t w o   i  s   a   c r o w d

summary… James is two years older than Lily. They are good friends during their time in Hogwarts through being prefects, but find themselves losing touch after James graduates.

disclaimer…Whatever sounds familiar isn't mine. What doesn't is….=)

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Prologue : Goodbye to my favourite things

James flew another round of the quidditch pitch for the last time. The gust of wind blew the cold air onto his face, and he smiled. Memories began to flood in. The first time he caught the snitch, he was just in 2nd year then. There was also that time when he helped his sister Nora, who was a chaser, score a goal, by distracting the team members from the opposing team.

It was his life…quidditch. And now was going to be the last time he flies over a quidditch pitch. The last time he soared high over the spectator stands. He stopped flying as if the moment was fading as fast as his dream.

Because beyond this hour, this moment, James Winslow Potter will never play quidditch that way again.

* * * * * * * *

"James, hurry!" cried Remus from the common room.

"He's taking his time.  There is so much gel you can slap onto your hair." Sirius muttered, as he tried to drag his trunk across the common room floor.

"You know, I think he might be enchanting his hair to prevent it from falling onto his face." Peter included.

"Yeah, you would need to be a skilled wizard to accomplish that." Remus said, with a chuckle.

"Well, there is only one thing to do." Sirius announced with a smile on his face.

Remus watched Sirius put his bag down and reach inside his robes. An alarmed expression spread across his face.

"No Padfoot…" Remus said, raising his hands to stop his friend. "He will kill you…I mean it! He hates it when you do that."

But Sirius had already pointed the wand to his throat and cried out: Sonorus

* * * * * * * *

James was stuffing the last of his clothes into his trunk when he heard Sirius yell: "Potter! Get your arse down here. We don't care how pretty you look."

James smiled. Sirius was just like he was 7 years ago when they first step foot into Hogwarts. Black was James' best friend, alright, and even though James has had to save his skin a couple of times, James felt he didn't have a better friend.

"Why don't I send Moony up to give you some fashion tips…I'd say he'd be an expert…OW!…Lupin, get those animal claws away from me now…"

Remus Lupin was James' most trusted confidante. There are things he would pour his heart out to Remus, but would never tell Sirius. James vividly remembers how Sirius and James first met Remus: Remus was sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table by himself, positively scared and alone. Remus too, has evolved into a different person. He no longer feels different to everyone else; an outcast. Instead, as he points out, he has 'blended' not into society, but into his life.

And then there was Peter Pettigrew. The small yet important member of the Marauders. To James, Peter was a very timid boy initially for obviously different reasons to Remus.  While Remus shy away from the world because of his health, Peter was very faint-hearted as a result of being the youngest of four brothers.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Peter peered in.

"James, you ready?" Peter asked in a squeaky voice.

James nodded. "Yeah, could you help me with my trunk?" Peter ran over hurriedly and gave James a hand.

"Remus and Sirius are fighting downstairs." Peter announced as they walked past the door. James stopped, and stared inside.

"Has there been physical damage?" James asked distractedly, still scanning the room. It was strange, looking in and seeing it empty and cleaned out. Normally, it was extremely messy,  either from the remnants of a post prank party, or the remnants of a post-quidditch-we-scored-the-goal party, or we-sneaked-into-hogsmede-without-anyone-knowing party or, at the very least, books and parchments from class.

"No." Peter said.

James sighed. "Well, let them carry on then." He smiled at Peter. "Unless you are game to stop them."

Peter smiled back. "No way!" he replied dismissively.

As they reached the foot of the stairs, they were greeted by the rest of the seventh years, who were laughing at Sirius and Remus trying to wrestle Sirius' wand away from him.

"Sirius, that wand of yours is going to get you into trouble one day." Remus yelled, engaging in a tug of war with Sirius.

"Come on, you guys, cut it out." James said, trying to pry them away from each other.

"Hey head boy…you will have to step off your do-as-I-say-or-I-will-take-points-off throne soon. Any last words?"

James smiled wickedly at Sirius.

"Yes, Padfoot… soon I hope you behave better when I graduate to the piss-me-off-and-I-will-evict-you crown. I'd say you should be given the privilege of last words."

Sirius moaned.

"He's going to be an arse to us, Remus, I know it." Sirius said, letting his wand go and putting it into his pocket.

Remus shook his head. "Hey, at least you have a place to stay. Unless you want to stay with your folks?"

Sirius made crude imitations of an execution by hanging. The Marauders laughed.

"Come on," Remus continued. "We need to go watch James be dethroned."

"You gonna put that bit in your speech that we helped you write?" Sirius remarked as they walked down the corridors.

"Perhaps." James said, looking around, trying to take in every portrait, every suit of armour, every staircase of the castle.

"What do you mean perhaps? You have to."

"My fathers going to be there, Sirius." James said as the approached the Great Hall. There was a group of people in the front doors. Two boys were trying to levitate a large banner onto the top of the entrance hall. A girl was next to them, giving instructions.

"A little to the left Richard…yeah, that's it…I think its perfect. What do you think, Gertrude?"

A frail girl was standing to the side, examining the banner.

"Perhaps a touch higher…no, Richard …higher, not lower….arrgghhh!" Richard had dropped the banner, and it had fallen onto the first girl. The small crowd streaming in began to laugh.

James walked over.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" The banner lifted off the girl and James single handedly placed the banner in the right place.

"Thanks James." Richard said gratefully, eyeing at the girl who was trying to get up. James reached over and helped her.

"You know Prefect Evans, what are you guys going to do without me?" James said slyly. The girl laughed.

"We will be just fine, James. Thanks for your concern." She smiled at James.

She was Lily Evans, a fresh faced 5th year and first time prefect. A red headed girl who had an eye for detail and rules, James found that he could depend on Lily more than any of the fifth year prefects.

"Well, the banner looks good." Remus remarked thoughtfully.

"Thanks," Lily said. "A bunch of us prefects stayed up all night to do it."

"James!" a voice hissed from the corner. James cringed.

"Hey, lover girl is looking for you." Sirius leaned over and whispered, with a large grin on his face.

"Yes, Narcissa, I am coming." James sighed and winked at Lily. He sauntered over to Narcissa.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped at him. "We are supposed to be seated ages ago with the official party at the front."

"I know!" James retorted. "I was coming." He rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, Potter…I still cant believe that until today, you are still the prick you were all these years. No regard to rules. Why Dumbledore made you head boy is beyond my comprehension."

"My dear Narcissa," James said sweetly. "You have had a whole year to get used to me being the head boy, as I have had the unfortunate task of accepting you as the head girl. Its our last day performing official duties. Just be the age you should be, and just accept it. Beyond today, you should be contented to know I wont think of you any higher than a sewer rat."

Narcissa gave James a dirty glare. "Fucking Bastard." She muttered under her breath and James walked in front of her.

"I heard that, hon. A bit unacceptable from a head girl, don't you think?"

* * * * * * * *

"And introducing, this years Head Boy, James Winslow Potter." The great Hall broke into applause as James stepped onto the podium.

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore. Good evening distinguished members from the ministry of magic,  professors at Hogwarts, and fellow students of Hogwarts. It gives me great honour coupled with sadness to deliver this speech that I have mentally rehearsed ever since Professor Dumbledore gave me the privilege of being Head Boy."

"Suck up…" muttered Sirius under his breath. "How did he do it, Remus? Do those pranks with us, get detentions with us, then becomes Head Boy and still has time to 'mentalling rehearse' his speech since  'Professor Dumbledore gave me the privilege of being Head Boy' " imitating James.

Remus and Peter chuckled silently.

"…I have learnt many lessons in my time at Hogwarts. I don't want to regurgitate what past head boys have said in their departing speeches, so I shall point out a factor of life that many of us take for granted. One I hold close to my heart: the friendships that I have developed within these walls. For I know that beyond these walls, these friendships, unlike some of the other precious lessons we have learnt from our resourceful professors…"

"…Trelawney, Binns… to name a few…" muttered Sirius.

"…will always stay with us. Friendships that, beyond those celebrations of quidditch successes, or examination preparations, will extent to the challenges that lie ahead of us as we embark on a new journey..."

* * * * * * * * *

"Reasonable speech James." Mr. Potter said to James as they were having lunch, after James' lengthy speech.

"Thank you, sir." James muttered.

"I would say, though if I might add, that your expression needs polishing. You should have consulted me before you drafted the final copy."

James nodded solemnly. He watched with interest as Sirius and Remus attempt to drop a chocolate frog down Professor McGonagall's back.

"…I personally would have done better myself…"

Professor McGonagall turned around just as Sirius lets the frog go, and transfigures it into a feather."

"…that, Black is how you perform a lightning fast transfiguration."

"…should have been a little longer…"

"…you would think I am used it your pranks by now…"

"…leaving out references to your quidditch successes and your childish friendships…"

"…but…but…I will certainly miss them. I miss you boys already."

James laughed as Professor McGonagall burst into tears and embraced Sirius and Remus tearfully. The expressions on his friends' face was priceless.

"…what do you find so funny, James?"

James snapped back to his father's conversation.

"…uh…nothing, sir. Sorry."

Mr. Potter followed his James' gaze, and his eyes met Sirius and Remus. He shook his head.

"I don't understand how you can stay friends with such incompetents for so many years. Why you would ask them to stay with you in the house that I gave you is beyond my comprehension. At least they are paying you rent. You did tell them that was the condition of their stay did you not?"

James nodded, but flinched slightly.

"Mr. Potter, congratulations on your son's graduation." Came a voice from behind. It was Barty Crouch a minister from the Ministry. James didn't like him very much. He reminded James a lot of his own father.

"Ah, Bartemuis(sp?), your son will rise to the occasion some day." Said Mr. Potter pompously.

"Indeed, minister, I should hope so." Said Mr. Crouch with a light hearted chuckle. Then he lowered his voice." If I could discuss with you…"

James took that as an indication to leave. He acknowleged his father and turned around.

"That was a great speech, James." Lily Evans smiling sheepishly at him.

"Thank you, Lily Evans." James said, expression changing. "I'd like to see your speech better mine. You are going to be head girl when your time comes, of course."

Lily went red. "What makes you say that? I could never be better than you, James."

"Nonsense," James said. "You just have to be yourself. I'm sure you will be a great Head girl. Of course, I will be there to examine the quality of your speech with mine."

"You will?" Lily said in excitement.

"Sure. Just owl me. And I will come. Wouldn't miss it for the world. I really liked working with you this year."

Lily blushed. "Thanks, James. Same here."

They stood there awkwardly until Rosenthal Brown rushed up to James.

"Hey captain, my captain. You are not leaving until you sign my yearbook."

"Of course, Rosie. Be glad to, my friend." James grabbed a quill from his robe and scribbled something into Brown's book.

"Here, you write something in mine too."

"So, what are you going to be up to after this?" Rosenthal asked while jotting something into James' year book.

"Auror training, I suppose. Whatever my father has lined up for me."

"Aww…come on. I heard Chudley is having tryouts for a chaser. Norton retired last season. You have to try out for it. After all you have the school record for the leading goal score for a chaser."

"Yeah well… shit happens." James said sadly. He saw Lily looking at him, and smiled back.

"I'm just going to go, you look busy." Lily said hurriedly, but James grabbed her hand.

"Wait, you haven't signed in my year book. Rosie's almost done. Please." James said, putting on his puppy face. Lily laughed.

"All right." Lily said. When Rosenthal finished with James' book, he thrust it over to Lily.

Dear James,

Life is like a story book. A rich novel that builds character and essence through the chapters within it. You have just finished a chapter in your life, and as you enter a new chapter, never forget that you are the writer to your novel. No one else has the right to write it other than you. Because life is full of moments, that will not stay forever. Cherish what you have now, and forge on with the dreams you hold so close to your heart. Don't let the moment walk away from you or you might just watch it fade away.

I'll miss your wisdom, James. But as you said in your speech, our friendship will definitely last beyond Hogwarts.

Best of luck in the future.

Lots of love,

Lily Evans.

* * * * * * *

author's note…

hope you like this one. Its different to my other ff. Its getting to a critical part of my other ff, so I just need to take a break from it and concentrate on something. Got the idea for this ff from the situation a friend is in. This ff is different; a little lighter, so I hope you guys like it.