In Lily's opinion, to use the word 'busy' when describing Platform nine and three quarters was, and always would be, a gross understatement. Teaming, packed and bursting - yes. But busy...definitely not.

With it only being twenty to eleven, there were fewer people around. Those students who had made decent timing of the morning - mainly nervous first years - were spending every last minute with their families and so it was easy for Lily to levitate her trunk into the Prefect compartment at the end of the train without knocking anybody out unnecesarily. She felt that this would not be a good start to her role as Head Girl.

She glanced outside at the Platform that was quickly filling up. Having said goodbye to her parents at ten o'clock that morning and apparating to the station, there was nothing left to do but ponder over who she would be sharing her duties with - Frank or Remus?

She supposed that either would be good - Frank Longbottom was an excellent pupil, he worked incredibly hard in all subjects and had a real knack for transfiguration. He was an excellent friend and a lovely person, who could be really rather witty at times.

On the other hand there was Remus Lupin- Lily felt that the fact he was a werewolf could be a slight draw back...he'd only be up to doing duties three weeks of the month. Also, there was the issue of his friends: chubby, snivelling Pettigrew; egotisitic, 'girls are only useful for sex and making sandwhiches' Black and the arrogant, conceited bane of her existence at Hogwarts that called itself 'James Potter'.

Remus, however, was a very close friend of Lily's and despite his choice of company she found him amusing and intelligent.

A loud noise broke her trail of thought and she jumped up, looking through the window. There was a lot of purple smoke issuing fro a spot in the middle of a large crowd. Realising she was probably supposed to do something about this sort of thing now, she stood up and followed the train down to a door before stepping off onto the now heaving platform.

She pushed through the crowds impatiently "Excuse me...Head Girl..." she repeated at lest twelve times, until she reached the centre of commotion - Peter Pettigrew covered in an unfortunate amount of luminous purple slime. Beside him, Sirius Black was doubled over, howling with uncontrolable laughter.

"What is that?" She asked, already feeling impatience tugging at her gut.

"That, Evans...is what most poeple call a good old practical joke." A smooth voice answered, causing goosebumps to erupt all down her body. It irritated her somewhat that she could hear his voice over the hustle and bustle of the noisy Platform even though he was standing a good two metres away.

As if by reflex, she stepped away from the voice far too quickly and tripped, only to be caught in a pair of strong arms.

"Careful." James Potter bit back a smile as she slapped his hands away "Head Girl, eh? Can't say i'm surprised really, Evans."

"How nice of you." She said sarcastically, before turning to Sirius "This had better stop now, Black."

"Really?" He caught James' eye, looking far more amused than he should "What are you going to do? Put me in detention?"

"You know...I could." she smiled slightly "It's well within my rights."

"I''d love to see you try." He smirked "You look good, by the way. Whatever lucky boy get's to work with you this year has a nice view."

Peter burst out laughing and Sirius snorted. James smirked, pushing the pair away into the slowly dispersing crowd. Mentally cursing them all, Lily stomped back onto the train.

When she arrived back in the Prefect's compartment, there were a few teenagers there that she vaguely recognised but only one she truly knew.

"Frank!" She said, reaching the dark haired boy and hugging him.

He smiled, squeezing her back gently "Hey, Lil. Head Girl?"

She nodded, searching his jumper for a badge but finding nothing but 'Prefect' there "Yeah...aren't you?"

"Head Girl? No actually..."

She laughed "I mean Head Boy."

"Unfortunately not...but I'm not too bothered."

"Oh yeah?" She said, surprised.

"I have my hopes set higher." He said vaguely, looking behind her through the glass of the compartmet door.

Lily followed his gaze and watched the door slide open, revealing one of her best friends. She smiled slightly "Oh...I see."

He smirked as Alice Fortescue appeared, her blonde shoulder length curls glowing in the morning sunshine.

"Lily!" She squealed, throwing both arms around the girl in question with a force you wouldn't necessarily expect from somebody so small.

"Hey Alice." Lily laughed "Good summer?"

She shrugged "Not bad...you know..."

Lily nodded because yes, she did know. It was all over the Prophet - Death Eaters swarming around in packs, killing off muggles for the fun of it and brandishing their evil marks across the sky. Alice's parents both worked for the Ministry so Lily could only imagine the level of stress in her household over the past two months. The level of revision they had been expected to throughout the summer was hardly the cherry on top of the cake, either.

"How was yours?"

"My darling sister has a new boy friend."

Alice's eyes widened "Really? And what's he like then?"

Lily grimaced, shaking her head "Don't even go there. Oh - I'm head girl by the way!"

Alice grinned "Knew you'd get it...what about you?" She turned to Frank "Head Boy?"

He feigned being stabbed in the heart "Nope...I'm still stuck with being a measley prefect."

"Oh well...we can be measley prefects together while our friends go on to greater things." Her blue eyes danced and Frank looked like he'd just won the lottery.

Lily smirked "Well...looks like it'll be Remus, then."

"Not likely." An amused voice spoke from behind her, and Lily span around.

"What do you mean?"

Remus Lupin had a strange expression on his face - half guilty, half amused. He chewed his lip, his sandy brown hair sticking up and the bags under his eyes more pronounced than normal.

"Remus?"

He smiled "I'm not Head Boy."

Lily frowned "Well if you're not and Frank isn't then who-"

"Surprise!" Another voice interrupted, another voice that she'd already heard far too much of that particular morning.

"Potter get out." She snapped "I'm busy."

He raised an eyebrow "With what? Perhaps I could help."

She rolled her eyes, facing him "Doubtful. I'm trying to figure out who the Head Boy is and, not being a Prefect, you aren't even entitled to be in this compartment."

He smirked in that annoying manner that she despised, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall "Actually...you're wrong on both accounts."

"How so?"

"Well...number one, I do know who the Head Boy is, actually. And as for your second point, I am entitled to be in this compartment because the perosn you're looking for...is me."

If looks could kill then James Potter would have been in a heap on the floor, for Lily looked at him in a manner that suggested he was some kind of worthless slug carrying a disease.

"And why the hell would I be looking for you? I'm not in the mood for this, Potter."

He smiled "You're not very observant...are you, Evans?"

She frowned "What are you talking about?"

He sighed and walked towards her, gesturing to his chest, where a small scarlet badge was pinned onto his jumper, emblazened with the golden words 'Head Boy'.

Lily felt all the blood run from her face and then rush back up twice as quickly "You are joking aren't you? Please tell me that's Remus' and you're playing some kind of twisted joke!"

She stared frantically from Remus to the badge,but Remus only shook his head and the badge only continued to flash in the sunlight that was now filling the large compartment. Suddenly, everything from her oddly worded letter to the look on Sirius' face to the guilt on Remus' made sense as realisation hit home like a punch in the face.

James Potter was Head Boy.

James Potter was Head Boy.