Chapter Two

'James? James!' Lily was sitting next to James shaking him gently by the shoulder.

'Mmmm… What?'

'We're here.'

'Oh… Lily it's you.'

'Yep. Hi. I hope you slept well, 'cos you won't tonight. Trust me. C'mon. Grab your stuff.'

'OK. I'm ready.' James yawned and stretched as he stood up. 'Let's go.'

The two of them walked together quietly until they reached the horseless carriages outside Hogsmeade station. They walked companionably, side by side, an occasional shoulder touching, an occasional mouth opening nervously to speak and then closing again. They were both silent, slightly uncomfortable, James longing to wrap his arm round Lily, while she walked next to him, swinging her arms backwards and forwards.

Hesitantly, as they came to a stop in front of the horseless carriages outside the station, Lily said- "Um, James? I.. I had a.. good time today. Thanks.'

'It's fine Lily. My pleasure. So did I.'

'Well, um, …. good. Thanks.' She gave him a brief hug and a tiny peck on the cheek. Blushing, not quite believing that she had just kissed James Potter, Lily wandered off aimlessly, waving back. James returned the wave and turned with a dazed, faraway look on his face when he heard his name behind him.

'Oi! James! Was that what I thought it was?!' Sirius yelled from behind him.

'Errrr what?' James answered, still staring at Lily's red hair passing through the crowd. 'Um yeah… what?'

'Was that Lily Evans?'

'Of course.'

'Well mate, it looks like modesty works.'

'Haha, yeah. Thanks Sirius.'

'Prongs, she's gorgeous and everything but you do know how hard to get she is right?' Remus put in hesitantly, looking at James' face carefully.

'Of course I do. But you saw that.… you saw how nervous she was. I think she's beginning to fall for me.'

'Hmmm,' Remus said. 'Well let's grab this carriage before it leaves.'

'Yeah. Let's go,' said Peter eagerly. 'I'm starving. I wanna sink my teeth into that fest.'

'Wormtail, you're always starving,' said Sirius. But for once you're right. Let's get this one.'

The four of them climbed into the carriage and sat down on the plush blue seats. They looked out of the window as they went up the hill towards the squares of bright light coming from Hogwarts castle. James was still lost in thoughts of Lily, while his friends chatted animatedly around him in loud voices.

'God, I can't wait to get back!'

'Yeah I know!'

'Wonder if Hagrid's back yet?'

'What do you think we could do to Snivellus this year, James? James?'

'Nothing. We leave him alone.'

'Ahah. Evans.'

James didn't answer. He turned back to the window and continued to stare towards Hogwarts.

Sitting in the Great Hall next to Remus, James leaned over the table and looked at Lily. To the stares of many of the girls around her, she smiled back and waved. He blew her a kiss and turned back, watching her friends lean towards Lily and whisper madly. He gave a surreptitious half-smile and looked down at his hands.

About a minute later, the friendly chatter in the Hall died down as Dumbledore stood up to address the students

'This year will prove to be a trying one for many of you. For this is the year when most will be taking their OWLs and their NEWTs. And, though it is a topic I do not want to bring up at so joyous a time, you may all know of the rise of certain dark wizard naming himself Lord Voldemort and modelling himself as the most powerful wizard of all time. Though many may laugh at his claims of power, he has already destroyed the lives of many and his influence is spreading steadily over the country. This may be a grievous year for many of you, but while you are under the wings of Hogwarts castle, you will be safe. Remember to stay united and keep your courage up while you are here. Your friends and teachers are here for you always. And now, I believe there is a sumptuous dinner getting cold in the chamber below, which I'm sure is just longing to be eaten. Tuck in and enjoy, all of you.' When Dumbledore's speech was over the Sorting began, the Hat singing a song of warning against the Dark Arts and giving advice to stick together and stay strong, something which had never happened during James' time at Hogwarts. When the first years had been given their houses and had sat down at the tables, timetables were handed out and students were given a chance to get aquainted, discussing the Hat's strange warning and the rise of Lord Voldemort.

Meanwhile, heaps of food had appeared on the platters scattered around the long hall tables. Remus, James, Peter and Sirius dug in, speaking seriously for once.

'That speech was kind of worrying, wasn't it?' Asked Remus, sounding concerned.

'I'm sure everything will be fine,' Sirius assured, though not sounding too convinced himself. 'This guy 'Voldemort' sounds like a complete jackass to me. More importantly, is it getting close to that time of the month Remus? I'm getting bored.'

'Already?! We just got here!'

'Exactly,' said James, 'and we haven't done anything. Do we still have the map?'

'Of course. How could I lose it?' Sirius answered. 'It's my baby.'

'It's our baby, Sirius,' Remus reminded him. 'We made it together. Remember, it took us forever to get the magic right and find all the secret passages and everything? But it's amazing isn't it, we should be proud. It took a lot of brains to make that wonderful piece of parchment resting in Padfoot's bag there.'

'Yeah, definitely. I had no clue what you were talking about half the time you were making it,' added Peter, rocking on his bench, his short legs hanging off it, making him look like a little boy more than a seventeen-year-old.

'Do you ever have any idea what we're talking about, Wormtail?' Asked Sirius.

'Usually, no I don't.' The boys laughed and drank their pumpkin juice. Yawning, James got up with the other students rising and leaving the hall.

'Guys, I'm going up. I'll see you later. I'm way too tired right now. The marauders will plan this year's mischief tomorrow.'

'Yup. Bye Prongs, see you later,' said Sirius, yawning himself and grinning.

'Bye'

James left and made his exhausted way up the stairs to the Gryffindor dormitory.

'Lemongrass,' said a voice behind James, as he stood before the portrait of the Fat Lady, who demanded a password before his entrance to the common room. He turned, blinking rapidly through a haze of sleepiness, and saw Lily, standing there, looking just as tired and smiling gently.

'Head Girl, you know,' she said jokingly, 'I kinda have to know the password. Get in.'

'Thanks,' said James. 'Hey, I was told we had private rooms or something, you know, 'cos we're the Head Boy and Girl.'

'Yeah. We get our own rooms. They're adjoining actually. Yours has a corridor leading straight through to mine.'

'Excellent….'

'Haha. Don't get any ideas Potter.' Lily cuffed him on the shoulder and led him upstairs to a door marked 'Head Girl- Lily Evans' She whispered a password and entered. 'Ok. This is my room. Like it?'

'It's okay. Bit girly. Hope mine's not like that.'

The room was carpeted in a fluffy red material that sunk under their feet, while an armoire and two sets of bookshelves had been placed against the right-hand wall and a large wooden four-poster bed upholstered in white sat right in the middle of the room.

'I quite like it actually,' James said. 'Suits you.'

'Nah, you're right. It's too girly,' said Lily, who waved her wand carelessly at the carpet, which changed to a deep blue colour, and then at the walls where posters from her room at home attached themselves magically. 'There. Much better.'

'Wow. Pretty cool,' said James. 'But, here-' he waved his own wand at the small dressing table where a small crystal vase of white roses appeared, sparkling in the light of the torches around the walls. 'Now, if I did that right, they shouldn't die.'

'Hmm. Pretty cool yourself. Thank you, they're gorgeous.' Lily smiled at him, looking straight into his eyes. 'Really gorgeous. Now- you wanna see your room?'

Lily gave him his password and then followed him into his room, which was exactly the same as her own, but with dark green carpeting rather than blue. After personalising it a little, he looked around again, then asked Lily:

'Since you know my password, can

'You won't need it to get through the corridor. It's there for emergencies. But like I said, don't go taking advantage of that.'

'Haha. Yeah, well, I'll try. Right now all I wanna do is sleep.'

'Same here. Look- I'll see you in the morning. We have our first meeting then I think.' She waved her wand at James' door, where a piece of parchment containing the details of the Head Boy's timetable appeared, pinned to the wooden frame. 'Goodnight.'

'You too,' James said, yawning widely. 'Sleep well.'

Lily left him, smiling at the door before turning to go. James sighed contentedly and whistled as he changed into his pyjamas and brushed his teeth. He pulled the covers down, flopped onto his giant bed and fell asleep immediately, as the torches in his room dimmed and extinguished.