Chapter 2

The New Headmaster

Okay, so I am getting the message from the three reviews I've so far gotten that I should continue. Just so you all know, with reviews, I'm okay with constructive criticism—this makes me get better with my writing so you may all enjoy the stories I put up. So if you see anything to your dislike between spelling grammar errors, or anything that just doesn't sound right, please inform me. Also, I may add a few things from book 7, and hopefully everyone finished it… Now to answer the reviews…

Luna: Thanks for being the first one to put up a review! To answer the first question: Yes he still considers her a Mudblood, because of his so called friends that he's made in his house (which we know from the 7th book). But that doesn't mean he doesn't like her, and still thinks she's the most wonderful person in the world… Plus, she grabbed his hand first and he couldn't help reacting. The second question: Yes (again from what we know from book 7) they were friends before, but they kind of broke apart the year previously, and therefore constituting that she probably avoided him that summer because she was still angry at him from last year. Hope that clears that up for you so it's not so confusing.

Kyoshigurelover: Thank you for the nice review! I didn't even realize I had them in character so therefore I was surprised that I got that. It's good to know that I at least have an idea that I've got them in character form! Thanks again!

Flipflopper333: Yes, must admit jet leg sucks, and I hope you can survive yours.

And now I'll let you get on to reading! Hope you enjoy!

James was thinking silently in the carriage he shared with his friend, as it made its way up the bumpy road towards the castle that he had gotten used to seeing every year. His thoughts were revolving around Lily, thinking of their previous encounter on the train. He could feel Sirius and Remus starring at him, and he was tempted to tell them to stop. Whenever they starred at him, James was sure that they could read his thoughts, which was slightly frightening thinking that his thoughts weren't even safe around his best friends.

Sirius coughed loudly making James jump, "I knew it, it's obvious he's thinking about Lily."

James glared at his friend, "and so what if I am?"

Remus sighed, and shook his head sadly, "when are you just going to shape up and gain Lily's trust? It would be so much easier then just sitting around and wishing you could have her when you're perfectly capable of making the transition to have her."

Sirius and Peter starred at him while James asked, "any chance you could translate that into English for us?"

He gave them a look at completely read: You-really-need-to-read-a-dictionary. He took a deep breath and said, "James, you know how to get her… Don't you?"

"To get Lily Evans is my highest ambition Moony, and so far, if you haven't noticed, I'm failing," James replied. "So what makes you think that I know how when I have failed the past, oh lets see, five years?"

Moony sighed again, "I would think it would be right there in front of you Prongs… It's rather simple and understandable really…"

Sirius laughed giving James a reassuring look, "now, we all know how smart James really is."

James kicked Sirius leg, who yelped in pain, his eyes watering. "And now we all know what a big sissy Padfoot is when it comes to pain," James answered sniggering.

"Okay let's stop this childish play time, and get back to what I was saying," Lupin cut in sharply over the conversation his eyes watching the two cautiously, "it's obvious… All you have to do is stop… Don't take this the wrong way James, but stop being an erragent, air headed, jerk, and gain some manners to impress her."

"Excuse me, did I catch that I was an erragent, air headed, jerk some where in that sentence?" James asked with a wild gleam in his eyes.

"Yes, yes you did and I said to not take it the wrong way."

"How am I suppose to not take that the wrong way Moony, and stop laughing Padfoot, it's not funny," James said giving Sirius a sharp look.

"Oh come off it," Sirius answered, his long hair falling into his face, "the day he changes will be when he finally loves Lily more then Quidditch."

Peter rolled his eyes, "yeah, but that's cutting it rather close seeing as he really likes Lily… She's his true love…"

Sirius snorted closing his eyes slowly, "she may be his true love, Wormtail, but honestly flying is his life… So I think I'm going to side with "that's never going to happen" side."

"Hey, I could change if… If I wanted to," James replied hesitantly.

"The key word there mate," Sirius said still laughing, "is if."

"Oh shut up Sirius," James said angrily, "by the way I ran into Lily on the train."

"What did she say?" Sirius asked his eyes lighting up with excitement that something positive had happened to make his friend think about Lily.

James opened his mouth to answer when the carriage came to a lurching halt. James mouthed, 'I'll tell you later' and jumped out of the carriage. He spotted Lily walking up the castle steps with her friends, her hair bouncing as she walked. Sirius was soon by his side, followed by Peter and Remus. James took off after Lily, wanting to ask her again if she wanted to go out with him, when a girl his same age ran up to him.

"Hi James, how was your summer?" She was blushing radiantly her friends could be seen laughing in the distance.

"Yeah, it was fine, and you Katelynn?" James asked as Lily disappeared out of sight to his great dislike.

"Oh mine was fine too… Well see you around James," Katelynn answered, giggling as she ran back to her friends.

James walked with his friends rather forlorn that he had missed his chance to catch up with Lily to talk to her. He felt someone push their way past him, and looked up to see the back of Snapes head talking in a low voice with two of his Slytherin friends. He felt anger rise in his chest as he saw him walk away for some reason. He had always had Lily as a friend until last year when he had called her a Mudblood. Had Lily been sitting with Snape on the train ride there instead of with her friends? It was possible that she had chosen to sit with him he always sat alone unless she joined him. His thoughts raced as he entered the Great Hall and spotted Lily sitting near the back of the table with her friends. James quickly made his way in front of his friends to where they were sitting, and sat across from her.

Lily looked up at James and glared at him, "what do you want, Potter?"

"I want to sit here, what do you plan to do, curse me for doing so?" James asked folding his arms and looking comfortable.

Lily's mouth was slightly open, but she closed it quickly as Sirius, Remus, and Peter joined the group. "Hello Remus, how was your summer?" Lily asked coolly trying to avoid looking at James.

"Um, just fine actually," Lupin answered stunned by the sudden question in his favor.

"That's nice, so, were your O.W.L. marks good," Lily pressed on, still keeping her gaze on Remus whom was gradually turning redder and redder.

"Er, yes… All the studying paid off I suppose," Remus said in a small terrified voice that Lily was completely absorbed into talking with him.

"That's really good for you," Lily said happily. She smiled, but James noticed she was not looking at Remus as she did so but at someone behind Lupin. James desperately tried to see who it was, but couldn't see who it could possibly be there were too many heads of people that she could smile to.

Remus nodded, looking at James in case he was getting mad that Lily was giving him unwanted attention, "yeah, yeah, it is very good."

Sirius suddenly cut through the conversation, "hey Lily, Emily, what's up? You do realize that there are more people here other then Mr. Lupin right?"

"Oh, hello Sirius," Lily said coldly now looking at the wall across the room just above their heads, "I didn't see you, sorry."

"Sure you are," Sirius answered, giving her a small feeble smile which she didn't notice, "and you Emily, you okay?"

"Yeah, perfectly fine, thanks," Emily smiled warmly at Sirius lost in her own thoughts.

Peter decided to try and make conversation, seeing Sirius loosing at trying to keep a nice thread going, "did you here that Dumbledore got put in as new Headmaster, Lily?"

"Yes, actually I did, I think no greater man could have taken Professor Nigellus's place. He was a good Headmaster, a little head strong, but definitely a good one. But it doesn't matter that much, he's dead now, so there's nothing to really do about that… Dumbledore, I'm sure, will be a fine Headmaster." Lily stated with an air of one who had just finished a conversation with a highly annoying news reporter. Peter cringed in his chair, feeling put down that his plan hadn't worked.

Lily, on the other hand, was silently laughing to herself at the stupid attempts to bring together a conversation that Peter and Sirius were trying to create. You guys are idiots, she thought happily to herself. She looked up at the teachers table, and saw Professor Dumbledore sitting next to a young looking witch whose black hair was done up firmly in a bun. She spotted out Professor Slughorn and she smiled happily at her potions teacher, Professor Handerly, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, sitting next to him, her long wavy hair falling around her in a bushy mess. So many familiar faces popped out at her as she gazed from one end of the table to the other. Professor Dumbledore stood, his arms spread wide in welcome just like he did on the first day at class, and smiled at the students who hushed their streams of conversations quickly.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts, and let us hope it will be a good one," he began, his golden blonde beard shining, but could be seen starting to go white in some places, "it is time to begin the sorting before we have our excellently prepared feast."

The door opened, and in walked the frightened first years, some pressed close together, others starring around, and up at the ceiling. Lily quickly lost interest, and glanced over across the room to the Slytherin table, her eyes searching for the friend she had made when she had been nine years old. They found Severus, his greasy hair hanging around his face watching the first years. Suddenly, as if he knew that Lily was watching him, he looked over at her and their eyes locked on each other for a split second. Lily turned her head quickly to look up at the sorting hat, which had already begun singing, her hair obscuring the shocked expression on her face as she did so. She could still feel his eyes watching her, as she sat there not daring to look back to see if he really was watching her. Her mind was silently racing while the hat rambled on, shouting out house names. Why was she afraid of what she saw, it was just her ex-friend that she had looked at, the boy she had held hands with on the train, the one person she had talked to about her summer, and about her issues with James. But she couldn't deny it she had felt it, that small spark that had leapt between the two of them for that small second was unmistakable.

"Lily, there's food," Emily's voice echoed into her thoughts, and the rush of the real world came back to her. She turned her head to find food sitting on the golden plates, still not daring to look over at Severus. Lily began to serve herself some food, unsure if she had imagined or actually seen the spark that had flown between them.

She ate in absolute silence, ignoring James, who she could sense watching her eat. She moved her hair out of face, and looked down at her food, afraid to look up to see if the room had changed in that one second of her eyes meeting another's. She then strongly shook herself mental, Lily Evans, you're stronger then this… Nothing changed, it was just a look, and it's over. Buck up, and look at something other then your food. Lily forced herself to look up, and found nothing had changed, everything was normal, a lot of students laughing, and chattering with smiles on their faces, but nothing out of the ordinary. Severus was eating his food, he too not looking up anymore, was it possible he had sensed it too? I've got to say I'm sorry, I can't stand us not being friends anymore… Why do I have to be the good girl besides he was the one who called me a Mudblood… And then I have to be the one who wants to make up and be friends, why? Lily asked herself, watching Severus eating quietly at his table.

"Hey Lily, can I ask you something?"

Her eyes swerved from starring at the other students to land on James, confused by his tone, "what do you want to ask?"

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me of course… Come one Lily, I know you want to." James pleaded, looking at her with begging eyes.

Lily looked at him, deciding to play with her food before springing on it. She smiled sweetly and her eyes met his trying to tell his eyes she was about to say yes. James looked at her hopeful, a smile beginning to play at his lips. Suddenly her eyes changed in a flash as she angrily said, "No, I absolutely will not go out with you."

James's smile faded as quickly as it had appeared and he asked in an icy tone, "why not? I don't get what I'm doing wrong to make you not want to go out with me."

"Oh, let's see… For starters, you a jerk, you're a wannabe prep, you act like the world revolves around you, you get into more trouble then Peeves does, and you have a fan club that totally melts in your presence. Get the picture yet James, or must I go on," Lily asked furiously, "oh and you hurt Severus last year, and he didn't even do anything. You did it for sport, and just as bad."

"Hey, he has always been in my way," James shrugged, "I just hadn't done anything super bad until then."

Remus hit his head with a free hand, while Sirius's eyes burned with laughter and remorse for his friend, Peter scooted away from James if that was possible, and pushed himself into Remus. James cowered as Lily's eyes became so cold that ice seemed to shoot out of them right at where he sat. Lily didn't have to say anything her look was enough to turn the whole world into the darkest night just because of those words that had slipped out of James's mouth. She glared angrily at James for a few minutes, then looked down at her food and began eating with the perpose of ignoring him. James starred at his food, but found he wasn't remotely hungry anymore.

"That," Remus hissed leaning over Peter, "is what I told you that you had to not do to get her."

Sirius grinned at James, "well it could have been worse, she could have jinxed you."

"I think that look she gave me did," James replied, starring back at Lily, who was throwing him dirty looks between bites, "I'm not sure I am going to be able to dare ask her out again."

Peter piped up softly, "sorry to tell you this James, but I think that was the point. She doesn't really want you to ask her out again."

They ate silently through the rest of their meal, not daring to look at each other, as Lily continued to glare at James every now and then. Finally the dinner disappeared, and the deserts popped up, but they did not bring the joy that James normally felt when they popped up. Lily served herself a small serving of ice cream, and ate it in silence, her bangs falling into her face and James was shocked to find that there were tears in her eyes. Lily remained absolutely silent as the tears fell, slowly running down her cheeks as she sat there, shaking with rage and sadness.

James leaned forwards toward her and whispered, "Lily, are you--"

"Don't talk to me, Potter, just leave me alone," Lily snapped in a shaking voice, "I do not want to talk to you about anything… I can't even trust you… You're almost as bad as the boys in Slytherin, always talking about wanting to be death eaters… You hurt for pleasure, and you knew it was wrong."

"Lily, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," James whispered to her, trying to get her to stop crying.

"But you already did do it, James," Lily said, glaring at him through her tears, "and you should've thought about what the consequences would be when you did."

James pulled away and looked at Remus, who gave him a pitiful you-asked-for-it smile. James sighed, and played with his desert absent mindedly, wishing he didn't have to be so harsh to her. He knew that Severus had, and probably still was her best friend, even though her friends disapproved. Had that really been a good reason to attack Severus just for the fun of it? But he hated Severus it was like trying to enjoy a box of chocolates when you didn't like the taste of them. James sat there fuming, he knew he didn't like Severus Snape, that was just someone he would never like and Lily just couldn't see that. But yet, if he wanted to get together with Lily badly enough he might have to just stop picking him so he could… Okay, first thing to do on his list was to not torture Severus, and stop Sirius from doing so for him.

The desert disappeared, and Dumbledore dismissed them to go to their common rooms to get some sleep. James, Remus, Peter, and Sirius stood up, and began making their way out of the hall following Lily and Emily. Suddenly Lily froze watching Snape and some other Slytherin's walking out of the door. Lily whispered something to Emily, who nodded, and took off through the crowd trying to get to Severus. James starred after her, and then looked at Emily, who shook her head sadly, and started making her own way through the crowd.

Lily pushed her way through the crowd, trying to get to Severus before he disappeared down into the dungeons. She spotted him, and saw him about to follow some other boys to the dungeons where his house was. Lily half screamed at him from the middle of the crowd, "Severus! Severus, wait, please wait! I need to talk to you!"

Snape turned, and the other people around him sniggered at the fact she was stating she needed to talk to him. Severus ignored them and walked towards her and she smiled that he didn't turn away at the sound of her voice. Severus grabbed her hand, and pulled her off, leading her to a door off to the right of the stairs. He opened it for her, and let go of her hand as she walked in, then he followed her hearing her light her wand with the incantation.

Severus turned to find Lily watching him with a gentle look in her green eyes that made Severus shiver slightly. Lily smiled half heartedly then said, "Severus, I don't want to fight anymore… I mean, I know you're sorry… It just took me this long to figure it out… Can we still be friends?"

Snape starred at her with a look that was a mixture of confusion and glee. "Yes, did you honestly think I would say no to that offer? You're my best friend we've always been best friends."

"Oh Severus, thank you… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. I wish we had never had that fight it's just a word, a meaningless word. I mean, I know it means dirty blood, but you said you were sorry, and I just didn't want to hear it."

"You shouldn't be sorry, I shouldn't have called my best friend a name like that, I was just so mad that James was hurting me, and I took that frustration out on you… I should be the one begging for your forgiveness," Snape answered, starring at her in the wand light.

"No, no it's fine Severus, really it is," Lily whispered smiling at him, "you know I really did miss you this summer. It was like missing the other half of me for a while, like loosing the side of me that makes me happy."

Snape could feel tears brimming in his eyes at the comment, "I missed you too Lily. More than you can truly know."

Lily smiled at Severus, feeling happiness rush through her, "we should probably go to our common rooms before the care taker finds us… Then we could both have detention, and it would be in the first week of school."

"Right," Severus answered grasping her hand firmly and opening the door.

They walked outside and found it completely deserted, and Lily couldn't help feeling a rush of sudden fear at the silence. She got close to Severus, grasping his hand tightly, her eyes slowly getting adjusted to the gloom. Snape smiled at the touch, and led her to the middle of the stairs he then turned and said, "I'd better wish you good night here."

"Yes," Lily said, regaining some of her cool posture back, "well… Good night Severus."

She suddenly through her arms around him in a hug, and Severus was astonished to find his arms wrap around his. How he had dreamed of hugging her, but then it was over, and she pulled away out of his grip. Snape stood there watching her, as she began to walk up the stairs. She reached the top of the stairs, and turned to her right where the moving staircases were.

"Lily!" Snape called after her, watching her turn her auburn red locks falling in front of her body.

"Yes, Severus," Lily asked, her eyes containing curiosity at the call back.

"I just wanted to say," Severus began, looking straight up into her eyes, "good night."

Lily smiled, her eyes lighting up as she turned and walked out of sight. Severus stood there watching the spot where she stood remembering how she had smiled so sweetly at him. He then turned on the spot, and left, leaving the Hall empty once more.

Okay, what did you think of that? Okay, note, if you are so far really liking this, I do have other fanfics up that might interest you if you're a fan of Harry Potter. But anyways, let me know what you thought, and I hope you liked it. Lots of good wishes,

Hermione-Hermyown