Lily got dressed quickly and went down into the common room to wait for Henriette. She settled herself into a comfy armchair and ran a hand through her red hair.

"Hey Lily." A voice said from behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Sirius standing there smiling at her.

"Hey Sirius. How are you?"

"Pretty good. I'm waiting for James; he takes ages to get ready."

"Yeah I'm waiting for Henriette."

"So you should sit with us this morning? I'm probably gonna get a Howler. Trust me it will be funny. Most people get embarrassed, but not me. I reckon they're hilarious."

"Maybe. I gotta go. See you around Sirius. Say hi to James." Lily stood up and waved goodbye to Sirius when Henriette walked down the stairs of the girls' dormitory. Together they walked out the portrait hole and into the castle.

James ran his hand through his jet black hair and messed it up. He looked in the mirror and liking the reflection he saw he put his wand in his robe pocket and walked down to the common room where Sirius was waiting for him.

"Hey mate let's go."

"Took ya long enough. Lily said hi."

"Lily…"

"Evans. The girl you were sitting with on the train. Remember?"

"Vaguely. Let's go then. I think Remus is skipping breakfast and is sleeping in."

"Sure ok then."

They walked out of the portrait and made their way through the castle to the great hall.

James pushed open the door and walked in. He headed straight for the Gryffindor table and sat in a seat. He immediately piled his plate with sausages, bacon and scrambled eggs. Sirius sat down across from him and put two pieces of toast on his own plate.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Nah not really. I'm still kinda full from dinner last night. Plus I never really eat breakfast."

"Ok then. So show me Lily."

"That red head sitting with the girl with wavy brown hair and almost black eyes. Next to that kid that's in our dorm with us. Peter Pettiwew or something like that."

"Yeah I remember her now. She got into Gryffindor too hey? Good on her." James continued to eat his breakfast and looked up when he heard the hurried fluttering of wings. He saw hundreds of owls fly into the great hall and searched for his family's owl. Not seeing it he was about to go back to his food when he saw a pure black owl land in front of Sirius and gracefully fold it's wings and extend its leg. Curiously James watched Sirius tear off the letter and absently pat the bird on it's head.

"Who sent you a Howler?" James asked worriedly.

"One guess." Sirius tore open the envelope and his mother's shrill voice filled the great hall.

"Sirius Black how dare you. I specifically demanded that you be put into Slytherin. If this is some prank you will undo it immediately. You being put in Gryffindor is shameful enough to our family. You should pay closer attention to Bellatrix. She listened to her parents and now look at her. She is upholding the family name and is a proud member of Slytherin house. I will say it once and once only Sirius. CHANGE!"

The Howler folded in on itself and turned to ash. Sirius looked around him meeting the curious stares and then suddenly burst into delirious laughter. He was laughing so hard he clutched his stomach and fell off his chair. James looked down at him.

"Are you okay mate?"

"F…Fi….Fin…Fine. I'm…. Fine."

"Okay." James got passed his timetable and sat down to study it. "Sirius mate. You're timetable."

Sirius's head emerged from under the table his face bright red.

"Thanks."

"We have Transfiguration first. With Hufflepuffs."

"Cool."

James finished his pumpkin juice and got up from the table.

"I'm gonna go and get my books. I'll see you there okay?"

"Sure. I'll probably be along later."

James walked out of the great hall and up the main stairs.

"Pumpkin Juice." He said to the Fat Lady and she swung open to admit him into the common room. He quickly sprinted up the stairs and into his dorm. He gathered his Transfiguration books and went over to shake Remus awake. Seeing that his bed was empty James checked the adjoining bathroom. Remus was leaning over one of the toilets.

"Remus? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine James."

"Okay well are you sure?"

"Positive. Could you leave please this isn't something I really want an audience for."

"Okay. Well we have Transfiguration first in case you were wondering. I guess I'll see you there."

"Whatever James."

James walked down the stairs and collided with a loud crash with Lily Evans. Standing up he held out his hand to help her up off the floor.

"Thanks." Lily grabbed his hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"Yeah well maybe next time you should watch where you're going."

"Pardon me?" Lily asked the beginnings of anger showing on her face.

"I said…"

"I heard what the bloody hell you said I just don't believe you would say it. It was you're fault anyway."

"Was not."

"Was too."

"Was not."

"WAS TOO."

"WAS NOT."

"WAS TOO."

"SHUT THE HELL UP." Remus shouted from the stairs where he stood shakily hanging onto the side of the brick wall for support.

"Remus are you okay?" James asked.

"I'm fine James."

Lily looked at Remus and then glared at James. She spun on her heel and headed up the stairs to get her books. She came thundering back down carrying her wand and her transfiguration books. James and Remus were nowhere to be seen and Lily walked out of the portrait hole only to crash into the back of James.

She was sprawled on the floor her books a foot away from her. She glared up at James.

"That's twice."

"That wasn't my fault."

"Maybe if you weren't standing in the doorway I wouldn't be on the ground."

"It's a free country I can stand wherever the hell I want too. And you are certainly not going to tell me what to do."

"Arrogant snob. I wonder why you don't take after your mother more. At least she was polite." She got to her feet brushed herself off gathered her things and walked down the hallway her head held high in the air.