Chapter One- Friday

The yelling was coming from the staircase. His voice was loud and sharp. She hated when he yelled. She much preferred his soft, gentle tones, but others were downstairs with him. No soft tones or gentle words spoken. She pressed her fingers around her pendant and gently guided it to her supple lips. The pendant was triangular with rounded edges. It measured two inches in both height and length. The blood red ball at the bottom swirled on the inside as though filled with crimson liquid. She murmured a few words to herself and set about fulfilling her duty as Headgirl. As she descended the staircase, no one noticed save the watchful eyes of two gentlemen. She sat next to the gentleman who was previously yelling at her. Their gaze met and a knowing thought passes between them. She blinked slowly and looked around at her fellows. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood.

"This meeting of the leaders may now come to order."

"Our last order of business is very sensitive, so I encourage all of you to listen carefully and respectfully."

James waited for concurrence from everyone before beginning again.

"I propose a new safety measure be implemented for all muggleborns."

"No."

James looked at the opposing person. Calmly, she sat. Her defiance was distinct in her gaze.

"Don't be argumentative, Evans. You haven't even heard me out yet."

Lily stood up and fully faced James.

"It is wrong to discrim..."

"It's not discrim..."

"You're singling out a group of students and making..."

"It's for their...if they knew the..."

"They know the..."

"How could they possibly know the..."

"They're not stupid, Potter!"

"They must be prote..."

"Maybe they don't need special..."

"How would you..."

"Oh, I know more than..."

"Oh, please."

The Heads were standing mere inches from each other plus the 12 inches that separated their height. Both were panting. The others looked every bit as confused as they were. No one understood the argument, but since their arguments were always in half-sentences, they were used to it. Albus interjected from his place.

"While that was as exciting as it was befuddling, the issue at hand remains unsolved."

James and Lily sat back down on opposite ends of the room.

"I think that I agree with Lily."

An indignant look from James zoomed to Remus Lupin. The prefect looked back at him stubbornly.

"Perhaps, if she were to make her point again in full sentences, I might agree or disagree conclusively."

Lily remained seated and nodded her gratitude to her friend. She spoke and her eyes met hazel.

"Maybe Mr. Potter should present his plan."

James smirked, thinking that she was going to take his side for once. He stood triumphantly.

"Of course, Lily."

Lily smirked back at him.

"Then, once you are finished, I can point out the flaws."

Remus muffled a snicker as the other students in the room almost gasped at her insolence towards the Headboy.

"I propose that the muggleborn students be given a certain amount of security. They should be escorted to and from class. They should have restrictions on curfew and boundaries within the grounds. These measures must be taken in order to protect our muggleborn population."

James sat down and awaited Lily's rebuttal. How could any person with a soul refuse his suggestion? Everyone has to band together to the muggleborns. He watched as Lily. Rose and began.

"Forgive my crudeness, but that's complete and total horseshit. What the Headboy is suggesting is discrimination. The school cannot treat students differently because of their heritage. That's how this bleeding war got started in the first place. To implement this suggestion would only cause dissention and rebellion. If we allow Potter's proposition to pass into our by-laws, the muggleborns will be in more danger than before. We cannot allow this."

Lily sat down heatedly. She and James had spoken their piece and now it was up to the council. Lily noted that 9 out of the 12 people in the room were from "pure" bloodlines. Tough room.

"I will allow half an hour for independent discussions on the topic before the vote is put to me to decide."

The prefects stood and congregated around different tables. Some prefects switched tables to talk to other houses. Lily caught James' eye. He nods ever so slightly to the stairs. Lily blinked and kept her eyes closed for a heartbeat before going up the stairs. A few seconds later, she heard James' steps following her previous path.

'Here we go again.'

James entered and shut the door. He turned to face her.

"What is your problem?"

'Is that a place you really want to go?'

"I was expressing my opinion, James. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing."

James ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He paced in front of her as she sat patiently on thei...her bed. After a moment, he stopped in front of her and faced her.

"Do you always have to disagree with me?"

Lily reached out and connected her fingers with his. She looked into his eyes. She smiled.

"If I didn't, the dynamic of our entire relationship would be different."

Anger gone now, he smiled back and answered playfully.

"Then I might be able to be seen with you in public."

James walked closer to Lily ending in between her knees. Lily leaned forward into his lower stomach and wrapped her arms around his middle. James played with a piece of her hair.

"Lils, do you think..."

"No, James."

"But Lil, you're so..."

"I know, but there are other things that..."

"Yeah, I know."

Lily looked up at him. She grinned mischivously.

"Hey Jaime."

James smiled at the nickname because he hated it from anyone except her. Eye contact was made.

"Yeah, Lil."

"What flavor lip gloss am I wearing?"

"I don't know, Lily."

James said, catching on.

"Want to find out?"

Lily leaned backwards as James put one knee on the bed and guided her down flat.

They both returned downstairs. The female prefects scoffed at Lily as she passed them and went to speak with the prefects from her own house.

"She always argues with Jamesie. He has the decency to leave the room, but she always must be such a...snake."

"I still can't believe that Dumbledore chose a snake for headgirl."

"A Slytherin...outrageous!"

Seeing that the Head's had returned, Dumbledore took his seat and called the meeting out of recess.

"It is time for the prefects to vote. Should Mr. Potter's suggestion be adopted or not. You all have your ballots. Please proceed."

Silence enveloped the room as the prefects cast their vote and gave it to the Headmaster. The eldest in the room looked over the ballots. The votes were split straight down the middle. Albus made his decision and stood to present the results.

"There was a 5-5 split, so it now falls to me to make the decision. After deliberation, I have decided that Mr. Potter's suggestion will...not become a part of our by-laws. Thank you all for coming. Join your peers before supper begins and have a lovely weekend."

The four students who voted with James congregated around him while the other four crowded around Lily. Amazingly enough, all the girls were with James and the guys were all with Lily. Lucius and Severus, the Slytherin prefects, only lingered a moment to tell Lily that they would talk to her at supper. Remus, the Gryffindor prefect, and Jensen Jarvis, the Ravenclaw prefect, found Lily all by her lonesome. Jensen was tall and muscular: He was Ravenclaw's Quidditch Captain and best beater for the past four years. He was also a muggleborn. He smiled with his perfect teeth and short, dirty blonde hair.

"Thank you, Lily for standing up for the muggleborns. Not something I expected from you, but I'm glad that there are some people in this world who do not see muggleborns as some kind of birth defect."

Lily smiled back at him.

"Why did you not expect me to stand up for you?"

Jensen looked at her as though the answer was obvious.

"You're in Slytherin. They hate us."

Remus looked at Lily and then Jensen.

"Jensen, you shouldn't stereotype."

Jensen was about to apologize to Lily, but she cut in.

"Rem, sometimes judgements are necessary to ones safety. I know that I wouldn't trust any Slytherin if I weren't in the house myself, but as long as Jarv changes his mind about me, that's what is important. Sometimes we must judge others by reputation and appearance in order to keep ourselves protected. Now that he knows that I am in Slytherin, but I am also a generally good person with little prejudices, I hope that he will not be afraid to approach me for any reason."

Jensen smiled at her broadly.

"I most certainly will do that."

Remus, pleased that Jensen and Lily were getting along, started talking about Quidditch. He tried to include Lily, but she seemed distant.

"Lily, are you okay?"

Lily looked up at him. For a second, he swore she held a haunted look in those gorgeous, green eyes of hers, but once she blinked, it was gone.

"Yeah, but I must separate for a few moments. Nature is calling to me."

Remus smiled at Jensen's shocked expression. Lily was extremely blunt and that was very rare. Most girls swore that they used the loo. Remus chuckled at Jensen.

"Is she always like that?"

"Yes, she is different from just about every person here."

"So I've noticed...I wonder if she...oh great."

Remus followed his eyes to James. The headboy was looking towards the stairs where Lily had just moments before ascended. Jensen sighed.

"Looks like Potter's set his cap for her."

Remus looked at James, processing his expression. Yes, he would definately be speaking on it later.

"Doesn't matter if James has or not."

Jensen looked excited about that.

"Why not?"

Remus hated to do this to him, but he had to know.

"Lily doesn't date."

"That's not a problem."

Remus shook his head at his friend's stubbornness.

"Yes, Jensen, it is. She has friends, but even those people are kept at a distance. She doesn't let anyone in."

"I could just be her friend and let things progress naturally. I just want to get to know her. She fascinating."

Remus smirked.

"Yes, I know. That's just the thing. With Lily, there is no 'natural progression.' She'll keep it friendly until you try to get to close and then she'll just stop."

"Everyone needs someone Remus."

Remus remembered saying those words to her himself.

"I know that, but she won't let anyone in."

"She must be good at it to resist Potter's attempts."

The Gryffindor prefect chuckled lightly.

"You have no idea."

"I do believe she would be the first to resist him."

"She's good at that. Resisting seems to be in her nature. Don't get me wrong. She is an amazing person who would do anything for anybody, but she's just so lonely."

Jensen seemed to make his mind up about something.

"I'll change that. She won't be lonely for much longer."

Remus shook his head at the determination.

"Good luck."

Jensen left at told Remus that he would speak to Lily at supper... or after supper... she's really a snake? Oh, well. A minute or two later, James came over to Remus.

"Lily okay?"

"Yeah, nature called."

James rolled his eyes because he knew that those were her words exactly.

"What did Jarvis want?"

"He's taken an interest in a certain red-head."

James tried to keep his expression neutral. Anyone expect Remus would have been fooled...maybe not Sirius or even Lily herself, but everyone else would never have seen the darkness pass over his eyes.

"She'll never go for it. Anything more than friends and she backs off."

"Tried to tell him, but you know those Ravens. They think that they can change the world if they know enough."

"If he can get her to open up, more power to him."

Their talking switched to Quidditch as Lily made her way back into the room. She couldn't find Remus, then she noticed all the girls in one area and a tall, black haired figure standing over them. James...always the center of attention. She stopped halfway down the stairs and spoke.

"Ladies, supper approaches. Why don't you go back to your dormitories and get prepared?"

Her effort was in vain because no one noticed her. Two more times she tried to get their attention. Three times was enough.

"HEY FLOOZIES! It's time for supper. Go back to your own dorms!"

The girls turned around and looked at the person who would dare interrupt James' story and order them to leave.

"Shut up, Snake! James isn't finished with his story."

The brave Gryffindor prefect, Alaina Alberta, shouted. Lily calmed crossed the room until she was standing in front of the prefect. Her eyes glowed bright with impatience.

"Want to try that one again, Prefect?"

"Pulling rank won't work on me, Snake"

"Please return to your dorm and prepare for supper."

"I will leave when James finishes his story."

Lily glanced at James for a second then back to the prefect.

"You will leave now because you are in my dorm and I want you out of it. Do you understand or should I use smaller words."

"What are you going to do if I don't leave, Snake?"

Lily tilted her head to the side and chuckled. Suddenly, her eyes snapped up and she grinned.

"Make you."

Lily swept behind her and grabbed the blonde hair above the nape of her neck. She kept her hold firm as the portrait hole opened. Once she was on the threshold, Lily forced the prefect out of the dorm. Her blonde hair and everything attached landed hard on the stone. She tried to get up and go back in, but some spell kept her out in the corridor. Lily turned to the other girls.

"Anyone else need help in finding their way out?"

The other girls scattered to the door and left. The portrait closed with Alaina still trying to force her way in. James looked to Lily.

"Lily, those actions were not warranted. You shouldn't lose your temper like that."

Remus thought that was funny since Lily lost her temper on James at least three times a day.

"Yeah, well, I asked politely. She didn't leave. I showed her that I was sorted into Slytherin for a reason."

James looked into her eyes and saw how tired and worn out she was. He nodded his head slightly.

"Go on upstairs and get ready for supper."

Lily nodded and started up the stairs. James watched her until he couldn't anymore and then turned to face Remus.

"Okay, what the hell was that?"

James grinned.

"What was what?"

"Don't play stupid, Potter. It's not flattering."

"We have an understanding."

Remus looked confused.

"I was preparing for a huge blowout when you gave her an order and all she does is nod and carry it out."

"She's tired. There is a difference between arguing, bickering, and fighting. She's not in the mood for any."

"When did this understanding begin?"

"Long after it should have."

James just looked at Remus and followed Lily upstairs. He opened her door and found her on her bed. She was sitting with her legs like a pretzel and her hands up on her knees. She was meditating. She did that often. James went to leave, but her voice stopped him.

"Need something James?"

"Just coming to tell you that I'm going to supper."

Lily didn't open her eyes.

"I'll be down momentarily."

"Remus and I will be waiting."

Lily's silence signaled to James that he was no longer required in the conversation. He left the room and went to freshen up. Lily sat quietly on her bed for a few more moments. Assured that nothing serious was going on in the castle, she joined Remus and James downstairs.