It's been a while for me in this place - a foray into the fanfiction community, I mean. So much so I decided to make a new account. But this idea gripped and just won't let go. Hopefully this isn't too original (I'm unsure of whether this sentence is sarcastic or not (I'm rather sarcastic)).

Just a Brief Summary of this AU so no one goes o.O: Lily, James, and Sirius are in their first year. A very small Something happens to change their whole course of Hogwarts history as JK Rowling tells it. I'm going to mess up their lives and make them all friends in first year. Oh the countless possibilities. This will be just a bit canon in terms of the plot, but all the information about them are canon (as in, their birthdays, etc.).

A Disclaimer: No own, no own.

I really hope you'll enjoy this, because I enjoyed imagining this and writing this. Let's - no let me hope that upcoming updates won't be irregular. I hate grammar and syntax so you won't see a lot of those in the fic. Please enjoy. I suddenly feel like my 12 year old self all over again, all anxious and excited about submitting something I have written on this site. =]

January 12, 1972

A Wednesday

"Mate, the staircase is moving-"

"Pointing out the obvious, Sirius."

"We're probably going to be late."

"We'll sing an ode to sweet Minerva to make up for it. A love song for her perfectly kept hair bun."

Both boys grinned at the prospect and at each other, before a 'move, please!' from behind them made them look back just in time to see Lily Evans rushing down the staircase (which now currently ended nowhere except in air) at an alarming speed.

Both boys moved away instinctively at the whirl of red.

James was the first one to get a hold of himself, he tried to block the staircase, was Evans blind? She'll fall to her death!, and yelled, "Evans, wait, the staircase-"

He was only pushed aside as Lily Evans jumped.

Lily Evans made a flying leap over the end of the staircase and a one, two, three, four, five and six seconds passed before she landed safely on the stone floor beneath her, leaving James Potter and Sirius Black stranded where she previously just was, eyes boggled like the frog the cast a spell on last week and moving farther and farther away from the Transfiguration class they were suppose to be headed to. Being eleven years of age, and therefore still just a little childishly competitive towards the arrogant little brats behind her, Lily Evans stole a look back at their flabbergasted faces and with a Sorry Potter, smiled impishly before sprinting away to be on time for Transfiguration class.

"Merlin-" Sirius gasped, staring at James Potter.

"Was that-" James continued.

"That was-" Sirius interrupted.

"Jumped at least 10 feet-" They both stopped talking and stared at each other.

"Can you-?"

"No-"

They both whispered, "blimey."

When they both walked into the Transfiguration class 10 minutes later, they were still so amazed at the stunt that rule-abiding, train-crying, and mates-with-Snivellus (although pretty, James Potter thought secretly) Lily Evans pulled that they only responded to Professor McGonagall's strict reprimand with only a "Yes, Professor", startling the older lady so much that she forgot to take points off.

When class ended, Sirius Black and James Potter tailgated Lily Evans' bright hair to the Great Hall. Both sat on either side of her when she took a seat.

"Hey, Evans," they chorused together

Lily Evans dropped the sandwich she was holding. She glanced at them, "Potter, Black. Afternoon."

Sirius replied, "Lily Evans. That was bloody awesome."

"Really, really cool!"

Lily stared, confused, at the two reverent faces beside her in askance. She really just wanted to eat lunch.

Sirius made an impatient sound, and James followed right up, "You know, Evans," here he made a whooshing sound accompanied with hand movement, "the leap this morning from the staircase."

"Oh... Well, thanks, I guess," Lily said with a (daintily, thought James) raised eyebrow.

"How do you do it, Evans?" Sirius asked.

"Um, I've learned how on a swing-"

"What's a swing?" James went on incessantly.

"Oh, right, I forgot. Wizards don't have playgrounds-"

"Play grounds?" It was Sirius this time.

Lily pursed her lips, explaining this was be harder than she thought. It was easy talking to Sev about all these things, because he was raised Muggle, "Well, a playground is where muggle kids play, there's slides and monkey bars..." she paused at the blank look on their faces, "oh, I guess you don't know about those, either."

A silence followed. "Well," Lily continued, "a swing makes you swing really high up in the air."

"With magic?" James asked.

"No," Lily sighed, "you push yourself up on the swing, and when it gets really high, like 4 or 5 feet, you can jump off."

"Blimey," Sirius muttered, "so how do you land safely?"

Lily looked puzzled for a second, "well, I just think I'll land and I'll just land."

Sirius shared a look at James that conveyed 'this is getting nowhere'.

"Well, whatever, Evans. We just think it's pretty cool. Do you think you can teach us to fly like that? Since first years can't be in a Quidditch team?"

Lily looked thoughtful, "well, I'm not sure I flew. Sev said it's one of the things only I can do-"

After the initial disgust at Snivellus' name, James interrupted, "you can do other things?"

Lily flushed a bit, "well, I can make flower petals dance."

Sirius look decidedly less impressed with this piece of information, "Well, Evans, Lily, whichever, what do you say? Want to teach us? If you do, Jamsie here and I can tell you some things, too."

Lily's (pure emerald, like the jewel on his mother's finger, James thought) eyes narrowed in suspicion, "what can you tell me?"

"Well," Sirius paused dramatically, "the staircase that you flew from decided to land four floors above the Transfiguration classroom this morning."

A clever witch, Lily's eyes widened as she realized the implication of that statement and whispered, "but you guys only came in five minutes after I got in."

Sirius grinned and seemed to sit taller, "well, James and I have found a total of seven hidden passages in the castle, and there's bound to be more. So if you're willing to teach, we'll be willing to share and maybe even let you in on it."

Lily looked from Sirius and to James' faces in distrust and just a bit of awe, "how do you do that?"

This time James grinned, having found his voice again after noticing the cute way Lily Evans' nose was shaped, "that's a secret."

Sirius grinned, too, "so, deal?" Both James and Sirius' hands shot out.

Lily looked torn between curiosity and disapproval, in the end, curiosity won, and she shook both hands at once using both of hers after some impressive manoeuvring skills that had both boys with jaws open again.

"Now how do you do that?" Gasped James.

"Blimey, how does your body twist like that?" Added Sirius.

Lily grinned again, "don't think I can teach you guys this. It doesn't have anything to do with magic."

The cold walk to the greenhouses outside was the strangest one Lily had experienced in her 12 years of life. Sirius and James were glued to her side and asking her questions about her uncontrolled magic and adding in their own anecdotes and jokes.

Although it was the strangest walk to class she'd ever experienced, it was probably the most enjoyable, too. Lily didn't think she'd laughed so much in so short a time. It was never this amusing hanging out with Sev, and Petunia hardly spoke to her this Christmas break.

Sirius Black and James Potter were pretty decent guys, Lily reflected later while listening to the dangers of Devil Snares, and they were half right about the whole Slytherin business on the train, too. Just last week Lily had been sent a tripping hex by a third year Slytherin and Lily had been so angry that he made her trip and spill all her books that she set the boy's hair on fire. She'd gotten detention with Hagrid for it and been so ashamed that she swore she would never lose control of her magic accidentally again. The only thing, Lily thought, that really peeved her was the way Sirius and James treated Sev. That wasn't fair. Sev wasn't like all the other Slytherins. He'd had more awful Christmases than her and he didn't need Black and Potter teasing about his hair and robes all the time.

Lily concluded that she'll talk to the two later after Herbology, give them an ultimatum, and if they agree, no, promise, to leave Severus alone, she'll be their mates. But if not... well, she'll only look to their deal.

Lily Evans sort of wished, although she didn't really notice this, that James and Sirius would agree.

Lily really had meant to tell them about Severus right after Herbology class, but the suggestion of a snowball fight in the form of a snowball from James aimed for Sirius' face but got Lily's hair before dinner had distracted her. She had pummelled James with a hailstorm of snowballs perfectly aimed with the hefty little charm Wingardium Leviosa. Sirius jumped to James' defence and a full scale war followed. By the end of the fight, about three dozen students had joined in and everyone was soaking wet.

A nifty little spell (Caliuso, Lily made a note to remember it) performed by a fifth year Ravenclaw who had stopped and played after Care of Magical Creatures warmed and dried everybody right up for dinner.

By the end of dinner, Lily was on a first name basis with Sirius Black and James Potter. The trio sat down at the Gryffindor table and Lily found that she had an uncannily similar sweet tooth with Sirius. It wasn't until the end of the conversation that the deal was bought up.

"Let's do it tonight," was Sirius' eager suggestion, "we could jump off the astronomy tower-"

"You're absolute nutters, Sirius."

Alright, so the deal wasn't bought up at all. The evening passed pleasantly, and only when the three of them made their way to the common room talking about James' new broom did Lily remember Severus.

"Sirius, slap me."

Sirius shrugged and stepped forward until James caught his hand, "no way, Lily. What's wrong?"

"I completely forgot!"

"Forgot what, Lily?"

"At dinner, too!"

"What?"

"Oh, he must be thinking- I don't know!"

"He?" A pause followed before Sirius' face screwed up in disgust, "you mean Snive-"

Lily suddenly remembered her pact with herself, "don't call him that!"

Sirius fired back just as heatedly, "well, I don't see why not! His hair-"

Lily looked disapprovingly at Sirius. Sirius and James, who were both feeling animosity towards Snivellus at that particular moment, both shrank back at Lily's glare.

Lily sighed, "look, you guys would make really great mates and it's been really, really fun hanging out with both of you, but I can't be friends with you guys if you tease, no, bully my best mate all the time!"

"Oh come on Lily," James protested, "we don't bully him, we merely-"

Sirius followed up, "poke at fun at him once in a while."

Lily continued glaring. Sirius and James shared a look of stalemate that conveyed much. To stop teasing one of their best targets... That's a lot to give up. But to lose Lily Evans as a potential amazing mate... Both of them weighed the options. It took them about three seconds to decide on their next course of action.

To Sirius, the sealing factor to being Lily Evans' mate was the look on James' face as he got pummelled by very skilfully aimed snowballs.

To James, it was the way Lily Evans' determined eyes glittered as they did then in the dark corridor, like twinkling stars.

"Well, okay, we'll lay off Snive-," at the look on Lily's face, Sirius stopped, "fine. Snape. But don't ask us to be mates with him like a girl would, then we might just stop talking to you."

Lily's fierce look instantly softened, "of course not. No one could be forced to be mates with anyone."

James nodded, "okay. So weren't you just saying you forgot-"

Lily cursed very loudly to the admiration of both boys (who knew prim and proper Lily Evans could curse like that?), "right. Well, I'll see you guys later. I might come back just after curfew, because Severus can hold a grudge for a long time. But I want to know about the seven secret passages, so wait up for me a bit, okay?"

Both Sirius and James nodded enthusiastically, looking forward to leading someone else down the road of debauchery.

Lily found Severus Snape fuming in the corner of the library and tried to cajole him into a good mood to no avail. Being stood up after the afternoon courses and completely forgotten during dinner for Black and Potter were too much for Severus to handle. He ignored Lily's pleads of forgiveness as they both were kicked out of the library.

"I don't get why you're still angry, Severus! I forgot! Please forgive me. Let's meet up here tomorrow. Why are you still mad? You're not this unreasonable, Sev! Come on, let's forgive and forget, please?"

Severus finally exploded into a hissing fit after a good 30 minutes of stoic silence, "why were you hanging out with them, Lily!" He put an unhealthy dose of venom into the word them.

Lily looked flabbergasted for a moment before she caught up, "oh crap. Oh, I'm so sorry, Sev. Here I was, forgetting all about James and Sirius-" Severus Snape's rage exponentially grew after Lily said their first names. Lily noticed and cringed, "Look, Sev, they promised! I forgot about your feelings, but I suppose if you really are angry, they'll apologize."

"Promised? Promised what?"

"That they'll leave you alone, you know."

"What?"

"Yeah. James and Sirius both promised that they'll leave you alone, but if that's not good enough, I'll ask them to apologize. They're my mates now, and they shouldn't be mean to you."

"What?"

"What's wrong, Sev?"

"You mean, you with... Mates? I thought we were mates!" Severus spluttered.

"We are, Sev. That's why they've promised to be nice."

A silence followed, in which Severus Snape tried to digest this new information. Lily Evans, friends with the two biggest gits in Hogwarts? Is she blind? He stared with his mouth open for a while.

"Careful, Sev. You'll let in flies."

Severus snapped his mouth shut, still unable to process the information. Sure, Lily looked chummy with them at dinner when he stared, laughing and having fun, but mates?

"No," the quiet word was out of his mouth before he realized it.

Lily frowned, "sorry?"

"No! You can't be friends with Potter and Black!"

Lily took a step back, offended and angry, "excuse me?"

"Are you blind, Lily? Potter and Black! They're two prats who think the world of themselves and - and they..." Severus tried to find words to convey his sheer unbelief and feelings of betrayal, "You can't be mates with them! I won't let you!"

"Let me? Let me?" Lily's voice dropped down a dangerous octave.

Severus seemed to realize his mistake, "N-no. What I meant was... They always make a ruckus during class. They make fun of other people! They're mean, Lily! You can't be friends with them!"

Lily looked torn between storming off and staying, "look, Severus. I understand that you're at odds with James and Sirius. But they're decent guys once you get to know them. They're not that mean. They even promised to leave you alone. I would break it off with them if they didn't agree to leave you alone, but they have. So I think it's just unreasonable to hold something they said they'll stop against them. But if you really are that hurt," Severus made a vehement sound of denial in his throat, "I'll tell them to apologize to you, okay?" There was a tone of finality in that statement that Severus, in all his anger, couldn't retort back to.

They walked to the staircase in silence, and Severus was just about to go down and leave without saying a word when Lily grabbed his elbow. He looked back into Lily's pleading eyes, "please, Sev. Give them a chance. They're not that bad. If they ever do something really, really bad, I won't be mates with them, okay? And I'll make them apologize to you, promise. They won't bother you and they're a great laugh."

Severus huffed and made to tear his elbow out of Lily's grasp but she tightened her hand, "Sev, please? For me? As an early birthday gift?"

Unable to deny those big, green eyes anything, Severus nodded stiffly. Lily grinned and said, "I knew you'll be reasonable, Sev. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah? Library at the same time."

Lily watched Sev nod stiffly again and head down the staircase before she walked back to the common room. She felt just a little guilty being friendly with Sev's past tormentors, but James Potter and Sirius Black never did anything evil, just mean spirited.

All seeds of doubt were eliminated as Lily was grabbed five steps from the portrait hole by Sirius' into an alcove. There, James was grinning and holding something silver. Lily's breath caught in her throat.

"Is that a-"

"Yep," James grinned.

"Merlin..." Without thinking, Lily stepped closer and touched the invisibility cloak, it felt like slippery water in her hands.

Sirius' face was serious, "but you can't tell anyone, Lily."

"Of course I won't."

Sirius continued, "we're serious, Lily. You can't tell anyone, not even Snive- Snape."

Lily ignored the nickname and nodded. Her heart was going a hundred miles per minute. She felt a twinge of guilt; she'd never kept a secret from Sev before, but, she reasoned, this wasn't her secret to tell.

James grin widened, "alright, Lily. We'll show you the passages. Come on."

Feeling more excited than she ever had before in her life, including the time she got to see Hogwarts, she shared a mischievous smile with her two new mates.

All three slipped under the cloak.

And disappeared.