Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, the greatest writer EVER.

A/N: Sorry this took so incredibly long! I've had softball and it's taken days to write. I actually have almost the rest of the third year written, but I haven't typed it up yet. I didn't really have much time to edit, so sorry for the typos. I hope you enjoy!

The Rivalry of James and Lily

Year 3 - Chapter 1

The Excitement

"This is going to be a long year," Lily mumbled, as she found herself with blue hair and pink skin for the second time in one afternoon. She was on the Hogwarts Express, and to her disapproval, James had become extremely ruthless over the summer. It seemed to Lily that he had done nothing except study new curses. But Sirius told her to look at the bright side. James had been simply thinking of her. Eurgh.

"Oh, I see... So that's why he's learned curses. Because the thought of me and maybe some of the Slytherins makes him just so happy," she grumbled.

"You could think of it like that, OR that he likes you," grinned Sirius.

"Oh shut up, Sirius. We hate each other. Do you see me right now? My skin is hot pink! I will never like James, EVER. I swear by it," she snapped.

Sirius just kept grinning.

"Seriously, Sirius. If you ever catch me liking him, you can make me kiss him right then and there," Lily proposed.

"Ohhh... I'm going to run this by Jamesie boy. I'll see if he'll do the same thing. OY! James! Get over here!" he hollered. James trudged over.

"Nice hair, Evans," he smirked.

"Oh you obnoxious-"

"Stop it, both of you," Sirius intervened. "And now that we're all here I would like to inform you of something, Jamesie."

"Okay," James replied.

"Well, Lily and I were just having a discussion, and she said if she finds herself liking you, she'll kiss you right then and there. Will you do the same thing if you find yourself liking her?" asked Sirius.

"Sure, whatever Sirius," James said, shooting daggers at Lily.

"Great!" squealed Sirius with delight, and he turned around and started skipping away.

"Hey Sirius, where are you going?" yelled James.

But Sirius had already left the compartment, and to both James and Lilys' horror, they were the only ones in the compartment together. Before James could do anything. Lily had grabbed her stuff, and left through the same door as Sirius. Now where were Alex and Kate? She really needed to verbalize her anger to her friends. James, James, and more James was just too much for her to deal with. However, before she could find anyone she knew, the train had stopped and they were at Hogwarts once again.

"First Years! O'er Here!" she heard Hagrid bellow through the stampede of students charging toward the ghost-horse-driven coaches. As she was still by herself, she took her time to get to the coach, figuring there was no rush to get to the feast and she didn't want to risk have to share the a coach with anyone she disliked - like Slytherins or James. Plus, it wasn't like the food was going to be served anytime soon - they had to sit through the sorting. So as she ambled slowly up to the last coach, staring up at the twinkling lights of Hogwarts. The castle still look her breath away, like it had the first time she saw it.

"Ugh," she heard someone say.

She looked around at the voice and noticed someone who did not make her much happier. James Potter was walking toward her from the train, and there was only one coach. This meant they would have to share.

You have to be kidding, she thought as she climbed into the coach after him. They rode in silence, occasionally making eye contact and making faces when they did. Just his breathing was annoying the hell out of her. Could this day really get any worse?

Unfortunately for her though, it could. When she finally got to the Great Hall, she noticed her friends had saved two seats for them, of course, right next to each other. Lily noticed the smug look on Kate and Sirius's face, and she decided she would kill them after dinner. She was too hungry to bother killing them yet. But still very reluctantly, Lily took her seat next to James. Kate and Sirius kept flashing her innocent smiles across the table, which she naturally returned with a look of extreme disgust. Because she and James had been so late arriving, they had missed the sorting, and now Dumbledore was talking. She wasn't really paying attention until-

"-a dance will be held at hogwarts this year," he said.

"What?" she gasped. She couldn't help feeling excited with the rest of the students. A dance! She hadn't attended a real dance, ever! Her primary school thought they were "too young" and Hogwarts had never had one before. She eagerly listened as Dumbledore continued.

"The dance will take place the night before the end of the term. It will last from 7 until midnight. You can wear dress robes or muggle clothes. Whichever is more pleasing to you. It is not necessary to have a date, but it is recommended. The dance will be open to students third year and above-"

A few students let out gasps of indignation.

"- and I know in general dances are open to only those fourth year and above, but the teachers and I have all agreed on the new age parameters."

His eyes flicked to Lily, and then, she noticed, to James. What was he trying to imply?

He really is off his rocker, she thought. But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of lions ripping apart prey. Or was that just Sirius eating like a dog?

"You know Sirius, you look like a dog," Lily stated simply.

"Thanks! You know a lot of people think dogs are cute," he stated sweetly. But after he said that, he looked away from her and bit his lip. He looked like he was actually thinking. And thinking hard.

"A dog," he mumbled. "Interesting, very interesting."

"Look, uh, Sirius, sorry if I offended you. You okay over there? This isn't like you," said Lily guiltily.

The only response she got, however, was a mumble of, "Lily, you're a genius." And with that, he grabbed James, Remus, and Peter, and left the Great Hall, without even a second serving.

Lily, Kate, Alex, and Sibyll simply stared after the foursome completely confused.

"That was weird," stated Kate, finally breaking their shocked silence.

"You can say that again," Alex added.

"Come on guys, let's follow them," Lily said. And the four of them also left, hoping that they would be back in time for dessert.

"Lily, I'm freezing. Come on, we can't find them. Let's go back. Dessert might still be there," trailed off Alex, hopefully.

"They have to be here somewhere," muttered Sibyll.

"Guys, I REALLY need to pee. Please can we stop somewhere. I'm dying!" exclaimed Kate. "Come on, here's Moaning Myrtles bathroom. Yes, I'm even willing to stop in there." She gave her friends a desperate look.

"Well go on, then. Hurry up," Lily said.

A second after she walked in, however, she walked back out, looking surprised.

"What's up?" Lily asked. "I thought you had to pee."

"Oh, I'm alright. Umm. I can wait." Kate stated back, but a little to sternly and they all gave her suspicious looks.

"Is someone in the bathroom?" asked Alex.

"Bathroom? What bathroom? Oh! That bathroom. Of course not. I mean, who would go in that bathroom..." she sat there repeating herself over and over, and finally Alex had had enough.

"Ok, I'm going in," she said sternly, and pushed open the door even though she heard a powerful "NO!" behind her.

Alex was quickly followed by Lily and Sibyll, who were quite interested in what was going on. But, when they got in there, every thing was as usual as possible. Now why was Kate acting so weird? Then, somehow, Sibyll went into a weird prediction.

"I feel the presence of... of... a... stag in here," she said airily.

Lily looked at her with disapproval. She had been going into mountains of weird predictions and they were becoming really annoying. Sibyll had always been pretty weird. But lately, Lily just was so frustrated with her that she wanted to tape her mouth shut. And judging by the annoyed looks on Alex and Kates' faces, they felt the same way.

"Oh, come on," said Alex, grabbing Sibyll's hand.

"I think I'm going to use the loo now, guys," said Lily.

"Let's go to a different bathroom. This one's gross," suggested Kate.

"No it's alright. We're already here. Alex, Sibyll, you can go ahead back to the Great Hall if you want," said Lily.

Alex didn't look too happy about being stuck with Sibyll, but she didn't like that bathroom much either, so she shrugged and left.

As the door closed behind Alex and Sibyll, a sneeze broke the silence.

"Who was that?" asked Lily.

"Ummm... I didn't hear anything," said Kate.

Lily rolled her eyes and walked towards the source of the noise.

"And what are you guys doing in the girls bathroom?" Lily asked, demanding an answer from the four boys whom she had just uncovered in one of the toilet stalls.

"Nothing, honest Lily. We were just talking," replied Sirius.

"About what?" she interrogated.

"Just stuff," he said. He then looked meaningfully at Kate, but Lily caught on.

"Kate heard some important stuff when she came in here, huh?"

No one said anything.

"You guys, I won't tell anyone. I'm great with secrets. You should know that by now," Lily said, almost desperately. She was dying to know what she missed.

Kate looked at the boys pleadingly, and finally Remus gave in. "Okay, Lily, okay. Kate heard me talking about a, er, condition I have."

"Um, like a heart condition?" Lily asked.

James snickered.

"Sort of," Remus replied. "But a little different."

"Yes?" Lily said.

Remus looked at his friends. "Okay, I'm a werewolf. The guys here finally caught onto it today on the train ride over here, and Miss Riley here entered the bathroom right when I finally admitted it."

"Really Remus? That's so neat! Seriously, you're a real werewolf?" Lily asked excitedly.

"Erm... well... yea. I just thought you guys wouldn't like me much, so I never told anyone. You know, most people don't trust people like me. I figured you'd all feel like that. I guess you guys really are my first true friends," said Remus, almost with tears in his eyes.

"Aw, how sweet," said James, in mock seriousness. But he was smiling.

But Lily hadn't forgotten the question that she had originally asked them.

"So why did you guys come to the girl's bathroom?"

"Well, we never thought anyone would come in here. It's always roped off, you know," Sirius said.

"And no one would, unless they REALLY had to," Kate added.

"It's not like Remus here wants everyone to know. We had to try to keep his secret. It was only lucky that it was only Kate and you that walked in here," James said.

"But why were you so interested in that dog stuff, Sirius?" Lily questioned.

"Now that, I can't tell you." And the four boys left the bathroom before she could stop them.