Author's Notes: I'm sorry I decided to delete the first chapter of the first "Above and Beyond". I wanted to go further back into the Marauder's, Lily's, and her friend's lives before Lily and James got together. So the only way to do that was to delete it. Hope this turns out the way I want it to. If not I still have the first one saved so I can submit it if this doesn't go as planned.

I want to introduce the characters before you read, just so I don't have to try to fit it in somewhere in the story.

Lily Evans: She has beautiful red hair and bright green eyes. She (as well as her friends) does not like the Marauders (at first of course). They all think they're arrogant and immature.

James Potter: Well basically James is the same James you read about in Harry Potter. He has jet-black hair that sticks up everywhere, and hazel eyes (at least in this story he does ). He likes Lily, a lot.

Bianca Fields: Lily's best friend since 1st year at Hogwarts. She has dark brown, straight hair that is shoulder length and green eyes. Bianca is smart, pretty, and fun to hang out with.

Amanda Clearwater: She's a really good friend of Lily's. She has light brown, wavy hair that flows just past her shoulders and gorgeous blue eyes. Amanda is not someone you'd want to mess with. She's outgoing and she's not afraid to smack someone in the face or tell them off, this gets her into trouble at times.

Sirius Black: Sirius is once again basically the person you read about in Harry Potter… or not, considering this Sirius Black hasn't been in Azkaban for 13 years. This Sirius is the tallest of the Marauders, with of course black hair and brown eyes. Most girls at Hogwarts are just wishing he'd ask them out, just like most of the Marauders (except Peter ). He likes Amanda and is James's best friend.

Remus Lupin: Remus is Remus. He has dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes (er… I think?). Um… oh yes he likes (you guessed it!) Bianca. Can't think of anything else to say about him.

Peter Pettigrew: barfs Peter is Peter. He's short, chubby and annoying. He lies and he's a betrayer. Forget about him. I have no urge to waste time writing about Peter. Maybe I'll add tidbits about him every once in a while, but other than that he's just out there in the background. Sorry if someone out there has some reason to like him, very unlikely, but I don't so I don't need to write a lot about him. Okay? Okay.

So here's the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I wouldn't be writing this if I did. I would be off in London writing the Half-Blood Prince. The only things I do own are Bianca Fields and Amanda Clearwater.

It was a normal hot summer day on August 29th. Lily Evans and her best friends Amanda Clearwater and Bianca Fields were getting ready to go to Diagon Alley to pick up the school books they would need for their 6th year at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Hurry up, Bianca!" Amanda shouted while banging on Lily's bathroom door

"Chill out woman, I'm coming!" Bianca said opening the bathroom door and walking out

"You guys almost ready?" Lily said as she walked into her room

"We would've been if SOMEBODY didn't take so long in the bloody bathroom!" Amanda shouted

Lily chuckled, "Well hurry up, I want to get their before everyone else in the school does!" She said as she walked out of her room followed by Bianca who was obviously ready.

The three girls entered Diagon Alley to find it very, very crowded.

"I told you guys to hurry up so we wouldn't get here when it's this crowded!" Lily complained

"It's not our fault, Lily. Diagon Alley is always crowded a week before school starts, you can't avoid it." Bianca said

"I know… but where do you guys want to go first?" asked Lily

"Ollivanders. My mum accidentally stepped on my wand the day before I went to your house." Amanda said

"All right, Ollivanders it is." Lily said as the three girls entered the small shop full of small boxes

"Welcome, welcome! What can I get for you ladies?" Mr. Ollivander asked

"I need a new wand." Amanda said

"You've come to the right place! Let me see… what wand for you Miss Clearwater?" said Mr. Ollivander as he stood up on his ladder and looked through the boxes.

"Ah-ha, let's try this one." Said Mr. Ollivander as he handed the wand to Amanda, when she took it a vase shattered to the right of them making them all jump

"Hmm… no not that one. Try this." Mr. Ollivander said handing Amanda a 11 ½ inch wand with a Unicorn hair in it.

"Perfect!" Mr. Ollivander said, "That will be two galleons please."

Amanda paid and off they went.

"I want to go to Flourish and Blott's and get our books so that will be out of the way." Bianca said

The girls walked into the bookstore and were soon greeted by the owner.

"Can I help you?" he asked

"Yes we need three copies of: The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six by Miranda Goshawk, A Guild to Transfiguration, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, Modern Magical History, Moste Potente Potions, and One Thousand Magical Herms and Fungi by Phyllida Spore, please." Amanda said reading off their schoolbook list.

"Ah, getting your sixth year Hogwarts books are you?" The storeowner asked, the girls nodded as the man went to a bookshelf to get the books.

Lily started to browse the books when she saw the four familiar faces of the Marauders. She quickly turned around to warn her friends and to avoid being seen by them, especially James.

"Guys, don't look now but James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter are here." Lily said trying to hide herself, just as Bianca looked over at them

"I said don't look!" Lily whispered

"Sorry!" Bianca said, just as the Marauders approached

"Well, hello girls. Long time no see." Sirius said

"Get lost, Black." Amanda said narrowing her eyes

"We're just getting our books, relax!" Sirius protested

"Well can't you get your books without bothering us?" Bianca said

"Bothering you? We only said hi… geez." James said

The storeowner handed the girls their books and they left without saying another word to the Marauders.

"I just can't wait to spend another year with them." Amanda said sarcastically

"Oh yes it will be a blast." Lily added

"I wonder if I can figure out a way to make them leave us alone without getting detention…" Amanda said

Lily laughed, "I'd like to see that happen."

"You speak so lightly of me, Lils. It is possible. I mean, sure, it would take a lot of thought, time, and patients but it could happen." Amanda said

"But see that's the problem, for one you don't have patients and I don't know how long I can manage to tolerate them without pulling my hair out, Amanda." Bianca said

Amanda sighed, "Fine, you win."

The girls laughed as they entered Eelops Owl Emporium to buy Lily a new owl.

"How about this one?" Bianca asked, after thirty minutes looking at owls, pointing to a snowy owl, "It's beautiful, Lils. C'mon I want to leave!"

"Is he friendly?" Lily asked approaching the pure white snowy owl that had specks of gray all over his body

When Lily pet the owl he just hooted happily, "I like him." Lily said

"Finally!" Amanda said

"Sir, I'll take this one." Lily told the storeowner

"Good choice." She said as she pulled the owl's cage down gently, "That will be ten Galleons please."

Lily paid for the owl and they left.

"What are you going to name him?" Bianca asked gently stroking the owl's head

"Hmm… Binks." Lily said

"Why Binks?" Amanda asked

"Because I like the name. Obviously, Manda." Lily said

"Whatever you say." Amanda said

"Let's go now, please!" Bianca said

"All right." Lily said, as the girls entered the Leaky Cauldron and were soon on their way back to Lily's house to get a good night's rest before they left for Hogwarts at 11:00 AM the next morning.