Chapter 1: Bright Idea
"I never realized how small the the Hogwarts Express really is," said James as he walked alongside Albus and I. We had just made our way onto platform 9 and 3/4 the bright red engine sending waves of steam into the air in front of us.
I rolled my eyes at James's comment but it was Albus who spoke up. "Sod off James, you only graduated from Hogwarts 2 years ago."
James gave his younger brother an exasperated look. "It might as well have been a lifetime ago little brother," James told him but Albus hadn't heard him. He had rushed ahead through the crowd of students narrowly avoiding knocking a frightened first year onto the ground.
"But don't you you miss it?" I asked walking beside him. My trunk was trailing behind me and my arms were full with my enormous tabby cat.
James gave me a sideways look. "A little but mostly I miss seeing you everyday." He ruffled the top of my hear making a mess of my red hair. I huffed and quickly smoothed it back and gaving him an annoyed smile. He had been in Gryffindor house, just as i was. We had seen each other everyday since my first year and just like any older brother would be, he had been extremely over protective. To me, James departure had been quite liberating. But Albus kept it from being absolute freedom.
"Did you hear that Lysander got Head Boy?" I asked him, trying to change the subject. We had finally caught up to Albus who was standing beside our mother and father. Albus perked up as he heard this.
"They only gave Head Boy to Lysander because he's a swot and all of the teachers like him," he mumbled and Mrs. Potter him a reproachable look. She didn't like it when anyone spoke ill of the Scamander boys, seeing as their mother was one of Mrs. Potters closest friends.
"You're just jealous," James said as Albus glared at him.
"I have no interest in being Head Boy," Albus said loudly. "I just think that it should have been given to someone else is all."
"Someone like your best friend, Malfoy?" James asked and he moved away before Albus could give him a shove. He'd had hit a sore spot.
Everyone knew how much Scorpious Malfoy wanted the Head Boy badge and it seemed he was likely to get it considering his marks. But it had gone to Lysander instead and Albus seemed to have take the whole thing personal,.
"Malfoy must have been thrilled when he found out Rose got Head Girl. Tell me, were there tears?" Ouch another sore spot. If there was anything worse than not getting head boy was having Rose Weasley, Scorpious's toughest competition, get a badge herself.
Albus took another swing at his older brother but James was too quick and moved before he had a chance to make contact. I laughed unable to hide my amusement.
"Come on," continued James, " no one in thier right mind would give a Malfoy so much power."
I grimaced at the sting of Jamess words. I was about about to tell him to take it easy on Albus when the sound of someone shouting my name distracted us all. Agatha Longbottom was waving from in front of one of the train compartments, her mother and father standing beside her. Mr. and Mrs. Potter walked over with me. I ran over to Agatha give by her a tight embrace.
The Potters and the Longbottoms fell into a comfortable conversation as Agatha and I talked excitedly.
"How was your holiday?" I asked.
"Brilliant," Agatha told me. "I've loads to tell you!"
My smile spread. Agatha had an adventurous spirit that included boys and broken hearts. I expected a dramatic love story when we were finally away from the parents which would happen soon enough as the first warning bell rang over the train station.
"Help your sister with her trunk," said Mr. Potter as Albus was rushing onto the train. Upon hearing his fathers request Albus stopped immediately and turned back to help me with my trunk.
"I can do it myself," I exclaimed but Albus ignored me and hoisted my trunk onto the train and into an empty compartment.
I turned back to mum and dad. Saying goodbye was always the hardest part of the school year. even though I was in my fifth year at Hogwarts, I never found it easy to leave my parents for semesters at a time.
"Write to us," My mom requested giving me a tight hug. I promised I would as tears threatened to fall from behind my eyes.
My dad hugged me next. "Remember to ask Albus if you need anything," he told me. "You can also talk to Hagrid or Professor Longbottom as well. And if McGonagall isn't very busy..." It took all of my effort not to roll her eyes at my father who had the ability to make me feel as though I was still eleven years old. I know he did it because he wanted to protect me but it was stifling.
"I will dad," I said. he took me into in his arms and I immediately forgave him. "I'll miss you."
I gave James a huge hug and he planted a kiss on the top of my head. "Have a good year Lils" he told me.
After a few more tears and hugs Albus and I made our way onto the train. James waved goodbye from beside our parents as the train engine came to life. I walked into the compartment where Agatha was waiting as Albus made his way to the Slytherin compartment in search of his best friend.
After I organized my belongings I headed back towards the sliding door.
"Hey where are you going?" Agatha said scathingly, as if my leaving her alone in the compartment was the worst thing that could happen to anyone.
I gave her a weary smile. "Don't you remember Aggie? I've got prefect duties."
Agatha pursed her lips together, as she always did when she was upset about something.
"It'll only be for a minute," I said quicky. "I think they just want to give us some instructions."
"Fine," Aggie said flatly and then gave me a faint smile. When I had first told Agatha about receiving her prefect badge the first thing she said was, "we won't be spending as much time together." At least she hadn't cared that she herself hadn't recieved a badge. I tried to console her then, as I did now.
"I'll be back before you know it," I offered. "You'll see," and I said goodbye making my way to the prefect compartment.
All prefects had reserved seating in the first few compartments of the train with the Head Boy and Girl having one completely to themselves. It was there that we were to meet and receive our first instructions of the term. Walking into the compartment gave me a chance to see who the other new prefects were. There was Greggory McMillan and Julliette Duhame from Ravenclaw, both whom if only spoken to a few times. I gave them a knowing smile. From Hufflepuff there was a girl with curly brown hair that I didn't recognize and Ewan Prince, who had once bought me a butterbeer in Hogsmead. Ewan turned red when I said hi to him. There were a couple of Slytherin prefects, the boy was called Ubersax but I didn't know the girl. They both looked in my direction but said nothing.
"Hiya Lily!" came a voice behind me. I turned to see Bernie StClair, from Gryffindor, striding towards me. His curly blonde hair falling over his eyes. "You made prefect too? I kind of suspected it because of your marks but you can never know for sure. There is always a chance that they might give it to someone else, you know?"
Bernie kept on while I nodded politely. Everyone knew that Bernie could talk. Luckily for Me the Head Boy and Head Girl were calling for our attention.
"Congratulations to all of you for making prefect." Rose Weasley's tall frame stood in the center of the compartment. Her long red hair was held back with a maroon headband. She looked well composed and perfect just as she always did. She glanced around the room makings brief eye contact with each of then . When her eyes fell upon mine her smile widened. "My Name is Rose Weasley, Ravenclaw." She turned to look at her partner.
"And I'm Lysander Scamander, Hufflepuff," Lysander gave everyone a knowing smile and gave me a slight wink. If he hadnt spent so many weekends and holidays at the potter household I would have blushed. But at this point, he was more like a brother to me. "As you may know, prefects have several duties throughout the school year. I'm not going to go over all of them right now, we'll save that for our first meeting, but I do want to give you your patrolling schedules for the train, and the names of the first year students you are going to help once the welcoming feast is over. If at any time you run into a problem you may ask the prefects in the years above you or Rose and I if we are available. Do any of you have any questions?"
Rose began handing out the schedules while Lysander answered a few questions from the Slytherin prefects. I looked down at the schedule. Bernie and I had the 3:45 shift. I stuffed the parchment into my pocket wondering if we were excused when Lysander said, "well if there are no more questions you lot are free to go."
Before I could shuffle through the door Lysander stopped me. "Congratulations on making prefect," he said smiling. He had the type of smile that reached all the way to his eyes which was one of the reasons why Lysander was so popular.
"Thanks," I answered. "I bet your mum was happy you got Head Boy?"
"She was," he told me. "Said that the Head's were allowed to feed the Unicorns in the forbidden forest, but I don't think that's true." We both laughed. Mrs. Scamander had always loved to tell outrageous stories although they never knew if she was telling the truth or not. Rose came over and gave me a tight hug.
"You'll love being prefect!" She exclaimed and run she went on to talk to the other prefects who were still hanging around.. I said goodbye to them both promising to come to them if i needed any help and then left the compartment.
"Hey Lily wait up!" Bernie was running to catch up with me. "3:45 right? That's good, at least it isn't the last shift of the day. Wouldn't have to much time to change into our robes..." He went on again and I was trying hard to pay attention, saying hi to people I knew as we walked by compartments with open doors. Beside me Bernie hadn't taken a breath, "...do you have a compartment? There is room in mine if you nee-"
"I have one, thanks," I said quickly. I didn't think I could sit in a compartment with Bernie. "See you later Bernie." I waved goodbye and left Bernie still muttering something that I didn't hear.
Back in the compartment I found Agatha in the middle of a story with a couple of fifth years sitting across from her. My tabby, Monty, was curled up on her lap but the moment I walked in he leapt off and started meowing at my heels. I picked him up and tried to catch up on Agatha's story.
"Berlin was fun," she moved over on the bench so I could sit right next to her. "Of course my dad had to go to all of these meetings during the day so mum and I had to keep ourselves busy."
Agatha's father, Neville Longbottom, was the Hogwarts Herbology teacher and had taken to attending conferences in order to make his lessons more interesting. It seemed to have worked since Herbology was now considered a popular subject amongst Hogwarts students.
I was about to ask Aggie what kind of trouble she had managed to get into when the door to the compartment slid open. Albus walked in followed closely by his best friend Scorpious Malfoy who looking bored.
"How's it Lils?" Albus asked. A few of the girls in the compartment straightened up in their seats and I noticed how they smiled hoping to catch the his attention. Albus loved the attentions I it was no coincidence that he was as conceited as they came.
"Just as good as I was when I last saw you Albus," I told him unable to hide the frustration in my voice. "You know, I don't need you to check up on me all the time."
Albus simply smiled at me, "Dad's orders."
I scoffed and turned my attention to Scorpious.
"How are you Scorpious," I asked. He had been stand behind Albus, hands in his pockets eyes toward the ceiling, blonde hair falling lightly in front of his steel gray eyes. At the sound of my voice he looked down at me as if just realizing I was in the compartment.
"Oh hey Lily," he said flatly and immediately went about looking around compartment.
I stared at the pair of them. My temper Flaring. Agatha sensing danger spoke up. "Anything else Albus?" she asked.
"Nope," he answered heading towards the door motioning Scorpious to follow. "We'll be back later."
"Please don't" I called out before the door slid closed. "Why my father thinks I need someone to check on me! They treat me as if I was still in first year!"
Agatha nodded sympathetically besides me.
"You need to show them you aren't a Ickle girl anymore," she said. I nodded. Desperate for any ideas. "You need to show them that you've matured. I GOT IT!" Agatha yelled. A few people in the compartment jumped and looked around laughing.
Agatha lowered her voice so only I could hear. "We need to get you your first kiss!"
A/N:: Any reviews are greatly appreciated. This is my first story in a long time and would love a little feedback!
