A/N: I think in my first chapter I said James was sixteen. I've realised he would be seventeen, so I'll go back and change that in a bit.

It wasn't often that the Hogwarts Express was late - in fact, it was unheard of - but this was still the sorry fact that remained when Lily burst through into the station.

The station was chaotic, with barely any parents and far too many crying first years. Lily couldn't see anyone she knew but she dove into the crowd anyway. As Head Girl, she ought to do something, but what? The Hogwarts Express had never been late before, there wasn't a set precedent for this situation. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she threw her case to the floor. She opened it, and got out her badge to put on her jacket.

Then, using a skill she was secretly quite proud of, Lily placed two fingers to her lips and whistled loudly, drawing the attention of most of the children surrounding her, though not the complete silence she had hoped for. A hundred pairs of eyes followed her as she nervously pushed her way out of the crowd again. Lily spotted a crate, and kicked it over before standing on it.

"Right, well, uh, as your new Head Girl, I feel I should tell you all it's going to be okay. There has been a uh slight delay in the Hogwarts Express arriving but it will be here soon. I ask that you remain calm and patient in the meantime. None of that racket we had just now. Anyway, I should introduce myself. I'm Lily Evans and I'm your new Head Girl for the year. Oops, I already mentioned that. I don't know who the new Head Boy is yet but I'm sure I'll find out soon when he presents himself to you all."

"It's James Potter." Someone from her audience called out, and she joined in the nervous titters that followed.

"I see we've found our fifth Marauder, already playing pranks," Lily joked and the audience laughed again. Unable to think of anything else to say and unwilling to even contemplate James as Head Boy Lily stepped down off her makeshift stage and went to watch the edge of the platform for anyone foolish enough to go down onto the rails.

Rhielle Mason elbowed her way through the crowd towards the familiar voice, desperate to get to her best friend with the news before anyone else did. And then, just as she was getting close to the edge...

"It's James Potter!" Some blasted cheery third year called out. Rhielle cursed and pushed at the people harder. Just as she broke through, she saw the redhead hop off a crate of all things and start walking away. Heels clacking and brown hair flying, Rhielle ran to her friend and with a squeal assaulted her. At least, that's what Lily would later claim she did.

"Tiger!"

They both fell to the floor and though Lily was grumbling something about appearing respectable they both had identical grins on their faces.

"Rhi! Hey! Didyoufindoutwhotheheadboyis isitRemus?" Lily's speech came out all jumbled together but Rhielle just looked at her scuffed green heels.

"Rhielle..." Lily warned.

"Fine, fine but don't shoot the messenger!" Lily snorted. "It may or may not be James Potter."

Lily's shriek could be heard throughout almost the whole station.

James practically shuffled across the station. It was 10:28 by his watch, and his parents had had to drop him off early so they could dash off for (Top secret) auror business. The station was predictably deserted, though the muggle version hadn't been. Pulling it out of his back pocket, James used his wand to conjure a crate and then sat down on it glumly. Normally, he would have one of his Marauders with him, but that was just it. They were gone. Disintegrated. All because of one stupid boy who should have known to act his age. Maybe Sirius was truer to his family reputation than he claimed... No. Sirius may have betrayed James, and betrayed Moony and ruined Wormtail, but James knew deep in his heart that this wasn't because he was a Black. No, it was James' fault. All James' bloody fault. If he hadn't acted like it was so funny to let innocent people get hurt for their amusement, maybe things at the end of sixth year would have gone differently. But that was irrelevant now. What was done was done.

Forlornly, James took to one of his favourite pasttimes - thinking of Lily. Even though he'd been pretty much destroyed by what had happened, Moony had still been able to give James advice on his much sought after redhead - 'You'll bloody screw it up if you aren't nice to her this year. Last chance'. Last chance. This was his last chance, his last year. His last hope at getting Lily. If he couldn't win her over this year, he'd never get to see those gorgeous red lips turning up at the sides because of him. Never see her pretty emerald eyes glimmer with laughter at a joke he had made. Never hear those three words. Instead of Lily, he'd be stuck with an eternity of 'nevers'.

One Hour, Thirty Minutes Later.

"What on EARTH was Dumbledore thinking?" Lily ranted to her best friend, all thoughts of being nice forgotten. "He's finally gone off the deep end! Why on Earth would he appoint that self centred rude egotistical arrogant bas-" Lily's cheeks flamed red and she cut herself off when she looked past Rhi's shoulder to see James stood there, listening and looking.. desolate. Broken. At her words? He muttered a long something which she didn't catch. Rhielle saw her friend's confused look and repeated, perhaps with a little scorn, "James, the self centred one, said that if you really couldn't stand the ieda of having to work with him for a year, he'd go and tell Dumbledore he didn't want the position and that if you could stand the idea, he wouldn't mind being friends this year. That is, until he heard your speech. He says he understands." James, once he was satisfied the brunette had repeated his words right, slunk off. Rhielle, despite giving Lily a dirty look, didn't go after him.

Remus Lupin tugged along the battered suitcase wearily, and tried not to step on any of the younger years, which was a suprisingly easy feat for him because of his lanky frame. It was five past eleven and he was worried. Even though Lily had given a speech saying it'd all be okay, he knew when she was bluffing, and that no one really had any idea where the train that was meant to take over a hundred anxious witches and wizards to school was. What was also worrying was that he hadn't seen the new Head Boy, his best friend James Potter. Even his tallness didn't help with seeing through the near hysteric crowd that was gathered on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Luckily though, James found him. Unluckily, this finding involved him falling to the floor, and his suitcase falling open, with clothes and a now cracked Remembrall strewn across the station.

"Moony m'boy!"

"Prongs!"

"I don't mind about Head Boy."

"Lily hates me."

And so the priorities of the two seventeen year olds were revealed. Remus sighed and asked and waited almost patiently whilst James told the tale of his morning.

"Lily. Joanne. Evans!" Lily winced at the unusually harsh sound of her name coming out of Remus' mouth, and almost didn't turn, knowing full well of the beratement she was going to get. Lily turned round, keeping on looking at the ground. "What is it about you that you think gives you the right to be such a cold hearted bitch? Yes, it was a shock to hear but does that give you the right to walk all over him? No it does not! James wanted a fresh start with you and for some bizarre reason he thought maybe you'd let him have one. I thought you were a better person than this Lily! But if you're so stuck up that you can't even see that this guy who's been head over heels for you for four years now deserves a chance now he's changed - for you, I might add - then.." Remus' face was red as he ranted at Lily, and his words were starting to hit home. Lily kept on staring at her feet. Remus, however, didn't know when to stop. "..Then you're no better than your sister!" Lily gasped, shocked at what he had dared to say, and after a few seconds so did Remus. With a reproachful look, Lily ran off, hoping Remus hadn't seen the tears starting to fall. Rhielle narrowed her eyes at Remus, and spent a few seconds telling Remus (in a very colourful way) exactly what she thought of him for saying that before running off after her best friend.

"Low, Lupin." A low whistle preceded this statement. A mop of black hair came into view, even more unruly than James', followed by a long but well muscled figure. Sirius. A rush of feelings came flooding through his mind, with guilt and betrayal battling for first place.

Sirius stared at Remus, shocked at what he had heard. They both knew, having unconventional friendships with the redhead, that even mentioning her sister was off bounds, let alone making jabs at her about her and comparing the two. Lily was constantly mocked and practically terrorized by her sister because of the magic that ran through her blood, and the confident bubbly witch they knew had almost disappeared whenever Lily got back from her home. And Remus had said Lily was as bad as her? What she'd said to James was horrible but...

"It's none of your business, Black. Go back to your Death Eater pals." Remus spat out. Betrayal had won. Once again, he felt bad about his rash, thoughtless comment almost as soon as it had left his mouth. He was saved from having to focus too hard on the immense hurt that had immediately flooded Sirius' regal features by the appearance of the scarlet train pulling into the station, barely slowing from its intense speed before it came to a screeching halt.

Dumbledore, his robes slightly ragged and his eyes lacking their usual amused twinkle, hopped off from the driver's carriage and gestured for his gobsmacked students to get on.