A/N: Thanks a bunch to my 2 fantastic reviewers! And especially to names are overrated, sorry but I couldn't do a review reply because you didn't log in. Your name cracks me up, by the way.

Disclaimer: Only own whoever I make up and the plot. The rest belongs to JK Rowling. ((Bows in her greatness)) And I have no idea who made up 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life', but cookies to them for creating a fab song.

Italics– Remus Bold and Italics – James Normal – Sirius Bold – Peter

Chapter 2: Fate Is An Evil Mistress

"Prongsie!"

Sirius bounded up to James much like a puppy would have bounded to its master. As James looked up, he was convinced that if Sirius had a tail he'd be wagging it, madly and unstoppably.

"What is it now, Sirius?" The Head Boy slid his hand into his robes, depositing Lily's journal into one pocket.

"Guess what, ooh guess what!"

James looked on at his friend, convinced that he'd gone loony. Sirius was dancing all the way down the corridor to the Transfiguration classroom, singing 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' but seeming to dance to the rhythm of 'Skip to My Lou'.

"If life seems jolly rotten / There's something you've forgotten / And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing / When you're feeling in the dumps / Don't be silly chumps / Just purse your lips and whistle. That's the thing. And," Sirius warbled out of tune.

And almost like in some nightmare, all of the children in the corridor at the time seemed to join in the ridiculous dance routine of Sirius' and started to sing together at the chorus.

"Always look on the bright side of life," went them all.

"Doo, doo. Doo doo doo doo doo doo," Sirius sang – if you could call it singing – in between. He linked arms with the two girls at his side and started to do high kicks.

"That is enough, Mr Black! The rest of you, back to your classes!"

"Oh, Minnie," Sirius whined as all of the children scurried off. "We was just 'avin' a bit o' fun," he pleaded.

Professor McGonagall scowled, but her heart wasn't in her anger. "In with you, one more word and that's a detention cleaning out the dungeons. Sans magic," she added.

Cold blue eyes turned to James. "Come on, then, Mr Potter. I don't have all day."

With a nod of acknowledgement, James hurried into the classroom, slipping into the desk next to Sirius. Remus sat behind him with Peter behind Sirius. As James turned around to talk to Remus, his breath left him in one fell swoop as his eyes fell on a red headed girl sitting at the very back, tucked into one of the corners.

The girl from this morning.

She looked up from the parchment she was scribbling notes on, and James noted again with wonder at how someone's eyes could be so green. He watched as she blushed and averted her eyes, hair falling around her like a curtain.

"James?"

Remus swivelled around in his chair as well, his eyes resting on the same sight that James was so enraptured by. He sighed.

"I see you have learnt about the existence of Miss Lily Evans. She's shy, very shy."

"Do you know her?"

"Wish I did," Sirius muttered in appreciation. James' hand immediately went to the black journal in his robes, fingering it protectively. So now he had a face to the name. Lily Rosanna Evans…

His hazel eyes roved over the willowy figure, her skin was white as snow, and he was willing to bet about as cold. He watched as she pushed a crimson ribbon of hair behind her ear, only to have it fall into her eyes again. Her eyes were like glittering emeralds, speckled with stardust.

"Where does she sleep? I've never seen her in the common room before."

Remus shrugged. "She's very mysterious that one. I don't know a lot about her."

"Mr Potter, if you would kindly face the front."

James turned around, smiling with regret at the Professor. "Sorry, Professor."

McGonagall's eyes hardened in suspicion, but when met with nothing but James' 'innocent' face, she turned around and started writing on the blackboard again.

About two minutes later, a note fluttered onto James' desk. He smirked at the familiar hand writing.

What was all that commotion about outside? And why were you looking at the beautiful Miss Evans with that look on your face?

What look? I do not have a look. Moony, you're delusional.

Don't play innocent with me, Prongs. You were looked as if you had a secret that you weren't willing to share. And it concerns a certain Lily Evans.

I do NOT have a secret. And if I did, I wouldn't tell you anyway, nosy prat.

Did I hear something about a nosy prat?

These things do not concern you, Padfoot. Stay out of it.

Stay out of what?

By all means, lads. Join in the note passing! Maybe we'll get caught and have to spend time in Slughorn's dungeons. I know where he keeps the firewhiskey.

Prongs, me lad, you are brilliant.

I know.

Stop preening, Prongs. You look like a peacock.

I can do what I like, Mother Moony. I'm a weal boy now.

Mother Moony. Ooh, that is genius!

Hey, I-

Prongs?

Yes Wormtail?

What was all that noise outside the classroom earlier? It sounded like a cat dying.

That was me. I was merely singing to express my extreme joy.

Have you been at Professor Slughorn's private stash again, Padfoot?

It stings to see how you distrust me so, Mother Moony.

What am I supposed to do? Trust you? And stop calling me Mother. It's degrading to my pride.

I was only doing this because I asked out Felicity O'Connor again today, but she said no.

Not surprising. Felicity likes Prongs, remember?

Why thank you, Wormtail. I appreciate your support in my manliness.

Huh?

Anyway. Then I went for Diana Mackenzie, that broad who's always hanging with Feli.

Felicity might go out with you if you stopped calling her Feli, Padfoot.

Blasphemy! Anyway, Mackenzie said yes.

To what?

To going out with me, you fool!

And that was why you were singing 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' but dancing to 'Skip to My Lou'?

That's a pretty pathetic reason, Padfoot.

C'mon. It's not all that path-

Look out! Professor McGonagall's spotted us!

o0o

Lily watched as Professor McGonagall walked up to the four boys and promptly reprimanded them. Soon after she assigned them to a Saturday night detention cleaning out the dungeons, sans magic. For some reason, they all looked rather happy at this turn of events.

She sighed and turned her gaze back to her notes. She couldn't believe that James had acknowledged her presence. He had looked at her. He had looked at her. Her! One of the shyest – if not THE shyest – and definitely not the prettiest (that title went to Felicity) girl in Gryffindor, if not the whole school.

James Potter who had the entire female population of Hogwarts eating out of his hands had looked at her. Nothing special Lily Rosanna Evans.

She was almost giddy with joy.

Than she realised it was just a look. Nothing more. Lily was willing to bet her socks – and Lily adored her socks – that James looked at hundred of other girls. So she really was 'nothing special'.

But that look. That certain look. He looked as if he had a secret about her. But that couldn't be possible. Lily never shared anything with anyone. He couldn't know anything about her.

Then why…?

The witch sighed and resigned herself back to taking notes. Afterall, it was only a look.

o0o

Later that night, James was lying on the sofa in the Heads' Dorm, the fire flickering merrily in the grate. Usually he would be in the Gryffindor boy's dorm because the Head Girl never seemed to be around.

Right now, though, he needed someplace quiet and secluded.

With a small smile, James took the black diary out of his robe pocket and began to read.

1st September, 1972

Dear Diary,

Petty is really the best sister a girl can have! She gave me this diary as a birthday present, and I couldn't thank her enough. But anyway, the start of second year got off to a rather boring start, as usual-

James snorted in impatience and flipped through the pages of neat, fine handwriting. He stopped when he got to one page that used an emerald ink instead of the normal onyx black and began to read.

1st September, 1977

Dear Rose,

Well, here I am. The start of seventh year. It seemed so far away before, but now at least I can put things into perspective. Now that I look back at all those pages, I think about what Hogwarts has truly been to me.

Hell.

Felicity O'Connor and her gang have officially donated their fair share into it. This basically means the whole school acts as if I'm dirt on the bottom of their shoe. I thought it was bad when all this started in fifth year, but I was wrong. It's so much worse now.

At least back in fifth year I could get around without being teased. No one noticed me, which – though rather painful now that I reflect on it – was fine. Now… Well. I've been through everything, and it can't possibly get any worse.

I've just found out James Potter has been made Head Boy. No surprises there. He was everything a Gryffindor should be – smart, brave, handsome, loyal to no bounds for his friends…

But that I was made Head Girl… That was mortifying. I pleaded my case with Professor Dumbledore, and though he refused to let me give up my post, he agreed to split the work up so that I would never have to be with James, face to face.

Thank god. The crush I had been developing for the past seven years can finally be squashed. I was just going to get my heart broken in the long run anyway. It's not as if James Potter knows I exist at this point. Or he would find out I existed.

Felicity's already planned everything out for her relationship with James. I wonder why he's said no every time though. I thought that no boy was strong enough to resist that blonde's wiles. I can't believe that I was jealous of her at first. She's no better than she proclaims herself to me.

Well, it's getting dark. I might as well go now. Madam Pince isn't going to let me stay any longer.

Love,
Lily

James narrowed his eyes as he concentrated on the green words in front of him. It's not as if James Potter knows I exist at this point. Or he would find out I existed. It was true. He had never known of a Lily Evans before she fell into his arms this morning.

But of course, now that he knew he was smitten. He turned the page and read on.

7th September, 1977

Dear Rose,

Sorry for not writing earlier, but everything has gotten worse. Far worse.

It seems now that Felicity has another reason to despise me because I'm Head Girl. What I would like to know is how she found out. I've been so meticulous about this matter, even the Head Boy has no idea who his partner is.

Which is disgusting and rather pathetic of me, but lately I'm starting to think that I am disgusting and pathetic.

She's getting to me. Two years of non-stop torment and now she's getting to me. I can't stand this. One of these days I've got to take drastic measures. If only I would come out of my room and actually look her in the eye.

But I can't. You of all people should know. Sometimes I would rather die than face another day. Sometimes I just lie in bed and wonder what the use in getting up is. The only people who know I exist are the same people who make my life a living hell.

Ah, how could I forget Remus? Darling, sweet Remus. Pity I never tell people what's happening with me. Pity he didn't bother to ask – I convinced myself he had no idea, but we all know it was because he didn't particularly care. Pity he didn't even know I was in his year, let alone in his house.

No one would even notice I'm not around anymore. Except probably Felicity and Diana, they'd be throwing an old fashioned tickertape parade complete with floats and music.

Oh god, what am I thinking?

I can't do this. I shouldn't even be contemplating this. I'm sane, smart; pretty sure I'm relatively nice to look at. Pity I'm also disgusting and pathetic.

Great. Now not only do I have mental issues, I also have appearance issues. Since when did I care what other people thought of me? Since when did I care whether people noticed me or not?

Who am I kidding?

I've always wanted to be what I'm not. I wanted to be what Petunia was – popular, have millions of friends. Fate is an evil mistress. All the good things like Luck and Fortune haven't even bothered to send an apology as to why they weren't around before.

Okay, so maybe I'm not sane.

But god, Rose. Whenever I see any girl whispering and giggling with her best friend it sends a pang right here. I've never known that. That easy familiarity you share with someone else, that simple click. That instinctive way they link arms when they walk down the hall together, how they wait for each other no matter how much they complain, how they save each other seats in a classroom, how they pass notes during the entire lesson.

No one's ever saved me a seat. No one's ever linked arms with me before. No one's ever waited for me. No one's ever sent me a note.

See? I am pathetic. I want all these things that seem so simple to everybody, but aren't all that simple, really. I can't just go up to any girl right now and go, "Hey, my name's Lily. Want to go and hang out?" I can't. I wouldn't have the guts to anyway.

I'm pathetic. So utterly and completely pathetic.

Love,
Lily

James closed the diary and rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. Lily was quite the enigma, and, judging from this 'Rose' that she'd poured her heart and soul out to, she was depressed, shy and apparently pathetic. She was also lacking something James had never been without, and that was a friend.

He re-read one paragraph, a smile growing on his face as an idea dawned on him.

No one's ever saved me a seat. No one's ever linked arms with me before. No one's ever waited for me. No one's ever sent me a note.

Well, he was pretty sure he could do a few of those things.

James stood up and stretched, smiling through his yawn. Operation Lily started tomorrow.