James and Sirius lay in bed pretending to be asleep until around eleven that night. As the clock in the hall chimed, they crept from their rooms on the second floor, past the snores coming from the Potters' room to the second-floor window, and skillfully exited out of the window. They could not risk going past the kitchen where the house elf Hodpey slept. The elf had been instructed to raise the alarm if ever the boys tried to sneak out the door or use the flu network at night. However, Mrs Potter had not said anything about a window and James and Sirius had seized at this loophole, frequently using the window for all their midnight excursions.

It was quite a steep drop from the window and would have fairly difficult to scale the wall to the ground, had it not been for the conveniently positioned lattice and ivy that grew up the side of the Potter's limestone manor house. That night, the boys climbed down the ivy easily. It did not even scrape their hands, which were rough and calloused from years of quidditch training.

James and Sirius both played as chasers for the Gryffindor team. James had been on the team since second year. Sirius had not made the team until third year. His selection had caused a huge rumpus in the Black household, with his mother screaming and crying hysterically that he had dishonored the Black family name by playing for Gryffindor. Sirius had told her at the time, he didn't give a flying fruitcake whose name he dishonoured, there was nothing that was going to stop him playing Quidditch.

Once clear of the house, James and Sirius picked the lock on the broom shed using Sirius' trusty pocketknife. A few more minutes past before they were sailing up away from the lawns of the Potter manor towards Cokeworth. It took a decent half hour of flying before they reached the edge of the sleepy suburb. They stayed well under cloud cover to avoid being seen by any muggles examining the night sky. A dirty river wound below them with rubbish-strewn banks, the houses that filled the streets were identical terraced brick. As they flew over a large chimney, the relic of a disused mill, James called out to Sirius over the howl of the wind, 'How do we know where she lives?'

'Don't sweat it mate, I came prepared,' Sirius answered cheerfully. 'Alice told me her address. It's a bit creepy but much better than knocking on the doors of every muggle in the neighbourhood after midnight.'

James gulped back a lump in his throat. He was sweating, and his hands felt oily on the surface of his broomstick. His stomach was currently doing backflips. Evans always had this effect on him. He wished that he had the chance to talk to her before term ended to smooth things over. He shouldn't have bargained with her over Snivelly's pants, involving Severus Snape was not a good way to ask a girl on a date. And that rash apology note, why had he ever written that? Everything was better done in person when it came to Evans, he mused, at least then when she laughed in his face he wouldn't be left wondering. As, they flew the last quarter of a mile, he let his mind wander to visions of him and Evans taking Hogsmende trips together, slipping on butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks or gorging themselves on sweets in Honeydukes.

Sirius and James landed a short walking distance from Lily's house in a nearby park. Both had high spirits from the exhilarating broom ride and walked briskly through the streets of muggle houses, laughing boisterously with the thrill and adrenaline of their midnight jaunt. As they approached Evans house, there was some debate about the best way to reach her room. Sirius argued that they should simply fly up and land on the balcony, which jutted out from Lily's bedroom but James felt that this might be a bit forward. In the end, they settled for a pebble, carefully aimed at her window.

Lily was up late engrossed in a charms essay and when the pebble thrown by Sirius rapped on her window, she nearly fell of her chair. Quickly deciding it must have been the wind, she yawned and went back to re-reading the last paragraph of her essay.

'We should go,' said James from the lawn below the window. 'It's late. She's probably asleep.'

'All the more reason to throw another,' replied Sirius eagerly. Before James could stop him a second pebble was sailing up through the air towards Lily's window.

As this second pebble knocked against her window, Lily put down her essay and peered out into the garden below. She was stunned to see Sirius cheerily waving up at her and a rather self-conscious looking James Potter standing beside him. Lily hurriedly pulled on her dressing gown and slippers, then unlatched the door and padded out onto the balcony to survey the two boys standing below her.

'I'll see you back in the park,' Sirius muttered to James and strode off in the direction that they had come.

'Evening Evans,' James called up to the balcony where Lily stood. His voice sounded much more confident than he felt and he had to resist the temptation to wipe his sweaty palms on his jeans.

'What in Godric's name are you doing here Potter? It's the middle of the bloody night,' Lily said irritably.

'You didn't reply to my letter,' replied James indignantly. 'I thought you might have been kidnapped by Snivelly. He could have been holding you prisoner until you agreed to be friends with him again.'

'Did it ever occur to you Potter that I didn't reply to your letter because you're a complete and utter git?' Lily was furious now. 'We're not friends. We never were.'

'Your right Evans, as always. We're so much more than friends,' replied James with a lopsided grin.

Lily bit her tongue to fight back the tears that she knew were coming. 'Potter, we will be more than friends when hell freezes over. I hate you for what you did to Sev and me. Your little apology note does not excuse your actions.' Lily turned on her heel, slamming the balcony door with so much force that the glass shuddered.

Lily rubbed the fog off her window and watched the fields of the Scottish Highlands sailing by, feeling deflated and glum. The Hogwarts Express had left platform 9 3/4 at 11 o'clock that morning and had been traveling for a quarter of an hour. Lily had come to Kings Cross station by herself that morning, as both her parents had to work. Her mother was a medical receptionist at a local practice and her father was a high school teacher. Petunia had informed Lily that morning that she for one was glad Lily was going back to her 'freak school.' It was not Petunia's snide comments that bothered Lily or that her parents didn't come to see her off, it was returning to Hogwarts without her best friend. Alice and Marlene, who Lily roomed with, had always been cordial but Lily had never been close to either girl. However, for the first time since her very first train ride, Lily had found herself alone on the platform and was grateful to have friends to talk to and sit with.

Since they had spotted each other on the platform, the conversation had been focused on the girl's summers. Lily had tried to pay attention to the discussion but was now letting her mind wander to other things, like how much she wished the lunch trolley would show up.

'So…' Alice was trying to keep her voice casual. 'How was your summer Lily?'

'Quiet, I guess,' Lily shrugged.

'No surprise visitors?' asked Alice suggestively.

'Wait was it you who told Sirius and Potter where my house was?'

'Yes,' Alice admitted guiltily. 'Sirius said James was really cut up about the way things went down last year and wanted to apologise.'

Lily coughed back a laugh at this. 'Really Potter? Apologetic? I didn't know he was capable of the emotion.'

'That's a little harsh Lil,' Marlene interjected.

'Well, they did come over yes. And Potter did offer something vaguely resembling an apology.'

'So, are you guys all good now?' Alice asked tentatively.

Lily frowned. 'Absolutely not. After all the things, he's done to Sev over the years. You think I would want to be friends with Potter?'

'Well, Lily, to be fair, Severus did call you a you-know-what,' said Marlene hesitantly.

Lily bristled slightly. 'Let's just say I don't plan on keeping either Potter or Snape in my acquaintance this year. Now let's talk about something else, shall we? I only have another ten minutes before I'm due in that Prefect's meeting.'

A knowing look past between Alice and Marlene but neither objected to the change of topic.

A few compartments down the train the Marauders were spread out across the seats of the carriage. Remus was reading the Daily Prophet, Peter was gorging himself on chocolate frogs and Sirius and James were talking about the year ahead.

'You know what I'm looking forward to most this year?' asked Sirius

'Apparition lessons?' guessed Peter, though a mouth full of chocolate frog.

'No and close your mouth when you chew, Wormy. Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?' replied Sirius.

'Free periods,' said James gloomily.

'Right on my man,' said Sirius reaching out to give James a high five.

James slapped Sirius' hand without much enthusiasm.

'Chin up buttercup,' said Sirius cheerfully 'Evans will come around and if she doesn't plenty more birds in the sky.'

James said nothing but stared pensively out the window at a flock of owls that circled the train, hooting merrily to one another.

The welcoming feast was always a splendid affair, with the tables groaning under the weight of the tremendous amount of food provided. There were large jugs of orange pumpkin juice, trays of lamb and pork chops, buttery mash potato, steamed carrots and peas and that was only the dishes within Lily's reach. The conversation with Marlene and Alice had turned to OWL results and the subjects they would be continuing with.

'I am so done with Care of Magical Creatures,' said Marlene cheerily as she sipped from her flask of pumpkin juice. 'I only just scrapped an Acceptable and you need Exceeds Expectations to go on to NEWT level. I've never been so pleased with a passing mark.'

'What about you Lily?' asked Alice. 'What courses are you continuing with? Obviously, you would have the pick of the bunch with your Outstanding OWLS in every subject.'

'Not every subject,' replied Lily blushing.

'Oh, we are not counting useless things like Divination,' said Marlene.

'I actually did get an O in Divination,' said Lily, her blush growing still deeper.

'Really!' remarked Alice. 'You must have a clear inner eye then,' she giggled.

'Honestly, I think the whole thing is a load of codswallop,' said Lily reaching for another helping of mash potato. 'I told the examiner I saw a dramatic move in her future and she seemed to buy it, I guess, but I'm definitely not planning to continue with Divination at NEWT level though. I'm doing Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes and I wanted to take Alchemy but I don't think I can squeeze it in with Prefect duties.'

'Wow, so you got the O Flitwick requires?' asked Marlene incredulously.

'Yes, but I overheard Flitwick and Professor Dumbledore discussing it and I think he's dropping it back to E this year,' said Lily.

'Well, they probably didn't want to have a class with just Lily,' said Alice, as the main meals disappeared to be replaced by the desserts.

Down the table, the marauders were already tucking into the large helpings of treacle tart.

'When's the next full moon?' asked Sirius eagerly through a mouthful of tart.

'Keep your voice down,' implored Remus.

'Chill out Moony, no one's listening,' replied Sirius, swallowing his mouthful and licking his lips.

'It's two weeks away,' replied James in an undertone.

'Excellent, I can't wait,' said Sirius grinning.

The four boys had shared a special bond ever since they had discovered Remus' fury little problem as they affectionately referred to it. It had taken them the next three years and several midnight trips to the restricted section to become Animagi. With only one minor mishap with Snape last year, they considered their full moon operations a roaring success, and all except for Remus looked forward to the moon and the chance to explore the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

James glanced up the table to where Lily sat, at that moment she looked up and their eyes locked. James smiled tentatively. Lily's mouth remained a hard line, as she hurriedly looked away, focusing her attention on what Alice was saying. James ran his fingers through his already messy hair, wondering if Lily Evans would ever forgive him.