"LUPIN! POTTER! BLACK!" Lily heard the loud, raspy voice of the Hogwarts caretaker Mr Denison shout from around the corner. The urge to see Potter get told off was too strong for Lily to resist and she peeked around the corner at the unusual scene in front of her. Mr Denison was standing in what appeared to be a deserted corridor shouting abuse at nothing but the absent forms of Black, Potter and Remus. Lily looked on puzzled.

"OMPHH!" Lily felt someone crash into her and she was knocked back onto the stone floor. She looked up but didn't see anything. She reached out a hand wondering if there was a ghost there. She encountered a silky material and grasped it. She gasped in surprise when the material was wrenched from her fingertips and she heard footsteps clatter down the hall away from her and Mr Denison. Quick as she could she got to her feet and darted down the hall towards the stairs that lead to the Entrance Hall. She jumped off the stairs and skidded to a stop in time to see the front door close by itself. She raced to the door and pulled it open. She ran out onto the lawn and looked around. She heard a noise over her shoulder and turned around in time to see James Potter appear from out of nowhere.

"Alright Evans?" he asked running a hand through his already messy black hair, his hazel eyes twinkling with laughter at her stunned expression.

"No Potter I'm not alright. I just saw you appear out of nowhere."

"Maybe you were seeing things. After that nasty bump on the head when you fell down…"

"And how the hell would you know that Potter when it appeared only Mr Denison and myself were in that area at the time?" Lily crossed her arms over her chest and glared knowingly up at James, whose stricken expression was almost too much for Lily. But she luckily held her laughter in.

"GOOD ONE JAMES. NOW SHE KNOWS." Sirius said loudly and angrily throwing off the invisibility cloak that was covering him and Remus. James slapped his forehead and turned to Sirius.

"Sirius you idiotic git. I could have come up with a story about casually walking past and seeing her fall on her butt. But no you had to come out from under the invisibility cloak."

"Whoops." Sirius face flushed and he started banging his head on a stone pillar that framed the castle doors. Remus pulled him away from the pillar and onto the grass.

"Look maybe we should take Lily someplace more private and explain the whole thing now that she… uh…knows." Remus said diplomatically. The four of them went out onto the middle of the Quidditch pitch and sat in a circle. Lily was next to James, James next to Remus and Remus next to Sirius. Lily looked around the small circle.

"Okay. So spill all now."

"Well… James you start." Remus said chickening out at the last minute.

"Why me! Ok then. Well the four of us, me, Sirius, Peter and Remus sneak around the castle under my dad's invisibility cloak. That's how some of the more complex pranks have been pulled off. But you have to promise not to tell anyone or we could get in serious trouble."

"Wow an invisibility cloak. That's so cool. Can I see it?" Lily asked stunned at the news.

Sirius pulled the silvery, slinky material out of the pocket of his robe and held it out to Lily. Lily ran the material through her fingers. She covered her hand with the cloak and was surprised when her hand disappeared. She smiled at the three anxious looking boys.

"It's okay you guys. I wont tell anyone." Lily looked at her watch and swore softly under her breath.

"G-rated Lily." Remus said shaking his head at her.

"What? Yeah ok whatever. I gotta go and meet Charlie. See you around guys." Lily got up, threw the cloak back to James and ran off the Quidditch pitch.

"I can't believe she's still going out with Charlie Kingston." James said angrily staring at the retreating form of Lily.

"Why not James. You're not jealous are you?" Remus asked slyly shooting a glance at Sirius.

"Jealous. Hell no. But he's no good for her."

"Who is then James?" asked Sirius.

"I don't know. But not him." He finished decisively.

"We'd better go too James. I still have to finish my History of Magic essay." Remus said pushing himself to his feet.

"Yeah and I have to go and meet Susie Date."

"Susie Date?" James asked. He was still trying to get over the fact that Sirius was so involved with girls. "Weren't you only on a date last night with Meaghan Wrong?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Don't even try James. Sirius doesn't understand the concept of trying to get to know someone before jumping in bed with them." Remus said shooting a look at Sirius.

"Whatever. All I know is that I have to go and get ready. I cant help it if all the girls think I'm irresistible." James started to laugh then quickly turned it into a cough when Sirius glared at him.

"Well lets let this Casanova get himself dolled himself up." James led the way back to the castle.

'I can't believe he actually has an invisibility cloak. That is so cool.' Lily thought to herself. She was lying on a bench in the library.

"LILY! Earth to Lily." Charlie waved a hand in front of her face and Lily abruptly awoke from her reverie. She stared into the face of her boyfriend, who was now wearing an annoyed expression.

"Sorry Charlie. I didn't hear you."

"Is something wrong Lily. You don't seem like yourself."

"Nah I'm fine it's just studying is getting really boring."

"But passing all your exams is really important."

"I know. You told me that yesterday. But it seems the only thing we ever do is study. I want to do something fun."

"Well I don't really know. Studying is really important."

"Yeah. Anyway go on. I'll try and pay more attention." Lily lay back down on the bench, tuning out Charlie's voice every now and then. Her thoughts kept drifting back to James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. 'They always seem to have fun.' She mused.

"LILY!" Charlie slammed the book shut and chucked it on the ground. The heavy volume landed on the ground with a loud BOOM. Lily jumped up, her heart racing.

"What?"

"I can't take this anymore. I'm helping you prepare for a really important exam and all you're doing is daydreaming. I thought you would be really interested in this stuff. But I guess I was wrong."

"Look, Charlie. I have other things on my mind today. The world doesn't revolve around studying. I think I need a break. See ya later." Lily grabbed her bag and walked quickly out of the library. Charlie sat where he was, his mouth hanging open.

"Who is she kidding? Of course the world revolves around studying." He shook his head and then went to join his friends who were studying quietly in a corner.

'What did I see in him?' she asked herself as she walked angrily down the halls. 'Of course he's cute. But so are a lot of other guys. Like James. WHAT THE HELL? Did I just say James is cute? James Potter?' Lily stopped abruptly one foot poised to step onto the stairs leading to the Gryffindor common room. She shook her head to clear it of the thought. She said the password quietly to the fat lady and stepped inside. She ran up the stairs hoping to find Henriette or Anna or Samantha or Carrie. She slammed the door shut and immediately saw her three friends huddled around s crumpled figure on the floor. Lily ran over and knelt down next to her friends as they all rocked Samantha.

"What's the matter? What happened?" She asked anxiously. As a reply Henriette handed her a letter.

Dear Miss Samantha Wilson,

It is my unfortunate duty to inform you that your parents, Mr Edward Wilson and Mrs Georgina Wilson were murdered tonight. The perpetrators are still at large, but it is reasonably safe to assume that the mastermind behind this act was one Lord Voldemort. We are very sorry for your loss.

Signed,

Harry Humplewincher

The Ministry of Magic

Lily read the letter through twice. She then threw her arms around Samantha and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry honey." She whispered in Sam's ear. The five of them sat like that for a long time. When Samantha fell asleep the four friends helped one another carry her to her bed. Lily's stomach grumbled loudly and she grimaced.

"I haven't eaten since breakfast. Would you guys be alright if I went and found some food?"

"Sure. That'd be alright. Would you bring me back something too?" Anna said rubbing her arms.

"Sure." Lily walked out the door and quietly pulled it closed behind her. She ran quickly down the stairs. When she walked into the common room she saw who she was looking for instantly.

"Potter?" she asked uncertainly walking up to him. He looked up at her, smiling. He was sitting with his latest girlfriend on his lap, a sixth year named Bea Quartz. He kissed Bea and pushed her off his lap. She walked away shooting Lily a dirty look. James stood up and stretched his arms high over his head. Lily tried to focus her attention on his face when his jumper rode up revealing a well formed torso.

"Want something Evans?" he asked yawning.

"Yes. I'm sure that you and your friends found the kitchens on your nightly sneak outs. Could you tell me where it is?"

"Hungry Lily?"

"Yes actually. I missed lunch and dinner. And my other friends missed dinner."

"Why?"

"I don't think I should be the one to tell you that. I can tell you one of my friends got devastating news from home. She's really upset. So can you help me please Potter?"

"Sure Evans. Let me just run upstairs and get my invisibility cloak. I'll be right back."

Two minutes later James came back down with a bulkier midsection. Lily raised her eyebrow.

"No one else should see it." James said matter-of-factly.

Together they walked out of the portrait hole and Lily allowed herself to be covered with the cloak. James held her arm to keep her completely covered and he led her down into the entrance hall. He then opened a door that led onto a short hallway. He walked to painting on the wall. A painting of a bowl of fruit. James tickled the pear and it turned into a door handle. James grasped the handle and pushed open the door. He removed the cloak and Lily stepped into a cavernous room filled with five long tables. Lily was sure that their positions would match their counter-parts in the Great hall. Four house-elves rushed up to her and Potter and bowed low.

"Good evening sir and miss. May we help you with anything tonight?"

"Yes please. Could we have some butterbeers, some roast beef sandwiches, a medium apple pie and some napkins." James said confidently. He led Lily to a seat at one of the tables. Very soon the house-elves rushed back to them carrying two trays filled with the requested food.

"Thank you very much." Lily said appreciatively smiling at the beaming creatures, with their bat-like ears and squashed tomato-like noses. They bowed low to her and James. Lily turned to James and saw that he had just slipped something in his robe pocket.

"Come on Potter. Better let you get back to Bea. Before she has a hissy fit."

"Yeah right and what would Charlie think if he found out you were sneaking around at night with me?"

Lily clammed up and pushed a tray into James's hands. Huddling close under the invisibility cloak, they walked in annoyed silence back to the Gryffindor common room. Lily saw Bea sitting in an armchair by the fire. She took the tray from James.

"Thanks for that Potter."

"You're welcome Evans. Tell your friend I'm sorry." He said absently as he wandered over to Bea. Lily watched him sit on the side of Bea's armchair and then be lean down for a passionate kiss. She shook her head in disgust and walked carefully up to her dorm.

'Bea is such a stupid idiotic prat.' She thought to herself. 'Wait a minute. She's never been mean to me. Why am I thinking that?' she walked into her dorm room and slammed the door behind her, momentarily forgetting about Samantha. She was reminded quickly by the annoyed looks and hushing she got from her friends. She apologised with her eyes and held the food out in front of her, as a peace offering. Anna, Henriette, Carrie and Lily devoured the food, while Samantha slept.