Chapter 2: Aboard the Steam Engine

A/N: Hi everyone! Here's the second chapter – I really hope you liked the first! Just to clear something up: I'm writing this story in a way that James and Lily aren't sworn enemies because after the whole thing with Snape, I think by seventh year they've started to get over that a little. I will try to have some tension and stuff but yeah I'm focusing on their relationship from when they became friends to a couple. Please read, PLEASE review and here we go!

"Did you pack all your books?"

"Yes mum."

"All of your clothes?"

"Yes mum."

"All your …"

"Look, Kathy, she's almost seventeen! I think she can handle herself. And besides, when has Lily every forgotten to pack anything? Ever?" My dad said, interrupting my mum's constant flow of babble – I guess she was similar to me in that respect.

My parents, Richard and Katherine Evans, were the best parents a girl could ask for. I don't know why, but when Dumbledore came to tell me I was a witch, they weren't the slightest bit surprised. "We always knew you were special," they said. My sister, Petunia, however was completely the opposite. We hadn't spoken for over 6 months except for when we were around my parents – then we would engage in polite conservation on absolutely nothing important. I do miss her, but when Petunia left a void, Marlene, Alice and Mary immediately filled it and became the three sisters I'd 'never had'.

"Mum, I'll be fine," I replied. "Now I really have go! But I love you guys and I'll see you at Christmas ok?" I turned around to pick up my big Hogwarts trunk and lifted it out of the back of the car.

"And how often are you going to write?" My mum questioned with a little sparkle in her eyes.

"Once a week, mum, I promise," I said chuckling a little bit.

"Good girl, we love you too." My mum responded and gave me a big hug. My dad then enveloped me in a hug as well as placed a small kiss on the top of my forehead.

"Bye Mum, bye Dad." I said giving them a small wave before jogging through the wall to Platform 9 and ¾.

"No! The jean skirt is so much better than the jean shorts! You have to agree!" Marlene argued looking directly at Mary. "Are you serious? You have got to be kidding. Shorts are so much more fashionable!" Mary retorted, her face even going a little red.

"Again? Seriously, when are they going to quit it?" I said, rolling my eyes while Alice did the same.

"Guys! Guys! Lily's here!" Alice said, stepping in between the two.

"Oh, hey Lils!"

"Yeah, hi Lily!

The two instantly snapped out of the argument and we stood on the platform talking happily again. Mary and Marlene had their typical 'this type of clothes vs. this other type of clothes' argument at least once a week. They were always insignificant topics, but both girls usually got very heated and very defensive, but the arguments never lasted very long and they were still the best of friends.

Seeing the gleaming red engine and the familiar puff of light grey smoke escape from the Hogwarts Express instantly made me feel at home again, and I couldn't wait to board the train. We all stepped up through the doors and made our way to our carriage near the middle of the train. I pulled open the rickety brown doors; we piled our luggage into the carriers above the seats and then all collapsed into our familiar seats – me at the window, Mary at the other window, Marlene next to me and Alice next to Mary.

They then heard the familiar rumble of the train as it slowly started to depart the platform on the tracks.

"Did you hear about Lucia Warbeck?" Mary asked, pulling out a book from her trunk and pulling open a page at the bookmark.

"That girl from Ravenclaw? What happened to her?" Alice replied slumping down further into her seat and resting her head on the side wall.

"Apparently, her dad was killed by Death Eaters, so her and her mum have moved to Australia to escape," Mary responded.

"Really? Wow, that's horrible!" Marlene said, staring out the window, a knowing look on her eyes.

"I know right? It just seems to be getting worse and worse lately. I don't know how Voldemort's doing it, I really don't!" I sighed joining Marlene in looking out the window at the endless fields now flying past us.

"He's a tricksy little bugger that Voldefart is," came a familiar voice from the doorway. We all looked up and saw none other than Sirius Black leaning casually on the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. His longish hair (for a boy) hung messily on top of his head and his brown eyes were practically laughing at us. Peter Pettigrew was standing sheltered behind him, his short stature highlighted next to Black's.

Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew made up half of the 'famous' marauder group of Hogwarts. James Potter and Remus Lupin were the other two. All four boys were in Gryffindor like us, and were basically the 'pranking masters of the century'. It's not that I completely hated the guys (well one of them I kind of did), it's just that they're so different to me, it's incredibly difficult for us to get along.

"Hi Sirius!" Mary said putting her book on the floor and looking into his eyes.

"Sup Mary," Sirius replied, a cheeky grin playing on his lips.

Now, Sirius had a big reputation for being a player and breaking girls' hearts constantly, and never would he settle for just one girl's attention. But lately, I don't know, things had been different and he'd been paying attention to Mary an awful lot. And I knew she felt the same – she used to call him Black like the rest of us, but lately she'd been calling him Sirius.

"Oughtn't you get to the Prefects' Meeting Evans? I know Prongs and….I mean James and Remus left about 5 minutes ago." Black quipped, stumbling after realising his mistake.

"I will never understand those weird nicknames that you guys have," Marlene responded, rolling her eyes. Black just smiled in response and Peter gave what looked like a little shiver.

"Oh, I completely forgot!" I said, jumping out of my seat and knocking Black slightly as I hurried out of the door. Peter had shrunk even further behind Black during the process.

I practically sprinted down the thin hallways and constantly had to turn around to apologise to people I had bumped into. "Sorry!" I yelled to a blonde-haired girl I'd knocked, and then turned to face the door marked 'Prefects' and turned the handle, hurriedly walking in.