Chapter 2: His thoughts

James Potter sat looking out the window of the Hogwarts Express. He clearly wanted to be left alone. His friends, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew could see that but instead of leaving him alone they decided to "make him feel better".

"James? Hello? Why are you so quiet? We've been in the train for an hour already! We should be out terrorizing the little kids!" Said Sirius, James' best friend. "Or at least Snivellus," he added as an afterthought.

"I'm just thinking." James replied absently.

"James Potter, thinking? On the first day back? Wait, are you turning into Remus? You'll be wearing a Head Boy badge next Potter! Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" Sirius exclaimed, slapping James on the shoulder.

Peter giggled shrilly. Sirius rolled his eyes at him.

I'm not James anymore. I'm a total asshole. James thought sadly.

"So Potter, what's wrong?" Sirius asked.

"Where's Remus?" James said in response to Sirius's question.

"God James, have you not been paying any attention at all today? Did you not hear me making fun of him for at least an hour before?" Sirius said.

James continued to look clueless so Peter filled him in.

"Remus was made a prefect, remember? He's in the prefect carriage."

"With Lily?" James asked. He then regretted even saying her name.

Sirius's eyes grew wide.

"Aha! So that's why you're all moody and quiet! Lily! Listen mate, what happened last year is in the past. Forget it! There are other mermaids in the lake! All of the woman population at Hogwarts wants to go out with you! You're the most popular guy in the whole bloody school! After me, of course."

"But she doesn't want to." Replied James softly.

"Doesn't what?" Peter, who was very confused by the whole conversation, said.

"She doesn't want to go out with me." James said.

"But she either will, or you will get over it. I repeat: YOU WILL GET OVER IT. Who knows better than I do? It's just a phase. I mean, we all go out with girls, but none of us has actually fallen in love." Sirius said.

None of us, until now, James thought. He would have said this aloud, but at the thought of the look of horror on Sirius's face, he held it in.

But it was true. One of the four best friends had fallen in love. James Andrew Potter had fallen in love. To top it all off, he had fallen in love with a girl who, until two and half months ago, had been one of his best friends. Unfortunately, he had fallen in love with a girl who now probably hated him.

Lily Evans. Even just the thought of her name made his heart flutter.

Oh god. I'm seriously turning into a teenage girl. He thought moodily.

But it was true. He did love her, and his heart did flutter at the thought of her name.

Thankfully, he heard that Sirius had gotten off the Lily subject and was now talking with Peter about some girl in sixth year. Good, James thought, that'll keep them busy for a while. He could now think in peace.

When had he fallen in love with Lily? He had always thought she was pretty and kind, but he had never had real feelings for her – until last year.

Begin Flashback

"Good bye dear, Have a good term!"

"Yeah mum, I will. Bye- wait, don't start crying Mum, I'll be back at Christmas!" James said to his mother.

This was the fourth time he was getting on the Hogwarts Express, but his mother still sobbed every time he left.

"Mum, it's all right!" James said exasperatedly.

"James, get on the train, she'll be fine. Have a good term, son." James' father hugged him, and then went on trying to calm his wife down.

As James got on the train and it started to pull away from the station he heard his mother wail:

"Good bye Jaaaaaaaaaaames!"

James rolled his eyes and went to find his friends.

He finally found Sirius, Remus, and Peter sitting in the last compartment along with Lily and her friends, Katherine and Elizabeth.

"Hi James!" the six of them said at the same time.

"Hey Sirius, Remus, Peter, Katherine, Elizabeth- hi Lily." James stared at Lily for a minute.

Has she always been this beautiful? James thought.

The 14 year old girl was indeed beautiful. Her magnificent red hair sat gracefully on her shoulders, and her eyes…they were such a strikingly gorgeous green that James felt as if he could just stare at them for hours.

He had been staring at Lily so intently that he didn't even realize that she was talking to him.

"Sorry, what did you say?" James asked, embarrassed.

"God James, pay attention, would you? I asked how your summer was." Lily said, rolling her beautiful eyes.

"Oh, it was…" How was my summer? For some reason I can barely remember my own name, let alone what I did this summer…"…fine." He finished lamely.

"You're so descriptive. What did you do, where did you go?" Lily rolled her eyes again, and slapped James playfully on his right arm.

Trying desperately to ignore the tingling felling in his arm, James responded: "Oh, I went with my parents to…" Was it the Alps or the Himalayas? And why am I so damn confused? "…the Alpalayas." Be cool Potter, you're fine…THE ALPALAYAS? WHAT THE HELL AM I TALKING ABOUT?

"The Alpalayas?" Lily inquired with a small smile.

"What the hell James?" Sirius said.

Quick! Think! "Yeah, um…I called them the Alpalayas because…er…well we went to the Alps and the Himalayas, so I called the two of them together the Alpalayas." James said.

"Cute." Lily giggled.

"I thought you went to Egypt." Remus said sceptically.

Crap! "Yeah, well we went there too." Why am I so nervous? It can't be because of Lily, can it?

"Wow, you were busy! You must have had so much fun!" Lily exclaimed.

"Yeah. But I was with my parents the whole time. It would have been more fun if you had been there." James said.

Six pairs of eyebrows shot up. Lily's normally pale cheeks were slowly turning red.

Now what did I say? Think James think…oh crap. "I didn't mean just you Lily, I…er…I…mean you as in everyone." James stuttered.

There was a collective "Oh" around the compartment. Lily's cheeks went back to a normal color, and she looked extremely relieved. James found himself wishing that she had looked disappointed.

After a long train ride (during which James spent most of his time thinking about Lily) they finally arrived at Hogwarts. They got into the horseless carriages and sat off towards the castle.

After a delicious meal and Dumbledore's announcements, the Gryffindors went to their common room. As the girls went up the stairs towards their dormitories, they said good night to the boys.

Lily was almost at the staircase when James yelled impulsively: "Good night Lily!"

Lily turned her head, smiled, and replied: "G'night James." Then she went up to her dormitory.

"Wow…" James muttered under his breath. He could feel his heart fluttering.

End flashback

Of course, James realized a few weeks later that he loved her. How couldn't he? She was beautiful, intelligent, kind. To him, she was perfect. And I should have-

"JAMES!" Sirius yelled, interrupting his train of thought.

"Huh?"

"God Potter, pay attention would you?" Sirius was pissed.

"Sorry," James mumbled.

"Anyway. We are only 2 months away from finishing our little surprise for Remus. James, you got the last few ingredients?"

"Course I do," James said absently.

"Good. Now did you both practice the incantation over the summer?" Sirius asked, well seriously.

"Who do you think you are? McGonagall?" James muttered.

Sirius gave him a look that clearly said 'If you don't shut up NOW I'll kick your ass out the window.' James just looked away.

"Sirius, I don't think I can do it; I can't even pronounce it. You gotta help me." Peter whined.

James tuned out. Why had he started to act like such an asshole around her? I'm amazed Lily hasn't hated me from the minute she saw me. But I wasn't like that before. Of course, I was a pathetic little prat before.

But now he felt like the biggest loser ever. Why had he done it? He could have stopped himself, but no. He was too stupid. After what he did, she would probably never look at him again.

Hell, he thought. If I were her I would never want to talk me again either.

Begin flashback

James was-

End Flashback

"GODDAMMIT JAMES! WILL YOU FRIKKIN LISTEN TO ME?" Sirius bellowed.

"What?"

"Stop moping! You'll find Lily, flirt with her, and everything will be fine! Now Snivellus just passed and…" Sirius exclaimed.

James highly doubted that flirting would help, but he did need a bit of fun.

"Okay, let's go kick his ass." James grinned.

"Glad your back, Potter." Sirius laughed almost maniacally and they walked out of the compartment.

Peter giggled shrilly again and followed them out.

A/N: I hope you guys like it! Please review, it would really 'make my day'! Please? lol