Padfoot's Steps to Success

Disclaimer- Wow- hate to say it, but Harry Potter doesn't belong to me! I bet no one saw that coming…. But I still stand by that awesome "fans own it" rule… oh also- any new characters you happen to meet are figments of my imagination- meaning the actually do belong to me! How cool is that?

Summary- (Shall I say it again? Well, one last time then!) "Hey Remus- guess what? Big news, Lily didn't slap James all day!" "Amazing," Remus muttered, "one small step for Lily Evans…" "One giant leap for James Potter!" And sometimes a giant leap backwards…

Dedicated to the HMS MAURADERS- Tori, Kelso and Allie! THANX SO MUCH FROM TAJY! A(s)/N- THANK YOU TO ANYONE WHO REVIEWED CHAPTER ONE! It was amazingly nice- I was pleasantly pleased (honestly wasn't expecting any-except from my fellow marauders…) Look at the end of the chapter for my reply! They encouraged me to write chapter two A.S.A.P… see what a simple gesture can do! On that note-Happy Earth day! - TajM (who's writing this w/o Rimmal's permission- but hey wrote the ending of chapter one the same way- but who's counting!) Also the replies are kinda long, so I'm sorry but that's where most of the real length comes from! They are to those who replied day one (others will be on the next chapter- if there are others!) Now (finally!) onto the real story, dun,dun,dun…

Ahhhh- senior year- the seventh year- the final stretch before graduation. To some it means studying like a maniac to get high NEWT score for that ministry job they've been eying (or make up for any defective potion grades!) A time for others to lay back and goof off- in other words senioritis. But the marauders this year meant hard work!

Wait--- work hard --- marauders--- that's an oxymoron, surely! But alas, no, it is the truth. For the marauders (at least most of them that is) it was the time to make sure their last stunt was the most memorable ever, that they manage to prank on every teacher- again, set a detention record trouble-makers even generations from now will never be able to break, and do all this while effortlessly maintaining an O average. But for James Potter their seventh year meant a bit more, it meant that this would be his last chance to get the heart of a certain stubborn red-head…

James Potter quickly leaned into a fast pace and passed the barrier on the other side of platform 9 and 3/4. He slowed down and managed to look as charming as possible as he casually rumpled his hair and turned and waited for a tall boy (quiet good looking- okay very good looking, not that James noticed or anything) who also casually slowed down his pace along with another boy another boy (who looked quiet worn out but managed to look surprisingly likable all the same). He let out a bark of laughter as a slightly round boy tripped through the wall.

"Really Wormtail, you'd think that after 7 years of this you'd get better, sheeze what a way to make an entrance our last year, aye?" Peter grinned sheepishly trying to ignore the sniffles coming from Sirius.

When on the train, like always (since their first year) the marauders were able to have a compartment to themselves.

"Well Jamsies, how's it feel to be big-head-boy now? The big guy on campus, must be a really big responsibility?" Sirius questioned in mock concern.

James sighed an over exaggerated sigh, "It's tough Padfoot let me tell you… but on the other hand it'll be all right if my dear Lily Flower is right beside me."

Sirius grinned (managing to look very good doing so), he'd given up early in their forth year trying to say that it was just hormones. Really, hormones where suppose to stop this nonsense long ago- that's when he decided it may be for real. Only he never could have guessed to what extent. Remus rolled his eyes; he was James official unofficial guide too how to act around Lily. The most sensible of the four he realized James had some sort of feelings for Lily, only he always expressed them in the wrong way. And what are friends for if not to point out everything you do wrong? Peter was gazing out the window wondering when the snack trolley would come by, it'd been a whole hour since his last meal…

"What ya gonna do this year Prongsies to gain the affections of Miss Evans?"

"Like I said James, just stop teasing her, be more like a friend, and deflate your head and…"

"Stop picking on Snivellus etc. etc. I know Moony, I've tried, but I need something different. I already tried all that!"

"'For more then a day James!"

"Why should he change!"?

"He's gotten more mature- I'm sure he has- he just has to show it!" Remus defended his first argument.

"Geeze thanks Moony I feel loved."

"You should Prongs, friends are there to help you up when you fall, then trip you again and laugh harder!" Sirius laughed, "But I have a real plan for you!"

And so with Peter twitching, Remus continuously rolling his eyes, and James nodding every second Sirius loudly embellished his plan with loud hand gestures!

"I'm impressed mate!" James muttered.

"You should be I spent forever on it- okay, well more like a couple of minutes before I fell asleep but still…"

But the four marauders never did here "still what," because just then the door of their compartment flew open and a pretty curly haired girl in her Hogwart's uniform with a pin with "Head Girl" pinned on, opened the door and scolded with her hand on her hips, "Okay, I don't know why I'm stuck with you Potter- but just don't hold me back this year- and you've started already, the meeting was suppose to start ten minutes ago."

James gulped as he hastily hid a paper that read "Padfoot's Steps to Success" and managed to smile, "Nice summer, Evans?"

Replies to the awesome Reviewers!

Adoring- You're my first reviewer ever! Thanks so much for the encouraging review! I think a good mixture of long and short chapters would fit this story? Don't you? Well, it's ever developing so we may eventually figure it out! Oh about that Remus thing is that, well his best friend finally is getting married to the love of his life (over-exaggerated? I think not!) so he is a little "giddy" and can shorten his words a little… Okay not a good excuse I know, but I try (lol)… THANKS AGAIN!

Jeran- I adore L/J stories too! I'm sooo glad you liked the ending! Yes, thanks for the beta idea my to friends are now my "official beta readers" to take in affect by chapter 3 hopefully! Thank you so much!

WriterGirl859- Awww, that's so sweet of you to say that! Don't worry I'm so hooked up in updating I'd do it all the time if there where enough hours in the day and no such thing as writer's block (which I probably won't have for awhile! Thanks so much!

Genuinescene- Honestly about the red-hair/orange thing that's what I call a blooper/typo/that's why Rimmal doesn't and shouldn't type and update the story! I'll try to fix it soon! Sry if it was distracting and thanks for catching it and reviewing! I know its not a good excuse….

Japanime1- I'm not sure- but I'll be updating a lot! I hope it may reach the end of 7th- fast foreward a little bit, at least mention some of the wedding! Its an on going process! THANKS!

Zaurak- We hope you do too! Please keep on reading!

Mae-Gene- I'm so glad that it made you laugh! I keep jokes stored up, tell them to myself, and if I find them amusing use them somewhere! I'm soooo happy you liked it! I'm trying to make it funny by adding little tid-bits like that! Of course not, just kinda obsessed… lol

Dee023- Details! I'm sry I'm not sure how James managed it yet but maybe I'll bring it back in a later chappy just for you when I do! Wait, know I'll definatley do so! Thanx for the review and idea…!

Trinity Day- Thanks so much for that review with constructive criticism-, which I oddly love! Thanks for the beta-reader idea I know have to "official" ones, who will start by chapter 3 hopefully (okay my friends- but I'm not too picket!) I'm so glad you liked the two-prologue thing, I wanted to do that so badly but I wasn't sure how it would work! I'm sorry about the a/n, so I took all of them out in this chapter just for you and only use them again if highly necessary! Oh- about the carbon-copy thing, I mean average. I'm not sure about you, but at my school we really have lots of blondes, brunettes and a few blue one (lol) but not really any redheads! I thought James making her look "average" would be kinda funny! Sorry! I guess it doesn't make as much sense as I hoped! Thanks for taking the time to help us so much! We really appreciate it!
Ima-Grint- Nice name! Glad you like the beginning- please keep reading!
Cylobaby- I'm sorry about the jumping around thing- it's a habit, but I hope after the story really begins that habit will hopefully end! Thanks for the review!

Ayesha- Thanks- sry can't be too long right now!

A/N- Next chapter is about Lily- sorry not too much of her here! This was mostly just narration. But I find it necessary to lead into the other chapter! I'm afraid that it isn't very good but I tried very hard and spur of the moment once again! I'm not much of a let's-stretch-it-for-a-week-go-back-and-edit type of person. I get an idea and start writing and now I have direction! Will call Rimmal and read it to her before I post it! I'm sure she'll get to write a chapter eventually. I hope it wasn't too sucky, I tried! PLEASE REVIEW- I want to post faster after reading reviews! Be as critical as necessary.

Like always,

TajM

P.P.S.- Please don't stop reading know! Also tomorrow's earth day! Get out there and plant a tree, pick up litter, and scold those who throw trash out of car window's but most of all review (lol)!