"So let mercy come
And wash away
What I've done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done"
- What I've Done by Linkin Park


He was a prat.

James Potter was the biggest git I'd ever had the misfortune of meeting my entire life. He was a prat, moron, and just all around ignorant jerk.

I don't even know why I was thinking of him. It was the summer holiday and I wouldn't have to put up with him for another two and a half months. Thank Merlin.

He had such an obnoxious voice. It was carrying over from the compartment next door. Him and his idiot friends, well Remus wasn't too bad, had tried to get into our compartment.

Mary, Marlene, and Sophie were pretty keen on the idea, but, as you could imagine, I really wasn't. So, instead, they settled for next door.

Honestly! You'd think they'd shut their traps; it was dark out. There was something wrong with the train, and it was delayed, we wouldn't be back at King's Cross until tomorrow.

Sophie and Mary were asleep, and Marlene was absentmindedly flipping through Witch Weekly. Typical.

My head whipped to the door. There was a loud rapping noise coming from the outside.

Marlene lifted her head. "What's that?"

She closed the magazine and put it on her seat. Swiftly she stood up and went for the door.

I watched her expressionlessly. It might've been because it was dark and ominous outside the window but whatever was outside the door made me nervous.

I saw a tall outline of a person outside the glass and I almost instantaneously thought of James, but he and his friends were still making obnoxious noise across the hall.

I heard Marlene gasp and I looked back at the door. She twisted around, her eyes in slits almost as if she was glaring at me. "It's for you."

Startled and confused I stood up and moved across the compartment. Whoever it was moved and I couldn't see them anymore. I wondered if they left.

"Lily," a voice whispered. A cold hand reached out and grabbed my arm. The freezing touch sent shivers up my spine.

My eyes widened when I saw who it was. I hadn't talked to him in a year. "Severus? What do you want?"

"Lily, I need to talk to you," Severus pleaded. His black eyes seemed somber and scared at the same time.

I narrowed my eyes and yanked my arm away. "No, I don't want to talk to you. Leave me alone".

"No, I really need to talk to you, Lily. It's important. Please," Severus begged.

For a moment I considered going with him but it quickly ended. The compartment door to my right opened up and a head poked out.

"What's going on out h- Snivellus? What are you doing with Lily," James Potter hissed. He stepped out of the compartment and slammed the door shut.

It was crowded in the corridor now. It was a thin hallway and three of us were standing there. I was stuck in between Potter and Severus, making me very uncomfortable.

Severus's black eyes narrowed. "None of you business, Potter. Leave us alone!"

"Oh, Snivellus, why would I leave my poor Lily here with you? For all know you could be kidnapping her. I mean, I know she was you're only friend, but you shouldn't have to kidnap her," James replied, snickering at his own joke.

I scowled at him. As much as I disliked Severus, Potter still shouldn't be talking about him like that. At least it was to his face this time.

"I'm only going to tell you one more time, Potter. Leave us alone," Severus hissed. He reached in his cloak for his wand.

I watched intently waiting for the moment he would pull it out and attack Potter. I diverted my gaze to Potter for a moment and saw he had the same idea as me. We both reached in our cloaks, holding onto our wands just in case.

Potter laughed. "Ha! I bet you wish; you're just trying to steal my Lily from me!"

Just as I was about to scold Potter I heard a loud stupefy, protego, and a scream. I looked over to Potter but found him perfectly in place with a smug smirk on his face.

My eyes widened, and I immediately realized what had happened. About five feet down the hall Severus was laying down, his cloak covering his entire body.

My jaw dropped and I ran over to help him. Severus moved, and I saw his face closely for the first time in a while.

It was pale, and his black eyes were coal like- including the coldness. Blood dripped down his lower lip, probably from the spell. I reached out and attempted to help him, but he reacted sharply.

"I don't need your help, mudblood! I tried to warn you, Lily, don't tell me I didn't," Severus shouted. He stood up, glared at Potter and me, and briskly took off down the corridor.

"Snivellus, get back here! Don't you dare call her that," Potter yelled, his voice booming. I heard his loud footsteps as he rushed down the corridor past me.

He moved so quickly, the air from his walk blowing my hair. It was dark in the corridor and I could barely see Potter and Severus down the corridor.

"Potter, wait," I yelled. He abruptly stopped and looked at my, his eyes softening. "Don't you dare go after him!"

"But he- Lily- I-… He called you a… You know," Potter replied, he looked at me frantically.

"Just don't!" I yelled. My eyes were in slits, much like Marlene's were just earlier. I loathed them both, but I didn't want there to be in a fight on account of me.

I heard a bark-like laugh behind me and I instantaneously recognized it. Sirius Black.

"That's right, Prongsie! Listen to Evans; come back and sit down".

It took all of my will power not to turn around and curse him. Perhaps I could make his hair fall out. I'm sure he'd love that. No, Lily, be nice.

"Fine," Potter grumbled, he crossed his arms across his chest and stalked back to his compartment. I knew he was angry; he didn't even talk to me when he passed.

Not that I minded, in fact, the mere sound of his voice could make me run for the hills. It even sent chills up my spine- the bad kind, not the good. It was just irritating.

I heard the door slam shut behind me- Potter was obviously outraged. It brought me back to reality and I headed back for my own compartment.

Marlene was asleep now; her magazine was spread out on top of her face. Light snores were escaping her mouth.

I stared out my window, trying to figure out what Severus meant. What had he tried to warn me about? Reluctantly I let my eyes flutter shut and I began to drift off into unconsciousness, still trying to figure out what Severus meant.


Hmm, I wonder what that was all about. By the way, remember it. That's important. I won't be answering questions about that, but everything else I will. I hope this was good enough for a first chapter, I don't believe in that dipping your toes stuff. I dive right in.

The next chapter will be up tomorrow, I should be making daily updates. Unfortunately I have to go off and do my homework or this chapter might be longer.

This chapter has been edited for grammar and just plain better writing. July 26, 2009