First of all, to Freaky Angel: I love you so much for reviewing! *hugs*
Chapter Three: An Expected Surprise
The next day in the Potters' house passed quickly, and soon it was time to board the Hogwarts Express for the second to last time, not counting holidays, of course. The Marauders minus Pettigrew were sprawled on the floor of James's room packing their trunks in silence, or at least until Sirius leaped up from the floor with a curse, clutching his foot in apparent pain.
"Damn it," he muttered, finally setting his foot down much to the amusement of the two others. "You know, if they didn't make these trunk lids so heavy—"
"And why was your foot inside the trunk anyway?" asked Remus, tilting his head as to get a better view of the boy's irritated face. Sirius shrugged wordlessly and returned to the laborious task of jamming more belongings than had a right to be stuffed inside a single traveling trunk. With a sigh he finally resorted to sitting on the lid and conjuring ropes to tie the whole mess together.
"Right then," grinned James, "I suppose we better be doing something this oh-very-last-day-before-term-starts?" He gestured out the window carelessly before continuing. "I mean, there's got to be something we haven't done yet…"
"Like homework?"
"No, say Prongs, could you put these in your own trunk?" Sirius held out a velvet bag filled with an assortment of magical objects. "I can't seem to fit them in mine, and you have plenty of room." Walking, he chanced a look into the trunk and shook his head, flabbergasted by the sight. "So being Head Boy's gotten to you, has it?" he asked. "Why else is your trunk so empty?"
"I, er, forget it," he muttered, cheeks tinted a pale pink through the tan. Just in time, Mrs. Potter poked her head through the open door.
"You should all be in bed now," she practically shouted. "It's eleven o'clock, and I don't know how on Earth you'll—!" A rubber snake had been slithering toward her feet while she was talking, but only then did she notice. With a glower she banished it quickly and pointed out the door. Sensing her displeasure, Sirius and Remus stood up and yawned simultaneously.
"Night Jamesie," they said before walking off to their own rooms.
James shook his head at their retreating backs and answered with a barely audible "G'night." Then all was silent once more; only a crescent moon watched as they rolled onto beds and fell into a deep slumber.
* * * * *
The next morning was an eventful one, being that all three boys woke up late and scarcely had time to get dressed and Apparate to King's Cross Station. Mrs. Potter merely glared at them again but grabbed a scarf, for it was chilly, and followed. Fortunately they were on time, so she gave James a quick kiss on the cheek before returning home, saying there was unfinished business.
James raised a brow at the term "unfinished business" but asked no questions; when one's parents risked their lives almost every day, questions did become unnecessary. "Fine," he muttered, then raising his voice over the crowd, added, "I'll go first then." Pushing a trolley, he ran at the partition between Platform 9 and 10 and sped onto the magical one: Platform 9 ¾.
Right behind him were Remus and Sirius; they too had taken the barrier at a flat run, not because of any difficulties, but just for kicks. The bright red Hogwarts Express shone in the dim light, and they gawked at it as if they were first years again.
Oddly enough, it was James who shook them out of their reverie, or perhaps it was the blast of the whistle that signalized the soon-to-be departure of the train. Dragging his trunk, he walked purposefully toward the steps, and once on the compartment, managed to drag it down the aisle up to the front.
"Sorry Padfoot," he winked conspiratorially, "but Moony and I are needed in the Head's compartment."
Sirius nodded and broke into a wide grin. "Well, I daresay I'll entertain myself till you're free from your, ahem, duties."
Rolling their eyes, Remus and James made their way through the clusters of students up to the foremost car. Surprisingly enough, they weren't really late after all, as there was no one else there. While Remus sat down near the front and pulled out a handy book, James rummaged through his trunk, searching for the slip of parchment that outlined his responsibilities of the first day.
"Got it!" he exclaimed loudly, much to the mild astonishment of the slowly filling compartment. Seeing the new Prefects, James hid a blush and instead, smiled at them carelessly.
"Er, is the Head Girl here yet?" asked James with uncertainty in his voice for the first time.
"That would be myself," answered a cool female voice. "And it's—" The girl gasped in genuine shock at the familiar face and tossed back a mane of auburn hair. "Potter…it can't be, Remus, you're Head Boy, aren't you? Please tell me this is a…" She trailed off at the glare and confirming glances and instantly changed her tone to one that meant business. "Well, then, congratulations," continued Lily, though even she couldn't stop from faltering.
"Evans…No surprise to see you here." James flashed her a typical, charm-their-heads-off smile. "I am Head Boy, so I suppose we'll be seeing a lot of each other, eh?"
But then another familiar figure stood up, one that was tall and scrawny. "Now just wait a moment," he all but snarled, and the chattering students became deadly quiet. "Get your hands off her, Potter boy."
Lily surprised everyone by flinging right back, "You wait a moment, Severus. He hasn't touched me yet, and we'll have to get on better than this if we're going to be to any effect at all. If you don't stop this nonsensical fighting, I'll have both of you replaced, hear?" Her green eyes were snapping emerald blazes, a sure sign of a severely annoyed Irish girl. Snape shut his mouth immediately and resorted to firing dagger-glares at the offending Gryffindor.
"Honestly, Evans," muttered James under his breath, "you sounded like old McGonagall there. Just keep it up, and you'll be taking points from your own House next." But he too comprehended that look and bit his lip hard.
"Right then, everyone," continued Lily, a bit shaken by the not unexpected outbursts. "New Prefects…" She waited for eight fifth years to stand before finishing her phrase. "You're on patrol through the train for the first hour, so might as well get going." Patiently she waited for them to stumble out one by one and let out a lungful of air when the last of them trailed after the others through the door.
"And sixth years, you're patrolling for the second half of the ride. Seventh year Prefects and myself and Potter, we're going to be walking the castle tonight. Other than that, there's nothing else we've got to do, oh, and tell the fifth years that they lead the first years to the dorms." She ran out of breath slightly at the end and tried to regain it while James and Remus looked on amusedly.
"Tell me, Lily…"
Lily Evans whirled around and glared at him furiously. "Potter, you do exactly what I and the teachers tell you, and that's all, do you understand? Nothing more, and if you even think about trying…" She paused for the additional dramatic effect. "I'll be forced to hex you." Severus let an odd little smile slide onto his sallow features, one that Lily, unfortunately, did not return.
James simply grinned again and replied, "You, hex me? I think I know more hexes than anyone…except maybe Sni-Severus here. Don't you know all that your family's probably taught you?"
"Leave. My. Family. Out. Of. This." He forced the words out in a ragged voice, but the expression was unmistakable. It spoke of raw, uncontained fury and impulsiveness, so harsh and grating that even James stepped back involuntarily.
For the first time, Lily took up her privileges as Head Girl. "All the Prefects…out. I need to have a little talk with Potter here." Giving her a strange look, nevertheless they complied and filed into the Prefect compartment, leaving them alone. James sat down opposite of the fuming red head and stretched his long legs out in front, speaking wordlessly, "Talk, Lily."
She rounded on him so suddenly that for the second time, he inched backward. "What in hell do you think you're doing? You're about to ruin everything, don't know what Dumbledore was thinking, not that he's ever wrong. Maybe you're smart and everything—" Horrified, she clapped her hand to her mouth. Had she just admitted that Potter, the arrogant pain in the arse, actually possessed an ounce of intelligence?
But he had had to take exams just like the rest of them. Unlike Lily and her friends, however, he somehow studied little and scored big. Every single time he did, it made her Housemates wonder about impishly grinning James Potter. And every single time they went to him for advice, all they returned with was "Sorry, must be the natural talent."
"…yup, you heard it," continued James, sounding not the least annoyed now. Lily gaped at him; surely she had not been so self-absorbed as to completely block out his voice, even for a few words? He caught her wide-eyed gaze and ran a hand through his hair in a single, practiced movement. "But really, what else do we have to do?"
"Your hair is messed-up enough already," said the seventeen-year-old girl in a cold, atypically Slytherin voice. "And the first thing I have to do is get your face out of my head. Good bye." Just like that, she stomped out of the compartment mumbling something like, "Sveta would have a fit." And James could only stare at her retreating back and heave a deep sigh.
AN: As everyone should be able to see, this is pretty canon, no slash or strange pairings; slash because I find it to be beneath my consideration, strange pairings because they're well, strange (Sorry to all the slash fans!) Also I have the plot planned out but like always, am open to suggestions. Review if you so desire ^.^
