A/N: Here is Chapter 2 of my first fic. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Also for this story I challenged my cousin Fireless Fly to a contest of who could write a better one, so when you review add a score of 1-5 of how good you think it was. Do the same on his if you would like. I would have had this posted like 3 days ago but this website kept givin me errors and not letting me upload it... Sorry bout that.
CoCoPixie134: Sorry if I was a little unclear. James is head boy, and Sirius and Lupin are both prefects.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter universe... Just the plot and the OC's I make.
Chapter 2: The Feast
James hopped out of the carriage narrowly dodging a large mud puddle. The three Marauders who rode with him followed suit, except unfortunately, Peter who slipped and fell flat on his back in the mud. Sirius and James began to laugh. Peter struggled to get up and was assisted by the hands of a still laughing James and a grinning Lupin.
The rain had stopped but left a chill in the air. They made their way quickly up the huge stone steps of the castle. At the doors professor Slughorn, the Slytherin head of house, and Professor McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor house, were welcoming the students back.
"Good heavens boy what happened to you?" Slughorn asked seeing Peter all covered in mud.
"He had a disagreement with a mud puddle and lost!" Sirius shouted beginning to laugh again, along with a few nearby students.
"Very mature Black," Lily's voice came from behind. They all turned seeing her and her friends walking into the castle as well.
James smiled at her and cast a drying charm on himself. The other marauders did the same. "Here Pete let me help you," Lupin offered, casting the charm on Peter as well. "You set your robes on fire the last time after all."
Sirius began shaking his head violently splattering the water from his hair onto Lily, Jenny and the Marauders. Yumi had been spared as she was behind Lupin, conversing casually with him. She looked at her friends her now pale green eyes lighting up with laughter.
"Cut it out Sirius!" Lily complained as he just grinned back.
"Stop acting like some kind of dog," Jenny added.
"Thats all he is after all," a cold voice floated over. "A stray really." Everyone turned and saw Narcissa Black flanked by Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. "After all my dear cousin, you are no longer even a member of the Black family. You have been disowned by your mother." She gave him a hateful look and smirked smugly.
They locked eyes staring at each other while James and Snape exchanged heated glances as well. "Doesn't matter to me," Sirius spoke truthfully scowling back. "I guess I just don't fit in with muggle hating purebloods," Sirius turned and walked away without another word. "Let's go mates," he said facing the marauders again, his face snapping back to his usual cheery self. "I'm hungry. Care to join me at the feast love?" He asked Jenny, who blushed lightly and agreed.
Narcissa scoffed at him muttering something to Lucius who chuckled as they walked into the Great Hall. James turned to Lily speaking in his sly voice, "Accompany me to the feast Evans?" He asked extending his arm for her.
Lily crossed her arms over her chest and said, "I'm sitting with Jen. It just happens she's sitting with your best mate. I'm not going with you."
"Whatever you say Evans," James responded with a smile.
They all proceeded into the Great Hall, taking their seats at Gryffindor House's table. The hall was decorated in every school color, banners were draped over every wall and candles floated about lighting the room. The enchanted ceiling was showing the dark gray skies and rain, it even showed the occasional lightning bolt.
After the sorting of the first years Professor Dumbledore gave his usual start of term speech. It began as every year outlining the castle rules and forbidding anyone from entering the forest. He mentioned that this year there would be a Halloween ball for all students third year and above. He ended his speech with the introduction of the head boy and girl. "It is now my honor to introduce the head girl and boy. This year's Head Girl will be Lily Evans." Dumbledore motioned for her to rise. She stood up and the Great Hall was filled with clapping and cheering, most strongly from James. The Slytherin table was however silent. After the commotion died down he continued, "and this years Head Boy will be James Potter." At this the Great Hall exploded. Even many of the Slytherin girls began clapping and cheering for him. James stood up and once again ran his hand through his hair, grinning at everyone and waving to a few.
Lily clapped quietly thinking to herself, 'Why is everyone so impressed with him? Just because he's good at quiddich and gets good marks? Or maybe because he thinks hes god's gift to women because of his good looks... or how muscular his body is... his smile...' she thought as she surveyed his body while he stood waving to the other houses. 'No Lily!' she yelled at herself. 'Potter is an immature prat. You can't be thinking these things about him... But he has been nice to me so far this year, and he did his part at the meeting today... No!' she shouted again. 'Shut up brain! Shut up!' her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp poke in the side.
"Lily pass me the pumpkin juice," Yumi demanded, her eyes twanged a darker green, hinting toward red. "Ive been asking you for like two minutes now." Lily looked around and realized the feast had begun already.. She blinked in surprise and slowly passed the pitcher. "Are you okay? What were you thinking about anyway?"
"Probably me," Sirius cut in. "It happens all the time." he added snatching a roll off a platter then turning back to his conversation with James and Jenny. Lily glared at Sirius who completely missed her look. James just shrugged giving her a warm smile before rejoining the conversation.
Near the end of the feast James' conversation was interrupted by a first year tapping him on the shoulder. He turned to see a tiny grinning girl. "Hi Mr. Potter. My name is Jackie. The other girls told me your quiddich captain and I think I'm really good and want to be on the team." She said this all very quickly in one breath. James looked down the table and saw several third and fourth year girls watching and giggling. James realized they were probably trying to play a joke on the poor first year.
"Well," James said, eying up the situation. "We do have a few open spots on the team and your more than welcome to try out." Sirius was coughing on his pumpkin juice from holding back his laughter. James slapped him on the back a few times adding, "Sirius here could use all the help he can get from another good beater." He leaned toward the girl and whispered, "he's not very good but don't tell him that." The little girl nodded ferociously smiling. James shot another look down the table to be sure Jackie was still being watched, then leaned down kissed the girl lightly on the cheek. "Good luck at the tryouts Jackie."
"Thanks!" She squealed loudly before running back to her chair. When James looked back down the table all the girls hoping to trick her were watching with their mouths open in shock, one of them even began to cry.
"Wow James," Yumi said grinning, her eyes a deep blue. "That was so sweet of you."
"Yea mate," Remus chimed. "Of course now you know every girl in Gryffindor is gonna be at try outs this year."
"Maybe we'll finally get a good beater on our team," James joked elbowing Sirius.
The rest of the feast passed without incident and Dumbledore spoke announcing the end of the feast, instructing the prefects to escort the fellow members of their houses to their rooms. James and Lily led the way up the winding shifting staircases to Gryffindor tower. They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and James told the Gryffindors the password: quaffle. Everyone entered heading up the winding staircases to their rooms all very tired from the trip to school and feast. The Marauders stood in the common room and Remus bid James good night bewildering Sirius. "Why you tellin him now Moony? Its not like hes goin anywhere." He asked.
"The head boy and girl have their own dorm, Padfoot," James informed him.
"What?" Sirius shouted. "You aren't staying with us?" He fumed.
"My beds still gonna be up there mate," James said attempting to calm his friend. "I can stay here whenever I want to, but I wanna check out my new place first." Sirius looked disappointed but was far too tired to get upset over it. After they said there goodbyes James went back out through the Fat Lady's painting.
He held up his wand saying "lumos" lighting the dark corridors. He made his way down the passageway and down two flights of stairs. James found himself in front of a painting of the Gryffindor coat of arms. "Mischief," he whispered. At the sound of his password the painting popped open and he went inside. The head common room was decorated in all scarlet and gold. There was a fireplace with a roaring magical fire, couches, chairs and tables situated around the room for work. There were even several bookshelves with all manner of books for research in their coming classes. James surveyed the room in awe. The most breathtaking sight his eyes met was Lily standing in the middle of the room. "Hey there Evans," James began, taking a seat on the couch nearest where she stood. "How was your first day back?"
"Just fine Potter," she remarked looking down at him. He had stretched his legs out resting his feet on the coffee table between him and the fire. He closed his eyes enjoying the heat from the fire. Lily became increasingly annoyed by James' completely different attitude. Everything he used to do that upset her, he wasn't doing anymore. "What's your game Potter?" She asked placing her hands on her hips.
James opened one eye looking up at her genuinely puzzled. "What are you talking about Evans?"
"This whole nice guy routine your pulling. You haven't made fun of me and my friends, you haven't gotten into a fight with the Slytherins, you're saving first years from pranks instead of causing them. What are you up to?" She she demanded standing right in front of him.
James stood up from his spot on the couch standing in front of her, his face an inch from hers. "I'm the same guy I've always been Evans." He said quietly looking her right in the eyes. "But I guess I've just grown up a little bit, gained some perspective," he added. With that he turned to his room and headed to the door leaving a stunned Lily behind him. "Maybe thats what Dumbledore saw in me this year," he called over his shoulder with a shrug. "Night Evans."
Lily's mind was running a mile a minute as she retreated into her own room. She got changed and laid down on her bed trying not to think of James, but to no avail. She stared at the ceiling of her room and after quite a bit of time and thought, finally fell asleep.
A/N: Chapter 2 complete. Thanks for reading. Don't forget to review and give a 1-5 rating when you do. If you have any questions about whats going on in the story, just ask em in a review and I'll answer in the authors notes in the next chapter.
