Chapter One: Questioning

"Emma, who's the first on the list of guys this year?" Carolina pondered, looking up from eating in the Great Hall at the Back to School Feast.

"Yeah, Em, whose heart you gonna break first?" Lily chimed in, giggling. Carolina and Emma where Lily's two best friends at Hogwarts. They had befriended Lily the first trip on the Hogwarts Express, Lily being quiet and shy at the time. However, they soon learned that Lily didn't have red hair for nothing, she had a temper that flamed the color of her hair. Carolina was a muggle-born girl of Spanish descent. She had long dark brown hair that fell in natural waves and dazzling blue eyes. She was beautiful according to any guy at Hogwarts. She was pretty average in height and was much more reserved than the other two. Emma on the other hand had short light brown hair and honey coloured eyes. She was rather short, but what she lacked in height, she made up for in a quick, fiery temper matching Lily's. Emma, too, was pretty, and had her fair share of guys after her. Lily, however, was very short, coming in at 5'2", but her temper made up for what she was missing in height. She was petite, with fiery red hair and deep emerald eyes. She would have had as many guys after her as her two friends, but James Potter had threatened anyone that even came within a two-foot radius of her. Despite this, Lily's boyfriend, Hunter Davies, had not been frightened by James' antics and took the risk of facing his wrath if Lily was hurt in any way.

"Oh, I don't know," Emma replied, with a very devilish grin. "Maybe Chris Parrish, he was looking rather nice on the train. Him training for quidditch was good to him." The girls went on talking for a while about their summers, unaware that a certain raven-haired boy was staring at a beautiful redhead. They were soon interrupted, however, by Dumbledore, with his annual back to school speech.

"Welcome all of you back to Hogwarts for the start of another great school year. To all of you first years, welcome to your new home. You will soon realize that your fellow housemates will become like your family throughout the course of the years. A word of caution, however," he continued, looking ever so slightly at the Slytherins, "a new force is rising among us. An evil one. Some parents will not like me telling you that a certain dark wizard named Voldemort and his group of Death Eaters are infiltrating the wizarding world—destroying families, leaking important information from the Ministry, and even spying through their children at Hogwarts. Although this evil power may not affect you directly, it will effect many students sitting in this room, if it already has not. Choose your friends wisely—the people who you associate yourself with can forever change your path in this world. They will either help you on your way to greatness, or pull you down with them along the path of darkness." Dumbledore paused slightly before continuing. "On a lighter note, the school caretaker, Apollygon Pringle, has a long list of rules in which you are to abide by if you do not wish to suffer dire consequences," he said, looking directly at the Marauders, causing many heads in the Great Hall to turn in that direction. "Now it is time for you to head to your houses and get some rest because tomorrow will be a long day. Oh, and yes, this year serving you as Head Boy and Girl will be James Potter and Lily Evans." Many people began to applaud, but the Great Hall was filled with loud whispers, amazed that a great Marauder such as James Potter would be given the respected position of Head Boy. Unnecessarily, Sirius whooped loudly. James replied by giving him the worst death stare he could muster. "Now, if the Head Boy and Girl would kindly meet me outside their Heads' Dorm for a few minutes, would the Prefects show all the first years to their respective houses." With that everyone got up and headed out the doors to go back to their common rooms.

"Miss me Evans?" James joked.

"Oh, my summer was rather on the dull side without you Potter," Lily played. "Petunia, however, did a good job filling in for you. Come on. Let's not keep Dumbledore waiting." The pair made their way back to their new Heads' Dorm and found Dumbledore waiting outside for them.

"Ms. Evans, Mr. Potter, I see you have found your new dormitories. I hope that you find them adequate. The house elves worked hard preparing them for you. Now, I trust you have read the list of Heads' Rules and Duties I sent to you over the summer, so I will not bore you by going over them. However, I do expect you to abide by all of them. Do you have any questions?"

"Professor," James asked, surprising Lily that for once in his life he was taking something other than quidditch seriously, "I was wondering if we would be able to have a Christmas dance this year the night before everyone leaves for the holidays. I think it would be a nice way to end the semester and maybe help for a little inter-house unity." Suck up Lily thought. Dumbledore noticed that James was sucking up a bit, but was greatly amused by it and chuckled softly. "I think that would be wonderful idea, that is if you and Ms. Evans are up to planning it."

"I think we can handle it," Lily piped up.

"Good. I'll leave you two to get settled in your new accommodations. Good night."

Once inside the Common Room, Lily sprawled out on a plush, golden couch and started at the ceiling, which was portraying the night sky and all its stars. A few minutes later James' face came into view.

"You ok, Lily?" James asked, sitting a little too close to Lily for her liking.

"Just thinking," she responded.

"'Bout what?"

"Everything, my life and where it's going, my friends, family…you" she added, winking. She just loved to make James think he actually had a chance with her.

"Oh really now?" James came, moving even closer.

"Yeah, how much of an arrogant prat you are," Lily responded, feigning a look of seriousness.

"Ouch!" James whined, trying to look hurt.

"Well, I'm going to bed, long day tomorrow," Lily stated, getting up to leave. However, James grabber her and pulled her down on top of him. Damn Potter and his quidditch reflexes.

"James—" James quieted her by kissing her. At first Lily was shocked, but then again Potter always gave her a start of term kiss—the year wouldn't be the same without it. Lily responded to James' kisses, but pulled away a few minutes later. Kissing him made her feel something that wasn't there with Hunter. All the same, Lily enjoyed teasing him, it was all part of the game the two of them had been playing for the past two years.

"You didn't deserve that," Lily joked, walking off to her room. "Plus, I have a boyfriend this year. Hunter Davies, remember?"

"I can easily change that."

"You're impossible." Lily replied, shutting her door. Wow, he is an incredible kisser. I wonder how I never noticed after all these years? Wait a minute…this is Potter I'm talking about. I can't be thinking about him like this...What about Hunter? I really like him…Well do I? I mean he's cute, good at quidditch, smart, nice, funny…but do we have something worth keeping him around for?…Hunter is safe…We like each other, but nothing long lasting will come from this relationship…I know that, he knows that…He's not someone I have to take risks with, don't have to worry about getting hurt. It's better that way, isn't it? But where's the passion? Where are the sparks?…I know where they are, they are back in the Common Room with James Potter. But I can't like him, can I? Could I take the risk