First day Back

The next morning, Lily was only just able to drag the girls down to breakfast with out waiting for the marauders, but it was tough work. Dani seemed head over heels for Sirius, though Ella was still heavily in denial over her crush on Remus. Lily personally hoped that they worked out. He was looking gloomier and gloomier every time she saw him.

I didn't make much difference though, for as soon as they had sat down at the table they were joined by James, Lupin and Sirius, who had all left Peter sleeping, a trend which was something of a habit for him, sleeping until the first class. As much as he hated to pass up food, the boy usually had a quick feast on the food supply that was sent from home for him. This mainly consisted of chocolate frogs and things of the like.

"Morning sunshine's!" James greeted the girls, making Ella and Dani giggle and Lily scoff.

"Morning Lily!" he said, making a great effort to get her to talk to him. She didn't He compensated by taking a seat next to her.

"I saw you checking me out at the feast last night." He whispered to her when the others were in a frenzied conversation about NEWTS and classes. Lily scowled.

"Checking you out? More like trying to get you to look away!"

"I couldn't bring myself to do it." He teased. Lily hit him over the head with a bagel.

Professor McGonagal brought around their timetables, and the seventh years headed for their first classes.

Lily, James and Sirius took off for care of Magical Creatures class, which was on the grounds, taken by Professor Kettleby. Dani and Ella headed for divination while Remus went by himself to meet Peter for arithmancy.

Professor Kettleby was a tall man, with wide set shoulders and dark brown hair. His arms and hands were covered in burn marks, and scars, and his face was adorned with jagged lines and bumps, all these souvenirs left from the creatures the school required him to handle.

The man standing in front of them, though, did not show any remorse for the job; no matter how many marks it left of him. He was enthusiastically chatting away to Hagrid, the school gamekeeper, who helped him with the classes. Lily liked Hagrid, with his big warm smile and small, friendly eyes. They had a lot to talk about, as she loved magical creatures, and Hagrid had, shall we say, a sort of mania for any thing that was dangerous and moved. It was no surprise, then, that he was also great friends with the marauders, who enjoyed a chat with the large, friendly man, who lived in the hut by the edge of the forest. He and his dog Fang were always worth a visit, although Sirius often got jealous of the affection his friends showed the great boarhound.

"Welcome back all! Welcome back!" the professor greeted them jovially, and Hagrid also gave the class a cheerful wave, winking at Lily, James and Sirius, who stood near the back of the class.

"Today we've got a great treat! Hagrid's been begging me to show them to you for years, though I thought that it was best we left it til now, no matter how advance you all are." He gave the students a fond smile. They were by far the easiest he had to manage, and definitely enthusiastic about the subject. He chuckled to himself. Maybe a little too enthusiastic-he thought, looking at Sirius Black, who was acting something out to a laughing James Potter and a sceptical Lily Evans.

Beckoning for the class to follow him, the professor walked over to the field past Hagrid's cabin, where half a dozen unusual creatures stood tethered. The class let out a gasp, and Lily grinned. Hagrid had already introduced her to the school hippogriffs. Her favourite was the young grey one, Buckbeak, who was born there at the school.

Professor Kettleby smiled at the student's reaction, and Hagrid's eyes tears up with affection as he saw the creatures.

"Hippogriffs!" the Professor announced happily to the students. He then continued to explain about the hippogriffs proud, yet friendly nature, and diet. "And if you are lucky then you might get a chance to ride one." He told the small group, and they set to work on separate hippogriffs, Lily leading the way over to Buckbeak, closely followed by James and Sirius. She wasn't sure how she felt about that this time. It had been a day since their presence became inexcusable, unless you counted the trip to Diagon Ally, and yet, she was beginning to resent them less and less. They could be quite funny when they wanted to be. They certainly looked out for her. When another boy in their class, Severus Snape, had called her a mudblood that morning he found himself with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, and Lily had not done the casting of the spell. And they had ignored the group of giggling girls who had squealed for them to share their hippogriff, a mangy looking creature with a squashed face.

She also enjoyed Sirius's continuous questions about Danielle, no matter how nonchalant he attempted to appear.

"Hey Beaky!" she greeted the creature affectionately when it had promptly bowed back.

"Uh…you know him?" asked James, looking at the creature apprehensively.

"Yeah, Beaky and I are old friends." She told the guys, who bowed and came forward to join them.

"You three want a ride?" asked a voice behind them. They turned to see Professor Kettleby standing behind them. Lily looked ecstatic, and James enthusiastic, but Sirius, however, took a step back, eyeing the hippogriff cautiously.

"Um, I think I'll pass…" Sirius said quietly, and Lily groaned to herself. It was just her and James.

Hagrid hoisted Lily onto the hippogriffs back, and James after her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and the bumpy take off caused him to grip her even tighter. She wrapped her arms even further around Buckbeaks neck, leaning forward as they took the most uncomfortable leap into the sky.

After the wonky sort of take-off, James still seemed reluctant to loosen his grip around Lily's waist, and so she was forced to pry his hands off.

"What the bloody hell did you do that for?" cried James, as he was almost thrown from the hippogriff's back. Lily hid a snigger.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know he'd turn then!" she apologised insincerely.

Buckbeak was still gaining height, and it wasn't long before Lily and James found themselves soaring above the clouds, which seemed to form turrets and tunnels beneath them, like a fantasy world. Lily sighed in amazement, and James smiled at her elation. Turning to catch his eyes, they shared a rare grin, before Buckbeak decided to plummet to the ground once again. The landing was just as bumpy as the takeoff, however, Lily didn't seem to mind James arms around her as much as she had done for the previous.

They returned to the ground where their fellow students were clapping and cheering, Sirius prominent among them. When he saw that Lily and James were safe, he was quite keen for a fly himself.

"You know, they'd make a great pet, wouldn't they? Hippogriffs?" Sirius discussed when the three walked up to the castle an hour later, "Great for a quick get away!" James laughed, and even Lily managed a grin. Trust Sirius to think of the beautiful creatures as a wonderful aid for mischief making.

"It was a great lesson." Said Lily, "even Beaky enjoyed himself."

James looked at her, and smiled. He loved how excited she got over things like this.

Sirius caught James looking at her, and grinned mischievously. Bumping nonchalantly into James, he sent his friend toppling into Lily, and they wound up on the ground, James on top of her, grinning ear to ear.

"Sorry mate! Didn't mean to run into you. Lost my balance there for a moment!" he consoled. Lily, he noted, looked flustered, though not altogether uncomfortable, and James looked positively gleeful.

Getting to their feet and wiping the dirt off of their robes, James and Lily muttered quick apologies before walking on, and Sirius smiled at a job well done.

When they reached charms class, they found Dani, Ella, Lupin and Peter already waiting outside the classroom. The girls were extremely jealous that they others had gotten to ride Buckbeak, and Dani told Lily quietly that she was stupid for passing up a chance to ride the beast with Sirius.

"I would have Dani, but I knew I wouldn't make it past charms if I had, you would have killed me." Dani nodded in agreement, and they took their seats before Professor Flitwick, the tiny charms teacher who stood on a pile of books and cushions so that he could see over his desk. Lily particularly enjoyed charms, probably because she was particularly skilled at the subject.

Lily and Dani were seated behind Lupin and Ella. Ella was smiling, smitten, at the boy, and looking deep into his intriguing eyes while he talked to her. She had light brown hair, and bright blue eyes. Lily, Ella and Dani had been friends since their first night at Hogwarts.

By dinnertime that night, nothing special had happened, and the first day at Hogwarts was as ordinary as any day at Hogwarts can be. The moment on the grass, however, did not transpire to be the only Sirius-induced moment that Lily and James found themselves in, so that by the end of the day Lily was frequently blushing, and James was permanently grinning broadly. Sirius was very proud indeed.

"I think this is going to be a very good year." Announced James, as they all lazed around the fire that night, in the common room.

"I agree," said Remus, his eyes glued to Ella. James smiled.

"Mmmm, it wasn't a bad first day back, was it?" said Dani, her dark hair flowing over the arm of the lounge chair where her head was rested.

"I guess." Said Lily. She still hadn't worked out weather she liked the sudden change in their group. It was strange that the boys she had so long resented were turning out to be such great people. James had helped her with her transfiguration homework, walked her to dinner, and given her his seat on the couch, yet she was still apprehensive to trust him.

It seemed like she was betraying herself. But maybe he really had changed over the summer. Grown up.