Chapter 4… Back Home
Sirius and Peter ran as fast as they could to get back to their compartment without Lily telling on them and having to serve detention the first day, when they got back James was there and Remus was still reading his book.
"James!" Sirius shouted as he ran into the room and grabbed his arm. "I have to tell you what me, and Peter did!"
"No, I have to tell you what I did!"
"Sirius I would listen to James' story it would interest you." Again not lifting his eyes from his book.
"Tell me yours first." Sirius said sitting down on a seat.
"I got to hurry, I am suppose to be patrolling the halls."
James told Sirius every little detail, every second he laid his eyes on her, it rather shocked Sirius, but he was never less happy for his best friend.
"You're turning out like me!" Sirius shouted while hugging James.
"I wish I had a camera then, but it will always be picture perfect in my mind."
"Excellent, I would say I wish I was there, but she is your woman."
"I wish I was."
"Oh…did Peter get a little embarrassed?" Sirius said looking at the redness of Peter's face.
"No, I'm fine."
"Well guys I am going to have to go, I'll try and find you when we get to the carriages."
"I would give that up mate, it sounds no fun." Sirius said.
"But I can take house points; I can take some from Snivellus when he gets in our way."
"Excellent."
It was a long train ride like always, but this time it was a little different without James around, Remus sat and read his book and Peter never had anything interesting to say. But they finally arrived at the castle, dressed and ready to thrill all the first years (so Sirius thought) he stepped off of the train along with Remus and Peter looking around for James.
"Where is he at?"
"I have no clue Professor Gadzook gets the first years into the boats." Remus said.
"Let's get a carriage and look for him later." Peter said walking toward the carriages.
Remus, Sirius and Peter ran quickly to the carriages so they could have one to their own, on the way to the castle Peter was staring out by the lake watching the first years drift across the water in the boats.
"I hated doing that, I thought the giant squid would come out of the water and get me." Peter said with his head hanging out the window.
"For some reason I wish it would have." Sirius said putting his hand over his eyes.
After that heartfelt comment Peter, bought his head back inside from the window and sat while his eyes stared at the floor, until the horseless carriages reached the staircase of the beautiful Hogwarts castle.
"Good to be home." Sirius said hoping out the carriage.
"It does feel great to be back." Remus said stretching his arms.
"Let's go find James now."
"Not if I find you first."
"I am going to St. Mungo's; I am tired of hearing these voices."
"Mate I am going to take you to St. Mungo's if you do not stop talking about those voices." James said stepping out from behind Sirius.
"Where have you been?"
"Oh, just sitting with Lily in one of the carriages." he said with a grin, as his eyes sparkled as though he deserved applause.
Sirius, Peter and Remus just stared in amazement, was Lily really letting up on James and trying to give him a chance?
"Did she let you or… "Sirius started out saying, but could not go any farther.
"Or what, Oh, Sirius… Sirius… you are worried she may take me away from you!" James shouted out as other students turned there heads to see what was going on.
"Well actually," James started again. "I could not find you guys so I just hopped in with Lily and that Alice girl."
A feel of disappointment washed over them as James let their hopes down, Sirius and Remus really fancied James being happy but they had no hope of him ever getting Lily, but it seemed she had been acting a lot nicer and a lot less abusive so to speak. Maybe there was hope after all, Sirius and Remus were always there to help him out, after all that is what best friends are for anyway.
"Prongs…. Mate, wishes do come true; let's budge up to the castle." Remus said taking a hold of his arm.
"I guess so."
"Do not worry a good Padfoot snogging will do you good and full your head with lots of Lily ambition!"
The Great Hall was always so beautiful the first day of school, candles floating above their heads, the amazing night sky filled with stars, the sparkling gold plates placed on the long tables of each house. Each of the boys had a seat along the head of Gryffindor table watching the first years look around the Great Hall in amazement while standing in front of the sorting hat along with Professor McGonagall.
Not by surprise, James was staring a few seats down from him on the opposite side of the table, daydreaming at Lily and watching her eyes watch every move Dumbledore made, and he knew she was doing it just to sharpen her image of Head Girl. He liked this about her. Here he sat, this young, rebellious wizard, yet...yet he liked how she was so... Good. Ah, the drumming of Dumbledore's spoon on his gold glistening glass brought him back to reality. What was he thinking?
"Welcome students, to another glorious year at Hogwarts. There are a few announcements, as you all know, after a few (his eyes wavered over James and Sirius) well... ahem... Mishaps last year... We have finished our new library and it will be open first thing tomorrow morning."
Remus looked delighted.
"Jeez Remus, I don't see how you stand so much reading... it's stupid. I can see to read about your homework or new spell, but you just read for the hell of it." Expecting this as James' response, he just gave the usual roll of the eyes.
"I would also like to announce that Filch has informed me of the latest string of dungbombers, and I would like to add that none are allowed inside Hogwarts from this point on. However, do go crazy outside if you wish. Now let's follow Professor McGonagall as she takes us through the sorting."
In addition, as soon as Professor McGonagall sorted each student into their own house with two claps of Dumbledore's hand, food appeared along up and down each table. All sorts and types of different delicious foods, a range of pies and desserts, it seemed everyone's favorite food appeared out of thin air.
"I must say this is my favorite part of school." Sirius said while piling baked chicken into his plate.
"I heafrrad ttayt." Remus said, with a mouth full of mashed potatoes.
"Well, that was very un-Remus like."
Remus just let out a little laugh, swallowed his mashed potatoes, and said, "It's OK Peter, I was so hungry I didn't notice."
"I sure see something I notice, like everyone else in the Great Hall." Sirius said pointing next to him, on his left side was James sitting, not eating, but yet again staring dreamily at Lily.
"Oh Prongs….You in there?" Remus said dreamily waving his hand in front of James face, where as he did not blink once.
"James… Look! They got pumpkin pie!" Sirius said putting a piece of pie down into his empty plate, but James did not move, or did his eyes either, just sat as motionless as stone still staring at the red haired seventh year.
Clink.
"Jeez James watch what your doing there will you? You got pumpkin juice in my eye."
"What? Oh yeah."
"Ah guys that was great. Do you think James? James? James... JAMES!" Peter started screaming after a while, making the whole table stare, as many Slytherin's laugh.
"Oh... Oh yeah it's rainy out.."
Sirius would hate to see the look on his face as he stared at James.
"Mate...that's it. It's time you get over this." Sirius said with a tone, throwing down his napkin.
"Huh? What?"
"Right after the feast we are going to talk to Lily. No more of this bloody nonsense."
"NO! No, she does not like me. I mean.. I don't want to bother her she's probably… bu-"
"No. We are going."
With a groan, James had no choice to agree. However, deep down inside he was now very excited.
"Stop wiping your palms on your shirt mate."
"Oh..s-sorry."
Before Sirius and James could have another shouting contest about how crazy James was over Miss Lily, Dumbledore's voice boomed over the Great Hall and it was quiet once more, "You are all dismissed. Prefects, you know the house passwords. Have a good night all."
Walking never was quite this hard before.
"Hurry there she is, come on!" Half running, half pulling back, James made his way through the crowd, following Sirius' flowing robes almost running over a few first years in his way, behind him was Remus and Peter quickly tagging along to see the show.
"Wait Sirius she is talking to all her friends. Let's listen in." James and Sirius quietly followed them into the Entrance Hall, and hid behind the giant doors so they would not be seen.
"So Lily… Who was that boy in the carriage with us?"
"Oh, James?" Lily said standing on the crowded stairs.
"THAT… was James Potter? Now I know what Alice means when she says you are crazier than that Sibyll Trelawney girl, he is gorgeous Lily."
"Oh he's alright... It's just that it gets on my nerves after so many years and he is so annoying."
"I would not be able to notice, I would be staring at that face all day."
"Just his Quiddich and being so cocky and … just being him."
That was all James heard, the crowd on the stairs had lightened and Lily and her friends continued up the stairway to their dorm, "Hey mate she thinks you are alright, that's a start!" Sirius said happily patting James on the back. Where as Remus and Peter came running up behind he did not even notice them he was too busy realizing how pretty the paintings on the walls were.