Chapter One:
My Lady Disdain!
Steam billowed over the platform from the waiting engine, which sat huffing impatiently as it waited for the clock to chime eleven. In between the thick white clouds milled a chaotic, noisy crowd, equal parts excited students and harried parents, all trying to get organised. Struggling through the crowd, clutching a brown leather overnight bag to her chest, Holly was chasing down flashes of bright red hair that kept weaving in and out of view.
"Lily!" She cried over the din. "Lily!"
She slipped past a congregation of tiny, uncertain first-years, and then squeezed herself through what appeared to be the entirety of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. When she finally caught up to her friend, she was standing by the open door of the Prefect's carriage, about to swing inside. But when the pretty redhead saw Holly emerge from the crowd, with her chest heaving and her cheeks flushed, she grinned and stepped back onto the platform.
They swept each other into a tight hug, laughing into each other's hair as they squeezed out two months' worth of missed contact. When they pulled back, Holly gasped and poked her friend in the chest.
"Head Girl? Lily Evans, why didn't you tell me?!" Holly's scolding made Lily blush sheepishly.
"Surprise!" She giggled.
Their reunion was shortly interrupted by the appearance of a bouncy blonde ponytail right underneath their noses.
"Holly! Lily! –oh, you're Head Girl? Congratulations! Have you two seen Sirius? He got hot – well, hotter – and so much taller!" Mary MacDonald gushed. Holly laughed. Mary was a pretty girl with a sweet face made sweeter by the fact it always bore a smile, and Holly had a soft spot for her.
"What about the Wandless Wonder? Is he here yet?" Lily quipped.
Mary's smile faltered slightly. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them almost pleadingly. "I, uh – who?" She finally asked, perplexed.
"She means James," Holly said.
"Oh!" Mary laughed. Her eyebrows knitted together, but her smile remained intact, if a bit concerned. "When did he lose his wand?"
Lily and Holly looked at each other. "I think it's a euphemism, Mary," Holly said kindly.
"Oh, right," Mary said, laughing again, though she didn't quite look like she got the joke. "I guess he's not in your good books yet, Lils," she said.
Lily snorted derisively. "If he were, I think I'd set fire to my library." Mary laughed.
"Oh, hi, James," Holly said, looking over her shoulder.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Holly," she said, not turning around.
"Come on, Evans, is that any way to greet your Head Boy?"
Lily stiffened, and then rounded on the offending speaker. James Potter grinned down at her, running a hand through his black hair and accidentally smoothing it out. She opened her mouth as though she had something truly fatal prepared, but then stopped suddenly, stooping to squint at James' chest (which, realistically, was more of a lean because he had grown at least six inches over the summer break).
"It's a good thing, then, Potter, that your badge says Head Butt," Lily said, straightening up. "I would hate to get off on the wrong foot with the new Head Boy." James paled and grabbed at his shirt, twisting it up to try and read the badge.
He frowned. "It doesn't say Head Bu- oh."
Lily smirked. "Made you look," she half-sang.
Remus and Sirius emerged from the billowing mists behind James, and when they joined him Remus exchanged pleasantries with Lily and the other girls while Sirius hung back a bit. Mary elbowed Holly in the ribs, grinning as sneakily as she could manage. "Ow!" Holly hissed at her, which only made Mary giggle, and Mary's giggles were infectious. But Holly was glad of the excuse to not look at Sirius, because Mary was right; he had very much grown into his good looks since she'd seen him last – he was even taller than James, and his ridiculous jawline was shadowed in stubble, and his steel-grey eyes were–
"Come on, look at the time!" Holly exclaimed suddenly. "Mary and I are going to find seats. We'll see you later, Lily!" And she grabbed Mary's arm and pulled her onto the train, desperately hoping her hair was hiding the blush creeping over her cheeks.
Sirius scratched his jaw and turned back to James, Remus, and Lily, a thoughtful expression giving way to his trademark grin. "Last one in has to snog a Slytherin," he called, striding up into the carriage.
Remus left Lily and James to bicker on the platform and followed Sirius onto the train. He caught up to him just as he slid into an empty compartment, and Remus slipped in behind him. The train soon set off with a great lurch and an ear-splitting whine. Sirius cracked a few jokes about the first years sidling past, but after a while he was resigned to staring pensively out the window. Remus didn't mind; he was already starting to doze off, anyway.
About half an hour later they were re-joined by James, this time with Peter in tow. They played a game of exploding snap until the trolley lady sauntered past, at which point Peter decided he wanted some Chocolate Frogs and followed her down the corridor.
With Remus still dozing beside them, Sirius shuffled his cards. "Holly got her hair cut," he said nonchalantly. "Did you notice?"
"Not really," James said, tossing a card onto the pile.
Sirius snickered. "No, I suppose you wouldn't, all companions considered."
James grinned.
"She is pretty, though," Sirius mused, flipping a card onto the pile and slapping his hand down. James scowled as Sirius tugged the pile to him and added it back to his hand.
"I guess so," James conceded. He looked up into Sirius' face and frowned suspiciously. "Come off it." He jabbed his card pile at Sirius accusingly. "Are you kidding me? Are you really going to rob me of the joy of seeing you as an eighty-year-old bachelor?"
Sirius shrugged. "I mean, I don't think I would say no to her," he said, not meeting James' stare. "You know, if it came to it. It's your turn, by the way."
James sighed in exasperation and chucked a card onto the new small pile that had formed. It exploded with a flash of sparks and a mighty bang, jolting Remus awake.
"I can't believe it," James moaned.
"Can't believe what?" Remus said hoarsely, rubbing his eyes.
"He's only gone and fallen in love, hasn't he?" James cried. Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Really?" Remus grinned. "With who?"
"Holly," James spat.
"She's nice," Remus said approvingly. "You could do worse, Padfoot."
Sirius grinned in spite of himself. "Thank you, Moony."
James threw down his card pile, causing a few more to pop spectacularly. "No. I simply can't allow you to throw away your sense like this, Sirius." Sirius snorted with disbelief. "I need to have someone to swear off love with me," James whimpered.
"You're swearing off love?" Remus asked, one eyebrow arched in bewilderment.
James nodded sullenly. "Lily will not have me, so I think it's time," he sighed dramatically. Remus and Sirius glanced at each other, fighting the grins that were tugging at the corners of their mouths.
James leant forward suddenly, his face full of earnest. "Listen to me," he grabbed Sirius' shoulders, "there is absolutely nothing good about love. She will ruin your life."
Sirius and Remus couldn't contain themselves any longer and burst out into guffaws of laughter. James sat back and folded his arms indignantly. "It's for your own good," he proclaimed. Tears were streaming from their eyes now at the pure irony of James' words. Sirius was thumping the seat with his fist.
"I will die on this hill!" James declared.
They didn't stop laughing until James had growled at them and left the compartment. Wiping the mirth from their eyes, Remus and Sirius tried to compose themselves. Sirius dragged himself back onto the seat.
Remus cleared his throat. "So," he said, still grinning. "Holly, huh? When did that happen?"
Sirius shrugged, lifting his feet up onto the seat and leaning back against the wall. "I guess I had a lot going on last year, and I didn't really think about it much. But today, on the platform, I just… kind of…" He trailed off, a blush creeping onto his cheeks.
"I can talk to her for you, if you like," Remus offered.
Sirius perked up at this. "Really? I – I mean, unless you think it's too early. Maybe I should wait. Drop some hints or something."
"I never thought I would see you second-guess yourself, Padfoot, but here we are," Remus chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll talk to her. Put in a good word for you. How's that sound?"
Sirius was grinning from ear to ear. "You're the best, Moony."
Peter walked back in with an armful of sweets and a jelly snake lolling out of his mouth. It wasn't long before James walked past their compartment, stopped to nick a Chocolate Frog, huffed, and then kept walking. Sirius' grin stayed plastered to his face for the rest of the journey.
