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Chapter 3

As the two girls headed up the stairs to their dorm Bella asked the question that Lily dreaded to answer.

"I still don't get you and James, Lil. I mean you guys got along great before...What changed?"

"Bell, you always ask that, and I keep on telling you tha—"

"Hey guys" another one of their friends Milena, also known as Lena, came up to them.

"What's up, I bumped into the Marauders, while three of them looked perfectly happy, one of them didn't" and as she said this she glanced knowingly at Lily, while she tried to look as innocent as possible "something happen?" Lena asked

"Nothing really" Lily answered as she opened the door to their room.

"Ok...so you're not telling? Bell care to do the honors?" Lena asked

"Why certainly, simple really, Lily here—"she started before sitting down on her bed "—charmed about a dozen water balloons to chase dear old James until they caught up with him ... am I right Lily?"

"Pretty much" she answered with a proud grin.

"No wonder he looked mad" Lena said as she started to giggle. "You're the only one I know who has the guts to prank him Lily, aside from Sirius and the others of course." Lena added as an afterthought.

After they all calmed down, Bella asked the question she has been meaning to ask Lily.

"Lily?" she asked cautiously

"Hmmm..." she said as she lay down on her back.

"What happened between you and James?" Bell asked

"Oh! Good question Bell, I've been meaning to ask you that to Lil." Lena said curiously "What happened?"

Lily looked up thoughtfully and she started to think back, back during their first year... back when they were all friends...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A young 11- year old Lily was still dazed from crossing the gate to platform 9 ¾. She walked towards the back of the train, opening compartment door after compartment door before she bumped into a young girl.

"Ouch"

"Oops. Sorry, didn't quite see you there" the young girl said.

"That's alright. I'm Lily Evans by the way."

"Arabella Figg, call me Bella or Bell, whatever you like." She said with a grin. "Do you have a compartment?"

"I was hoping you did, anyway I was about to see if this one was empty."

"Together?" Bell asked

"Ok" and at the same time they opened the door and found an empty compartment.

"Wow" Lily said with a smile "Guess we're pretty lucky"

Bella answered with a smile similar to Lily's "Guess so" Both took their seats across from each other.

"Do you know anyone from here?" Lily asked

"Only my cousin Lena. She's in her first year too, she's really nice, how about you?"

"Nope. My mum and dad are, what you call, muggles." She said with a small smile.

"Really?" Bella asked eagerly "Both my parents are magic. What did your parents say when you got your letter?"

"They were pretty shocked, I was more surprised. When my horrible sister, Petunia, saw the owl on the kitchen table she practically fainted. My parents didn't believe it at first but Petunia persuaded them to check it out" Lily answered.

"If your sister persuaded your parents to let you go, how could she be horrible?" Bella asked confused.

"She was so sure that it was a joke, and I think she wanted to congratulate the person or something, so she was so freaked out when she found out that it was real, and I believe that because of the confusion my parents let me come." Lily explained with a small smile on her face.

"When my parents saw my letter they dragged me straight to Diagon Alley. They were more excited than I was." Bella said as she rolled her eyes.

"They probably wanted to get you out of the house." Lily said with a smirk.

"HEY!!" they both started laughing hysterically. While laughing the door suddenly opened and a girl with light brown hair stepped in.

"Bella!!" the girl said excitedly "I was looking everywhere for you"

"Lena, there you are. Come on in." Bell took Lena's hand and led her in "This is Lily Evans, Lily this is my cousin Lena, Milena Dilwen."

"Hey! Great to meet you, how did you manage to find an empty compartment? Lena asked

"Together" they both said at the same time. They all burst out laughing. A knock was heard as a boy with pale skin and sand-colored hair stepped in.

"Do you mind if I stay with you, there aren't any compartments left"

The 3 girls looked at each other and at the same time they nodded their heads.

"Thanks. I'm Remus Lupin by the way." He said gratefully.

"No problem. I'm Lily, Lily Evans, and this is Arabella Figg and Milena Dilwen."

A second later, 2 boys suddenly came running in.

"Think we lost them James?" one of them asked.

"Not Sure—"the one with unruly hair answered.

"Ahem"

The two boys turned around and seemed surprised to see people in the compartment.

The one with unruly dark hair regained his composure and said. "Hullo. I'm Mattie Fenzwick."

"Yes, he's Mattie Fenzwick and I'm Sophie Marie. How do you do?" the other one said, before both burst into laughter. A second later Remus started to laugh as well.

"I know you." Said Remus, still chuckling "You're James Potter, son of the famous Auror Theodore Potter and" he turned to Sirius "you're the son of Simon 'Skeet' Black. Am I right?"

The supposedly James and Sirius looked at him, obviously confused. A second later, knowledge donned on James.

"Oh! Oh! I know you! Aren't you the brother of Romulus, he works for dear old daddy. Doesn't he?"

"Yup" Remus answered with a proud grin.

"Huh?" a still confused Sirius asked.

"Sirius old chap, Romulus, the Romulus who ties you up and gags you when you get out of hand." James said with a smirk.

"OH! He's your brother? Fine man he is that Romulus. Great to meet you then." He said with a huge smile on his face.

"Same to you."

"Ahem" the three boys turned and looked at the girls.

"Oh" Remus said sheepishly "Oops, James Potter, Sirius Black this is Lily Evans, Arabella Figg and Milena Dilwen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End Of flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lily looked back at her friends and said in a voice with emotion. "We were good friends weren't we?" Before her friends could answer she jumped off her bed and ran out of the room.

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---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- There you go. Peter isn't here yet. I figured they met during the boat ride.

Anyway. Please. Please Review...oh! No flames please.

~~~ Littlewhitehorse