Disclaimer: Not mine, not yours, not even my sodding Editor's, whom I swear somehow knows more about where this is going than I do. This is JKR's.

A/N: As is fitting, this is dedicated to the Editor. Yes, yes, I promise.

Also, I don't know how frequently I'll be able to update; I'm on an absolutely mental schedule right now.

Chapter Two

Lily stepped off the train and sighed in relief. She'd always felt safer when she was here at Hogwarts than anywhere else in the world. She walked toward the carriages that awaited them, lost in her reminisces from the last six years. How long ago it seems, she thought so herself morosely. What an innocent world we lived in then! I didn't the faces of murderers staring back at me when I went to Diagon Alley…didn't read the paper obsessively for news of the worst…didn't spend the summer in fear of the people I love dying.

"Lily!" James's voice brought her back to the present. He swept an elaborate bow as he held open the door to one of the carriages.

She couldn't help but laugh. "Alas, my friends shall think I've deserted them if I don't go and find them." She walked closer and said with a smirk, "After all, I fended off the other Marauders the whole journey. You must be absolutely dying to make an ass of yourself; I mean, it's been what…five hours? That must be a new record for you." Before he could respond, she walked off to where she could hear Tara gossiping loudly with Alice.

"Lily!" Tara shrieked, running up to Lily as soon as the two came into view of each other. She threw the redhead into a hug, nearly choking her. "You couldn't find one spare minute to see your friends? Who the ruddy hell is Head Boy to keep you so damned busy?"

That's the Tara I know, Lily thought to herself then said with a grin, "I tried to see you. The Head Boy was a prat about it, as I wouldn't let him see his friends earlier. I think you'll find three very displeased Marauders tonight at the feast," she added as an afterthought.

Tara's eyebrows shot upward. "Really? But I saw Remus! He was trying to keep Sirius from hexing Regalus again."

Lily snorted at that, but Tara ignored her as the climbed into a carriage with Alice. "Can't possibly be Pettigrew. McGonagall almost kicked him out of Transfiguration last year." Then she looked at Lily, blue eyes wide with astonishment. "You're not saying…it's James Potter?"

Alice gasped and turned around to look at the two. "You've got to be shitting me! James Potter is Head Boy?"

Lily laughed and nodded. "That's the one."

Tara blinked, astonished. "Is he still alive?"

"More importantly, did Dumbledore lose his mind?" Alice asked with a laugh.

"No, I can see why Dumbledore did it. James is different." Lily glanced out the window, thinking hard. "He's always been top of the class in marks, if not in maturity. But something's changed him over the summer. He went an entire train trip without hexing Snape or asking me out."

"Are you sure he's James Potter, then?" Alice giggled. "Not asking you out, not hexing Snape…that's what he's noted for. I mean, besides being devilishly handsome."

"Well, the devilishly handsome part is the only bit that's still around," Lily said with a shrug. "Dare I say it: James has matured. We've agreed to start over, under the proviso that if he reverts to his old ways, I end the friendship immediately."

Tara looked over at Alice, her baby blue eyes gleaming. "What d'you reckon, one day or two?"

Alice rolled her eyes at the other girl. "Oh, come on! Have some faith in the lad! He's asked her out three hundred twelve times; he's obviously determined. I give it a week."

The lovely redhead groaned. "Must you discuss this in front of me? I've already resigned myself to the fact that I will break his heart at least once this year. Unless, of course, he truly doesn't want anything from me but friendship." Lily considered the thought for a moment. "How strange that would be!" she said with a laugh. "If James Potter turned out not to be in love with me anymore!"

The other girls groaned. "Crikey, be up yourself much, Lily?" asked Tara. "Cocky bitch."

"If he turns out not to be in love with me anymore!" laughed Alice, pretending to swoon melodramatically as she imitated Lily. "Urgh, shut up about bloody Potter and tell us all about your summer. Didn't you go to some festival at Stratford?"


"James sodding Potter," said Sirius disgustedly. "Don't tell me you've started living in sin with Midgen. I couldn't get anywhere near your compartment because of the wards."

James laughed, cleaning his glasses. "Losing your touch, Pads, mate. You're wrong on both counts. I'm neither living in sin, and if I were, it sure as Hell wouldn't be with Midgen." He grinned. "Lads," he said grandly, nodding to Remus and Peter, "You see before you a changed man: no more am I James Potter, tosser extraordinaire, but James Potter, responsible Head Boy and close personal friend of our lovely Head Girl, Lily Evans."

Peter burst out laughing while Remus looked on, mildly amused. "So…" Remus's voice was level, but James could tell he was fighting back a laugh. "Did you drug her or did she suffer extensive brain damage over the summer? Even you're not clever enough to get a jinx off on her."

James threw him a glare. "No. Living in a dorm with an angry Lily Evans would be about as much fun as getting kicked hard in the knackers."

"Oh God, I forgot, you'll be living with her. Heaven help us all." The young man's voice held a trace of horror. "James…if you're dead at the end of this year…"

"Can I have your Cloak?"

"Sod off!" Remus hit Sirius in the arm and continued. "You're going to drive each other completely mental in a week."

James looked annoyed. "No, we won't. Things are going to be different this year. I won't have to die at the hands of Lily Evans, because I won't push her to date me this year. Maybe friendship's what I'll have to settle for."

Sirius stared at his best friend, mouth hanging wide open. He ignored Peter's comment, "Catching flies, Pads?" and blinked. "You really are serious about this acer, aren't you?"

James nodded. "I'm completely in love with her. I only hope I haven't fucked myself over too badly by acting the way I have. This summer I wanted so badly to be able to talk to her about what happened." He sighed and leaned against the window. "But she's never going to trust me."

Remus smiled wryly. "I guess you're just going to have to prove that you deserve to be trusted. Don't give up all hope for Lily."

Peter's watery eyes darted from James to Remus and back. He bit his lower lip, thinking hard.

"Anyway, now that I've thoroughly depressed us all, how were your summers?" James tried to keep his voice light and casual.

"Mini-break to France," said Remus carelessly. "Home for the full moon, then to Spain with my dad."

Peter shrugged. "Nothing too special. My mum and I spent a lot of time in London."

The boys sat in silence for some time. James gazed out the window, his thoughts entirely on Lily.


Lily sat quietly at the feast, thinking carefully as she ate as Alice and Tara gossiped merrily about their summers in France and Ireland. She glanced up to see James poking morosely at his food while Sirius re-enacted some event from the summer. He looked up, seeing her staring, and gave a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes.

She looked back down again. She felt guilty at having glimpsed him like that.

She was given no further time to contemplate when Dumbledore stood, holding out his hands to the students. "Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Now that you are fed, I have a few things to say: our caretaker, Mr. Filch has asked me to inform you that magic is not to be used in between classes and that the list of forbidden objects is posted outside his office. I believe it now comprises of three hundred fifty-six items, which may be viewed at your disposal." Dumbledore grinned slightly. "The Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students…even the ones who daringly maraud the rest of this ancient castle."

Lily's gaze involuntarily flicked over to James punching Sirius on the arm.

"On a more serious note, the security at Hogwarts has been increased in the wake of the recent murders in our world. It is my dearest hope that no more of you nor your families will be torn asunder by Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, however special defensive classes will be offered this year to all who are interested. Remember, you may be young, but together you are stronger than you know. Now, off to bed! Toodle-pip!"

With usual clamour that was the students heading to their dormitories, the Gryffindors trooped upstairs to their tower. James started to join them, but Lily seized the sleeve of his robe. "You git," she said with a laugh. "We're supposed to meet with Dumbledore." She raised an eyebrow at him, and she traipsed back down the stairs with him.

"Oh, bloody Potty's at the Mudblood's beck and call now? There's a match made in Hell," an oily voice drawled.

James shot the tall, lanky boy a look of utmost loathing. "Bugger off, Snape, and five points from Slytherin for using that word to describe our Head Girl." Snape looked ready to protest, and James said smoothly, "After all, I am Head Boy."

Snape's upper lip curled in revulsion. "You and the Mudblood. I always knew this school was going to the dogs." He shot a particularly malevolent glare at Lily. "In this case, quite literally."

"Ten points from Slytherin," Lily said without batting an eye. She seized James by the arm and half-dragged him off to Dumbledore's office before the situation escalated.