~*A Lily and James story*~

Story Summary- James Potter, prank extraordinaire, Lily Evans, perfect prefect.   How did the lives of these two ever collide?  Throw in Sirius, Remus and Peter, and you got yourselves the dynamic Marauders. May become an AU.

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belong to J.K Rowling.  They do not belong to me. 

Authors Note: This story of Lily and James begins in their 6th year.

Many thanks to LaneJoe, my beta reader, for always being there.

Stand By Me

Chapter 1- A place to call home

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James Potter had just had one of the best summers in his lifetime.  Of course, this was mainly because his best mate Sirius Black finally had an escapade from his rather deranged home at 12 Grimmauld Place, and was now living with the Potter's at their manor. 

It all started when James came walking down the stairs in his boxers early one Friday morning in the middle of July.  Hearing the rev of an engine, he strolled to the elegant oak front doors of his parent's manor, and opened them to be greeted with the sight of Sirius standing next to a motorcycle. 

            "Prongs, buddy, I just can't take it anymore, can I crash here?" Sirius simply asked, looking downwards at the sodden grass instead of his best friends eyes.

            "Of course you can." James answered imperturbably, slapping Sirius on the back.  James walked over to Sirius' motorcycle, and unloaded his luggage, carrying it inside. 

            "Thanks." Sirius mumbled gratefully while walking past James.

            "Padfoot, I'm glad you're here, and out of that house." James said with the utmost sincerity upon his face.

  James had always thought that the Black family was a deranged, and demented family. Sirius' mum and dad were the sickest minded, most ill tempered people James had ever met, then there's Sirius' overly spoiled, obsessed-with-anything-to-do-with-dark-arts younger brother, and lastly the highly disturbed house elf named Kreacher.  All of whom viewed Sirius as the "blood traitor." 

            Later in the evening, after Sirius had unpacked everything and claimed most of James' room with his own belongings, Caroline and Mark Potter (James mum and dad) had finally arrived home.  James parents weren't at all shocked upon hearing the news that Sirius was to be living with them.  Instead, they seemed rather excited seeing how they were quite fond of Sirius. 

            All throughout the summer, it had become a daily schedule for James and Sirius to clamber out of bed around noon, eat "Bertie Bott's every flavor grain" cereal, buy their pranking supplies from Zonko's, owl Remus, Peter, and half the female population of Hogwarts, practice quidditch until 10:00PM, eat dinner, go to bed, and start all over the next day. 

            But alas, the summer has come to an end, as all great things do, and the marauders could be seen making their way through the crowd, running with their trolleys into the barrier that separated the muggle world from the wizard world. (Peter and Remus met up with Sirius and James in Diagon Alley the day before while collecting the next years school supplies)  Once they had gotten through the barrier, they made their way towards the train and boarded. 

            The train roared as students, new or returning, piled on. James was strutting down the subway halls, flashing his beautiful smile at any pretty girl, causing them to swoon and talk quick and giddily among their friends. Sirius followed suit, having pretty much the same effect. He caught sight of a pretty brunette and winked at her. Peter didn't feel right walking with the two studs, as he wasn't as good looking as them, so the girls always looked at him funny when he tried to act the same as James or Sirius.  Remus walked behind Peter, smiling broadly at the girls and their reactions. 

            As soon as the Marauders reached the end of the train they found an empty compartment and sat down.  Well, Peter, Remus, and James sat down, Sirius just threw himself down. 

            "It's hard being a stud." Sirius said exhaustedly.  "Looking as good as I do all the time, having girls chase after me, it can be tiring." Sirius began fanning his face dramatically.  "But I must admit, it's all for a good cause."

            Remus chuckled while Peter just all out laughed.  Peter did whatever he thought would make him be in good graces with the "group."  James just stared at Peter with an exasperated look on his face, which soon turned into a goofy grin.  Just beyond Peter, walking down the aisle was the princess to his prince.

            Lily Evans.

            Sirius perceived the sudden quiet that washed over James, and turned to look at him. When he noticed the grin, Sirius broke out into laughter.  "Should have known you would see Lily sooner or later, mate."  When James didn't respond, but instead continued to goofily grin, Sirius waved his hand in front of his face.  Peter again broke out into laughter, which finally busted James out of his stupor.  "I'm going to go say hi, catch up with you guys later." 

James made his way out of the compartment, and into the one he was sure Lily had walked into.  Slowly opening the door, he noticed this most definitely was not the compartment Lily entered.  Instead two students could be seen snogging each other, or in James' point of view, eating each other's heads.  "Right, I will just leave now…" looking over his shoulder before closing the door, he saw that the two hadn't even noticed anyone was there to begin with. 

            After walking out of the compartment, James decided to make his way back to his own seat.  Before he trekked his way towards the back of the train, a feminine laugh had attracted his attention.  Turning to the source of the sound, he walked to where Lily was. 

            This time, when he opened the door he saw the one and only Lily.  She was laughing with her friends Catherine, and Jenny.  Catherine was an outgoing brunette, where as Jenny was blonde and outspoken, these three girls were wanted by most of the Hogwarts male population.

James eyes remained glued to Lily's face for what seemed like seconds, a minute, many minutes…heck he didn't know, all he could think about was how she was even more beautiful than he last remembered.  Her shiny red hair was currently in curly ringlets that reached mid-back, her beautifully large green eyes that showed every emotion and appeared to be a portal to her soul, her wonderful- His reminiscing was cut off by one very anger filled voice.

            "Potter, what are you doing?" Lily narrowed her eyes at James, trying to get through to him that she most definitely didn't want him there.  

            James obviously mistook her death glares, for he started to muss up his hair, the one thing she hated most about him.  "Potter, get out…" she ground out angrily.

Lily slipped her wand out of the back pocket of her jeans and held it menacingly at James. 

            James held his hands out in front of him as a sign of surrender.  "Whoa, whoa I'm going out jeez…"

He happened to know first hand that she was a master at charms, and right now he would prefer it if he didn't have to make an entrance into the great hall with boils all over his face, caused by the furnunculus charm.

With one more threatening prod from Lily's wand, James all but stumbled out into the corridor and made his way back to his own compartment.  Once back inside, he saw Sirius and Peter looking at him with expecting glances, where as Remus was reading; Hogwarts, A history

            "So, How'd it go?" Sirius asked staring intently at James.  James glanced at his three best mates and flashed his beautiful grin.  "I think she's warming up to me!"

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