Lily Evans was a beautiful bright young lady. Looking back over her life she always knew that she was different. But she never knew how different until her eleventh year. She received a letter, but not just any letter. A letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Her parents were utterly delighted, her sister was utterly disgusted, and she was on cloud nine. Ever since then, Christmas came early on September 1st when she boarded the Hogwarts Express. Her first night she had been sorted into Gryffindor. Starting classes the next day was wonderful.

Soaking everything in like a sponge, Lily Evans was quickly the top of her class and stayed there every year since. She was an exceptionally sweet girl making friends instantly with almost everyone in her class, except most of the Slytherins and not because she didn't try. She enjoyed everything about this place, everything except for a certain messy haired Marauder sitting a few rows back.

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James had been staring at her for the last thirty minutes. She had been gazing out the window as Professor Binns gave yet another boring lecture about a goblin rebellion. She leaned lazily against her hand looking as if she was in a state of reflection. How he wished Lily was thinking about him.

She was smiling slightly as green eyes sparkled. Her beautiful slightly curly auburn hair was pulled back in a low pony-tail. Lily had smooth pale skin and a lean frame that was curvaceous in just the right spots.

Sirius glanced over to see James, yet again staring at Lily. "Prongs, man, snap out of it. There are other girls in this school incase you haven't noticed. Girls that fall all over you!"

James let out a sigh, for him other girls didn't exist. "Sod off" was all that he could manage to get out. He glanced back over at Lily. She had just wet her lips by gliding her tongue ever so lightly over them. Oh, how her enticing lips were practically screaming to be kissed; now if she would only listen to them.

He ripped of a small piece of parchment scratching "Go to Hogsmade with me this weekend." Balling it up, he launched it her way. It hit her right in the back of the head. Not exactly what he had in mind.

Lily was snapped out of her daze by something colliding with her head. It could only be Potter! She whipped around and sure enough there he was giving her that smirk.

James flicked his wand and she half expected to be hexed. The ball of paper was now levitating in front of her face. Rolling her eyes, Lily grabbed the paper in front of her and read it.

Typical Potter behavior. She wanted to slap the smugness right off of his face. She grabbed her quill writing "I told you last year Potter I would rather go out with the giant squid than go on a date with you. At that is final!"

She balled the note back up. She turned and threw it as hard as she could, smiling as it hit him right in the middle of his forehead. As the bell rang, Lily hurdled her bag onto her shoulder as quickly as possible in the attempts to escape Potter at all cost.

James looked up from reading the note and saw Lily practically sprinting for the door. He turned to Remus who had been watching the whole exchange and was now laugh. "James. Let her go. Asking her out every time you get her in your sight hasn't worked for the past three years. What makes you think that it is going to work now?"

James sighed as he walked out the History of Magic classroom. Exasperated he looked at Remus. "What exactly do you expect me to do Moony?"

"Look Prongs I patrol with her this at least three times a week. Give me a chance to talk to her."

James couldn't help but shoot an "I hate you for it" look Remus' way. "Yeah don't remind me."

Sirius, playfully punching Remus on the arm had to interject, "Moony you know if it was anyone but you who got to spend that much time with Lily, Prongs here would turn them into a fish and feed them to the giant squid."

Ignoring Sirius, he turning back to James. "We only have a month left before summer break; just give her some space until then. Look just try to be her friend, at least that way she will have a civilized conversation with you."

Mary looked up as Lily came storming thru the library doors. Lily sat down at the table with a huff as Madam Prince shot her a rather irritated look.

"What did Potter do now?"

Lily glanced up, "What makes you think that it was Potter?"

A smile shot across Mary's face. "Because he is the only one who can make you look fit to kill and turn that shade of red!"

Lily rolled her eyes at her friend. "Please don't mention his name again. I want to hurry and finish the last inch of assignment. I don't want to be stuck in here all day!"

In a panic Mary asked, "Which one? Did I do it?" Lily laughed at her friend.

"Yeah. It was the one on Amortentia."

"Lily. You already have two inches to many!" She knew Lily was top of the class, however this was going a little far even for her.

"I need to know the potion inside and out just in case Potter gets tired of asking me out and wants to take matters in his own hands! If you ever see me with the rest of the Potter Fan Club saying "I love you James!" you better go get Slughorn immediately!"

Mary couldn't help but giggle at best friend. "You know he really isn't as bad as you claim. At least he hasn't been since you told me off by the lake last year." Turning and walking away Lily called back "I'm ignoring you!"

After spending the rest of the day on the grounds with Mary, Lily was making her way back to the castle for her night to patrol. She heard a voice call out "Hey Lils, you looking for me?"

Remus Lupin, she would know that voice anywhere. He was her fellow 6th year Prefect and other than Mary, her closest friend.

Remus and the rest of his degenerate friends, Sirius Black, Peter Perrigrew, and James Potter, were known as the Marauders. Even though they were only in their 6th year, they were legendary. Their pranks were on a level that Hogwarts had never seen. They were talented wizards, loved by the teachers, loved by the girls, and every guy wanted to be one of them. It was scandalous the way that girls followed them around, willing to jump into the nearest broom closet. They had set the record for most detentions their first year and have broken it every year since.

Sirius was devilishly handsome with a muscular build and dark hair that fell in his eyes with a sort of casual elegance. He was by far the scoundrel of the group.

Peter was a short lumpy shy type of boy. He wasn't very bright, nor did he have any special qualities about him. People often said that the only reason the other boys let him hang around was because they felt sorry for him. Lily suspected this to be the truth.

Remus was extremely kind, considerate, level headed, and always trying to talk some since into the rest of his friends. He reminded Lily a lot of her self.

And then there was James. His hair was always in a mess, yet it seemed to be a perfect fit for him. James had athletic build and a since of humor to match. He was always lighthearted, always joking. And when he smiled, he could melt the coldest of hearts. If that wasn't a deadly combination, there was his eyes. James had mesmerizing hazel eyes that you could loose yourself in.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned and smiled at Remus. "Running late for patrol again are we? If you like Quidditch so much you should have tried out for the team!"

Remus laughed at how well she knew him. "I had to see how well Sirius and James are playing. Our last game is tomorrow and we are playing for the cup you know!"

"Yes, I am fully aware. How are they doing by the way?"

Remus had found his opening. "Well Sirius is out of his mind as always. James on the other hand is in true form. I doubt there is a better Seeker in the world than James."

Lily snorted, "So he is still able to fly with that over-sized head of his."

His smile faded some at that response. "You know Lily; he is not like that anymore. He has changed a lot over the past year."

Lily snorted again. "Really, well I have not seen it; and you know I'm a pretty observant person!"

Now his smile was gone. Taking the stern older brother voice he said, "Give him a chance to show it to you. He just wants some of your attention Lily, and if he has to show his ass to get it then he will. He would do anything for you and you know that. He is not the only stubborn one you know."

Lily glared. "And what is that suppose to mean? I really don't want to get into this right now. Let go see how many 4th years we can find sneaking out to snog."

Typical Lily, he thought, change the subject when it comes to James. He really enjoyed spending time with Lily, but this was going to be a long night!