A/N: Hey, this was a fairly quick update...but I won't be able to update again for a while...On the positive, that will just give me longer to come up with good ideas and improve the story : )

This chapter'strying to add a bit of context, a bit of intrigue...hopefully it will lead to romance in future chapters...

Thanks for reading...I promise more Lily and James specific stuff from now on...I know that's what everyone wants in a Lily and James fanfiction, surprisingly : ) Speaking of which, I'd also like to add more sarcastic humour...there's nothing better.

-Moratorium.

P.S. Review if you like no pressure I know how it's nice to be lazy and therefore reprieveauthors ofvaluable feed-back.

CHAPTER TWO – REINTRODUCTIONS, UNREALISED PREJUDICES

"They said this mystery never shall cease: the priest promotes war, and the soldier peace."

- William Blake

The seventh years, as a whole, were the latest down to breakfast the next morning. They swaggered in, ties undone and shoelaces untied, laughing loudly trying to overt their faux intimidating presence onto the younger grades. James walked in, his face expressionless; Remus walked in with a badly-hidden limp; Peter crept in rather surreptiously, stuffing an envelope into his robes and Lily and Carmen walked in bleary-eyed from talking all night. Though they all sat apart, they all looked up immediately as Sirius strode in.

Sirius was notorious around the school; he and James effectively ruled the school together. Hogwarts had the typically ruthless social hierarchy, even more emphasised of late, due to the rise of prominent dark wizards. However, today he was even more in the public eye for a number of reasons; everyone knew he had run away over the holidays to live with James, that he and James had fought yesterday, that his family had effectively disowned him and that he was the reason Regulus Black sported a black eye.

He certainly was an intimidating figure; being well over six foot tall with long black hair, steely eyes, broad shoulders and a rage that was unrivalled. A contemporary Casanova, women swooned over him, something for which men couldn't help but admire him.

He walked purposefully to the Gryffindor table and sat directly opposite James, with no one around them.

After a few minutes of silent, thoughtful chewing, Sirius ventured, "But mate, you have to admit, hanging from the wall is a good look for Snape," testing the waters, his tirade forgotten.

James, his eyes downcast on his plate of eggs, just shrugged his shoulders, but he couldn't help the grin that grew on his face. Sirius saw this and grinned back broadly, helping himself to breakfast.

"So anyway, I've been thinking about what you said about that new jinx…"

Lily walked quickly down the corridor, on her way to charms. She had just broken up a rather violent fight between a group of Gryffindors and Slytherins. They were second years, for god's sake she thought.

Lily prided herself on not being naïve; she knew predicament of the world, waiting for fresh young wizards to enter…and to be killed like patriotic martyrs she thought grimly. The tensions of the world were growing, so much so that they were having an effect on sheltered, isolated, protected Hogwarts. An awareness of tension and death seemed to seep through the grounds, twisting its way into the hearts of the students.

"Well, if it isn't the perfectly pathetic Head girl. Are you bold so as to ignore my warnings?" A cruel, but charming female voice resonated down the corridor.

Oh God, anyone but her.

"Hmm? I'm looking forward to fulfilling my orders; ridding the world of mudbloods such as yourself," Bellatrix Black, twirling her wand casually through her fingers stopped in front of Lily, her Slytherin posse pausing just behind her.

Summoning all her courage, Lily sneered, "Well, if it isn't the anti-Christ. I'm sorry I don't have the time to listen to your empty threats, but then I wouldn't want you to waste all your best material in one go," Lily tried to push past her, but Black grabbed her roughly by her arm.

"You're all alone now; no muggle-loving Potter to save your worthless hide."

Lily ignored this comment for the time being; she was angry now, trying to twist her arm out of the vice-like grip, "I, unlike you, do not need anyone to help me. I can think independently, I don't need to rely on a single man's orders to achieve something."

Bellatrix's eyes glittered dangerously, "don't talk about things you don't understand. You have no concept of what is being planned for this world, the great future that will exist, without you in it," She left go of Lily's arm and walked quickly past her, the others on her heels.

"Seems like I hit a sore spot," murmured Lily, rubbing her arm and continued down the corridor to class.

"So, you were there last night then? I thought Black was just trying to provoke me by saying that," Lily asked, after repeating her conversation with Bellatrix to James in an empty classroom.

"Yeah, I was there. I saw she was giving you a hard time and I made my presence known to her. I think she's intimidated by me. Why, I don't know, she seems to have no trouble dismissing Sirius…Lily, I do know you can look after yourself, but…"

"Thank you."

"You should be careful around her, everyone should."

"Oh come on, Potter, she's not going to try anything, well, not yet anyhow."

James stepped closer to her, frowning, "Lily, you're intelligent, but you don't have a good understanding of the magical world, yet. You can't help that, but you shouldn't assume things. Black's right in a way, you are talking about things you don't understand." Lily tried to interrupt, but James continued, "No, let me explain. My parents, they're aurors, so I've been exposed to this new world since I was a kid and even I'm unsure of the possibilities. The way this man can manipulate magic and people…well, it's like the beginnings of an apocalypse. I'm not saying that to scare you into being quiet; it's true."

"But don't you think that all this is just going to lead up to an anti-climax? I mean there have been attacks and there will continue to be, and it's terrifying and ghastly, but it all just seems so…"

"Lily, you don't understand. There is a whole division of aurors devoted solely to bringing down this man and his followers. There are thousands of them and the numbers are growing everyday…I don't imagine that his methods of recruiting are very orthodox. The potential for dark magic to conquer is always hanging there. There have been small instances in the past, but now it has the potential to be…"James trailed off, agitated.

"I'm not naïve about it, I'm really not. I just can't understand how all this can develop into something which could lead to the destruction that everyone's prophesising. So much of it, it just seems like hype. It's like an epidemic, the way people are so scared...I mean, no one even knows who this man is yet. It's like muggle politics, there's so much conspiracy and slander."

"People are scared, and rightly so. You can't underestimate the power of this man. He has the potential and the will to change the magical world. He's a manipulative, power-hungry bastard, yes, but, he's also something so innately evil that you can't limit his potential to human boundaries…"

"Potter…"

"No, it's important that you understand, especially if," James ran his hands through his hair in frustration, "I think you should talk to Sirius about this; he's much more articulate than I am. Remus and Peter have knowledge of this too, their families…Listen, why don't we finish this conversation later? I have to talk to Sirius about something."

Lily sighed, "I just, I don't know. I'll see you in the common room later," and she smiled a small smile and walked out of the room.