Madam Pomfrey was very reluctant to let me go, but after a lot of begging and pleading from James, she finally let me go in time for dinner. I tried not to gawk as I was led through the castle. It was every bit like I imagined and more, but I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't anything new.

The Great Hall lived up to its name. Four long tables for the students filled with plates of food. Another table was at the front of the hall for the teachers. I strained my eyes and saw Dumbledore in the middle with a woman next to him who I assumed was Professor McGonnagall. Floating in midair were candles, twinkling in the low light of the ceiling that mimicked the outside sky.

To say the least, it was magical.

I took tiny bites of my food, savoring the flavor and trying to keep the panic in my mind down to a minimum. Seeing it all right in front of me was overwhelming, it was making my head hurt. I was trying to listen to what James was telling me, sure it was very important, but my eyes were scanning every inch of the Great Hall and every face in it.

Down the table was Lily, her bright red hair unmistakable. I remembered her being there too, when I first woke up here. Did that mean we were friends? She caught me staring and smiled at me. Beside me, James sighed a dreamy sigh. He was looking at Lily too. She saw him staring, made a face, and turned her head away.

"She will be mine one day," he said under his breath.

"And how long have you been going after her?" I asked before I could stop myself. The others all snorted into their plates, while James went red and ruffled his own hair.

"I guess you'll never be on my side, huh?"

I sat my fork down, afraid I said something wrong. "What do you mean?"

It was Remus who spoke. "You've been telling him that ever since he figured out what a girl was."

"Which, coincidentally, is how long he's been bothering Evans," Sirius said, brandishing his fork as he spoke.

"What did she call him last time?" Peter asked with a sly smirk. "A love sick puppy?"

The boys laughed and James was fighting down a smile. "Well if I'm a puppy, then I'm a damn cute one."

I laughed with them this time, and it felt good. A weight lifted off my shoulders. Maybe fitting in with them wasn't as hard as I thought.

However, my worries weren't over. I knew things about the boys, secrets that they kept among themselves. Remus was a werewolf. James, Sirius, and Peter were animagi, or at least becoming them, to help Remus on full moons. Then there was the Marauder's Map.

How much did their Ophelia know? How could I possibly find out these things without seeming suspicious? Thinking about it all was very overwhelming. This was my life, at least for now, until whatever was happening ended.

Classes were done for the day so we all headed up to the Gryffindor common room. Only, James kept stopping to tell a story about something that happened wherever he stopped. I went along without complaint, hopeful it would stir something inside my head, but I could tell it was getting on the other boys' nerves. And it was very apparent when they decided to leave us to go up to the tower on their own.

"And here is where I jinxed Connor Diggs when he pretended to ask you out just to embarrass you." James pointed to a classroom door. He side-eyed me as I stared and strained my brain for any recollection.

"You were really angry with me afterwards, said I should butt out of your personal life. Then I got angry at you; we didn't talk for a week. Biggest fight we ever had."

"And when was this?" I asked.

"At the start of third year, so a little over two years ago. You really don't remember anything?" James stared at me, his big hazel eyes begging me to say I did.

I shook my head. "No, I wish I could. I'm sorry."

Tears pricked at my eyes and I looked down, unable to hold them back. I didn't know why, maybe I was too overwhelmed. Or maybe it was from letting James down, which was stupid because I just met him, right?

James was quick to comfort me. He pulled me into a hug and held me tight until I stopped crying. "I can't imagine what you're going through, but you're not alone Ophie. We can get through this."

I wiped my face, smiling at his words. That was the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me.

We were alone now. I could ask him how I was a Potter. Unless it was a coincidence and we just somehow had the same last name. However, I couldn't bring myself to ask him.

We headed toward the Gryffindor tower in silence, and I figured it would take years of experience to take the turns with ease like James. My sense of direction was already horrible as is, and the multiple turns and floors and moving staircases didn't make it any easier.

I knew we had arrived when I saw the portrait that guarded the Gryffindor common room: the Fat Lady, who was lounging in a pink dress. "Password?"

"Wattlebird." James said, although it sounded more like a question.

Stepping through the portrait hole and into the crowded and chaotic common room was a lot. Eyes turned to me and watched me trip over my feet. James caught me and put himself between the prying eyes as he led me over to the other boys.

They were sitting right next to the fireplace on cozy chairs. Remus and Peter were hunched over a game of chess, while Sirius watched. James sat down next to Remus on the couch and pulled me down next to him.

"You don't have to let me win, Moony," Peter said as Remus moved a chess piece across the board.

Remus didn't say anything as he ran his hands down his face and sat back. "You okay, Moony?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, it's just…" Remus trailed off with a sigh. He did look a little sickly; his face was pale and he looked tired. Was it near the full moon? I stayed quiet as the boys all gave each other a look.

"It's just what?" I asked, testing the waters. There was another look around the group.

"Oh you know," Sirius said, gesturing vaguely at the air around him.

I tilted my head back and forth. "Considering my situation, I don't think I do."

He missed a beat before James saved him. "Evans!" he called loudly, and the common room chatter quieted.

I turned my head as James walked over to her. Across the room, I could tell her guard was up as everyone tried to pretend not to watch their interaction. I knew the story of James and Lily well enough: he pined for her; she thought he was annoying; then something happened in their seventh year.

However, as James pulled Lily to the side and spoke, the sour look on her face died down and she nodded her head. James came back, messing up his hair with a triumphant smile on his face.

"What was that about?" I asked as he plopped back down on the couch.

"I figured it might help you to see your room and things up in the girls dormitory. I asked Lily to show you up there."

I glanced behind me. Lily was closing books and placing them in her school bag. "And this isn't because you want to avoid what we were just talking about?"

James was affronted by my question. "Absolutely not!" He placed a hand on his chest, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Look, here she comes now. Don't keep her waiting." James pushed me up roughly. "Have a good night."

Lily led me upstairs and to a door labeled for fifth year girls. Inside were five four-poster beds with trunks at the foot of each bed. Then, as if muscle memory took over me, I walked over to the farthest bed away from the door and ran my hand down the scarlet curtains. Catching the name carved on the trunk told me that this was my bed.

Pictures surrounded the wall around my bed. Some of them were moving, the others were just still black and white photos. There were a couple of unmoving pictures with Lily and me. There were a lot of James and me, or a combination of me and the other Marauders. Then there was a framed photo of James and me with two older people. They smiled up at me and waved.

I picked it up and looked at Lily. "Are these…?" I trailed off and she chuckled a little.

She walked over and sat on the edge of my bed. "So you remember where your bed is, but don't remember your own parents?"

I sat beside her, blushing a little. "That was a bit more of an instinct thing. But this—" I waved the picture between us. "I have no information about this—on anything, really—in my head. Like I told James: I know the basics but not the details."

Lily stared, her green eyes unblinking; her lips pursed, as if she were thinking very hard. "That's a lot. Can't Madam Pomfrey do anything?"

I shook my head. "No. Dumbledore said to just wait and see. Hopefully the memories will come back."

"That's not very helpful," Lily said.

I snorted. "Understatement of the year. I don't even know what day of the week it is, and that's what he says. But tell me something else, I can't think about this anymore." My head was starting to hurt thinking about the enormity of my situation.

"What would you like to know?"

Laughing, I laid back on my bed. "Everything, but start with how we became friends."

Lily laid beside me, laughing too. "Now that's a long story, but to sum it up we were not friends at first because of the whole rivalry between Potter and Severus. It's no that we didn't get along, but I stayed away from you because of that.

"However, in our second year, I watched you get onto Potter and Black for jinxing Severus while his back was turned. I warmed up to you after that. Besides, I needed a girl friend after Petunia stopped talking to me."

Lily frowned, but I stayed quiet. I knew that when Lily found out she was a witch, Petunia became jealous of her. I couldn't blame her, seeing Lily as special with magic; it was a literal fairytale. However, those feelings led to a horrible future and repressed emotions.

"Petunia?"

"My sister," Lily sighed. "We haven't been on the best of terms. I'm the only one with magic in my family, and ever since our relationship hasn't been the same."

I patted her arm. "Be patient with her. Maybe she'll come around."

Lily rolled over on the back. "Yeah right. It's been five years, almost six, so I doubt it."

"She's your sister, Lily. You can't give up on her."

"And what about you and Potter?"

"What do you mean?"

Lily swung her legs off the bed and stood up. "I'm assuming that you don't remember anything?"

I sat up, leaning on my elbows. "No, and I couldn't bring myself to ask him."

She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Well, I don't know everything, but the Potters adopted you between first and second year. And you and Potter have been like this ever since." She held up her hand, her fingers crossed tight. "It would probably be better to ask him for the full story."

"Yeah," I said, "I'll do that."