Thanks to my reviewers! BlueSkies13, SiRiUs-PaDfOoT-bLaCk23451, MayFairy, Veronica Willlis, and Loslote!

Also, I replaced the prologue. So go back to the previous chapter if you're interested.

Red

Chapter 1

Finally, I thought, I'm going home to Hogwarts.

Hogwarts had been my home since my first year; it had everything that I loved: classes, my best friend, and magic. Of course I had a house. But it wasn't my home; it was too broken. All the fighting, fighting, and fighting between Petunia and I, while my mum ignored it and thought everything was fine and dandy. My dad wasn't blind to the situation, and he tried to get her to see what was happening between us, of course that only produced fighting between them. It was just so miserable and tense there that I hated it.

So I was overjoyed to be going back.

I was trying to lift my overly-large trunk onto the train, when a pair of large hands helped my push it onto the rack. I turned around, straightening my shirt. I immediately recognized the sandy hair that fell slightly into coffee colored eyes, tall (6'3) and lanky form, and splattering of freckles across the long nose.

"Thanks, Remus!" I said brightly.

"Welcome," he replied. "Congrats on making Head Girl," he added with a smirk.

"Are you Head Boy? I assumed so, since you were such a great prefect."

He laughed. "No, sadly I still am a prefect."

"Really? I guess it must be Mark Clemmons, I don't know who else Dumbledore would pick."

Remus smiled widely and let out a chuckle; but I didn't know what was so funny. "Must be," he replied. "Well, Miss Evans, I must be off if I am to be in time for the meeting. It has been a pleasure," he said with a fake swooping bow.

I smirked. "I've had a grand time, Sir Lupin, but I am afraid I must be off as well. Until we meet again," I curtsied—which was hard to do since I was still in my jeans—and hurried off to get changed so I would be ready in time.

I had already planned out my speech that I would make to all the prefects, and I had fully expected Remus to be up there with me. But fate had other plans and now I was wondering who would be sharing the Heads Dorm with me this year. I walked down the compartments to the designated one in the front with growing dread. Sure Mark Clemmons was okay, but what if it actually wasn't him?

I pulled open the door to the compartment.

"Evans! You didn't tell me you're Head Girl! "

Without looking up I knew that voice. It haunted me in my nightmares. It belonged to James Potter.

I hated him. The words loathed, despised, couldn't stand, didn't compare to what I really felt. He was so full of himself, so big-headed. I had no idea why Dumbledore picked him for Head Boy, he was the most irresponsible person I knew and couldn't obey authority, let alone take a position with authority. He hadn't even been a prefect, for Merlin's sake! He could have anything he wanted, and never had to try. He got good marks in every class, was admittedly talented on the quidditch field—not that I would tell him that of course, that would only inflate his head even more. He pranked innocent people just for laughs, and disrespected teachers just because he could. They all somehow had a soft spot for him and his gang, the 'marauders', and even when they would pull a stupid prank you could see the sternest of all teachers lips twitch. He had thick square framed black glasses, a long nose, and untamable black hair. His eyes were of a hazel color, and he had a slightly muscular build.

He was the leader of the marauders, which was composed of himself, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Remus, who I had already met earlier that day was my favorite of the marauders because he was actually down to earth, studied, and a nice guy. He was the most tame out of the four. I had no idea as to why he hung out with them. Sirius Black was the 'bad boy', with long black hair and grey eyes and a muscular build. He was a player but all the girls still loved him. Peter Pettigrew was the…oddball. He didn't really seem to fit in, since he had neither talent or looks or smarts. But I suppose it was because he had a kind heart and would say a good word about anybody, even if he was a little shy and awkward. He had watery blue eyes, a pointed nose, and heavy build, and light blonde hair.

"And you didn't tell me you're Head Boy, otherwise I wouldn't have come back," I snapped. My short temper was even quicker to fire when I was around Potter.

"Harsh, Evans. How was your summer?" he asked changing the subject abruptly. This caught me off guard. I had never heard him try to make a polite conversation in his whole life. Everything out of his mouth was a smart aleck remark.

"Fine," I lied. Petunia had actually ruined it for me. "You?"

He was about to reply when the door opened and Remus and a few other prefects walked in, another of which was in our year as well. He grinned a little when he saw James and I, and I realized that was what he had been laughing about before, he had known all along that Mark Clemmons wasn't the Head Boy. Once all the prefects had assembled, James and I stood up and introduced ourselves.

"Hi, everyone I'm sure you all know me but I'll introduce myself anyway. My name is Lily Evans. I'm really excited to take the role as Head Girl, and I'll try to keep the best interests of the school and students in mind when making decisions."

There was an awkward silence after. I had introduced myself, it was James's turn now. I tried to discreetly elbow him in the ribs.

"What?" he asked, looking at me with confusion all over his face.

"Introduce yourself!" I hissed.

"Oh, right." He started. A fifth year Hufflepuff giggled flirtatiously. "Well, I'm James Potter, prankster extraordinaire and Gryffindor quidditch captain and keeper."

I wisely took it from there, instructing them tutoring responsibilities, not abusing authority, and the rounds that they would have to make around the school. James was wise enough to let me take over, and settled with just adding in a few points here and there. I was surprised on how well he was taking the responsibility. He seemed to have read up on what prefect had to do, since he had not been one. I was probably giving him too much credit; he most likely asked Remus. But I was still glad that I wasn't making a speech with a statue standing next to me.

We sent them off once duties were explained and questions answered. It was just James and I, and I hoped to go over our plans as quickly as possible while still getting everything covered.

"Well, they sure seem excited," I remarked with sarcasm as I closed the door after the retreating group.

James laughed dryly. "Evans, I think you're the only one who actually likes this kind of thing."

"And what's wrong with that?" I snapped.

"Nothing! Nothing. Just makes you even more special."

I rolled my eyes "Nice save, Potter. Now down to business."

We discussed the rounds we would have to do, and I relented to doing them together. To be honest I never liked doing them by myself, as childish as it was. The Christmas Ball was discussed, and so was all the other responsibilities that came with being a Head.

I soon found out that I needn't have dreaded this conversation. James had undoubtedly matured over the summer, he was easy to talk to and didn't make half the amount of witty or flirty remarks, and when they did they were in moderation and not offensive. He seemed real, unlike the fake guys who just wanted to get into your pants. But he was still funny and interesting, and talking to him wasn't like being in one of Binns's history of magic lessons. I found talking to him not only tolerable, but—I can't believe I'm saying this—fun. If he kept this up, sharing a dorm and rounds might not be as horrible as I expected.

We disembarked the train when someone fell in step with me.

"Looking for someone?" a voice asked conversationally.

"Brittani!" I cried, enveloping the owner of the voice, who happened to be my best friend, a huge bear hug.

"Woah now, I know you missed me but if you want me to still be alive you might want to loosen your death grip," she choked in a muffled voice.

I laughed, and let my arms fall to my sides. "Where have you been hiding?" I asked. "I looked for you at Kings Cross but I didn't see you anywhere!"

Brittani sighed agitatedly. "I had the pleasure"—she said the word through gritted teeth with obvious disdain—"Of sitting with my brother, the one who's entering his first year, you know?" I nodded. "Yeah, well he asked the craziest questions. I mean honestly, why would there be hags at Hogwarts?" She shook her head. "But he seemed to think so."

We caught each other up with what was happening in our lives lately, even though the last time we had seen each other had been but a few weeks ago and we had kept in touch by owl. But we found things to talk about; we always did.

Brittani was tall, with a strong frame but had not an ounce of fat on her. She had brown hair that was pin straight and went to her shoulders and bangs that were always a little long-mostly to cover her large eyebrows that she couldn't straighten out. She had dimples that accentuated her smile, and thick framed square red glasses. The one thing that she hated the most, but couldn't find a way to fix, was the mole that sat right on top of her cheekbone. I told her that it was fine, but she couldn't stand it. Whenever something went wrong, she blamed it on the Slytherins and her mole. She was quite into quidditch, and made the team on her second year. I thought that she should be the captain, instead of Potter, but I suppose I could be a little biased. On most of her assignments and exams she got 'Acceptable' and she was ok with that. She swore that she would she would be a professional quidditch player after Hogwarts, and then it wouldn't matter what happened in the Goblin Revolt of 1238. She came from a family with three brothers, two younger and one older. Brittani wasn't into boys at all, really, nor gossip. She theorized that all boys are stupid in love, and she didn't want it to rub off on her. But she was popular with the guys, and made friends easily.

We had gone through our first year and all the following ones later, and this year we could be slit up. She would be in the dorm with the rest of the seventh year Gryffindor girls, while I would be in the heads dorm with James. We both weren't too excited about it. I, of course, just hated spending time with James—altough talking with him earlier made me realize that he may have matured over the summer, he was still nothing compared to my best friend. As for the girls Brittani had shared the dorm with, they cared about boys, gossip, and loosing that extra bit of fat right below their navel that, in all honesty, was quite nonexistent.

When we had pulled up next to the castle. It loomed close, still as grand and magnificent as ever. It struck me oddly that this would be my last year getting out of the carriages and entering the Great Hall for the sorting and the feast. Of course I knew this day would come soon, but the years had flown by fast.

We all trooped into the Great Hall, and the first years stood in a trailing line. The sorting began, and we got a few new students added to the Gryffindor house, all of which received a healthy applause. Sirius, of course, punctuated it by a loud "Firsties! Just try to avoid that guy over there—" he pointed an accusing finger at Remus. "He can be a little…wolfish. If you value your little heads, I suggest you stay away." He and the marauders—save for Remus—howled with laughter, but the sorting continued nonetheless. Brittani's brother was sorted into Gryffindor as well, and we gave him a high-five as he passed us on the bench. He looked rather pleased to be in the famous Gryffindor house. Dumbledore's speech and a Sorting Hat song later, we were digging eagerly into the feast. It was just as good as last years, and all the years prior.

Brittani and I parted ways at the stairs, she went to her dorm and I to the Heads'. She trailed reluctantly behind Jana and Eliza, the two other girls. They were making dramatic hand gestures as they talked rapidly about how this girl looked much fatter than she did last year, and oh my God have Sirius is sooooooo much hotter than when I last saw him! Brittani walked backwards facing me , so she could make theatrical imitations of the two girls, making me have to stifle my laughter behind my hand. As she was about to turn the corner, she gave me a little wave, rolling her eyes but grinning in her usual way.

I trudged up the steps to my dorm, partially out of exhaustion, and partially because I wasn't too thrilled to be roomies with Potter. I found him waiting outside the door, pacing back and forth and muttering to himself. His eyebrows were creased, and his hand kept jumping to his hair to ruffle it.

"Evans!" he exclaimed, snapping back to his senses. "Good thing you came! I forgot the password."

I snorted. Just like Potter. "Oh, wouldn't it be a tragedy if you had to sleep outside on your first night back?" I asked, faking concern. I muttered the password. "Ladies first," I joked, holding the door open for him. He scowled and huffed inside.