Disclaimer: All characters and plots from the Harry Potter books belong to J.K. Rowling

James and Lily: Battleground

Owl Post:

'PETUNIA! WHERE'S MY WAND?', the fiery red head yelled whilst rummaging through a big pile of clothes in the middle of the floor of the blue bedroom.

A smug face appeared in the doorway, 'I don't know.', Petunia Evans said in an innocent tone, but with a big smirk on her face.

'Petunia', Lily growled, 'I know you have it, so give. it. BACK!'

'Why on earth would I want to touch that...that...THING!' Petunia spat at her sister.

'Tuney, please, I promise not to tell Mum and Dad, if you JUST TELL ME WHERE YOU PUT MY WAND!', Lily pleaded with her sister, making her bright green eyes as big as she could and pouting her lips in a puppy dog expression.

This would usually work, especially on her mother, if she wanted something. But Petunia's expression stayed as hard as stone. Lily sighed exasperatedly, and got up and put her hands on her sister's shoulders.

'For goodness sake Petunia, don't you realise how important this is? The train leaves in an hour and a half! I NEED MY WAND!' she yelled, shaking her sister slightly. For a few seconds the two sisters, so unlike, glared at each other until Petunia rolled her eyes and sighed.

'Perhaps Mickey has it in his basket', she said as she turned around and went into her own bedroom, slamming the door.

Lily, who was now fuming, stormed down the stairs to where her cat was asleep in his basket - lying next to her sleeping black and white furball was her wand. Picking it up, Lily was about to her to go her sister's bedroom to ask her exactly how a cat could have picked up a wand, when a tapping on the living room window caught her attention. There, perched on the windowsill, was a brown tabby owl holding a small letter in it's beak. Lily went to the window and opened it, carefully so as not to startle the owl. After taking the letter, Lily watched the owl fly away into the distance before turning her attention to the letter in her hand. It was addressed to her which wasn't surprising, seeing as Lily was the only witch in her family, so she was used to owl post. She turned the letter over to the printed red Hogwarts emblem, and noticed there was a strange object inside. Carefully opening the envelope, so as not to destroy the emblem, Lily pulled out the letter. It was written in a very neat, long handwriting which she recognised at once: it was the handwriting of her school headmaster, the slightly mad and very brilliant, Professor Dumbledore. The letter read:

Dear Miss Evans,

I hope you are well and had a pleasant summer break. I'm delighted to tell you that you have been chosen as the new Head Girl for this commencing year at Hogwarts. Enclosed is your new badge and you are expected to report to the Head's compartment at 11:15 on the Hogwarts Express, for a briefing of your duties and for you and the new Head Boy to get to know each other a little better. I wish you a safe journey to Kings Cross station and I shall see you on September 1st.

Your Headmaster,

Albus Dumbledore

As Lily read the letter, her expression changed from one of curiosity to delight. She reached into the envelope and pulled out the Head Girl badge which was red and glittered in the morning sunlight. She was still smiling to herself when she noticed the small note at the bottom of the page:

P.S: I thought it would interest you to know that the new Head Boy is James Potter.

Lily just stood there, the letter held tightly in her fist, her mouth gaping open, her expression that of complete shock. Then quite suddenly, the young red head screamed 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'

'EXPELLIARMUS!'.

'STUPEFY!'.

'REDUCTO!' A loud banging sound came from the room above the kitchen in the grand country house.

'Alright, alright, you win. I'll do our packing', grumbled the tall boy with jet black hair and round glasses, whilst rubbing his shoulder, where a small burn mark had just appeared.

'Hahaha, YES! I told you, you could never beat the Sirius-ator!', said the other boy, who had long brown hair and was very good looking, whilst bounding around the big bedroom.

'Never, say that again. Ever', was the reply that could be heard from a voice inside the wardrobe.

'Alright Prongs, so maybe it wasn't one of my best', Sirius Black replied, sitting down on the camp bed. 'But in all seriousness, we do need to start planning this years pranks. It's our last year so we have to make it the Maurauder's Year. It's a shame Moony and Wormtail couldn't stay this week.'

'Yeah', said James absentmindedly, keeping his head low whilst putting pairs of robes into the two trunks.

'What's wrong Prongs?', Sirius said, looking at his friend with concern.

'Oh nothing, nothing, soooo the Maurauder's year huh?'.

'No, something's up. I know you James, don't try hiding it from me.' Sirius said, nudging his friend with his foot.

James sighed, before saying 'It's just, you saying that this is our last year's made me realise. If I can't get Lily to go out with me this year, I'll probably never see her again. I somehow think she's not gonna wanna stay in touch', not looking Sirius in the eye.

Sirius eyed his best friend quizically before saying, 'You really care about how don't you? I mean, really REALLY care about her? Differently to how you've felt before?'.

'Yeah... yeah I do. How'd you know that?'

'It's just...you called her Lily. I've never heard you call her anything apart from Evans before,' Sirius said, giving his friend a small smile, 'apart from the things you mutter in your sleep that is. Gosh, you'd think you were Romeo and Juliet the way you go on about it!'.

'Oi!', James replied, hitting Sirius around the head with a Gryffindor Quidditch team-tshirt. A sharp rapping on the bedroom window caused them both to turn around.

'You get it Prongsy, you know I don't like owls', Sirius grumbled, holding up his hand to reveal a beak shaped mark in his index finger. James, chuckling to himself, went over to the window and took the envelope from the scrawny owl's beak, then gave it an owl treat from the bag on his windowsill, before turning to sit down on the bed next to Sirius.

'Ooooh, look, it's from Dumbledore! I recognise the handwriting from all those detention slips', Sirius said. James ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter that was inside. He quickly scanned the piece of parchment, whilst Sirius attempted to read it over his shoulder, before giving up and turning to the enevelope that lay discarded on the bed.

'Padfoot', James said, 'I don't think we need to worry about me not getting Lily', turning round to find Sirius admiring the shiny red badge that read the words 'Head Boy'.

'Head Boy Prongs! Bloomin' heck, this proves Dumbledore really is barmy! I mean, I'm pleased for you and everything mate, but honestly, I thought it would be Remus', Siruis said before turning back to his friend. 'Sorry, what were you saying mate?'

'I'm saying read the bottom line', James said, smirking and handed the letter to Sirius. Sirius quickly read the PS, a mischevious grin forming on his face.

'I think we've just found this year's first Marauder's operation', James said with a big grin on his face.

Sirius chuckled before saying, 'If the others agree to it, then Evans won't know what hit her!'.

Author's Note: Okay, so that's Chapter 1! I hope you all liked it and please review! Chapter 2 will be up soon! If you have any questions, you can just PM me :)