The pale moonlight accented the lone figure that stood outside gazing up at the night sky. Half closing his eyes a soft sigh escaped his lips as he thought about the school year to come. His new comet 360 lay down forgotten on the lush grass beside him. All had fallen asleep after the party, and James was now left alone in thought.

" Can't sleep?" Came a sudden voice behind him causing the James to jump.

" Oh.. hey Padfoot. No I just.." He sighed.

Sirius sat down next to James and looked at his friend in concern. " What's wrong Prongs?"

" Nothing.. I just have a lot on my mind... mainly about the coming school year..."

" Let me guess.. Lily." Sirius said with a sly smirk.

The tips of James' ears turned slightly pink, and he averted his gaze to the ground. " I just want things to be different this year.. that's all Padfoot... every year I try to impress her, but... it just seems to push her farther from my reaches." He sighed and collapsed next to his friend. " I don't know.. I try to change.. but with Snape and the other Slytherins it's almost impossible to. Then there's the rest of the school that always hangs upon my words.. I'm just sick of it.."

Sirius sat in silence and stared at James in surprise. " You mean to say that James Potter has seen the errors of his ways?"

James composed himself and quickly shook his head. A wry grin crossed his face as he looked over at the one that had become like a brother to him. " You know that's not what I mean... besides even if that may be so the infamous marauders can't break up over this... Sometimes I wonder if there isn't something between Evans and Snape. Have you seen the way she looks at him in class?"

Sirius snorted. " You'd think with her being as smart as she is she would have more sense then that.."

A smirk was the only response to that comment as he once more gazed up at the sky. A shooting star flew across the night and he inwardly smiled. " You're right.. perhaps I do think too much.. but I guarantee that this year will be a year to remember."

" I don't even want to know what you're thinking right now Prongs, but don't do something that you'll regret that's all I ask of you."

James arched an eyebrow as he stared at Sirius. " You're starting to sound like Moony."

" All the same James... just be careful. Before I left I heard Regulus talking to mum and dad and he said that something big was going to happen at school this year."

" Don't worry about it Sirius. Nothing will go wrong, and if it does no one but me will suffer the consequences for it. I don't want you and Remus to suffer with me this time."

Sirius sighed heavily. " If only Remus was here.." he muttered as he glanced skywards at the orb of the full moon. Remus left earlier that day, and now more than ever Sirius wished that he was here.

" I'd still do the same thing.. don't worry as I said this will be a school year worth remembering." James said quietly.

Silence once more resounded through the small garden that the two teens sat in lost in thought.

" It's getting late get to bed boys! We're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow for your school supplies." Evelyn's voice flooded through from an open window, and both boys headed up to James's room.

Silence continued to mount as the boys got ready for bed, and as their eyes finally closed the tension in the room was so thick that it was surprising that either of them could breathe.

Reviewers:

Sporkgirl: Usually I have more of an idea of where I'm going with the stories, this is the first time I've actually done it like this. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up for the legolas one soon.

Soulsummoner: Thanks for the complement hope you like this chapter.

Captain Scarlet penguin keeper: Thank you for the complements. I'm glad you like the story, and I hope you continue to enjoy it.