A/N: This is the faster I've EVER written two chapters (and I had to battle my way through a little brother to get computer time), but here it is! Anyway, just a little side note: There is nothing going on between Al and James. Like she says, they're never was anything going on between them, and there never will be anything going on between them. It'd be like going out with her brother...and that's just kinda creepy:-D

But here it is!

Chapter 2

A Visit from Snivellus

After what seemed like several hours of nonstop laughing, clouds overhead turned dark and unleashed a torrent of rushing water onto the top of the train. We had all changed a while ago, and things were finally winding down since we were all tired. Laughing does that to a person!

"Could this train go any slower?" Sirius asked, "I think I'm going to shrivel up and die if I don't eat something warm!"

"That's all you ever talk about, Sirius! Eating, eating, eating!" Maria said. She was leaning her head on his shoulder. He didn't seem to mind in the least.

"Well, yeah! I'm a growing man! I need my vegetables, and meat, and—,"

"—and Desserts?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How do you think I'm so fit, hot, and built?" He asked. Sirius definitely was full of himself, but that's what you had to love about him.

"A freakishly high metabolism," Rowena said, "If Flames, Maria or I ate half of your dessert diet, it would go straight to the hips!"

"See, that's your problem! Women are so obsessed with their weight! If you'd just let up a little, you'd see that chocolate, sugar, and other fattening foods can actually be quite good!" he debated.

"Ew no! Chocolate gives you zits, what are you, crazy?" Maria said, punching him playfully.

"No, just hot!"

"You got that right!" Maria whispered to me. I sniggered under my breath.

"Sirius, has it ever occurred to you that there are other people in the world besides you?" Alex asked.

"There are? NO WAY! Tell me more about these…not-as-hot-as-moi-people!" Sirius replied eagerly. James threw a sock that had fallen out of his trunk at him.

"Be quiet. You're giving me a headache!"

"Oh, you're just jealous because I'm sooo much more beautiful than you, Sally," Sirius said, putting on a girlish voice. Oh…yeah, the Sally thing. One day a while ago, Maria decided to start calling James "Sally". It just kinda popped into her head and it stuck, much to James's horror.

"Sirius, mate…I don't mean to put you down, but if you're as hot as you think, than I must be a god, or something," James replied.

"You'd put your best mate down over how you look?" Sirius said, pretending to sob. Remus rolled his eyes.

"Remus, I feel so bad for you sometimes," I said.

"I feel sorry for myself!" he replied, massaging his temples. Another laughing fit took me by control. And pretty soon and as much as it hurt, the whole carriage was laughing again.

"Where's Peter? Does anyone know?" Alex asked.

"I haven't seen him," Remus replied.

"I thought he had missed the train. It would seem likely, wouldn't it?" Rowena suggested.

Before anyone could reply, a screeching noise came from beneath us.

"Finally! We're here!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up.

"Good! All I want to do is eat and sleep!" I said, standing up and stretching my tired limbs.

"I really wish we could sleep late," James said, pushing me out the door.

"You most likely will! But I'll be the one who most likely have to wake you up!" Remus said, following us, "And then you'll go through a mad rush to get dressed and eat breakfast which has already been served, and then you'll get all your papers and books together and still manage to be late for class!"

"Well, you know we're always refreshed and ready to go!" James said enthusiastically.

"Which is exactly why Sirius falls asleep every potion's class," Remus replied.

"Well, Sirius just can't comprehend anything the Slug says, remember? His brain is the size of an unshelled peanut with half the energy," James whispered.

"HEARD THAT!" Sirius bellowed. He most likely would've tackled him if we hadn't been filing out the door.

"Well, let's go. The carriage leaks and I'm not in the mood to get any more wet than I will just walking to it," I said, leading our group out the door and into the crowded hallway. Before any form of attack came. While walking, choruses of "hi" and "Hello" and "It's so good to see you" broke out from all direction. I squeezed my through the cramped hallways, almost becoming claustrophobic in the process.

"Excuse me! Pardon me! Please move! Ow, that was my foot!" I said. Eventually though, all seven of us made it through the crowd and to the horseless carriages. Rowena said some kind of black horse pulled them, but none of us could see them because we hadn't experienced death. Her older brother, Justin, had died in a Death Eater/Auror Battle and apparently, you could only see these things if you've had a death in the family, so she was the only who could see them.

"I'll go with 'Ri!" Sirius volunteered, getting into the closest carriage after Maria.

"I'll go with them. Don't want them snogging, do we?" Rowena said. She and Alex got into the carriage as well.

"Well then, it's just us. Let's get going before my skin is washed away and I freeze to death," I said, stepping into the carriage. James and Remus stepped in after me, and once we were all situated, the carriage took off.

"It feels so nice to be home!" I said, placing my hands behind my head and leaning back.

"You think this place is home? As bad as my house is, this place is Hell," A voice came from beside me. I jumped and squashed myself to the side, startled. I took a good look at the figure in the dim light and cried out.

"Snape!" I yelled. The obsolete smile on James' face fell off and became much more serious (no pun intended). Even though I could hardly see him, I knew he was reaching into his pocket to fish out his wand.

I had learned a helpful tip back a while ago. Never, ever, EVER mix Snape and James. The results will be disastrous.

"What are you doing here, Snape?" James asked through clenched teeth. Remus stayed quiet, but I could imagine the look on his face.

"I'm terribly sorry Potter, but it was you who came into my carriage. And know that we're moving, it looks like I'll have to stay with you goody-two-shoe Gryffindors," Snape spat in response.

"Well you think I wanna be here?" James cried, "You could've said something!"

"Of course, your Majesty, of course. Shall I grovel at your feet as well, you arrogant git!" Snape said sarcastically.

"Shut up, Snape. You really are asking for it?" I warned.

"I am, am I? Well, I'm sure whatever Potter can give me can't be that bad. He isn't exactly the most intimidating person ever," he replied. I closed my eyes, waiting for whatever James had in mind to come.

Forgetting that he was a wizard completely, James leapt and Snape and punched him in the face. Hollers from all four of us danced on the air like leaves, not really being comprehended by anyone. If they were going to stay hand-to-hand, then Snape hadn't a chance. 6 years of Quidditch had done a lot for James.

"Get off! Sectumsempra!" Snape cried. Blasted back by the force of the spell, James landed practically on top of me. He got up hastily and sat back down in his previous seat, clutching his arm.

"You slime ball!" James said through gritted teeth.

"You arrogant fool!" Snape replied, wand still out.

"Greasy!"

"Big-headed!"

"Prat!"

"STOP IT!" Remus bellowed, his wand also out. This shut them up. Remus knew more spells than either of them combined, and could use any spell they knew four times better.

"Really! At least save it for next week!" I said. By this time the carriage had stopped and I was about to get out.

"Fine…but this is only because I don't fight in front of a woman," James said, glaring at Snape.

"Excuse me!" I asked loudly, "What, do you think I'm too faint-hearted? Aren't I tough enough? Or is it that I'm just weak, delicate, and fragile to watch two boys roll around on top of each other? Because if that's it, I completely understand, James," I said, throwing the carriage door open and storming outside.

"Flames! No, that's not what I meant!" he called after me.

"I think you meant it perfectly. Maybe you are only an arrogant prat, after all!" I replied, not stopping my brisk pace. If there was one thing I despise more than everything, it's when a guy thinks a girl's place is only in the kitchen, or doing the housework, or something stupid like that! I could take on ANY guy at Hogwarts and kick their sorry behind to London and back! But when James did it….ooh, when James does it to me, it adds a whole different level of intensity! How dare him! I couldn't believe it. Not minding the rain running down my face in little rivulets, I continued blindly onward.

"Al! C'mon, slow down!" James called from behind me. He had followed me? It was only to make up, tell me how sorry he was, how it would never happen again. Never happen again my foot!

"What?" I asked, turning around so suddenly that he almost ran into me. My sopping wet hair wrapped itself around my head, and I put an uncaring hand up to wipe it out of my eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry! I did it because--,"

"Because you're a stupid, moronic, fool who can't stand up for himself against the MOST PATHETIC GUY IN OUR YEAR?" I asked, practically screaming the last part in his face. He broke eye contact on this.

"Well…yes, I suppose," he said softly. I blinked. I wasn't expecting that, "I shouldn't have said that, now I realize it. And I'm sorry. He did beat me in a way. He gave me this." He removed his hand that was still clenched to his upper left arm. It came away a bloody mess of ripped fabric and blood.

"My God, what happened?" I asked, examining it as portly drops of rain washed the blood away.

"That spell…" James replied, "But really, it's nothing. It hardly even hurts anymore."

"James Potter, you are the worst lire in the world," I replied, walking away.

"You're still mad!" he exclaimed, walking next to me.

"You betcha!" I exclaimed. I didn't let something like this go easily.

"I apologized, didn't I?" he asked exasperated.

"That doesn't stop the fact that you actually said—no, that you actually thought something like that to begin with! Haven't I proved myself worthy? Do I have to go on some quest like a knight? Or would you rather I sit in a tower and wait for my Prince Charming to come and rescue me while I play with my hair. What you do you think?" I asked harshly.

"What more do you want me to do? Should I beg? Should I pay you? Here, how about you blast me with a memory charm so strong, I'll even forget how to become an ani—," he stopped.

"A what?" I asked, suddenly interested in what he had to say.

"Nothing…nothing…but really though, what should I do?" he asked.

"Promise to me," I said, stopping him and looking him straight in the eye even though he was a good six inches taller than me, "That you will never, never, EVER say ANYTHING like that EVER again, ESPECIALLY in front of Snivellus." I held out my hand for him to shake.

"I promise on my being a Marauder, that I will never, ever, ever insult you, or any other woman for that matter in such a manner that might get me attacked, ESPECIALLY in front of Snivelly," he said, holding up two fingers and shaking my hand. I smiled slightly.

"For an arrogant prat, you aren't that bad," I said.

"Of course not! I'm James Potter, remember?" he asked, walking with me to the entrance hall.

"But you are arrogant," I replied.

"Alright, alright. But you have to admit, I have great hair, don't I? Don't I?" He said. I glared playfully at him.

"Fine! I'm lowly James Potter, the ugly duckling—,"

"Can't use Ugly Duckling analogies! He became a swan!" I chided, waggling a finger at him.

"Gah, you caught it! Alright, fine…Um…I'm James Potter, the lowly peasant who lives in a box in the London Underground and…begs for stale pieces of bread," he tried. I studied him intently.

"Ok, that'll do. Now c'mon Lowly Peasant, I'm freezing!" I said.

"You're going to abuse this aren't you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.

"You'd better believe it!" I replied, laughing. He laughed with me as we entered the light (and warmth) of the entrance hall.