(A/N: Read on….sorry for the short date! I had completely forgotten about it! About the last part….it'll be discussed in the last chapters!

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Chapter 15 Someone New

The Marauders had immediately begun a major weeklong prank-fest dedicated only to the lucky Slytherins. They had all ready decided on a finale for Sunday, but were unwilling to share it with the girls.

The next day, as Lily had recalled was their first ever date.

At seven pm, Lily was waiting in the common room, her hand clutching a note from James.

Lily,

Meet me in the common room at seven.

James

(A/N: Well, what did you expect? Short and sweet: )

So, there she was, wearing a forest green woolen sweater and top and a long khaki skirt.

James suddenly appeared from the boy's stairs, looking very windblown.

"Lily"

They had a wonderful time that night. James had planned a very special picnic, on top of one of the isolated towers. Wrapped in a warm afghan, they spent the entire night, talking about life, love and their future, just watching the stars and later the rising sun. James had packed Lily's favorite things, strawberries dipped in chocolate, champagne among other things. Thoughtfully, James had placed charms on all the food and drink to be replenished through out the night. (A/N: Gasp Magic!)

Sometime during the middle of the week, Tuesday, in fact, Hogwarts got a surpriseseven assorted students from Durmstrang. Professor Dumbledore did not give any explanation for their presence and had begun breakfast with the customary sorting.

Six of the students were placed in Slytherin. One of them, a dark haired ugly git who looked as though he hadn't bathed for weeks was, oddly enough, staring at Lily continuously. Lily, very frankly, was thoroughly creeped out especially when everyone pointed out the resemblance between him and Snape. When Professor Dumbledore introduced all of them, Lily found out he, Stritius Snape, was two years younger than her. Luckily

The remaining student, a white-blonde seventh year with pale blue eyes named Ralph Nichols was put into Gryffindor. As one of Gryffindor's prefects, Professor McGonagall appointed Lily to show him around. James was extremely busy with something else…Lily wondered what.

Lily found Ralph to be painfully shy and quiet, but at the same time, she got the feeling he was kind and considerate...and had a temper. You can tell a lot by looking at their eyes, Lily had found out. By noon, it appeared that had gotten accustomed to Lily and started talking about the other students openly.

"So, why were you in Durmstrang?" asked Lily.

"My parents and their stupid ancestors…they just had to start the tradition of always being in Durmstrang. Hmph." He replied, twisting his face comically.

Lily smiled. "So then, why are you in Hogwarts, all of a sudden?"

He turned away slightly; trying to change the subject, he asked, "So tell me…Are there any pretty girls here at Hogwarts? Besides you? Or are they all taken?"

Although Lily wondered at the change, she let it be. He had no need to tell Lily anything, if he didn't want to. They chattered amicably as they walked toward her friends for break.

"Hey Lils…who's this?" James put his arms around Lily, and had she been more attentive, she would have noticed that he…well, he was trying to mark off his territory…

Ralph grinned understandingly. He wasn't interested in Lily. She was just a good friend. "So, Lils, won't you introduce me to…your friend here?"

Lily blushed, "This here dashingly handsome gentleman is James Potter, my boyfriend."

She pointed out everyone else as they entered, hurriedly trying to explain their complicated relationships.

"That's Sirius, crazy-monkey-git, he's James' best friend AND Larika…I mean Lara…" Lily corrected herself as Lara glared at her. " That is, my best friend's boy friend. Then Remus and Katrina…Remus is James' and Sirius' other best friend and Kat is ours. And that's Peter there, leading up the end."

He was staring at everyone, really bewildered.

Peter chuckled reassuringly. "Don't worry. Basically, we four guys are the Marauders. Each of us, except me, is going out with one of those three she-devils."

He shuddered as the 'Three She-Devils' glared at him collectively. "Trust me. You don't want to mess with them."

Throughout the week, Lily had been practically hounded by Snape, junior.

The older one had been avoiding her ever since the beginning of the year, when she had almost….well, almost removed some of his vital body parts. Clearly, Snape senior hadn't told what's-his-name Stritius, about her charming…ahem…hexing abilities. But Lily, for some odd reason, didn't want to go to those extreme measures for a fourteen year old. But, even after giving him a month's worth of detention, Stritius still hadn't stopped bothering her. Exhausted with him following her around, even waiting outside her classes, Lily finally allowed James and the rest of the big-brotherly Marauders to 'deal' with him. They had been more than willing to give him a good scare, ever since the beginning when they found out he was Severus Snape's younger brother. At the time, only the combined efforts of Lily, Lara and Kat had barely been able to stop them. (He's only fourteen, James!)

During break, Stritius was following the group around when suddenly, the Marauders suddenly whirled around to face him. The girls moved ahead, still watching warily, making sure that their anger didn't influence them…too much.

"So? Thought you'd follow Lily around?" asked Sirius.

All of the four guys were livid. In from behind them, the girls could tell. James and Sirius, muscular and tall from playing Quidditch, Remus looked very menacing, looming over their heads. Even Peter, his face contorted in anger, looked remotely scary. Stritius, nearly as tall as Sirius, was just pale skin and bones.

People around gave way. They could tell, the Marauders were pretty darn angry and it didn't take a genius to know why.

Stritius didn't say anything. He should have listened to his brother when he had said not to get in the Marauder's or their friend's ways.

James shoved him onto the cold, stone wall. Stritius took out his wand, but Sirius was faster and snatched it from his hand.

James pulled his hand back to punch him. Remus and Sirius were holding either side of Stritius.

"Potter!" a voice rang out in the corridor.

(A/N: Should I leave it here? Leave you until the next chapter? No, I'm not as evil as Stritius.)

"Potter! Get your filthy hands off my brother!"

James looked behind his back to see Severus Snape, holding out his wand hazardously.

"Get out of here, Snape. You're not involved here." Even though James absolutely loved fighting with Snape Sr. now was NOT the time.

"You involve my brother, you involve me." Retorted Snape.

"FINE!" yelled James. "No wands. Hands on duel."

Snape looked taken aback. He hadn't been expecting to fight James and his gang….without his wand. He was smart enough to admit that Stritius and he would stand absolutely no chance. But he couldn't refuse now. Not now. He threw his wand down.

"Fine." Snape snapped back.

Remus and Sirius let go off Stritius and he ran back to his brother.

Severus pulled his hands back into fighting position. Stritius followed suit.

Suddenly, without the least of warning, James cuffed Stritius and at the same instant, Severus kicked Peter, right in the stomach. Remus and Sirius landed flying punches on either side of Snape's face. Just before the punches would begin an all out war between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Larika interfered. " Professor McGonagall is coming!"

The gathered crowd scattered and both the Snapes turned around, furiously walking in the opposite direction. Ralph arrived, looking very worried, just as Lily was beginning to heal Peter with her charms.

"I heard a fight had—", he paused to look at the state of the guy's faces.

James had a long gash down his arm and a bruise blueing on his cheek, Remus' face was muddy and scratched up, Sirius was sporting a bloody lip and Peter was clutching his stomach. "Are you all right?"

Sirius nodded angrily, but he was still looking at Larika. His temper was still hot, his fight with Snape hadn't had the necessary 'closure'. "Professor McGonagall. She's not here. She's not anywhere in sight. Why?"

Larika looked down fearfully. "I lied."

"You what?"

"I LIED! OK! Want me to yell it to the entire world? Yes, I couldn't stand to see my boyfriend and his best friends being beaten up by the likes of Snape! SO I LIED!"

"What? Being beaten up?" He practically spat. "We were winning! For Christ's sake, Larika. What, you don't have enough faith in me…to believe that I would lose to Snape…Snape of all people!"

"It's not about faith, alright? It's about the fact that I care too much about you to let you get yourself hurt…Snape…he had picked up his wand…he was going to curse you…I can't handle that…" She collapsed and began sobbing.

"Don't start….crying…I can't stand…STOP CRYING!" He turned around, staring at the wall, breathing haggardly.

Everyone else was staring at their feet, Lily's lips were pursed, her face pale. Ralph was looking around, wondering what drama they were acting out…

He looked at Sirius' back. "What….you're making your girlfriend cry…because of that idiot Snape?" He shook his head, disbelievingly.

Sirius turned around, his temper flared up again. "Listen. You have no business, absolutely no damn business being here! What goes on between me and her, is between me and her. Alright! Now get your bloody nose out of my face."

When Ralph made no motion to go away, Sirius pushed himself onto him aggressively. "Get out o"

"Sirius," Larika had shoved herself between them. "Don't touch him. He hasn't done anything."

Sirius stepped back, annoyed. "Well, why do you care a damn what happens to him?"

Larika spoke tearfully, "He is my friend."

"Really? Then what am I?"

"Sirius…" she closed her eyes sadly.

"Tell ME! What am I, then?"

Her eyes sparkled, showing her anger. "Right now? Right now, you are nothing to me. Absolutely nothing." She moved up close to him. "It's over." She whispered.

She turned around, grabbed hold of Ralph's hand and led him outside. Never looking back.

(A/N: By the way, I've redone almost all my chapters, corrected mistakes added background info, etc. Check it out!

Something FUNNY! FUNNY! FUNNY! FUNNY! FUNNY! Yes, FUNNY! I had Ralph down as a girl named Heather Kirk. But then, I realized, I all ready had TWO female OCs (Lara and Kat) and only 1 male OC (Steven) Don't count Nik or his dad…they haven't made an appearance…yet.)