Chapter edited and reposted – 12th July 2006

PLEASE DON'T BE CONFUSED!

I am not adding a new chapter. I have decided to repost a few chapters with spelling changes/more description of people and places. Nothing drastically plot changing will happen. But if you feel like rereading please feel free!

The reposts will be going on for a few weeks. I'll tell you when I'm happy (well temporarily happy, I don't think I'm ever completely happy with any of my work) and decide to stop.

I'll leave reviewer responses and original authors notes down, partly so I have them for record of what I've said (it goes in one ear and out the other) but also because some of my disclaimers crack me up!

I posted the next chapter for 'Beginning of the End, Till Death do us Part' yesterday! Go leave me a review! (anyone who hasn't found it, click on my name and go via my bio page)

Have fun!

May Stardust fall in your dreams!

Disclaimer: I don't own the world of Harry Potter. It all belongs to the wonderful Jo Rowling. Otherwise known as JKR, the wise omnipotent author, the greatest mind to have graced this planet, or my personal favourite, she-who-must-be-worshipped!

Summary: Set in Lily and James' seventh year. Follow this famous couple through their last year at Hogwarts, facing secret crushes, full moons, pranks, Slytherins, and the ever-present threat of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. My first fanfic, please don't kill me! Rated for a little bit of bad language.

A/N: Okay, just to clear up any misunderstandings. Firstly I repeat, I don't own HP. Secondly, to all the people who know me (you know who you are!). I am writing this for fun (yes you can write for fun and not profit! I suggest you try it). Also, I would like to point out that this story was edited by Lady Mearle. Thanks Mearle! Lastly, if I don't post for at least a month, you have permission to email and pester me senseless. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

"LILY!" came a shriek from the other side of the platform.

Lily Evans stood up trying to locate the source of the noise, pushing her dark red hair out of her eyes. She had just enough time to look up when a something small collided into her with the force of a battering ram. She laughed and embraced her friend. Behind them both the crowd of young witches and wizards and their parents raced around platform nine and three quarters. There was ten minutes before the train left.

"Have a good holiday Jenny?" Lily asked. Jenny Tailby pulled away and looked at her smiling. She was slightly shorter than Lily and had short brown hair tied into bunches, and blue/grey eyes, which were sparkling due to her state of wild excitement behind her neon green glasses. Jenny was usually quiet when she was studying, but occasionally given to bouts of extreme hyperactivity.

Lily was in many ways an opposite of her friend. She was a little taller with long red hair and almond shaped green eyes. She had been a prefect for the last two years, and had received a shock over the summer when an owl arrived baring her Hogwarts letters and a Head Girl badge.

"Brilliant," Jenny said, letting go of Lily and backing away. Lily noticed immediately that Jenny had tanned a lot over the summer. Lily preferred not to sit in the sun due to her fair skin. Jenny's excited chatter continued.

"I'm so glad we can use magic outside of school now! No more manual labour! How was your summer? Oh my God! You're Head Girl!"

She said this all very quickly and flung her arms round Lily again, causing several people nearby to roll their eyes. Jenny was known around Hogwarts for her massive hugs.

"Thanks Jen," Lily said, squashed against her friend's T-shirt.

"I knew you would get it!" Jen said grinning even wider than before. "Do you know who got head boy?"

"No," Lily shook her head. "It might be Remus though. You know he's a prefect."

"Of course I know…" Jen trailed off staring into space. Lily rolled her eyes. She knew that Jen had a huge crush on Rumus Lupin, but the most either of them had done was study together.

"BOO!" cried someone from behind them. Both Lily and Jenny jumped around to see a tall blonde girl with sea blue eyes grinning madly at them. In her right had she held her wand and in her left she was clutching an invisibility cloak.

"Ooh I'm evil," she grinned. "Did I scare the crap out of you? Huh? Huh?"

"Sorry Tash," Lily shook her head before hugging her. Jenny squeaked and threw her arms around both of them. Natasha Marquand was another of Lily's friends. She was a bit taller than the other two, rivalling a few of the boys in their year. Tash played chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and it seemed now they could use magic she had been using it to freak people out.

"Congratulations Lily!" Tash grinned. "Knew you'd get it!" She gestured to Lily's head girl badge. Lily went slightly red.

"I really didn't think I'd get…" she began.

"Oh don't be modest!" Tash scoffed. "You're the best student in our year."

"Can we get a compartment?" asked Jenny looking around suddenly. "I've just seen Remus. And he looked at me!" Lily and Tash exchanged exasperated glances. Jenny just needed to see Remus in order to start blushing.

"Jenny," Tash said. "Promise me you'll ask him out this year."

"Why?" asked Jen, still blushed furiously.

"Cause you totally like him and it's driving me up the wall!" Tash complained.

"Come on," Lily said, quiet keen to be off the platform now. If Remus Lupin was nearby, that meant that James Potter was nearby too. And the last person on earth Lily wanted to talk to was James Potter. He and the rest of his friends single handedly managed to annoy her beyond reason. Not to mention that Potter had been asking her out since their fifth year.

If Jenny's reputation as 'The Hug Monster' was well known it was nothing to the fame of the Marauders. All four of them were the trouble makers in school. And yet Lily could never understand how people like James Potter and Sirius Black could do so much wrong and still manage to get good marks. The only one of the four that Lily actually got on well with was Remus. Unlike the others Remus knew when to take things seriously and it was this most likely that had earned him his prefect badge.

Together, all three girls hauled their trunks onto the train, and into the nearest empty compartment. Jenny's barn owl Paige hooted at the black cat sitting on top of Tash's trunk. The cat blinked slowly at the owl and went back to washing his paws. Lily released her own cat, Apollo from his basket. Tash's cat Bali meowed at his playmate.

"So who got head boy?" Tash asked, flopping into a seat by the window.

"Not a clue," Lily said. "We thought it could be Remus."

"Mmm," Tash nodded thinking about it. Then a grin lit up her face. "Or, Dumbledore could have completely lost his marbles and picked someone like..."

"James?" Jenny suggested craftily. Lily snorted.

"No way!" she said forcefully. "Dumbledore would never pick Potter. He's a bloody prat."

"I hope the 'bloody prat' comment was referring to Potter and not our Headmaster," Jenny said.

"He's not that bad Lil…" Tash said patiently. "You've never seen him around the Quidditch pitch. He acts quite mat…"

"You say mature and I swear I'll hex you!" Lily said. "He is anything but! James Potter is an arrogant, self centred idiot."

"He's also quite good looking," Jen said. "And he's Quidditch captain."

"And last time I checked," Tash interrupted in a loud voice. "You fancied Remus Lupin!"

"I DO NOT!" Jen blushed furiously, resembling something of a tomato. She cast around quickly for some comback. "You're just tormenting us cause you fancy Black!"

"No way!" Tash said. "He's such a player! I swear if he checks me out once more, I'm going to kill him."

There was a whistle outside and the train began to move. Lily watched the station rush past and the millions of heads wave at their relatives.

"We're going home!" Jen said. She was always slightly hyper on the way back to school. And Lily knew from experience that it got worse after the lunch lady had been around with the sweets.

"One more year," said Lily.

"We're never going to do this again," Tash said shaking her head. "I don't know about you but I'm really going to miss Hogwarts…"

She trailed off as the compartment door opened. Standing outside were four boys. Lily and Tash's eyes narrowed threateningly. Jenny however, squealed and dived under the table.

Good morning ladies," said Sirius Black, giving a low sweeping bow.

"Although I'm certainly not going to miss the people," Tash finished her previous sentence glaring at Sirius with dislike. Sirius grinned at her.

"Looking even more beautiful than last time I saw her," he remarked to the boy behind him. He was a tall boy with jet black hair, hazel eyes and glasses. Lily clenched her fists.

"I don't know," James said, trying to drag his trunk through the door. "Evans looks good too…"

"What do you want?" Lily asked aggressively.

"All the other compartments are full," Sirius said shoving his trunk above their heads and winking at Tash, who bared her teeth and hissed at him. It seemed Sirius's charm had not disappeared over the holidays. He had dark hair which was almost black and blue eyes that could charm anyone, even a few of the teachers.

James followed suit. He looked at Lily, then at the badge on her shirt and smiled.

"Head girl Evans? Guess you and I are supposed to be in the prefects carriage."

"I am supposed to be in the prefects carriage," Lily corrected, though she felt shocked that she had forgotten the meeting. 'Some head girl I'm turning out to be!' she thought.

"And Remus is supposed to be in the prefects carriage," she continued. "You are not a prefect Potter and therefore are not required." For some reason, James's smile got bigger.

"I'm not a prefect," James agreed. "But I am head boy."

"No way," Tash said, helping Jenny off the floor. Jenny blushed worse than ever when Remus Lupin filed into the carriage. Remus was shorter than James and Sirius by about an inch, with sandy coloured hair and grey eyes which always seemed to border on weary fatigue.

Peter Pettigrew followed, heaving his trunk behind him. Peter was the one no one really noticed. Whilst the other boys had good looks and talent, Peter had none of those things and was often overshadowed by his friends.

"Yes way," James said, pointing to the badge on his chest. Everyone leaned forwards to check it. Sure enough the words 'head boy' were clearly visible.

"Quite sure it's not a fake?" Tash asked squinting at the badge as though she suddenly expected it to jump up and sing.

"Nope I've checked it all over," James assured her. "It's as real as my Quidditch Captain one."

"Rub it in why don't you?" Lily muttered. James never lost an opportunity to boast about being Quidditch Captain. She turned back to the Head Boy badge. "You must have nicked it!"

"Lily," Remus said patiently. "If James had nicked it I would have something to say to him."

"Hmm…guess it is real then," Tash nodded mildly. "Good for you James."

Lily however, wasn't taking this so calmly.

"Dumbledore's mad!" she shrieked. "Making you head boy! What is he playing at! You are the most arrogant prat I have ever met! He is bloody mad!"

"Yeah I thought so too," said Sirius mildly before drifting over to sit by Tash, who rolled her eyes and turned around and started whispering to Jenny.

"How in all the logic in this world could you…I mean you become head bloody boy!" Lily continued.

"Who knew!" Sirius chimed in. "Lily Evans really does know how to swear!"

"Fuck off Black!" Tash and Lily said at the same time.

"Guess I'm just talented," James shrugged in answer to the previous question. Lily's face went the colour of her hair.

"We're going to be late," Remus warned them. Lily's scowl got deeper, when she realised that she would be working with James for the whole year. The whole year! How would she get through it! This was Potter! The one who had been asking her out since the fifth year. The one who was always showing off and hexing people whenever he was bored. She could barely stand to be in the same room as him!

'Calm down Lily,' she thought to herself. 'Just deal with it maturely. I'll let him know he can't mess around with this kind of responsibility. I am not going to lose my badge over him!'

"Go on Lil…" said Tash, cutting through her thoughts. "We'll hold the fort for you." She looked at Jenny, who was trying to avoid Remus's eye. She was focusing instead the table. With a slight sigh, Lily hurried out of the compartment and down the carriage. James and Remus hurried after him, Remus closing the door behind him.

"You so fancy him," Tash muttered audibly placing her cat Bali on her lap.

"I DO NOT!" Jen freaked, causing Sirius and Peter to stare and Bali to hiss menacingly.

OOO

As the last prefect hurried out of the carriage, Lily stood up and put the instructions in her bag. James and Remus were whispering in the corner.

"Thanks for the help," she said waspishly. Too true, James and Remus had spent the entire meeting whispering to each other.

"You're welcome Evans," said James.

"Stop calling me that!" Lily said. "And next time we have a prefect meeting I expect you contribute. I don't know how you became head boy but just because you got the badge doesn't mean you can act irresponsibly. I swear Potter if you screw this up I will make sure you die a very slow drawn out death. And I'll let Tash do target practise on your corpse!"

She seemed to want to get everything out of her system. She was expecting him to ask her out again, but to her surprise, James merely turned and left the compartment. Remus sighed.

"You could try being a bit nicer to him," he said gently.

"Easy for you to say," said Lily. "He doesn't ask you out every five minutes. How the hell did he become head boy?"

"Look Lily," Remus said. "We're all seventh years and I know being Head means something to James. I know he's always seemed arrogant to you but last year he really calmed down. He just wanted to make you notice him."

"If he wants me to notice him then he could start acting like a responsible adult," Lily continued. "Instead of stupid bullying git."

"Just give him a chance," Remus begged. Lilys expression twitched into a small smile.

"Only if you do me a favour," she said. "Promise me you will ask Jenny out. If I have to watch her dive under tables just because you enter a room I'm going to go mad."

Remus gave a shy smile.

"Okay," he said. "I'll ask her out."

"Thank you," Lily said, walking out of the compartment.

"Lily," Remus stopped her. "Good job. You're going to make a great Head Girl."

OOO

"It's not fair," James moaned. He was sitting next to Peter, with a disappointed scowl fixed firmly on his face. Peter was stuffing his face full of chocolate frogs. On the other seat, Jenny was staring out of the window watching the fields rush by. Tash was humming Bohemian Rhapsody under her breath and had dragged her huge radio out and was trying to get a signal before they got to Hogwarts. Sirius was alternating between eating and checking Tash out with a smile fixed on his face.

"I'm trying to be nice and she just doesn't want to know!" James wailed.

"Yeah life's a real bitch," Tash muttered absently from behind her radio.

"I don't know why you don't just give up Prongs," Sirius said shaking his head. "She's never going to go out with you."

"I don't know," Tash said. "Maybe if you started acting more responsibly she would consider you. Besides you're going to be working with her so you might as well try and be civil." Her radio burst into life and she cheered.

"How do I get her to talk to me civilly?" James asked, leaning forwards intently.

"Just ask her a little about herself," Jenny said, tearing her gaze away from the window. "And less of the constant 'will you go out with me?' That's enough to drive any woman up the wall."

"And stop hexing people just for fun." Tash put in. "Unless it's the Slytherins, cause they wouldn't hesitate to hex us."

"Future auror talking," said Jenny. Tash smiled. She'd wanted to be an auror since she was fourteen, and she knew that Jenny wanted to be a healer.

At this point both Lily and Remus entered the compartment. Lily wedged herself between Tash and Jen, pushing Tash closer to Sirius (who incidentally looked very pleased about this). Remus sat next to James, pushing the sweet wrappers out of the way and pulling out a book. Jenny immediately tried to hide behind Tash's radio.

"Black remove your arm from my shoulder please," Tash said though gritted teeth. "Or I'll reattach it to your arse."

Jenny lapsed into silent giggles at the thought. Sirius grinned.

"You know Tash," he said. "You really do look great. Summer was very kind to you."

Tash immediately checked her skin tone.

"Nice chat up line Black, but I haven't tanned at all," she said. "I have fair skin."

Jenny and Remus both snorted at the same time. Sirius allowed his eyes to rove until he could find something to compliment her on.

"You've grown your hair," he observed.

"Thank you," Tash said. "But now I think I'm just going to reattach your arm to your manhood. Maybe it'll win you more support from the rest of the female population."

Jenny giggled even louder. Remus raised an eyebrow at Sirius, who removed his arm apparently afraid that she would do it.

"You wouldn't," he said.

"I bloody well would," Tash assured him.

"She would," Jen said. "She once magically slashed all of Bellatrix's hair off and stuffed it into her mouth."

"That was you!" asked James.

"Hell yeah," said Tash. "She was going to hex Lily."

"Well that's justified," said James.

"We don't need your approval to defend ourselves," Lily hissed. James fell silent. Tash and Jen rolled their eyes in his direction.

"So how was the meeting?" Jenny asked. "Do you have to patrol the corridors at night like last year?"

"Yep. Monday, Wednesday and Friday!" Lily said, shooting a venomous glance at James. She was obviously patrolling with him.

"Who are you partnering Remus?" Jenny asked, trying not to meet his gaze.

"Sophie Devon from Hufflepuff," Remus said smiling at her. The ripe tomato colour in Jenny's cheeks returned. Everyone rolled their eyes. The obviousness was practically an air hazard.

"James," Tash started still trying to make small talk. "We're going to need a new beater and seeker for the team right?"

"Yes," James said slowly, wondering what she was getting at. She knew they needed new members.

"Jen," Tash turned to her friend. "I think you should try out."

"Tash we had this conversation last year," Jenny said wearily. "I am not going to try out. I'm a terrible flier!"

"No you're not," Lily cut in. "You're pretty good. Better than me." Lily would never forget their first year flying lesson. She had fallen off her broom twice and almost fractured her leg when one of the Slytherins had flown straight into her.

Her two friends continued to argue. The Marauders settled into a corner obviously plotting a new series of pranks. Lily grabbed a box of every flavour beans and began eating them slowly. Tash was right. She was going to miss Hogwarts. For seven years it had been a place of safety. Now at the end of this year, she and all her friends would be on their own.

"Have there been any more Death Eater sightings?" she asked. "My subscription to the Prophet ran out."

"None since July," Tash said quietly. Lily gave her a one-arm hug. Tash's three cousins had been killed at the end of July and she'd gone to their funeral during the holidays.

"What did you do over the summer Lily?" asked Jen, leaning back in her seat. The Marauders tuned into the conversation.

"Not much," Lily shrugged. "Petunia stayed away from me most of the time. She was scared I'd use magic in front of her."

"She still acting like you're a strange being from another planet?" asked Jen raising an eyebrow.

"She's even worse," Lily assured her. "She's got a new boyfriend. He's like the male version of her."

"Woah!" Tash said. "That's a heavy statement!"

"And it's true," Lily said. "Anyway, what about you Jen? How was Greece?"

"Nothing much happened," said Jen dismissively. "It was a hundred degrees over there, I swear."

"As we can see by the tan," Lily observed.

"Any cute blokes?" Tash asked innocently. Remus glanced up from behind his book.

"Not really," Jen said. She shot a quick look at the boys, who were still listening, before deciding to include them in the conversation.

"What about you lot," she said waving a hand at them. "What did you all do during the holidays."

"Nothing much," Remus said.

"I just stayed with Prongs," Sirius jabbed a finger at James, whose hand went back to his hair, when Lily looked his way. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Why didn't you go home?" Jen asked frowning. Sirius scowled.

"I ran away from there two years ago," he said shortly.

"Why? D'you try and chat up your family too?" Tash snapped bitterly. Sirius's gaze hardened, and Tash disappeared behind the radio. She seemed to know that she had gone too far.

"Don't you get on with them?" Lily asked tentatively. Sirius gave a bark like laugh.

"Get on with them! Haven't you seen my cousin!" he scoffed.

"They can't all be like Bellatrix," Tash said. "I mean I know your brothers a weirdo but what about your parents?"

"Trust me," Sirius said. "Getting away from them is the best discussion I have ever made in my life. My stupid parents think Voldemort is the best thing since Merlin. And my brother is stupid enough to believe them all!"

"Sorry," Tash said, looking down at the floor. Sirius realised that this was the longest she had spoken to him without giving insults and the grin returned to his face.

"What about you Tash," Sirius asked. "How was your summer?" To his surprise, Tash snapped at him.

"Oh just wonderful! I spent the first week in London. What a jolly holiday."

"Well that's not bad," James said, not noticing the 'shut up!' looks he was getting from Lily and Jen.

"I was at a funeral," Tash said, her voice quavering slightly. "My cousins were in the attack on Bedford."

"Sorry," James said automatically. Lily rolled her eyes. Sorry was the worst thing you could say to someone who had lost their relatives.

"I'm getting some fresh air," Tash said, shifting Bali off her lap. She hurried over to the compartment door and down the corridor.

"I'll go after her," Jen said, getting up and following her. Sirius immediately turned to the others.

"What am I going to do!" he asked. "She still wont go out with me!"

"If you want her to go out with you then go after her Black," Lily snapped. "And don't say anything to piss her off. Try being sensitive for once in your life."

Sirius jumped up and left the compartment. Lily turned back to the three boys. Peter was still stuffing his face with chocolate, the sight was slightly sickening. Remus was hidden behind a book, whilst James was shooting her glances.

"Stop looking at me Potter," Lily said, grabbing her book and following Remus's example.

"Do either of you know when the first Hogsmeade visit is?" Remus asked, lowering his defence book.

"Nope," Lily said. James gave a cheer causing Peter to jump.

"So you're finally going to ask her out!" he asked. No one had to ask who 'her' was. Remus went red and hid behind his book again. James cheered again and began singing.

"Remus likes Jenny, Remus likes Jenny…"

"Oh grow up Potter!" Lily snapped at him, "He's just asking her to Hogsmeade, it's not like they're getting married or anything!" James shut up wiping tears from his eyes.

"Sorry," he chuckled mentally cursing himself. 'Nice one Prongs. Term hasn't even started and you've already managed to get on Lily's bad side.'

Just then there was a shout from outside and a very familiar voice shouted. "BLACK! GET OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!"

There was a bang from outside and all four students bolted into the corridor.

A/N: Okay it's a really crap chapter I know. I will try and make it better, promise! Give you three guesses who Tash really is (huge hint: check my profile page!). I'll try and update at least every two weeks. Please review.

Next Chapter: The start of term feast and talks with Dumbledore.

May Stardust fall in your dreams!