Okay!! Hi People!!!! I suck at summaries, but this story is about Lily Evans and.James Potter, who is a new student in Hogwarts. Lily notice James, as he notices her. Lily deals with feelings she never felt before, but not only for James but for other persons also, the same is for James, who quickly becomes very popular.only because he is very handsome, charming, funny.and strange. Many hormones are in the air.hey they are fifteen years old!!! But the most important of all is that they get to know about each other.or at least what they think.oh crap.read this story, it's much better than my summary. There is a bit of mush in this story, but not much, this story will be more of a.err.a grown up story.it is a PG-13 story!!!

Oh, I'm also writing another story, it's also about Lily and James. It's called La Nozze di Figaro.!!!!

Oh, all characters belong to J.K Rowling who is soooo adorable, expect for all the characters that you don't recognise! And people don't forget to review.cause that means a lot to me.

VERY IMPORTANT: I just wanted to say that the reason why I want a special number of reviews is because.it's reviews who cheer me up and makes me continue the story. If I write a story and don't get many reviews It makes me think that you didn't like it.and that the story was perhaps a bad story. Then I loose all interest in the story. But when I mean reviews.I'm also expecting flames, though that is very important.how else am I going to know if you didn't like the story for a specific reason. Of reviews I expect both good things and bad things. But I wanted to say thank you to everyone who reviewed.thank you so much.you are the best of the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now.Enjoy!!!!



"Behind The Shell There Is a Flower And a Man"

Chapter 2

James Potter wore a sour expression when walking down the circle formed staircase to meet his new- found friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, who were sitting next to two giggling girls, talking to them.or as a matter of fact flirting with them. Or maybe it was Sirius who was doing all the flirting while Remus sat silently there, giving the brunette and the blond no much attention.

"So.Si.when did you start to grow that sexy moustache of yours.hi, hi, hi", the pretty blond girl, whose name was Amelia Fompali, said, blushing furiously, licking her lips and piercing her blue eyes on Sirius, who laughed relaxed, stretching out his arms and putting them around Amelia and the brunette with rosy cheeks, whose name was Emma Lanstrom.

"Oh.that my beautiful ladies.I did when I realised that I-", he made a dramatic pause, bringing the two girls closer to him, so close that they were almost clinging to his chest".had become a man", he whispered in each girl's ear.

Even more giggling. Remus just choke his head smiling , opening his bag and taking out today's schedule. ".But Sirius!", Emma Lanstrom said, covering his cheek with her left hand and turning his head to her so that his face only was mere inches from her own face".when did you discover that.?", she leaned in, whispering in his ear. "It was actually a day, a beautiful day, or let us say.a night.", he said, saying each word with a lower tone, smiling devilish. Amelia Fompali began to play with his lips with her fingers, while Emma Lanstrom tickled his ear, both of them giggling at them same time." We would like to know how."Emma whispered yet again , but this time placing a kiss on his ear.

"Can you.show us?", Amelia whispered seductively, brushing back his black hair. This time it was Sirius who blushed furiously, as his mouth fell open.

"Ehm.sure I can", he said hoarsely, as he recovered his voice.or at least a bit of it. Gone was now the self-controlled Sirius Black." Err.just say when.and where. More giggling. "As long as it's not here", Remus said, yawning, hearing the silent conversation." I'm tired of hea-James!", he said forgetting what he was about to say." Pal.how long does it take for you to go to the bathroom?!"

"I was actually taking a shower", James responded, drawing his hand through his usual unruly hair, which hopelessly stood straight up at the back of his head.".but when I was about to get dress I couldn't find my clothes that I had hung on the towel hook.so I had to go and get another garment from my closet.weird actually.", he said, scratching his head. "I know what happened mate!", Sirius said, laughing sheepishly, standing up, the two girls still clinging to his both arms ".you've already been exposed by EFFoGLBIH.I know how it is.they do it to me almost everyday." "The-What?", James said confused, glancing at the two girls who looked at him.hungrily? A faint blush covered his cheeks, without even noticing it himself. "Oh.I forgot that this is your first week, your third day as a matter of fact.strange.didn't know that they were so attentive.", Sirius mumbled".but anyway.the EFFoGLBIH is a chick club.nothing special."

"We two are in it!", Amelia shrieked, nodding at Emma who began to giggle. She looked at James once again carefully".I think that we haven't met before.Si.could you present us"

"Oh.James this is Amelia Fompali(she winked at James) and Emma Lanstrom,(she fluttered with her long and black eyelashes at him), they are both from Hufflepuff. Invited them to come over here for a while, they wanted to accompany us to breakfast.and who can deny them.", Sirius said, his gaze wandering below the girls' faces.

"Hi", they said sweetly before breaking into a long minute of giggling. "Err.hi", James said, somehow smiling back".did you take.well.ehum.my clothes?", he said, blushing a bit though that question sounded very, very, very stupid. Even more giggling Another more of that and I'm going to kill my self "No.sorry", Amelia said, her face flushing pink".we in EFFoGLBIH work separately.but.in some rare cases we don't", she said, raising her right eyebrow towards James, who looked even more confused. Now he was really getting tired of this.



"What the HELL is the EFOGL-or what ever it's call? And why did they take my clothes?!", James now almost shouted, loosing his temper, which he did very often.

Emma sighed, her eyes glued on James, though he looked even more sexier when being angry" EFFoGLBIH stands for Extremely-fanatics-fans-of-Good- Looking-Boys-In-Hogwarts. We collect certain things from the most gorgeous boys in Hogwarts.which can be things like.pants, pencils, shoes.underwear."

"Isn't that stealing?", James asked bewildered that something like that was allowed in Hogwarts.

"Of course not.how can it be?! It's an honour to be one of those who loose things.that proves just how much WE like you.", Emma said nonchalantly.

"I'm one of those guys.he, he, he, he.", Sirius said with a satisfied grin, as the two girls hugged his arms more tightly, once again giggling.

"What can I do to have my clothes back?", James said humiliated, though this was turning into a very embarrassing situation.

"You can't.", Amelia said shaking her head sympathetically grinning. "That's unfair!", James bellowed, loosing it,".it's my clothes! I de-"

"Bug off James! You already have enough clothes to dress the hole country!", Sirius said, interrupting James, and walking towards the hole behind the Fat Lady, who was currently visiting Mrs. Violet in the next Hall.

"He has?", Emma asked, turning her head to see James, who looked at Sirius icily. "Girl.our Jamsie here.our new gold mine.can turn everything in this castle into gold!", he said spreading out his arms in a violent gesture, hitting Remus on the face.

Both Emma's and Amelia's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "oh."they said, before quickly turning to James and grabbing his both arms, pressing themselves as close as possible to him, making his face blush.

"So.James.ehum.is it true?", they both said, waiting expectantly for his answer. James just looked at them and then at Sirius, who smiled gladly at him. "Girls.he is just shy.", Sirius proclaimed, turning to Remus who was tying his shoes." Isn't it so Lupin?" "You're absolutely right Black," Remus grinned, seeing James's face when the girls began to brush his hair and tickle his ear." You're absolutely right", and began to walk together with Sirius, his best friend since first year, towards the Great Hall, with James and the clinging Emma and Amelia behind. During the short walk James grew actually, to his surprise, pretty fond of the giggling Emma and Amelia, and totally forgot about the missing clothes.and underwear.



*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*





When entering the Great Hall with both sixth year HufflePuff girls, James noticed that most of the eyes in the Great Hall were on him, or if it was on the girls, he couldn't tell, but in both cases he felt very embarrassed. He was not used to have so much attention. How could he be?

What is it with everyone in this school?, he thought when walking towards the Gryffindor table, as the Hufflepuff girls went to their table, sighing deeply for leaving him. A girl, James thought that he recognised her to be a rawenclaw student, passed closely behind him, as if the hall was packed with people , smiling warmly at him. What could he do?.He smiled back. He noticed Sirius wave at him from the end of the long Gryffindor table, and walked towards him, sitting next to Remus, and infront of.Lily Evans and her friend Melissa Faltingboard.

"Hi", he said lamely, wondering why he was avoiding looking at the redheaded. Or why she just nodded at his direction.was she angry at him? But why? What have I done to her?.Potter! Do you even know her!? Pluck yourself up! Weird school.

"Hi", he said to Melissa, throwing a dashing smile towards her, waiting for her to respond, which she did, blushing furiously. Somehow James felt a feeling of.satisfaction when seeing her do it. His smile became even more wider.

"So.how were they?", Sirius said smugly. Taking a bite of his sandwich with ham, cheese, salad and something red, which probably was mashed tomato.

"What do you mean?", James asked, strangely enough glancing from time to time at Evans.

"Guess?"

Instead of looking at Sirius's ridiculous smile, he watched as four sandwiches, one glass of orange juice and a bowl of porridge appeared in front of him in a blue PUFF!

"Don't be silly!", Sirius continued" Did you like them?"

James just looked at him, until Remus filled in;" He means if you liked the Hufflepuff girls"

"Oh.", Was all that James could say, his face flushing red. What's the matter with me?! "Of course I did!", he heard himself say. Well at least he was telling the truth, the honest truth.or was it? "Who wouldn't", he continued, rolling his eyes. "Just asking.cause now you must get used to them.and many others", Sirius implied, the same smug smile on his lips, but this time with jam around them.

"What do you mean?", James asked again, stupidly. He felt like a question mark rather than a person this recent days. And he hated it. "That is for you to find out and for me to shut up", Sirius shot back, taking another bite.".All that I can say is that those girls and others will make you lo-OUCH!", he screamed, grabbing his elbow.

"Don't be a pervert around me Sirius!" Lily snapped, clutching her fist, in attempt to hit Sirius again, who actually looked horrified. Her eyes shot daggers, and her mouth was formed into a thin line. Strangely enough James smiled, and fortunately for him that Lily didn't notice. " If you and Potter are so eager to talk, then go to another place and do it"

When did I become Potter?

"Okay, Lily, we'll do it!" Sirius said with a false smile, moving his chair away from Lily as possible, muttering something like "You are like totally nuts", while doing it.

"What did you say Sirius?", Lily asked gently, though her face said a totally different thing.

"He said-", Remus began, but Sirius quickly stamped on his foot, making him wince of pain.

"What? I didn't hear you?", Lily said, bringing her hand to her ear and turning that side of her head to Sirius." What did you say?"

"I said" Sirius sighed, quickly searching for something to say, which he found when seeing Tommy Karlsson trying to transform his porridge into a pizza,"- I love you like I like Pizza Hut", he said stupidly.

What is .pizza?

For one second James thought that Lily was going to explode, and that something terrible, terrible, terrible was going to happen.which it did, but if it was that terrible, he didn't know.

Just about as it looked that Lily was going to murder Sirius, that she was going to jump over him and pronounce one of the three unforgivable curses, she did the contrary.



Lily kissed Sirius on the cheek.

She may as well said one of the curses.

Sirius became deeply red, as red as a human-being can become. Nothing can explain how red Sirius actually became, James could even swear that smoke was coming out from his ears, if it wasn't already coming out from his own ears. He felt as if someone had lit him on fire, but at the same time as if someone had poured extremely cold water over him. "I love you too Sirius.but not as much as I like pizza.sorry", Lily said sarcastic, and stood up, Melissa following her("See you James!") and left the table without any remarks from Sirius nor Remus. Both of them looking astonished, along with James Potter. "I've been touched by an angel", Sirius whispered, before falling down from his seat. Apparently he had fainted.



*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*



"Tsk, tsk, tsk Sirius!", Remus said, shaking his head".now you've really embarrassed yourself.your reputation will hang on a thin, thin line.tsk, tsk, tsk"

Sirius was just about to stand up with help of some hufflepuff girls, Gryffindor girls and Rawenclaw girls who preoccupied surrounded him("Poor Sirius.are you hurt Si?.Are you all right Sirius?.Lily didn't mean it.She is bitch!.I don't understand?.What happened?.I'll take care of you Si.What did she do?.I'll help you Sirius!.She kissed you? How dare she!.")

"Get off me!", he said, shoving away all girls like scattered animals. James saw that Sirius was still blushing, but not as much as before.

"Falling down the chair.fainting.Ha, Ha!" Remus laughed" Lucky you that Snape wasn't here, nor Malfoy.but you know the rumour here.tsk, tsk."

"Shut up", Sirius snapped, turning bright pink again." I didn't faint, as a matter of fact.I-I-I", he couldn't continue. He closed his mouth concentrating on the glass of juice that he held in his hand instead. Sirius' flushed face said everything, specially his eyes.

James didn't like this. He didn't like this indeed. Why?, he didn't know, he just had a sensation that he didn't like this at all, specially the part when Lily had kissed Sirius.

Do I even care.Of Course not! What's the matter with me.? Lily and Sirius, that didn't make sense, it just didn't! They were so completely different from eachother! Lily was more of a.a.a.calm and sweet girl .sure.that's why she hit Sirius.she.she.she..okay.that girl is NOT an angel, but perhaps?.Yesterday at least she look- STOP it POTTER.what's the matter with you! You know nothing about that girl.Well.I know that she can be very funny.at least she was it yesterday.okay, okay, BUT that doesn't mean that you know her. not that you know anyone else here in this school.Anyway, stop it! You have enough girls in your life right now.do I have?.I recently came here.Shut up!

James sighed, ignoring the many voices in his head, but at least he had come to one conclusion and that was to not have anything to do with Evans.okay Lily Evans.okay, at least a bit.they could become friends.but only a platonic friendship, nothing else.of course only friends Potter.what else!.You're so stupid sometimes..why James thought like that was very clearly.Lily Evans seemed dangerous. Specially when talking about strength..Sirius was right.Lily is one of those girls you just have to watch out for.

Once again James looked at Sirius, who was for once silent, though James wasn't Sirius best friend, yet, he knew at least Sirius enough to tell that something had changed with him.



*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*





"Hi Lily!", Sirius said when the three of them reached the dungeon, they had potions as a first lesson.

"Go and chop your head off Sirius, I don't want to talk to you today", Lily snapped, turning from Fillippa and Melissa whom she was having a conversation with, to Sirius who smiled even more wider at her, his eyes blinking. "Tomorrow then?", Sirius asked, James knew that he was trying to annoy Lily.

"Perhaps", Lily snorted, turning back to Fillippa and Melissa, but they weren't so eager to talk anymore, at least not with each other or with Lily. Instead they turned their hole attention to him.James.

Lily sighed. "You kiss really good Lily", Sirius said devilish, his face blushing a bit, which Lily noticed, making her face also blush.

"I didn't kiss you", she snapped, becoming even more redder.

"Yes, you did", Sirius responded hastily.

James was trying to hear more of what they were saying, but it was almost impossible, though two other girls joined Melissa and Fillippa, who were surrounding him. each one of them trying to get his attention.

What is it with these girls.they are like gum.!

"Sirius it was on your cheek.from you it sounds like we made out, WHICH isn't true!", she grabbed her book potion book and bag tighter".I don't want this to turn into something else in * other * people's ears.It could ruin my reputation," she ended hastily.

"Your reputation?! What about mine? Mine is definitely bigger than yours!", Sirius laughed, not meaning to sound sarcastic.

Lily raised her eyebrow, and smiled sweetly" Perhaps.but mine is worth more"

"You're so cruel sometimes Evans", Sirius said shortly." But I like you anyway", he continued, grinning.

"Please don't!", Lily groaned.

"Can't help it Evans.from now on you're my favourite girl", Sirius smiled, putting his arm around Lily's now lumped shoulders, following Professor Fartoffel into the classroom. The lesson had begun.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

James liked Hogwarts, he liked it very much indeed, so far, .but sometimes "certain" people could ruin everything.specially one person;.Serverus Snape; an utterly annoying little greasy fifth year boy in Slytherin who made James's stomach rumble twice. Never in James's life had he devastated a person.so much like he devastated the ugly, slimy, son of a -* BIP! *- Snape.

It had all began in his forth day in Hogwarts, a Thursday at lunch in the Great Hall..

James, Sirius and Remus were sitting in the middle of the Gryffindor table, eating carrot soup, enjoining the meal as usual( they are fifteen year old guys.), talking about nothing in particularly, as guys in their age do.when.

"JAMSIE!!!", Lotta Partil, shrieked, two other girls following her. Lotta was a cute Rawenclaw student who had been nice enough to show James the way to Headmaster Dumbledore's office when he got lost in his search early Tuesday morning.. She had then introduced herself, and told him her hole life story.in fifteen minutes and thirty seconds to be precisely. Though Lotta was a seventh year she seemed more like a second year with her short length, blond curls and sparkling brown eyes. She was Hogwarts' Head Girl, and well actually very intelligent.or just intelligent when it was about studies. She was one of those girls that James liked.well at least at bit.contrary to the other girls, who had been pursuing him these past days and he was growing pretty tired of it.but just a bit! James had discovered this four days that girls could be very, very, very, very annoying, BUT at the same time also very, very, very wonderful.

"James!", she said, approaching him with a grin that went from ear to ear" I have wonderful news!", Lotta jumped, drawing James' gaze, somewhere below her laughing face.James! People are looking!

James shook his head and smiled gladly at her. Her eyes twinkled even more, and her face began to flush pink .What kind of effect do I have on girls...really?!. She bent down and gave him a very tight hug. James could feel glares from his Gryffindor fellows, but if it was from the girls or the boys.he couldn't tell. "What?", he asked, releasing himself from the iron grip she had on him, turning his head to her. "I talked to Professor McGonagall abou- Do you know what a prefect is?", she suddenly asked, as if she had forgotten something. "Yeah, I know what it is.", James said suspiciously. "Good, so.like I said, I talked to Professor McGonagall about re-thinking the election of prefects this year among the fifth years. We thought about changing one of the prefects that were chosen this year- and choose you!", she said simply, smiling even more." Isn't it wonderful!" "What!", James said, at the same time as a certain redheaded.

"You can't do that!?", Lily Evans, new elected prefect from the Gryffindor house, shouted, standing up from her seat, which was two chairs away from where James was sitting, drawing few gazes on her." That's not fair!"

"Sorry Ms. Evans, the truth is that we can", Lotta said acidly".James Potter is indeed a very intelligent and strong headed character, with a tremendous will to follow the rules.mm.does she even know me.?and help people to do it also.I don't know another person who is like James I just met the girl! But anyway.hehehe.nice. .and that includes you Ms. Evans."

Lily looked crestfallen, sitting back, not wanting to say anything more.though it would only end with people getting hurt. Usual she liked Lotta, who was very nice, but now Lily wished nothing more than to transform the short, angelic seventh year into an old and ugly snot-green toad. And she wished the same thing for James Potter.

"I think that it's a very good idea", Melissa said with a dreamy expression, looking at James, ignoring Lily's glare.

"Just what I thought!", Lotta said giggling, turning to Lily with a soft expression now. Apparently she wanted to make peace".But Lily don't worry, of course that we'll not take your appointment, you're far to good", she sighed".we were thinking about replacing Serverus Snape with James.isn't that a good idea?"

James could see that Lily's eyes twinkled slightly, but the clouded expression still remained, she still thought that this was unfair.exactly what he also felt. But at the same time James Potter couldn't help himself for smiling, the single word from Lotta that he was intelligent and strong headed made him shine.though the only thing that they were wrong about him was the rule following.

"Serverus Snape is indeed not a good example, even Professor McGongall agrees with me, so there fo-"

"What're you talking about Smarty!?", Snape said oily when walking by Lotta, occasionally hearing the conversation, his big-headed of Slytherins "friends" standing behind him.

"We're talking about your big and fat, crooked nose and how much it disturbs us", Sirius Black spattered. He really didn't like Snape, not even slightly.

"I'm not talking to you-you-you-mudblood lover!", Snape grinned, glancing at Lily who became slightly red".Heard about the little incident yesterday Black, can't believe that you're still alive-since Volcano here.he, he, he", Snape laughed, holding his stomach.

Sirius stood up, the chair falling backwards, but Remus quickly held him back. "It's not worth it Sirius", Remus glared at Snape who looked even more uglier. Sirius sat back("Let me go Remus.I'm don't care of what this shit hole says"), and bent forward and whispered something in Lily's ear. Immediately she smiled. "What Black.did you tell mudblood to flee with you?", Snape laughed, and glanced at James, who looked at him furiously".But what do we have here? Hogwarts' new playboy", he said, looking at James and then to Lotta, who was caressing his hair.

"Ignore him James", Remus whispered, through gritted teeth.

"What did you say?" James said silently to Snape, his eyes becoming into small and thin chinks.

"Ignore him James", Remus whispered again, but James repeated the same question, this time louder and standing up.

"You heard me!", Snape said, his voice shaking a bit as he took a step backwards. His gaze fluttered from his Slytherin fellows who stood behind him in form of a fence, to James. He smiled.

"You don't even know me?", James said, glaring at Snape.

"I know your kind.", he said drawling, looking at James from head to toe, pacing around him ".rich and snob.thinks highly of himself. ", he snorted, now standing in front of James who looked like he could kill him".Potter?.isn't that your name? Mmm. James Potter. our new.celebrity."

James took a step forward, his eyes shooting thunders, as he stood nose to nose to Snape.

"Take that back", James said silently. "What? Not happy with the title, Potter?", Snape snorted".Don't want to follow your father's footsteps? .Don't you want to make your father proud?", he whispered in his ear, looking at James' s choked eyes.

"You know nothing about my father", James whispered back his voice, shaking of rage.

"I know enough Potter.Like I said.I know your kind", Snape whispered, turning around.but he shouldn't had done that.

I one second, a dark red sparkling light came out from James's wand, swirling around Snape and going up to the enchanted ceiling. Snape, who surprised turned around, was now surrounded by a red puffy cloud until a very loud "PLOPP" was heard. Gone was now the cloud.and Snape also. In his place was now a tiny little, pathetic grass snake.

A smile replaced James's early murderous face, but that was soon vanished when a voice resounded in the silent Great Hall.

"MR. JAMES POTTER FOLLOW ME!", Professor McGonagall had stormed in, looking at the crawling grass snake with a devastated expression on her strict face. She picked up the snake, holding it as far from her as possible, as James followed her with bowed head. Sirius and Remus smiled cheerfully at him, apparently THEY had liked what James had done with Snape.

Professor McGonagall led him through corridors after corridors, and soon James began to suspect where she was leading them. And when she stopped in front of a statue with a grotesque position, he knew where they were heading.or to who they were heading to, since he had been there the day before yesterday.

Professor Dumbledore.

The huge statue jumped at the side when Professor McGonagall said the secret password ("Melon Lonky") and walked up along a swinging staircase. When they reached the top they were in a small hall with two small sofas, a plant on one of the corners, pictures of earlier Headmasters of Hogwarts (winking and smiling, with the exception of one who was sobbing loudly; "Professor Alejadri Rupemfunsky") hanging on one of the walls with pink flowers as a wallpaper. There was only a single door with a knob with the form of a screaming grip in the hall, and it led to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"I'll let Professor Dumbledore take care of this situation", she said strictly, turning to James and eyeing him" I'm very disappointed with you Mr. Potter.Now, wait here as I explain the situation to Professor Dumbledore" James lumped down on the nearest sofa, which was indeed very comfortable, groaning, as Professor McGonagall entered the Headmaster's office.

.Gone is now that Prefect thing.well.not that I did want it anyway.or maybe.

How he wished that he hadn't got into this mess at all now.how he wished that he'd turned that worm eating baboon into something more disgusting.perhaps a beetle or a toad?

After ten minutes Professor McGonagall finally came out, to James's happiness still holding the snake grass, her face not giving any hint of what she'd said to Dumbledore.

"Go in Potter., he's expecting you", she said steadily, her hat slightly on her side, causing her to look more.not-Professor-McGonagall-alike.".In the meantime I'll take care of.Mr. Snape."

James walked in into the circled formed office. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind a rather large desk, a huge oval formed window behind him giving a perfect view of the shimmering lake and green yard. Some trees were beginning to turn into a shift of colours; brown, red, orange and yellow. Beside the lake you could see The Forbidden Forest which extended as far as to the horizon, which was a large and straight line of mountains.



James took another step towards the Professor, seeing a magnificent bird, a phoenix bird indeed which James knew was named Fawkes, sitting on Dumbledore's shoulder, before looking down on the floor.

"Once again here James.but this time, as far as I know, by a totally different reason I presume." Professor Dumbledore said calmly, his eyes twinkling brightly behind the half-moon formed glasses that laid on the tip of Dumbledore's long and crooked nose.

James nodded, still with bowed head.he felt somehow ashamed and also afraid of seeing the same look of disappointment in Professor Dumbledore's eyes as he saw in Professor McGonagall's.

"Want to explain what happened James?", Dumbledore asked, brushing his long silver beard with his hand.

James looked up, for the first time, and met the old man's steady gaze. He swallowed hard and gathered courage to open his mouth and talk.

"He.mentioned my father Sir", James said with much effort, his voice shaking but not by anger".he mentioned him and I.I."

"I understand", Dumbledore said silently, and looked up at the ceiling as the boy quickly brushed away tears that were threatening to escape with his arm's sleeve. "Sometimes pain makes us do things that makes us regret after- " "But I don't regret it Professor!", James said abruptly" I think that that slimy, filthy-"James stopped, remembering that he was talking to the headmaster"-sorry.I mean I think that Snape deserved it!" James could yet again feel the anger inside him bubble like a boiling teapot.he could almost hear a whistling sound in his head.

"I understand you very well James," Professor Dumbledore sighed".it's not easy to control your anger.I have trouble to control mine sometimes!", he laughed".but sometimes the best we can do is to calm down and think.think and remain control"

James nodded, opening his mouth but then shutting it again and then opening it again, and once again closing it.

"I assume that you have a question.or you want to tell me something."

"It's a question", James Potter said silently, taking a deep breath".I was wondering how Snape .knew it.how knew about my father."

"Oh, he doesn't.well not everything. He just knows what his own father has told him.and that it that your father also went into this school" Dumbledore sighed".I was his Professor in Transfiguration as you know.That was now many years ago."

James remained silent with his eyes staring at his hands. A part of him wanted Dumbledore to tell him more, another part wanted the old man to stop talking.though it only caused him pain.

A minute of silence. "I must give you a punishment James, that is the school's rules", Professor Dumbledore said with a new and more cheerful voice, as if he had just awakened from a trance, patting Fawkes's soft red fur.

"I know, Sir"

"Mmm.lets see", Professor Dumbledore began, thinking".Filch needs help in the dungeon to clean an Anti-magic paint that a student accidentally spilled.and Hagrid needs help to catch all Gnoomes that escaped during a "Care of Magical Creatures"- class.( James silently wished that it would be with the abnormal huge man with the gently black eyes and feet as large as a two small first years, who had greeted him nice and friendly when James first arrived at Hogwarts.compare to Filch who swore to hang him upside down IF he caught him doing something not approval in the corridors.).and then we have Madam Pince.who needs help in the library.where to put you?", Dumbledore said, smiling when he saw James's pleading eyes. It was obvious that the fifteen year old boy wanted to be with Hagrid or with Madam Pince".I think that I give you both Madam Pince and.Hagrid.since it's less work than with Filch" James breathed out. For one moment he thought that he would be forced to spend time with that dreadful Filch and his cat.what was it Sirius called it.Mrs. Snogging?

"The following two weeks, from Monday to Friday to be precisely, starting to today after school, you go to Madam Pince, she will give you your assignment there, and then you go to Hagrid. If you have problems finding them, you could just ask someone" "Yes Sir, James said, though he didn't need help to find the library, where Madam Pince always was, and Hagrid's small cottage was not hard to notice, though it laid on the huge yard outside Hogwarts castle, almost by the Forbidden Forest. Dumbledore smiled" Professor McGonagall told me about.electing you to be a prefect.", he said, smiling warmly at James. James couldn't belive that Professor McGonagall was still thinking about making him a prefect after today! "I found out today, Sir. But I don't really know.I just came here and well."James swallowed, though he didn't want to say what he was about to say".I think that it is a bit unfair for.*other * prefects if they change.well." What James really meant by * others*, was indeed Serverus Snape. Though he gladly wanted it to happen, he knew it was unfair.

"I see", Dumbledore smiled".but I can assure you that something like that will not happen.instead I thought of choosing an extra prefect, we can never have enough prefects here in Hogwarts.and. I think that you seem to be a good candidate."

"But Sir.I just started this school.how can you.", James's voice faded away when he saw Dumbledore laugh.

"We have information.and resources.", Dumbledore said mysteriously, making James wonder if he had talked to his former mentor.old fossil Fonzy Bolmore. James thought silently for a moment. "I assume-", Professor Dumbledore continued, wakening James from his thoughts" that many have already asked you this question.", he smiled".but do you like Hogwarts so far?"

"Yes", James smiled honestly".it's actually more than I expected it to be."

"Good.it feels good to hear it", Dumbledore smiled even wider, as his eyes were clouded by a mischievously sparkle".I heard that the.students here are really delighted that you have begun here"

"Oh.are they?" James said startled. "Specially the females."Dumbledore chuckled, while a blush covered James's cheeks red. The boy stammered as he looked surprised at the Headmaster.

".w-we-we-we- well.I guess.I- I- I don't know", James began as the blush deepened. This was getting really strange.and embarrassing!

"It's okay James, you may go now", Dumbledore said, continuing smiling.".as far as I know you still have classes."

"Yes, Sir", James responded, his face still as red ketchup or as a sun setting, as he stood up and walked, limping actually, towards the door. His right foot had fallen asleep.

"James", Dumbledore said again, his eyes sparkling, the boy turning to him".that was indeed a very good spell you threw at Mr. Snape" James grinned from ear to ear as he walked out from the cozy office, that belonged to Hogwarts' Headmaster; Professor Dumbledore, with a light heart and mind. Maybe his punishment wasn't so bad after all? Maybe it was good that he threw, specially, that spell on Snape? Maybe.the worst year in his life wasn't going to be as bad as he thought..it would be...

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* I know that this a very long chapter and if you want next chapter to be shorter just tell my and I will fulfil your wish.Oh. and I want to apologise for my bad English.I don't speak native English.but anyway I promise you that I will correct my mistakes.and that I will find a beta reader, just don't know who for the moment.

But anyway people.what'd you think????? Now..review, review, review..please.. I want at least 20 reviews for this chapter( couldn't help it is more.hehehehehe) so come on people!!! Review.!!!!! Love you all!!! Claudia