Standing Strong
Summary: Can Dumbledore reunite the Gryffindores and Slytherines? Can Lily and James put aside their differences? Can the Marauders overcome all obstacles? But most of all can they stand strong?
Disclaim: All characters, places ect belong to j.K.Rowling unless of course you dont recognise them.
A/N: I know i havent finished one of my other stories but numerous problems prevented that and now that i can write agin i have to write this before i can finish my other one. This story keeps blocking ideas for my other one you see so it has to be done. By the way there is a kind of secrecy thing mixed in with this which is why sometimes there will be something mentioned but you wont find out what they are until later on in the story.
Chapter one: The beginning of a new start.
The Big red steam train which would be taking masses to Hogwarts school of witch craft and wizardry was surrounded by students; new ones old ones and the eldest of all, the seventh years. Standing by the entrance to platform 9 3/4 was Hogwarts new head girl waiting in anticipation for her friends. Her shoulder length wavy deep red hair moved softly with the gental wind. As she waited a group of four boys wondered through into the platform nearly knocking Lily Evans over.
"Oof...sorry Lily. Its Sirius, he just cant wait to get back to school. You know all the homework, girls, food, pranks..." expressed Remus loudly.
"Yeah sure he is. Its ok, i know it was more of the blundering idiots fault than yours."
"Now Lily darling if your refering to me and Jamsie here i'll have you know that though i may well still be a blundering idiot our Jamsie is now a respected member of Hogwarts an"
"Shut up Sirius" said James punching Sirius lightly in the arm.
"He's just embarressed" Sirius whispered to Lily as the four of them walked passed, each of them nodding in recognition as they went.
Lily didnt spend long pondering what Sirius meant, because at that moment Two girls walked in squeeled simultaneously when they saw Lily and each gave her a hug in turn.
"Sorry we're late. But as you know my parents were picking up Cas and bringing her to the station, but my dad got a bit los" Lily laughed and she couldnt help it.
"Its ok, i didnt expect anything else." It was true she didnt. Ella was always on the move and very energetic. Lily sometimes thought she was like that because she could suck the energy out of the people around her.
"Well we had better go and get a compartment before they all go, but if the worst comes to the worst our new head girl can squeez us in her new posh heads compartment." Ella wondered off ahead of them, a radient glow arounder her tall slim figure and dark brown hair up in a pony tail.
Lily and Cas looked at each other and smiled. Cas was the smallest of the three. Her short frame however was made up by her big personality. She stood and took nothing. Her short blonde hair and blue eyes did however provide a softer side to her. As they lesiurely walked over to the train and climbed on board they searched for Ella. They finally found her playing exploding snap with Sirius, whilst Remus and Peter watched in amusment as Sirius and Ella argued over who was going to win.
"I think you'll find that i Sirius Black champion of exploding snap will win"
"Err, no i dont think so, women will always prevale"
"No, no, no I Si" BANG! Sirius's eyebrows were singed and he had numerous black scorch marks around his face.
Ella jumped up and down doing some strange sort of victory dance and laughing at Sirius's obvious failure. Cas sat down with Remus and Peter.
"As much as i would love to stay and watch Sirius's humiliation, i have to meet the head boy. Is this the only compartment" Asked Lily.
"Yeah, fraid so. But dont worry I'll talk to you and Sirius will talk to James so that you dont have to talk to each other." Ella smiled and Sirius was about to object. "Sirius just shut up before you start, you will keep James busy other wise i will inform everyone of you exploding snap faliure."
"Ok, deal" Sirius smiled innocently and Ella hit him over the head.
Lily looked halfed amused and half worried for her friends sanity and wondered if being friends with some of the marauders was such a good idea after all.
When Lily left her friends what she didnt realise was that James hadnt been there with them. she wondered down the train and made her way to the heads compartment and entered, she closed the door and turned to greet the head boy only to find herself unable to speak.
"Hello head girl" James smiled widely in a knowing way. "Now if you had been paying attention when you saw me earlier you would have see i was wearing a heads badge, and this would not be a shocking situation for you."
James looked at Lily still smiling until he realised she hadnt moved and still hadnt said anything. He got up and moved her into a seat. Once she was sat down, he used his wand to squirt tiny droplets of water at her face.
"Eubler" Lily mumbled and swiped at her face. "Ok James, im fine." he stopped.
"It was just a shock to the system, i wasnt expecting a twerp for a head boy."
"Oh so who was you expecting some swatty nobody with a beard. You need to realise i have my good qualities."
"I dont need to realise any more about you than i already know. You show off enough and all that tells me is that you'd find a mirror more useful than the badge your wearing. It should go to somebody more responsible and somebody who actually wants the job and has earned it unlike you."
James just sat and stared at Lily. She realised she had perhaps been a bit too harsh. She knew James did well in lesson, she knew he revised and tried even if it wasnt very much but he did the same as everyone else. She also knew that as much as it pained her to say it he did have good qualities and thats what made him a true Gryffindore.
"Im sorry James.." James interupted Lily.
"No, you know ive just realised why we dont get on you will always assume im the same. You'll never admit if have done something useful to help or good. You'll never admit that i might have changed or grown up in some way. Your too stuck up to realise whats going on around you. A lots happened to make me think differently about certain things and certain situations but you...you refuse to see it, why"
Lily was stunned and didnt know what to say. In her hearts of hearts she had always secretly admired some of the things James was capable of and had admittidly ignored any change that resembled James growing into a real person. James was still sitting opposite her but he was looking away now.
"I am sorry James. Your right i did miss judge you, and believe it or not i have noticed some of the good things you've done."
James loked up at Lily, almost in surprise he had not expected her to accept what he had said so easily.
"Though i only miss judged you on this occasion as far finding you out at night in the corridors with a stupid grin on your face is concerned i always judge correctly." Lily smiled and James couldnt help but grin. It was start he thought as the words 'build bridges' from an old man floated around in his head.
James and Lily worked tirelessly writing timetables for the prefects and checking the train. When the trolly arrived with food both Lily and James lunged for thier money and brought as much as they could.
"Oh, i need this" said James stuffing a pumpkin pastry into his mouth. Lily just nodded, not wanting to stop eating for talk at that moment in time.
When the train finally arrived and all the students had just gotten out of the carriges and made their way inside to the great hall. Lily, Cas and Ella sat and the four Marauders were sat furthur down the table. Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat down and begam reeling off one name at a time and placing the sorting hat on each head. The hat was strangely trying to associate Gryffindor qualities and powers with those of Slytherine. Both houses found it an outrage and a crticise to their house.
When the sorting was finished, Dumbledore stood.
"Welcome, welcome to the new and old of the school. I would like to indroduce Mistress Potts as the new nurse for Hogwarts i have promised her a most full and busy year in the infirmary so dont let me down. Now lets eat"
Food appeared, and it was all the favourites. Chicken, ham, rice, potato, carrots, peas, chips, gravy, treakle pudding, triffle, jelly, icecream and lemon mirangue. Students helped themselves to a variety and stuck in.
Sirius filled his mouth until it could take no more.
"Jamthes 'ow thwas yt mmm, wigth 'illye"
"You could talk with an empty mouth Sirius if you want me to understand" said James. Sirius just shrugged.
"Well if you must know it was a rocky start but not too bad once we got started just a few disagreements."
The group fell silent, knowing how much it meant to James that he had Lily on his side. It had meant a lot to the people around James at home and James had respected and agreed with their feelings.
Finally everyone had eaten and couldnt wait for their beds. Dumbledore stood again to speak.
"I would like to have one final word with you all before you leave. Some of you may have picked up on certain hints that the sorting hat made today, this is due to the rising power of Lord Voldemort." There was a murmer and then stunned silence. "With his strength growing i fear that maybe the rest of the wizarding world is losing faith in itself and losing the trust of those who were once closest too them. I will agree with the sorting hat as i always have. All the houses share their similarities as they share their differences after all that is what makes people what they are and they should be united especially in hard times like the ones we face now. I would hope that you all think upon what i have said before you sleep and know that there are those you can rely on not matter who they are where they come from or how unexpected that person may be. Now off to bed, except of course my head girl and boy whome i need a quick word with, so if the prefects could show the new students to their rooms. Sweet dreams." Dumbledore ended cheerfully.
Lily couldnt understand the man, she never had been able to. All the same she headed up to the main table to Dumbledore and the two fo them waited for James. When James arrived Dumbledore stood.
"Ah good now if you will both follow me i will show you to your new heads rooms and then i wish to have a word with you both." Lily and James followed without objection.
A few set of stairs and corridores later Dumbledore stoped outside of a painting which contained a lady, dressed all in white and surrounded by doves.
"Perry winkles" Dumbledore said clearly and the portrait opened. James and Lily gasped in awe at the large red and gold room. It contained everything the two of them would need, books, desks, owl perches, a bathroom, sofa, fire place and two doors which would lead off to their own room. Dumbledore smiled and seemed glad that the two obviously liked the room.
"Now, your room Lily is the door on the left and James yours is on the right. I hope you dont mind but i would like to say my piece before i let you explore." Both Lily and James stood attentive. "Now i chose you two for my head boy and girl for many reasons the biggest being one which relates to what i have already said tonight. I believe you two together can help bring peace between the houses and set an example. Both of you have felt the hardship of Voldemort whether it be personally, through friends, newspapers or family and you both have your oppinions on the matter. Now by all means have a look around i will see you in the great hall promptly to give out timetables. Goodnight."
"Goodnight sir" replied James and Lily simultaneously. When Dumbledore left Lily gturned to James.
"What do you think the point was to that speech"
"I dont have a clue...well...no"
"No go on what" James squirmed under Lily's gaze before answering.
"Well i think he thinks that we understand enough about whats going on, in both a persnal and inpersonal way. We can look at things from different perspectives. He wants the houses reunited and he wants us to help achieve it."
"It cant be done can it." Lily said.
"I dont think so, no" Lily looked at James and saw true sadness and couldnt understand why. Though James had always been friendly with people from both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw he had never liked the Slytherines. With both Lily and James having various thoghts and feelings they went to bed supressed with he weight of a new responsibility, one they arent quite sure they can do or cope with.
A/N: Well this was a long chapter, maybe a bit too long i dunno tell me what you think when you review which you will. Anyway yeah its quite long so it might be a bit boring so i appologise for that but it all seemes relevent in its own way, but again im sure you'll all let me know if it is boring when you review, or more likely just tell me im annoying. So hope you do like it and REVIEW!
OOOOH by the way. People may be wondering why i dont have James and Lily calling each other Evans and Potter and screaming at each other. Well this is because i wanted it to be more like they are grown up and things have changed. So basically they hate each other but in a mature way. They can on occasions see the good in each other and admit when they are wrong or right, they understand enough about each other and other people to on occasions allow the other a bit of slack.