Chapter 1- year one

A train wound its way through the hilly spaces of northern Britain carrying anything but the average batch of normal children. Inside it traveled the students, new and known, of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This was none other than the Hogwarts Express from platform 9 and ¾. The excitement, which enveloped the train, was overwhelming.

In a compartment there sat two young men, on the left side sitting contentedly on his cushion with his elbows leaning on his knees and hands dangling loosely. He had bright hazel eyes that tended to sparkle when he was happy and wild, jet-black hair that stuck up everywhere. This energetic young man was James Potter, a first year at Hogwarts and the only son of a wealthy pureblood family.

Across from James sat his fellow eleven year old, Sirius Black. His hair was black also but longer so it hung over his eyes in an unpurposeful yet very handsome way. His eyes were the color of a torpid fog over equally unpleasant water. He leaned at ease against the back of his chair, looking very cool and at home. Sirius too came from a pureblood family but he on the other hand despised them and they him.

The two had only just met but each felt as though they had been and would be best buds forever. They talked together about the coming year and what it held until James head suddenly snapped to the door.

A girl of their own age was passing along the hallway outside their compartment. A cute girl thought James. She had wavy red hair the came to a few inches below her shoulder blades and piercing green eyes.

BANG! James had fallen to the floor with a crash as he leaned to the side, trying to keep this girl in sight. In shock he looked up in to the contorted face of Sirius. Sirius fell over the chair next to him, wracked with uncontrollable laughter. James scowled and shoved him as he sat back down, gazing at the door, but the red-haired girl had passed on.

"Hey! Lily! What's holding you up?" yelled Madison, Lily's new found friend from the compartment they shared.

"I'm coming"

Lily Evans looked around once more for the source of the crash that had shook her eardrums only seconds ago. She made her way into the compartment and sat down opposite Madison Allen, a half-blood witch, unlike Lily who's parents were both muggles.

"So my mum told me Hogwarts is the best. Says it's where your life really begins." Madison said around a mouth-full of the cauldron cakes that Lily had purchased for them. She had dirty blond hair that hung to her shoulders and shiny blue eyes that immediately caught your attention. The girls immediately took up the subject and washed away the time until their arrival.

The first few days of school fled into the background and two groups of friends ran happily to get to transfiguration on time. "Today, during our first class, we will be getting to know one another more." Professor McGonagall called to the students in her class. "So, walk around and introduce yourself to as many people as you can, and strike up conversations."

You can understand how hard this was for all of the awkward kids and Lily was first to step up to another girl and say hello. Soon the whole room was filled with talk and bustle as people made friends and sometimes enemies.

James and Sirius had made friends with two other boys and found out that they actually shared a dorm (boys can be so unobservant). Their names were Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. Remus was a quiet and observant boy with brown hair and light brown eyes. Peter was a small mousy boy with blond hair and blue eyes.

Towards the end of the class, Lily made her way over to the far side of the room to introduce herself to the Slytherins, she and Madi had been made Gryffindors. James noticed her and followed to see what would happen.

"Hi" she voiced to a greasy haired boy who was talking to no one in particular. The boy turned towards her with a disgusted look on his face.

"Get a way from me, you slimy Gryffindor" He said as he shoved her. Surprised by this most unfriendly act, Lily fell over on her butt.

"Hey!" A voice yelled from above her. Lily blinked back the tears she had not known were near to see who it was that had spoken. James was standing protectively over her. "I wouldn't be talking about slimy, you greasy git."

"Oh, who are you? Her body guard"

"No. I just think you should keep your mouth shut when in a room full of Gryffindors." James indicated over his shoulder at the crowd that had gathered to listen in. Many of them wore hardened expressions on their faces and wands in their hands. McGonagall had left the room to speak to Professor Flitwick, the charms teacher.

"But I too have others to help me. And while were at it, I'll ask again, who are you?"

"James Potter. And you?"

"Severus Snape." Without pausing he shot a hex at James who ducked and aimed one back.

"Potter! Snape! I saw that. Detentions both of you." McGonagall shouted from across the room.

"Bad luck mate" Sirius said as they walked out of the classroom. The red-haired James had defended ran up to them, along with another girl who appeared to be her friend, and held out her hand to James.

"Thanks a lot. I'm Lily Evans. I appreciate what you did but you deserved that detention." And she walked a way, giggling at her friend. James stared with open mouth after them.

"That was Lily Evans and Madison Allen. Were they talking to us?" Peter spoke up, oblivious to the goings on. Sirius shot him a hopeless look and led the four back to their dorm.

Over the next few months, the four boys became branded with the name, troublemakers. They played pranks on everyone. They lived for each new day and new laugh. Remus was sick periodically, but the most dampening thing on their mood was actually Lily Evans.

She always told a prefect on them. No bribe or nice play or even threat would stand in her way of, as she called it, Justice. James and Sirius thought of it more like an excuse to squash fun. Lily felt no sympathy towards the boys and James stopped having feelings for her. They were distanced by dislike and only addressed one another in formal tones.

When Lily flew sideways on her broom, as she tried for the first time to stay aloft, James, having years of experience back home, taunted her by flying fast and surely. When she almost fell sideways off her broom, the one thing she saw the clearest through her shock was James' laughing face. He and Sirius laughed outright at her blunders and jinxed her in the hallways. Many a day they left Lily in tears.