Ok, new chapter!! A note before starting off: To my friends- I am sorry if I over dramatized your personalities a bit, but I have good reason. Laurel: If I made you too ditzy, I am very, very sorry, it's just that I've never seen how you interact with a guy you like (hint hint fess up) and therefore chose the most humorous way to portray your 'affection' for Sirius. Amanda: I don't know how I would have screwed up your character but maybe I did. I thought I got it pretty accurately. Have fun in England!! And lastly, to my bestest best friend, Chris: if I made you too crazy, so sorry, but I think we could have stuff like that happen to us (gospel ymca anyone? We need our black men's chorus!!!!) Also, I'm glad you approve of me using your nickname. Ok, moving along!!

Disclaimer: I own the characters and personalities of Laurel, Chris, and Amanda. They are based off of my three very best friends, and if you take them I will hunt you down and set fire to your house while you sleep. Everything else belongs to Mrs. Rowling.

A/n I went back and wrote up my own Sorting hat song, and I also will hurt you if you take it, cause it took me forever to think of words that rhyme with alone (tone, phone, moan, lol Chris)

As the seven other teens got off the train, there was whispering and gestures between Remus, Sirius, Chris, Peter and Laurel. Unnoticed by Lily and James, they all piled into the carriages and shut the doors, leaving the two in a carriage by themselves.

"Oh bugger," Lily said as soon as she realized what the others had done. "Well James," she said with a wry smile. "I think they want us to make up."

"It would certainly seem that way, wouldn't it," he replied. They both looked away, out the windows, at the seat, the floor, anything but each other, and then they both started at the same time, "Look, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to butt in-"

"I didn't mean to yell at you, and it was really inconsiderate-"

"And it was low of me to bring in your family matters, cause I don't really know what happened,"

"But I like to solve problems my way without asking for help, or causing a scene-"

"And you were probably handling it well on your own-"

"And I guess, I mean to say, that I'm sorry."

"But I really don't like Snape." they both finished.

They stared at each other for a moment, and then Lily smiled widely. "Well now. That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Now let's form a plan to get back those sneaks."

"Agreed." James said with enthusiasm.

"Now I know that you know that I don't like the idea of pranking. But what I don't like more is being the victim of a Plan, even a not very thought out one."

"So we need a better Plan than their Plan."

"Most definitely. I don't know these people Laurel or Amanda too well, but we all seemed to hit it of pretty well, and one could assume that we will at least talk to each other from time to time. And you should know the others, they're your closest friends, right?"

"Of course they are, but you know what they say about assuming, Lily."

"No, what do 'they' say?"

"Assuming makes an ass of u and me," he recited with a grin. "But nevermind that, why are you asking me this?"

"I need some secrets, James, to fully form my Plan. Some background info. Any fears, past experiences, old girlfriends, the like."

"Wait, why do you get to form the Plan?" he whined.

"Because Ravenclaws are cunning and intelligent, whereas Gryffindors are headstrong and don't tend to think things out."

"Which explains the elaborate pranking that I've done most of my life," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Shut up, you know I'm right. Everyone knows that you and Sirius don't make the plans, Remus does, and then you two just have the guts to do all the retarded stuff you do." She gave him a beaming smile and then said, "I need to know the secrets to use a spell I read about in a book that humiliates others on a small scale. This could be profitable to you in other ways than just this one prank, if you catch my drift."

"OOOOHHH!!! I have a better idea, it's funnier. What if we make a spell showing the inner thoughts of a person? Like, they say them out loud, but don't know they are."

"That is a good idea," Lily said, frowning. "But how do you 'make' a spell? Only really powerful wizards can make their own spells, and we're just third years James."

"Oh it isn't that hard," he replied, waving her words away with his hand. "We don't even have to make one ourselves, really, we just need to change one that already exists to do what we want it to do. Like if there was a spell hiding your inner thoughts, change it to do the opposite, get it? It's just a bit of twisted transfiguration, and some charms."

"I'm good at charms..." she said, grinning again.

"And I'm good at transfiguration. We're the perfect team, Lils," he declared.

Something akin to pride flickered in Lily's eyes, and she smiled even more widely. "Yes. We are."

The carriages came to a stop in front of the mass that was Hogwarts castle. Torches next to the doors and in the windows lit the ground, beckoning the students inside. Lily wrapped her cloak around her happily, humming to herself a bit. She walked into the castle with James, not noticing that her new friends were standing back, grinning like loons at each other, and giving high fives.

As they entered the castle, they were led to the doors of the main hall, where a woman in her mid twenties stood. "Hello," she greeted them. "I am your new transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall. I have also been appointed Deputy Headmistress after the retirement of Headmaster Dippet. Your new Headmaster is Professor Dumbledore, who had my position before he was promoted. I expect that all of you know the rules, and will behave according to them. That said, welcome back to Hogwarts.

She opened the doors, and the students rushed in, taking seats at the tables adorned with their house colors. James held Lily back, pulling her into a hallway adjoining that of the great hall. She looked at him in surprise. He seemed flustered, nervous.

"James? Is something wrong?"

"I just- I'm really glad we're friends again," he said.

"Yeah, me too. But why did you need to tell me that now?"

"Well, I um- thought it was, um, important, and- Oh nevermind," he said finally, and quickly kissed her on the cheek before running back to the great hall.

Lily leaned back against the wall, touching the spot where his lips had just been. Her eyes were glittering with happiness at the thought that he might actually like her, perhaps even as more than a friend. "Ok, you are so giving us details of what happened in the carriage." A voice demanded. Lily looked up to see Laurel and Chris standing in front of her.

Lily pretended to frown. "After locking me in a carriage with that git? Yeah right!"

Chris looked shocked. "You mean you two didn't make up? But how???"

Lily turned her nose into the air. "I'm not telling you anything."

Laurel smiled smugly. "Oh come on, they did too make up, look at her eyes, she's all happy, and she's blushing! Lily my dear, I may have just met you, but that does not exclude you from the regular female gossiping. Either you'll tell us, or we'll hear it from James, which will probably include you two snogging madly while exchanging everlasting vows of love."

Lily gaped at her for a moment, and then smiled. "Alright, alright, you've got me. Yes, we're friends again. But if you ever try anything like that again we'll hex you into next Wednesday."

"Sounds like a deal." Chris said. "Now come on, I'm hungry, they have food here!"

The three girls linked elbows, and Lily said, "I wonder where they'll put Amanda," as they walked back down the corridor and into the Great Hall.

The first years filed in led by Professor McGonagall, some looking nervous, or in other cases, very calm. James and Sirius were absent from the Gryffindor table, which drew some longing looks from the girls in their fan clubs. On a three-legged stool in front of the first years sat a dusty, patched hat. It looked quite old, and the brim was rather tattered. However, a flap opened up like a mouth, and it burst into a cheerful song:

"I'm not just a regular hat

Though I'm dirty, torn and battered,

And over the years

My brim's become a bit tattered.

But looks are deceiving

And you better start believing

That I am one of a kind.

Why is that? You ask?

Cause I can see into your mind.

One look into your head

Will tell me where you ought to be

So go ahead, put me on,

There's nothing I can't see.

Perhaps Gryffindor is for you

If you're brave, daring, and true,

And chivalrous down to the bone

The good thing is, that in this house, you'll never be alone.

Or if you have a ready mind

Eager to learn and grow

Ravenclaw's for your kind

There's not much that you won't know.

Or maybe your place is in Hufflepuff,

Where their loyalties ring true.

In this house they will remain

Kind, hardworking, and tolerant.

If not all these, Slytherin's for you,

Where those of cunning find their kind.

Those wily folk will stand strong,

And stick together through and through.

So go ahead, give me a try,

There's nothing I can't see,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,

And I know where you should be.

The Hall applauded politely, and waited eagerly for the Sorting to begin. Professor McGonagall opened up a scroll and read off, "Anders, Luke."

The boy rushed up to the stool and sat, putting the hat on his head. It was a bit too large for him, and went all the way to the brim of his nose. It was quiet a moment, and then shouted out, "HUFFLEPUFF." Luke smiled in relief, and took a seat at the table amid the applause. The next student up was Bergson, Arianna, a petite girl with long black hair, who became a Slytherin. Professor Mcgonagall then called out Black, Sirius, who emerged from the line and sat on the stool, grinning widely. McGonagall, being new, didn't know who Sirius was, and therefore acted as if nothing was wrong. Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling, as whispers arose from the students. Sirius put the hat on, and it began. However, instead of the comments just being inside his head, it was projected throughout the whole hall.

"My my my, you are the handsome one aren't you? Well that immediately rules out Slytherin, they're all ugly gits, you wouldn't belong. And so loyal! But no, Hufflepuff isn't the place for you either. You are incredibly wise for your age, do you know that? But you are too smart for Ravenclaw. And how courageous! Why you match up with old Godric in that department laddy. Best be off to Gryffindor then, where you belong." The Gryffindors clapped raucously, cheering on their new Godric. McGonagall looked confused, and turned to Dumbledore, who was clapping politely. He motioned for her to continue, and so she did. Byrnes, Catharine was made a Gryffindor, and then Amanda was next in line.

"Ah yes, our transfer student from the America's. Callahan, Amanda." McGonagall said.

Amanda put the musty hat on her head, inhaling the faint smell of old books, dust, and lemon drops. "Hmm, how interesting, you are supposed to be in third year, but I have never seen you before." the hat said into her ear. "A transfer student are you? Well, let's see... You are fiercely loyal, even to those you just met, like your new friends Miss Evans and Miss Kalmia, eh? Ah, but you also are cunning, deviously so, perhaps Slytherin?"

"Oh please no, anything but that!" she whispered softly, clenching her hands.

"All right, not Slytherin then. You are brave, but oh my, what a vast mind. It's settled then, you belong in RAVENCLAW!" the hat said, shouting out the last word.

"Oh thank god." She breathed, practically skipping over to the Ravenclaw table and sitting next to Lily.

Someone tapped her on the back, and she turned to look into the face of a very gorgeous guy. "Hello," he said, flashing her a pearly white smile. "Welcome to Ravenclaw. I'm your 7th year prefect, Ryan Geotter. (a/n pronounced get-ter) If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask for my help."

"Thanks." She breathed. He patted her shoulder and gave her one last smile before heading off to sit at the head of the table. She turned to Lily and said, "Please tell me I'm going to be seeing him once every day if not more."

Lily laughed, and replied, "You'll be seeing him at every meal unless he's somewhere else and probably a lot in the commonroom. Cute, isn't he?"

"I love it here." was all she replied.

The Hat finished off by depositing Young, Tyler in Ravenclaw. Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. As most of you know by now, the former headmaster, Edward Dippet retired, and I was chosen to take his spot. Minerva McGonagall was picked to take my former spot as Transfiguration professor. I am sure you will treat her with the respect you give to your other teachers. Now then, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students, especially four of you who like to go exploring." He did not look at James, Remus, Peter and Sirius, but his meaning to them was clear. "Well, I think I've done enough talking, why don't you start in?" He waved his hands and the golden dishes were piled with food. The students applauded their approval, and started to eat with gusto.

James slunk back into his seat, earning him many thumps on the back for his fine spell casting. He glanced over at Lily, who was busy introducing Amanda to people. She glanced at him and gave him a smile and a wave, and then returned to her mashed potatoes. Amanda said something to her and she laughed, and then began to talk, using her hands to accent her speech. 'I wonder what they're talking about,' James thought. 'Ah well, maybe I can ask her later.' He turned to Remus, Sirius, and Peter, and said, "So mates, what are we going to do tonight?"

Ok, that's all for now, I finished this JUST FOR YOU LAUREL. A great big hooray for my editors Chris and Laurel, and I have some comments about it in answer to their questions. Laurel, when James kissed Lily, he was just stalling to get his courage up. He wasn't rejected or anything. And no you aren't nosy; the fast friendship thing was based on how I became friends with you, Amanda, and especially you Chris. It took like what, 15 minutes for us to get to know each other? To the 4 to a carriage thing, you went off with your Hufflepuff friends. To Amanda: Laurel says that you also use the nickname 'Lils'... Don't you dare yell at me for that, so many other people use it too.