August 2nd, 1976

James was sat in his very large kitchen, replying to a letter Remus had sent him about some of the questions on their transfiguration homework. James sometimes wondered if Remus knew him at all, and that he would, as usual, be doing his homework on the way to Hogwarts. The Potter's had finished their dinner about an hour ago, and the marauder could hear the house elves feet walking around on the kitchen tiles. His father, as usual, was in his study, reading the Daily Prophet. Mrs Potter was probably walking around on of the other floors of the mansion, fussing about something. Both of his parents had retired from their jobs, and they were living very comfortably with the Potter fortune. The Potter's abode was awfully big, and old. It had been passed down to each descendent from before James' father could even remember. However, Mrs Potter always made sure it felt homely to her family and guests. Most of the halls had been covered in a deep red colour, and covered with as many family photo's she could find, although it was a difficult task to find a picture of James without him pulling a face. She would always keep guest rooms bright, changing the shapes of the windows to allow as much light to come in as possible, and would not allow anyone besides her son's friends inside James' room. Mrs Potter did not want anyone to see the constant clutter and mess in her son's room. She did not understand how one person could make their room such a tip, she even told the house elves that they did not need to clean the chaos up, hoping that James would do it himself. He wouldn't.

Weather's really typical for an English Summer, is it raining near you? Oh Merlin, Moony, I'm talking about the weather… I need to stop this extreme boredom at once. Do you want to meet up at Hogsmeade next week? I'll owl Padfoot and Wormtail. Before you say anything, I know we went last week, but nothing exciting has happened at all this summer. Why don't we finally get you a girlfriend? Or just a 'friend'? Please? I need anything to get me out of this house. Mum's habit of going crazy on a small matter has taken a turn for the worst; she thinks I'm going to clean my room, as if it's a mess? I keep explaining to her, it's not just mess, it's an art. James continued to write to his friend, until he heard a loud knocking on the front door. One of the house elves, made their way to the front door.

"Don't worry Keely," James called after, quickly getting up from his chair "I'll get it!" he smiled at the shy house elf, who looked a bit hesitant, but did not have enough time to argue, as James was already ahead of her and close to the front door.

When James opened the door, he saw a young, rugged young man, completely drenched by the rain. His pale, grey eyes appeared empty, and he seemed completely helpless and vulnerable. All he was carrying was a small suitcase. The young man looked at Prongs as though he had only just realised what he had done. This was the first time James had seen his best friend in such a state. This was the where James Potter realised more incidents like these were going to happen to children who did not agree with their parent's ideology. This is where he realised that the pureblood obsession was becoming more and more extreme.

September 1st, 1977

James had completely rolled out of his bed, awakening himself from a very deep sleep. He reluctantly pushed himself up from the floor, rubbed his eyes, and threw his covers onto his bed in a heap. He checked the time, 10 o'clock, brilliant he thought. On normal days at school, it took a while to wake up Sirius, in the holidays, it was near damn impossible to wake him up. Now James had the almost hopeless task of waking him up, packing his trunk (along with his own) and getting to Kings Cross Station in an hour. James was definitely not ready for this morning, to say the least.

James seized his wand and walked swiftly to Sirius' room. He slammed open the door (knowing he would have to do a lot more to wake him), and marched over to Black's bed. He yanked the covers off, and saw his friend led on his stomach, flinching at the sudden light.

"Sirius, get up. Now." James demanded loudly.

A completely inaudible grumble came from the stretched out body.

"I really do not want to have to make you. You're not the only one with a hangover, mate."

"Whose fault is that?" Sirius mumbled, pulling a pillow over the back of his head, to try and shield himself from the unwelcome sun. However, this would not stop James, who climbed onto Sirius' bed and pulled back the pillow.

"I'm serious."

"You wish."

"Hilarious. Now, are you going to get up or do I have to make you?" James' head was pounding, and he still hadn't prepared his school things for the train ride that left in just under an hour.

With no reply from Sirius, he decided to take matter into his own hands, he pulled out his wand, pointing it at the lazy body in front of him, and sighed.

"Wingardium leviosa."

"Don't you dare, Prongs." Sirius shouted at James, whilst levitating in the air.

"Sorry mate, you had your warning," Although James was not feeling his best, the grumpy, floating Sirius could not help but make him grin. "I wonder if I should…" James continued, lifting Sirius higher and higher to the ceiling.

"LET GO OF ME!" Sirius bellowed.

"Well… Okay." James released Sirius, and watched him fall into the heap of blankets on the floor.

"I'm going to move out." Sirius said, furiously.

"Oh stop moping, we have to be at Kings Cross before eleven, and it is now 10:15. I'm going to pack my stuff and when I come back, you better not be back in bed, or else it won't be wingardium leviosa next time." James looked for Sirius' suitcase under the piled of clothes and forgotten items from Zonko's. After salvaging it, he pulled it up and chucked it on his bed, after returning to his own room to quickly pack all the important items.

With a few minutes to spare, James had managed to pack everything, get changed, and made sure Sirius had done the same. Now all he had left to do was say goodbye to his parents.

"James, I know you'll completely ignore me, but at least try and not break as many rules this year. Seeing as you're now Head Boy." His mother pleaded.

"Why can't you just be happy that I'm Head Boy?"

"Oh, we are! We're very proud! It's just that…"

"Just what?"

"We know you James." Mr Potter finished his wife's sentence.

"Thanks." James replied, sarcastically, although his parents honestly did make him grin.

"We love you," Mrs Potter kissed her son on the forehead "and you, Sirius." laughing and hugging the second teenager.

"You wouldn't if you had to wake him up this morning." James argued, before getting a punch on the arm from Sirius.

"See you at Christmas!" Sirius grinned before apparating.

"Yeah, I'll see you guys soon. Guess I love you both too." He winked and smiled before following his friend to Kings Cross Station.

"Alright, Wormtail? You look awful!" James slid into a compartment with Sirius, his friends Remus and Peter already seated.

"No thanks to you, Padfoot." Peter rolled his eyes and rested his head against the window. Peter was quite small in height, and his dark blonde hair was even messier than usual that morning. He was wearing his favourite red jumper, not needing to change until later, unlike James and Remus.

"It's not my fault you can't handle your liquor." James slouched down opposite Peter.

"Yes, but it's your fault we've been going out, getting plastered almost every night." Peter replied, not looking at James in the eye, but instead looking out the window.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to, it's not like I make you." James was getting slightly irritated that this was the first conversation he was having on the carriage (if you don't include Sirius and himself grumbling at each other about how annoying the first years were). Fortunately, that's where the conversation stopped; Peter never liked to argue with the Marauders, before them, he never fitted in anywhere.

However, James was still irritated at Peter's remark. How exactly was it his fault that he wanted to have a good time with his friends? He only wanted to make sure the holidays weren't dull. If this was the way the year was beginning, he could only imagine how dreary the rest of the school year would be. After a long, partially awkward pause, James tried to quickly escape the compartment.

"Well, I guess I better head off to the front of the train. Remus?" James turned to his friend whose attention seemed to be on his book, but they all knew it was his way of escaping uncomfortable situations.

"Yes? Oh… You're a few minutes early, Prongs."

"Oh, well, whatever. I'll just meet you there." With that, James slipped out quickly and walked slowly to the front of the train, leaving the remaining Marauders in the compartment.

Remus looked from Peter to Sirius "We need to talk about him soon."

"I don't know what you mean." Sirius tried to look confused, but it was not good, they all knew what was wrong.

"Yes, you do. James has gone out of control this summer." Remus' tone had gone completely serious.

Sirius moaned "I knew this was going to come up. There's nothing wrong with him, he's just trying to have a good time."

"Sirius, there's having a good time, and then there's going out every night, getting into fights, and getting friendly with every girl you meet."

"That's what I think of when someone says 'good time'!" Sirius rolled his eyes, his friend wasn't doing anything bad, he didn't think so, anyway.

"Sirius, this is important." Sirius saw how worried he looked; maybe Remus was seeing something that he wasn't?

"Alright, I'll talk to him if it gets any worse, but I don't see him doing anything stupid being Head Boy and all." Sirius crossed his arms, indicating the end of the conversation, which Remus understood.

"Good, anyway, I should probably walk down to the meeting now." Remus got to his feet.

"Have fun." Sirius replied, mockingly. Peter was completely oblivious to their conversation and was now trying to sleep away his hangover.

James was actually in a meeting with prefects, and momentarily, with the Head Girl. If someone had told James this is where he would be a few years ago, he would have laughed and most likely hexed them. He was not exactly excited to be Head Boy, because he did not know why he was, or what to do. But most of all, he wasn't looking forward to working with Lily. He had spent the majority of the summer holidays trying to get over Lily, after the brutal realisation that she would never reciprocate his feelings. James had tried to put the blame on the fact that most summer holidays were extremely boring, but he felt that his friends knew his true intentions of getting drunk in pubs this year. Still, James hoped that his feelings towards Lily would have slightly diminished.

In mid conversation with a Hufflepuff prefect, James was aware that the compartment door was open, and he was being watched. He turned to see Remus, smiling weakly, behind a petite, red head. Whose green eyes stared at James in bewilderment, and cheeks were turning light red. James could not help but smile at her surprise, he was clearly not expected.

"Hello Evans." He addressed her, still grinning widely.

"Potter." She replied after a short pause. She finally looked around the room and sat in an empty seat that would allow her look at everyone. James then took a seat opposite her, and they started. Throughout the meeting James had noticed that Lily had made it her objective to make absolute no eye contact with him, upon addressing him, she would look in his direction, but would never look into his face.

"You need to work on your communication skills, Evans." He told her, after the meeting has finished.

"Excuse me?" Lily's snapped her neck around suddenly, obviously surprised that anyone was still in the room.

"When speaking to someone, I believe it is only polite to look directly at them." James' eyebrow rose.

"Yes, well, I was trying to finish the meeting quickly." Lily replied, quickly, still not looking at him in the eyes.

"Why can't you look directly at me?" He questioned.

"Potter, can we please not argue on the first day back, seeing as we will be working together." Lily was clearly feeling uneasy to be having a conversation with James.

"We're not arguing."

"Well that's where were heading too." Lily crossed her arms, but was not looking in James' direction.

"Not if you just answer the question."

"Or if you just leave me alone."

"Well I can't exactly do that, as you said, we'll be working together."

"You make me uncomfortable, okay?" Lily now faced James full on; her cheeks had gone very red.

"What?" James replied, completely baffled.

"We've never gotten along, and now you're Head Boy? We both remember what the last seven years have been like, uncomfortable, embarrassing and just plain awkward. Now you're Head Boy and we have to work together. Those past seven years don't just go away James. You were a bully." With that, Lily picked up all of the remaining papers and quickly left the compartment. Leaving James feeling completely hollow, she was right. The past years have been filled with very uncomfortable moments, where a younger version of himself would hex smaller students and find different ways to ask her out, always with the same answer. No, with a face of disgust.

A/N: Hi everyone, I'm really happy so many people have been reading my story, and I know this is the first chapter with and Jily action, but I promise that there will be a lot more in the next chapter. I just wanted to build up each character first! If anyone could write a review, I would be really grateful, I want to know if anyone is enjoying the story so far, or people are just reading because they think it is truly awful!

Thank you for reading anyway, means a lot!