Disclaimer: You know, I'm starting to enjoy writing these disclaimers. *looks thoughtful* Anyway. My Men-In-Black-Suits were a gift from that shrink they sent me to when I was convinced that I owned Harry Potter. Isn't that such a nice shrink? Free people as well! Hmm...anyway...
*men in suits decide she's taking too long and advance on her* NO! I THOUGHT YOU GUYS TRUSTED ME! CAN'T YOU TRUST ANYONE ANYMORE?? *men in suits are ashamed with the guilt trip and walk away* *snickers* heh...anyway. *clears throat* I don't own Harry Potter. Unfortunately.
You couldn't sue me anyway. *turns pockets inside-out* hmm...let's see...
1. A piece of paper with names written on it.
2. A Floppy disk with yellow and blue plot bunnies living in it.
3. A post-it note.
4. A pencil the size of...a small pencil? *shrugs* yep, well that's it. Nothing that you would want. Oh yeah, and I don't own ElizabethMM's little piece of dialogue that I changed. I'll mark it with a squiggly thingy to show everyone…[~]…Soooo...onto the thanks-for-reviewing thingies...Wow. This is the most reviews I've ever had for one chapter! When I went into my stats I almost fell off my seat! 11 more reviews!! Thanks for all your reviews everyone!
Kurbani ~~ Was it that funny? Thanks for the review, I update every week, because of school.linky2 ~~ Er…ouch? What is "bump" supposed to mean? Good or Bad? Er…thanks anyway.
Lunarian ~~ Er. OK. What you say is true though. It probably would work better if he didn't know that Lily was his mother.
Procyon Marie ~~ Oooh! Wow. You're so smart. I never thought of that. Well, except for the part about Sirius' first name. I'm not sure I could come up with names as intricate as that though…with all the meanings. Oh well. There's a baby name book lying around somewhere…I'll probably use that. Oh, and I don't mind the length at all! It was interesting to read. And as for the "encyclopaedia approach", ah, I don't mind that either. It wasn't that much like a dictionary. Thanks for that review! It was really helpful.
Goten-Lupin ~~ thanks! I don't update often though…*drifts into lala-land*
freakyfairy ~~ Ah…I can't tell you if I'll make Harry and Lily get together…but…I promise that I won't write anything too weird or gross…I'm not really that type of person. Thanks for the review!
butterflyangel3 ~~ thanks for your review! Anyway…I promise you that they'll be a tiny itty bitty hint of Harry/Ginny in this chapter, but I don't think I'll be able to work Ginny into the main plot. Sorry! My chapters are fairly short-I usually end up typing all of what I think of, then leave it, and write another chapter after it. And don't worry, most of the time I am an idiot…*cough* but we don't need to go there. *smiles innocently*
ElizabethMM ~~ Thanks! I have big plans for that *rubs hands together* just kidding…I don't. Anyway…I'm sorry, but because I start school soon, I won't be able to update as soon as I'd like to, because I take a while to type my chapters. I'll probably end up putting one up every weekend. Sorry! *looks pitiful* hmmm… btw, what does the MM in your name stand for? Oops! I'm getting nosy. I guess it's my nature…
sristi ~~ Yeah, I know. I'll have to upload the first chapter again to make it more readable. I didn't know how to upload it properly then because this is my first fanfic. Thanks!
hannirose ~~ Thanks! You really think so? *looks flattered*
poetbrit ~~ Hmm…well I wouldn't say that Harry's really that busted…was that bump the suspense killing you? Figures. *smiles*
Sami Potter ~~ Wow! You really love it that much? I'm flattered. Thanks heaps for the review!
Dadaiiro ~~ Thanks for another review! Yes this is getting weird but…hmmm…I hope this chapter is as good as the first ones!
Onwards! *Come, Gimli! We're gaining on them!* Oops. Sorry. I know, that's LOTR, not Harry Potter but…heh…my uncle bought the video of the two towers and I've got all these quotes stuck in my head. That's not saying that I love it more than HP…I love them equally! *huggles LOTR and HP books* Er…ok…I get sidetracked…OMG we went to an ESPRIT warehouse and…OOPS. Sorry. *ahem* Yes. The story… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." James tapped the parchment with his wand, and waited impatiently as black spidery lines spread from the center of the map. He smiled as the words appeared:
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
THE MARAUDER'S MAPThe Map completed itself, and James peered at it, to watch Harry and Lily make their way up to the castle. He saw his own little ink dot, labelled James Potter, then his eyes moved towards 2 tiny dots moving up to the Entrance Hall. There they were. Lily Evans and-
"HARRY POTTER?"
No way could this be possible. As far as James knew, he didn't have any second cousins or other relatives he had never met before. His mother and father had made sure that he knew their family tree well. Harry Potter? Surely this was a glitch in the map, but James knew that the Marauder's Map was never wrong. Maybe Moony had messed something up while they were making it. After all, it was only one letter that was incorrect. They could fix that.
But then, why does he look so much like you? A little voice in his head interrupted his thoughts. James pushed it away, but then the thought returned. Why did Harry look so much like him? This was just coincidence, wasn't it? That's right, just coincidence. The idea of getting Lily returned to his mind, but first he needed to sort something out.
Harry and Ron walked towards the greenhouses for Herbology.
"Ron, I think my mum fancies me."
Ron looked at Harry and laughed. "What are you talking about? Of course she doesn't like you! Anyway, that would be...wrong!"
"I know it's not right." Harry said, "But just before, while I was walking with her near the lake, she sort of...leaned in, with her eyes closed."
"You've got to be joking." Ron looked confused and disgusted. "Mate, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes." He clapped his hand on Harry's shoulder and they walked towards the greenhouses, the subject of topic forgotten.
A few steps behind them, James was walking with the rest of the Marauders. He told them about what had happened with the Marauder's Map.
"Do you have it here?" Remus asked.
James pulled it out of his robes. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
The familiar ink lines appeared, and all four heads bent over it. They looked for the ink dots moving towards the Greenhouses. James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew...
James jabbed his finger at the map. "See? Harry Potter! And-" He pulled the map closer to his eyes. "I can't believe it! Ron Weasley!"
Sirius frowned. "Say, aren't the Weasleys that redheaded, freckled family that always has heaps of kids?"
"I didn't know they had another kid." Peter piped up.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "They don't, Wormtail. That's why we're trying to figure what all this is about."
"We'll confront them. Talk to them about it. Then when everything's sorted out, I'll ask Harry why he's going for my girl."
Remus coughed. "Technically, Lily isn't exactly yours yet, Prongs..." He said lightly. "At the moment, she...hates your guts."
Sirius let out a laugh as James scowled, then promptly walked head first into the greenhouse door. They heard a scoffing sound behind them as Lily pulled open the door and walked in.
Remus smiled as he followed Lily. "Like I said, James."
Harry looked under his fringe at Lily, who was currently struggling to prune the tendril of a plant they were studying.
"Looking out for your girlfriend?" James whispered in his ear.
Harry, startled, looked up at James. "What?"
"You think I don't know already? Potter?"
Harry was unnerved. How did he find out? And why did he think he and Lily were a couple?
Harry just gaped at James.
"Do you seriously have my last name? It's not that common." James spoke up.
Harry continued gaping.
James' faced cracked into a smile. "Shut your mouth, are you trying to catch flies?"
Harry snapped his mouth shut, then opened it again. "What are you talking about?"
James sighed. "Harry, the map never lies. Damn, did I just say that out loud? I mean...er..."
Harry was thinking fast. James was obviously talking about the Marauder's Map...How could I be so stupid? Of course I can't use a fake name! And they must've figured out about Ron as well!
Harry looked over James' shoulder at Ron, who was backed into a corner by Sirius. Remus stood nearby and Pettigrew hovered anxiously around Sirius.
Should I tell the truth?
Harry finally spoke. "Of course I'm not related to you. And I know Ron has the same last name as Arthur Weasley. Er-he's related to Arthur somehow, but his dad is...a squib...and his family doesn't really speak to them...so he changed his last name. But I'm definitely not related to you." That was probably an even worse lie than the one that I told Lily!
James, however, seemed satisfied with Harry's answer. He reached over and grabbed Sirius' arm.
"C'mon Sirius...Remus...Peter." James stood with his back to Harry, and Ron stumbled over.
"What was that all about? He was asking about my last name or something."
"Don't worry. I kind of sorted it out. Your dad's a squib," -Ron looked mortified- "And no one in Arthur's family speaks to you anymore."
Ron looked incredulous. "You really couldn't think up something better? Even Crabbe couldn't fall for that!"
The four Marauders ambled over as if nothing had happened.
"So…Harry." Sirius spoke to him. "My friend James is jealous of your…relationship…with a certain Lily Evans."
James shoved him. "I'm not jealous! I'm just watching out for her!"
Sirius raised his eyebrow. "Sure, James. Don't worry, we believe you. Anyway…"
"Me and…Lily and I…" Harry sputtered, "We don't have a relationship!"
Remus was muttering quietly. "No need to get your knickers in a knot." (A/N: XD don't you just love that expression??)
"Why shouldn't you?" James jumped in. "I saw you two snogging by the lake!"
Ron was now looking incredulously at Harry, who was furiously attacking the green tendrils curling around his arms.
[~] "We weren't snogging! I don't even like her in that way! Anyway…I…I've got a girlfriend!" Harry blurted out.
Ron raised his eyebrows.
"Really?" said James, looking as if Christmas had come early.
"Who?" said Sirius, looking interestedly at Harry.
"It'll be no one that you know, Sirius." Remus said, looking out a window.
"What?" said Peter, looking clueless. (A/N: mmm…don't mind my lame sense of humour. I've got all of them 'looking' so…um… never mind. Continue reading.)
Everyone ignored Peter.
"Er…" Maybe it wasn't a good idea to say that after all. "Ginny Weas- Ginny Waters."
Ron looked half furious and half amused. "Ginny? Ginny?"
Harry gave the tiniest of shrugs. She was the first girl that came to mind. Maybe I should've said Hermione instead.
Sirius looked at Ron. "What about you?"
Then again…Ron'll probably bite my head off. Bet anyone 50 galleons he'll say-"Hermione Granger." Ron said all too quickly, blushing as red as a tomato.
Harry smothered his laughs into his hand until Ron glared at him. He straightened up and tried to look normal. [~]
'Course, Ron's always liked Hermione. He's never told anyone, but everyone knows except for him and Hermione.
"-good looking, Harry?" Sirius was talking to him.
"Huh?" Harry snapped out of his thoughts. "What did you say?"
Sirius grinned at him. "I was just asking…you know…" He nudged Harry- "…is Ginny good-looking?"
"Er…" Ron was shooting Harry death glares over Sirius' shoulder.
Luckily, Harry was excused from answering as Professor Pickle-weed (A/N: o.O) told the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws to put their pots away.
Harry and Ron were engaged in a game of wizards' chess in the common room when someone tapped Harry's shoulder.
"Harry?" It was Lily.
Harry looked at Ron, who looked sympathetically at him.
Lily spoke up again. "Harry? Come meet my friends. Of course, I have some friends in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, but obviously they can't come in here."
Why am I so nervous and chatty around him? Ok, Lily, breathe. Stop looking at him like that. Keep breathing, that's the key.
Harry exchanged glances with Ron, and stood up.
"Sure."
"Great!" Lily dragged him by the arm to a group of girls sitting in a corner of the room. Harry recognized the girl with short brown hair he saw in Potions.
"Everyone, this is Harry Porter, from Durmstrang. He's transferred here. Same with his friend, Ron Waters over there." Lily pointed over to where Ron was hunched over the chess board.
There were a few scattered "Hello"'s from the group.
"Honestly, can't you guys open up a bit?"
There was a silence before the girl with brown hair leaned forward. She had rectangular glasses that were balancing precariously on the tip of her nose. She held out her hand. Harry took it and she briskly shook his arm. It felt very much like shaking hands with Hagrid, but on a smaller scale.
"Hi, I'm Sarah McNeill. Pleased to meet you. I'm a beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team." She was addressing Harry, but seemed to be looking over his shoulder.
Harry nodded. More silence.
"Oh, this is stupid." Sarah spoke up again.
She began to introduce everyone. "This is Alice Freeman." She pointed to a girl with a round face and blonde hair. Harry realised this was Neville's mother. She shyly smiled and shook his hand. He smiled and thought of Neville.
Lily looked at Harry. Why does he always look so sad?
"- this is Deirdre Gordon-"
A black girl with braids and beads in her hair shook his hand lightly. "Hey."
"She's the Keeper for our team."
A girl with long mousey hair stood up and shook Harry's hand. "And I'm Amanda Paton. Please don't call me Mandy. Or Manda."
Harry nodded again. "Uh...okay."
A quiet voice spoke thoughtfully from the corner. "Harry Porter..."
The other girls exchanged glances. Lily whispered to Harry. "This is Lane. She's a bit...different from the rest of us, but she's fascinating when you get to know her."
A veil of silvery hair covered most of Lane's face, giving Harry the impression of mystery. A small nose peeked out, but Lane's eyes were downcast. Harry held out his hand, but Lane didn't shake it. Instead she traced a small finger over his palm.
"Harry..." She looked distantly out the window, then turned her gaze on Harry. Harry was taken aback. The irises of her eyes were a crimson red. They were not in the same league as Lord Voldemort's, but they were red nonetheless. Her eyes scanned his face, and rested on his scar. They seemed to penetrate him like Dumbledore's eyes.
"Pleased to meet you." Lane cast her eyes downwards again.
Harry was shaken up. Lily poked him. "Harry?"
Harry looked at her. "Er...yeah?"
"Well...now that you've met the ladies..."-they all nodded except for Lane, who stared out the window again-"I guess you'll be wanting to return to your chess game."
Harry nodded and Sarah craned her neck towards Ron. He was waiting expectantly for Harry.
"Well...I guess I'll see you guys around." He made his way back to in front of the fireplace, his thoughts pre-occupied with the strange Lane. Needless to say, he lost the chess match.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Whew! long chapter. Hope this was good. This is the longest chapter I've ever written. School starts tomorrow...*sniffs* I can't believe summer's already over. Back to school...those words sound so ominous. Oh Well. Tell me what you think, please review. I'll love you for it. anyways...have a great life people, I'll update every week if possible. Oh yeah, and Lane isn't a person for romance thingy...so she's got nothing to do with the whole Harry/Lily thing. Also, to anyone who watches Neon Genesis Evangelion, you'll probably notice the similarities between Lane and Rei Ayanami. And to anyone who watches anime and hasn't seen Eva, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??? GO WATCH IT! Ok, better go.
~~bluehoax
