Step 1- Be a Friend

Dedicated to the HMS Marauders like always (Kelso, Tori and Allie!) and I don't need to explain why accept for they put up with me everyday (lol- but I happen to put up with them, so we're even!) But also to Ayesha because you're special (lol) and Rimmal this time for being so understanding!

A/N- Hello everyone! Oh it feels so good just starting with an author's note, no disclaimers or anything, but the dedications are special to me- I may dedicate to reviewers sometimes too (I love reviewers…)! - Oh let's keep this one kinda short and on with the story (as always replies and a longer author's note at the end!) Yes also- this story is pretty much all by me- Rimmal wrote the first chapter with me, but it was kinda hard to do it together- especially since I'm always in such a rush to keep writing, but I have an idea and want to get there A.S.A.P.- so yah it's just TajM now, but hey don't worry, be happy…! (Not by Yellowcard so I don't care about the rest of the words!) Oh this note did turn out to be longer then expected! (Biting my lip nervously) Oh wells- on with the show (story!)- TajM

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts- but I won't keep you waiting from the magnificent feast because of boring and pointless babble (Filch was staring daggers at Dumbledore right about now)- and important notices- but I will say these words Nufe vahdnan realev il!"

"Here here!" cried out Sirius loudly from across the table as the feat began to appear on the platters on the Gryffindor house's dinning table. Little first years near the front of the table where whispering to themselves-

"What did he say?"

"I don't know…"

"Who cares, he's like a bloody genius or something- I mean he has his own Chocolate Frog card!"

"Oh I hope it's not going to be on a test!" one muttered anxiously. That one definitely reminded him of Lily. He was pathetic really, everything now a days reminded him of Lily. Why did he like Lily so much? Now that was the question of the centaury- the million-dollar question.

The honest answer was he didn't know himself- maybe if he did it would be easier for Lily to feel the same way about him. But, it had something to do with the way she got so agitated and livid about what she believed in (though that usually meant believing that he was a git, but that's beside the point…), how she laughed near her friends, how she was so frank around him (mostly negatively though), and how she was, just then sitting vertically away from him and his friends, kindly explaining to the panicky first-years about the norm in Hogwarts. James didn't know why- but things just fit, and this was his last chance to make sure Lily felt the same way- and he would. Something inside of him told him he would…

"Prongs can you pass the gravy?"

"Wha-"

"Mate, I said pass the gravy," Sirius shook his head, "What are we ever going to do with you Potter?"

"Huh?"

"I said Lily just announced her engagement to Prince Charles!"

"What?" James said taken a back.

"Oh really this is pointless," Remus sighed, "James, I understand you like Lily, but just don't let it take away from living you life."

"Okay Moony, don't worry, right now I'm just plain James- nothing's distracting me!" James chuckled- he may not have a girl or anything, but he had amazing friends and he felt very guilty he acted like such an obsessed fool- honestly he did –but it was hard not to, especially since this was the last time.

All the Marauders grinned this time.

"Glad to have you back mate!" Sirius laughed.

Vertically from the four Lily was sitting there talking intently to Frank on another pressing matter.

"You like her!" she said in a singsong voice.

"'Course not, Lily I do not."

"DENIAL!" shouted Mia, "The first sign of a lie!"

"Utterly wrong- denial is the first sign of truth!"

"Yes that the thing that is opposite of which the person who denied the claim said is what is proven as truthful Frank," Lily preached, "so I come to the conclusion that we were right and you like her!"

"That made no sense what-so-ever," he pestered on, "and no need to be so juvenile girls!"

Sirius leaned from across the table, smiled and said to Frank, "Well Longbottom that's what you get for befriending giggling teenage girls! They're immature- the invitation was closed- but I feel bad so it's officially open again after seeing such displays of appalling treatment!"

"I object Black," Mia retorted, "We're the mature ones."

"Of course De Silva- whatever you say, and in that case Longbottom you like her!" he grinned and turned back to the other four and continued talking.

James sat in the deserted common room by the fire. Classes where starting tomorrow and that meant a lot of different things for James- most of which hurt- badly- because they were a sickly reminder it was soon time to leave Hogwarts.

"James?"

James turned around and saw Lily Evans- a vision of loveliness- standing there in a night robe looking at him with a questioning and slightly amused expression. He had to smile.

"You called me James- for the first time Lily Flower!"

"I what?" she blushed, "Gosh- don't be flattered or anything, it was an accident! I meant to say Potter- but it just came out James…." She blushed into a deeper shade of red.

"You know Lils, calling me by my given name isn't being foreword or anything- in any way it would only be less, only you and Slytherins say that, and that makes you even more special…" he laughed.

She frowned and became more business like. "Well Potter in any case now that you're here- we need to talk. I don't like you."

"No need to rub it in."

"But we're stuck together every night patrolling so I thought we could not loathe each other a bit?"

"I don't loathe you even a bit Lily Flower- quite the opposite actually."

"See Potter- that's what I mean! I do… so I thought we could be livable collogues?"

"How about boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Shut up!"

"How about friends?"

"How about "forced acquaintances"?"

"Works for me Lily Flower- any things a step up from insufferable git."

"Um- yah, thanks," she said uncomfortably, grabbed a book and showed it to him- you know came down for this- can't sleep… Well night."

"Night Lily Flower," he called up as she climbed the stairs.

Step One- be friends (or at least act like one Moony moaned), check! This was going to be quite easy really, he smiled to himself. This moment oddly brightened up his mood by some extent.

"Welcome back class, and welcome to your N.E.W.T Defense Against the Dark Arts," Professor Prewett's voice rand throughout the classroom. Everyone couldn't help but smiling, the young energetic Professor was an amazing teacher even if he was only filling in for the year. "Today I think we'll start off the year with learning a new spell- but a bloody useful one at that! How about we start things off by learning a how to conquer a Patronus?" Now that was what DADA should really be about.

"Now repeat after me guys, wait- and ladies- and wait without wands at first! Wait did anyone do this before? Oh we'll find out soon enough," the professor laughed, "Okay ready, Ex-pect-o Pat-ron-um" After the class repeated that line a few times lines with and without wands, he claimed it was now time for students to come up one by one and do it themselves in the front of the room.

"Okay I need a star pupil up her first- um Evans show um how it's done, wait hold on I should first!" as soon as the words left his mouth a shiny shield left his wand and took the form of a barrier. The class was mostly impressed, James although rolled his eyes along with Sirius- yah that was an impressive trick- back in fourth year maybe. "Potter your up- I heard from my brother who heard from your father that your pretty good! Wait I told Miss Evans first- oh well, Potter up!"

James sighed and left his seat and stood up and immediately thought of Lily, "Expecto Patronum!" A burst of silver shout out of his wand like a waterfall around him. "Excellent James!"

One by one each student was ushered out of his chair to the front of the classroom. Sirius earned sighs from the female persuasion after dramatically flipping his hair after finishing his Patronus (which looked very much like a broom stick…). Peter fumbled with his wand and managed to let out a cloud of silver smoke and the professor encouraged, "Great start Peter- it's getting there, it really is!" Remus was just sitting down just when Prewett called Lily with a comment about how he saved the best for last.

Lily Evans made her way to the front of the classroom, straightened up, said something to herself, and calmly and clearly spoke, "Expecto Patronum!"

What James saw next was something that made him grip the desk in front of him very hard, and intake a quick jagged breath, because out of Lily's wand came a silver stag.

YAY- I got some reviews from some awesome people! Kudos for the awesome people!

Mae-Gene- Oh I'm so happy you like Lily in this story! I really wanted her to be friends with Frank because when I keep writing I could always add him into the plot a bit- he seems important to the HP series (along with Alice- but that would be too normal- and no ones ever excused me of doing things normally!) Oh about the definition- I did the dictionary thing on Microsoft Word and combined some of the definitions and rephrased it a bit to be more Jamesish! This was step one! How exciting- okay maybe this wasn't too much, but it'll get better! Oh THANKS so much again, and please keep reading! I hope Earth Day was awesome for you too! (I had no school- so that definitely helped!)

Cylobaby- I am so quick to post because of AWESOME reviewers like you! Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked chapter 3- ahhhh…. and Sirius- you gotta love Sirius, and for me right now he is a bit of a comic relief- but who cares I love him all the same! I love what you said about James "quick wit", that was awesome! Thanks again so much!

A/N- Wow a qualified cliffy isn't it! Oh I love this! I felt bad about that- so I went back and added that little L/J thing there- so FYI that wasn't really suppose to happen- I wanted to add some length- but it wasn't meant to happen once again- but to bad- it did anyways! Is that moving to fast? Hope not! OMG it is almost one! I can't believe it- I was having too much fun with this chapter! Please read and review mes amis! I am so sad I have no reviews to respond to for chapter 3 right now- so won't post until I get some, meaning that I won't be able to post chapter four until later! Oh the angst! I love writing this story- please review and tell me what you think of it guys, it means the world to me honestly! Oh also canya figure out what Dumbledore said! It was kinda stupid but I wonder can anyone? It's really simple I promise!

Like always,

TajM

P.S.- That Lily marrying Prince Charles was a JOKE! It wasn't meant to be taking any way literally at all (thought I'd add that just to make sure I don't get a review from the General (or should I say Feneral?) saying "What the Heck…" Really people!