Lily sat in the empty compartment at the front of the Hogwarts Express gazing out the window, her fingers toying with the badge on her school robes. After all these years of hard work she'd finally become head girl. She'd finally proven to the wizarding world that she was not just a muggleborn but she was a great witch too.
She looked down at her badge, a smile slowly growing upon her face. She'd proven it to herself too.
The compartment door slid open and she looked up expecting the new Head Boy to walk in.
"Hey there Lils."
She shook her head and smiled at her best friend in the whole world. She'd grown up wit Jessica Harris and she loved her like a sister. Jessica had a demeanor that would have scared Voldemort himself.
"Hey Jess." She took a seat beside Lily. "This compartment is for the Heads and Prefects."
Jessica shrugged. She never did care for rules. "I still can't believe you got Head Girl. Well wit grades like yours, I guess, but it's still unbelievable!"
Lily laughed. "I know, I'm sitting here with the badge pinned to my chest and still can't believe it." She looked down at her badge once again. "Do you have any clue who the Head Boy is?"
"I've heard rumors that its-"
The compartment door opened and in came the prefects. Lily began to panic. "The Head Boy's not here though" Behind everyone came Remus Lupin and she sighed in relief but close behind him was the one person she had been hoping not to see till the sorting. James Potter.
Lily and James had somewhat of a rivalry going on. Well she wasn't sure if James was aware of their rivalry but she was perfectly aware of it. The way he, though he had his own chair in McGonagall's office, was able to stay shoulder to shoulder with her in every subject aside from Charms and Transfiguration that is. She clearly excelled in Charms and she grudgingly admitted he was exceptionally better than her in Transfiguration.
She was ashamed at how she let this fact get to her. What irritated her more than the fact that he was just as good as she intellectually, was his cockiness. He was perfectly aware of his intelligence and to add on to it he was also perfectly aware of how attractive he was. Though most of the female population of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry silently admired him from afar he'd taken an annoying interest in Lily. Let's just say she wasn't in the least bit flattered.
She opened her mouth to tell him he wasn't allowed there during the meeting but her jaw slacked at the sight of the badge on his chest. Many things ran through her mind at that instant. How could- But then she had to look past her dislike for him and focus on actuality. Though James may continuously get into mischief he did indeed surpass in everything he tried.
She merely stared at him and noticed exactly when he saw her. They simply stared at one another, and then he smiled. She looked away and turned to Jessica. "I guess I'll see you at the sorting."
Jessica shook her head but inwardly smiled. This was going to be a crazy year with those two working together.
As Lily descended from one of the carriages she had to admit that the meeting wasn't so bad. But she could have done with a little help from James. He'd been awfully quiet through most of the meeting. Simply nodding and making little sounds of agreement every time she said something. It was quite frustrating. The one time he chooses to keep his mouth shut is the one time his voice is needed. She shook her head in frustration and looked up at the place she'd called home for almost 7 yrs.
When she entered the Great Hall she spotted her friends almost immediately and took a seat between Susan and Cathy.
She looked around the table at the only people in Hogwarts she trusted with her life. People she loved as family. She looked to her right at Susan Santiago. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful but many of the opposite sex admired her confidence and wittiness.
She looked to her left at Cathy Bates. Cathy tends to stay in her own little world. She loved to read and you'd most likely find her with a mystery novel in her hands.
Then Lily looked across Cathy, at Mary who was sitting besides Jessica. She was quite odd. More of the rebellious type. She was clearly different than the other four but a friend no less.
Lily looked back at Susan who was shamelessly tapping her fingers on the table. "Could they hurry up and start this stupid sorting? I mean come on; I didn't eat a thing before I left this morning." She was craning her neck to look at the first years that had just walked in.
Lily shook her head and laughed. Susan was known for her appetite.
"My goodness Santiago, not very ladylike now are you? Didn't your mother teach you better than that?"
Susan cringed at the mention of her mother. She knew that voice. She looked up and sure enough he was there; Sirius Black. Susan didn't exactly hate the bloke. She just really really didn't like him. They'd started off badly their first day at Hogwarts. Let's just say it involved him, her, and a lot of mud.
He took a seat besides her. Not really caring that it annoyed her. It irritated Susan endlessly how it was easy for him to get to her but after 6 yrs she still couldn't find a way to make him tick. He walked around without a care in the world with his wavy black hair and his mysterious grey eyes taking in everything around him. He seemed to her… emotionless.
Lily looked pass Sirius and just as she suspected; James, Remus, and Peter were right behind him. Lily sometimes wondered if they shared a brain. It seemed as if the four of them were unable to do anything without the others.
James Potter was somewhat like his best friend Sirius. He walked around with an air about him; as though he was in a world of his own. He had jet black untamable hair and hazel eyes even Lily had to admit were gorgeous.
Remus was the most tolerable of them all. He interacted with others though he too was just as mysterious as James and Sirius. He had boyish looks and to Lily he was fairly attractive with sandy blonde hair and deep blue eyes.
Peter on the other hand was far different from the others. He had watery blue eyes with rough blonde hair and flinched at almost anything. He wasn't the most confident bloke out there. Unfortunately for him the only seat left was by Jessica who's made it clear that she wasn't too fond of him. And unfortunately for Lily, James sat directly across from her.
"You are such a prat Black," was all Susan could say. He simply shrugged.
McGonagall raised her hand and the Hall automatically fell silent and the sorting began.
The minute the sorting finished the plates immediately filled with food which shocked everyone. Where was Dumbledore? This simple question stopped Susan for only a second. She started grabbing at whatever was close to her.
Mary looked at Susan and shook her head. That girl eats like a dog. Then she turned to Lily. "So Lily… how are things going between you and Lockhart?"
This caused Sirius to glare at Mary and James to choke on his pumpkin juice. Remus simply shook his head and reached in his bag for a book. There was no way this would end well. Cathy, Jessica, and Susan simply looked at Mary in question. Why would she bring something like that up while James was sitting within earshot?
Lily shrugged. "We broke up."
The tension around the table slowly eased. "It took you long enough to. He was a spineless git," Susan said as she continued on eating.
Cathy who was pretty much oblivious to everything around her spoke. "Not saying that I'm not happy, but why?"
Remus once again shook his head and lifted his book a little higher. This time Peter spared a glimpse their way.
Lily reached for the gravy. "He was a bit haughty. He was always talking about himself. Don't get me wrong, he'd accomplished plenty with his writing and all. It was the rest of the things he talked about that I couldn't take. How he is supposedly great at Quidditch but feels joining a school team is an insult to his skills-"
Sirius snorted in amusement. Not finding their conversation worth eavesdropping on he continued eating.
"Where he got his clothes," Lily continued, "Even what he put in his hair."
"Really? What kind of shampoo does he use cause-OW." Susan rubbed where Mary pinched her. "What was that for?" she asked.
Mary rolled her eyes. "Your hair is fine." Sheesh, she can be such a ditz.
"Anyways, he was way too pompous." As an after thought Lily added, "He reminded me tremendously of Potter."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" James said, a bit louder than he'd first intended.
"Oh brother," Jessica mumbled.
"Here we go again," Susan and Cathy whispered.
Sirius looked at the two of them in exasperation. This was like a yearly ritual. One of them would say something that the other wouldn't like and they'd start yelling and… he was pretty much tired of it.
Mary grinned at James fury. For reasons known only to her, she couldn't stand James. She'd made it her mission to keep Lily from ending up with the pretentious jerk.
Lily jumped slightly at his outburst. She'd forgotten he'd been sitting there since he'd been so quiet. "I meant it the way it sounded, problem Potter?"
He glared at her. The last thing he needed was her lashing out at his character. "I'm nothing like that idiot."
All eyes were now on them.
Lily laughed. "Oh please, you are the most obnoxious fool I've ever had the misfortune of meeting. Compared to you Lockhart was humble."
The girls looked from one to the other and back again, Remus was practically buried in his book though he clearly wasn't reading it, and Peter was watching eagerly.
"Listen, you two really need to stop," Sirius said, though half-heartedly.
By now they were both standing. Lily couldn't help but enjoy this. She loved the fact that she knew exactly what to say to make Mr. I'm-So-Cool snap. It's a gift.
Then she truly looked into his eyes. They were no longer hazel but more of a dark brown and she could have sworn she saw flames. Could it be possible that he actually cared what she thought of him?
James pulled out his wand and pointed it between her eyes. He was subconsciously aware that everyone was on the edge of their seats and that McGonagall was headed their way. He didn't care though; he was tired of her verbal abuse. He'd done nothing to deserve any of it.
Sirius stood up too. "Prongs put down your wand. It's not worth it," he whispered in his friends' ear. But it was like talking to a wall when it came to those two.
"Go ahead Potter. Do your worst."
Sirius looked at Lily in agitation. She never did know how to keep her mouth shut.
"Uh, do you suppose we should help Sirius?" Cathy whispered.
"Nah, James won't do anything," Jessica whispered back.
"Are you sure?" Susan asked.
"Yea… I think."
Professor McGonagall approached them. "Mr. Potter, drop your wand!"
But he wasn't listening. All he'd ever down was reach out to Lily and all she'd ever done was stomp on his heart. He was tired of it but something in him just wouldn't let him forget about her.
He slowly lowered his wand and gave her a once over, then he walked out the Great Hall. There was stirring around the Hall the minute he left.
Lily sighed and took her seat. She felt slightly guilty but she was not about to admit that to anyone. "What a way to start the school year."
That night James lay in his bed thinking of what had happened earlier. Is that really what she thinks of me? He'd understood her name calling before because he'd usually be doing something stupid to attract her attention but tonight he'd done nothing.
He rolled on his other side. What does she want from me?
Okkk, that was my first chapter. I felt that the original had gone by a little too quickly so I decided to revise it. Don't forget to review.
Baby-D
