Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns my soul - aka my L/J fanfiction.

The Rivalry of James and Lily

Year 2 - Chapter 1

Remembering and Back To Hogwarts

James was very happy the summer was almost over and he would be heading back to Hogwarts. It's not that he didn't like his family, or having nothing to do but lay around all day; he just couldn't wait to continue with his study of magic. Wait, who are we kidding here? He couldn't wait to play more jokes on Lily Evans and the stupid Slytherins. And, he was proud to admit it. He had come up with quite a list of new pranks for the coming year.

The last half of the school year after Christmas had flown by so fast that he thought maybe the calendar had simply skipped a few months. From what he could remember (although it was quite a blur), the rest of the year had continued just like it had begun, with jokes on the Slytherins, jokes on Lily, a couple trips to the hospital wing, and then the highest grade in transfiguration, the second highest in DADA, following Remus, and yet the lowest in charms, not counting Peter. Stupid Lily was top in that.

He decided he better not think about Lily, unless he wanted to end up in an extremely foul mood, so he went back to daydreaming about the crimes that were due to happen this year at Hogwarts. He had been to Zonko's joke shop multiple times throughout the summer, and had stocked up on filibusters fireworks, dungbombs, and other supplies that would help him in his mischievousness. The perfect box of supplies with which to beat his detention record of 53.

At the same moment, Lily was at her house in Salisbury having a raging argument with her sister.

"I will NOT get rid of Oe!" screamed Lily, as her sister complained about the oddness of having an owl.

"But what if one of my friend's sees it! They are going to think I'm crazy! Crazy! Crazy like...like... YOU!" she managed to spit out at last. "What if Verny sees him?"

"Oh Gosh, here we go again. I really don't see how you have a boyfriend. He must be very mental," Lily mumbled, but not quiet enough for her sister to not hear.

"You, you horrid little creature!" she screeched Lily, then slapped her across the face.

Lily pushed her sister out the door of her room, then yelling, "Hey 'Tun, you really should work out some! Your slaps don't even hurt anymore!" Then she slammed the door shut before Petunia could enter back in and wail on her some more. She sat on her bed and rubbed the side of her face. Lily couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. She had been dealing with Petunia all summer.

The next few days passed slowly for Lily, but finally, it was September the first. After a small issue losing control of her luggage trolley on the muggle platform, she had made it on to platform 9 3/4. And with the help of her parents, who this year had found a parking space, she successfully stowed her luggage on the train.

"Love you, Mom, Dad," she said, hugging them each. "I'll write loads more this year."

Her mom had a tear in her eye.

"Go get 'em again this year, Tiger," her dad said, plopping a kiss on her head. The whistle to the train sounded.

"I better go," she said. "See you at Christmas!"

Her mom sniffled and gave her one last hug.

Soon thereafter, Lily was back on the Hogwarts express. She was now searching for her friends, or an empty compartment. Of course, with her luck, she couldn't find her friends anywhere. And when she came to the last compartment, guess who was in there? (DumDumDum.... Sibyll Trewlaney! No j/k) Of course, James Potter.

"Where is everyone else?" questioned Lily.

"I was wondering the exact same thing. Sirius said something about flying his motorbike to Hogwarts, but he wouldn't let me come along. He mentioned something about the other seat already being taken." James looked rather grumpy when he said this.

"Do you know who he took?"

"Do I know who he took? What kind of question is that? Obviously I don't or I wouldn't be sitting here talking about it to you," he snapped.

"Well, sor-ry, Potter! I bet Sirius took a pixie or something along, just so he didn't have to deal with you the whole ride," Lily replied. She was getting quite annoyed already. And she had been so excited to return to Hogwarts, and now it was turning out to be just as bad as home.

James simply swiveled around in his seat, and Lily followed suit, so that they had their backs to each other. They sat in silence, for about 5 minutes, until Lily spoke up.

"That still doesn't explain where the others have gone." Just then, a muffled laughter came from outside the compartment. Then the door slid open and in fell Remus, Alex, Peter, and Sibyll. Peter and Sibyll had supposedly been becoming better friends with Alex and Remus, and she, Lily, also was starting to accept them more. At this point, however, Lily shot daggers at her friends.

"Did you guys set this up?" she questioned.

"Ahh.. Lily, why would we do something like that? You know we think you and James would make such an awful couple," said Remus, rather bravely.

"Yes, yes, I know that, but I also know that your ears turn bright red when you're lying, and Remus, anyone can tell you, they are scarlet." With that she stalked out of the compartment.

"I think that went rather well," said Remus jauntily, to his three other friends who were still lying on the ground with him. They were all avoiding James's deadly gaze. Lily stalked back into the compartment.

"Hey, Alex, so where's Kate?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen her all day," she replied.

Then Lily heard, "Sirius," and turned to see a smile fall over James's face.

Lily suddenly caught on. "Oh my, I think we're going to have some fun teasing those two when they get to Hogwarts." And with that, she filled in the rest of her friends about where Sirius and Kate probably were and what they were possibly doing.