Disclaimer~ I don't own anything here that belongs to JK, but those new characters and the plotline belong to me!!!!

First off, I'd like to apologize majorly for being such and awful author! I am. I know it. No reason to say otherwise. I haven't updated in ages…ages! I do have excuses, but those excuses aren't really acceptable. Soooo…I'd again like to apologize. KILL ME IF YOU WANT TO!!!! Ok…not really. But thanks for all the reviews! I love you guys. I'm almost at sixty. SIXTY!!! ((Hip Hip Hoooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!)) ANNNND you brought me to FIFTY REVIEWS (even though that last chapter really sucked) !!! At this rate I may actually make ONE HUDNDRED…maybe. I hope. Okay, now that I've blabbed on for a while I think you deserve to read the fic…so

On with it already…

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          Once again, time seemed to slip under the feet of the Hogwarts students. The cool, refreshing autumn breeze turned into the harsh, bitter wind of winter that chapped the faces of all. The beautiful leaves of cardinal red, golden yellow, and nutty brown soon drifted to the ground, leaving the trees of the forbidden forest with a deceiving appearance of vulnerability. The last signs of summer were concealed by the gray clouds that constantly blocked out the little warmth the sun would provide in its distant location.

 Many Hogwarts students were found studying in their dorms or huddled in groups by their common room fires, trying to gather warmth in the nippy stone castle. A few sought refuge in the Hogwarts kitchens where the elves' constant hustle and the fire-fed ovens provided comforting warmth, along with the warm soups the elves shoved at them.

It was at a time like this one Saturday that Arabella Figg and James Potter bumped into each other, both racing to the kitchens for its promising heat.

"What do you want, Potter?"

"I'd like to ask the same of you, Cynthia." James watched with glee as Arabella's fair skin reddened and her blue eyes rounded, "Oops! I mean A-ra-bel-la. My bad."

"Ugh! Potter. Why can't you just disappear? Everywhere I go, you go. You're such a conniving little rat!"

"Whoa there! What did I ever do to you?" James asked.

"It's not what you did to me, James. It's what you did to Lily." She turned on her heel and walked towards the painting of the bowl of fruit.

"And what, pray tell, did I do to Evans?"

"You're such an ass Potter!"

"What?"

"You told."

"Told who?"

"You know!"
          "Oh, Merlin. Not this again!" James rolled his eyes, "Look, Figg. I really don't know what you're on about. So if you could just tell me, it would waste a lot of breath for everyone, okay?"

"Fine!" They had reached the portrait of the bowl of fruit. Arabella reached out and tickled the pear. She opened the door handle that'd appeared and entered the kitchens.

"Soooo?" James asked after Arabella hadn't said anything.

"So, what?"

"What did I do?" James practically screamed, exasperated.

"Oh." Arabella made sure to order and receive her baked potato soup from Blinky, the house elf, before even thinking about answering James' question. She was half way to her mouth with her first spoonful of the creamy soup when James yelled,

"FIGG!"

"What? Oh. You really wanna know?"

"What do you THINK?"

"Okay…" She then proceeded to taste her soup, "This soup's really good. You should get some."

"For Merlin's sake! Would you just tell me what I did to earn your hatred?"

"Oh. That's what you meant?"

"Yes!"

"Well, you told Malfoy about that incident in the hospital wing!"

James' jaw dropped. "I did what?"

"You told Malfoy, that's what!"

"No. Really Figg. I did no such thing. I swear!"

"Right… Then ho w else did he know?"

"I don't know? How am I supposed to know?"

She shrugged, "Geez, no reason to go all snappy on me!"

"No reason? You've publicly humiliated me over that?! A stupid unjustified rumor?"

"Whoa! Big words there, mister!"

"Shut up Figg."

"Sorry. " She then brought another spoonful of the creamy concoction to her mouth, closing her eyes as she savored the flavor and warmth of her favorite soup. After a few more spoonfuls Arabella turned to James and asked, "So you really didn't do it?"

"No." James answered, sullenly.

"Oh…" Arabella looked down at her soup, feeling guilty. 'Why, oh, why did I not listen to my conscience telling me he didn't do it?' she thought to herself. "Look Po—James. I'm really sorry. It's just. Lily was so upset. And her explanation was the only one that made sense. What was I supposed to believe?"

"I don't know. But I do know that you could have consulted me and figured out some more facts before jumping to conclusions. Now I'm known throughout school as The Bed Wetter. Oh, what a title!"

"Oh, about that. I'm really sorry."

"Well, sorry doesn't cut it, does it Figg?"

"James…"

James turned his head in the opposite direction.

"Look at me!" After receiving no response she said, "Oh, stop actin' like a baby Potter!" That comment got under his skin.

"Me? ME? ME? I'm the one acting like a baby? You've been holding that stupid grudge for months now. Made my life a living hell! If you had enough maturity, you'd have let it go! But nooo. Figg and Evans and their little clan had to go and disgrace the Potter name!!!" James was on his feat screaming in Arabella's face.

Arabella was leaning back, eyes widened with shock. "J-J-James. Calm down," She pleaded in a trembling voice.

"YOU—Your'e right." James sighed in defeat as Arabella sighed in relief. The two sat in uncomfortable silence for what seemed a century before Arabella mustered up the courage to speak.

"Look. I really am sorry, James. And you're absolutely right. I did act like a baby, same with Lily. I want this war to stop, but…Lily's gonna hate me, isn't she?" Arabella buried her head in her hands.

"Look Figg."

"It's Arabella."

"Ok. Arabella. I don't want to argue any more than you do. That means we have some sort of common ground. So…let's just form a truce. You don't prank me, I don't prank you. Unless…it's just for pure amusement, not revenge."

Arabella sat up at this comment, "Potter!"

"Hey! I gotta have fun somewhere!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right…James?"

"Yeah?"

"Friends?"

James was taken aback. He'd expected the truce to mean they could bear each other, but friends? Silly girls and their sentiments.

"Sure Figg, sure."

"It's Arabella."

"Sorry. Bad habit."

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Lily Evans was walking through the halls, minding her own business. She was wrapping herself in her cloak (as to trap body heat) when she had the odd sensation she was being followed. She turned around and looked in all directions, but found nothing. So as not to panic, Lily assured herself she was being foolish and marched on towards the library.

Yet, once again Lily felt the nagging pull in the back of her mind that told her the deserted corridor she was in was not really deserted. She once again searched everywhere and found no one.

"Lillllllllllyyyyyy," she heard a voice whisper.

Lily was positive that wasn't her imagination and began to run towards the library, hearing pounding footsteps follow her down the hall. She rounded the corner and…

"OOOF!" Lily collided with what she thought was a cushioned wall and fell to the ground. However, the wall fell with her. She opened her eyes to find none other than Lucius Malfoy on top of her.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry, Lily? You know, pretty girls shouldn't be roaming the hallways alone. This castle is home to many creatures you'd never want to face by yourself."

"Oh, stuff it Malfoy!"

Malfoy ignored her comment and stood up off the floor, offering a hand to Lily. She looked at it as if a hoard of flobberworms had sucked away all of it's flesh before standing up on her own.

"Oh, independent, are we? I like that."

'Ewww, can I say…gross?' thought Lily before marching pass Malfoy and heading towards the library.

"Can I escort you to your destination?" Lucius asked, following her.

"No."

"Oooh. Playing hard to get?"

"No. More like playing keep away from the filth…a-k-a...YOU!"

"Ooooh. How clever. I like babes with brains."

"Shut up you perv!" Lily quickened her pace, as did Malfoy.

"You can't escape me, gorgeous."

"And why not?"

"I won't let you."

"Oh, really now?"

"Never underestimate a Malfoy!"

"Don't worry. I'm not underestimating."

"I warned you!"

Lily found herself being pushed against the wall by the surprisingly strong eleven year old. But before he could do anything to her, an invisible force pulled him backwards by his ponytail.

"Yeeeeeoooooow!" cried Malfoy. Lily watched in awe as Malfoy was flung to the ground by seemingly nothing and as his nose suddenly became disfigured with a sickening crunch.

"What the—" But her question was soon forgotten as an arm popped out of nowhere, grabbed hers and started dragging her down the hall.

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          Arabella and James were walking to the Gryffindor common room, chatting amiably when suddenly they saw Lily Evans and an…arm run by? They shared a bewildered glance before chasing after the wide-eyed red head. Soon they found themselves being woven through hallways and traipsing through hidden doors until they finally stopped at an odd room at the opposite side of the castle from where they had started.

          Out of nowhere Sirius Black appeared holding a shiny silvery cloth.

          "Sirius?" Lily screeched.

          "At your service madam." Sirius said taking a bow.

          "Wh-How did you do that?"

          "Uh, your welcome."

          "Oh, thanks."

          "Why is she thanking Sirius?" asked a confused Arabella.

          "Malfoy was gonna do who knows what to Lily. The slimy git." Sirius replied

          "Define 'who knows what?'" demanded James, feeling rather angry with Malfoy.

          "Well. He's not much of a smooth talker…and was trying to escort Lily 'to her destination'" Sirius stated, putting on a Malfoy tone.

          "And…" prodded Arabella.

          "Lily would have none of it and delivered some nice insults. But out of nowhere he slammed her against the wall. I came up from behind and yanked the ponytail out of his head." Sirius said exaggerating the truth, "Then I slammed him to the ground and began punching his lights out. His nose broke on the first—"

          "And ONLY—" Lily interrupted.

          "Blow!"

          "So, basically, Sirius broke Lucius' nose and ran?" James asked, translating Sirius' lingo.

          "Yup." Lily replied.

          "You guys make it seem so cowardly!" cried Sirius.

          "Yeah!" agreed Arabella, "At least he got her to safety!"

          "I would've been fine!" yelled Lily.

          "She would've been fine!" yelled James.

          "SEE!" they yelled simultaneously...agreeing.

Then Lily glared at James, realizing just who she was agreeing with and said, "Well. Actually. I think I agree with Arabella and Sirius over there. James can't possibly be right!"

James groaned, threw up his hands and marched out of the room muttering, "Impossible!"

"What's his problem?" Lily asked and too walked out of the room.

Sirius and Arabella turned to each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"Arabella?"

"Yeah?"

"Why were you with James earlier? I thought you hated his guts?"

"Why would I ever do such a thing? James is my friend. Why do you ask? Is somebody a little jealous?" Arabella teased.

"What? No!" Sirius answered a little too quickly, "But about James. Did I miss something?"

"What do you mean something."

"Are you two…?"

"Hahahaha!"

Sirius blushed profusely and mumbled, "I'll take that as a no."

"C'mon. Let's head back to the common room."

"Right behind you."

~~~*~~~

          "YOU WHAT?" screamed an outraged Lily, "HOW COULD YOU???"

          "Er…I…er…" stuttered a nervous Arabella.

          "YOU'VE BETRAYED ME!!!" Lily started shaking her head and mumbling to herself as she paced in circles, "Befriending the enemy…the enemy…en-e-my!"

          "But he's innocent!"

          "Innocent. HA! And you believe that…that…him???"

          "Well, yeah…:"

          "What did he do to you?" Lily asked, almost sounding worried.

          "He told me the truth!"

          "And I told you the truth too. There are two truths which means one has to be a lie, right?"

          "Er…n-"

          "EXACTLY!! So, then, who's truth do you believe? Mine or his. No boths."

          "Er…can I get back to you on that one?"

          "Bella!" Lily shrieked, shocked. "NOW!"

          "You sure?"

          "You've got no choice."

          "Fine…I'll choose neither," Arabella smiled, proud of herself.

          "But I said—"

          "That I couldn't choose both. So I chose neither. HA HA!"

          "But—ERRR!" Lily's temper flared once again and when Arabella went back down to the common room she had donkey ears, a rat tail, and magenta polka-dots all over her.

          "What happened to you?" asked Peter, who was sitting with his other three friends.

          "I outsmarted that fiery red-head known by the name of Lily Marie Evans."

          "Oh," replied Peter, not the least bit fazed.

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Okay, there it is! I know it's not that great…but I've had a bad case of writers block. Sooo…just read and review…and then that'll make a writer's day. So, thanks for bringing me up to a whole 56 reviews! I love you guys!!! Oh and I just wanna know how many of you out there would like me to follow the plotline set by JK or if I can change things up a bit…because quite frankly it's gonna be difficult to make them hate each other for practically seven whole years, and a lot of you out there want something to happen…so…that's it. Thanks to all you lovely people out there!!!

~DanniBannani~

Oh…and I am sad to say that it may be a while before I update again because I am going to be on vacation for the next three weeks…starting Friday.  I'm taking my laptop with me…so hopefully I'll get something done…but who knows? Well, TTFN!!