I decided I didn't like the story in 1st person POV. Had to try it out though.

Couple NEW chapters out this weekend. Also, I'll be editing my Zuko story. Right, enjoy.

-J

Evie would be the first to admit that much had changed in the last two years. It could never be said that as first years coming to Hogwarts that she and her boisterous band of companions were naïve- except for Peter maybe. Otherwise, certainly not. But they were more or less still children at that point. They were still somewhat shielded from the darkness that stirred outside the walls of their school, not yet faced with it on a daily basis like many of their loved ones were. Things had changed though, some for the better, but not all. The war had grown drastically. Attacks became more frequent and grizzly. Rallied under a name that the world had come to fear, the Death Eaters grew in numbers and power. Many were affected by this. Evie included.

She saw less and less of her father when she was home on holiday due to his increased workload as a senior auror. Her mother grew more withdrawn and colder, if possible, as the war consumed more of her father's time. Evie's one salvation from the still and dreary life at Mane Place was James. No matter what, she knew she could always count on him. He knew what it was like at her house and spent much of his time and energy trying to distract his best friend from it whenever they were home. Both of them, for as long as they could remember, had always gravitated towards each other for company and understanding, adopting one another as siblings. He needed her as much as she needed him, and no one could say they knew James better than Evie did, or vice versa. It came as a welcome distraction that they'd spent the summer practicing for the upcoming year's Quidditch tryouts, now that positions were open on the team. And when they weren't at their Quidditch pitch they could be found in town enjoying an ice cream or a movie at the cinema, and many times lounging down at the lake by their homes. Evie would bring along her portable muggle radio and play songs for her and James to sing along to and make dances to. It was indeed a magical and untainted summer they spent under the trees of Godric's Hollow.

Evie could hardly contain her excitement as she and James made their way to the platform on the first day of their third year. Their second year had sped by, much like their first. Nothing truly out of the ordinary had occurred. Slytherins were Slytherins, and for that they hexed them. Detentions, on the rare occasions that they were caught, were well worth terrorizing Velpucia Yaxley's clique of Slytherin girls, as well as Snivellus and Fenrius Nott's little gang of wanna-be Death Eaters. They were scum and absolutely deserved it. Though if there was anyone Evie enjoyed hexing almost as much as the Slytherins it was Georgina Barnaby and her gaggle of puke-inducing Hufflepuffs. Prissy little cow simply needed to have her face covered in boils every now and then simply to remind her that she wasn't all that and a pack of Drooble's. Aside from the extreme joy Evie found in hexing her, she also had Farrah. The bane of her existence and, regrettably, her cousin by blood. Farrah, her brother Alaric, and Evie's other cousin Myron Macmillan had come to Hogwarts last year. Alaric and, rather surprisingly, Farrah had been placed in Gryffindor while Myron was sorted into Hufflepuff. This year his younger sister, and Evie's favorite little cousin, Scarlett would be coming to Hogwarts. This, Evie viewed, simply as yet another reason to hex Satan, as she still giddily called Farrah when Metrodora Bloxum was not within earshot.

As for Evie's friends, they'd undergone some changes as well. Matilda, Gideon, and Fabian were now the proud owners of two bumbling baby nephews. Molly and Arthur had popped out young Charlie just this summer. How she ever considered letting him touch her again after 36 hours in labor with Bill was beyond Evie and Matilda's understanding.

Lily and Marlene were ever the same. Marlene had taken it upon herself to become an active member of the Charms club. Her goal was to become President by fifth year, like her sister Liza, hoping that St. Mungo's would count it as another reason to admit her into their summer healing internship. Lily, to Evie's dismay, had not yet cursed her cow of a sister. Evie had met a lot of unpleasant people- some she was unfortunately related to (Satan and Satan's mother) - but never in her life had she wanted to hit anyone more than she did Petunia Evans. When she'd stayed at Lily's house at the beginning of the summer for a couple of weeks she hadn't anticipated the ever-growing urge to throttle her sister. Evie knew it broke Lily's heart a little more every time her sister treated her like garbage, which is why it amazed her that Lily begged time and time again not to do anything to Petunia whenever the urge strike came. But that was just Lily. She was, "unfailingly kind", as Dumbledore put it at the end of their second year. Petunia was undeserving of the excuses her younger sister made for her, quite frankly the only reason Evie had yet to throw a dungbomb Petunia's way. Though a nice Hogwarts toilet seat for Christmas could be viewed as a present, rather than an insult, thought Evie with mirth upon leaving the Evans' house.

As for her devious delinquents, they were as always, inseparable. Well, except for Sirius whom they hadn't heard a word from all summer. That had James and Evie rather worried for the better part of the holiday. For all they knew his parent's could have sold him to a gang of Mongolian wizards for dragon pelts or something.

"Would you slow down!" called James from behind Evie as they walked the length of the train.

"Stop trying to hinder me, fat arse! You'd think that all those drills we did over the summer would have paid off. How will you ever expect to become chaser with those gimpy, lazy legs of yours!" Smirked Evie without turning around to see the look on her best mate's face. That was a surefire way to make him turn five shades of pink.

"I am not out of shape- oof sorry- I just think you're a bit anxious is all," he retorted after accidentally bumping into a second year Ravenclaw.

"Like you're not? I know you've been pining away for Sirius just as much as I have this summer. No letters or anything, I had half to fly my nimbus to London and check up on him."

"Now why would you go and do a thing like that, gorgeous?" came an undeniably familiar voice from the compartment up ahead. Evie beamed as she took in the sight before her. There he was leaning casually against the compartment door. He'd grown a couple of inches over the summer, as had his hair. His grey eyes, usually alight with humor, seemed tired, as did the rest of his demeanor. He appeared as if he hadn't had a decent meal or night's sleep in months.

"Sirius!" she cried before launching herself at him. She heard him chuckle as they hugged.

"Alright, Evie-bee?" he asked after a few moments. She stepped back, taking a good look at him.

"Yes. Are you?" She asked as James came up behind her.

"Let's just say I'm glad to be out of that house."

"Worse than usual?" asked James.

"Put it this way, Regulus is undoubtedly the favorite." Regulus, Sirius's younger brother, had started at Hogwarts the previous year, and like most Blacks had been sorted into Slytherin. Where Sirius had gone nearly two months without contact from his parents before receiving an angry letter for being sorted into Gryffindor, Regulus had gotten a package full of sweets and a few galleons less than a week after being sorted. Undoubtedly, Regulus was the favorite.

"Hello all," said Remus as he walked into the compartment ten minutes after the train had left the station.

"Well, look who's graced us with his presence," Evie muttered looking up from her book, Animagus Transformatum.

"Where've you been, Remus?" asked Peter sitting beside Evie with a half-eaten chocolate frog.

Remus sat down on Evie's other side before answering, "Was just having a friendly chat with Emma Bobbin."

"Blegh! Remy! Don't tell me you're still chasing after that tosser," Evie grunted disdainfully.

"Yes, Evie. I just happen to enjoy her company. We've been corresponding all summer," he replied briskly.

"But Remus, you know what those Hufflepuff girls are like. I mean did you learn nothing from Sirius's misguided stunt with Meghan McCormack last year?" Evie replied with a knowing smirk. She'd never liked her- McCormack that is. Evie had been quite upset when she found out they were seeing each other, but she told herself it was understandable. She simply thought her friend deserved better, and she'd made her point clear by pranking the slag every chance she got. James started laughing as Sirius glared.

"I didn't know she was such a-"

"Bitch? Come on, Sirius. She's best mates with Georgina Barnaby and Gladys Gudgeon. What did you expect her to be like? Ginger Rogers?"

"Who's-"

"She's a famous American actress and dancer," interrupted Remus who had proceeded to snatch Evie's book and commence reading it, "Anyways, speaking of Gudgeon, she's looking for you, Sirius."

"Did she say why?"

"Nope," he said uninterestedly.

"Bet I have a good idea," said James as he nudged Sirius who left the compartment a moment later.

"Hey!" snapped James as Evie threw a chocolate frog at his face, "What was that for?"

"Sirius doesn't like her so why tease him? He's had a miserable summer and I'm sure girls are the last thing on his mind." Replied Evie.

"If I'd had a miserable summer girls would be the first thing on my mind," said Peter.

"Girls are the first thing on your mind anyway, Pete," laughed James.

"So, Evie, any progress with the ingredients?" said a blushing Peter, obviously trying to change the subject.

"As a matter of fact yes. Aside from the eight dried tube worms we knicked from Professor Beery last term, chameleon ghoul toenails, eight ounces of wartcap powder, and the two jobberknoll feathers we got from Slughorn's private stash, James and I managed to get a few ingredients." she said smugly.

"So we can cross the abyssian shrivelfig leaves off our list along with the dried billywig stingers, the unicorn hair, and dried armadillo bile," said James.

"I made sure to let James pick up the bile," she said causing both boys to laugh at their friend's expense. James threw her an indignant look.

"You promised you wouldn't tell!" he muttered.

"No. As I recall, I promised I wouldn't tell Lily, which I haven't."

"Told me what?" came a voice at the door. Evie beamed as she saw her best girl friend standing there with a rather suspicious look on her face. "Anything you're up to that I should warn the prefects about, Potter?"

"Nothing that would harm you in any way, my flower," said James as he ran a hand through his messy black hair. Lily merely rolled her eyes.

"I am not your flower, Potter," she said before looking to the other occupants of the compartment, "Hello, Remus, Peter. Good holiday?"

"Yes, very good," said Peter.

"Quite relaxing aside from the three weeks I spent with these two," smiled Remus as he indicated to James and Evie, "What about you, Lily?"

"Bearable. What with Petunia prancing around the house talking about her new boyfriend for the whole neighborhood to hear," she said with a slight frown as she came into the compartment.

"Someone's dating that cow?" Evie said indignantly, "Is he a dumb ox or something of equivalence?"

"A walrus is more like it. He's simply horrid, and with a horrid name to match," she giggled, unaware, or simply ignoring, James gawking at her, "His name is Vernon Dursley!"

"Blimey, that is awful," grimaced Peter as Lily and Evie laughed.

"Sure is! Merlin, and I never thought I'd see the day that I'd hear a name near as bad as Velpucia Yaxley," laughed Evie.

"Something to say, Bloxum?" came a snide voice at the compartment door.

"Damn, Lils! You've gone and left the door open! Now any ol' riff raff can fly right in," said Evie in mock offense.

"Seems the riff raff has already flown in," said the arrogant Slytherin. Velpucia Yaxley and Evie Bloxum had hated each other since the first potions lesson of their first year. Evie might have tolerated her stupid sneer and pureblooded arrogance if it hadn't been directed toward Lily. Lily had already been nervous enough, what with it being her first day and all and being a muggleborn she had been more anxious than the rest. She hadn't been treated rudely because of her blood status as of yet until Yaxley took it upon herself to call Lily a "book-loving mudblood" simply because Lily correctly answered every question Slughorn threw at them. Evie had solidified her friendship with Lily Evans and her enmity with Velpucia Yaxley in one foul swoop. She had taken one look at Lily's crestfallen teary green eyes and narrowed her own at the cackling girl across the room. The smug snake couldn't so much as utter another profanity towards Lily as she found her teeth growing at an alarmingly fast rate. Suffice it to say, that was one detention she didn't mind serving.

"Goodness, Pussball," she beamed, using her pet name for the Slytherin, "with a forked tongue like that how do you ever expect any of your eligible male relatives to take a second look at you?" She narrowed her eyes as laughter rang through the compartment.

"This coming from my cousin's faithful lapdog," sneered Narcissa Black from behind Yaxley.

"Well if it isn't Prissy Cissy come to play! You know, Prissy, I didn't see you there behind that abnormally horrid growth that Yaxley calls a head." In a flash Yaxley was whipping out her wand, however, Evie hadn't wasted nine years on reflexive training for nothing. She was standing, wand pointed at Yaxley just as she was whipping hers out.

"Oi!" came a familiar voice from down the train. If the Gryffindor been paying attention and not distracted by Yaxley's abhorrent existence, as well as wondering what was taking Sirius so long to get back and entertain her, she might have noticed that the squabble had gained the attention of surrounding compartments. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Hufflepuff robes and a badge reserved for the Head Girl.

"Hi, Felissity," said Evie smiling adoringly at her older cousin.

"'Lo, Eva. Having some trouble, Yaxley?" she asked, not entirely succeeding in hiding the slight chuckle in her voice.

"None at all, Dearborn. Just coming to check up on your cousin here. I imagine the summer must have been rather trying with her daddy being dragged out on all those dangerous missions," she said with an edge to her voice.

"I imagine you'd know all about that seeing as your family's probably causing some of it," sneered James who had come to stand next to Evie. That was another thing they had in common: total and absolute hatred towards the dark arts.

"Whatever do you mean, Potter?" said Yaxley in a sickeningly sweet voice, "You can't surely be suggesting that my family would be caught up in any discriminatory illegalities?"

"If it shits like a snake," sneered James.

"Wands away. Now," said Felissity. Grudgingly, the wands were pocketed, "If I were you, Yaxley, I'd take your little friend here and scamper off back to your compartment before I give you a detention." With one last glare both Slytherins marched off. "Can't go a day without causing trouble, can you?"

Evie smiled before giving her a quick hug, "You know me. I'm all for danger."

"Yes, well I got here as quickly as I could. I was in the next carriage in the middle of my prefects meeting when some second year came running in saying my cousin was in the middle of a grizzly duel with a Slytherin. Or something to that extent," she laughed.

"So you and Diggory got the Head's job then?" asked James.

"Yes. If I wasn't already pleased enough about that the look on Lucius Malfoy's face would surely have compensated," she laughed with mirth.

"I hardly think it appropriate for the Head Girl to gloat about her position," said Evie in mock disapproval.

"Oh hush. It's something you'll never have to gloat about because Dumbledore would have to be nutters to consider making you or Jamesie here prefects," she giggled, "I think we can rest assured that Lily and Remus will be the deserving recipients when the time comes."

"I'd certainly like to think so," said Lily joining the conversation.

"No doubt it'll be you or Liza McKinnon's little sister. I'd hate to see what would happen were that power to fall into the hands of either Matilda or Evie," smirked Felissity, "Well, I've got to go do my rounds. I'll see you at the feast," And with a quick hug she left.

"Let's go put on our robes, shall we?" suggested Lily.

"Can I come?" asked James cheekily. Evie chuckled as Lily didn't so much as acknowledge his question. They left the boys to their own devices as they made their way down the train towards the changing rooms.

"I think this one's free," said Lily before opening the door. And Merlin was she wrong. Sirius. Gladys Gudgeon. Snogging. Sirius and Gladys Gudgeon. Up against a wall at it like leeches. He was snogging her face off. And what's more…why did Evie care this much? They became aware that someone had walked in on them. In Evie's stroke-like state she wasn't sure if she had imagined Sirius leap across the room from Gudgeon when he saw her. She wasn't totally sure of anything in that moment, other than the fact that she must've looked like a shocked guppy. "Ugh! I have half a mind to report you to a prefect!" cried Lily before slamming the door shut and dragging Evie into the first empty changing room they found.

She just sat there, not quite sure what to say, not quite sure why she wasn't sure of what to say. All in all, she was sure though that she looked rather stupid.

"I'm sorry, Evie," said Lily softly. She hadn't noticed until then that she was being hugged.

"Wha-What are you talking about? Sorry for what?" said Evie weakly.

"Well I won't say it if you won't," said Lily sympathetically. Evie took a deep breath, willing herself not to get anywhere near the range of overemotional about what she had just seen. These thoughts were something she had been dealing with for a while. In total honesty she had been dealing with them since Sirius had dated McCormack.

"I don't want to like him, Lil. You've no idea how much I wish I didn't. How much I wish I could think of him as I do James or Remus or Peter. And the fact that he and I are so close and so able to connect makes it all the more harder," grimaced Evie shaking her head.

"I know, I know. I understand how much he means to you. But he doesn't deserve this from you, alright?" she said encouragingly, "Here's what we'll do. We'll change into our robes, spend the rest of the train ride in my compartment with Mar and Tilly, and then we'll get ourselves a couple of dates for our first Hogsmeade trip. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like this year is starting off swimmingly."