OK, first off, if you know their name before you read this, I DON"T OWN THEM!!!I have a friend who wouldn't mind owning Sirius though, but that is beside the point…. OH…and I promise…Snape will come in soon, just not sure when…. or how….

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Last off the train, as was the tradition.  It may have started because in their first year they were to involved in their joking that realizing the train had stop and a voice was calling for them was beyond their abilities. 

"Mr. James Potter, how does it feel?" Sirius said, jumping out in front of them, pretending to hold a ledger and pencil, and to be taking notes on what ever James said.

"How does what feel?"

"Your slow climb to the top of the food chain being rewarded by the proud title of Prefect,"

"Well," James began as he grabbed a fake microphone.  " I must say I have to thank the little people."

"There aren't many people littler than you James" Sirius spoke up, sending Peter into a laughing fit, and Remus into something more along the lines of humiliation.

"Sirius, that is something a two year old would say." The voice of reason, Remus said.

"And James is the size of a two year old, it all works out."

"Sirius I am a perfectly normal…"

"You mean Prefectly normal"

'You are the one's parents must have been a troll, or something"

Sirius, to no one's surprise, after a seconds pause laughed uncontrollably as they walked up the steps, but once they were far enough from any unwanted ears, their conversation changed drastically.

"Has everyone been practicing?" James inquired.

"Yes," Sirius quickly responded, then threw his arm around a still weak Remus.

"You guys," The werewolf coughed a bit, "I still don't like this idea, it is to risky, what it you all get caught,"

"Don't think of it like we are doing it just for you then, think of it more like an education experience." Sirius bellowed out and received a very evil look from James.

"Educational?" Remus questioned.

As they were about to enter the Great Hall, they knew their conversation must soon change.

"Yeah, we'll know more about the lay out of this school than anyone, even that old nut Dumbledore,"

James shock his head, as did Remus and Peter, no matter how childish his reasons were or insane his words, he was just one of those people who couldn't go five minutes with out bringing the people around him to tears in laughing.

The four slid in to the hall just as they saw the rows of first years turning in the hall and Professor McGonagall giving them a rather annoyed look that said very loudly for them to hurry up.  Seats were also a tradition, this was one of the few times they enjoyed being up front.  Four seats, two on either side at the opposite end of the table.

Lucky for them, they were seated as McGonagall brought the kids in.  You could Easily tell who was a full wizard and who was muggle born.  In the muggle's eyes you could still see the disbelief and shock of everything that had happened in the past 6hours.  From the entirety of platform 9 ¾, to the size and gentleness of the groundskeeper Hagrid, to now the sky's refection in the ceiling above them, could you blame the muggle born for being in shock?

The stool and the tattered old sorting hat were awaiting the new arrivals, and McGonagall took her place and began the Sorting Ceremony.

"Adamson, Mary"

As the newest addition to Ravenclaw, a short brown hair girl, took her seat, James realized he was only a few seats down form Lily, who seemed the same way he left her, full of that hurried self loathing he saw before.

"Lily?"

She ignored him.

"Barron, Mat"

"Lily!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Lily, what is wrong with you?"

The others finally noticed that James was not involved in their betting of who would go in where.

"Come on, look at that blond headed boy, I swear, if I didn't know better I would say he was that old, umm Malfoy's son, but, he was a seventh to our second, and plus," Sirius said point to a greasy blond headed boy.

"Who would marry that git?" Remus added nonchalantly, as if this was a common thing for Sirius to point out who was a Slytherin.

"Darrel, Tom"

James looked up at the teachers, to assure himself that they weren't watching.  He then got the attention of a rather innocent looking second year who he was sure would love to take his place in sitting beside Sirius.

"Ravenclaw"

They made the switch quickly as possible, and though it took a few minutes for Sirius to notice, he rather hated it.  For him, the next hours were filled with nothing more an uncomfortable feeling of being watched.

"Edwardian, Jett"

"Lily?"

"Gryffindor"

Lily looked up, her face showing annoyance and anger, then, when she saw that James was now beside her instead of down the table her face turned for a brief second to that of surprise.

"Gilbert, Bradley"

"James, what do you care? Now, go back to your little friends, and leave me alone,"

"Hufflepuff."

"Lily, I know we have never been the best of friends, but I mean, you never hated me. Is it something I did?"

"It just always has to be about you doesn't it James, well for once, something that goes on in the world has nothing to do with you."

"Herman, Gigma."

"But,"

"Ravenclaw."

"Wow shocking, a crime against nature," Sirius chimed in, now that they had realized James was paying no attention to them.  "James got shot down."

"Shut up Sirius," Lily and James coursed

They all sat in silence as the next 10 students were sorted.  4 Slytherins, including the Malfoy look-a-like, 2 each for both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, and 2 new Gryffindor finished out the sorting.  One new Gryffindor caught their attention for he was a redheaded Wesley; they guessed he was a little brother of the famous Arthur, star beater.

Thankfully it wasn't long before the feast appeared and then, even quicker it was time for Lily and James to lead the New Gryffindors to their common room and dorms.  Lily mumbled out something about taking up the rear as James stood, the newest members crowding around him. 

"Ok everyone, just keep between Lily, the stunning red-head" James looked up to see if that would get any response out of her, but it didn't.  She continued with her glare.  "And myself and we will be just fine"

The first years were excited, much as they had been when they were that age and talking amidst themselves.  Occasionally one would get up the gumption to say something to James and he would respond as if he were talking to his favorite sibling, whereas Lily on the other hand ignored every voice spoke her name.

When they reached the Fat Lady portrait, about half of them where given quite a shock when they saw it politely as for the password

            "Nimbus"

            The Painting swung open.  Lily quickly brushed past them all and headed strait to her dorm, leavening James to direct the First years to their own rooms.

            The Common room emptied out rather quickly.  Before they knew it, the four were alone, or so they thought.  The continued their games and plotting in their corner.

When they noticed they were alone, Remus and Peter quickly dashed up stairs to bed. 

            James and Sirius continued on only for a little while longer, then deiced that the loser of the next chess game would clean up, letting the winner head up.

            James may have had the better grades of the two, but for some reason he could never grasp the finer points of chess like Sirius, so of course he lost. 

            Sirius chuckled loudly as he ran up stairs.  James knew it wasn't going to bed earlier that was giving him such joy, more the fact of knowing he had won.

            James began to straiten up, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw lily laying down on the couch, fast asleep, her eyes tear stained and her pale hand grasping a copy of the Daily Prophet. 

            "Lily? When did you come back down here?"

            There was no response aside from her rolling over and dropping the paper beside her.  James reached down to pick it up. 

            It was a couple of weeks old, maybe month.  James was never good with dates.

The front page had been as it has been for the past year or so, mysterious death of Muggles and wizards, with a strange skull with a snake coming out for the mouth over the place of the attack.  After a couple of second he gave in and read the article.


For the fifth time this month there has been a strange death

In our midst.  This time the mark appeared over the house of

Two Muggles.  Luckily their two children where out of the house,

And were therefore spared during the attack.   One of the children

Will soon be returning to Hogwarts soon and will be in the safest

Place know the Wizarding world at this time.


He blinked.

            "No, it couldn't be," He quickly covered her up with a blanket and sped up stairs.

            "REMUS!"

            "McGonagall, it can't be a full moon"

            "REMUS! It's me James!"

            "James? What do you want, it's, I don't know when it is, but if you are p it is more likely late than early"

            "Remus, is Lily Muggle-born?"

            "Yea, she said that a couple of weeks after we, wait why"

            James normally chipper mood took a serious down fall.  He knew.  It must have been her parents in the paper.  He felt an intense pang of sorrow for her. No wonder she had been so short with everyone, she hadn't had time to grieve yet.  So that night, the red feather forgotten, but now safely under his pillow, for the first time ever, but not the last, he fell asleep with Lily on his mind.