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I remember my fifth year at Hogwarts, completing all my prefect duties with a skip in my step and a smile on my face. Such happiness was non evident this year as I was made slow progress checking the corridors of the Hogwarts Express, checking to see if anyone was messing about, throwing food or duelling in their compartments. I remember feeling a sense of authority as I completed this duties in my fifth year, but as the train made its way apathetically to Hogwarts, I only became more nervous at the prospect of speaking to…him.
Minutes soon turned to hours and by 2:30pm, I was finally able to sit in the prefect compartment and relax. Whilst I could. It hadn't been 5 minutes before I realised that whilst making my way through the train, I hadn't seen James Potter once. I had been so anxious to begin talking to him that I had completely overlooked the present fact that he should have been doing these duties with me. We should have been doing this together. I should have known! How could I have been so stupid! I mean, I've James Potter since I was eleven and once had he demonstrated any sense of responsibility. I mean, yes, he was the 'star player' on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, yet, he only turned up to training sessions so that he wouldn't disappoint his folly consumed fans. I should have known that he wouldn't turn up, I should have known-
'Lily', an arrogant voice interrupted my rambling of thoughts. My head whipped around in my seat so fast I'm surprised I didn't get whiplash. My eyes focused on the tall, dark, figure behind me leaning on the door frame to the prefect compartment. His dark brown eyes twinkled as they looked straight into my emerald green ones. He stood with confident posture, aware that he had my full attention. How long had he been standing there? I frowned at the lean yet toned seventeen year old boy, feeling an odd sense of subliminal nervousness as he stood and I sat alone in the compartment. I willed myself to speak
'James', I managed to reply, 'nice of you to finally turn up. May I ask? Where exactly where you for the last 2 hours when you should have been patrolling the corridors with me?'
'Interested to know Evans?' he replied. I hated when he called me that.
'Don't get a big headed' I snarled, 'although I suppose I can already guess what you were doing'
We were attracting some attention in the compartment. A couple of Slytherin prefects in the year below began to giggle and we lashed at one another.
'Of course you can' he retorted 'you must know everything. Being brightest witch of the year and all'
I flushed- embarrassed that he had said such a cold thing to my face. At this he composed a little and if I wasn't mistaken, he seemed a little ashamed of himself.
'You're just spiteful. You're nothing but, everyone knows that' I made sure to keep eye contact with him. I was not to be stared down. 'You were probably with some girl, snogging and trying unsuccessfully to get into her nickers. You've obviously given up and decided to do as you were told for once and sit in the correct compartment'
'Who told you that Evans, Severus, or should I say Snivellus?' his smirk returned with a vengeance.
'I haven't got time for this' flushing an even darker shade of scarlet. 'Just find a seat as far away from me if you're going to be a dickhead'
'Whatever Evans'. With that he made his way down the compartment, finding a seat diagonal to me next to Remus Lupin, who was asleep by a window that was being splattered with thick raindrops. As he left, I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. If this was what the rest of the year was going to be like, then I didn't want to get off this. How could I put up with that troll for a whole year? As I thought this, I saw James nudge Lupin awake. Probably so that he could retell what had just happened between the two of us. I wonder if he was as unenthusiastic for this year as I was. I lay back in my seat and stared past the raindrops and out of the window. I wished that Severus and I were talking again. But he had his own friends now. He was one of them. As I adjusted my head girl badge to my robe, I realised that I had never felt so alone.
Yours, Lily