Chapter Two
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, waited for silence, and began to speak again, "Doubtless you are wondering why one of our own is not Head Girl, but this is due to her outstanding transcript, which is beyond doubt the best I've seen in thirty years. Mademoiselle." He bowed to Lily and she sauntered up the middle of the Hall.
She began her opening speech, "Hello everybody, I hope to enjoy this year to the fullest. As Head Girl, I will do my best to ensure that we all learn as much as we are capable, and more if possible. I doubt many of you recognize me, but since Professor Dumbledore failed to mention it, I will tell you, I am not just a transfer student; I'm a returning member of this school. And when you figure out who I am, let me know, you will win either a date with me or the Head Boy to Hogsmeade. No questions asked." She walked down the isle, smirking, to her seat at the Head's table.
James stood up, "Well now that we have dispensed with that, I'm sure that you will all be please to know, that for the first time in four years I have been surprised." This comment was met by chuckles from students and teachers alike. "However," he continued, "I will honor my fellow Head's challenge." He raised his goblet, "To a wonderful new year at Hogwarts."
He sat down and as the cheering quieted and the eating began, he said, "By the by, I never caught your name gorgeous."
"That's because I never told you," she replied. "But you were included in my challenge, if you can discover my name and my identity; I will honor you with a date to Hogsmeade."
He smirked, "It will be my pleasure."
"It certainly won't be mine."
After dinner, Lily met with Julie in the secret room they had discovered in second year. "Hey Jules, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Until people know who I am, will you call me Mademoiselle? I've already asked the teachers too, and they agreed, but."
"Sure, Mademoiselle, in fact, this is probably the most fun I've had in four years."
"Thanks Jules," Lily said with gratitude. "Okay, so I want to know everything about the Marauders, I've been waiting for this day for four years, and I'm going to get my revenge."
Julie immediately latched onto this new topic with enthusiasm. "Well, we'll start with James."
Meanwhile, the Marauders were in the kitchens, enjoying a midnight snack.
"Hey Jamie, what's the Head Girl's name?" asked Sirius, his mouth still half full of lemon crème donut.
"I don't actually know, she told me after my speech that I was included in her challenge."
Remus grinned unobtrusively, but Peter noticed, and boomed, "What are you smiling at Remus?"
This of course attracted the attention of the other two Marauders.
"Oh, nothing, it's just that I'm surprised that you three don't recognize our transferee."
"What do you mean?" asked James, rather alarmed that he might have forgotten someone so beautiful.
"Oh, it's nothing really. It's just that I knew who she was the moment I saw her throw you back on the Platform."
"Who is she?" asked Sirius earnestly, "She's hot, and I want that date."
"She's changed," he said flashing them a wry smile, "but I'm not going to tell you. It's not my secret to tell; if you want to know you'll have to find out on your own. But when you do figure it out, let me know, because I want to be there when you tell her." He filled his mouth with chocolate éclair before they could ask him any more questions.
Their first class, AP Advanced Charms with Professor Flitwick was also their first class of insanity.
Lily walked into the classroom with Julie, and sat down in the back, the only available desk with two seats next to each other.
To her surprise, James and Sirius sat down in front of her. Next to where Remus had been saving them seats.
Sirius turned around to face her, "Hello there gorgeous," he said. "Will you tell me your name?"
"No, but you are free to guess to your hearts content, but on the off chance you do figure out my name, you would have to tell me who I am. And that I am almost sure you wouldn't be able to do."
James snickered loudly at the first set down Sirius had been given since he had moved in with him.
"And you, Potter, I'm surprised you got into this class. Because as I remember it, the only reason you passed in first year was that Lily Evans was tutoring you."
"Well, I have since, managed to study on my own with out that little brat's help." It stung that she would remember him as a stupid little boy; even if he had no inkling as to who she was.
"Nice come back, I can see that you've been working on them since I last saw you. It's nice to know that you won't be bested by her anymore."
"Well, I can't very well do that, since she moved after second year."
Very clever, thought Remus, allowing them to think she had left in first year. For as he recalled James had been tutored by Lily first and second year.
Lily turned her gaze to him; he quit his smile under her disconcertingly direct gaze. "Don't think I've forgotten you Remus, I remember you, I remember you very well. You were the only one of this lot I actually liked; in fact, I do believe you were the only one with enough of a brain to converse with on subjects other than those of the normal eleven year old mind."
Remus smiled at her, and tugged his ear.
Lily looked at him with surprise, tugging on one's ear was something that she, Julie, and Remus had decided was their secret hand shake, and no one had ever caught on to it. Together the three of them had formed a secret pact; they shared all their secrets, and helped each other through everything. Remus was the only one who knew about their room, too.
Then, she smiled, "So you do remember me. It's good to know that I made a memorable impression before I left." She turned to the Sirius and James, "I know you remember me too, you just haven't connected the dots yet." Going back to Remus she said, "I take it you're not going to take the glory."
"Not at all, if the rest of them want to figure out who you are, it's their dice. I leave them to it."
Before she could reply, Professor Flitwick called the class to attention.
For most of the other students the rest of the class was spent mastering the Locating Charm, but Lily, alternately helped Julie, and watched James suffer; for though he was in the advanced class, he still had trouble, and he spent hours in his dorm practicing.
On the way to AP Adv. Transfiguration, Lily said to Julie, "You still like him, don't you?"
Julie blushed, "Yeah, I guess."
"Well, I can't blame you, Remus has changed, and all for the better."
Her friend blushed deeper. "We'd better get to class. You know how much of a stickler McGonagall is for punctuality."
"Mademoiselle, I understand that you were taught the Animangus Transformation."
"Oui, Madame, I learned from my Transfiguration teacher, she thought that since I wasn't being challenged in the regular class that she would tutor me privately."
"Would you care to demonstrate?"
"Madame, of course," Lily walked to the front of the room, and took the form of a vixen, changing back after leaping onto her seat.
"Wonderful," Professor McGonagall said beaming. She began her lecture on the various steps it took to become an animangus.
Julie, sitting in her assigned seat on the other side of the room, began writing on a piece of old parchment:
"So, I hear you have more than one form." The words disappeared and an answer was written in its place.
"Well yeah, I can turn into a doe too. But do tell me, after I told you how, what form did you choose."
"A Collie, I think the Marauders are animangi too, except for Remus, obviously."
"Really, when did you find this out?"
"Well, you learned in third year how; and when you told me about it, you mentioned a book with information in it. So I went to the Library, and got a key for the Restricted Section, and I found them all huddled in a corner, over the book you mentioned."
"Hmm, I'll have to explore this."
"That's a dangerous look you have on your face."
"How can you see my face, I'm sitting on the other side of the room."
"I know you, we might not have gone to school together for four years, but I did see you every summer."
"Hmmph," was the only reply.
Lily and Julie sat in their secret room, Julie was working on her Potions essay, and Lily was working on her book, under the guise of it being her History of Magic essay. Her book was scheduled to be on shelves in six months, which meant she had one month to finish, three more to edit it, leaving two more for printing.
Julie got up and stretched, "I'm pooped. I'll see you in the morning."
"Night," said Lily, completely absorbed in her work.
Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, waited for silence, and began to speak again, "Doubtless you are wondering why one of our own is not Head Girl, but this is due to her outstanding transcript, which is beyond doubt the best I've seen in thirty years. Mademoiselle." He bowed to Lily and she sauntered up the middle of the Hall.
She began her opening speech, "Hello everybody, I hope to enjoy this year to the fullest. As Head Girl, I will do my best to ensure that we all learn as much as we are capable, and more if possible. I doubt many of you recognize me, but since Professor Dumbledore failed to mention it, I will tell you, I am not just a transfer student; I'm a returning member of this school. And when you figure out who I am, let me know, you will win either a date with me or the Head Boy to Hogsmeade. No questions asked." She walked down the isle, smirking, to her seat at the Head's table.
James stood up, "Well now that we have dispensed with that, I'm sure that you will all be please to know, that for the first time in four years I have been surprised." This comment was met by chuckles from students and teachers alike. "However," he continued, "I will honor my fellow Head's challenge." He raised his goblet, "To a wonderful new year at Hogwarts."
He sat down and as the cheering quieted and the eating began, he said, "By the by, I never caught your name gorgeous."
"That's because I never told you," she replied. "But you were included in my challenge, if you can discover my name and my identity; I will honor you with a date to Hogsmeade."
He smirked, "It will be my pleasure."
"It certainly won't be mine."
After dinner, Lily met with Julie in the secret room they had discovered in second year. "Hey Jules, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Until people know who I am, will you call me Mademoiselle? I've already asked the teachers too, and they agreed, but."
"Sure, Mademoiselle, in fact, this is probably the most fun I've had in four years."
"Thanks Jules," Lily said with gratitude. "Okay, so I want to know everything about the Marauders, I've been waiting for this day for four years, and I'm going to get my revenge."
Julie immediately latched onto this new topic with enthusiasm. "Well, we'll start with James."
Meanwhile, the Marauders were in the kitchens, enjoying a midnight snack.
"Hey Jamie, what's the Head Girl's name?" asked Sirius, his mouth still half full of lemon crème donut.
"I don't actually know, she told me after my speech that I was included in her challenge."
Remus grinned unobtrusively, but Peter noticed, and boomed, "What are you smiling at Remus?"
This of course attracted the attention of the other two Marauders.
"Oh, nothing, it's just that I'm surprised that you three don't recognize our transferee."
"What do you mean?" asked James, rather alarmed that he might have forgotten someone so beautiful.
"Oh, it's nothing really. It's just that I knew who she was the moment I saw her throw you back on the Platform."
"Who is she?" asked Sirius earnestly, "She's hot, and I want that date."
"She's changed," he said flashing them a wry smile, "but I'm not going to tell you. It's not my secret to tell; if you want to know you'll have to find out on your own. But when you do figure it out, let me know, because I want to be there when you tell her." He filled his mouth with chocolate éclair before they could ask him any more questions.
Their first class, AP Advanced Charms with Professor Flitwick was also their first class of insanity.
Lily walked into the classroom with Julie, and sat down in the back, the only available desk with two seats next to each other.
To her surprise, James and Sirius sat down in front of her. Next to where Remus had been saving them seats.
Sirius turned around to face her, "Hello there gorgeous," he said. "Will you tell me your name?"
"No, but you are free to guess to your hearts content, but on the off chance you do figure out my name, you would have to tell me who I am. And that I am almost sure you wouldn't be able to do."
James snickered loudly at the first set down Sirius had been given since he had moved in with him.
"And you, Potter, I'm surprised you got into this class. Because as I remember it, the only reason you passed in first year was that Lily Evans was tutoring you."
"Well, I have since, managed to study on my own with out that little brat's help." It stung that she would remember him as a stupid little boy; even if he had no inkling as to who she was.
"Nice come back, I can see that you've been working on them since I last saw you. It's nice to know that you won't be bested by her anymore."
"Well, I can't very well do that, since she moved after second year."
Very clever, thought Remus, allowing them to think she had left in first year. For as he recalled James had been tutored by Lily first and second year.
Lily turned her gaze to him; he quit his smile under her disconcertingly direct gaze. "Don't think I've forgotten you Remus, I remember you, I remember you very well. You were the only one of this lot I actually liked; in fact, I do believe you were the only one with enough of a brain to converse with on subjects other than those of the normal eleven year old mind."
Remus smiled at her, and tugged his ear.
Lily looked at him with surprise, tugging on one's ear was something that she, Julie, and Remus had decided was their secret hand shake, and no one had ever caught on to it. Together the three of them had formed a secret pact; they shared all their secrets, and helped each other through everything. Remus was the only one who knew about their room, too.
Then, she smiled, "So you do remember me. It's good to know that I made a memorable impression before I left." She turned to the Sirius and James, "I know you remember me too, you just haven't connected the dots yet." Going back to Remus she said, "I take it you're not going to take the glory."
"Not at all, if the rest of them want to figure out who you are, it's their dice. I leave them to it."
Before she could reply, Professor Flitwick called the class to attention.
For most of the other students the rest of the class was spent mastering the Locating Charm, but Lily, alternately helped Julie, and watched James suffer; for though he was in the advanced class, he still had trouble, and he spent hours in his dorm practicing.
On the way to AP Adv. Transfiguration, Lily said to Julie, "You still like him, don't you?"
Julie blushed, "Yeah, I guess."
"Well, I can't blame you, Remus has changed, and all for the better."
Her friend blushed deeper. "We'd better get to class. You know how much of a stickler McGonagall is for punctuality."
"Mademoiselle, I understand that you were taught the Animangus Transformation."
"Oui, Madame, I learned from my Transfiguration teacher, she thought that since I wasn't being challenged in the regular class that she would tutor me privately."
"Would you care to demonstrate?"
"Madame, of course," Lily walked to the front of the room, and took the form of a vixen, changing back after leaping onto her seat.
"Wonderful," Professor McGonagall said beaming. She began her lecture on the various steps it took to become an animangus.
Julie, sitting in her assigned seat on the other side of the room, began writing on a piece of old parchment:
"So, I hear you have more than one form." The words disappeared and an answer was written in its place.
"Well yeah, I can turn into a doe too. But do tell me, after I told you how, what form did you choose."
"A Collie, I think the Marauders are animangi too, except for Remus, obviously."
"Really, when did you find this out?"
"Well, you learned in third year how; and when you told me about it, you mentioned a book with information in it. So I went to the Library, and got a key for the Restricted Section, and I found them all huddled in a corner, over the book you mentioned."
"Hmm, I'll have to explore this."
"That's a dangerous look you have on your face."
"How can you see my face, I'm sitting on the other side of the room."
"I know you, we might not have gone to school together for four years, but I did see you every summer."
"Hmmph," was the only reply.
Lily and Julie sat in their secret room, Julie was working on her Potions essay, and Lily was working on her book, under the guise of it being her History of Magic essay. Her book was scheduled to be on shelves in six months, which meant she had one month to finish, three more to edit it, leaving two more for printing.
Julie got up and stretched, "I'm pooped. I'll see you in the morning."
"Night," said Lily, completely absorbed in her work.