The trip through Hogsmead seemed to take forever. Lily couldn't find Snape, and the only carriage left ended up having James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter already in it.

"Come ON Lily!" Jo shouted, pulling Lily by the arm.
"No, that's ok. I'm fine with walking." Lily responded, really not wanting to share a carriage with James, for she was not in the mood for being asked out.
"Aw... what's the matter Lilykins? I won't bite." James said, then point to Sirius he added, "But Padfoot might."

James smirked at Sirius, and while Sirius tried his hardest not to grin, he punched James in the arm. Pushing Lily from behind, Adrian and Jo finally got Lily to go in the carriage. Luckily, she was able to sit next to Remus, who was the only one of the Marauders group who she could actually stand. Right away, they began discussing books that they had read over the summer. Jo and Adrian began discussing their summer romances, while Sirius and James discussed quidditch. Peter just sat there, trying to join in any conversation he could. Finally they reached the school and walked inside, sitting at their house tables. Lily sat between Adrian and Jo, while the Marauders sat directly across from them. After sorting all of the first years, the feast began. Adrian and Jo were joined by Lily in their gossiping of summer romances while Sirius and James were in deep conversation.

"What?!" James shouted, louder than he meant and a few heads turned his way. Looking at Lily, he saw her waving at someone behind him. Turning around, he saw Snape returning a wave.
"Yea, I know. They were sharing the same compartment on the train too." Sirius responded to his cold look.

Looking at Lily now, who was still talking with Jo and Adrian, he thought for a moment then spoke.

"Hey Lily!" He said.

Turning away from her laughing friends, she answered.

"Yea?"
"What's up with you and Snivilus?"
"Why does it matter to you?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"I hear your friends again?!"
"So what if we are? Not like it's hurting you."

But James knew better. This was the year. It had to be. And he would stop at nothing until he got his shot with Lily. But with Snape in the picture now, it may be harder to do than he would have imagined.

"After what he did. What he called you. And your gonna be friends with him again?"
"He apologized and has changed. And therefore, I have forgiven him."
"I still don't trust him."
"Well thank you for your concern, but I do trust him. So just drop it." Lily said with force, causing James to back away from the table a little.

While Lily went back to talking with Adrian and Jo, James sat there in thought, looking from Snape to Lily. Why in the world would she forgive him now? He's been trying to get her forgiveness since he called her that horrible name, and all of a sudden she forgave him? It just didn't make sense. He didn't know how long he was in his trance, but by the time he snapped back into it, the meal was cleared up and Dumbledore was finishing his speech. It was them time to go up to his new dorm, which he was going to be sharing with Lily. Maybe he would be able to talk to her there. He shook his head and ruffled his hair as he began to climb the steps to his new dorm.

After taking a shower, James sat himself down on a large comfy red sofa and stared out the window at the dark, rainy sky, while fiddling with his wand. He was waiting for Lily to come up so he could point out the fact that they would be sharing the same dorm for the rest of the year. Though their dorm wasn't as big as the Gryffindor tower, it was good size. The main room that you walked into straightaway was almost as big as the Gryffindor common room. The walls were grey, but a huge Gryffindor banner was place right over the door. There was a fireplace and a large window on each side of the fireplace, overlooking Hogwarts grounds. If you looked hard enough, you could even see the quidditch pitch. There was a large red sofa in front of the fireplace and a love-seat on either side of it. To the right of the door, there was another room that led to a master bathroom, with a good sized shower, two mirrors, two sinks, and a silver toilet. (James noticed while he was taking a shower that there were even two red bathrobes, one with James's name stitched in, and the other with Lily's.) To the left of the door was what seemed a very old grandfather clock, next to what looked like an old collection of books stacked messily on a bookshelf. Across the room were two hallways. Each ending in a bedroom. They were both the same, having a large window overlooking the ground and a king-sized bed. In their bedrooms, there was another door that led to a large walk in closet. It was almost like they were living like royalty.

James sat on the sofa, wondering where Lily was when he heard a knock on the door. He looked at the clock as it read 11 p.m. Why was she out of bed so late, and why in the world was she knocking on the door to her own room. Getting out of his seat he walked across the floor and opened the door to find not one figure standing at the door, but three.

"James!" They all said at once.
"What are you guys doing here?" James questioned.
"We wanted to come visit you, seeing as your no longer sharing a room with us. So you gonna show us around?" Sirius asked.

James grinned and moved out of the doorway, to let his friends inside.

"Jeeze! You definitely got it good here!" Sirius exclaimed, examining the room.
"Look at all these books!" Remus said, running his finger over each title.

James and Sirius rolled their eyes laughing, while Peter stood there, trying to take in the room. After giving them the grand tour, they sat down on the sofas, talking.

"So where exactly is Lily?" Remus asked.
"No clue." James replied.

Sirius raised his eyebrow.

"You don't think she's with ol' Snivilus again, do you?" He asked. All eyes were on James.
"I don't know." He responded, more curious now about her whereabouts.
"So what do you have planned for him this year?" Sirius asked.
"Well, I really haven't given it much thought. But now that he's taken such an interest in Lily, I'm gonna have to come up with something good." James said, as the door opened.

"I heard my name. What are you talking about?" Lily said, opening the door, followed by Jo and Adrian.
"Why do you have to come up with something good?" Adrian asked.

Remus and Sirius looked at James, knowing that now that Lily and Snape were friends, he was going to have to be careful about what he does to Snape, because even when they weren't friends, she still didn't think him torturing Snape was very amusing. Peter was looking from James to the girls, back to James, opened mouthed.

"I was saying... that I have to think of a good way to ask Lily out so she will go out with me." He grinned.

Sirius and Remus raised their eyes and grinned, mentally saying good one to James. James grinned back.

"Ugh... so typical." Jo said, shaking her head as Adrian laughed.
"Well how about something not so typical then?" Sirius started. Jo looked at him, waiting to hear what he had to say before she snapped back at him. In the past, they really hadn't gotten along. "How about you go out with me?" Sirius smirked as Jo looked taken back.
"What?! Ew... No." She replied.
"How come? I'm good looking, you're good looking. It's a perfect match."

Lily and Adrian tried to hold back laughing while James, Remus, and Peter weren't doing as good of job. Jo turned to Adrian.

"Let's go. Sorry Lily, maybe you could tell us later when these idiots aren't around." Jo said, glaring at Sirius and then stormed out of the room, followed by Adrian who waved goodbye to Lily.
"So what were you gonna tell them?" James asked, trying not to sound interested.
"Why would I tell you?" Lily said back.
"Aww... come on! Let's gossip!" Sirius said in his best girl voice. "And after, we can do our nails!!" He added, holding up his fingers and pretending to be excited. Peter and James burst out laughing. Remus gave them the, sometimes-I-forget-why-I'm-your-friend look.

"How can you stand being friends with such idiots?" Lily said, giving Remus a disbelieving look.
"I ask myself that same question sometimes." Remus replied, making Lily laugh a little as she turned around and headed off to bed. Once she shut her door, the guys began to talk again as they stood up.

"Thanks a lot." James said.
"For what?" Remus replied.
"Making us look like idiots." Sirius responded.

Remus could have burst out into fits of laughter, but he controlled himself.

"Trust me," he said, making his way for the door, "you don't need me to do that." And while giving one last laughing look, he disappeared out of the door. Peter followed him.
"So?" James said, when the door shut.
"So what?" Sirius replied.
"You and Jo. I thought you couldn't stand her."
"No, but she got like ten times hotter this summer."

James laughed.

"They were right, you are an idiot."
"Hey! I seem to recall that Lily called you an idiot too." Sirius shot back. James smile faded into a smirk.
"Yea, well... we'll see about that."
"Ah... so you have a plan already?" Sirius looked interested as James's smirk then turned into a grin. Sirius smiled and nodded, understanding what James meant. With that nod, he opened the door and waved goodbye to his friend. James closed the door behind Sirius and looked at the hallway that led to Lily's room. Smiling and nodding he said to himself, "This is the year."