Remus' Realization

Now when Sirius sauntered into the compartment at the back of the train, nothing seemed amiss. Remus took a sidelong glance and noted the large quantity of sweets Sirius was carrying. Just as he was about to make a final move in the Wizard's Chess game he was playing with Peter he noticed something.

"What did you do now, Padfoot?" he asked.

"Now, Moony, why ever would you suspect," Sirius began, but he was cut off with the sharp look from his more observant friend.

"You have the smug, I just pulled a prime prank on someone look. Did you go after Snape again? Catch an unwitting sixth year for a good snog?" Remus asked.

"Paltry feats for one with skills such as mine," Sirius preened. "I have accomplished something which is for the greater good of all wizardkind." The unappreciative look from his friend prompted him to further explanation.

Exactly seventeen seconds into his explanation the entire train could hear the bellow from Remus Lupin, "You did what?!?"

Being a most expert prankster, Sirius was bright enough to also cast a silencing charm on the head's compartment. Thus Lily and James were the only two undisturbed.

"You're right," Lily repeated.

James stared blankly at her. Never had Lily Evans ever said that James Potter was right. James was taken aback.

"You're right," Lily said for the first time looking James in the face. "I do push people away, but it's only because they do so first. You did it. Or has the quantity of pranks you've pulled finally addled your memory. You pushed me away; I've merely been protecting myself. After all, you drop every other girl you ever have dated faster than Sirius falls asleep in History of Magic."

"You're right too. I was an immature brat who played a nasty prank on another student who I then ignored. But I changed Lily. People change, they grow up. Life happens and people change." James was getting fairly excited now. After all he had seen and experienced much more than Lily knew. His life recently had caused him to change much more.

"Lily, I've seen things and heard things that you have no idea. I see what is going on in the magical world while you are off with your family. I know your family is hideous, that's fairly obvious at this point. But I know what the worst of the magic families are up to too. The evil and pain in the world is such that you can never imagine and I hope to all that is good and magic in the world you never do, Lily," James said as his voice softened.

Lily was once again taken aback by James. The two of them had never talked for this long.

"Is it Sirius's family, James?" she quietly asked.

"Yes, Lily, trust me that no matter what your sister does it doesn't hold a candle to what the Black family gets up to," James said.

"If you would have been like this, I might not have been such a jerk every time you talked to me the last few years," Lily thought aloud.

"Well, if I thought I could have been like this without being hexed I might of," James rejoined.

Lily let out a light laugh.

"I like your laugh," James said.

"Thanks," Lily replied.

A fairly comfortable pause continued for a moment or two. Finally James broke in, "Do you think we should round up the Prefects and start with our duties. We must be more than halfway to Hogwarts now."

"Sounds like a good plan. Why don't we change into our robes first? And no, not both in here at the same time you dolt. Wipe that grin off your face," Lily scolded. But her tone was so very different, almost as teasing as James normally was. James of course noted this and smirked even wider.

However, he was learning and a bit more of an adult. "Why don't I step into the lavatory down the corridor to change and you can change in here?" he suggested.

"Sounds good again. You're just full of good ideas today, James. Such a switch from what you're normally full of," and here Lily gave James a true smirk that any of the Marauders would be proud of sporting. If any part of James' heart was untouched by the redhead, it was lost now as he fully realized she was just as much of a trouble maker as he was.

Silently, as he was in awe of Lily, James headed out the cabin. He reached the door and began to slide it, or rather tried to do so. He pulled at it again. He changed his grip on the handle. He put both hands to it. It did not budge a bit.

"Does the great star athlete of Gryffindor find himself bested by the door of a simple train?" asked Lily being generally amused by the situation.

"Lily, in all seriousness, this door is stuck," James said with a confused air.

"Honestly, are you a wizard or not?" Lily said as she waved her wand and said the unlocking charm.

James tried the door again. It didn't open. Lily tried an unsticking charm. It didn't open. Lily tried every charm she could think of that could possibly open the door. It didn't open. James then tried the traditional male solution, hitting it. It didn't open.

Lily would have loved to blame James for this, but even she could not see how James could possibly be responsible. However, she quickly realized who could be responsible.

"Sirius," she seethed.

"Yes, this is a serious problem. We're Head Boy and Girl and we're stuck in a train compartment," James said as he continued to bang and pull on the door with all his might. Lily casually noted that he was quite fit.

"No, James," she rolled her eyes, "I would bet ever Knut I have that your illustrious, idiotic friend, Sirius is behind this."

"Oh," James said finally comprehending. "But why would he prank me?" James asked.

"James, why wouldn't he?" Lily retorted.

"Oh, right," James said.

"So your friend who is rather brilliant and thorough in his pranks…tell him that Potter and I will kill you… has somehow managed to lock us in this compartment in such a manner as no one hears us and we can't get out with or without magic," Lily summed up the situation.

"Yet again, Lils, your intelligence has gotten to the heart of the matter."

"Why me?" Lily moaned.

"Padfoot, you have to let them out right now!" Remus was actually upset at his friend. He could only imagine the pain Lily was putting James through. Especially once she found out she was locked in the compartment.

"But Moony, they just need the time together. Really, this is perfect. They'll have to talk. Either Lily will kill James or they will end up snogging. It is perfect. Just wait. You'll see," Sirius said as he attacked the pile of sweets and began humming to himself.

Remus wasn't sure which was worse, the situation in the Heads' compartment or the tone-deaf humming.