Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling and some aspects and plot of this story is based on Warriors Don't Cry, a book by Melba Pattillo Beans.

A/N: And the very long-awaited replace of chapter 7.

Chapter 7:

Although the statue incident had left Lily in complete shock and shame, she found herself getting up for the first day of school.

She groaned and yawned, the sunlight streaming in and tickling her face. 'It would be so nice if I could wake up like this everyday…' Lily thought, stretching out her arms, suddenly she fell face down on her pillow again, with something heavy on her back.

Candice Hays, a fellow pureblood Gryffindor and a future-to-be-nemesis of Lily had successfully plummeted Lily with two of her heaviest pillows as hard as she could, followed by a two more pillows from her posse.

Lily peaked out from the mound of pillows heaped up on her back. 'I forgot this wasn't my room…'

She got up, tumbling the pillows down on the floor. She heard giggles and looked at the Gyffindor girls giggling and pointing at her. Lily's face was flushed, and she glared at them. 'So they were the ones who hit me!' Lily thought angrily. She flung her blanket off the bed and stepped onto a pillow. 'I'll show them…I'm going to bloody step all over their pillows with my stinking feet…If only they were disgusting enough to do so.' Lily thought, stepping all over the pillows, wedging and rubbing her feet onto the nice, white pillow case, hopefully to get some shoe and sweat stench on there.

It was a stupid idea and it probably wouldn't work..but…..Lily looked up at Candice's face.

Candice only watched curiously, a thoroughly amused look on her face. "You know," she said, in an all too snobbish a voice, "The house-elves will just change our bed sheets and pillow cases by the time we eat lunch. So I doubt you can get any of us to smell your feet!" She laughed airily, and her girls followed suit, walking out of the girl's dormitory.

Lily kicked the pillows furiously. This was going to be a great first day.

Lily entered the Transfiguration room with the rest of the Gryffindors, accompanied by the Slytherins. Just as she walked in, the whole class, once a bustling and laughing classroom hushed as she walked through the door. All students were looking at her and each time Lily's eyes met others, either she or they would look away. Lily took notice that her shoes were very interesting today. The way the stitches fall so nicely aligned and circular around her shoe.

'No sense in giving them fuel..' she thought as she walked towards the back of the classroom. She was halfway there and ignoring all the people's eyeballs burning holes through her eyes when a person tapped on her shoulders. She nearly screamed.

"Oh, Tony." Lily said, her face relaxed and a small smile replaced her sad one.

"You looked kind of spaced out there, don't worry I know how it feels." Tony said, and gestured toward the empty seat next to him.

"You want to sit next to me?" He offered, pulling up a chair for her.

"Yeah I think I definitely would like that." She said, taking the seat. "Thanks."

"Your welcome."

Silence and tension hung in the air as the two muggleborns were sitting like an animal zoo for all to see, especially for the purebloods. Whispers and evil laughter could be heard all around and it was starting to make Lily feel uncomfortable. And it didn't help that Tony didn't seem to start any conversation. Awkward silence always bugged her. It felt like it was her duty to start up a good, decent conversation. She couldn't get that nagging feeling out of her body that beckoned her to say something. 'I wish I learned how to endure awkward silence…' Lily thought painfully. She knew that nagging feeling was never going to go away. 'Better now than never' Lily thought. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words formed on her tongue. Tony too, had his mouth open, already looking into Lily's eyes.

"I--" both Lily and Tony began and the both shut their mouths immediately.

"Uh" they both began again.

"Sorry, you can go first." Tony managed to croak out.

"Uhh, no, no, it's okay, you can go Tony. Mine can wait." Lily insisted.

"Oh no, please, ladies first." Tony said, acting like a complete gentlemen.

Lily was about to insist again that Tony go first when an incompetent black haired boy decided to barge in.

"Well if it isn't the two mudbloods together." James Potter said, laughter playing on his tongue. Something stirred inside of him, seeing those two together. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor? What an interesting pair.

Both Lily's and Tony's eyes grew cold at his presence. Lily was about to say something when Tony spoke first. "What's it to you? You jealous or something?" He spat, daring Potter to say anything, anything against them.

"Jealous? Me?" James snorted. He held a smirk on his face and grinned evilly. "Why would I be jealous of a mudblood?"

Tony sat silent at that remark. He was never good at comebacks. His jaw twitched from setting it hard against his teeth, his eyebrows already furrowed in anger. He didn't like this boy one bit. And the fact that he was the one who had pranked on Lily the yesterday wasn't a good factor either. And low and behold, he was the in the same house as Lily. That wasn't good either.

Lily barged into the two of them. "Excuse me, Potter," She spat, ice frosted all over her tone, "if you don't mind, Tony and I did not ask to be graced with your presence, considering your blood."

That caught James off guard. His eyes widened and almost, for a second there, showed fear. His anger quickly swelled up inside and in his eyes. After a glare on Tony and then another look at Lily, he turned swiftly and stomped to his desk, his dark robes leaving a caressing wind on both Lily's and Tony's cheek.

She! She of all people! How dare she defy him! How dare she even accuse of him of being low as to bring him down to talk, even to have a decent verbal quarrel against her! 'It was wrong…' He thought. 'I should have never pulled a prank on her yesterday. Only hurts my reputation as a pureblood. How can I, a pureblood, be as low enough to even prank on her? A mudblood deserving a prank? Its unheard of!' He thought furiously as he slumped onto his seat.

Sirius plunked down on his desk next to him. "What's up with you?"

"A mudblood. Two actually." He answered, growling.

"Oh. Those two." Sirius said, disgust hanging on his tone. "I think we should prank them again. I mean it would be fun. Or we could make some sort of love triangle going on, I mean who in the world has ever heard of a Slytherin and a Gryffindor sitting next to each other?"

"That's because they weren't sorted by the Sorting Hat, Sirius. They didn't get to choose which house to be in either." Remus said, a disapproving look on his face.

That seemed to put a damp in their fun. "And James, you should obviously know better. You do remember that you are under Dumbledore's care?"

James growled. "I don't need a lecture from you Remus. I get that enough from Dumbledore already. It doesn't matter if I was raised up by him or whether or not he and I have the same beliefs or not, I still do not like mudbloods."

Remus had quite a glare on his face. "Well, if you excuse me I think they're perfectly fine. In fact, I might as well as say hi to them. Good-day."

Both James and Sirius gaped after him, both watching him slowly walk towards the two muggleborns and introduce himself politely with a handshake.

"Prongs, is the full moon close tonight? Because I think Moony just got deranged." Sirius said, still gaping at Remus.

"No, its not anywhere near." James whispered hoarsely.

"Hello, my name is Remus Lupin it is a pleasure to meet you Lily Evans." Remus said offering a hand to Lily. Lily warily took and hesitantly took his hand, unsure whether it was another trick from a pureblood.

"And you are?" Remus said, offering his hand to Tony. Tony however, didn't take it and answered coldly, "Tony Raja. It is nice to meet you Lupin."

Remus let out a small smile and took back his hand. "I have to say it is very wonderful to meet you two, I hope that you have an enjoyable year at Hogwarts. I also hope that you four will be back next year."

Remus left, not wanting to provoke anything between the Slytherin boy and him. He knew that they had every right to be wary of him. Especially Lily, after what happened yesterday. It was frustrating that he wasn't able to stop James from pulling that little stature prank on her. Shame fell upon his already heave-laden shoulders. He should have followed Dumbledore's advice and sort of knocked some sense into James.

If only James could realize what an arrogant jerk he was.

Remus was about to take back his seat next to James, filled with the compulsion to actually drive something good into James, when the Transfiguration teacher entered in.

"6th year students, welcome to another great school year, I am Professor Reese However much you want to converse with the rest of your friends at this moment, I am inclined to give you assigned seating." The Professor said.

Everybody groaned at his statement. Nobody liked assigned seating. The idea to Lily was like doom coming to claim her soul. They couldn't! Now Lily couldn't even get to sit with someone who was at least nice to her or something. Then again, who would ever be nice to her? Tony and Lily looked at each other, worried, shocked and a painful expression was apparent in their eyes.

Lily swallowed hard and looked away as the Professor listed out pairs.

'Please God, you can't make me sit next to him.' Lily thought, putting her hands together near her chest, glancing up at the ceiling, almost as if she was praying.

Unfortunately God, who doesn't always seems to answer everything, did not grant her prayers and decided to give her the exact opposite.

"Potter, Evans."

Lily thought she had died and gone to the endless pit of fire. Tony didn't seem to like it either, because once the pair was announced he jumped up, taking action to stand up, but instead, both his knees hit extremely hard under the table. Tony slightly crouched in pain, both his hands rubbing his bruised knees.

Needless to say, James also felt the same way.

Reluctantly, Lily pried herself off the seat next to Tony and took the empty seat next to James, who was trying very hard not to smack and prank on the teacher. The second she took the seat, she immediately raised her hand.

"My, my, class hasn't even begun a lecture and we already have a student asking questions about nothing, since she obviously doesn't know nothing!" Professor Reese remarked, dropping his clipboard on his desk, making a loud clang through the room.

Lily swallowed. She had forgotten that teachers were also bloodcists. "I was just wondering if these assigned seats would stay the same through out the school year."

"Well, since you asked about it, I officially decided that yes, your seating arrangements will last for the rest of the school year." Professor Reese said, hunching over his desk. "Now then, let's begin." He said, taking chalk and scribbling un-readable material on the blackboard.

Glares were all resting on Lily's body, angry, angry glares from purebloods, mad that she had asked, mad that she had triggered a permanent, year-round seating arrangement.

Lily glanced at Tony who could only look back at her sadly. Well, let's just hope that she will be able to see Tony every Transfiguration class.

But that wish wasn't going to be granted either.

Transfiguration, Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts passed by, and Lily was thankful that it was lunch and that she has at least managed to get by the past two classes with no more than glares, rather than more glares 10 times worse and being yakked at by the teacher.

Lily let out a long breath as she plopped down on her seat and started piling her plate with food. At least lunch could take her mind off of some things.

Lily was about to eat a spoonful of rice when Tijana popped up next to her, her blue hair now put into school girl braids only funky.

Lily stared at her. "You look like a blue haired Pippi-Longstocking."

Tijana grinned and waved it off. "Yeah well, I thought it would give the rest of the students something to talk about it besides the fact that I'm a muggleborn." She sat down next to her, even though other students from other houses weren't allowed to in each other's house tables.

"Don't you think you'll get in trouble for this?" Lily whispered. "And did you put wire in your hair?"

"For what?" Tijana said loudly, on purpose. Lily gestured her to sitting at the Gryffindor table.

"Oh." Tijana said and then dropped her voice to a whisper. "Well I couldn't care less. And now, I did it magically. A few thing I picked up back at my old school. Anyways girl, you and the rest of us have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore."

Lily froze. A meeting? Since when? She didn't hear about this! "We do?!"

Tijana nodded. "Yeah we do. Why? You didn't get an owl or something?"

Lily shook her head. "No I didn't."

"Oh well, now you know. We need to go now though." Tijana said, grabbing Lily's plate just as Lily was going to take another spoonful of rice.

"Ahh dammit." Lily swore and got up, following Tijana up the stairs.

"Tijana, you better give me that plate. I'm super hungry and I have just dealt with three classes with nothing but death glares. I want my food." Lily growled, shoving her hand to grab the plate from Tijana. "You think we're allowed to bring a plate to the meeting?"

Tijana shrugged as she handed Lily the plate. "Well, I don't see any professors taking points off from us."

"Oh the point system." Lily said sarcastically. "Its so wonderful."

"Ah ha, so this is the library!!"

"We're in the library? They have a library?" Lily asked stupidly.

"Apparently they do."

"It was rhetorical question."

"You mean more of a statement?"

"Whatever."

"You're sounding like an American."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Girls! Welcome! Here, have a seat. Ah Ms. Evans, I see that you have managed to bring a plate full of food. Oh well, I guess you don't want the last piece of chicken here…" Michael said, pouncing on the last piece.

However, Lily got there first. "Michael, if you are going to be the obstacle standing in the way between me and my lunch, you will die." Lily said, taking the piece of chicken away.

Tony sniggered. "Better luck next time Michael, you pig."

"I am not a pig!"

"Maybe not one, but you sounded a lot like Dumbledore." Tijana said, laughing.

They were in the library, sitting a table with an array of food, much to Lily's liking. She sat down next to Tony. "Tony and I had Transfiguration together."

"Oh really? Well I was alone at Potions then." Tijana said, plopping across from Lily.

"Yeah I was alone too, Herbology. Nasty little plants. Worse than nettles…" Michael said, taking a bun and sitting next to Tijana.

"You know, Tijana, I should call you TJ." He said all of a sudden.

Tijana looked at him weirdly. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, you have nothing to be worried about TJ."

Tijana protested, "TJ?!"

"Sort of fits." Lily put in. "Tijana, TJ, Tijana, TJ. I think TJ is good."

"Oh bugger. Then we'll call you Lils, or Tiger Lily, or….I like Lils. Lil' Lils!"

"Oh my god."

Tijana burst into fits of laughter at the remark.

"Mike, and TIKE!" Tijana said, pointing to both Michael and Tony, who could only stare at her hair. She was laughing her head off then.

"I think I now know why the Minister of Magic chose her." Lily said. "She's so funky and fun!"

"More like he's crazy!" Tony put in.

"Oh my god that hurts Tony!" Tijana said, laughing.

Michael threw his half-eaten bun at Tony. "Yeah Tony, stop making her cry."

"I'm not crying!" Tijana exclaimed, although her laughter got the better of her and she only managed to laugh harder.

"And I'm not making her cry!" Tony threw the bun back at Michael's face.

"You guys are nuts." Lily said. "Um, can I stop this little flirting session and ask why are we here and why in the world Professor Dumbledore isn't here?"

Tijana stopped laughing and was resorting to breathing hard in order to recover. "I think-" Breathe. "He's-" Breathe. "Late."

"I thought so too." Lily nodded. "And its called inhaling and exhaling TJ!"

Tijana glared at Lily but then ignored her. "So, does anybody have any idea about what this meeting about?"

"Ms. Williams, this meeting is going to be about outside activities, such as clubs, sports and trips this school has to offer." Professor Dumbledore said, sitting down next to the four. "I apologize for the delay, but I was in a meeting with some of the young 5th years, prefects."

"Prefects?" Michael questioned.

"Yes, it something what you would call…ah…what was the name again? I think hall-moniter? Yes, yes that's it."

"Oh. Really? Is that all they do though? Just watch the hallways and corridors?" Lily asked.

"Well no, they are also allowed to take off and give points, as well as go into meetings and maintain responsibility of the whole house in general. But you can only be a prefect in 5th year, and you four don't need to worry about that. You're in 6th year."

"Oh." The four chorused.

"Alright, now I want to tell you that I have all sent permission forms to your parents. These forms allow you to visit a Wizard town called Hogsmeade. All trips are on the first Saturdays of every month. sNow, I want to talk to you about Quidditch-"

"Quidditch?" Tijana said, rolling the name over her tongue a couple of times.

"Quidditch, Ms. Williams, is a wizard sport, you fly around on broomsticks."

"No way…"Michael said, interrupting Dumbledore once again, "you serious? WE GET TO FLY?!" His eyes were huge with amazement, his bun dropping from his hand in shock.

"Well, not all of you, but only two of you. You have till this Friday to decide and-"

Michael slammed his hand down on the table and raised his other hand frantically, "I ACCEPT! I want to play quidditch!"

Tijana put her face into her hands, shaking her head. "Michael! Do you have any manners at all? That isn't the way you treat Professor Dumbledore!"

Michael turned crimson, as well as his hand and sat back down on his chair. "I apologize."

"No, no, no need. Well then," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands and some parchment and quill appeared out of nowhere. He put his hand on his chin. "One is already taken, Michael of Hufflepuff, any takers for today?" He said, looking around at the other three muggleborns.

"Oh come on now, quidditch isn't all that bad, its absolutely fun. You win points for your house."

Silence claimed the library.

"Okay then, Ms. Evans you can be a chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Practice is on Friday."

Lily gaped at Dumbledore's retreating back as he left the library. HOW COULD HE?! Didn't he know how much she was afraid of heights?

Michael sniggered at Lily's expression. He slapped her on the back, causing her to reel over with pain. "I'm going to whip your butt on the field."

"Yeah…Right." Was the only thing Lily could manage.

James suddenly twitched and dropped his fork on the plate, letting it clatter loudly. Something not good was going to happen this Friday. He didn't know what, but he didn't like the sound of it.

"What's wrong Prongs?" Sirius asked, his hands waving over James' face.

"I just had a bad feeling…"

"Yeah, about what?"

"I don't know."

A/N: Best I could come up with. :-D