired back from his crouched position, but the girl easily stepped aside to dodge it and brought up a shield to block one James threw at her. Peter had yet to join the fray. Sirius got one last spell off before attempting to role for the cover of the shadows, but a body bind caught his leg. Another followed the first, hitting him square in the chest, and his want went skidding across the pavement to land at the girl's feet. The girl flicked her wrist again, at Peter, and he toppled down beside Remus, his wand also making it's way to the girl's feet. James frantically sent spell after spell at her, in his haste he stepped backwards and tripped over Remus' outstretched legs. The girl wasted no time in also setting a body bind on him.

She stepped forward to loom over the four boys, pocketing her wand and plucking James' from his hand.

"I won't call the Headmaster this time, " she said, gathering up the boy's wands in one hand. "Just don't let me catch you again." Then she turned and melted back into the shadows.

It took about five minutes for the body binds to wear off, and by then the girl was long gone. The four boys trudged back to the castle, wondering how they were going to explain the loss of their wands.


The next day, when James woke up, he found his wand lying on the end of his bed. He snatched it up quickly and began examining it, making sure that the blonde girl hadn't damaged it in any way. After five minutes he was satisfied, and he began to get ready for the day.

Entering the Great Hall he saw that his friends were already up and eating breakfast. Sirius was working his way through a plate full of eggs, bacon, sausages, and toast. Remus had his head buried in today's Daily Prophet, his plate mostly empty. Peter had his head in one hand, his other holding his fork, and a low snore was coming from his open mouth. James took a seat beside Sirius and began shovelling food on to his own place.

"I'm gonna go back up to the dorm." Remus was the first to speak. The rest of them were still groggy from their midnight stroll. He rolled up the Prophet and stuffed it into his bag "I'll meet you guys in transfiguration, and I'll bring your wands if I find them." James looked up at the mention of their wands. Remus mouth was set in a frown and his forehead was lined with worry.

"Ouh guhs idn't it your ands ba?" James asked around a mouthful of eggs.

Remus didn't even bother to reprimand him for talking with his mouth full. "You got yours?" He asked quickly, easily deciphering James' question.

James swallowed and took a sip of his pumpkin juice before answering. "Yeah, I found it on my bed this morning."

Remus turned on his heel and all but ran out of the Great Hall. James returned to his plate, Sirius was still working his way steadily through his, while Peter had stirred and was slowly clearing his. Five minutes later and Remus was back, three wands clutched tightly in his palm.

"Got them," he sighed in relief, panting slightly, "I was worried we were going to have to go to class without them. Imagine explaining that one to Mcgonagall." Sirius grunted his agreement, Peter and returned to snoring, this time his head on the table.

"Speaking of Mcgonagall, have any of you seen Lily?" James asked, looking up and down the Gryffindor table.

"No," Remus replied, distracted by his own search of his wand for scratches. After a moment he blinked and looked up at James, "Mcgonagall reminds you of Lily?" he asked.

Sirius snorted with laughter, "Everything reminds Prongs of Lily dearest."


A/N: Edit (08/06/14) Thanks so much to the Guest who pointed out my naming mistake, changed it!