Author's Note: Ha! Actually a quick update for once! Well, this chapter isn't all that interesting---sort of a transitory thingie, but it has an interesting ending and one important factoid in there. In Hermione's words: There's some important stuff hidden in the waffle. Anywho…on with it…

Tanya J Potter: Yay! A new reader! I hope you like this chapter if you get around to reading it, and thanks!

Luthien RhiannonCat5: Another new reader! I will most certainly keep up the good work, as well as definitely going to read your story. You read mine, it's the least I can do! Thanks!

Lady of Masbolle: Yes, poor him. But, well, she had to marry someone, or I have a feeling there would be no Neville! Here I am, writing again, hope you like it! Thanks!

Goodness, I suppose I should tell you all that I don't own Harry Potter, etc., etc. Hello! Hopefully I won't have to say this again!

Chapter Four

A week into the school year, James found himself facing more schoolwork than he'd ever had in seven years. Every class was loading on the homework like there was no tomorrow, and most of the seventh years (himself included) were struggling to keep up.

Not only that, James couldn't help feeling a constantly knot in his stomach. The first reason had been the disappearance of Frank's dad, and now the second reason was completely his own fault.

As Sirius had said, full moon had been coming up--in fact, it had been last night. Going against his gut feeling, James and the rest had snuck out to roam around the grounds as they always had.

James had had fun, of course, but he couldn't help feeling horrible. There he was, betraying Dumbledore's trust, after Dumbledore had trusted him enough to make him Head Boy. Not to mention the fact that Snape already knew about Remus being a werewolf, and he was probably already constantly looking out for any rule breaking they might be doing.

And, to make things worse, there had been more disappearances. This time it had been four people at once-- and none of them were Muggles. In fact, they were all people James had heard of. Some he had actually spoken to before.

Everyone had pretty much stopped holding out hope that these missing people would be found. When another person disappeared, it was treated as though they had died. Even Frank had given up looking for his dad, though reluctantly, and his family was holding a funeral.

The curious thing about all of the disappearances was something no one else had said anything about--though none of the victims were Muggles, almost all of them were Muggle-born wizards. James of course, hadn't said anything, but it was always in the back of his mind.

With everything that had been building up, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had been unusually quiet. James had no desire to go playing pranks on people. Oddly enough, neither had any of his friends, and so the castle was mayhem-free.

Of course, he could never stop thinking about Lily. Every time she walked by him, his heart felt like it skipped a beat, and the rare times that he talked to her, he actually was able to stop acting like a conceited jerk and more like a human being.

That night, James was in the library trying to get some work finished. Being in the library was a rare occurrence in itself for James, but to be studying at the same time was some sort of a revelation. The reason he had actually come in here was to study, but part of him couldn't help hoping he'd see a red-haired someone hanging around as well.

"Hi James." Anna had just come in and sat down across from him.

"Oh…hey," James had replied. He hadn't talked to her at all this year, but in previous times they had gotten along rather well.

"I'm blown out of my socks to see you working this late. In the library, no less," She said, "Hoping to meet somebody along the way?"

"Er…no, I'm just finishing up my Transfiguration essay."

"Has anyone told you you're a horrible liar?"

"Your dear friend Lily has about thirty times."

"Ah. Yes, that could be expected from her."

She opened her books and got started on her own work, and looked up a couple minutes later.

"You said her first name," She said, looking somewhat triumphant.

"Oh…yeah…well, I always do. I only save the last name bit for when I'm around her," James said, feeling embarrassed.

"Hm."

Once again, she returned to her work, writing for a good ten minutes before she stopped again.

"I noticed that Hogwarts has been without any catastrophes lately. Any certain reason for it?"

"Nah…well, I suppose it's not exactly the best time to do anything like that. I mean, if somebody's family member has just gone missing, it's not exactly going to make them feel better if we set a fire going or anything like that."

Anna gave him a long, analyzing look. He hated when she did this, it always meant that she was about to say something very smart.

"Interesting," She said. James was shocked to realize that she wasn't going to give him a life lesson. In fact, he would have welcomed a life lesson at the moment, because it would probably be something having to do with Lily.

"And, you know, I can't exactly go around doing stupid stuff like that when I'm Head Boy, right?"

"It's stupid stuff now?"

"Well, looking back, I guess some of it was."

"Hm."

James couldn't figure out what in the world she was thinking. He waited for her to look up, but she just kept on writing on her parchment, paying no attention to him at all.

"All right, no more of your little confusing 'Hm's. Just tell me what you're thinking, it'll make everything a whole lot easier!" He said finally. Anna looked up and put down her quill.

"You've changed is all," She said simply.

"I--what do you mean--I couldn't have…" James trailed off. Changed? What did she mean? Yeah, he was a year older, but nothing much else was different about him.

"Well, the old you wouldn't have cared about hurting peoples' feelings. And he also wouldn't have realized that he had responsibility now that he was Head Boy, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared. In fact, he probably would have used it as an excuse to cause even more trouble and not get punished. Not to mention that you never, ever would have said Lily's first name around me or anyone else. And, of course, you never would have found him studying at eight-thirty at night in the library."

James sat there for a minute, dumbstruck. Could he really be that different?

"I--that's not…well…" He stuttered, trying to think of something to say.

"James, have you ever thought that changing might have been a good thing?" Anna asked, "Maybe in turn it'll change someone else's opinion of you."

She wrote a few more sentences and then gathered her things up.

"Well, I'm done. I'm going to head out of here, but good luck with your stuff," She said, and with an encouraging smile, left the library.

James sat for a minute, trying to piece together what she'd said.

What did she mean by changing someone else's mind…she couldn't have meant…Lily?

No, that's impossible. It'd be too good to be true.

And good luck with what stuff?? My homework? Or did she mean good luck with Lily…

He shook himself from his thoughts and shut his Transfiguration book, picked up his quill, and walked up to Gryffindor Tower. On the way, he decided to try and think less about Lily--which was probably impossible for him, but he resolved to try it anyway.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lily stared out one of the Owlery windows at the grounds below, closing her eyes and letting the cool air wash over her face. Standing there, a feeling of contentment and safety came over her, a refreshing change from the tension she'd been feeling for the past while.

Ever since people had started disappearing, she'd started to get a little nervous--after all, many of the people who were vanishing were either Muggles or Muggle-born wizards, like herself. No one else had noticed (or at least they hadn't mentioned) this trend, and so she had no reason to believe it was anything but coincidental.

Hogwarts had been quiet this past week--quieter, in fact, than it had ever been before. Though Lily would never admit it, she found herself missing the mayhem that James and Sirius had inflicted before.

After one last look out the window, she left the Owlery, walking through the halls back to Gryffindor Tower, not thinking about anything in particular. She stopped to chat for a few minutes with Sir Cadogan, though all he did was threaten her, so it wasn't so much of conversation.

She approached the portrait hall in a dazed sort of state, but hushed voices coming from around the corner caught her attention.

"Albus, do you really think it wise to tell them all--now? After all, who are we to spoil their good mood?"

"Minerva, you know as well as I do that most of the students in there are not in a good mood--in fact, I wouldn't doubt that all of them are sitting under a pile of homework."

"I know, but Albus, it's going to be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow, what does it matter if we tell them or not?"

"It is better this way. They're not children anymore."

Lily listened to this, wondering what was making Professor McGonagall so frantic at this time of night. Little did she know that she was not the only one listening to this conversation…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

James had been about to round the corner but had stopped dead when he heard two people speaking. From what he had heard so far, he hadn't been able to figure out a word of it.

"Why couldn't we have told Ms. Evans and Mr. Potter to do this? You know how I hate to be the bearer of bad news."

"Minerva, I'm telling you, we must let them know now, before it's too late."

"What do you mean, 'too late'?"

"I mean we need to tell them the facts before they hear a misconstrued story from their friends."

"Well---what do I say to them?"

"Exactly what has happened. Tell them simply that a very powerful wizard calling himself Lord Voldemort has come forward into the public. Also make it clear that this is not a light subject, and that Lord Voldemort is capable of terrible things. If they have any questions, answer them as truthfully as you possibly can."

"Oh, Albus, I don't think I can--"

"I must go send an owl, Minerva. Good luck."

James watched as Professor Dumbledore walked down a corridor opposite of him, and waited until he heard Professor McGonagall say the password before looking cautiously down the hallway. He jumped as he heard footsteps from behind him, thinking Dumbledore might have decided to come back, but saw he was wrong.

Lily was standing down the hall further, and by the look on her face, she'd heard every word of what they had said too.

"Er…I suppose you were there long enough to catch that interesting information?" James asked. She went red.

"No--I…it was by accident, I really didn't mean to listen in, I just--" She sputtered.

"Yeah, well, don't worry about it, you're not the only one who 'really didn't mean to listen in'," James replied. Lily nodded.

"So…since we both heard it, did you understand any of it?" She asked, looking at her feet. James sighed.

"Not really. It was sort of vague. I guess we'd know if we were in there right now," James said, jerking his head towards the portrait, "But it sounds like something bad is about to happen."

"Yeah…you--you don't think it has anything to do with all those people disappearing, do you?"

"Well…it's certainly odd---all of those people were Muggle-born or Muggles, except for Frank's dad," James mumbled, shrugging. Lily looked up from the floor.

"You noticed that too? I thought I was the only one who'd even given thought to it, that's so--"Lily stopped, looking embarrassed again.

"Well, anyway, you reckon we should go in there?" James asked, after a few moments.

"Together? At the same time?" Lily asked, looking scandalized.

"Well, yes…unless you were planning on going somewhere else…"

"No--people will think we---they'll think that we're--"Lily said, struggling for words.

"Friends?" James finished for her.

"Oh, no, it's not that at all," Lily said.

"Don't worry, I get it. I guess I'll never be good enough to ever be seen with someone like you," James muttered.

"Really, I don't mind talking to you or anything, it's fine, I just don't want people to think--"

"Forget it. I'm going inside," James said, and he turned, walking towards the portrait hole until someone from behind spoke

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans--would you be so kind to accompany me to my office?"

James turned, and, a feeling of dread inside his stomach, came face to face with Professor Dumbledore.