A/N: This is my first attempt into the Marauder Era category... Actually, I've only read about two fics from this era, so I'm not entirely sure what's clichéd and what isn't. I hope you like it!

Prologue

I watched as James practically fell out of the compartment on the Hogwarts Express when he saw Lily walk by. I rolled my eyes and pulled him back in. "You just saw her; she hasn't changed in the last five minutes."

"I could look at her all day," said my lovesick friend. "She's perfect, isn't she?

Even though I inwardly agreed that there were very few flaws to Lily Evans–except perhaps a fairly nasty temper–I asked, "Come on Prongs, she's hated you for six years–what makes you think this year is going to be any different?"

He snapped back into reality. "I just have this feeling. You would know if you ever dated a girl for more than a week," he snarled at me. Lily was, as always, a sensitive subject with him.

"He's dated a girl for more than a week. Last year. Her name was... er... What was her name, Sirius?" Wormtail questioned, looking very confused.

"Who knows... Do you think I actually bother knowing all their names?"

Remus stopped looking out the window for a minute. I could tell he had something on his mind. "You really should find someone you actually care about, Sirius. Then you might remember her name."

"Her first and last?" I joked through my annoyance.

"Maybe even her middle name too," he said as he turned away.

I carefully controlled my expression. If they thought I never cared about anyone, they were bloody well wrong. Just because my eyes didn't fall out of my head every time she walked by didn't mean there wasn't anyone I was in love with. Had they ever once thought that the reason I dated so many girls was to make sure no one found out? No they hadn't.

"Don't look like that, Padfoot. We're just joking," said James.

Oh yeah, all he does is joke. If only he knew what I've given up for him. "Snogging in broom closets is perfectly fine for me," I growled through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, the emotional connection must give you a deep sense of pride," James snapped at me.

"It's good enough for me! At least I'm not pining away over some girl my whole life," I said loudly.

"Don't say stuff like that to me! Just because I'm waiting for the right girl to come along doesn't mean–"

I interrupted him and turned the argument fully back to Lily. "So what is so different about this year?"

James pointed unnecessarily to his chest as he boasted, "I'm Head Boy this year–"

"–And she's Head Girl, I know," I snapped. "Besides," I commented after a few seconds, "I would've bet anything Moony would get the badge."

James looked as if he'd been slapped, but Remus smoothly covered it up by saying, "Maybe Dumbledore finally realised a werewolf doesn't make a good authority figure."

"Don't say that," James muttered. "You'd be a better Head than me."

I could have killed myself, the way I'd treated James. Just because he was well on his way to getting Lily didn't mean that I had to be such a bastard.

The silence seem deafening for the rest of the train ride. It was so rare for James and me to fight, and we'd never before fought about Lily. I reminded myself that I would have to be careful this year if I wanted to keep my secret. It did seem far too likely that James might actually get the girl.

"Prongs," I said later, as we were walking out of the train, "I'm sorry."

He paused and looked at me. "Yeah, I am too. You can date all the girls you want. Maybe it'll help you find someone," he said with a slight smile.

"Maybe," I said, forcing a smile that I was sure looked real. After all, I'd had years of practise.

"So I have something planned for the first prank of the year," he told me as we boarded the horseless carriages.

"Does it involve Snivellus?" Wormtail said from behind us.

"Yes it does," James said, grinning evilly. Again, I forced my expression to match his, even as my mind wondered back to our fifth year...