Author's Note: Wow, thanks so much to everyone who followed this story and to StrawberryLemonTea for the review! Here's chapter two, I hope you like it!

Lily spent the entirety of her ride on the Hogwarts Express shut up in a compartment with a furious Severus. It seemed her best friend was intent on humiliating and interrogating her. His dark eyes flashed as she blushed and stared at her shoes, not wanting to sully her wonderful memories of James by sharing them with Severus, who clearly did not approve of her choice in summer companions.

"I'm gone for one summer and I come back to find you've been shacking up with Potter all summer?" Severus spat furiously at her, his face white. "For Merlin's sake, Lily, I never took you to be such a brainless slag!"

"I am not!" she bit out, her temper flaring at his insults. "I don't know what your problem with the whole thing is, Sev! You were gone, I was lonely, he's very nice and incredibly fit—"

"Shut up," he growled. "Shut up, shut up! It was an act, you don't know him at all!"

"I think I know him a damn sight better than you do!"

"Oh really?" he laughed mirthlessly, his black eyes boring into her green ones. "I can just imagine all the stories he must have told you. How hard his life is, how tiring it is being one of the greatest prats to walk the earth."

"He said nothing of the sort," Lily retorted. "And for your information, Sev, he does have his own problems, though I'm sure you wouldn't know anything about them."

"What," he sneered. "Are his parents too enamored with him? He's so spoiled he just doesn't know what to do with himself? He feels lousy because he's so rich he doesn't know what to do with all his money? Everybody just bows down at his feet and he's uncomfortable with the popularity? Give me a break. It was all bullocks, whatever he told you."

"No it wasn't!" Lily cried, her voice rising shrilly. "It wasn't! He told me about his family and the pressure he's under—"

"He's a prick, Lily!"

"You're wrong, Sev!"

"You wouldn't know—"

"Then tell me!" she burst out. "What is so bad about him? What's wrong with him? God, why can't you just be happy for me that I finally found a wonderful boy who understands me? And now, I was so worried about having to keep this secret from him and I find out I don't have to and I'm thrilled, Sev, why do you have to ruin this?"

Severus made a disparaging noise, his lip curling into a grimace.

"Believe me, Lily, he doesn't deserve you. He's a git."

"How so?" she demanded.

He sighed and slumped slightly in his seat.

"Do you remember how I told you about that group of boys I hate, the Marauders? The ones who always call me a slimeball, and pour hiccoughing potion in my pumpkin juice in the morning and think they're so bloody wonderful because they're talented and popular and good at quidditch?"

Lily nodded, her stomach tightening. She had heard countless stories over the years of the four boys' cruelties towards her friend. She agreed they were horrible to him, and for no reason other than they were in a rivaling house. She thought of how angry she had felt on Sev's behalf whenever she heard these stories.

"That was…it's James? Who does that, I mean?" she whispered.

"Yes," Severus glared at her, the anger settling into the lines of his face. "And you-you let him—"

"Sev, I didn't know."

"But you still—"

"I didn't know!" Lily snapped. "Obviously if I had known who he was I never would have—they've been so awful to you. But—I don't know-he was so sweet and caring and understanding and he made me feel—"

"He's a prick, Lily."

"Are you sure it's him?" she asked, her eyes widening desperately. "I mean James Potter can't be all that uncommon of a name. Maybe—"

"It's him," Severus muttered, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at her. "I think I would know him by now."

"Right," Lily sank down, resting her head against the window. "You would."

Severus didn't answer, only straightened in his seat and stared accusingly.

"Sev," Lily said quietly, feeling as though someone had taken a bat and slammed it into her stomach. "You know I would never knowingly do something like that to you."

"I know you wouldn't," he grunted, relaxing slightly. "I just can't believe—"

"Stop saying that," Lily cut in, frowning.

"Sorry. It's just—Potter—of all people—he's one of the biggest gits—"

"I know that now," Lily sighed. The words sickened her. The idea that he, that her James could have done those things, been so cruel, it hurt.

"Are you absolutely sure he—"

"I'm sure." Severus' face was hard, his eyes unforgiving. Lily's hope crumbled as she stared at him. He was her best friend, she knew her loyalty would lie with him. But it was James they were talking about. James, who had stayed up with her all night talking about his insecurities and his worries, the one who had listened to her cry about her mother and who had patted her back and told he everything would be alright. The idea that that James Potter could be the same one who had constantly bullied her best friend—it couldn't be so.

"But Sev—"

"If you want to go and cozy up to one of the gits who has made my life hell for the last four years be my guest."

"You know I wouldn't—I just—I can't believe it."

"Well it's true," Severus stared at her, narrowing his eyes. "You have to choose, Lily. Me or him."

"Well, oh—obviously I choose you, Sev." Lily glanced up and tried to ignore the tears welling up in her eyes. :"You're my best friend."

"Good," he gave her a small smile, his face relaxing as he scooted closer to her on the bench.

"It's just—this is a lot to learn all at once," she continued, ignoring Severus' disparaging noise and eye roll. "I really thought he was amazing this summer."

Severus straightened and put an arm awkwardly around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Lily," he said. "I know he can be convincing when he wants to suck up, I've watched him do it. It's part of his charm. Everyone loves James bloody Potter. But now you know what he really is. It's for the best, really."

"I suppose you're right," Lily sighed, trying to suppress the tears which burned behind her eyes. "I just—oh, Sev, I thought he was special! He made me so happy and it was all just an act, if he's like this when he's at school. I can't believe I was so thick!"

"You're not thick, Lily," Severus said, patting her shoulder absently. "Honestly, he's fooled nearly everyone in the school. I—agh, no, Lily, I—don't cry!"

She sat beside him, hands covering her face and tears poured down her cheeks.

"I'm s-sorry, Sev," she whimpered. "I-It's for the b-best, I s-suppose." He nodded in understandingly and they sat in silence as the train rolled through the landscape. Lily kept her head down, trying in vain to hide her tears from Severus as shame and humiliation washed over her. She had been so stupid, believing everything that boy had told her. She ought to have known it was too good to be true, that nobody was that perfect.

Suddenly the compartment door flew open and the very same hazel-eyed boy stood in front of her, a confused expression on his face.

"There you are," he sighed, his shoulders relaxing. "I've been scouring the train for you. Er—" his eyes had landed on Severus, who still had an arm placed protectively around Lily's shoulders.

"What are you doing in here, Snivellus?" James' usually unaffected voice became a snarl as he addressed her friend. "Did the other slytherins decide they were tired of having to wipe grease off everything and throw you out?"

"She's my friend, Potter," Severus glared at the bespectacled boy, every inch of his face screwed up in hatred. "I daresay I've more of a right to comfort her than you do."

"To comfort her?" James spluttered, his head whipping around as he took in Lily's tear-streaked cheeks for the first time. His eyes bulged and he rushed over to her, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Lily whimpered again and pulled away, curling into the corner of the compartment.

"Get away from me!" she hissed quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I—I don't even want to look at you right now!"

"Lily, I—"

"Oy, Prongs!" a new voice rang out from behind the open compartment door and a new boy burst in. Like James, he had black hair, though his was shaggy and hung neatly whereas James' stuck out at every angle. The new boy also shared the arrogant smirk, grinning at his friend.

"Where's the bird, mate? I wanna meet this girl you've been rambling on about all summer."

"Padfoot," James said warningly, gesturing in what he thought was a subtle manner over to Lily, who remained curled up in the corner.

"What? Is she asleep? OY! GIRL! FUTURE MRS. PRONGS!"

"Get out." Severus' voice was hard as he stood up against the newcomer, his wand drawn. "Get out, Black, or I promise I'll hex you."

"Aw, is Snivellus threatening me?" the stranger mocked in a sing-song voice, the grin on his face becoming a sneer. "I thought you would at least try to wash your hair over holidays, Snivelly, but you appear to be just as greasy of a git as you were in June."

Severus' hand twitched but Lily chose that moment to sit up and glare at the unknown boy.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her green eyes narrowed.

"I," the shaggy haired boy grinned at her, "am Sirius Black, best mate of one James Potter who I am told you are acquainted with most intimately." Lily flushed scarlet and glared at James, who had also gone very red in the face and had moved to smack his friend on the back of the head.

"Shut up, you idiot," James hissed.

"Both of you get out," Severus repeated his demand. He had lowered his wand, but his stare remained fixed on the two boys.

"Leave them alone, Sev," Lily said quietly. He turned, gaping at her.

"But—Lily!"

"I know," she whispered, placing a gentle hand on his wrist. "Please, let me handle this."

"Glad you have the bird with you to defend you, Snivellus?" Sirius chirped.

"What do you want?" Lily asked James pointedly, before Severus could respond.

"Er—I thought you would want to talk," James answered, a hand going instantly to his hair and messing it up so he looked even more disheveled than before. "Seeing as we both thought the other was a muggle and obviously weren't expecting to—"

"Run into each other here?" Lily finished for him in a clipped voice. "Yes, well," she continued briskly, turning away and pretending to brush a spot off her jeans. "You're here. I'm here. Both of us are magical. The summer is over and that's that, don't you think?" James stared at her, his mouth falling open slightly and his hazel eyes widening with confusion.

"I—Lily—could we go somewhere private to talk about this?"

Sirius let out a snort of laughter before James elbowed him in the side. Lily shot a furtive look at Severus, who appeared absolutely murderous beside her.

"She's not going anywhere with you, Potter," Severus said loftily, tugging on Lily's elbow.

"Er, Sev," she whispered, ignoring the guilt she felt when he turned to stare at her. "I'm going to talk to him. It's—it's for the best."

"Lily—"

"I can choose for myself who I talk to and when," she bit out. Severus dropped his arm and stepped away from Lily, his face devoid of any emotion.

"Fine," he said curtly, resuming his seat.

"Er, right," James had been staring at the two of them with distaste throughout their short interaction and his eyes now snapped back to Lily. He gave a small jerk of his head towards the door, shoving Sirius out of it.

"There's a compartment down here," James told her. "It'll be empty. No one will bother us."

"Yeah," Sirius chuckled. "Sure would be a shame if someone were to interrupt you two while you were having this nice little chat."

"Shut it, Padfoot," James said warningly. Sirius held up his hands in a mock surrender before ducking into a compartment which held two other boys. He shot Lily one last smirk before drawling, "Lovely meeting you, Lily."

"My pleasure," she returned icily as he closed the door.

James watched her uncomfortably as they walked in silence down the corridor. About halfway down, he put a hand on her shoulder to steer her into an empty compartment. Lily shrugged his hand off angrily and took care to go to the opposite side of the compartment.

"So," James began uneasily when they were both inside and the door closed. The flush had returned to his face, so his ears and cheeks burned scarlet. "You're a witch."

"It would appear so," Lily answered in a toneless voice. The anger was rushing back to her. This boy, this bloody wonderful boy had tricked her.

"Er—"

"Can we hurry this up?" she interrupted, ignoring his stunned expression. "I would rather like to get back to my friend."

He stared at her in disbelief, a tiny seed of hurt discernable behind the confusion in his eyes.

"Lily—" he began but then stopped, his brow furrowing. "Wait, first of all, about that. You two are friends?" He gestured at her and the space next to her, as though an invisible Severus was sitting there with them. "You—you're friends with Snivellus?" He leaned forward trying to catch her hand in his, but she danced out of his reach, her eyes bright with rage.

"Yes I am," she forced out in a shaking voice, trying not to shout. "He's rather my best friend. He lives in Spinner's End."

Comprehension dawned on James and she watched as he opened and closed his mouth, incredulity coloring his face.

"What—but—but—I didn't—you never—"

"He doesn't much like me hanging around other blokes."

"Well—I can see—friends?" his eyes narrowed. "Define friends." He demanded.

"Friends," she said simply, her own eyes now slits. "Best. Friends." James continued to stare at her. Lily felt her face grow hot and she tried to breathe deeply, tried to keep the rage at bay. How dare he, she thought. How bloody dare this boy, this sweet, attractive, manipulative, horrible boy drag her in here and interrogate her about her friendship with Severus. Her pulse hammered and she felt her lungs contract as the anger overwhelmed her.

"Oh, you absolute prick!" she launched herself at him then, hitting every inch of him she could reach.

"Oof—what the—ow! Lily, what the bloody fuck!" he grabbed her wrists and held her in a bruising grip, restraining her. "What the fuck was that for?" he exclaimed.

"You arse!" she shrieked, feeling her face heat up. "You complete arse! I thought you were wonderful, you know that! I thought you were bloody perfect and that we were special and I get here and it's all so bloody perfect—you're one too! We can talk about magic and everything is wonderful! And then I am told that you are the bloody arse who has made my best friend's life hell for the last four years! He's told me all about you, James! You're terrible to him. You're a right git! I don't know what kind of act you were pulling this summer—"

"It wasn't an act, Lily," James said swiftly, his voice soft. His eyes turned on her beseechingly, begging for her to listen.

She looked away. "Yes it was."

"No, Lily, you don't understand. Snape—we don't get along but we don't go after him anymore than anyone else—"

"Anyone else?" she repeated, her voice cracking as she finally looked at him.

James winced, realizing his blunder. "No, no!" he said hastily, his face awash with panic. "No, it's not like that, it's just—"

"I can't do this James," she choked out, wrenching her hands from his grasp. "I thought—oh it doesn't matter. This summer never happened." She bit her lip and caught his eye. "You're not who I thought you were."

With that Lily swept out of the compartment, unable to bring herself to look back and see James' reaction. She ran back to her own compartment, letting the hot tears fall freely down her face without even a thought of trying to stop them. She found Severus sitting where she had left him. She slid into the seat across from him and without a word turned her back so he couldn't see her face.

"I'm sorry, Lily," he whispered. She didn't turn around. She let the tears fall silently as the Hogwarts Express continued to chug its way to the school.

A/N: that's it, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please, please review, I want to hear your feedback!

Edited: 09/29/2016